It’s 5pm on Friday, the temperature is a blissful 72 degrees and all of your friends are heading out to a happy hour on a patio somewhere nearby!  You definitely want to go and you know you want to drink, but you also know that you’ve been working hard the past few weeks trying to melt off the fat you accumulated over the winter months.  What is one to do?

Fear not my fellow weight loss crew I have some great tips to help you find the “healthier” side of drinking with your friends, as well as some tips on the best non-alcoholic beverages you can enjoy without all the empty calories on your mind!  I don’t want to keep you from your happy hour, so let’s get right to it!

Martini vs. Margarita

This is based on the iced version of a Margarita.  In this drink battle your better option is the Martini!  The Margarita packs a whopping 10 Weight Watchers Points where the Martini has only 5.  So for the cost of 1 Margarita you can have 2 Martinis!

Mojito vs. Pina Colada

It should be no suprise in this round that the Mojito wins out hands down!  The Pina Colada weighs in at an amazing 12 Weight Watchers Points where the Mojito checks in at only 5!  So for 1 Pina Colada you could have nearly 3 Mojitos.

Rum and Coke vs. Long Island Ice Tea

While you might be led to believe that the Ice Tea is the obvious choice here you would be mistaken.  The Long Island luxury demolishes your diet with an astounding 15 Weight Watchers Points.  For the cost of that you can have 3 Rum and Cokes.

These are just a few things to keep in mind when drinking out with your friends.  Learn to budget yourself and maximize your options.

If you are a home drinker or like to host parties, here are a few drink options from Hungry-girl.com:

Kickin’ Cranberry Cosmo

1. 5 Ounces Diet Ocean Spray Cranberry juice
2. 1 1/2 Ounces of Vodka (your choice)
3. 1 Teaspoon of lime juice
4. 5-8 Ice Cubes
5. Lime wedges for garnish

Combine vodka, cranberry juice and lime juice.  Stir thoroughly.  Combine mixture with ice, put it in a shaker , cover tightly and shake well!  Strain drink into large martini glass. (Makes 1 serving) 100 Calories, 0g Fat, 2g Carbs, 1g Sugars.

Magical Low-calorie Margarita

1. 6 ounces diet lemon-lime soda
2. 1 1/2 ounces tequila (your choice)
3. 1 packet (two 5-calorie servings) sugar free powdered lemonade drink mix
4. 2 tablespoons lime juice
5. 5-8 ice cubes
6. Lime wedge for garnish

Stir all ingredients together, except for the ice.  For a frozen drink, place mixture in blender with ice and blend until smooth.  Or simply pour mixture over ice and enjoy.  Garnish with lime wedge. (Makes 1 serving) 115 Calories, 0g Fat, 2g Carbs, 0.5g Sugars

Finally for those who prefer no alcohol with their drink, here are some tips on what drinks you should and should not be drinking.

Fruit Juices: While all fruits are 0 points on the new Weight Watchers, the juice is not.  Most fruit juices including, apple, orange and grape are going to run you around 2pts per 1/2 cup.  If you are going to add this to your day be sure to allow for it in your points and stick to 1 cup or less.

Soda:  Most of us reach for a soda during the day, whether it’s out of habit or for that midday pick me up, soda is a part of our day.  While you might think that diet soda is good for you because it is 0 calorie, it could still be hindering your weight loss goals and ultimately could lead to weight gain.  If you’re going to indulge try to limit yourself to 1 per day if possible (diet).  Drinking regular soda is not recommended in a weight loss situation.

Milk: Milk is a wonderful addition to any weight loss plan.  Making sure our bodies are getting enough calcium through this dairy product is vital.  Traditionally you should stick to 1-2% or Fat Free Skim milk and be sure you are allowing for it in your points if you are doing Weight Watchers.  However, studies show that adding milk to your daily nutrition can help bolster weight loss!  Milk, it does a body good!

Water: Ah, natures perfect liquid substance.  Water is always a great choice when seeking to quench your thirst.  Replacing sugar laden drinks such as soda and sweet tea or juice with water can drastically increase our weight loss efforts.  Water keeps your body hydrated and helps flush out toxins that our body gets on a day to day basis.  Also when you drink plenty of water, your body is less likely to retain water and therefore causing you to look and feel less bloated and swollen.  It also helps facilitate digestion so it keeps your system moving!  If you are one who hates the taste of plain water, there are plenty of water additives that you can pick up to give your water some zing.  Try Mio, Crystal Light and other zero to low calorie options.  However you get it, be sure you are drinking plenty of it!  Your waist and your body will thank you!

I hope this blog has helped you make some better decisions whether you are drinking out with friends, making cocktails at home or simply looking for better drink choices in your daily diet.  Always remember that life is about what you do the MAJORITY of the time and not the MINORITY of the time.  Always look forward and keep moving toward your goals.  All it takes are a few small changes and some better choices and you will see a whole new you in no time!

Stay tuned for next time when we will review some of the greatest and not so greatest work out and diet fads out there!  Until then….

Keith

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