Weight loss and alcohol

ABHY7

Just asking in general, do most people give up alcohol altogether when trying to lose weight?
Also is it pretty much no crisps, chocolate or takeaways?
I'd eat well during the week, exercise twice a week but enjoy a treat at the weekends.

Cannot lose weight for the life of me ! Very frustrating! !

AwesomeSquirrel

It's all about moderation, drink and eat what fits your calories and macros. Personally I don't find alcohol worth the calories but then I've always been a small drinker.

I would start by tracking for a week to see how much you eat every day at the weekend. Then you can start adjusting, if you like you can cycle some calories through form the week (eg leave a 100 kcal buffer every day) to have extra room (500 kcal) on the Saturday or so.

donnabullen

I drink vodka and sprite zero but I do follow the Harcombe Diet and don't weigh very often but do measure.

fr33sia12

I've had to give up alcohol anyway as I'm on beta blockers for high blood pressure, but in a way I'm glad I can't drink it, as I don't have to think about giving it up to lose weight, but more for my health. It seems to help more with willpower now I know I can't drink.

JeromeBarry1

I didn't before and don't now consume alcohol, but crisps, chocolate, and takeaways are allowed within your daily calorie budget. As you gain experience and wisdom with managing your wellness within a budget for calories, carbs, fat, and protein, you will of your own volition re-evaluate the value of calories in alcohol, crisps, chocolates, and takeaways.

Shana67

I have vodka/soda every night, and I've lost 38 lbs since January. Sure, I would lose faster if I cut that out, but it's my treat at the end of the day, and makes sticking to my plan easier.

I highly recommend adding in at least 3 more workout sessions per week, btw.

divcara

I cut alcohol when I was first trying to lose just because it was an easy way to cut calories. I will have a drink on a rare occasion now, but I don't miss it that much. I think you can still lose weight if you have alcohol. With me it was more it meant I didn't go to sleep early, didn't sleep as well, felt yucky the next day, would skip my workout. That ended up playing more of a role than the actual calories from alcohol.

malibu927

I only drank about 3-4 times a year so that I was easily able to give up. But I know a lot of people who've lost weight while drinking. As for the rest...moderation, moderation, moderation.

What do you mean by you "eat well" during the week? Are you counting calories and logging accurately, including weekends?

pdxwine

I did not consume alcohol for the first eight months. Then, I added wine back in, in moderation. I do account for it in my daily logging.

liesbethlong

I miss my red wine on weekends sooooooo much, however the reason to not have it has nothing to do with the Kj's... It's more because it inhibits my willpower to not eat everything in sight. So I'm best off to abstain.

ibamosaserreinas

I average about 6 drinks a week. (Irish Mules with whiskey, lime, and first ginger ale.)

The problem for me is not the amount of calories in the alcohol itself but the snacks I tend to want afterwards... If you budget for it you can still lose.

dave_in_ni

I've lost 60lbs and drink 4-5 Bud light or Coors light every Saturday night, (Drinking now ) Its all about working it into your calorie allowance over the week. You don't have to give up anything, moderation is the key.

fwitsend1277

I've lost 53lbs in 156 days. I eat out regularly with my husband and boys, have an occasional kfc or dominos and drink red wine pretty much every weekend. I just make sure my weekly calories all balance out to give me a deficit.

dave_in_ni

fwitsend1277 wrote: »

I've lost 53lbs in 156 days. I eat out regularly with my husband and boys, have an occasional kfc or dominos and drink red wine pretty much every weekend. I just make sure my weekly calories all balance out to give me a deficit.

This really is the key and its hard to get people to understand this, they seem to think you need to give up everything and live off water and leaves to lose weight, you don't need to give up anything.

paperpudding

Yes I drink alcohol in the time it took me to lose wright and in the 2 years of maitenance since then.

Of course in moderation and of course all logged in.

Spirits with diet sodas are fairly low in calories.

bendyourkneekatie

I run for beer and wine and chocolate and curry calories

Kelbelb75

I gave it up not only for myself physically but also mentally. Doesn't bode well with my Bipolar meds or moods. I do miss it though.

Bonny132

I eat under at weekdays so I have more calories at the weekend to play with. I have take aways, eat out and alcohol, But I track everything that passes my lips. 35lbs down and counting. I track my calories over the week to ensure I do not over or under eat. As long as you can fit it into your calories and macros, enjoy it.

jo_nz

It may be that your "treat at the weekend" is undoing the week's hard work - maybe calculate how many calories you are consuming and work out the whole week deficit to allow for what you are eating/drinking at the weekend.

I definitely do include crisps, takeaways, chocolate...all the things! But not all at once and not all the time.

WinoGelato

You can drink alcohol, eat chocolate, takeaway, as long as it fits in your calorie goals. My approach to this was not to restrict anything, but rather to add things to my diet and routine, not cut anything out (other than calories). More vegetables, more protein, more whole grains, more cooking at home, more exercise and more sleep. By adding, rather than restricting, I focused on the positive things first and then when I was able, I fit in treats in moderation.

I lost the weight I set out to lose and never gave up a nightly glass of wine or a small piece of chocolate daily. I still ate pizza and Mexican food too.

If you aren't losing, check your logging accuracy. Are you logging everything, using a food scale ideally?

MorganMoreaux

I gave up alcohol and the weight came off, but I used to drink to excess and then make really poor food choices to compensate for feeling like death the next day. Though I don't drink now, I do have a slice of chocolate cake on a regular basis and I went from 155 lbs to 110lbs and have been maintaining. You can consume whatever you want to, you just have to stay within your calorie budget, though ideally you do want some nutrient dense food throughout the day so you get your vitamins and minerals and don't get malnourished.

clicketykeys

I don't know about other people, but I've actually increased my alcohol intake since I started losing. Not that there's any kind of correlation (as far as I know!) but this summer my husband got curious about whisky and we moved from that to trying different types of wines. This was really interesting.

AlicePixi

JeromeBarry1 wrote: »

I didn't before and don't now consume alcohol, but crisps, chocolate, and takeaways are allowed within your daily calorie budget. As you gain experience and wisdom with managing your wellness within a budget for calories, carbs, fat, and protein, you will of your own volition re-evaluate the value of calories in alcohol, crisps, chocolates, and takeaways.

This! Over time you just begin deciding for yourself that it may not really be worth it. If you really REALLY fancy a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup or a bag of Walkers, and it either fits within your calories for the day or you're willing to cut back elsewhere/move a little more over the week to compensate, then go for it. Generally speaking, once you're at maintenance there is much more wiggle room to eat more treats like this in moderation, but most likely by then your old favourites will have been replaced by new, healthier favourites and you don't fancy those "treats" like you used to anyway

Clawsal

I still drink wine. I just measure and log it and usually drink 100ml-150ml.

No takeaway because I can't count the calories. As for the rest, I just eat smaller portions (way way smaller... like 20g of crisps instead of 120g)..

Terpnista84

Depends on how much you drink that will determine how challenging it will be. I drink practically every night and with such a low calorie goal it's a lot of stress to eat filling foods and have energy for my workout, and then have the budget for alcohol at the end of the day. I'm cutting it out this week and seeing how it goes. Yes I have lost weight drinking but it requires a lot more effort if you are a daily drinker like myself.