Staying lean and drinking socially is always a tough balancing act, especially when the weather is hot and the invites keep coming in.
The first rule is to choose the drink with the lowest carbs, such as wine, Becky Holman from www.x-tremelean.com says.
Red wine is only 0.5g of carbohydrates and 350 kilojoules, white wine is 4g of carbs and 415 kilojoules and a schooner of beer is 9g of carbs and a whopping 520 kilojoules.
Other than those fruity, high-sugar girly drinks, beer is the worst fat-adding alcoholic beverage.
"Alcohol is an energy substrate, so when you drink, your body burns it first. That means any carb and/or fat you eat when drinking alcohol goes to fat cells like chips, peanuts and even the carbs in your beverage," says Holman, the author of
X-treme Lean Fat-Burning and Nutrition Guide.
Never drink on an empty stomach, as alcohol lowers blood sugar, which can turn you into Homer Simpson at an all-you-can-eat pizza bar.
Try eating a meal of lean protein such as chicken or fish and high-fibre vegetables such as carrots or broccoli.
Limit yourself to three glasses of wine or two beers and don't eat carb snacks while drinking, as it goes right to fat cells.
"Your body must burn off the alcohol first, fat burning is essentially switched off 'till it is metabolised," Holman says.
So remember, if you drink five beers, that takes more than 45 minutes of cardio to burn off.
Your say: Do you feel guilty sometimes after you drink?
Slideshows
World's toughest blokes
Worst and unfair moments in sport
