How to avoid alcohol affecting your weight!

With the summer party season fast approaching, our alcohol intake can start to increase. So how can we enjoy a few drinks without piling on the pounds?

Calories in alcohol

How many calories are you drinking?

Alcohol is relatively high in calories with 7 calories per gram, second only to fat, which provides 9 calories of energy per gram. The other nutrients, protein and carbohydrate both have only 4 calories per gram. So for a standard drink consisting of 10 grams of alcohol, you are consuming 70 calories from alcohol alone before considering the other sources of calories in most drinks.

Its empty calories

To make matters worse, many alcoholic drinks come with a fairly large portion of carbohydrates and in the case of cocktails, often fat as well. Added to the fact that, with the exception of a small amount of wine, alcohol provides very little nutritional value and can therefore be considered empty calories, the party season can be the undoing of even the most motivated dieters.

Promotes weight gain

In addition to the high calorie content, alcohol also wreaks havoc with our bodies’ normal processes of nutrient absorption and burning of energy. Unlike the other nutrients, protein, carbohydrate and fat, our body cannot store alcohol. Hence removing it from the body takes preference over normal functions. This can result to an interruption of the fat burning process, giving extra potential for weight gain.

With a large beer containing roughly the equivalent calories to a slice of pizza and a sweet ‘alco-pop’ type drink weighing in at around the same as 100 grams of cookies, it’s hardly surprising how quickly these calories add up and contribute to weight gain.

Effects of alcohol on eating habits

Alcohol increases out tendency to reach for fatty, salty and generally unhealthy snack foods

We have all been out for the night only to find ourselves at 2am in a greasy take-out joint waiting for a burger, serve of chips or some other fried delicacy that isn’t really dinner, not quite breakfast but a meal that the alcohol inside us has convinced us we need.

Alcohol increases out tendency to reach for fatty, salty and generally unhealthy snack foods. A department of health survey in the UK has suggested that one in three people order some type of unhealthy snack food, such as chips or nuts, to accompany a drink, and a fifth stop for takeaway food on the way home after a night out.

Hangovers are also diet destroyers, when the feeling of general un-wellness and lack of energy often leads to cravings for fatty, unhealthy breakfast choices the next day. Alcohol decreases our inhibitions and also weakens our willpower and ability to make sensible, healthy eating choices along with it.

Which alcoholic drinks are high in calories?

Obviously the quantity of alcohol you drink determines the amount of calories consumed. However, going on an average size basis, here are some of the drinks with the highest calorific content.

Beer; regular beer has around 149 calories per serve.

Liqueurs; such as Drambui, Contrau and Kahlua pack a calorie punch at 188 calories, despite a small serve size.

Vermouth; sweet varieties way in at around 140 calories and dry 105 calories per serve.

Cocktails; the worst of the worst from a calorie perspective.

-Martini-140 calories per serve

-Manhattan- 164 calories per serve

-Daiquiri-122 calories per serve

-Whiskey sour- 122 calories per serve

-Margarita-280 calories per serve (large)

-Cosmopolitan; 200 calories

-Chocolate Martini; 438 calories!!!

Ready to drink ‘alco-pop’; 150calories per serve.

Low calorie alcoholic drinks

Now you know which drinks to avoid if you are watching your weight, here are some lower calories choices to help you enjoy the festive season.

Light beer; at 110 calories per standard drink, this is a better option than regular beer, but still has a substantial hit of energy.
White and red wine; 75-105 calories depending on the level of sweetness. Choose drier varieties for less calories.
Champagne; 84 calories
Spirits (80 proof); Gin, rum, vodka, whisky , tequila, brandy and cognac all come in at around 65 calories, but beware of high sugar mixers that can seriously increase this.

Other ways to drink fewer calories

Choose lower calorie mixers such as diet soda or tonic, light cranberry or orange juice, tea, light lemonade, lemon or lime juice.

Drink on the rocks; try infused vodkas for flavour without the calories

Dilute you drink; sparkling water or soda-water can be added to spirits, or even wine to make a lower calorie spritzer.

Drink a-non alcoholic drink between alcoholic ones; when you choose a low calorie soft drink, this will not only reduce your calories but help reduce the risk of a hangover the next day.

Stick to the guidelines; women should not drink more than one standard drink per day and men no more than two. Both should have at least two alcohol free days per week.

So, what you should do to minimise the calories you drink?

If you know you are going out drinking or heading to a party:

Plan ahead to minimise effects of drinking alcohol on your weight.

Choose lower calorie drink options and don’t over indulge.

Eat a healthy, filling meal before going out to reduce snacking on unhealthy foods later on and avoid drinking on an empty stomach.