Student Fitness

By: Joe Norton

What can I say, it’s one of the things on most college students minds. You want to be able to have a good time, without paying too heavy a price. Throughout this article I will try to explain the predicament: How many calories you can expect from some of the most common Alcoholic drinks, What are the least fattening forms of Alcohol, and tips for reducing the caloric and fat impact of your Alcohol consumption.

I’m not going to lie to myself, I know that most of you who read this are not going to take the best advice: which is to not drink alcohol at all. But let’s be honest with ourselves, this is college. It’s more than just another part of college life, it’s one of the driving social aspects and college would not be the same without it.

With that in mind, I’m going to tell you how to drink responsibly,
in terms of calories, and what are some of the least-detrimental drink options.
I just have to say, Always drink in moderation and within your personal boundaries.
Be safe.

Alcohol is just another form of Calories,
it is not necessarily more likely to be made into Fat

When trying to work your drinking into your diet and nutrition plan you should know this: Alcohol is fattening because of the calories it entails. Not necessarily because it is actually “more fattening” This is untrue and an urban legend. Just like any other form food or beverage, it affects your calorie count. If you take in more calories than you burn - you gain weight = this is a caloric surplus. If you burn more calories than you take in - you lose weight = this is caloric deficit.

Keep reading to get the real reasons why drinking tends to go hand-in-hand with fat gain.

Least Fattening type of Alcohol

Alcohol is similar to soda in that it is empty calories & simple carbs. No matter what form: Beer, Wine, Hard liquor - it’s still calorie dense. A good rule of thumb is that most forms of alcohol contain:

AT LEAST 100 calories per drink.

When I say drink, I am referring to bartender standards (yes, I am a graduate of Bartender school) which is:

1 Alcoholic Drink=
A 12 oz. Can of Beer (atleast 100 Calories, usually closer to 140 - 200)
A 4 oz. Glass of Wine (62 - 160 Calories)
A 1 oz. shot of Hard Liquor (60-100 Calories)

What this means, is that “a drink is a drink” and to an extent you are not going to be better off drinking one form of alcohol over the other in terms of caloric intake. Earlier I said a rule of thumb is atleast 100 calories per drink, this is including the some of the newer brands which try their hardest to make alcohol less full of carbs and calories - these are 100 calories, older brands which were not intended to be calorically & carb reduced are closer to 140 -200 Calories per drink.

Don’t Fall for the Light Beer Trap

Just because it is “light” or “lite” does not mean it is anything like diet soda. Somehow, many people think that because it is “light” beer it is almost calorie free -
NOT TRUE. It is still full of empty calories and simple carbs. Light Beer typically falls into the ‘at least 100 calories per drink’ category. Non-light beers are usually between 140-200 calories per 12 oz. can.

Mixed Drinks = Tons of Calories

As you can see, hard liquor is just as calorically dense as the other types.
This is because despite it’s deceivingly
small serving size, it still has all the carbs and alcohol sugars as the others -
just in a purer, condensed form. Most people don’t realize the huge amount of calories that is added to the equation when you throw in soda, and juices. Something as simple as a “Gin and Tonic” is about 280 calories. The worst mixed drinks calorie wise, those frozen and creamy, can tip the scales at an astounding 800 calories per drink. Try to avoid the worst of these by always using Diet soda, avoid creamy drinks (loaded with fat), and know the ingredients of your drinks - you can’t account for something you had no idea you were drinking. Worst comes to worst, ask the bartender whats in it.

Drunk Munchies - Where the Most Damage is Done

This doesn’t need much explanation. Anyone who has partied all night has experienced this phenomenon. The following of binge drinking with binge pizza or burger eating leads to substantial amounts of fat and calories. This is due to a variety of factors:
How Much you Eat - When inebriated, it can be difficult to establish proper serving size
What you Eat - When inebriated, it can be difficult to make health conscious diet decisions
When you Eat -Following a night of drinking, it is easy to consume whole meals very late and just prior to falling asleep (or passing out) which means your body has less time to digest and is more likely to convert this late-night surge of calories into fat.

Avoid this dangerous situation by always eating before you drink, pick healthier or atleast less fatty/calorie dense foods, and don’t eat right before you go to bed.

With this guide you should be much better off than the uneducated party goer.

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Posted in College Alcohol, College Weight Gain | By Joe |

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