RIO Fitness Chicago® Exercise & Nutrition Blog

Summertime & cold drinks are synonymous for most people. If you're looking to stay in-shape though, alcohol is the triple whammy of gaining body fat because alcohol has calories, it lowers testosterone which is the hormone that helps us burn fat faster, and it raises the body fat production hormone cortisol. Here's the RIO Fitness Chicago® guide to drinking this Summer that'll help you not pack on the pounds:

•Drink a glass of water between drinks.

•Wine varies in calorie level depending on the sweetness-the sweeter the wine the more calories. Wine Spritzer (half soda water and half wine) is a low-calorie way to enjoy the taste, get half the calories, and twice the volume.

•Mixers can also vary in calories so shoot for low calorie options such soda water, or have that drink on the rocks.

•Distilled liquor (rum, vodka, gin etc) calories are dependent on the proof of the alcohol-the higher the proof, the more calories. (Proof is twice the percentage of alcohol). For example, 100-proof vodka would contain 50% alcohol. To break it down, 1 1/2 ounces of liquor equals 100 calories for 80 proof while 100 proof equals 125 calories.

•100-Calorie Drinks

12-ounces of light beer

4-ounce Bloody Mary

4-ounces of champagne

4-ounces of red or white wine

1-ounce of rum, vodka, gin, whiskey, or tequila with diet soda

•150-Calorie Drink

12-ounces of regular beer

•200-Calorie Drinks

12-ounce wine cooler

5-ounce Whiskey Sour

3-ounce cognac

3-ounce brandy

2 1/2-ounce martini

4-ounce Screwdriver

4-ounce rum and regular Coke

•300-Calorie Drink

5-ounce Pina Colada

6-ounce Daiquiri

6-ounce frozen Margarita

•500-Calorie Drink

8-ounces of eggnog