I'll try to keep this short and sweet:

- My good friend is having a small gathering for her birthday which is going to involve copious amounts of drinking.

- I am going to drink because she will be offended otherwise, and to be honest we love to party together. I did think of saying I was on antibiotics or something so had to stay sober, but I am moving away soon and want to make something of her birthday.

- I want to know drinks that are better in this situation, where I want my drinks to last a looooong time so I drink less overall and also to be low in calories.

- I can't drink vodka.

- I know what I should do is suck it up and not drink, but I know when put into the real situation I won't do that, so I want a realistic back-up plan so I don't jump off the wagon.

Any advice, top tips, ideas, lectures, welcome....

a good tip is to alternate between drinks,

aka: 1 gin with diet soda, then just have a plain diet soda, then another gin, then another diet soda. i doubt anyone will notice

I think that red wine is easy to drink slowly, which is a good. Also, beer is pretty filling, and the same amount of calories as a mixed drink, so that's a good option unless there's an ingrediant in beer that's a problem for you.

And I would drink one or even two glasses of water for every alcoholic beverage. This will also keep you full, and will help with the hydration problems.

Go with light beer. There is on Miller 55, kinda watered down but only 55 calories.

I also agree with the idea of alternating drinks with water. Or just drink a lot of water before drinking alcohol. I have done this and it helps.

That said, I had a drinking problem before I started dieting. I would drink a few times a week and get pretty drunk. I always drank at home and NEVER when I was driving. If someone else was driving it was almost an invitation to get drunk.

Since I started my new way of eating (thats really what I consider it) I have stopped drinking. I really had no problem stopping and I have not missed it at all. Wanting to keep my calories down and be healthier have definately done it. I have, however, had 2 occasions where I wanted to drink. One time I did the water thing and stayed pretty sober so it worked well. The other time was a situation where I totally let go. I found that I did gain weight, but most of it is because I was retaining water from the alcohol and after about 3 day I returned to my previous weight. I'm not saying that this is what you should do or that the same thing will happen for you. I'm just telling my story.

I also think that "letting go" once in a while isn't a bad thing. I am allowed 2 "cheat meals" a week, but I usually choose not to take them becuase I want to stay on track. Its what "you choose" and don't worry about it.

I want to say to just stand up to your friend, but I understand this is a hard situation.

I'm definitely with grrrkgrrl. If I were in your shoes I would drink something that allowed me to go back and forth between a mixed drink and plain diet coke without anyone being the wiser. Do you like the flavor of coconut? Malibu Rum/ Parrot Bay Rum is only about 65 calories an ounce is good with diet coke in my opinion. Or regular rum would work as well! If you get all your drinks with a wedge of lemon or lime it will look even more like a mixed drink.

If you wanted to drink wine you could stretch the calories with a white wine spritzer which is a combination of wine and club soda (or other carbonated beverage). Each ounce of wine is only 20 calories. A light wine spritzer with 2 ounces of wine and seltzer would be only 40 calories!

Another deceptive switch off would be club soda with lemon or lime. A lot of people get club soda as a mixer. I'm not sure if you will like the taste of it but it does look like a mixed drink!

Stay away from full calorie soda, fruit juice (unless it is a splash), and super sweet or cream liquors.

Whatever you do make friends with the bartender! I would have a nice discussion with him or her and let them know you really are trying to watch your calories. Ask them what they have that is low cal. If you are doing mixed drinks ask them to go light on the alcohol in yours and alternate every one with a non-alcohol drink. (Just in case you get in the dreaded situation where everyone is buying another round.) If you hand them a nice tip ahead of time ($5 would be good in many places), they will take care of you. Make sure you tip them if they do take care of you!

Here is a link to a page that has a lot of calorie counts for different alcohol at a glance:
http://recipecircus.com/recipes/awsu...Know/Beer.html

Also a link from Hungry Girl with tips on saving calories while drinking
http://www.hungry-girl.com/week/week....php?isid=1736

Before drinking, I always eat a wedge of cheese or take a spoonful or two of coconut milk to coat my stomach with fat. This delays for awhile the absorption of booze in your stomach. It does not prevent getting drunk, only helps slow down the absorption a bit. As other have suggested, alternate drinks with water or soda pop. Sipping no more than one or two drinks in a full hour will also help from getting too tipsy. It's not always easy to realize how much you are consuming once the party gets started, but if you stay aware, you're way ahead. Good luck and have fun!

order a rum and diet coke.. a tall!

Oh also another trick of mine is to only bring enough money for like 3 drinks! and i leave my debit/credit card in the car... and just take a 20$ bill or whatever.. when i think of it like this, i drink alot slower

I don't really see a problem with having a few drinks with your friend for her birthday, but, if you are any thing like me, after a few drinks I'm about 100X's more likely to say WTF when it comes to the chips, pizza, birthday cake, and all the other party food that will be offered. I'd say that if you are dead set on drinking be prepared for a pretty substantial gain....maybe even up to the amount you have lost. I guess it all boils down to what is most important in your life. Good luck, and if you do drink, please don't drive. Have fun.

x2 on the rum & diet coke.

What types of alcohol do you like? That will help us give you some great ideas

Is this at a bar, or at a house party?

Gin and diet tonic. Or diet cranberry juice. Maybe some light Mike's hard?

I kinda agree with Lori, but than again, I'm 46 years old and probably have a different perspective.

*For me*, I was done taking chances. I wanted the weight off sooooo badly that I wasn't willing to take a chance and try sneaking in some alcohol. Never mind the empty calories, but my resolve flies out the window AND it could then be weeks or months before I'd even ATTEMPT a healthy lifestyle. For me, like your name mentions - I didn't want to have to start "day one again". I'd been that route too many times. In situations such as the one you describe, I personally decided that for the time being alcohol would have to go on the back burner. I made my health, getting off the weight - a NIMBER ONE PRIORITY. There is no alcohol shortage. It will always be around. At a later date, at another time. But for me, when I was in the losing portion of my journey - drinks were pretty much off limits - especially so early in the game as your journey appears to be.

I personally could not risk the chance any more - but of course, of course, of course - we are all different. Maybe you CAN control the amount of drinking and the food eaten there after and maybe you'll be able to get right back into healthy mode.

i have heard that Bacardi and DIET coke isn't too horrid...both are pretty low when it comes to the carbs. at least that is what i keep telling myself. haha!

Thanks for your replies everyone!

I will definitely do this, because it's in a bar so I will be able to get up and get what I want when nobody else is going to the bar. I will probably just order a rum and diet coke if there is someone with me and a plain diet coke when I can sneak up on my own

That's a great idea! And a great excuse to tell my friends too, if they ask why I'm being so slow haha...


I definitely don't drive if I've had even one drink and the thought of it makes me feel very uneasy. I am usually ok with avoiding food after a few drinks, but more than a few is where I hit trouble. So if I alternate my drinks I should be able to stay within the sensible range


I know you are right. I think because I have just decided to get serious about this (again) today it seems unfair on my friend that it just so happens to be the week before her birthday. I am definitely going to have rules in place for myself so I stick to my plan and don't go stupid though.


I'm not really too fussy with my drinks which is what makes it so hard to choose!! It'll be in a bar so that does limit me a little. I always get nervous that they will give me regular coke instead of diet by mistake...or on purpose because they think it;s funny... but that's just my paranoia kicking in! lol