Alcohol Alternatives

sophs87
sophs87 Posts: 35 Member
edited October 4 in Health and Weight Loss
Does anyone have any tips on what to have whilst on a night out instead of alcohol? I have a big night for halloween this weekend and don't want to feel left out (I have given up alcohol for a month). Massive wine fan BTW....

Any tips would be great!

Also if you have given up alcohol then feel free to add me - could do with some support!
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Replies

  • JDNOX
    JDNOX Posts: 619
    If i am not drinking I usually go for water or tonic water with lime. It is cheap and its nice to have something in my hand. If the place has sugar free red bull i will drink one of those over ice. Atleast it looks like a drink.
  • UABUncleSam
    UABUncleSam Posts: 21
    There are really no alcohol subs. I usually drank mixed drinks like whiskey and coke. I just cut out the whiskey.....then the coke. I subbed my coke for sprite zero and eventually cut out all sodas. To tell you the truth the only way to quit drinking and stay that way easily is to not put yourself in situations to be around it. It's kinda like not buying the bad food and putting it in the house. If it's not there, then your not tempted to eat/drink it. I just drink water all the time now and I'm doing just fine. My wife did the same thing and she loved wine! Especially living out here in Italy. Now all she drinks is water and occasionally a energy drink here and there. Don't let alcohol undue all of your hard work, but remember 1-3 drinks won't kill you as long as you have the willpower afterwards to go back to daily routine. Keep it up!
  • fatty2fabby
    fatty2fabby Posts: 415 Member
    vodka diet coke!
  • PennyNickel14
    PennyNickel14 Posts: 749 Member
    i have given up booze while on P90x. Diet sprite in a clear cup works wonders. Fizzy and sweet and everyone thinks you are drinking so you don't have to spend the whole party explaining why you are not drinking.
  • thinkingthingirl
    thinkingthingirl Posts: 153 Member
    My auntie is pregnant at the moment and when she goes out to a pub and people r having a glass of wine, she asks for an apple j20 in a wine glass. :)

    other than that vodka tonic is the lowest cal alcoholic drink
  • gentsevetzak
    gentsevetzak Posts: 147 Member
    Mary Jane is your friend if you can resist the munchies, i've quit drinking alcohol a month ago, it's still hard sometimes especially on social occasions.
  • morganadk2_deleted
    morganadk2_deleted Posts: 1,696 Member
    Firstly well done you! I gave up alcohol for a month it can be done.( in that time i went out with friends for meals and my son left home and went to University )

    I drank sparkling water, with ice and a slice.

    I did have a few wobbles but manged to stick to being alcohol free for the whole month
  • nothingisred
    nothingisred Posts: 292
    I think your best bet is vodka and a low cal mixer, soda water or diet coke. I think vodka is about 50 cals a shot.

    The one to stay away from is cider! It is horridly calorific! I used to work in a pub and we started selling bottles of Bulmers light which had the calorie info on the back. It worked out to just under 1000 cals a bottle and that was the LIGHT stuff! I dread to think what's in the normal stuff...
  • AmeChops
    AmeChops Posts: 744 Member
    I tend to just stick with soda water and either have some blackcurrant or orange cordial in it or just plain with some fruit slices :-))

    Otherwise, if I'm wanting to drink and not spend too many calories etc I'll opt for gin and slimline tonics.

    Good luck to you!!
  • thinkingthingirl
    thinkingthingirl Posts: 153 Member
    I think your best bet is vodka and a low cal mixer, soda water or diet coke. I think vodka is about 50 cals a shot.

    The one to stay away from is cider! It is horridly calorific! I used to work in a pub and we started selling bottles of Bulmers light which had the calorie info on the back. It worked out to just under 1000 cals a bottle and that was the LIGHT stuff! I dread to think what's in the normal stuff...


    OMG NFW!!!!! thats horrendous. I used to drink these before i went out on a night out. U dont really think do you. gosh
  • HonkyTonks
    HonkyTonks Posts: 1,193 Member
    Vodka lime (fresh) soda is pretty low cal, just be moderate. A glass of red is also fine, in moderation.

    If I feel like I need to drink but not alcohol sometimes I will just have soda water with fresh lime juice squeezed in
  • rajivdubey
    rajivdubey Posts: 382 Member
    I have observed (with myself) that a glass of red wine (or two) does not hurt. If one drinks something other drink or cocktail, it leads to other issues like couple of drinks become 4 or 5. Wine is wine, it does not hurt me!
  • kitinboots
    kitinboots Posts: 589 Member
    I drink vodka lime and soda when I can afford it (spirits are expensive here) as I don't like it enough to drink fast.
    But you can easily budget a bottle of wine into your daily calories if you want to. Then you have enough to last all night provided you drink slowly.
  • PhilipByrne
    PhilipByrne Posts: 276 Member
    I think your best bet is vodka and a low cal mixer, soda water or diet coke. I think vodka is about 50 cals a shot.

    The one to stay away from is cider! It is horridly calorific! I used to work in a pub and we started selling bottles of Bulmers light which had the calorie info on the back. It worked out to just under 1000 cals a bottle and that was the LIGHT stuff! I dread to think what's in the normal stuff...

    Before Bulmers get their lawyers involved, according to their website Bulmers light has 92cals per bottle.

    OP I know you were looking for alternatives to alcohol not low cal versions, just clarifying.

    G'Luck - Phil
  • vinnysgirl
    vinnysgirl Posts: 311 Member
    I have recently cut out alcohol as well because I was losing weight through the week and then banging it all back on again over a weekend which was ridiculous and so pointless in me exercising hard all work. (although last Saturday was an exception as I went to a wedding and it was a long session).

    I tend to drink lime and soda in a tall glass with lots of ice and a slice of lime. Hardly any calories, tastes great and it looks alcoholic too :smile:

    Well done you for giving it up
    :flowerforyou:
  • kyle4jem
    kyle4jem Posts: 1,400 Member
    Does anyone have any tips on what to have whilst on a night out instead of alcohol? I have a big night for halloween this weekend and don't want to feel left out (I have given up alcohol for a month). Massive wine fan BTW....

    Any tips would be great!

    Also if you have given up alcohol then feel free to add me - could do with some support!
    Have you tried the new J2O white grape and kiwi which is very refreshing, looks like white wine and is only 90 Calories or there abouts.

    Failing that... lime & slimline tonic or your preferred soft drink?
  • marzahl68
    marzahl68 Posts: 201
    I honestly don't understand the need to drink something that look like it's alcohol.
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
    I love how you said you've given up alcohol and everyone suggests vodka.
  • TXBlonde81
    TXBlonde81 Posts: 78 Member
    Diet Sprite/Sprite Zero with a shot of diet coke will give you a mixed drink-like color. You could always just order a regular diet drink and put it in a mixed drink glass or have the bar tender do that and then add a slice of lime or a cherry. I think you'd have to smell the drink to know whether it had alcohol in it or not at that point.

    Good luck!
  • Lozzy_82
    Lozzy_82 Posts: 324 Member
    When I'm avoiding alcohol I drink low-calorie tonic water or bitter lemon. Good luck with giving up booze for a month - I did that for August and it was HARD but worth it :smile:

    Also, I'm pretty sure cider doesn't have anywhere near 1000 cals per bottle, unless it's a REALLY large bottle! Cider is my favourite treat and most of them come in at 250-350 cals a bottle. Obviously that's still high, but not THAT high!
  • lauz2512
    lauz2512 Posts: 1
    mock champagne I used it at a baby shower

    1L (1 pint 15 fl oz) chilled sparkling water
    1L (1 pint 15 fl oz) chilled ginger ale
    700ml (1 pint 5 fl oz) chilled white grape juice

    combine all ingredients in a large jug, serve immediately in champagne flutes.

    I found this recipe on AllRecipies website
    http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/716/mock-champagne.aspx
  • imblondewhatsyourexcuse
    imblondewhatsyourexcuse Posts: 35
    Mary Jane is your friend if you can resist the munchies, i've quit drinking alcohol a month ago, it's still hard sometimes especially on social occasions.

    Yep, pretty much what I would say, if you can resist the munchies then there's a calorie free alternative for you right there!
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
    I don't need to drink to have fun, but it's always nice to have the flexibility to drink if I want to. Honestly, I'd probably be annoyed as hell going out to a drinking environment and drinking something like French sparkling water.

    The only reduce calorie alternatives are probably things you don't want to try.. like donating blood, jogging, weed, going to a high altitude, weird pills I don't know the names of, mushrooms, watching Fox News...
  • kitinboots
    kitinboots Posts: 589 Member
    Coffee if they serve it. Then soda water with lime.
  • lauren3101
    lauren3101 Posts: 1,853 Member
    You may be able to get alcohol free wine - I buy it from the supermarkets. It's actually not bad and does taste like wine, and it makes me feel like I'm joining in.
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
    Non-alcoholic beverages still contain a small percentage of alcohol and are not low calorie... it somewhat defeats the purpose.. I mean at this point a shot of Everclear would probably be less calories AND be alcoholic.
  • FranceyPants
    FranceyPants Posts: 98 Member
    I think your best bet is vodka and a low cal mixer, soda water or diet coke. I think vodka is about 50 cals a shot.

    The one to stay away from is cider! It is horridly calorific! I used to work in a pub and we started selling bottles of Bulmers light which had the calorie info on the back. It worked out to just under 1000 cals a bottle and that was the LIGHT stuff! I dread to think what's in the normal stuff...

    I don't think Bulmers has 1000 calories. The info was probably in kilojoules because Bulmers is an Irish company. 1000kj is just under 250 calories.

    Still, definitely adds up :)
  • itsfruitcake
    itsfruitcake Posts: 146 Member
    I love any kind of fruit juice mixed with soda water - we do that a lot here in Germany (it's called "schorle"). Just ask for half apple juice, half soda water. Also works well with cranberry and grape juice. Not so great with orange juice.

    Of course, the juice still has calories and sugar, but it's a nice change if you don't want just plain soda water or diet sodas.
  • cgarand
    cgarand Posts: 541 Member
    vodka diet coke!

    I don't think that is an alternative, but that sounds pretty good...make mine a double.
  • lauren3101
    lauren3101 Posts: 1,853 Member
    Non-alcoholic beverages still contain a small percentage of alcohol and are not low calorie... it somewhat defeats the purpose.. I mean at this point a shot of Everclear would probably be less calories AND be alcoholic.

    Yes, they do, but it's hardly worth mentioning. The non-alcoholic wine I buy has 0.05% alcohol. And it's 16 calories for 175ml.
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