Alcohol n weight loss? Lets be real here.

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  • MSeel1984
    MSeel1984 Posts: 2,297 Member
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    I will not, cannot tell a lie...

    I drink a glass of wine almost every night.

    Last night was a mojito and a delicious porter.

    I work out almost daily-I'm maintaining my weight and my dress size (was never aiming to lose a lot though)...

    I don't binge drink or have tons of alcohol on a regular basis *shrug*
  • caylajean111
    caylajean111 Posts: 1 Member
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    Being real, this is my downfall. I've been on here for only two weeks. Last week, I drank beer and my calories skyrocketed for two days (because I ate a sober-me-up burrito after midnight). I ate around the 120o calorie mark all week, but this one day prevented me from losing anything.

    This week, I switched to gin and seltzer water which was a little better. I realized as well, if I am going to drink, then I have to be strict all day, workout intensely to "earn" calories, and THEN limit myself. A lot of work. But still, the downfall came with late-night snacking. I'm not sure it's possible to drink and lose yet! Maybe at least in the beginning...
  • NyteMirage
    NyteMirage Posts: 315 Member
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    I've noticed when I'm good on the weekends I don't lose as much weight the next week. So I always allow myself to splurge a little on Saturdays. So Saturdays I can drink if I feel up to it.
  • mandasalem
    mandasalem Posts: 346 Member
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    It's not doing me any harm - I just factor them into my calorie allowance for the day and don't go mad. If I go over allowance, I never go over TDEE, so no harm.

    Precisely this!

    I went over with beers a few nights ago, but hey, the host's AC wasn't working and the house was 81 degrees. No cold water anywhere. So I mean, what's a girl to do but crack open another one?

    Regardless, I didn't go over my TDEE, so for one day, I'm not about to give myself guilt over it.
  • frenchfacey
    frenchfacey Posts: 237 Member
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    drinking is legit, my job, and ive lost 13 lbs this month. so. fit it in your macros. or swear that its not possible. i suggest the first. life without cocktails is a life not worth living.
  • EvilFeevil
    EvilFeevil Posts: 95 Member
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    Alcohol is a big deterent to my weight loss. If you research it, not only the calories but the negative effect alcohol has on you metabolism. When you ingest alcohol your liver immediately goes to process those calories. Which are negative calories, mean while the real job of the liver is to process fat. while it's busy processing your alcohol the fat cells are having a party by themselves. So you may count those calories...but meanwhile they are multifplying because your liver is not processing the other body fats properly. That being said I am a drinker? Go figure. I preach to the choir. Someday I hope to reform :)
    That is a great answer; thanks for the info!

    Lucky for me, I rarely drink, but when I do I fit it into my calories like everything else. Whatever you do, stay away from Mike's Hard drinks; those things are filled with calories! I'm talking over 200 per bottle. Ouch!
  • rose228822
    rose228822 Posts: 186 Member
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    When I go out on a Friday night or the weekend I will get up extra early and work out for an hour and then work out right after work for the same and eat very little so I have calories to burn and I don't want to drink low calorie beer or wine or mixed drinks because I find some don't taste too good...I want to enjoy my time out haha...as long as I'm not going out every night drinking I think it's okay because I am still losing weight lb by lb:smile:
  • csuhar
    csuhar Posts: 779 Member
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    One of the things that helps me with alcohol and my weight (which may not apply to your specific situation, but I have seen people where it does) is that I'm perfectly cool with having ONE drink.

    Especially in my college years or those shortly thereafter, I had a number of friends who drank for the purpose of getting drunk, which meant drinking a LOT. That meant they packed on the calories. They were actually surprised that I was able to go out with them, have one or two drinks, and then call it quits.

    So if people are able to limit themselves to one or two drinks, it's easier to fit alcohol into their plans. If they are the kind who, once they start drinking, they keep on drinking, it's harder. It's all about knowing yourself and your limitations.
  • shell1379
    shell1379 Posts: 79 Member
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    I drink a shot or have 1 or 2 glass of skinny girl cocktail following the same regiment of observing calories.
  • georgann1114
    georgann1114 Posts: 30 Member
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    Moderation most of the time, and then you indulge certain times and not feel guilty :)
  • georgann1114
    georgann1114 Posts: 30 Member
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    I believe you can enjoy everything in moderation.

    Tapping the tip of my nose with my finger at this.

    Moderation most of the time, and then you indulge certain times and not feel guilty :)
  • goshnames
    goshnames Posts: 359 Member
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    75 calorie vodka in water mixed with mio. :)
  • IronD
    IronD Posts: 10
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    I think it should considered as a treat, until you hit you weight loss goal. On Friday night I go to happy hour, and get a Cosmo. So that means on Friday morning, I burn an extra 130- 205 calories to balance it out. I am not much of a dieter, but I find that Skinny Girl beverages are pretty good also.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    I know I like my alcohol! I guess its just like chocolate for some, but after a good amount of chocolate your inhibitions don't get lowered the way they do with alcohol! Wise choices are out the window after a few drinks!

    This is my problem with it as well - the lowering of inhibitions. Get a few drinks in me and my willpower and ability to make smart choices with food goes completely out the window. Prime example, spent a weekend with my best girlfriend in Boston a few months ago and we were both doing pretty well with the eating thing (not to mention walking our tails off all over the city all day) and decided our decadence would be a pitcher of margaritas. Once that was gone, we decided ordering an ooey gooey dessert would be a great idea. Then trail mix as a snack in the hotel... And some of that would've been ok if we'd gone out dancing or something but we stayed in and watched TV like old ladies. LOL!

    So most of the time I just avoid the calories of alcohol and possibility of even more calories from indulging. But I will let loose a few times a year for special occassions.
  • Ash1983ley
    Ash1983ley Posts: 19 Member
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    I drink probably 3 times a week, hopeless alcoholic here. I personally drink diet cran-cherry with Skyy vodka. It's my ****. I just first off make sure I have allotted myself the calories for the binge drink session, mind you each fluid ounce of Skyy is 95 calories. Then the next day I make sure I don't let that hangover get the best of me and make sure to go to the gym or take a long walk and sweat it out. Surely this is slowing down my weight loss but on the other hand I have lost 8.2 pounds in the past 3 weeks with the same drinking habits, I have just changed my eating and exercise routines. This is not healthy, I am aware, it's just what I do.
  • andreamarieroberts
    andreamarieroberts Posts: 34 Member
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    i just smash beers when i need to, dont write it in the diary and just pretend like it never happened. im not saying this is good, or it works :) but its what i do

    HAHA! LOVE IT
  • Alidecker
    Alidecker Posts: 1,262 Member
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    When I started with my personal trainer, our first converstation on my nutrition, I said "I'm not giving up my beer". He said I didn't have to unless it got in the way. It never really got in the way, but I still cut back. Granted that was partly because I skipped happy hour to go to the gym a lot. Summer is the hardest, there are just too many fun things to do that include drinking alcohol, and I enjoy it!

    I will say that I am good about not letting a hangover stop me from getting workouts in. I have learned that if I get up, get a good workout in, the hangover is gone and I am good to go. I may groan a lot in my Saturday morning bootcamp class, but I do what they tell me. Quite often I have been out drinking with the instructor the night before:wink:
  • hungryhobbit1
    hungryhobbit1 Posts: 259 Member
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    I drink 10 oz of red wine a night. I might bring it down to 5 soon, but I'm not willing to give up my wine. It fits easily within my calorie goal.
  • sugarchic64
    sugarchic64 Posts: 52
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    if you mix crystal lite w/ ur spirts u save a ton of calories and a perk these types of mixins say that it doesnt take near as much alcohol to get a great buzz!!!
  • marcon125
    marcon125 Posts: 259 Member
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    When I started with my personal trainer, our first converstation on my nutrition, I said "I'm not giving up my beer". He said I didn't have to unless it got in the way. It never really got in the way, but I still cut back. Granted that was partly because I skipped happy hour to go to the gym a lot. Summer is the hardest, there are just too many fun things to do that include drinking alcohol, and I enjoy it!

    I would agree with this. My PT sees my log weekly, and, Yes, you can find martinis, margaritas, gin and tonics, and the like in my diary. I don't let it interfere with my macros or my calorie goals, and I don't let it interfere with my workouts.

    Happy hour, anyone? :wink:

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