Alcohol

It's easy to get ahead of yourself at a holiday party. You're in the spirit of the season and knocking back a few drinks; you aren't necessarily paying attention to the amount of alcohol you've imbibed. The night is a blast, but the next day is a struggle.

One tip that will make your hangover feel far more manageable is to start water backing. After each alcoholic libation you consume, back it with an 8 oz. glass of good old H2O. Drinking booze dehydrates your system, and drinking water helps your body recuperate faster. Remember that the average female body needs about an hour to metabolize each alcoholic beverage.

Naturopath expert Dr. Holly Lucille is a big believer in following each drink with water, but she has another tip to pace yourself. Set an alarm. Once you have your first drink in hand, set an alarm on your phone for 45 minutes later. Don't go for that second drink until the alarm goes off! Instead of getting swept up in the moment, you have a chance to get aware with how your body is responding to the alcohol in your system and make a decision from there.

Holiday parties are meant for strategic indulging, but don't let the festive cheer make you forget about your weight-loss goals. Here are three ways to cut those empty alcohol calories while still enjoying your libations.

Back away from the punch bowl: Staking a spot next to the snacks and drinks is bad for your waistline; not only does it encourage mindless grazing, but it also encourages more imbibing, especially if there's a delectable cocktail tempting you from the punch bowl. Once you've filled up your cup, move away from the bar or drink table; find a spot elsewhere where you can have a conversation without distractedly going for another drink.

Put down the glass: Walking around with an almost-empty glass will surely be your hostesses clue that you need a refill. Drink slowly so your cocktail lasts, or set your glass down if you're feeling tempted to seek out the bar. You can trade your cocktail glass for a cup of water to keep your hands occupied while you make your rounds at the party.

Know your serving sizes: Forgoing the sugary cocktails is a smart option if you're watching calories, but don't give yourself a license to fill your wine glass to the brim. While a serving of wine (five ounces) will run anywhere from 96 to 127 calories depending on type, a heavy-handed pour can double the amount you've got in your glass. Pour smartly so you're not drinking more calories than you think; a good rule of thumb is to fill your wine glass to just about the part where it starts to curve back in. If you're drinking a cocktail, use a short glass — especially if you just have to have a taste of 343-calorie eggnog — and sip slowly.

Whether you're going out or entertaining at home, booze can end up leaving a bigger hole in your wallet than you'd like. And that's especially true when you're already a few drinks in. Luckily, you can take measures to enjoy alcohol guilt-free and still save when you sip.

• Buy domestic: Stick to buying beers and wines from the US. They're often cheaper than international imports, and there are plenty of worthy options right in our backyard.
• Shop at the right liquor store: Sometimes the liquor store right around the corner will charge a higher markup than one a little farther out of the way. Traveling those extra yards, or miles, for well-priced booze might be worth it.
• Research happy hours: You might know a really good happy hour deal close to where you live, but meeting friends or business people for drinks can take you places you're unfamiliar with. Do your research ahead of time so that you can suggest a place with reasonable prices.
• Buy wholesale: It's no secret that buying certain products at wholesale price is a good idea, and alcohol is one of those products. What is a secret: some places like Costco let anyone buy alcohol at membership prices.
• Taste test: It's normal to want to opt for drinks that taste good, but sometimes tasting too good can be a bad thing: we sip faster because it doesn't seem like we're drinking alcohol. Try getting a drink that's a little stronger. It'll slow your drinking pace, and you'll get more bang for buck.
• Skip drinks when dining out: If you've ever considered getting wine at restaurant, you might have noticed what a rip-off prices are. Find places that are BYOB, but if you really want to drink at a restaurant, draft beers are usually the cheapest option.

No matter how you choose to save, remember to drink responsibly!

There's nothing wrong with the occasional cocktail, but if you're watching your waistline, the wrong drink order can be detrimental to maintaining a healthy weight. Avoid making happy hour a sugar and fat festival with these two easy tips — in the end, you'll have saved yourself almost 300 calories!

1. Start with the right alcohol: When it comes to saving calories, stick to basic alcohol (vodka, gin, tequila, or whiskey) and avoid liqueurs since flavored spirits like Kahlua, Baileys, or Amaretto are made using additional ingredients like fruit, cream, and sugar. For comparison, a 1.5-ounce pour of vodka contains 100 calories and zero grams of sugar, compared to 147 calories and nine grams of sugar in the same amount of Baileys. When asked by the bartender, always choose a cosmopolitan over a mudslide! To save even more calories, have your cocktail made with sake, shochu, or soju; on average, these spirits run about 60 calories per 1.5-ounce pour.
2. Mixers matter: Always go easy on the mixers. Order your spirit of choice neat or on the rocks, or opt for a zero-calorie mixer like soda water. If a cocktail without fruit juice seems a bit too much for you, ask the bartender to add just a splash. Most importantly, avoid premade mixes since they are dripping in corn syrup and additives. When made right (aka without a mix), classic cocktails like mojitos and margaritas contain under 200 calories!

Gin lovers: have you tried a bramble yet? This modern classic cocktail, which was created in the mid-1980s by London bartender Dick Bradsell, is sort of like England's equivalent to a cosmopolitan. It's an unfussy gin and lemon juice concoction that's potent, but with a tart and fruity taste.

The girlie pink-purple hue comes from the addition of blackberry liqueur. Although there's many blackberry liqueurs on the market, I used Chambord, which is made from both blackberries and raspberries, since that's what I had on hand. To give this refreshing beverage a try, get the easy recipe now.

Kicking back with a beer isn't that easy when your diet doesn't include gluten. But with more and more people adopting gluten-free diets, many companies are making beer that's free of wheat, barley, rye, and malts. If you're avoiding gluten and are also watching your weight, check out the calorie counts of common gluten-free beers.

*Carb amounts included if available.

Keep reading to see the rest of the gluten-free beers.