I get a lot of questions like, “Can I drink alcohol on the HCG diet?”
I wrote a blog about a year ago about why alcohol isn’t ideal for your HCG Diet protocol, nor any weight loss plan, and I was reminded of it this past week as I was watching The Celebrity Apprentice. Please don’t hold that against me, it’s such a wonderful train wreck.
In this past week’s episode, the C-List celebs were required to write and perform a jingle for Bud Light’s newest alcoholic innovation, the Lime-a-Rita. It’s a malted margarita masterpiece in a petite 8 oz can. I’m not sure which is more embarrassing, admitting that I watch Celebrity Apprentice, or admitting that I’ve consumed a Bud Light Lime-a-Rita. Both would get me kicked out of my gun club. That’s another joke, I don’t belong to a gun club. I was kicked out years ago.
As a single guy, I’ve been known to indulge on occasion. And as I’ve grown older, I’m less concerned about the “coolness” of my beverage choices as I am about the calories they contain, which ultimately end up around my waist line. So, upon hearing The Donald announce the Lima-a-Rita jingle challenge, I decided to Google the calorie content. It’s quite high. Not exactly fall-off-your-barstool high, but it’s up there, especially considering that it’s only an 8 0z serving. According to My Fitness Pal, there are 220 calories per drink and 29 grams of carbs.
We’re pretty loyal to Budweiser here in St. Louis, so the Lime-a-Rita’s are a pool party staple. I have girlfriends that show up with a 12 pack and crush every one. By no means am I passing judgement, but I would like to suggest that you drink a bit smarter than that. Below is a list of alternatives to just one 8 oz Bud Light Lime-a-Rita that you should consider before popping the top this weekend.
The items below have equal or fewer calories than a single 8 oz Lime-a-Rita
A 20 oz Guinness
A vodka martini (and half of your light weight friend’s)
2 glasses of Skinny Girl Chardonnay
2 turkey dogs (without bun)
2 pints of Micholob Ultra’s (that’s the tall glass)
3 rum and diets
3/4 of 6″ Turkey Sub from Subway
3 whiskey and waters
3 gin and clubs
Just about any 12 oz bottled beer of your choice
Partaking in alcoholic beverages is just like eating. If you choose your beverages wisely, you can still get “wasted” without all the “wasted” calories.