Content

• Steps
• Advice

Many people enjoy having a few drinks with friends or having a drink at dinner. However, these drinks can add extra calories to the body and make you gain weight or struggle to maintain weight. However, there are a few things you can do to limit the calories from this drink and maintain a healthy weight.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: Control How You Drink Alcohol

1. 

   Do not drink too much. Drinking too much alcohol will increase the amount of extra calories in your diet. In addition to causing potential health problems related to alcohol consumption, these extra calories can cause you to gain weight. You need to drink in moderation at all times.
   • Do not drink more than two alcoholic beverages per night.
   • Avoid binge drinking. Drinking too much can cause health problems and also won't help you lose calories.
   • Alcohol consumption will contribute to weight gain, regardless of the type.

2. 

   
   
   Never drink alcohol when you are hungry. Make sure to eat before drinking any alcoholic beverage. Alcohol consumption can make it difficult to control your appetite, leading to a lack of ability to make healthy food choices, especially when hungry.
   • Eat before drinking to avoid choosing bad foods.
   • Eat while you drink so that you feel full and avoid overeating.

3. 

   
   
   Learn how to calculate the amount of alcohol in a glass. Various alcoholic beverages are served in varying amounts. To find out exactly how many glasses of wine you've actually consumed and how many calories you consume, use the following criteria:
   • A glass of beer is 355 ml.
   • A serving of wine will be about 148 ml.
   • A small serving of spirits is only about 44 ml.
   • The increase in alcohol intake will also increase the number of calories you consume.
   • Many restaurants and bars serve multiple servings of wine in one glass.

4. 

   
   
   Drink a lot of water. Alcohol dehydrates your body and you need to replace the water lost when you drink alcohol. Drinking water will also help you drink less alcohol, thus reducing your calorie intake.
   • After drinking alcoholic beverages, switch to water. Drinking water after drinking alcohol can help rehydrate the body immediately.
   • Drink a glass of water between alcoholic beverages. This can help you drink less alcohol and stay hydrated.
   • Make sure to drink plenty of fluids after drinking any alcoholic beverage.
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Method 2 of 2: Drinking Alcohol and Maintaining Your Diet

1. 

   Look for a lower calorie wine or beer. Not all alcohol has the same amount of calories. If your favorite drink is high in calories, consider switching to a lower calorie option. Consider drinking light beer or unprocessed liqueur so that it has no added sugar and calories. Note about the amount of calories in drinks to calculate the amount of calories allowed in the daily menu.
   • The average beer has about 215 calories.
   • A typical glass of wine contains about 126 calories.
   • Men who are moderately active should limit their daily calorie intake to 2,800 calories.
   • Women who are moderately active should maintain an intake of 2,200 calories a day.

2. 

   Watch out for hidden calories. Blends and cocktails can add other ingredients that also contain calories. Any drink with added soda, sugar, juice or alcohol has added calories. These extra calories can cause you to gain weight.
   • Use low-calorie or low-calorie ingredients when preparing drinks. Try drinking soda or seltzer. Ask to use a diet made of water like tonic water, ginger juice or diet coke.
   • Combining two or more wines also means combining all the calories in each.
   • Many blends are high in sugar. Avoid consuming a lot of sugar when you are trying to lose weight or maintain it.

3. 

   Eat a balanced diet. Combining moderate alcohol intake with a healthy diet is a great way to enjoy foods and drinks while maintaining a healthy weight. Make sure the menu is nutritious and that the drink does not contribute to excess calories.
   • Limit your sugar intake. Excess sugar in your diet can cause you to gain weight and cause health problems. Limit your daily sugar intake to a maximum of 100 calories - about 6 to 9 teaspoons of sugar.
   • Protein is an essential ingredient in the diet. Prioritize plant protein sources such as legumes and lentils. The lean protein sources from livestock and poultry, the better.
   • Eat healthy carbs to keep your body energized. Try fruits and vegetables, beans and legumes for healthy carbohydrates.
   • Fiber is also an important part of any diet. Again, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables in addition to legumes.
   • Fat is still essential in the diet, although some are better than others. Try to use only olive and canola oils or fish and poultry fats.
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Advice

• Understand yourself and your drinking capacity: if you are healthy and drink alcohol, you should learn to limit and maintain the amount of water in your body. If you know that you have a high alcohol content and need to lose some weight, stop drinking beer and set yourself more limits.
• Do not swallow and drink more: if you tell yourself and everyone around you will only drink 2 glasses, then remember to do so!
• Don't forget: binge drinking is generally harmful and won't help you lose calories, and could be your way to the emergency room.
• Keep track of or write down how long it takes you to drink alcohol and the exact amount of alcohol you drink.
• Take responsibility and ask someone you trust as a coach to hold you accountable by checking your “outing evenings”.