Do you add alcohol to your food diary

GillianLF
GillianLF Posts: 410 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I enjoy a couple of drinks at the weekend, maybe even on a weekday if there is an occasion. I have not yet seen anyone's food diary where they have counted alcohol. Are fit people generally non drinkers?

I know, I know, empty calories. (I had no idea how many calories!) But I'd prefer not to eliminate it altogether.

I've added my alcohol to the food diary, at least then if I'm going to consume those calories they get counted and I can get more awareness and therefore control around my lifestyle choices. I'm just wondering in general do people add their alcohol intake to the food diary? And if so how does it make you feel?
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Replies

  • DemoraFairy
    DemoraFairy Posts: 1,806 Member
    I don't drink myself, but I've seen plenty of people that do add it.
  • freeza12
    freeza12 Posts: 33 Member
    Yup, add everything. I'm yet to, but it's cheating and not telling the whole story if you don't.

    Although how 20 beers is going to stack up... won't be a pretty picture...
  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
    Yes I add every single ounce.
  • UrbanLotus
    UrbanLotus Posts: 1,163 Member
    Yes of course. Add (almost lol) everything you put in your mouth.
  • ChrisM8971
    ChrisM8971 Posts: 1,067 Member
    Always, that way I know that I can fit it in to my daily calorie allowance
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Yes, I add it.

    How does it make me feel? What do you mean? I'm not ashamed, if that's what you mean. I have no problem adding it.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    I'm a very occasional drinker, but if you drink often add it. Alcoholic drinks are usually high in calories overall.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    I drink almost every day and I did so while I was losing weight. I absolutely logged it -- you have to count the calories or it isn't going to work.

    I imagine you're not seeing it in many diaries because many people prefer to eat food rather than have a drink. And that's understandable. But for me, having a glass of wine or a cocktail before dinner is a pleasure in life, a pleasure that I didn't really want to forgo. So I made room for it most days.

    How does it make me feel? I guess I feel pretty neutral about it. At the very beginning it was a shock to see how quickly some types of alcohol added to my calorie count (and mixers too). I know the first time I measured out five ounces of wine, I was shocked to see how "little" it was (now it is second nature).
  • mirrim52
    mirrim52 Posts: 763 Member
    Always. I measure my wine.
  • GillianLF
    GillianLF Posts: 410 Member
    jemhh wrote: »
    Yes, I add it.

    How does it make me feel? What do you mean? I'm not ashamed, if that's what you mean. I have no problem adding it.

    I'm new to the site and calorie counting. 2 beers and a glass of wine and that's over 500 calories! It almost makes me not want to drink... but I am also going to be realistic. So I'm wondering what the general feeling is among people who are more food aware.

    I'm glad to see its quite normal to have a drink among the MFP users :smiley:
  • jeffpettis
    jeffpettis Posts: 865 Member
    edited August 2015
    Not really sure what you mean by "how does it make you feel"? Are you supposed to feel bad for drinking it or adding it?

    If I eat it or drink it I add it, why would you not add it?. You're only "trying" to lie to yourself if you don't.
  • dearmrsowl
    dearmrsowl Posts: 151 Member
    edited August 2015
    I don't drink on a regular basis but when I do enjoy some booze or a beer I log it all and make it fit into my calorie allowance.
  • ald783
    ald783 Posts: 688 Member
    I always count it (to the extent I can remember it at least). If not for the alcohol, my food diaries would suggest I weigh 100 pounds haha. Beer is by far my biggest obstacle in sticking to my calories and losing weight, so I 100% have to count it.
  • LisaTcan
    LisaTcan Posts: 410 Member
    I drink wine a few nights a week and definitely add it. Alcohol has a lot of calories if you don't add it you could end up with no calorie deficit.
  • viclrstew
    viclrstew Posts: 15 Member
    Most definitely add it. I set aside calories in my day for my 2 evening martinis and it hasn't been a problem. I'm still losing weight, maybe a little more slowly but I really love my drinks in the evening, so I don't mind.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,149 Member
    When I do drink, I add it to my diary. I'd rather eat than drink.
  • ruqayyahsmum
    ruqayyahsmum Posts: 1,513 Member
    nope because im unable to tolerate alcohol
    one less problem for me, one less item to log
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    GillianLF wrote: »
    jemhh wrote: »
    Yes, I add it.

    How does it make me feel? What do you mean? I'm not ashamed, if that's what you mean. I have no problem adding it.

    I'm new to the site and calorie counting. 2 beers and a glass of wine and that's over 500 calories! It almost makes me not want to drink... but I am also going to be realistic. So I'm wondering what the general feeling is among people who are more food aware.

    I'm glad to see its quite normal to have a drink among the MFP users :smiley:

    I see.

    I've never really been a person who drinks much. I have alcohol *maybe* once per week and never have more than one drink. And I mostly just drink a bottle of beer, which isn't high in calories (1 bottle of Guinness=125 calories.) My calorie goal isn't super low so that's not a big deal to me.
  • jordanmeoww
    jordanmeoww Posts: 29 Member
    I drank a whole bottle of wine a couple of days ago. I absolutely logged it. I felt ashamed while doing it, and even worse when it said I was -2500 for the day, but if you cheat on your diary, you're only harming yourself.
  • tincanonastring
    tincanonastring Posts: 3,944 Member
    I have a specific section of my diary devoted to Whiskey & Beer logging (although other hard liquor and wines make it there as well).
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
    I have the occasional glass of wine or beer and it gets logged.

    If it's a special occasion and I'm drinking a lot more than usual, chances are I'm also eating more than usual too so it's a no-log or guesstimate day (and if the scales haven't moved that week then I'm well aware why!).
  • jrline
    jrline Posts: 2,353 Member
    yes how else will your keep up with your calories?
  • GillianLF
    GillianLF Posts: 410 Member
    @janejellyroll thanks. And yeah I'd rather have wine than desert personally. Sure I go to wine tasting, whiskey tastings quite a bit and am brewing my own beer!

    I guess the awareness is just a bit of a shock! But as some members said its still calories so to log it means I can make allowances for it.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    GillianLF wrote: »
    @janejellyroll thanks. And yeah I'd rather have wine than desert personally. Sure I go to wine tasting, whiskey tastings quite a bit and am brewing my own beer!

    I guess the awareness is just a bit of a shock! But as some members said its still calories so to log it means I can make allowances for it.

    Yes, I don't have dessert very often at all (I don't have much of a sweet tooth). The awareness is good -- I found it helped me make better choices.

    Another thing that helps me is pre-logging. I log all my meals the day before so I know at the beginning of the day whether or not I have calories for wine or a cocktail.
  • Kalici
    Kalici Posts: 685 Member
    Yes! It actually helped in more than just the normal calorie counting way too! I have become a complete light weight and realizing that I am tipsy after one drink and metaphorically plastered after two is a good thing to know.
  • Bonny132
    Bonny132 Posts: 3,617 Member
    I log it all, and yes I have wine at weekends or if out socialising with friends. I treat this as a lifestyle, and therefore I got to be honest with myself, even though it kills me to see how quick alcohol stacks up. I do however not eat chocolates and hardly ever take aways so got to allow myself some treats. If you do not log alcohol, what else is next on the list to not log is how I treat it, it passes my lips and I log it. Only way this works for me :)
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    I drink almost every day and I did so while I was losing weight. I absolutely logged it -- you have to count the calories or it isn't going to work.

    I imagine you're not seeing it in many diaries because many people prefer to eat food rather than have a drink. And that's understandable. But for me, having a glass of wine or a cocktail before dinner is a pleasure in life, a pleasure that I didn't really want to forgo. So I made room for it most days.

    How does it make me feel? I guess I feel pretty neutral about it. At the very beginning it was a shock to see how quickly some types of alcohol added to my calorie count (and mixers too). I know the first time I measured out five ounces of wine, I was shocked to see how "little" it was (now it is second nature).

    +1 on all of this. I usually wait till I get my kids in bed and I finally sit down for the evening and have one, sometimes two, glasses of wine almost every night.

    It fits in my day. If I'm hungrier that day, I may have half a glass and some hummus but if you find a day in my diary without alcohol it's probably because I was ill that day...
  • RiverMelSong
    RiverMelSong Posts: 456 Member
    edited August 2015
    I have a glass of wine 3-4 days a week and I always log it. What's the point of logging if you leave stuff out? Especially high calorie things like alcohol. And like everybody else said, enjoying a drink now and then isn't something to be ashamed of :/
  • glitzy196
    glitzy196 Posts: 190 Member
    I don't drink except on specialish occasions. The amount of calories it has is enough to keep me from doing it. Im having a hard enough tome coming to terms with the amount of calories that are in my coffee creamer.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    I drink almost every day and I did so while I was losing weight. I absolutely logged it -- you have to count the calories or it isn't going to work.

    I imagine you're not seeing it in many diaries because many people prefer to eat food rather than have a drink. And that's understandable. But for me, having a glass of wine or a cocktail before dinner is a pleasure in life, a pleasure that I didn't really want to forgo. So I made room for it most days.

    How does it make me feel? I guess I feel pretty neutral about it. At the very beginning it was a shock to see how quickly some types of alcohol added to my calorie count (and mixers too). I know the first time I measured out five ounces of wine, I was shocked to see how "little" it was (now it is second nature).

    +1 on all of this. I usually wait till I get my kids in bed and I finally sit down for the evening and have one, sometimes two, glasses of wine almost every night.

    It fits in my day. If I'm hungrier that day, I may have half a glass and some hummus but if you find a day in my diary without alcohol it's probably because I was ill that day...

    Love the user name!

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