Choosing Alcoholic Drinks When On A Diet

Drinking alcohol can ruin your diet, especially if you don’t know how to count calories. Some diet plans allow you just a bit of alcohol on occasion, while other diets strictly forbid it. If you’re on a diet and you simply cannot avoid alcohol, you should be aware of your drink’s caloric content and count it toward your daily allowance. Don’t drink to the point of losing your inhibitions, or you could lose count of the number of drinks you had and undo all the hard work you’ve already done. Here is some information about choosing alcoholic drinks when on a diet.

BEER

You can still drink beer and stick with your diet at the same time. Choose light beer instead of the regular variety. Light beers have about 80 – 100 calories while regular ones are usually 120- 180 calories. Stay away from dark ale and cream stouts which can have more than 170 calories per glass.

COCKTAILS

Be careful when you choose your mixed drinks. Many cocktails use simple juices, syrups, and sour mixes, which can have very high calories and large amounts of sugar. Choose cocktails that use club soda. Substitute regular soda for diet soda to cut down your caloric intake by as much as 150 calories per serving. Stay away from cream-based drinks such as mudslides which contain more than 820 calories. Use skim milk instead of cream to reduce the calorie count.

HARD LIQUOR

Hard liquors such as whiskey, gin, tequila, brandy, and vodka contain 65 calories per serving. However, you should note that a serving is equal to one ounce. So, to cut down on your calorie intake, you should be aware of how many shots you’ve had. Generally they are free from fats and carbohydrates, so controlling how much you drink is important to keep those calories down. Liqueurs like Irish Cream can have as much as 180 calories and are usually high in fat and sugar. As the rule goes, if you can’t stay away from them, it’s important to keep your portions at a minimum.

WINE

In moderation, drinking wine can be healthy and can even be included in your diet. At 4 ounces per serving, white and red wine have about 75 and 80 calories respectively. You can bring these numbers further down by thinning out your drink with club soda and keeping your portions at the same volume. Steer clear from dessert wines which can have as much as 100 calories per serving.

By making informed choices and sticking to appropriate serving sizes, you can enjoy alcohol without straying too far from your diet. As part of a balanced approach to wellness, a solid health insurance plan can further safeguard your efforts to maintain a healthy lifestyle.