Is It Worth the Splurge? Cut Down Cocktail Calories

Lose While You Booze
The higher a beer is in alcohol content, the higher the calorie count will be. As tasty as those Belgian brews are, they can wreak havoc on your diet. Light beers, which are generally around 100 to 120 calories, will save you approximately 50 calories a serving. Heineken and Beck's have both come out with Premium Light beers, which are about 65 calories per serving. If you hate the taste of light beer, try Guinness Draught which has only 125 calories per serving.


Wine and Dine
You've heard all the news stories espousing the health benefits of wine, but, just like dark chocolate, a small amount can go a long way. Stick to one 5-ounce glass of your favorite wine, or have a white wine spritzer with equal parts club soda and wine to cut the calories in half. Sweet wines and dessert wines have about 50 calories more than dry wines per serving.


Handling Happy Hour
It may be Margarita Monday and that jumbo souvenir size is two-for-one, but at approximately 800 calories, it's not a good deal for your waistline. If you're craving a margarita, stick to the smallest size and order it on the rocks. Save a few hundred calories by staying away from any cocktail that could be a dessert (anything with chocolate, cream, multiple liquors or fruit juice). Stick to the classics, like a dirty martini or a vodka soda.


Nix the High-Calorie Mixers
An easy way to cut down on your drink calories is to use low-calorie or zero-calorie mixers. Using Diet Coke instead of Classic in your rum and Coke will save you 61 calories. Don't forget to ask for diet tonic or soda water. Regular tonic has as many calories as a can of Coca-Cola. If you like fruit juice, order your drink with soda water and a splash of your favorite juice to save 50 or 60 calories.