LOVE BEER!

HARLEYzFIT

I love beer! Tips for balancing this out..

Need2Exerc1se

I love beer too. I treat it the same as other high calorie nutrient poor foods I love (such as cake or corn chips). I don't consume as much of it as I'd really like because I'd like not to be fat more.

auddii

I tend to focus on lower calorie, whole foods the day I know I'm going to be drinking beer. I find it best to limit my drinking to one night because it interferes with my ability to get up the next morning and workout. I go out with my friends to a bar for trivia every week, have three beers, and call it a day.

I personally don't sacrifice quality of beer for calories (although Guinness is relatively low calorie with I believe 120 calories per 12oz). I'll drink some pretty high calorie beers and know that I'll be over. I'll also try to be a little under the day before and after to help balance it out (I focus on having a weekly deficit with some days over and some days under).

I also choose to be pretty active and a moderate deficit so that I have a very reasonable daily calorie goal; this makes it much easier to fit in treats such as beer or a serving of ice cream.

Runagain_4

I love wine, so when I started MFP I found a way to fit a glass into my daily calories most days. As time went on and I started losing and being a bit more active, I found myself wanting to replace those wine calories with something more satisfying (that wouldn't affect my energy levels). I gradually went down to having a few glasses of wine once a week, and now I don't even have that. I still love wine, and I'll have as much as I like (still trying to fit it into my calories as much as possible) if we're going out or celebrating something, but when I don't have it I really don't miss it these days. Either way, as long as I stay within calories, the weight is coming off. (Word of caution, sometimes it's not the alcohol that's the problem, it's the poor food choices that seem to always follow not far behind the alcohol!!!!). Best of luck

kristen6350

So do I. And not that watered down light crap either. I still drink it, I just count it...

20yearsyounger

auddii wrote: »

I personally don't sacrifice quality of beer for calories (although Guinness is relatively low calorie with I believe 120 calories per 12oz).

Agree with this. Drinking lite beer is a waste of my time. I know I am going to drink it. I limit it to 24 oz unless it's a day where I do some heavy exercising, and I keep it all in line.

I like what Runagain said as well - it's many times the poor food choices and not necessarily the alcohol.

Nuke_64

Beer can be my downfall, especially since I like IPAs that can be about 200 calories per 12 oz. So now if I'm going to drink more than two, I may drink 2 high calorie ones first, then switch to Guinness or Miller Lite.

lyttlewon

Runagain_4 wrote: »

I love wine, so when I started MFP I found a way to fit a glass into my daily calories most days. As time went on and I started losing and being a bit more active, I found myself wanting to replace those wine calories with something more satisfying (that wouldn't affect my energy levels). I gradually went down to having a few glasses of wine once a week, and now I don't even have that. I still love wine, and I'll have as much as I like (still trying to fit it into my calories as much as possible) if we're going out or celebrating something, but when I don't have it I really don't miss it these days. Either way, as long as I stay within calories, the weight is coming off. (Word of caution, sometimes it's not the alcohol that's the problem, it's the poor food choices that seem to always follow not far behind the alcohol!!!!). Best of luck

^^This
I went to a brewery with friends on Friday, and I made a calorie allowance for it. The longer I am on maintenance the less beer I drink. Over time it just hasn't been worth sacrificing the food. The beers I had Friday were the first ones I had drank in over a month. I will have a glass of wine on a more frequent basis, but most of the time I just don't drink. Sometimes I accept that I will go over, and adjust later.

cwolfman13

when i was actively losing weight, i found it to be far easier to have lower calorie spirits and wine and the occasional beer here and there. i love beer too, but the kinds of beer i like also tend to be calorie bombs so even in maintenance i don't drink it as much as i used to.

SuperheroSadie

I went to college and became of drinking age in Burlington, VT... beer is a lifestyle. I have to say that I don't drink nearly as much since I started dieting (it's hard to fit in that extra 4-600 calories a night!) but that it's definitely my 'cheat' every other week, and I always have a 12pk of Magic hat lying around. As long as it fits in my calories, it's mine! I suggest you treat it the same-- as long as it fits, bottoms up

scolaris

ME TOO!
lol... just squeeze it in where you can.

Firebranda

My husband swears by Molson 67. 67 calories and he says it still tastes good

DopeItUp

Firebranda wrote: »

My husband swears by Molson 67. 67 calories and he says it still tastes good

I'm very sorry to hear that.

summerkissed

I just fit it in!! Beer = Sanity lol

Jruzer

I make room for beer almost every day. I make sure to eat plenty of other nutrient-dense foods and get plenty of exercise. The promise of a nice bottle of craft beer at the end of the day is plenty of motivation for a little extra workout time.

A rule of thumb: Calories = abv% x ounces x 2.5 (for a 12 ounce pour this = 30 x abv%)

Asher_Ethan

I had to switch to tequila for when I go out to drink with friends. But when I run a half marathon and I have 1200 extra calories I usually splurge with beer.

20yearsyounger

I substitute where I can with hard liquor, but with hard exercise, I seem to get better recovery times with beer

KANGOOJUMPS

just work it off, I drink a lot, and I make sure to eat well and work it off, pretty easy really.