Just joined a sorority and desperately need advice!

So I just joined a sorority which I am super excited about and I know this is ridiculous but Im really worried about gaining weight from drinking. I obviously dont plan on being a lush but I know Im going to be drinking alot more now. Do you think it will be significant weight gain? Should I just do alot of extra cardio? I feel its really a trivial matter when it comes down to it but Id like some other input. Thanks<3

Alcohol is a big factor in the 'freshman 15' .... so if you can be sensible about it from Day 1 you're more likely to keep your weight down.  Remember that booze isn't just calories it's also quite damaging in other respects. So for reasons of good health (as well as weight) try not to go over the recommended '2 units a day' too frequently. 

As someone who enjoys to drink and party but who also has family and friends with some serious issues in that regard, I like to stay sober at parties often. This doesn't have to be stick in the muddiness-- at least not if you don't make it such. Offer to be a driver (people might leave you alone about doing shots and such). Also, once other people are indulging, nobody ever notices that I am drinking diet coke. I know the drinking games make this more challenging, so I guess I'd also ask what you hope to gain from joining this particular sorority. I really enjoy martini night from time to time with my core girlfriends, but a student recently died at my school when his frat brothers and he played some drinking games and then went canoeing. Another kid passed out on train tracks and died a very messy death that way. I've lost three people in drunk driving accidents. I'm not trying to be a buzz kill. I certainly party, but it seems like it may be important to ask why you want to delve into drinking behaviors that may be more dangerous than they initially seem.

What I find to be my biggest problem with drinking and weight is that I snack more when drinking.  If you want to drink, but not a lot, start with something like a rum and coke/diet coke.  Then no one will notice if you switch to just soda after that.  Not that soda is good for you either, but at least diet coke doesn't make me more likely to eat half a bag of chips in one sitting.

Also, volunteer to be the DD if you don't want to drink that evening.  If you are drinking, remember a glass of water in between each drink so you avoid getting dehydrated and retaining water weight.

I go to a school that takes drinking VERY seriously...meaning we do it every night, for every conceivable occasion.

When I decided to take weight loss seriously, I realized that the only days that I went DRASTICALLY over my calories (like, 3500 plus cals) were days that I was drinking heavily.  So I made the decision that I would rather be skinny than drunk.  I still go out, I still go dancing and get crazy, but I just don't really drink.  It's true, it's sometimes not as fun when you're the sober one, but overall, I have been much happier...no more hangovers, no more thinking "what the hell did I tell her that for???" the day after, and no more regret over going over my calories.

Honestly, I don't think it's possible to drink like a "sorority girl" and be really fit.  All the big drinkers I can think of look, at best, "skinny fat" and have jiggly bellies.  You could try to work out more to make up for it, but I think in the end that would make you sick and miserable.  Probably your best bet is to be the DD all the time, as others have suggested.  Keep the drunken benders very rare...for special occasions only.

You may gain some weight from drinking at parties, and considering the beer will likely be flowing as opposed to the so-called "healthier" choices such as a diet coke and rum, you may not have that much control over what you are drinking if you choose to drink.

I can't disagree with any of the above posts, and I agree with pumpkin, at best the skinny girls who were big drinkers at college were "skinny fat."  Alcohol wreaks havoc on the system and it may be inevitable to put on some extra fat if you follow the typical sorority route...

But you know what? It's college.  As long as you are smart about the drinking and don't get out of control, live it up (things can get out of control, I know, and you have to do your best to avoid those messy situations)  This is probably not the smartest thing to say on a health forum like this, but if partying is what you want to do, just do it.  You have the rest of your life to worry about being skinny :) Joining a sorority was probably the best decision I ever made, and I was much happier when I didn't concern myself with what I was doing to my body - and I DON'T regret a minute of it.

Have fun!!!

hey- im in a sorority and everyone drinks a lot, but i have only been drunk twice this whole year! I do not really like to drink, and its not that big a deal. Just take a drink and sip on it, but dont finish it...as you walk around with the drink, youll seem lke your drinking lke everyone else and wont be pestered by your friends to "have fun"

I agree with frustrated11, sip on a drink. Also pay attention to what you are drinking. Sugary cocktails and regular beer have way more calories than you would think. Personally I will take a couple shots and get a buzz goin then just sip on something.

a lot of people on here will probably tell you not to drink at all, but considering I am a new sorority gal too, I understand...haha What are you? Im AOII and proud of it!!

oh yeah and be safe ;)