Does alcohol affect weight loss results?

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  • Marianna93637
    Marianna93637 Posts: 230 Member
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    to the OP: I think you're perfectly fine. Keep doing what you're doing, make sure your wine fits in with your calorie budget, and if you go over a 100 calories on some days, seriously, it's still on a deficit.

    You have not plateaud, you just didn't lose for a few days. Weight loss is not always steady, some weeks you might not lose at all.
    I didn't lose anything for 3 weeks and started freaking out, yet, inches kept coming off, everything started to fit me again. Since then I lost 3 more lbs, but now I can fit into pants I haven't worn for 3 years. Your body will do interesting things, just stick to your plan and relax :)
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
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    For me personally, alcohol always seems to get in the way of weight loss. I count the calories and all that, but somehow.... I would say try to limit it to one or two days a week that you have that glass of wine, and see if your results improve.
  • Codilee87
    Codilee87 Posts: 509 Member
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    The body is not a calculator, it is more like a chemistry lab. Saying "calories in/calories out" is overly simplistic and is not realistic for everyone. Certain foods - such as alcohol - may cause an adverse reaction in some people. Different things work for different people.

  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,714 Member
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    While it's still about calories in/out, alcohol impedes use of any other energy source until it's metabolized out of the body since it can't be stored.
    One thing I would mention is that if you're going to drink alcohol, don't do it before bed if you're wanting to burn fat efficiently. Fat is the main source of energy at rest (100%), UNLESS there is alcohol in the system that's not metabolized.

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  • tycho_mx
    tycho_mx Posts: 426 Member
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    the biggest issue for " point" measurement regarding alcohol is hydration. Unless you're using DEXA or immersion, my guess is that you own a scale that estimates your body fat % based on impedance (resistance to electricity).

    That is massively sensitive to hydration and electrolyte levels, which are affected by alcohol. And not only by how much you consume, but by how much you consumed lately compared to the "normal" intake.

    Other than that, normally not terribly impactful on mass loss beyond the math (if you are not actually munching on a bunch of stuff when you drink, like many of us do). More than a drink or two does have an effect on athletic performance and recovery, if you're also trying to get "fit".
  • JAT74
    JAT74 Posts: 1,078 Member
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    Well just a quick update since my post a couple of days ago, bearing in mind I said I hadn't lost any weight for a few days and I only had a total of 3 glasses of wine since my last recorded weight loss.

    I got on the scales this morning and I have in fact GAINED 2.5lbs since my loss, according to the scales.

    I couldn't believe what I was seeing, I have still retained the same deficit I had all along ie. around 750 calories per day which should lead to a 1.5lb loss per week. However over the past few days my carbohydrate level has been a little higher than previously at around the 100-130 level rather than 80-100 I was having before.

    Obviously I'm not happy about a gain in weight on the scales, which I know could be down to water retention but it's hard not to think that could be a gain in the fat I thought I lost before.

    I generally try to leave 100-150 calories remaining of my allowance each day to allow for overestimation of exercise or underestimation of calorie intake but it seems strange that the scales say I'm heavier. I have taken measurements and I haven't lost any inches so far but would like to know what's going on! Weigh in day is tomorrow (that's when I recorded a 1.5lb loss last week) but this week I feel like I've gone backwards not forwards.

    I have been eating as much as 1450 some days in the last week but that was due to calorie burns for around 600. Maybe that much food is more than my body can process?
  • JAT74
    JAT74 Posts: 1,078 Member
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    By the way Tycho_mx I only had 3 classes of wine in a week, 2 on one day and 1 for lunch on a different day. Normally that's around the amount I have, or some weeks it can be nothing at all.
  • MrCoolGrim
    MrCoolGrim Posts: 351 Member
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    When I use to drink I always had a hard time finding the gym and the kitchen afterwords and for some reason I couldn't figure out why I wasnt progressing.
  • JAT74
    JAT74 Posts: 1,078 Member
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    That's not my problem, I rarely drink and I did it both times last week after I'd been in the gym that day. I also made sure not to eat more than planned, in fact both times I ate less than planned as I'd left extra calories for the wine I wanted to drink.

    It just seems that since then the scales have been doing funny things. The day after I'd had wine the first time my weight had increased by 1lb and since then it's showing I've gone up another 1.5 on top of that, yet I'm accurately logging and have stuck within the right amounts to create a deficit of 750 calories per day. Even if I was wrong and I my calories were a bit over (though doubtful as I weigh and measure everything) and the calorie burns in the gym were slightly under I should still be losing something surely, not gaining?
  • MrCoolGrim
    MrCoolGrim Posts: 351 Member
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    Just kidding! You just might be overthing this.
  • MrCoolGrim
    MrCoolGrim Posts: 351 Member
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    Maybe your over training and your cortisol levels may be up.
  • ew_david
    ew_david Posts: 3,473 Member
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    Codilee87 wrote: »
    The body is not a calculator, it is more like a chemistry lab. Saying "calories in/calories out" is overly simplistic and is not realistic for everyone. Certain foods - such as alcohol - may cause an adverse reaction in some people. Different things work for different people.

    Yes. Alcohol makes me eat more, therefore causing me to go over my calorie goal. Hence, no weight loss.

    Everything else you said? No.
  • MrCoolGrim
    MrCoolGrim Posts: 351 Member
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    sandman1000 wrote: »
    Maybe your over training and your cortisol levels may be up.

  • JAT74
    JAT74 Posts: 1,078 Member
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    Re. Overtraining, what does it mean if my cortisol levels are up? I tend to do one cardio and one weights based workout most days, and also a dog walk of around 15 minutes but all this only adds up to around 1 hour 20 minutes of exercise maximum.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    JAT74 wrote: »
    Re. Overtraining, what does it mean if my cortisol levels are up? I tend to do one cardio and one weights based workout most days, and also a dog walk of around 15 minutes but all this only adds up to around 1 hour 20 minutes of exercise maximum.

    Cortisol is a stress hormone. Chronic stress and elevated cortisol prevents weight loss. Restricting calories and exercise are stresses on the body, as well as emotional stresses, and hormonal imbalances.

  • JAT74
    JAT74 Posts: 1,078 Member
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    Ok but surely 1 hour 20 minutes of exercise a day can't be overtraining?
  • JeffseekingV
    JeffseekingV Posts: 3,165 Member
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    Not any more/less than the consumption of anything else.
  • lisele03
    lisele03 Posts: 133 Member
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    I’m no expert, but I have a glass of wine regularly with dinner and it hasn’t kept me from losing weight (~50lbs in 11 months) I suspect that your 3 glasses in a week have little to do with your gain. I looked briefly at your diary and noticed a day or 2 with probable high sodium. (sushi, sausage, cheese) I know that when I overdo the sodium the weight stalls or goes up. The good news is that with lots of water and careful adjustments it also comes off easily. Just something to think about…. Good luck!
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    JAT74 wrote: »
    Ok but surely 1 hour 20 minutes of exercise a day can't be overtraining?

    It depends. If you are eating too little, and have other hormonal issues, then perhaps. If you are fueling your body properly then no I wouldn't think so.

  • sjaplo
    sjaplo Posts: 974 Member
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    Huh - minimum 36oz beer per day. Apparently I should have been eating donuts for the last 12 months.

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