Dieters fail by drinking calories, says expert

Drinking is the downfall for many people aiming to lose weight by following a healthy diet and lifestyle, says charity.

According to research carried out by alcohol awareness charity Drinkaware, many people who are watching their weight forget that drink, as well as food, contains calories. Matching a healthy meal with a favourite tipple can add an average of 130 calories onto a daily calorie intake, something that two out of three Britons don’t know or don’t take into account when trying to lose weight.

Drinkaware, which surveyed 2,000 people, has found that many women who are depriving themselves of sweets, chocolate and desserts didn’t know that a glass of champagne contains around 95 calories, which is the equivalent of a piece of treacle tart. A glass of wine is the same as a choc ice at 134 calories and one gin and tonic contains as many calories as a Yorkshire pudding.

While a third of those asked said they planned to monitor their calorie intake, only one in ten was also considering monitoring their alcohol consumption. Three quarters of those surveyed said they would rather cut back their spending on eating out, holidays abroad and new clothes than on buying alcohol.