Alcohol & food weightloss

ABHY7

Ok, so getting back into this losing weight malarkey and I cant get over how many extra calories I've been putting away!
The last 2 days I've updated my daily intake and that was a struggle to keep down. Cant believe a rice cake with nutella spread is over 200 calories!!!!!

Anyway, what I'm asking is, how do most people manage their daily allowances when it comes to drinking alcohol? Glass of wine or bottle of beer, surely send calories through the roof. (not that id be having alot but once a week anyway). So do you scale back on food that day to allow for drinks?

Also, its seems everything has heaps of calories in it, anyone have a "rule of thumb" they follow to keep the calories down? Water based foods, paleo, wheat free?
Appreciate any feedback:)

katiegud

I have been avoiding alcohol, but it's only been a month. I did have a glass of wine one day, but otherwise none. Curious about other responses though, since I'm sure that at some point I will want to drink and beer is usually my drink of choice (and probably the worst alcohol weight-loss-wise!).

Protranser

I prefer eating calories versus drinking them, however, I think you've got the idea right. If you're going to drink and you're maintaining a deficit for that day (or days or whatever) then the idea would be to have less food to allow more of your calories to be used by alcohol.

Alternatively, you could do some cardio and use those earned calories for alcohol.

WBB55

I typically have 2-300 calories after dinner to do with as I like. If I won't be needing top performance the next morning, those calories might likely go to beer or wine. If I need to be my best the next morning and get good R.E.M. sleep, or I simply don't want wine that night, then my snack calories would more likely go towards chocolate or ice cream or cheese as a treat.

Sometimes I don't eat my snack calories, and it's bonus net deficit for the day (but I don't do that often, since you know, I like food.)

ABHY7

Thanks for your replies. Its not a common occurrence but like you say if an event comes up I'd like to be prepared. Its the day after I find difficult, when the cravings for salt kick in! Worst ever:)

Blueseraphchaos

Shot of vodka (i weigh out 1.5 oz) plus seltzer water (either one can be flavored) comes out to around 96 calories.

Also, there's a brand of vodka and also mixed drinks called Skinny Girl that tends to have fewer calories.

kellyship17

I love a good beer. I am also training for a half marathon, so many times my exercise calories are beer calories (among more nutritious choices )

Firefly0606

So long as it fits in your calories you are fine to consume. The rule of thumb is to weigh everything, no guess work. Another rule of thumb is to make sure I get enough fiber and protein - the other macros fall into place - but with fiber and protein I am satisfied, not craving, and not cranky.

Alcohol has required a psychological shift for me. A few drinks most days is no longer part of my life, I treat it as a treat now for a special occasion. If I drink on the weekend I plan in advance and log it before I drink it, so I know where the line is. i.e 3 x rum and diet cokes (nips of rum measured exactly, no free pouring) and I know it 210 calories. If I wait til the morning after...well...I'm sure you can guess how that story ends.

As for the rice cake and nutella....the damage is not being done in the carbs in the rice cake nor the carbs in the nutella, it's in your portions. You can still have a rice cake with nutella, treat the nutella as a flavour enhancer rather than a key part of that snack and you will be right. I have done the same with cheese - a taco filled with some meat and beans, overflowing with lettuce and tomato, with just 10g of cheese on top as a flavour enhancer is just as (maybe more) satisfying as my old fashioned half meat, half cheese filled taco.

You can scale back on food in a day to allow for drinks....or you could shave 50 calories off each day for 6 days to allow 3 drinks at the end of the week. It all evens out, wouldn't recommend scaling back food so much in one day that you are going to lose all will power and eat all the bad food that often goes with beer. You might be setting yourself up for failure.

iLoveMyPitbull1225

I don't count it lost weight anyway.

VintageFeline

To keep the calories down skip oils, dressings, butter etc as much as possible. Use spices for flavour instead. Sweet potato instead of white if you really need a starchy filler.

I don't drink too often but I do usually have "treat" calories in my day so if I know I have a night out coming up I'd just save them and not get too hung up about what I'm drinking. Life happens, I want to enjoy it. I take a weekly view of my calorie intake too.

And of course, good old exercise is a great way to give myself a little more food to play with!

Pinnacle_IAO

All foods or indulgences in moderation are cool, but for me, I just gave up booze along with other certain items.
I felt that my goals were being inhibited.
And I looked at my social connections, noticing our common interests were food and booze.

I'll have a glass of wine here and there, but drinking was a daily affair starting with a few at lunch, again in the early evening topped with a short nightcap before bed.

That was around 600+ empty calories downing just five drinks over a ten hour period.

SergeantSausage

High bulk - lots of stomach-filling, low calorie foods.

A giant 2 pound bowl of squash + tomato + onion + greens garlic + Italian Spice has about as many calories as you (what? 3 ounce) rice cake?

A full pound of potatoes (a virtual Mountain On The Plate) goes very low if you don't add the butter, bacon, sour cream, and cheese. Just salt + flavored spices of your choice (I like Garlic Fries)

High bulk, low cal is key for me in not being hungry all the time.

BTW - I hit my alcohol macro target every day.

hekla90

Eh. I drink anywhere from several times a week to once several times a month and am very small compared to people here so you can definitely keep drinking and lose weight and also maintain. Bonus: since I'm small I get tipsy pretty fast reducing the need to drink a ton socially. I get migraines and don't go near wine and mostly prefer ciders and mixed drinks.
Edit: I also think it depends on how you metabolize it. I was out until 2 am last night, pretty drunk, and have been up since 7 and feel fine, getting ready to go to the gym. Some people get very hung over like my SO and he doesn't feel always like exercising the next am so that's something to consider.

laur357

I drink one or two a week when I'm visiting friends or go out to a party. I usually save some exercise calories or eat a little below my normal deficit a few days before. (1250 cals instead of 1380) That pretty much covers the drinks. I also prefer beer because I always feel kinda full after, and drinking a pint of porter or IPA takes me longer than a mixed drink.

iplayoutside19

For me, alcohol has so many other side effects besides the calories that I usually have to stay away from it if I want to be successful and reach my goals. Because of that. I try to limit it to every other weekend or something like that. But every one is different.

kshama2001

When I got serious about weight loss, empty calories from alcohol, etc, were the first to be eliminated or severely reduced. Some people can fit booze in their calorie budget; if I did this I'd be hungry and cranky.

5 Ways Alcohol Hinders Fat Loss

rsclause

I don't know if run to drink or drink to run, but you get the idea. Running gives me the headroom for the alcohol. Scotch, wine and beer. No mixers and no light beer, Yuck Fellow Beer!

Need2Exerc1se

I typically eat around 1300 (on average) during the week and many days that includes a glass of wine with dinner, sometimes two. On the weekends, I drink and eat more. This hasn't stopped me from losing weight.

But, I do not binge drink and I don't crave junk food when I drink. I don't eat a lot of snacks and sweets. Wine is my treat.

robspot

purelush wrote: »

Thanks for your replies. Its not a common occurrence but like you say if an event comes up I'd like to be prepared. Its the day after I find difficult, when the cravings for salt kick in! Worst ever:)

Buy Dioralyte if you're in the UK, or some other rehydration powder if not. Try and drink one before you go to bed or if not first thing in the morning. Dehydration causes the salt craving and this stuff rehydrates you

janejellyroll

I drank virtually every night while I was losing weight. A glass of wine doesn't have to send calories through the roof -- 5 ounces of wine only has around 120 calories, a couple of shots of liquor mixed with diet soda can also be fairly low calorie (depending on the alcohol). Key factors: I always measured it (I'm terrible at eye-balling) and I always logged it, making sure it fit my calorie goal for the day. Some people struggle with eating extra calories when they drink -- I fortunately have never had this problem. Also, you have to know yourself. If you're the type of person who lets one or two glasses of wine turn into four or five, it's probably going to impact your ability to meet your weight loss goals.

It worked for me, although I also understand why people would want to limit or eliminating drinking because they'd rather eat those calories. For me, a glass of wine or cocktail while preparing dinner is a great pleasure and I wasn't wanting to give it up unless I had to. I adjusted other things to make room for it -- dressed a salad with vinegar and mustard instead of a fat-based dressing, roasted vegetables without oil, had one piece of bread with my lunch sandwich instead of two. If you're only looking to add a glass of wine or a bottle of beer, it's pretty easy to make room for it with simple tweaks to your day's food.

CSARdiver

I budget in enough calories for a beer or other adult beverage nightly - for medicinal purposes of course.

onematch

I have to budget my alcohol. For example, I know I want some wine tonight (TGIF!) so I keep those calories in mind when planning the rest of my day. I've also recently cut back on the days per week that I drink to not more than 2/week.

gothchiq

Shot of vodka in diet soda or in crystal light.

FairyDandy

This has to work for life so if you are intending on drinking alcohol when you reach maintenance you must learn to budget it during loss.

For me I work to a weekly deficit rather than daily so I save 100-200 calories a day (depending on my fitbit adjustments) for my weekend wine. I've also moved from large white wine to small white wine spritzer to reduce calories but keep volume. I have my phone with me and make sure each glass is logged straight away and then I know when my calorie limit is reached.

I don't drink Sunday to Thursday and then go out Friday or Saturday (not both) and this really works for me.

KimiSteinbach

I drink red wine and seem to be fine. The beer is what makes me gain, unfortunately, because I love all these new Shandy beers. But life is fun,so I would avoid food and have a few cocktails!!! Cheers!