Alcohol can undo all your hard work in one night but it doesn't have to if you choose wisely.

Let’s talk booze. 🍷🍻🍹It’s Friday night, you’ve meal prepped like a champ all week, hit your workouts, sipped your protein shakes like a hench monk—and now you fancy a cheeky pint. Or three. Or maybe just a “light” gin and tonic. After all, it’s only one drink, right?

Well, not so fast. Alcohol is the sneakiest little saboteur in the weight loss game. It's like the mate who says they’ll "just come for one" and ends up convincing you to do tequila shots at 2am.

Let’s pull back the bar mat and look at what’s really going on in your glass.

Don't let booze halt your weight loss.

🍺 Why Alcohol and Weight Loss Are Frenemies

When you're in a calorie deficit, every morsel counts—and sadly, so does every sip. Alcohol doesn’t just add empty calories; it halts fat burning, spikes your appetite, and makes that kebab shop glow like a Michelin star restaurant at 1am. It's basically weight loss kryptonite.

Here's why alcohol is a silent diet killer:

✅ It’s calorie-dense. Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram—almost double that of protein and carbs. It adds up fast.

✅ No nutritional value. Your body treats alcohol as a toxin, so when you drink, it hits the emergency brakes on burning fat to deal with the booze first.

✅ It drops your willpower. Drunk-you doesn’t care about macros. Drunk-you wants cheesy chips and a doner wrap, extra garlic.

🍷 The Worst Alcoholic Drinks for Weight Loss (AVOID these if you want to stay in deficit)

Let’s start with the villain list. These are the calorie grenades you might want to reserve for special occasions—or avoid altogether if you're being serious about your goals.

❌ 1. Pina Colada (300-500 kcal)

Tastes like a tropical holiday. Hits like a truck full of coconut cream and sugar syrup. One of these and your daily deficit is gone.

“If you like Pina Coladas, you’re probably not tracking MyFitnessPal…”

❌ 2. Pint of Guinness (210 kcal)

Sure, it’s the meal-in-a-glass, and yes, it is smooth. But this creamy pint is like drinking a loaf of bread. You wouldn’t eat four slices of Hovis in a pub, so don’t sip them either.

❌ 3. Large glass of red wine (250 kcal)

Romantic? Yes. Waistline-friendly? Not so much. Three large glasses and you’ve basically had another dinner. A carby one.

❌ 4. Double vodka Red Bull (170-190 kcal)

It gives you wings—and then crashes your willpower into a pizza. Sugar from the mixer, calories from the vodka. Rubbish sleep too.

❌ 5. Espresso Martini (200-280 kcal)

Trendy, sophisticated, deadly. Caffeine, sugar syrup, vodka, and coffee liqueur? Diet disaster in a coupe glass.

🍹 The Best Alcohol Choices (If You're Going to Drink, Choose These)

You don’t have to live like a monk. Life's short, and weight loss isn’t about complete deprivation—it’s about smart swaps. Here are the top 5 drinks that’ll minimise the damage.

✅ 1. Vodka & Diet Coke (60-70 kcal)

Classic, simple, and low cal. Stick to a single measure (25ml = 55 kcal), mix with zero-calorie Coke, and you're laughing.

Just remember: “Single” means 25ml, not the free-pour your mate does.

✅ 2. Gin & Slimline Tonic (60-65 kcal)

Same deal—25ml gin and diet tonic = around 60 calories. You feel fancy, it tastes clean, and it won’t wreck your deficit.

“One gin” is fine. “Twelve gins” is not.

✅ 3. Light Beer (90-110 kcal per 330ml bottle)

Brands like Bud Light, Coors Light, or Corona Light keep the pint craving satisfied without blowing your plan.

✅ 4. Dry White Wine, small glass (125ml = 85 kcal)

Stick to dry varieties like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. Sweet wines are higher in sugar and therefore calories.

✅ 5. Prosecco (80-90 kcal per glass)

Sparkly and surprisingly diet-friendly. It’s the “skinny jeans” of the booze world—trendy, light, and makes you feel a bit boujee.

🧠 Bonus Tip: Mixers Matter

✅ Use zero-calorie mixers like diet soda, soda water, or sugar-free tonic.

❌ Avoid full-fat mixers like Coke, Red Bull, fruit juice or sugary syrups. They can double your drink’s calories without you noticing.

🥴 Drunken Munchies: The Real Calorie Bomb

The real issue? Booze lowers your food inhibitions.

You're not thinking about your macros at 1am when your mate says, “Let’s get a kebab.” You’re saying, “Make it large, with extra sauce.”

Even if you stayed within calorie goals all day, alcohol-fuelled decisions can turn your deficit into a surplus in one night.

And don’t get me started on the hangover day after. When toast, crisps, a bacon bap, Lucozade and Deliveroo feel necessary for survival.

🔢 Calories in Common Drinks (Cheat Sheet)

Drink	Calories (approx.)
Pint of Lager (Carling)	180 kcal
Pint of Strong Ale (e.g. IPA)	220 kcal
Pint of Guinness	210 kcal
Small glass red wine (125ml)	105 kcal
Large glass white wine (250ml)	200 kcal
Vodka & Diet Coke (25ml)	60 kcal
Vodka & Orange Juice (25ml)	120 kcal
Gin & Slimline Tonic (25ml)	60-65 kcal
Double Rum & Coke (50ml)	220+ kcal
Pina Colada (1 glass)	300-500 kcal
Espresso Martini	200-280 kcal
Prosecco (125ml)	85 kcal
Corona Light (330ml)	99 kcal

🧠 How to Drink AND Still Lose Weight

Yes, it’s possible. But it means being honest, measured, and accountable. Here’s how to do it without wrecking your progress:

✅ Plan for it.

If you’re having drinks at night, eat lean and light during the day. Save up calories like you would money for a big night out.

✅ Track it properly.

Don’t lie to MyFitnessPal. Add those drinks in—and add the mixers too. It’s boring, but it keeps you in control.

✅ Drink slower.

One drink per hour = less damage and less chance of ending up at the drive-thru.

✅ Stick to spirits with diet mixers.

Low in calories, high in damage control.

✅ Don’t drink often.

Alcohol disrupts sleep, recovery, and hormones. One night a week? Fine. Every night? Say goodbye to your abs.

🎯 The Final Word: Alcohol Can Fit… If You Let It

No, you don’t need to go sober forever. But if fat loss is your goal, you need to treat alcohol like cake: occasional, tracked, and not a personality trait.

Remember, weight loss isn’t about perfection—it’s about consistency. If you’re smashing your workouts, hitting your protein, and keeping in a deficit… the odd vodka soda won’t derail you.

But going full-on cocktail hour five nights a week?That’s not a weight loss plan. That’s a pub crawl with delusions of fitness.

So next time you're scanning the bar menu, think like a savvy dieter:

🥂 “Is this drink worth the calories?”🍟 “Will this drink make me order chips later?”🧠 “Can I enjoy myself and stick to my goals?”

If the answer is yes—cheers to that.If not—maybe stick to a sparkling water and act smug instead.

P.S. One final tip: always have a plan for the post-drink food cravings.My go-to?

Pre-made high-protein wrap in the fridge, not a £30 Deliveroo order.

Because nothing ruins a calorie deficit like eating a pizza in bed while wearing one shoe.

Like this blog?✅ Bookmark it✅ Share it with your boozy mates✅ And remember: calories still count, even when you’re too tipsy to care. 🍻

Have a great weekend, just don't get too p*ssed.

Dave.