How to drink and not add calories

Never thought it was possible to drink and watch your weight at the same time? It's time to get smart about it. No one can really ignore the empty calories additional sugar alcohol and its mixers bring into your body, but there are a few tricks to enjoying an occasional drink and keeping the love handles at bay. Here are a few dietfriendly drinking tips that can come in handy, especially as the festive and barbecue seasons comes calling.

Choose wisely
There are a few diet-friendly alcohols that pack in fewer empty calories and weight clinchers than others. If you are watching your weight and counting calories, you don't have to sit sipping juices at parties. Don't forget portion control in addition to selecting the right drink. A few good choices (less than 100 calories) are - a shot (25ml) of gin with diet tonic, a shot of white rum with a soda, a small glass of wine or champagne, or a single measure of whisky or brandy. Opt for light beer. Keep away from cream liqueurs or sangrias since they ride heavy on the calorie count.

Pace yourself
Alternate alcoholic drinks with mineral water or diet soft drinks. Make a glass of wine last longer by turning it into a spritzer - add sparkling water or lemonade. Not only does this reduce your chances of getting tipsy, it also hydrates the body and reigns in far fewer calories than the other heavy weights.

Be prepared
Avoid alcohol induced binges and cut down on calorie intake overall by being prepared. Fortify yourself with a healthy breakfast and lunch based on starchy carbohydrates (bread, rice, pasta, potatoes or cereal) along with a little protein (lean meat, fish or soya bean). If you think you won't be able to eat while you drink, have a pre-drink meal or light snack, ideally with some fat, to line the stomach and slow down the alcohol absorption into your system. A hearty sandwich or a bowl of porridge or yogurt is ideal.

Steer clear
A handful of peanuts have around 150 calories and a bag of chips has a deadly 183 calories. If it's a pre-meal lunch or dinner drink you're having, avoid these snacks altogether. Try waiting for your starters to arrive before you start drinking. If nibbles are necessary, breadsticks are a good option.

One at a time
Don't let others top up your glass. Finish a whole glass of your drink before you get another. This will ensure you know exactly how much you are consuming during the course of your session.

Morning after
If the next morning, you feel like you grossly overshot your limit and are nursing a headache, there is a healthier option for a fry-up that doesn't call for oodles of calories.

Try a lighter option of poached or scrambled eggs on a whole wheat bread. Eggs contain cysteine, which is siadi to break down the destructive chemicals that build up in the liver after a night of drinking. Milk, yogurt with fresh fruits, and poha are also simpler, healthier alternatives that will help ease your discomfort without much drama.