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Reasons to drink can range from celebrations, to a good night out with friends, to a desire to manage stress. Here at Fitzness, we believe that cutting out drinking altogether can contribute to a fitter body and healthier lifestyle overall. Jennifer Lopez must be in to Fitzness too, as she’s been quoted saying that she doesn’t drink; it’s clearly working for the 42 year old singer and actress who rocks a killer body, beautiful skin and the energy of 100 Energizer bunnies! While we would love for everyone to follow J. Lo’s lead, we know in reality, some folks just won’t give up drinking all together. If you fall in to that category, consider the drinks that will do the least damage than others.
We talked about beer in Raising the Bar Part I: Beer in Moderation, so this time we decided to tackle mixed drinks. Proof of alcohol refers the alcohol content in each drink. Remember: the higher the proof, the higher the amount of alcohol and additionally the higher the amount of calories. Check out the caloric values for 1.5 ounce servings of the following drinks as reported by Calorie Count.
- 80 proof, 40% alcohol; 97 calories*
- 86 proof, 43% alcohol; 105
- 90 proof, 45% alcohol; 110
- 94 proof, 47 % alcohol; 116
- 100 proof, 50% alcohol; 124
*Calories gathered based on 1.5 fluid ounces
Keeping in mind that most drinks are made with 80-proof alcohol, you should know that most of the calorie content in cocktails comes from mixers and other aspects of the drink. The things that make most drinks so bad for you are usually sugary mixers, milked based mixers and regular sodas. Consider the following when deciding on what kind of drink to order.
- Diet can be a good word: Always go with diet soda over regular soda. The average dark soda has about 140 calories, 39 grams of sugar and 39 carbs per serving (8 Fl. Oz.) By drinking the diet version you remove all of that and usually, you can’t even taste the difference.
- The lighter the better: Fruit juices are always a better alternative to sugary sodas, but some of them are still not that good for you. Always ask bartenders if they have a “lighter” version of juice. Trop50, for example, would be the low calorie alternative to Tropicana Pure Premium. In some cases, this will cut your caloric intake in half.
- Go for the Gin and Tonic: While the gin itself does have a high calorie count, the tonic is much better. An ounce of tonic water contains about 11 calories and three carbs.
- Non-Alcoholic can work too: Throw a couple of non-alcoholic drinks into the mix when drinking. A club soda here or a water there will ensure that you have a drink in your hand without adding to your calorie count.
- Use the rocks: Ordering a drink on the rocks will only add water to whatever drink you’re having. Also, don’t be afraid to order a flavored vodka or rum as the flavoring actually adds very little if any sugar or calories.
Think about these tips the next time you choose to drink. As always, we here at Fitzness put a premium on your health, but we also want to make sure you are safe. If you do drink, please do it responsibly and select a designated driver.
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