Everyone looks forward to the weekend. This is proven by my own (non) scientific research. There’s no work and no school and you know what that means for some people…Happy Hour/Bars/Parties! The summertime is also here which means most of us will be eating barbecue, hitting the lake, going to the beach or pool, and hanging out with family and friends. Let’s be honest, it’s also a time where people have some nice cold drinks. I often get asked what are some good tips to follow when it comes to consuming alcohol, beer or wine. I thought since the summertime is here, now is a perfect time to discuss this subject. After reading this you’ll see that you can still enjoy a drink without messing up your diet.
The main thing when it comes to alcohol calories is to make sure you don’t overdo it. Studies show that a single chocolate martini has more calories than a McDonald’s grilled chicken sandwich. Crazy, huh! 1 gram of alcohol has 7 calories compared to 1 gram of carbohydrates or protein which has 4 calories. Calories add up even more when you have mixed drinks compared to drinking beer or wine. When you’re drinking the higher the alcohol content the higher the calories. Portion sizes are real important also. Most glasses of wine contain 125 -150 calories, but depending on the size of the glass that can double. Beer can range from 64-198 calories per 12 ounces.
If you’re a fan of beer it’s recommended that you choose light beers over regular because they contain the same amount of alcohol but fewer carbohydrates. You should also watch out for dessert cocktails because they are high in sugar which increases the calories. If you choose to get a dessert cocktail be sure to have that as your only dessert of the night. Make sure you order a small glass and sip it slowly. When it comes to the super-sized drinks such as margaritas that contain double shots or mixers they can add up to 1,000 calories or more in one mug. That’s a lot of calories just from one drink!!
Here are a few more tips on how to keep calorie intake down:
- Alternate between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks to save calories. Doing this also helps you from dehydrating if you use water or sparkling water as your non-alcoholic drink.
- Try to drink wine, light beer, or simple cocktails made with low-calories mixers. Instead of mixing your drinks with sodas or energy drinks why not mix them with water, club soda, low calorie juices, artificial sweeteners or sugar-free syrups?
- Order your favorite liquor on the rocks.
- Dilute your drink with club soda or sparkling water.
- Decide in advance the number of drinks you are going to drink that day. That way you can cut back on calories during the day before you engage in your drinking..
Finally, always remember to drink responsibly.
Yours In Fitness,