Low cal cocktails
If you’re like me, totally giving up alcohol just isn’t going to happen. Instead, I allow myself a cheat night a week (usually date night!) to splurge on some tasty alcoholic beverages! But all cocktails don’t need to be high-sugar and high-cal – here are a few of my favorite skinny options!
Skinny-Sour-Apple Martini
While I don’t recommend a Carrie Bradshaw-approved Cosmo (it has more than 250 calories), that doesn’t mean all martinis are off limits. Try a sour-apple one, a slightly sweeter take on a classic vodka tonic, yet it clocks in at about 150 calories. Here’s how to make it: In a cocktail shaker, combine 4 tablespoons apple vodka (or regular vodka plus a splash of apple liqueur), 3 tablespoons club soda, and a splash of lemonade; shake well and serve over ice. Cheers!
Mudslide
This is the kind of sweet drink that sounds like it’ll set you back more calories than a hot-fudge sundae. In reality, it’ll cost you 184 calories. Maybe the Dude from The Big Lebowski could have whittled his waistline if he’d drunk these instead of his 338 calorie white Russians.
Gin and Tonic
It’s always good to have a go-to drink, and unless you’re still in school, a vodka and Red Bull doesn’t count, unfortunately. Up your sophistication level while lowering your calorie count by ordering a G&T. There are 103 calories in 1 oz. gin and 3 oz. tonic.
Champagne
Forget choosing beer, well, me personally, not a beer drinker! 😉 A 4-oz. glass of bubbly is only 85 calories. That’s about 15 calories less than a 12-oz. bottle of light beer or a 4-oz. glass of wine.
Tequila and Soda
Cortes says to ditch the sugar-laden margarita and say viva la tequila on the rocks with club soda for a 100-calorie drink. Add a squeeze of lime to up the refreshment factor.
Sea Breeze
If you usually order a vodka-cranberry, try a sea breeze. The 4 oz. of grapefruit juice, 1½ oz. of cranberry juice, and 1 oz. of vodka will set you back about 180 calories.
Vanilla Vodka & Diet Ginger Ale
For a drink that tastes like a slice of cake (LITERALLY), order a diet ginger ale and vanilla vodka. If you use a single shot of liquor, it’s less than 100 calories—and sugar-free.
Mojito
Mint, lime, and soda water are all naturally low-cal, a shot of rum is about 100 calories, and 2 tbsp. of agave nectar is about 40 calories.