5 Cocktails That Won’t Totally Blow Your Diet

Who said being on a diet had to be boring? Not us! Just because you’re watching your waistline doesn’t mean you can’t have a social life or enjoy the occasional cocktail out. While moderation and self-control are key, so is being smart about what you order and where you decide to go. Hit up healthy neighborhood hangouts that offer all your bar faves made a little bit better for you. Applebee’s has a new Pub Diet that we’re completely obsessed with (seriously) to help keep your calories in check and your thirst quenched. Here are five cocktails that will make fitting into your skinny jeans in 2015 less of a struggle.

5 Cocktails That Won't Totally Blow Your Diet

1. Tequila + Club Soda + Lime (or Cucumber)

Former tequila brand ambassador Samantha Strom is no stranger to learning to drink her way around dinner; after all, it was her job to get people to imbibe! Throughout the years, the best cocktail for caloric intake she’s found is a tequila soda with lime or cucumber to top it off. “A splash of agave will sweeten it up and  is lower on the glycemic index than simple sugar,” she says. “If it’s a high quality tequila, however, you won’t need the salt (less bloating and  dehydration), plus you won’t have the hangover either.” These babies are so delicious, yet super strong, that two of them are more than plenty for a night out. “Calories for a shot of tequila range from 60-100, with Silver having the least calories and sugars and Anejo/Extra Anejo having the highest.”
2. Basic Gin or Vodka Martini

Whether you prefer it on the rocks, shaken, stirred or straight up, you can’t really go wrong with a classic gin or vodka-based martini, notes Lisa Cain, founder of Snack-Girl.com. A typical 2 oz. martini “would be about 130 calories of alcohol without any added sugar, like a lemon drop or a margarita has.” Beware of specialty and flavored martinis though, such as a chocolate martini, which can pack up to three-and-a-half times the calorie count as your standard one.
3. Old Fashioned

Chances are, this drink is a go-to for the guy in your life, so take a tip or two from him and give it a try if you’re a whiskey fan and you’re watching your weight. Clocking in at around 160 calories, it’s not the healthiest option at the bar, but it’s also not the worst. Feeling brave? Order a whiskey on the rocks (or any liquor on the rocks for that matter) to sip in style sans all the added calories.
4. Vodka Soda with Fresh Fruit

Noticing a trend here yet? The fewer ingredients in your cocktail the better it typically is for you. Mixed drinks can be especially troublesome if you  use sugary mixers, such as Coke, or prepared mixers, like margarita mix, points out Lori Kenyon Farley, certified nutritional consultant, fitness expert and co-founder of Ritual Wellness. That’s not only in terms of calories, but the hangover you’ll likely experience the following day as well. Do yourself a solid and “choose a clear alcohol like vodka or tequila and mix it with fresh juiced or muddled fruit with a high water content (think watermelon or cucumber) or a freshly juiced citrus fruit, like lemon, lime, orange or grapefruit.”
5. Champagne

Okay, so it’s not technically a “cocktail,” however, your average 4 oz. glass of champagne only contains around 80 calories, not to mention the bubbles actually get you buzzed much faster than wine. Hence, less really is more!