What kind of alchohol should I drink?

[KPL]

I've just started a combination of weight training, running and diet program to get in shape to my wedding this summer. I'm not over weight, but have a small beer belly that I want to get rid of.

I know that the best thing would have to stay away from alchohol (and I'm actually doing this for at least some weeks now), but I still want to enjoy a drink in the weekends after the first period of the diet is over.

What kind of drink is the best, regarding losing some weight? I have always been drinking beer, but I'm realising this is the worst choice with many calories and a high GI. What is the best spirits to drink? The brown ones or the blank? How about wine- what's worse, red or white? And what's worst of spirit and wine?

[Jay.]

it's bad because the alcohol itself has large negative affects on your efforts. so no matter what you drink you can't avoid that.

drink slowly so you can drink a few less than normal would be best.

but if you're only going ot drink one weekend after the first 4 week period then i wouldn't worry too much.

[XXXNoahXXX]

Referring to hard alcohol as spirits is so romantic, I want to start doing that.


I love beer and still indulge every now and again, but I think that hard alcohol straight or mixed with diet soda is best.

Bacardi and diet coke only had 19 calories.

I would just stick to minimizing calories and not binge drinking.


here is a website that has caloric content of various alcohols

http://ejeter.myweb.uga.edu/emilyjeter.html


although, i don't know how much to trust a website that lists this under suggestions

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2. Stay away from "heavy" beers, light beers taste just as good.

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[verg]

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Bacardi and diet coke only had 19 calories.


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This isn't necessarily true.
I always see billboards advertising "Bacardi and diet cola: 0 calories." However, when your body metabolizes alcohol it turns into sugar (something to this effect).

Fitday.com lists 1 fl oz of rum/vodka/etc. as having 64 calories.

[Thremp]

Drinking when dieting etc and watching calories always struck me as like a "light" ice cream type of thing. If you are gonna do it, do it right.

[Jetboy2]

Thing is, alcohol contains 7 kCals per gram. So compare that to carbs and protein which contain 4 kCals per gram and fat which is 9 kCals per gram.

And, those are not the only Calories you get from alcoholic beverages. In mixed drinks you can get quite a few calories from carbohydrates (simple sugars) in the mixer, and with beer, ~ 1/3rd of the calories are from carbohydrates.

So, for losing weight, you need to track and maintain an optimal caloric intake. You can certainly enjoy "a drink" on the weekends, but a half-rack or two is going to set you back. [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img] So, I really can't say what to drink but just don't drink too much of it...

[slickpoppa]

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Bacardi and diet coke only had 19 calories.


[/ QUOTE ]

This isn't necessarily true.
I always see billboards advertising "Bacardi and diet cola: 0 calories." However, when your body metabolizes alcohol it turns into sugar (something to this effect).

Fitday.com lists 1 fl oz of rum/vodka/etc. as having 64 calories.

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A shot is actually 1.5 oz, so we're actually talking about ~100 calories

No matter what you drink, the equivalent of 1 beer, 1 shot, 1 glass of wine, etc. is going to have at least 100 calories. Alcohol contains calories no matter what other liquid it is mixed with. So if you want to get drunk, you're gonna need to consume some calories.

If you must drink, I think you are better off just drinking Bud Light since it will dehydrate you less than mixed drinks.

[AZK]

impossible to get rid of beer belly while actively drinking. I still like to eat healthy, workout, be healthy all that [censored] and drink hard probably 3-4 times a month. For me, I'm more concerned about the effects of alcohol than the calories in the drinks...

[anklebreaker]

Eh, you can overcome the adverse effects of the occasional drinking session.

As an aside, red wine is known to temporarily increase vascularity.

[nineinchal]

Ethyl alcohol.