There’s never a shortage of parties and social events to attend throughout the year, and if you’re counting the calories in beer, wine and other cocktails while trying to lose weight, those events can be a death trap. From birthdays to work parties and family gatherings, there’s always some opportunity to enjoy a tasty libation, so today we’re going to look at what you can do to minimize the damage and opt for drinks that a little more diet-friendly.

Bringing Down the Calories

You might be surprised by the contrasting caloric content between various alcoholic beverages on the market. Drinking beer after beer or endless glasses of sugar-laden cocktails can very quickly land you in thousand-calorie territory within a single drinking session, so let’s look at some of the better alternatives:

Red Wine

Well known for its antioxidant content, red wine typically contains less sugar than white or rose variations, and a small glass of dry red can come in at less than 80 calories.

Soda Water Cocktails

Order a cocktail at a bar and chances are it will be filled with sugary syrups or sodas, so replacing these ingredients with something like soda water can reduce the caloric content significantly.

Spirits

Spirits such as vodka, tequila, malt whiskey, and gin all tend to pack less of a caloric punch than beer or sugary ‘alcopop’ beverages, so it might be time to develop a taste for the harder stuff on the rocks!

Reduced calories in beer and cider

Beers, ciders, and even alcopops are becoming increasingly available with reduced-calorie formulas featuring less sugar, so these may well be worth checking out if you can’t enjoy a hard liquor beverage. Generally, less calories in beer means a lighter taste as well.

The Reality of Alcohol

We can do our best to reduce the overall impact of the alcoholic beverages we drink, but it’s important to maintain a realistic attitude concerning alcohol in general. Alcohol is toxic to the liver and cells of the body, and one gram of alcohol contains seven calories.

It’s also important to note that these calories are essentially devoid of nutrition, so they provide absolutely no benefit to our health or weight loss goals.

Practicing a Little Damage Control

If you do anticipate having a fair few drinks then make sure you eat a nice healthy meal before leaving home.

It’s also a very good idea to stay adequately hydrated to reduce the negative effects of alcohol. This can be achieved by rotating your alcoholic drinks with glasses of water, and by drinking plenty of water before and after your party.

Another useful trick is to squeeze some fresh lemon juice into your water as lemons contain a phytonutrient known as D-limonene, which is a potent antioxidant which can actually help to detoxify your liver.

By employing these tactics you’ll be able to enjoy a great night out without impacting your waistline too much, and with any luck you’ll wake up the next morning feeling human!