I guess I gotta stop drinking beer if I want to lose weight?

gostumpy
gostumpy Posts: 156 Member
edited November 9 in Health and Weight Loss
This is a real sore spot for me... I can log all I want, and am pretty good for the week, some days over, some days under...

BUT

If I include all the beer I drink, I will be over for the week by thousands of calories.. Most nights I have 1-2 beers, but at least one night per week I have 5-7 beers... playing darts, playing poker, etc... the 'Boys Night'. If I include the beer in my daily totals, I don't have any room for food!

I haven't been able to lose weight and I think this might be why :(
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Replies

  • Laurend224
    Laurend224 Posts: 1,748 Member
    Work it into your calories and log it! You don't have to give up beer to lose weight. The overage in calories is why you aren't losing, not the beer itself. Maybe cut back if you have no room for food though. Moderation.
  • IsaackGMOON
    IsaackGMOON Posts: 3,358 Member
    No. You can still drink beer and lose weight, just make sure you are in a caloric deficit and it'll be fine :D
  • Alluminati
    Alluminati Posts: 6,208 Member
    At least you know what your problem is. In the end, you have to be in a caloric deficit to lose weight and if your not ready to moderate your intake of food and/or beer then your probably not ready to lose weight just yet. At some point we all have to sacrifice and have less to succeed in weight loss.
  • FatFreeFrolicking
    FatFreeFrolicking Posts: 4,252 Member
    The beer isn't the problem, drinking it in excess is. If you don't have any room for food, I think that says something. Perhaps you need to cut back on the beer and make room for food.

    Plenty of MFP users drink beer, wine, hard liquor and still lose weight. They simply drink it in moderation and make it fit into their day.
  • The beer isn't the problem, drinking it in excess is. If you don't have any room for food, I think that says something. Perhaps you need to cut back on the beer and make room for food.

    Plenty of MFP users drink beer, wine, hard liquor and still lose weight. They simply drink it in moderation and make it fit into their day.

    This.
  • sheldonklein
    sheldonklein Posts: 854 Member
    edited January 2015
    It will be very hard to lose weight drinking the amount you're talking about. However, you don't need to give it up. I was drinking as much or more beer as you before I set out to lose weight. I now drink 2 days a week, and then rarely more than 2 pints. Also, there is tremendous difference in calories, depending on the ABV. I used to drink mostly IPAs and other high alcohol beers, at 270 or more calories/pint. I now look for Weiss beers and kolschs at approx 180 per pint. Finally, you need to be careful about the food you eat while drinking. The cheeseburger and nachos with extra cheese is a bigger problem than the beer.
  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
    edited January 2015
    You don't need to stop, you just need to cut back.

    Just like I didn't need to stop eating Taco Bell to lose weight, I just needed to stop eating it three times a week. ;)
  • gostumpy
    gostumpy Posts: 156 Member
    Yeah I might need to drink something with little or no calories in replacement of beer, I drink PLENTY of water already, I like something tasty at night. I do LOVE those Alo Exposed drinks, perhaps I need a case of those... Like quitting smoking, it's easier to replace than to eliminate!

    I am definitely going to not drink until my next boys night and hopefully it'll be easy!
  • paxbfl
    paxbfl Posts: 391 Member
    I lost 50 pounds without giving up beer. But I cut back (quality over quantity) and worked out harder on days I'd be drinking.

    The truth is the truth. Log everything and look at the numbers. If you want to lose weight you've got to make the numbers work somehow for you. Simple as that.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    gostumpy wrote: »
    I haven't been able to lose weight and I think this might be why :(

    Yep, that would do it. Time to make some choices...

    Good luck!
  • samantha1242
    samantha1242 Posts: 816 Member
    I cut back on my drinking for personal reasons. However, I did notice that I lost weight when I did so (because after the 10 plus drinks, I would eat a full pizza) I still have the occasional beer when I go out to a pub, or if there is an event (music festival, beerfest, etc) I will have many beer.

    If you really enjoy the beer and it doesn't get in the way of your life for any reason, then include it in your life still (& log it). Make room for it!
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    The beer isn't the problem, drinking it in excess is. If you don't have any room for food, I think that says something. Perhaps you need to cut back on the beer and make room for food.

    Plenty of MFP users drink beer, wine, hard liquor and still lose weight. They simply drink it in moderation and make it fit into their day.

    This. I'm a beer a night guy, but that's it. 1 beer, max. Splurge on special occasions.
  • You actually can't have it all AND be thinner- you are thinking that by now, aren't you??! I know it might not be "cool" to drink a cal-reduced beer, but Michelob Ultra is a great tasting beer and only 95 caolories!
  • gostumpy
    gostumpy Posts: 156 Member
    I know that anything is possible in moderation as long as it's included in daily logging... I definitely have a problem with when I have that night of 6+ beers, I completely lose faith in myself losing weight...

    But I saw 207 on the scale, and that's a trigger number for sure that I need to lose some.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    It certainly wouldn't hurt you to cut back on your alcohol consumption. The bikini clad women in the beer commercials probably don't drink the product they're selling, or they would be showing a lot more fat.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Fit it in. You may have to burn a few more calories to have a few more beers.
  • PrizePopple
    PrizePopple Posts: 3,133 Member
    It certainly wouldn't hurt you to cut back on your alcohol consumption. The bikini clad women in the beer commercials probably don't drink the product they're selling, or they would be showing a lot more fat.

    Or they just you know ... fit it into their day like other human beings.
  • fisherwomanjax
    fisherwomanjax Posts: 14 Member
    Lol look at my diary, I can still get waisted, eat healthy and be under 1500 calories a day!
  • itsMcKay
    itsMcKay Posts: 131 Member
    It still counts even if you don't log it. ;) Try logging all your beer for one week and see where it leaves you in regard to calories. That'll give you a starting point for setting some goals. :)
  • itsMcKay
    itsMcKay Posts: 131 Member

    Or they just you know ... fit it into their day like other human beings.

    LOL Models don't get to eat like humans. Don't be ridiculous. That's why they're models. In order to be that underweight standard, they're starving themselves. Or so say the handful of model friends I've had. They obsess over food because they can't have any.
  • silentKayak
    silentKayak Posts: 658 Member
    I have at least one drink almost every night, sometimes more, and am losing (though more slowly than if I gave up alcohol). In the evenings you MUST choose between alcohol and a snack. I "save" calories during the day so I can have a drink or a snack, but not both.

    Some other ideas are: switch to a low-calorie beer or a low-cal mixed drink (I stopped drinking wine and switched to bourbon-and-diet-coke). Be sure to log all your drinks honestly. Exercise more before "boy's night" - an hour at the gym will buy you two or three drinks, and if you hate the gym, you may start to wonder if it's worth it. Have one full glass of water between alcoholic drinks to slow you down. Try to stick to one drink on weeknights and 3 or 4 on your poker night. It's easier to start drinking later (i.e. postpone your first drink) rather than stop earlier.

    Since I started tracking calories, I'm drinking less alcohol. Fewer drinks per night and more nights with no alcohol. As you say, it doesn't fit into the goals well. But don't feel you need to give it up entirely, unless moderation is a problem for you.
  • magsxx
    magsxx Posts: 46 Member
    You don't mention any exercise. If I want to enjoy a drink then I move more. Exercise dvd or get out a walk :)
  • noregrets99
    noregrets99 Posts: 8 Member
    Just cut back on the beer intake. I think that it is unrealistic to cut everything out that you enjoy. Moderation is the key. I love pizza but just because I want to lose weight, in not going to say that I'm never going to eat pizza again. Good luck!
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  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,984 Member
    The beer isn't the issue. The drinking in excess of it is. Try working on savoring the flavor rather than just drinking it to fill you up.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png
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  • Alluminati
    Alluminati Posts: 6,208 Member
    itsMcKay wrote: »

    Or they just you know ... fit it into their day like other human beings.

    LOL Models don't get to eat like humans. Don't be ridiculous. That's why they're models. In order to be that underweight standard, they're starving themselves. Or so say the handful of model friends I've had. They obsess over food because they can't have any.
    Umm..wut?
  • gostumpy
    gostumpy Posts: 156 Member
    edited January 2015


    Isn't none still better?

    Probably, but I'm not on MFP to quit drinking... I'm on here to lose weight :) Me and my wife both LOVE beer, not getting drunk, although that's a nice side effect sometimes.

    I like the idea of have a full glass of water between beers... that should work. I'm going to resist drinking daily too, and cut it down to two nights per week (boys night and friday night).

    It doesn't help when my wife loves beer too!


    Also, I tried the Gym last December, and it just isn't for me... even when I wasnt working I only went 6 times in the month. I do enough at work daily to not need the Gym. I realize I would lose faster if I worked out, but with my own business (more than a full time job) and a 7 month old, there's no chance I'm going to the Gym :)
  • PrizePopple
    PrizePopple Posts: 3,133 Member
    itsMcKay wrote: »

    Or they just you know ... fit it into their day like other human beings.

    LOL Models don't get to eat like humans. Don't be ridiculous. That's why they're models. In order to be that underweight standard, they're starving themselves. Or so say the handful of model friends I've had. They obsess over food because they can't have any.

    I've photographed enough people who are in modeling, or trying to break into the modeling industry, to know that they do eat. Some of them can put away more food than I can. They're also younger than me, more active than me on a day to day basis, and dedicate a portion of their day to going to the gym (which I don't do, because 1) I'm kind of lazy and 2) I have other things to pay for that put a gym membership quite a ways down the ladder for the time being).


    ninerbuff wrote: »
    The beer isn't the issue. The drinking in excess of it is. Try working on savoring the flavor rather than just drinking it to fill you up.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png


    Isn't none still better?

    No. Not if it's tasty beer.
  • cromulus
    cromulus Posts: 17 Member
    Why don't you make guy's night out something other than darts and billiards? You could make it a flag football game instead, indoor hockey, basketball, whatever? That way you'd all burn calories and then you can retire somewhere to have your beer, too.
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