2 Questions:

1) What are better options for cocktails? I mean, apart from don't drink them... With school starting back up there's bound to be some sort of wb parties at our local hangout, and I know my normal drink- a swirl- won't cut it. I want something that's still kinda sweet, but maybe under 500 calories a glass =)


2) So I know I'm supposed to drink 8 cups of water a day, but what counts as water? Does tea count? Bottled tea? If I add crystal light, does it still count? Coke Zero? It seems to me that tea and crystal light should still count, cause they're just water with stuff, but then again isn't everything water with stuff?

I usually choose red wine, b/c there are some health benefits.

I personally avoid artificial sweeteners, so teh crystal light and coke zero woudl be out for me. FWIU, unsweetened tea totally "counts" as water intake.

I recently switched to vodka soda, as it's way low on calories and sugars, as booze goes.

Of course, it's not sweet at all--and you want something a little sweet. So, maybe a rum and Diet Coke would do the trick? Very sweet and also easy to sip on without overdoing.

Good luck!

Rum and diet coke would be a great option. I can't do aspartame (it makes me sick), or I'd order it whenever I was out. Since I can't order that, I like a vodka and soda with lime.

Basically, any hard alcohol will be the same calorie-wise, so just use a calorie-free mixer and pace yourself (too many drinks, no matter how low-cal the mixer, will be bad calorie-wise...they add up!)

this is my biggest downfall! I always have rum and diet coke and justify it by not eating. I know that's a no-no, but I can't help it. I can turn down any sweet stuff and even my usual love of bread. But I cannot turn down the rum. I know this is my biggest obstacle right now. Are there others out there like me?

I usually go for the Jack and diet coke when I'm out. But at home, we usually have white or pink wine around and I made it a habit to do about 1/2 wine 1/2 seltzer water. It dilutes both the alcohol and the calories, but since I drink maybe once a week and have become a light-weight diluted alcohol isn't a big deal. =]

Vodka and diet coke is my new drink when I do drink. Especially if you can get the vanilla flavored vodka.

I'd recommend the liquor and diet or a vodka and soda.

to me water is water - no additives. Drinking 8 diet colas a day is not the same as drinking pure water ;-)

Try flavored Vodka...I enjoy Stoli Razberi with club soda. They have many new flavors, but bars typically will have the Razberi.
Be careful mixing diet soda with liquor...there was information about it making you drunk faster??? I tried to google and find a source, but I don't see any at this time. Maybe it was an urban myth...maybe not.
I also just read a suggestion to order vodka and plain water in a tall glass and add a crystal light packet to it yourself...interesting way to have a sweet flavored drink.

Yes, diet soda mixers will get you inebriated more quickly than the same alcohol with a sugary, non-carbonated mixer (like juice). This is due both to the carbonation in the diet soda and the lack of sugar, both of which speed the absorption of the alcohol.

http://www.bookofjoe.com/2008/08/behindthemedspe.html

Cool guys, thanks for all the suggestions!