Weekending has become a need in the recent times rather than just pleasure. Work hard and party harder now holds up to its true meaning. However i can’t really say that’s wrong, as it is a great stress buster to be around your friends and have a good laugh. Well the laugh usually is accompanied with a mug of beer or a cocktail in hand. Hmm…so it’s only water right, or rather flavoured water, what harm could it do? Well let me clear a few facts about alcohol. Calories in alcohol are the biggies. Here’s why drinking alcohol makes you pile on kilos?

• When you drink alcohol, it gets converted into acetate which works an energy source to fuel the body. This means the already present fat in the body is spared from being burnt out. So you don’t lose the existing fat plus you add on additional fat from the alcohol.
• Drinking alcohol makes you hungry. It is an appetite stimulant, this is the reason you tend to eat more when you are high.

Glass Less Calories

Here are a few tips that can help you to manage calories while drinking.

1. Choose your drinks wisely- Make smart choices when it comes to choosing drinks. Choose simple cocktails and light drinks such as wine and light beer. Avoid heavy drinks like long island tea (780 calories), instead choose cocktails like bloody Mary (120 calories). 
2. Alternate with non alcoholic beverages- Follow an alcoholic drink, with a non alcoholic low calorie beverage. This ways you consume fewer calories and also avoid the hangover. 
3. Use low calorie beverages as mixers- Substitute the regular coke in your drink with diet coke, club soda or any low calorie beverage. The difference in calories is huge. 1 glass of rum with regular coke has 250 calories. Substituting the regular coke with diet coke cuts down the calories to 150.
4.  Drink slowly- Sip your drink slowly and keep an eye on how much are you eating. If you are the snacker type then it is wise to order salads, grilled chicken or paneer as snacks. Avoid eating fried snacks.
5.  Plan your drinking- It is best to decide on to how many drinks are you going to have. It helps in lowering down your alcohol consumption plus keeps your calories under check.

Calories in your glass (200ml)

Tequila Sunrise: 190 Calories

Mohito: 160 Calories

Screwdriver: 200 Calories

Champagne Cocktail: 250 Calories

Daiquiri: 314 Calories

Mai Tai: 350 Calories

Long Island Iced Tea: 780 Calories

White Russian: 425 Calories

Pina Colada: 644 Calories

Chocolate Martini: 440 Calories

Margarita: 740 Calories

Seabreeze: 140 Calories

Gin/Vodka Martini: 155 Calories

Old Fashioned: 180 Calories

Sloe Gin Fizz: 120 Calories

Tom Collins: 120 Calories

Whiskey Sour: 125 Calories

Red Bull & Vodka: 178 Calories

Kamikaze: 105 Calories

Beachcomber: 115 Calories

Gin/Vodka & Tonic: 200 Calories

Vodka & Cranberry Juice: 250 Calories

Whiskey Tea Smash: 160 Calories

Rum & Coke( regular): 250 Calories

Whiskey Tea Smash: 160 Calories

Vodka Lemonade Crush: 160 Calories

Bloody Mary: 140 Calories

Single shot of alcohol: 100 Calories

Beachcomber: 115 Calories

Black Russian: 125 Calories

Hurricane: 175 Calories

Sex on the Beach: 150 Calories

Zima- 190 Calories

Zombie: 325 Calories

Between the Sheets: 135 Calories

1 beer mug (250ml):150 Calories

1 glass white wine (200ml) – 150 Calories

Bailey’s Irish Cream- 480 Calories

 It is nice to enjoy a drink with friends, but it will be better if you don’t feel heavy after a weekend. So next time you say cheers, take a look at your glass. Happy weekending!