Unfortunately, as we all have probably heard before, alcohol has calories. And a LOT of them. I’m definitely not going to suggest for anyone to stop drinking, but it may be shocking to see just how many calories are in some of your favorite drinks. I did a bit of research to find out just how long you have to dance when you go out on the weekends to burn off the calories in some common mixed drinks, wine, and beer. Dancing on elevated surfaces is encouraged!
1. Tequila Shot
Everyone’s favorite love-hate relationship… tequila. How many calories are in a tequila shot? About 90. Definitely less than any mixed drink, but not as tasty and maybe not the best thing to start off your night wth. On the bright side, it will only take 22 minutes to burn off a shot of tequila. Taking shots of liquor tends to have very few calories compared to mixed drinks, so if you really want to limit your calories, you could mix them with seltzer and a bit of lime juice.
2. Red Wine
5 ounces of red wine has around 125 calories. Not too bad, and red wine has even been found to have some health benefits in moderation. It would take about 29 minutes of dancing to burn off one glass of wine. If you’re probably going to finish the whole bottle, that’s another story. A bottle of red wine has 635 calories and will take 2.5 hours of dancing to burn off.
3. Corona
One Corona has 148 calories. Not bad for a bottle of beer, but it can still add up. Corona Lights have 99 calories, so if you’re a beer drinker, sticking to light beers could reduce your calorie intake. It will take about 38 minutes of dancing to burn off the calories in one beer and about 23 minutes to burn off a light beer.
4. Vodka Cranberry
Honestly, you can never go wrong with a vodka cranberry. The easiest way to make something not taste like alcohol is to add cranberry juice. One 8-ounce vodka cranberry has around 150 calories. And that’s only one drink! Add that to all of the other things that you normally drink on a night out and you may be frightened. So how long would it take to burn one vodka cranberry dancing? About 38 minutes on the dance floor.
5. Moscow Mule
This mixed drink is becoming super popular again, as it should. Moscow Mules are so good and they clock in at about 182 calories. Not the worst, but not the best choice if you’re trying to keep it light. It would take 42 minutes to burn off a Moscow Mule.
6. Long Island Iced Tea
Oh, the classic Long Island. Typically, they have 3 shots of different alcohols and there is definitely no tea involved. Long Islands have about 300 calories, depending on their size, which will take you about 70 minutes of dancing to burn off. Not the best choice and good luck dealing with the hangover.
7. Frozen Margarita
There are so many different types of margaritas, so I decided to take a look at a classic. A typical normal frozen margarita has around 675 calories. Of course, this all depends on the size and ingredients but either way, they are usually super high in calories because of their high sugar content. To burn off one of these, you’ll have to dance for nearly 3 hours!
Reducing calorie consumption from alcohol is definitely a difficult task, especially once you’re buzzed. Sometimes ignorance is bliss. But on the positive side, there are many ways to lighten up your favorite mixed drinks and never underestimate the amount of exercise you get from dancing on your hazy nights out.