Dieting means you may have to cut a lot of foods out of your daily routine, and alcohol is no exception. As the fitness and nutrition website The Facts About Fitness explains, alcohol can have detrimental effects on your fat loss efforts. This is because alcohol may trigger your appetite, decrease your testosterone levels and reduce your body's rate of fat oxidation, which measures how much fat your body burns for energy. However, dieting with alcohol can be done if you keep your calories in check. Because certain alcoholic drinks contain fewer calories than others, choosing the right beverage is key.
White Wine
According to Dr. David J. Hanson, it is the calorie, fat and carbohydrate content of beverages that can derail your diet. Based on this information, Dr. Hanson explains that white wine is a wise choice for dieters, as it contains less than 1 gram of carbohydrates per serving and has no fat. White wine is also lower in calories than many other beverages--alcoholic and non-alcoholic--with only 70 calories per serving.
Pabst Extra Light Low Alcohol
While carbohydrates are often cited as the main culprits in packing on pounds and preventing weight loss, alcohol is actually a bigger offender. As the Fat Loss School explains, alcohol contains 7 calories per gram, compared to the 4 calories per gram carbohydrates provide. Because of this, finding drinks with low alcohol content is important for keeping calorie levels low. Fat Loss School suggests Pabst Extra Light Low Alcohol, calling it the best low-calorie beer. This variety has 67 calories per 12-oz. serving, a statistic Fat Loss School calls "stunning."
Miller Genuine Draft 64
As the name indicates, Miller Genuine Draft 64 is a beer that contains just 64 calories per 12-oz. serving. According to Fat Loss School, this is one of the lowest calorie beers available. However, not all beers manufactured by Miller are as low in calories as this variety--regular Miller Genuine Draft contains 143 calories per serving, due to higher alcohol and carbohydrate content.
Bourbon
You might think that bourbon has a harsh taste, but your waistline may thank you for choosing this spirit. The alcohol information website Cocktail Times notes that bourbon is lower in calories than most other spirits, with 64 calories per 1-oz. serving. However, drinks made with bourbon can be high in calories if you use a mixer such as a soft drink. For this reason, try to mix bourbon with diet soda or another low-calorie mixer.
