By Macaela Mackenzie, photography by Pexels
Why limit yourself to vodka sodas?
When it comes to your weight-loss plan, you’re a pro at loading up your plate with tons of veggies, packing in lean protein, and making sure your kilojoules are coming from healthy foods. But there’s one place you’re probably losing focus: the bar.
Next time you’re sizing up the drink menu, the number one thing to keep in mind is the mixer, says registered dietician, Keri Gans, author of The Small Change Diet. “Almost all shots of alcohol are about the same nutritionally—it’s what we have with it that makes a difference in the drink,” she says. That’s right, there’s really not a huge difference between vodka and gin (or whiskey, rum, bourbon, scotch, and tequila).
READ MORE: “Will Saving My Kilojoules For Alcohol Help Me Lose Weight?”
For better boozing habits, follow three main rules. First, keep it simple: If you can take your gin neat with a squeeze of fresh lime, your waistline will be better off than if you went for the standard, sugar-loaded G&T (yeah, there’s sugar in that tonic water). Second, stay away from mixed drinks that include more than one alcohol. “Once you start using more than one type of booze, your kilojoules really start to get up there,” says Gans. “A Long Island Iced Tea? Forget it.” Finally, stay far away from frozen drinks—they’re total sugar bombs. “Do not have a frozen drink if you’re watching your weight,” she says.
To give you an idea of what your drink might mean for your diet, check out the most popular spirits and choose your mixers wisely.
Vodka
One shot contains: 406 kilojoules, (0 sugar, 0 carbs)
Best drink: Vodka soda
Zero kilojoule seltzer might be basic but it also helps you stay within your kilojoule budget. Add a squeeze of fresh fruit for a little more pizazz.
Worst drink: Sex on the beach.
In general, stay away from juice mixers, says Gans. They can up your sugar count fast. (That means no vodka cranberries or vodka lemonades). The peach schnapps in a sex on the beach will really put your vodka over the edge with roughly 1400 kilojoules and 32 grams of carbs and sugar. Ouch.
READ MORE: Are Your Drinking Habits Ruining Your Brain Health?
Rum
One shot contains: 406 kilojoules (0 carbs, 0 sugar)
Best drink: Rum and diet coke
Rather than your go-to rum and Coke, make it a diet to cut kilojoules.
Worst drink: Pina colada.
The sugar-laced coconut-pineapple concoction turns a regular rum into a diet saboteur. The average cocktail packs 1025 kilojoules, 32 grams of carbs, and 31 grams of sugar.
READ MORE: Exactly How To Choose The Skinniest Drinks At The Bar
Whiskey/Bourbon/Scotch
One shot contains: 439 kilojoules (.03 grams of carbs per ounce, .03 grams of sugar per ounce)
Best drink: Manhattan
Don Draper was on to something. If you don’t want to drink your whiskey straight, order a classic Manhattan (whiskey, sweet vermouth, bitters), which keeps kilojoules, carbs, and sugars low.
Worst drink: Whiskey Sour
Get fancy with a with a whiskey sour and you’ll run into trouble thanks to the simple syrup. One cocktail rings in at 1005 kilojoules, 24 grams of carbs, and 23 grams of sugar.
Gin
One shot contains: 460 kilojoules (0 carbs, 0 sugar)
Best drink: Gin martini
Channeling your inner Bond girl will serve you well if you’re watching the scale. A gin martini with two olives is under 830 kilojoules and contains no sugar or carbs. Hollah!
Worst drink: Gin and tonic
A classic gin and tonic is also pretty low kilojoule, but tonic water is laced with a surprising amount of sugar. One serving will add 21 grams to your daily diet, which just about makes the 25 gram per day limit suggested by the World Health Organization. If you can’t break with tradition, go for diet tonic.
READ MORE: Is The Alcohol Damage Irreversible?
Tequila
One shot contains: 440 kilojoules (0 carbs, 0 sugar)
Best drink: Paloma
The tangy pink drink, made with grapefruit and lime juice, is like a margarita without the extra kilojoules. However, it is juice-based, so don’t go overboard with your grapefruit juice mixer. Opt for the fresh-squeezed stuff if you can.
Worst drink: Margarita
If you’re trying to tone up, you might want to toss marg night. Margaritas, whether frozen or on the rocks are loaded with enough sodium and sugar to tip the scales against you even if you skipped the guac. A typical frozen marg can weigh in at over 2500 kilojoules and over 80 grams of sugar. Yikes.
Want to ditch the booze? Here’s what happened when one woman gave up alcohol for a month, plus here’s six mocktail recipes that could be turned into cocktails if you change your mind.
This article was originally featured on www.womenshealthmag.com
