Ah, alcohol. Our best friend, our worst enemy. After a hard week, sometimes a glass of wine or a G&T is really the only answer to help you unwind. Sometimes though, one turns into five and before you know it you’re stumbling in through your front door with a half-eaten kebab in your hand and a load of garlic sauce in your hair. Classy.

If you’re trying to keep your weight in check, binge-drinking can ruin all your hard work in just one night.  Here are a few tips for smart alcohol consumption…

Know your calories
You’ll never find nutritional values listed on the bottle, so make sure you do some research before ordering! Alcohol in general contains 7.1 calories per millilitre, but of course for wine and beer you can expect the levels of sugar to boost that number up a lot. A pint of beer has around as many calories as a slice of pizza, while a standard glass of wine is the equivalent of eating one Cornetto… Oops.

If you’re really trying to lower your calorie intake, stick to clear spirits like vodka, gin and clear rum with zero-calorie mixers like slimline tonic or Diet Coke. When it comes to wine, choose dry whites over reds, and look for low-carb beers where possible.

Eat well beforehand
Our body has to work extra hard to burn alcohol, which can shut down the other fat-burning processes. Fill up on lots and lots of lean protein (turkey, grilled chicken or tuna) and green veg like spinach, kale or broccoli before heading out on the town. Foods like this are low in calories but will fill you up – meaning you’ll drink less and hopefully not crave food later.

Step AWAY from the 3-in-1!
When drunk, the urge for fast food is usually huge, pulling us toward the nearest McDonald’s as fast as we can run in our heels. Try your very best to avoid this temptation. A great idea is to prepare a healthy meal or snack for when you get home – if you know it’s waiting for you, you’ll be far less likely to eat those McNuggets.