*Welcome to the OutUK series looking at gay men and their health brought to you in association with the NHS* website.**
	Each week we'll tackle a different topic in our A to Z of Gay Health. We'll have features and advice on everything from relationships, sexual health, mental and physical conditions and how to stay fit. You can follow any of links provided below for more information direct from the NHS website, or see this week's feature L: Laxatives.

Calories In Alcohol

Did you know a standard glass of wine can contain up to 158 calories, and some pints of stronger lager can contain up to 222 calories? So, if you're trying to lose weight you need to think about what you are drinking as well as what you are eating.

Drinking 4 bottles of 12% strength wine a month add up to a yearly consumption of up to 32,400kcal. Drinking 5 pints of 5.2% strength lager each week add up to 57,720kcal in a year.

Liquid calories

Drink	Calories (kcal)
Standard 175ml glass of 12% wine	up to 158kcal
Pint of 5% strength beer	up to 222kcal
50ml glass of 17% cream liqueur	153kcal
Standard 275ml bottle of 4.5% alcopop	154kcal
Large measure (75ml) of 17.5% fortified wine	102kcal
Double measure (50ml) of 40% spirits	100kcal

You can find out the calorie content of other drinks using unit and calorie calculator on the Alcohol Change UK website.

Weight gain

Wine, beer, cider, spirits and many more of our favourite drinks are made from natural starch and sugar. Fermentation (and distillation for certain drinks) is used to produce the alcohol content.

This is why alcohol contains lots of calories - 7 calories per gram, which is almost as many as a gram of fat. Plus, additional calories can be in added mixer drinks, such as cola or tonic water.

Regularly drinking more than the NHS recommends can have a noticeable impact on your waistline and cause less obvious, but more serious, health problems.

Find out more about alcohol units.

Tips to avoid weight gain:

Have a glass of water after every alcoholic drink - this will help to prevent you becoming dehydrated.
Do not drink on an empty stomach. If you do reach for snacks while drinking, choose a healthier option.
Drinking in rounds can mean you end up drinking more than you intended. Instead, drink at your own pace.
Try cutting down with a friend, as you'll be more likely to stick to it with moral support.
Try drinking with a meal or eating a healthy dinner before you have drinks. This may help you eat less healthy options later in the evening.
Pace yourself by taking small sips.
Avoid "binge drinking" as this can lead to weight gain
If you're drinking white wine, why not add a splash of soda water to help the same number of units last longer?

Important

To keep the health risk from alcohol low, men and women are advised not to regularly drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week, spread across 3 days or more.

Get more tips on cutting down how much you drink.

OutUK's A to Z of Gay Health continues and you can read this week's feature L: Laxatives. We have covered many subjects in this series and you can catch up with all of our Previous A to Z Features. If you want to find out more about this particular topic you can visit the Original article on the NHS website. If you are worried by any aspect of your health make sure you go and see your doctor or book an appointment at your local clinic.
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