Beer

byusuri
byusuri Posts: 2,757 Member
I've struggled with this since trying to lose weight again. I think I can find a good tasting, lower calorie version of almost anything. But, Beer has been a difficult thing for me. Does anyone know of a good tasting light (hopefully Ultra Light) beer?
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Replies

  • GeorgeL583
    GeorgeL583 Posts: 34 Member
    Just get more exercise in and drink the good stuff.
  • byusuri
    byusuri Posts: 2,757 Member
    I've been trying. But, each beer is like an extra 20-30 minutes of cardio.
  • Gska17
    Gska17 Posts: 752 Member
    Beer was 90% of my weight gain. I miss it but I guess I'm healthier not drinking six beers every night. :#

    I personally like Michelobe Ultra and Miller Lite.

    On days I want a "nice" beer I just ramp up the exercise that day so I can squeeze it in.
  • djprice_69
    djprice_69 Posts: 115 Member
    edited May 2015
    GeorgeL583 wrote: »
    Just get more exercise in and drink the good stuff.
    ^ This. Every time.

    Moderation is the key to everything. If you wish to exercise in moderation, you'll have to drink in moderation. Or cut out calories somewhere else to make up for the larger intake due to beer. Pros vs Cons. Pro = beer is good. Con= it has calories. Totally up to you how you want to balance the scales. (No pun intended!)
  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,501 Member
    edited May 2015
    What do you mean by "light"? Many breweries are making summer beers now. I had a really nice Helles by Capital Brewing yesterday at about 4.5 abv. You can probably find some sour beers like Berliner Weisse that come in at about 3% abv. There is a more recent trend toward "Session pale Ales" that are lower in calories.

    I see you're in California, so you have an embarrassment of riches of beer choices. How about SN's Nooner pils? Lagunitas Daytime? Stone Milk Stout? Ballast Point Even Keel or Wahoo?

    ETA: I usually allow myself one high quality brew per day. Maybe 2 on weekends.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    byusuri wrote: »
    I've struggled with this since trying to lose weight again. I think I can find a good tasting, lower calorie version of almost anything. But, Beer has been a difficult thing for me. Does anyone know of a good tasting light (hopefully Ultra Light) beer?

    no such thing....

    when I was trying to lose weight, I just drank less beer...pretty much kept my beer drinking to Saturday only. Even in maintenance I keep my beer consumption to a low roar these days. I don't worry about weekends too much because I'm usually very active on weekends, not just with deliberate exercise, but activity in general. I've maintained for over 2 years without logging so it all seems to be working out.
  • Scott_2025
    Scott_2025 Posts: 201 Member
    I have always been a bud light guy. I have a rule about beers. I don't drink anything I can't see through or that has ale in it's name. Now you know a bit about my taste. I recently tried bud select 55. It is a very light beer. 55 calories. And, as my brother in law says, you can drink a hundred of them and still not get a DUI...... Pretty low in alcohol. I prefer my bud light, but could get used bud selct 55. Stella artouis is pretty good as well. I think it is lower calories than bud light.
  • hellsbells0706
    hellsbells0706 Posts: 14 Member
    Michelobe!
  • sjohnson__1
    sjohnson__1 Posts: 405 Member
    Vodka.
  • abetterluke
    abetterluke Posts: 625 Member
    Well first you need to understand that "light beer" is not "good beer". Ever. There are plenty of good beers made my the mega-breweries but none of them have the word "light" on the bottle.

    I am a huge craft beer (and whiskey/gin) drinker so I understand the struggle. Honestly I would say what other people have said. Fit it into your calories but make sure to save enough cals for the good stuff. If you're more into craft beer this can be difficult because you have to make an educated guess. I can't log a stout the same as I would log a scotch ale or an IPA.

    If you're not a big craft beer person and you have a favorite beer that you buy regularly then keep buying it...at least you'll consistently know how many calories you're drinking. Just make sure it fits in your daily calories.

  • abetterluke
    abetterluke Posts: 625 Member
    Scott_2025 wrote: »
    I have always been a bud light guy. I have a rule about beers. I don't drink anything I can't see through or that has ale in it's name. Now you know a bit about my taste. I recently tried bud select 55. It is a very light beer. 55 calories. And, as my brother in law says, you can drink a hundred of them and still not get a DUI...... Pretty low in alcohol. I prefer my bud light, but could get used bud selct 55. Stella artouis is pretty good as well. I think it is lower calories than bud light.

    I'm really hoping this was sarcasm...
  • mwyvr
    mwyvr Posts: 1,883 Member
    I don't choose beer for calories. If I can't fit it in my calorie budget, I'll skip it. When I want one I want taste and for me that means a good locally brewed super hoppy IPA because any good beer should have Ale in its name.

    Super tasty.

  • GrannyCrayCray
    GrannyCrayCray Posts: 71 Member
    Coincidence that I read your post as I am pre-logging my food for the evening and it looks like I will be "over" my goal by slightly more than the beer I am planning on consuming ;) Am I going to forgo the beverage? Or ditch the blueberries, cake, and whipped cream that I wanted to eat before bed? Perhaps I should get in a short run or lift a few weights to consume some extra calories? Decisions, decisions..... Now I definitely need the beer to help me digest all of these options :o
  • ccourcha
    ccourcha Posts: 316 Member
    I struggle with this too, I come from the IPA side of the house. When I first started MFP and was just tracking...I had a good 1200 calories per day coming from drinking. I have 1500 calories allowed in my deficit lol.

    Vodka and a lemon-lime seltzer water on ice are my new drink, in moderation.
  • mwyvr
    mwyvr Posts: 1,883 Member
    edited May 2015
    I do love a good beer. Two or three pints yes please... but that's an entire meal's worth of calories.

    My motto is: I run for beer.

    When you burn 700-1300 calories running 10 - 20k, you *can* have that second beer. Sometimes. :smile:

    This all said... it's been my experience that when I drink more beer I lose less or I stay at a plateau. Having a nice glass of red wine doesn't seem to impact me nearly as much. I'm not interested in experimenting on myself as I've got goals and timelines I want to meet but if I was interested... I might compare one week on beer to one week on wine, diet and exercise the same both weeks.

    Nah. Pass the beer, er, I mean wine.
  • I now treat myself every payday (every two weeks) to a nice big bottle of beer. I usually try to stretch it out over a couple of nights. I don't bother with drinking light beer, unless it is a Double IPA, then it's only light in colour. ;)
  • abetterluke
    abetterluke Posts: 625 Member
    I now treat myself every payday (every two weeks) to a nice big bottle of beer. I usually try to stretch it out over a couple of nights. I don't bother with drinking light beer, unless it is a Double IPA, then it's only light in colour. ;)

    How do you go about making it last over a couple nights? I do the same thing a lot of time and I'll pick up a 22oz bottle but I rarely ever finish one. I'd like to save the rest for the next day but I never thought it would really keep overnight...
  • andympanda
    andympanda Posts: 763 Member
    Cheap beer is like having sex in a canoe. Both are f*cking close to wter
  • abetterluke
    abetterluke Posts: 625 Member
    andympanda wrote: »
    Cheap beer is like having sex in a canoe. Both are f*cking close to wter

    LMFAO
  • leprosky
    leprosky Posts: 3 Member
    Scott_2025 wrote: »
    I have always been a bud light guy. I have a rule about beers. I don't drink anything I can't see through or that has ale in it's name. Now you know a bit about my taste. I recently tried bud select 55. It is a very light beer. 55 calories. And, as my brother in law says, you can drink a hundred of them and still not get a DUI...... Pretty low in alcohol. I prefer my bud light, but could get used bud selct 55. Stella artouis is pretty good as well. I think it is lower calories than bud light.

    I'm really hoping this was sarcasm...

    I concur!
  • byusuri
    byusuri Posts: 2,757 Member
    Jruzer wrote: »
    What do you mean by "light"? Many breweries are making summer beers now. I had a really nice Helles by Capital Brewing yesterday at about 4.5 abv. You can probably find some sour beers like Berliner Weisse that come in at about 3% abv. There is a more recent trend toward "Session pale Ales" that are lower in calories.

    I see you're in California, so you have an embarrassment of riches of beer choices. How about SN's Nooner pils? Lagunitas Daytime? Stone Milk Stout? Ballast Point Even Keel or Wahoo?

    ETA: I usually allow myself one high quality brew per day. Maybe 2 on weekends.

    Yup. That's my problem. Sooooo many craft beers to try. But, I've never tried a Light Beer and liked the taste. And, I don't think most (if any) craft breweries make a Light version.
  • GeorgeL583
    GeorgeL583 Posts: 34 Member
    I've got enough cals. left to have a 16oz. Nut Brown Ale and 2 Blue Moons, See ya'll later.
  • Gska17
    Gska17 Posts: 752 Member
    mwyvr wrote: »

    My motto is: I run for beer.

    I have that on a hat! :D
  • abetterluke
    abetterluke Posts: 625 Member
    Just finished Lagunitas Old Gnarly Wine. Not bad.
  • s2mikey
    s2mikey Posts: 146 Member
    edited May 2015
    No reason to "fear the beer". Of course, slamming a six pack 4-6 times a week is too many cals but 1-2 beers a night for an active, healthy person is 100% fine and wont cause any harm. As others have said, dont drink low-cal cheap crap. Drink GOOD beer since thats the way it was meant to be.
  • coreyreichle
    coreyreichle Posts: 1,031 Member
    ccourcha wrote: »
    ...
    Vodka and a lemon-lime seltzer water on ice are my new drink, in moderation.

    Try swapping the Vodka with Silver Especial Tequila... It's like magic :) And, lower in calories :)
  • coreyreichle
    coreyreichle Posts: 1,031 Member
    byusuri wrote: »
    Yup. That's my problem. Sooooo many craft beers to try. But, I've never tried a Light Beer and liked the taste. And, I don't think most (if any) craft breweries make a Light version.

    I believe Yuengling would be the closest to "craft beer" that you can get in a lighter version. It's not half-bad. I call it my "Diet Beer".

    It does sub in nicely for the PBR's I'd drink after mowing the lawn. I can kick back 6, and not catch a buzz, and just enjoy them.
  • nickatine
    nickatine Posts: 451 Member
    bud select has 99 calories and def tastes better than most light brews out there.
  • byusuri
    byusuri Posts: 2,757 Member
    byusuri wrote: »
    Yup. That's my problem. Sooooo many craft beers to try. But, I've never tried a Light Beer and liked the taste. And, I don't think most (if any) craft breweries make a Light version.

    I believe Yuengling would be the closest to "craft beer" that you can get in a lighter version. It's not half-bad. I call it my "Diet Beer".

    It does sub in nicely for the PBR's I'd drink after mowing the lawn. I can kick back 6, and not catch a buzz, and just enjoy them.

    Thanks. I'll have to try it.
  • abetterluke
    abetterluke Posts: 625 Member
    ccourcha wrote: »
    ...
    Vodka and a lemon-lime seltzer water on ice are my new drink, in moderation.

    Try swapping the Vodka with Silver Especial Tequila... It's like magic :) And, lower in calories :)

    False. While I would say it's more delicious Vodka and Tequila have the same amount of calories per ounce.