Carrying a diet into the weekend is not an activity a friend would wish on you. Like everyone else, you look forward to letting your hair down and partying hard after a long and strenuous work week. And what is a party without appetizing snacks and alcoholic drinks? You ruminate about your diet and go easy on the chicken tikka and paneer rolls, munching on steamed veggies instead. But the desire to experience the high and heady feeling which only alcohol can give leaves you stumped.
Invisible Calories
The thing about alcohol is that the calories are invisible. While you can virtually cluck your tongue at the calories in a sinful chocolate cake, alcohol seems harmless. But don’t get fooled by the watery façade. One pint of beer has 182 calories; a glass of medium white wine or champagne has 95 calories. An easy rule to remember is that the higher the alcohol content, the higher the number of calories. For example, one ounce of 80-proof Vodka has 64 calories while one ounce of 100-proof Vodka has 94 calories.
Another reason to beware of the calories in alcohol is that while only a small percentage of it gets directly stored as fat, a majority of the alcohol gets converted to acetate, which, in turn, replaces fat as an energy source. So, acetate gets burned to provide energy instead of fat. And you can plainly see how counterproductive that is.
In case you were unaware, alcohol is a potent appetite stimulant. It has been found that men tend to eat more if they are served food with the accompaniment of alcohol. And yes, when you are high or plain drunk, you will grab anything to satiate your hunger, without caring two hoots about your dietary restrictions.
The Tipping Point
Here are five tips to help you enjoy your Friday night bash better, while still being true to your diet.
Make the right choice – drink wine, beer and simple cocktails. Wine and light beers have the lowest calorie counts. If you are a cocktail aficionado, try and keep them simple. Don’t go for a chocolate martini (438 calories); try a sour apple martini (148 calories) instead.
Alternate your drinks – alcoholic beverage followed by a non-alcoholic one. Not only will you consume fewer calories, the hydration will stave off a hangover.
Mix cocktails with low calorie mixers, like water, diet soda, light orange juice or lemonade and lemon juice. Cocktails can be very potent. 6 oz of Pina Colada is loaded with 378 calories.
Do the right thing – avoid the mixer. Try flavored alcohol instead.
Follow a plan. Decide how many cocktails you are planning on having. Stretch the number to last through the party.
If you are the kind who doesn’t believe in sacrificing the buzz to win the battle of the bulge, don’t lose heart. If cocktails do it for you, choose the right mix. Your choice of the mixer decides what the final calorie count of your drink is going to be. Here are some low calorie alcoholic drinks for your Friday night party-on-a-diet.
Vodka Cranberry
This drink is also known as the CapeCodder. Cranberry juice is rather high in calories and will push the final count to over 250. So what do you do? Substitute it with diet cranberry juice and what do you have – only 140 calories. The cranberry juice will give you the added benefit of flushing the alcohol out of your system.
Gin and Tonic
Thirsting for a Tom Collins? Remember, that’s 208 calories. Substitute the sour mix and club soda with diet tonic and you are down to 100 calories.
Mojito
You made the right choice by opting for a mojito over a margarita. That’s a saving of close to 132 calories. But you can do better. Use sugar substitutes, like Sugarfree, instead of sugar and make sure the bartender pours fresh lime juice to mix it. Need an added benefit? Mint and lime juice are rich in anti-oxidants.
Watermelon Martini
While most other martinis are loaded with sugar and calories, this delicious cocktail has only 105 calories. Concocted with vodka, simple syrup and pureed watermelon, this drink is popular among the weight watchers.
Light beer and wine
The lighter the beer, the lower the calories it packs. Sure, an ultra light beer may taste like beer flavored water. But think about the calories you are saving. A pint of most light beers clock around 96 calories. A glass of white wine comes a close second, at 100-120 calories.
Don’t let your diet restrictions ruin your weekend of R and R. Drink judiciously and keep your wits about you. A diet is no reason to miss all the fun.
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