With more than 100 calories in a shot, drinks can add pounds fast. Here's how to make smart beverage choices - Booze Control

Shape, Dec, 2003 by Stacy Whitman

There's nothing like a little spiked eggnog or champagne to get you in the spirit, so to speak. Here are six tips to help you enjoy the party season without regrets:

1. Eat before you drink. If you imbibe on an empty stomach, the alcohol will be absorbed into your bloodstream more quickly, notes Susan Kleiner, R.D., a Mercer Island, Wash.-based sports nutritionist. In other words, the liquor will go straight to your head. Drinking when you're hungry also makes you more apt to pig out on fattening foods. Some good pre-party noshes: a small meal or snack containing fiber, protein and healthy fat, such as low-sodium chicken soup, lowfat cheese and whole-wheat crackers, or a handful of nuts.

2. Do water chasers. Alternate [H.sub.2]O and alcohol over the course of the evening, advises Jackie Berning, Ph.D., R.D., an associate professor of nutrition at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. This will prevent you from guzzling your cocktail and also will keep you hydrated. "Alcohol has a dehydrating effect, so it's important to drink at least two glasses of water for every alcoholic beverage you consume," Berning says.

3. Nix the 'nog. With more than 200 calories in a 5-ounce serving, holiday eggnog, which typically contains brandy, milk, sugar and raw egg, "is like liquid Haagen-Dazs," says Kleiner. "It isn't a beverage--it's a dessert!"

4. Dilute it. Order cocktails like vodka and club soda, rum and diet Coke, or gin and diet tonic that include a calorie-free mixer. Or cut your wine serving in half and make up the volume difference with club soda to create a refreshing wine spritzer.

5. Fake it. Fool yourself--and your friends--by having a nonalcoholic drink that looks like a stiff one. For example, order a sparkling water on the rocks with a twist of lime and a swizzle stick.

6. Set your limit. Resolve ahead of time that you'll only have one or two drinks. After that, switch to water, seltzer or a diet soft drink. Beware of waiters and party hosts who keep filling your glass, Kleiner warns. "That makes it hard to keep track of how much you've had to drink."

Stacy Whitman is a freelance writer based in Ketchum, Idaho.