Let’s drink a drink a drink…

Watching the calories is tough but most things we consume these days come with listed calorie, fat and carbohydrate content so that we are informed and can make the right choices about what we eat. It’s much harder to calorie count or monitor intake when we don’t know what we’re consuming. Alcohol is a very good example of where we can consume calories without realising its effect and throw all our good work out of the window. Moreover, alcohol calories are empty calories and they don’t offer any nutritional value.

So what to drink when you’re out having a good time without doing too much damage (that’s calorie related damage... we take no responsibility for general drunken related carnage!)?

 

 

Here’s some ace tipple tips!

·        AVOID - beer, lager & cider. Some contain as much as 250 calories per pint! That’s equivalent to a whole chocolate bar and slightly more than a jacket potato. One pint is one pint but consider the cumulative effect of having two or three and then you’ve basically consumed an entire roast dinner in calories. A beer belly is just that; so if you’re trying to be careful in what you eat steer clear of these kind of bevvies.

·        Sadly, and we say this with a heavy heart, you really should stay clear of sweet cocktails. However colourful and enticing they are, they are laden with sweet syrups and sugary fruit juices so really be careful and read ingredients (when available) so you know exactly what is going in your pretty pink drink.

·        The lowest calorie options are mixers – vodka or gin – mixed with a slim-line tonic or even better soda water. We find, and we have tested this at length, that vodka, lime and soda is a pretty compelling way to hit the bottle. Ask for fresh lime, not cordial and get stuck in. Be careful of whiskey mixers though – whiskey is higher in calories than white spirits and is often mixed with sweeter soft drinks.  

·        Likewise, mixing white wine spritzer with soda water is also not a bad way to go. A glass of wine (approx. 85 cals) is ok and can be a lovely accompaniment to a meal. Drinking wine in excess though is worth avoiding – the calories really add up – and if we may be so bold, make for a particularly nasty hangover!!

Some other tips include not drinking on an empty stomach, having a full glass of water in between every drink and stay away from mindless munching when there are nibbles around.

The best advice we can offer is to check the calorie count of your drink of choice before you indulge so that you know what you are consuming. On the odd occasion when you replace proper food calories with empty alcohol calories, waistlines shouldn’t be too compromised. But regular excess drinking is as bad as a cheeky daily chocolate bar. So arm yourself with knowledge and make smart drinking decision.

Have fun!