Going out....read if you're over 21

What do you guys do concerning your calories on nights you know you're goint out? I live in Chicago and since graduating college I am enjoying my time off with friends before I make a big move across the ocean. So, my friends and I go out about 3 nights a week. I count my calories all day and keep under, but do you cut calories during the day to make up for those at night? i.e. vodka tonic = 139 cals. Help! :)

i guess it would be hard unless you went hungry and thats not easy!!  maybe fill up on more fruit and veg that day or do more excersising??

rasberry stolli and water with a lime is my fav drink - its only about 60cals for the spirit!!

drink red wine instead, or light beer, and make every other drink a WATER.  You will be fuller, and less likely to go home and pig out on what is left in the fridge.  good luck.

I try to stick to one drink an hour and dance a lot - If your drink has few enough calories, even not very energetic dancing will balance  it out!

I allmost never drink alcoholics when going out, it's not as hard as one might think, but sure the "fun" without alcohol isn't that great, might be the reason why I'm not going out that often anymore...

i do try to limit my calories during the day when i know i'm going out... i figure then it won't spoil my diet as much and i won't have to drink as much... it is hard though because drinking always makes me want to eat, especially unhealthy food!

i know EXACTLY what you mean! after drinking everyone wants to go out to eat...it's so hard :( and yeah, ok 1 drink an hour....wouldn't be all that fun I agree

Is the commercial true, bicardi and diet cola has zero calories?
Never tried the combination, but I usually just mix with a diet soda.

Bacardi is rum... rum is made with sugar. it cant have zero cals...

UNLESS they found a way to make calorie free alcohol, in which case, I'm quitting my job and retiring to full-on alcoholism.

Just kidding.

oh you're moving to munich? I love munich :) not too far from where I live.....

sorry I know that wasn't helping with your question.

I'm in Ottawa so the official age is 19, but we are minutes from Quebec so 18 :P
I tend to avoid drinking, ordering things virgin, or getting something really big but relatively low in content to sip on over the night. I like being the in control one (very few people have seen me anythign but) so I avoid too much alcohol. For muchies, try to be slow to get to them so your friends eat most first, and foods try ordering things that are fresh, or at least healthier or smaller portions.
So long as you dont do it often, you can just indulge as well.

vodka and soda....soda is pretty much water - 0 cal

I usually don't bother as long as I'm only a little over.  If I'm out late the night before, I'll sleep the next day until lunch, so my meals become compressed and I'll consequently eat less without thinking about it.  If I'm at a club, I dont' bother worrying about it since dancing burns lots of cals.

If I'm concerned about calories, I'll drink shots or something like rum & diet coke.  Bacardi Island Breeze only has about ~48 calories per 1.5oz, but it's a lot less alcoholic (36 proof). 

just make sure you drink lots of water the next day - being dehydrated from drinking = HANGOVERRRRR

 

PS Im a wino. Calories are a definite issue heheehee 

Some people seem really misinformed on here.  There is no way alcohol + anything or even by itself equals ZERO calories.  Almost every drink is at least 50 calories.  Maybe a couple light beers are a tiny bit less but an ounce (not even a shot!  A shot=1.5 oz) of vodka is about 65 calories.  Rum is even more.

Your post should say, "read if you're legal to drink"!

In Canada, the legal drinking age is 19, so I'm not yet 21, but this topic still applied to me since I am Canadian!

I drink, at most, 2 light beers, or 1 regular beer, and then water or tea the rest of the night.  I'm there for hanging out with friends and conversation, not the liquor, after all.  Another strategy that works, at least for me, is to drink only expensive stuff.  I really like good sipping tequila, but the kind I like is like $20-25 a shot (if I'm in a place that has the good stuff).  If the calories don't scare me off, the price does, and I just treat myself to one.

And I also make a point to have a lighter than normal lunch so I can have a heavier than normal dinner - that prevents the late night munchies to an extent.  I also try to get an extra 15-20 minutes of exercise in the morning in an effort to offset.

Good luck!

In Alberta, Canada, the drinking age is 18 WOOOO!!

Any alchohol is empty calories. Period. All you can do (if you are going to drink) is make sure that your mixes are low in calories and sugar.. club soda, diet pop, clamato.. I usually stick to gin ceasars and light beer. Still probly adds up to about 600cal at the end of the night, but that's alot better than the 1000-2000 you can get with fruity/creamy drinks and liquers.

Just for the record, y'all:

80 calories - White Wine (3.5oz, or just under 1/2 cup)

75 calories - Red Wine (3.5oz, or just under 1/2 cup)

70 calories - Vodka, Gin, Tequila & most Rum (1.5oz, a jigger) Captain Morgan is an exception at 51 calories for their Coconut Rum.

99 calories - Light Beer (12oz, one bottle)

Mixed drinks (averages): 

150 - Margarita

140 - Vodka with juice  

190 - Rum and Coke 

All diet mixers are 0 cal., but will get you drunk faster. Odd, but true.  Personally, I eat less on the weekends, so I can drink more.  Not healthy, but there it is.

 

I don't go out much but am planning on going out this weekend. I am not going to even worry about the calories in the alcohol because it is 1 night and chances are there wont be another night for at least another month or 2. I don't knnow what I would do if I went out 3 nights a week. Probably decide what/how mcuh I would drink before hand and put it into the calorie counter, and if I was planning on going out to eat I would put those calories in there too, that way I could workout before hand if I had to.

I have two techniques that help me when out drinking with friends:

1) I order dark beer or a microbrew. I find it has more flavor. I sip and savor to extend the experience. I don't gulp or guzzle the "good stuff."

2) I order a bottle of beer rather than a draft pint or schooner (20+oz) and a small glass. Pour & sip works well for me to slow down my consumption.

Oh, I guess the third and fourth technique have already been mentioned by others: drink a glass of water in between every drink and eat healthy before going out to curb the cravings for and temptiations of bar food.