Help! Alcoholic weekend is approaching!

Moniqua1
Moniqua1 Posts: 195 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Ok, this weekend is planned around alcohol. Friday is my best friend's birthday, saturday into sunday I'm camping, and sunday I promised a friend who is going through a divorce that I would take her out. Since not consuming alcohol is not an option I'd like to go with and I don't want to have to watch my consumption amount, is there anything I can do to maintain my weight without hindering my social drinking? Maybe a stronger beer so I drink it slower? I'm not sure. I'm just tired of gaining 4 or 5lbs every weekend and working do hard to get back to my before-weekend weight! My friends have already said that I'm out of control counting calories and going to the gym. They say it's my number one priority and that hurts! I AM my #1 priority and my health, I don't think there's anything wrong with that......I'm ranting, sorry. Any tips on the drinking would be great! Thanks!
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Replies

  • LexyDB
    LexyDB Posts: 261
    Why do you have to drink alcohol?

    Depends which is more important, drink or losing fat and being healthy?

    The choice is yours. If they are your friends they'll understand and support your decision to not drink alcohol.
  • Assassins_Angel
    Assassins_Angel Posts: 329
    if you really must drink jack daniels only has 55 cals per 25mls (which is what i drink once a night as a treat) then use a diet mixer which adds an extra cal to it
  • hillm12345
    hillm12345 Posts: 313 Member
    if you really must drink jack daniels only has 55 cals per 25mls (which is what i drink once a night as a treat) then use a diet mixer which adds an extra cal to it

    Agreed. Jack on the rocks.. yum!
  • stuiterbal
    stuiterbal Posts: 7 Member
    Make sure you eat a decent meal before you go drinking, helps keep off the snacks, which are more dangerous for your weightloss than the alcohol is.
    Do not drink beer, but try red wine or even vodka, wine is at least good for some things in your body and you will drink slower. Vodka contains the least calories of all alcoholic drinks, but gives you a really bad hangover.

    Hope it helps some...
  • ily_em
    ily_em Posts: 8
    Vodka and diet mixers are the least calorific.
  • drqbird
    drqbird Posts: 1
    Well, I think if you're just going out to have social drinks, you can intersperse your alcoholic drinks with diet soft drinks. If you're going out with the explicit intention of getting drunk, then spirits will give you more buzz per calorie. Also choose low cal mixers (eg diet coke with rum, or slimline tonic with gin). If you're a beer drinker, light beer has fewer calories. Strong beers tend to have more calories.

    I think the most important thing is to *keep track* of how much you drink, even if it's approximate, and log it in your food diary (even if it's the next day). Avoid alcohol for the rest of the week and perhaps consider increasing your daily exercise just a little bit for that week in order to counterbalance the excess calories. At least by keeping track you know how much you drank and you can be a better judge of what you need to do about it.

    I had a very boozy Saturday with friends that I hadn't seen in a long time. I went WAYYY over my daily calorie goal, but instead of thinking "oh my god, I've screwed up my diet" I knew what I had to do to get back on track. And I did it.

    Good luck with your weight loss and enjoy your weekend!
  • Moniqua1
    Moniqua1 Posts: 195 Member
    Then I wish I liked whiskey :( maybe a vodka and light cranberry? Do bars carry light cran? Lmfao!
  • nevertoolate2
    nevertoolate2 Posts: 309 Member
    beer is about the worst thing you can drink. Lagers/pilsners are better than ales that said.

    You can also move to a shandy with beer mixed with diet lemonade. Obviously not the same alcoholic effect but will give the appearance of drinking if that is more important than actually getting drunk.

    Wine is better than beer and you can move onto white wine spritzer with soda water if calories is the more important objective

    Or any spirit with a diet mixer.
  • Assassins_Angel
    Assassins_Angel Posts: 329
    Then I wish I liked whiskey :( maybe a vodka and light cranberry? Do bars carry light cran? Lmfao!

    i know vodka has the same cal amount as whiskey
  • brett1117
    brett1117 Posts: 208
    Why do you have to get "wrecked" every weekend?!?! You can't have a couple drinks?! Drink every other weekend not every weekend..If you;re getting hammered EVERY weekend, you might need a little help
  • Moniqua1
    Moniqua1 Posts: 195 Member
    I suppose there's no way around it, an extra hour or half hour at the gym this weekend. Thanks guys! I'm definitely a beer drinker when it's social. So sad! I hoped there was a "magic" secret that I never thought of.
  • pinky_pinkster
    pinky_pinkster Posts: 56 Member
    You could try a 'healthier' alcoholic drink...okay I know alcohol isn't exactly healthy :) But I like to drink citrus vodka with ice and a slice of lemon topped up with just regular water - it tastes just like lemon water and has hardly any sugar/calories :)
  • Moniqua1
    Moniqua1 Posts: 195 Member
    Why do you have to get "wrecked" every weekend?!?! You can't have a couple drinks?! Drink every other weekend not every weekend..If you;re getting hammered EVERY weekend, you might need a little help

    No one said anything about getting "wrecked". I enjoy heavy beers. They have alot of calories. After 3 it's probably around 500 or 600 calories. My goal calories are only 1260.
  • Moniqua1
    Moniqua1 Posts: 195 Member
    You could try a 'healthier' alcoholic drink...okay I know alcohol isn't exactly healthy :) But I like to drink citrus vodka with ice and a slice of lemon topped up with just regular water - it tastes just like lemon water and has hardly any sugar/calories :)


    I like this idea!
  • Zichu
    Zichu Posts: 542 Member
    If I want a drink, I have a drink and make sure it fits. I don't keep drinking because of someones birthday or problems.

    Take last weekend for example. We all went out to celebrate my birthday and my Nan's birthday which were both earlier that week, I had one pint and some water afterwards. I didn't feel the need to keep drinking because it there were birthdays going on.

    I don't see how drinking one after the other is enjoyable. I prefer to stay sober or slightly tipsy and enjoy the night knowing I took control and don't care what others say. Hell, I don't even mention it to my family about only having one pint because I'm worried I will gain weight. You could come up with excuses and say that you have been having trouble sleeping lately after drinking a bit to much. If I had trouble sleeping for a few nights, I slow down on the drinking or stop for a while. I don't drink as often I used to, but just make an excuse. You don't need to tell anyone what you are doing because it's going to make them question you and judge you.
  • DiabolicBooger
    DiabolicBooger Posts: 198 Member
    try miller 64 or budwiser 55 select if you like beer...other wise vodka and diet soda pop
  • hookandy
    hookandy Posts: 278 Member
    Or you just enjoy the weekend, have a few drinks, (count them) and refocus on Monday. A blip is a blip, not worth stressing over.

    If you can go for the lower cal options already given, then do if not just avoid *too* many snacks
  • sdemarco121878
    sdemarco121878 Posts: 2
    I put in my alcohol points before even going out, so I know exactly how many I'm allowed to have. And I high ball it, so I'll factor in 6 vodka sodas with fresh lime which is 300 calories or something. Then I know I will have a good buzz, but still not enough to get so drunk I don't care what I drink/eat.

    I am with you on the beer lover thing...

    This is a totally unhealthy suggestion but, well, 4 beers for dinner and giant low calorie salads all day?
  • Bobby_Clerici
    Bobby_Clerici Posts: 1,828 Member
    This is an easy one.
    Drink lemon water on ice, have just a few, or cancel your whole week-end plans. I actually severed connections to my fat, drinking and eating friends and made new friends who are into health and fitness. I can't be around all that and not blow it; maybe you are different.
    Remember, in life we can have most anything we want but not everything.
    What's most important to you?
    Your choice.
    Good Luck:flowerforyou:
  • Patovader
    Patovader Posts: 439 Member
    How about Bud light, they only have around 110 calories per bottle so you could have 5 or 6 of those (per day) over the 3 days which would equate to around 660 calories per day, then just work them of with some additional cardio. At the end of the day if you don't make a habit out of drinking 3 consecutive days every weekend then don't beat yourself up over it, check out my diary if you want to see how a typical Scotsman enjoys their weekend ;-)

    Have fun A :)
  • Moniqua1
    Moniqua1 Posts: 195 Member
    I put in my alcohol points before even going out, so I know exactly how many I'm allowed to have. And I high ball it, so I'll factor in 6 vodka sodas with fresh lime which is 300 calories or something. Then I know I will have a good buzz, but still not enough to get so drunk I don't care what I drink/eat.

    I am with you on the beer lover thing...

    This is a totally unhealthy suggestion but, well, 4 beers for dinner and giant low calorie salads all day?

    Probably unhealthy, but also more likely. I'm sure by day 3 I won't be up for much drinking. Temporary, but doable. I think extra gym time will also be included. Only 300 cal for 6 vodka sodas?! I'll have to try these! 300 cal isn't even 2 beers!
  • ZoeyRobinson
    ZoeyRobinson Posts: 301
    Why is drinking not an option? You aren't allowed to say "no"?

    If you want to drink then do it in moderation. If you don't want to drink then don't. If you feel peer pressure then you need to get better friends.

    Either way be safe and don't drink and drive.
  • dunc289
    dunc289 Posts: 54 Member
    Firstly, forget the "Strong beer's, I'll drink less of them" idea.

    You'll get drunk, then you'll get drunker, which of course will be fun, then you'll stop counting.
    Then you'll end up challenging passers by to pull up competitions in the street at 2 am, fall off the bar and bugger up your ankle.
    (Well thats the sort of thing that happens to me sometimes.)


    Seriously though, I thought the interval training idea had merit.

    1 real drink. (Small glass wine/ half pint beer)
    1 soft drink. (BIG glass anything)

    repeat.

    If you think about it, you just need enough to get a buzz going, then maintain an even strain from there.
    I'm not saying I could do it, but I probably should.
    Might even make the night more fun.


    To all those saying "You don't need to drink", you're not really in the right thread.
  • bri131s
    bri131s Posts: 2 Member
    Thats a good one. Figure about what youll drink and eat the night before and get up early and bust out a bike ride or swim some laps to pre-counter act them. Want very few calories go with silver rum(or vodka) strite zero and a dash of your favorite mio. For me though its whiskey and sprite zero.
  • geordiegirl27
    geordiegirl27 Posts: 307 Member
    I have a heavy weekend of socialising too, food and drink.

    My plan at times like this is to plan in advance, even a guestimate on what alcohol you'll have will let you see the calories you need, then add in your food - but make sure you eat properly, if you're eating at home go for low calorie/low fat food but with lots of nutrients so a good stirfry with loads of veg and noodles or rice, some fruit.

    Then when you're out you know that your calories are taken care of, within reason but you can then make further decisions.

    So once you know what your calorie spend is looking like maybe do an extra workout to take back a few extra calories which will all help in the end.

    I will often have a soft drink inbetween, a sparkling water or a tonic water, if you feel peer pressure to drink you can always get away saying its a gin & tonic or a vodka & coke.... only works if you're buying though.

    And dont feel guilty, yes you want to lose weight & be healthy but you also want to live a little, after all enjoying life is what its about. I dont know you or seen your diary so I apologise if you already do these things, but make more healthy choices the rest of the week but not at the expense of cutting down calories to compensate.

    Have fun and I hope your friend is ok.
  • jonnyman41
    jonnyman41 Posts: 1,032 Member
    I would also vote for Vodka and diet mixer! or,if you want something sweet malibu and diet coke/lemonaide etc. Very low cal. At home I have started drinking wine with diet lemonaide so that I drink less cals and less alcohol so sprizters might be an option for you too. As it comes in a tall glass it will take you a while to drink so you are not onto the next one really quick! oh and if you do go down the spirit option, make sure you have it with the diet mixer in a tall glass (lots of coke etc) otherwise you will be moving onto the next drink far to quick again. I would have the odd water in there too, between drinks.
    What about going for a meal with your friend rather than drinking all night and then have a bottle of wine with the meal and a large jug of water!
    If it must be beer, again drink shandys (half beer half lemonaide)
  • jonnyman41
    jonnyman41 Posts: 1,032 Member
    PS I am camping this weekend too with a load of friends so know there will be drinking round the camp fire but packing the car with camping gear, putting up the tent and walking the dog (he is coming with me) all adds up to exercise cals so I know I can drink without cutting back on normal food!
  • dunc289
    dunc289 Posts: 54 Member
    Also, little tip.

    Apparently protein before drinking helps confuse the stomach into dealing with the food for a while, before it gets on to adding the alcohol to your bloodstream.

    You'll still see all that booze eventually, but you might be safely back in bed by then.
  • jk262
    jk262 Posts: 1,597 Member
    I do vodka sodas and alternate with soda water with lime every other one. Everyone thinks I'm drinking a gin and tonic, even though I could care less, and you keep hydrated so you're not hungover the next day! I love beer though too so sometimes I add one in there.
  • bellasmum75
    bellasmum75 Posts: 1 Member
    New to this forum, but thought I would chip in! We all have friends like that, and sometimes its easier to take the path of least resistance and join in!

    My latest tactic is to switch from wine and beer, to gin or vodka with soda water. Im not a fan of low cal drinks, but if thats all that was available I would drink it.

    The nice thing with something like gin and soda, is that when its your round, you can switch to just soda and noone need know you have decided to abstain for that drink!

    A bottle of wine or two at home was seriously stalling me, but I now buy a big bottle of gin and keep plenty of sparkling mineral water in the cupboard. If I want a drink, instead of popping to the shop and spending a fiver on a bottle of wine, I now know that I can pour myself a gin and enjoy it. Im drinking much less, enjoying it more and spending a lot less money!

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