How Alcohol Can Blow Your Diet & Spark Excessive Weight Gain

Even if you save going out with your partner or friends for the weekend, sipping on too many cocktails just one or two nights a week can have drastic consequences on your diet.You may not realize it, but alcoholic beverages can be packed with calories. In fact, a five-ounce glass of red or white wine contains about 120 calories, a 12-ounce beer has about 150 calories, and a 1.5-ounce shot of 80-proof liquor has about 100 calories.Alcohol also lowers your blood sugar, which can cause you to rummage around your kitchen looking for something to eat.John Higgins, MD, joins Melanie Cole, MS, to discuss how alcohol can blow your diet.