Published on July 11th, 2012 | by Genevieve

Pre-wedding slimline’s – the lowest calorie drinks

So, the wedding’s coming up and so is the waistline! Maybe it’s time to swap a few of the sugar-packed, jitter-busting alcoholic drinks for a low-fat and low-calorie option. It’s not just your waistline which will benefit, it’s proven that although they’re high in calories, sugary drinks aren’t all that filling. That means you’re likely to over-consume them and that’s never a good thing. Sugary alcoholic drinks also suppress your immune system, promote inflammation, suppresses the release of the human growth hormone, promote glycation (sugar molecules hooking up with the fat ones) and raised insulin levels. It’s all very well to chuck this science at you, we hear you say, but that’s not helpful. So to help out we’ve done some homework and found the lowest calorie drinks so that you can celebrate your pre-wedding nights and hen party without any guilt (or so you can eat more delicious food: less calories on drinks means we can have more on food, right?!)

Now, the not-so-great news is that the absolute lowest-calorie drink that isn’t a pure shot is actually vodka and sparkling water. Not the best taste in the world, but with a load of crushed ice and fresh lemon we could probably enjoy it. If you’re not fancying the sound of that, then better tasting options include vodka and diet coke or lemonade. Vodka is pure alcohol so it contains less calories than many other spirits. Try a Gin and Slimline Tonic for a classy option, or even a low-calorie beer. Low-calorie beers tend to have about 100 calories per 12oz, as opposed to wine which can have around 400 calories for the same amount. If you are a beer drinker then a pint of Guinness has less calories than normal beer, at 170 calories in a pint. For the champagne drinkers out there (and who can resist a glass of champagne?!) then the quite good news is that a normal glass (120ml) of champagne is 91 calories, which is still less than a can of coke (141kcal).

The highest-calorie shots are whisky and cream based shots, so maybe steer clear of those. Another one to steer clear of, and we hate to say it, might be the cocktails. A Long Island Iced Tea brings can bring in a whopping 780 calories with an innocent-looking Margarita totalling up 740 calories. On the more healthy side however is a Mojito which is only 111 calories and has loads of vitamin C to see you through the rainy weather.

Essentially though, don’t be too careful, you’re allowed to celebrate and you’re allowed a vodka and full-fat coke every once in a while! Also don’t forget that water is calorie-free and super good for you, so break up the cocktails with ice-cold water every so often! And why not try a cocktail making class of your own so you can make it as healthy (or not!) as you like? Or work off those glasses of wine with the girls by trying out a fun-packed burlesque class or zumba lesson! Here at GoHen we’ve got loads of activities to keep both the fun and the fitness at a max, so check out our website here!

Please remember to enjoy your alcohol in moderation.