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I often joke that I’m quite biblical when it comes to drinking — water and wine.  That’s about it, every day, plus a cup of my trusty Green tea after most meals.

The fact is that I love to consume as much food as humanly possible within my Skinny life, so I prefer not to drink my calories.  No smoothies, fruit juices, or other caloric drinks.  No fake diet sodas ever.  No fake anything.

Most every night with dinner, I have one big glass of red wine.  It is what I order whenever dining out or on vacation, too.  It is about 100 to 200 calories depending on who defines the “big” in my big glass that night.

However, sometimes while vacationing at the beach with the surf and the sun in my face, nothing beats a drink with a little umbrella or fruity wedge.

Unfortunately cocktails, like most caloric drinks, do not provide the feeling of fullness that real food does.  Also, mixed drinks have more ingredients and variations, so it’s a lot trickier when it comes to keeping the calorie count down.  But an Easy Skinny Life is all about balance, even if it’s a strict one.

Have the cocktail, but guess what?  Consider it your main carb for the night.  Know that it contains sugar or sweeteners, so treat it as a main carb AND a dessert carb.  In other words, try to stay away from the bread basket or chip bowl, and skip the side of potatoes, rice or pasta with your entrée or appetizer.  Savor that darn cocktail and live it up with some lean protein and as much vegetables as you can stomach.

No other carbs needed.   You’re drinking it.

It’s all about calories in and calories out.  If you drink 300 to 500 calories in one of the creative cocktails, remove it from other extra items.  Keep the quality nutritional stuff, skip the unnecessary nachos or starchy add-ons, and just be happy living a hot Easy Skinny Life permits a cool drink with an umbrella on occasion!

Remember, if you really want the nachos, just get it some other time when you aren’t downing the fruity drink.  There’s always tomorrow, so keep it in perspective.

As much as I loved those Dewey Devils, Rum Punches and frosty whipped Strawberry Margaritas at the beach in my 20s, if I’m not having my usual glass of wine, I stick with a light beer or a simple traditional cocktail, Martini or Mojito to limit the sugar and calories.  All are typically under 200 calories, and you’ll look like a grown-up drinking it, too.  Another choice for a Skinny Cocktail is to order a shot of vodka with club soda, a lime wedge, a splash of cranberry juice or a squeeze of citrus, as shown in the photo.  One of my friends swears by it.  Nightly.

Cosmopolitans range from 200 to 500 calories, so choose ingredients wisely.  A 4 ounce serving of vodka, orange liqueur, lime juice and cranberry juice holds safely around 200, but other combinations are hundreds more.

Margaritas and most of the remaining well-known cocktails have 300 to 500 calories.  That “other skinnygirl” does have a new Margarita and Sangria that is offered in some bars, too.   It ranges from 100 to 130 calories for a reasonable serving.

Oh my Skinny goodness!  Stay away from Mudslides at 800 calories, Long Island Iced Tea at 500 to 700 calories, and Pina Colada at 600 calories.

Skinny Pick  Bottom Line:  Stick with a glass of wine or a light beer 90 percent of the time. For the other 10 percent, order a simple cocktail such as a traditional Martini or Mojito, or create your Skinny Cocktail with vodka, club soda, and a splash of real cranberry juice or real fruit.

Enjoy your family, friends, and scenery while savoring that drink.  I do.