Alcohol Tips?
jadorade91
Posts: 119 Member
Good morning everyone!
So I have a habit of drinking an excessive amount once a week or once every other week. Usually around 1000 calories worth but sometimes more. I'm wanting to make this a much less frequent occurrence in my life. Have any of you had this habit or still do? If so, could you give me some tips on how to improve upon this? I've definitely gotten better about the frequency but I'd like to get even better.
So I have a habit of drinking an excessive amount once a week or once every other week. Usually around 1000 calories worth but sometimes more. I'm wanting to make this a much less frequent occurrence in my life. Have any of you had this habit or still do? If so, could you give me some tips on how to improve upon this? I've definitely gotten better about the frequency but I'd like to get even better.
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Replies
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Just work it within your daily calories. Or if you save up calories use drinks to fill those calories.
I am a binge drinker (usually takes close to 15-20 shots to get me drunk). I also have the ability to not drink for months on end. I don't crave it enough on a daily basis to work it within my calories but if I did I would.0 -
I used to drink a lot and it did concern me how it may effect my health. I had a scan about a year ago now (for nothing serious) and they checked my liver and kidneys, which were fine. For me right then I decided to cut down on alcohol to make sure I could stay healthy, which I cut down to just once a fortnight and now I haven't had any since February. I don't go out drinking on a night out though so that helps a lot and with meals out I just opt for non alcoholic drinks. It can be hard with other people drinking around me, but then I remind myself one drink will turn into many for me and I'll lose control of what I'm eating and totally regret it and it won't be worth it for a few hours of being drunk/tipsy.2
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I've been told by a few people that it is "basically impossible" to lose weight if you drink alcohol, because it slows down your metabolism so drastically. Do you guys agree with that?0
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I drink about 6 (25ml)wisky with diet coke every Saturday. I try to fit my drinks within my weekly calories goal and so far I lose as I should according to mfp.1
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No, you just need to work it into your day. I frequently(2-3 times a week ) finish off my day with a Capt. Morgan and diet coke. I'm still losing just fine and only about 10 pounds from goal.3
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There are lots of successful people here who drink moderately.
However, there are plenty of non-weight-related reasons to stop drinking excessively. When I was a heavy drinker I experienced the majority of the negative consequences listed here: https://www.ncadd.org/get-help/take-the-test/am-i-alcoholic-self-test
As far as losing weight goes:
- Having more than a drink or two makes me want to eat more and lowers my ability to stick to my plan
- I don't sleep well so am not up for exercise the next day
- Not sleeping well also makes me crave carbs and want to overeat in general3 -
I made up my mind a long time ago that my calories are so few and precious that I wasn't going to drink away my calories anymore. When I changed my mind set, it made it hard for me to want to drink too much cause I am adding numbers in my head. It also affects me differently now when I drink, so I tend not to drink as much.. It comes with time, but once you start seeing results, it makes it easier to not want to sabitoge yourself.5
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jadorade91 wrote: »I've been told by a few people that it is "basically impossible" to lose weight if you drink alcohol, because it slows down your metabolism so drastically. Do you guys agree with that?
What I have heard, which could be wrong, is that the body metabolizes the alcohol first and food calories get stored. I would like to know if this is true.0 -
I don't think alcohol slows your metabolism down, unless maybe you're talking about someone who drinks so excessively that they don't eat. I think the actual problem is the empty calories that are being consumed. I drink 1-2 glasses of wine occasionally and it hasn't affected my weight loss. (My lack of willpower with crap food is affecting my weight loss, lol). As other people have said, there are many reasons that have nothing to do with weight that are good reasons to cut down on drinking. Good luck!0
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Alcohol is exceptionally calorie dense. It's harder to lose weight because it takes up all your calories. But I would rather lose .5 pounds a week and be drink and happy than to lose 1 or more pounds a week and end up murdering someone.2
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jadorade91 wrote: »I've been told by a few people that it is "basically impossible" to lose weight if you drink alcohol, because it slows down your metabolism so drastically. Do you guys agree with that?
No, don't agree with that at all.3 -
jadorade91 wrote: »I've been told by a few people that it is "basically impossible" to lose weight if you drink alcohol, because it slows down your metabolism so drastically. Do you guys agree with that?
What I have heard, which could be wrong, is that the body metabolizes the alcohol first and food calories get stored. I would like to know if this is true.
Doesn't matter even if it were true. What "order" you digest your calories in would have no affect whatsoever on whether or not you are in a caloric deficit.
If I am 500 calories below my TDEE after having consumed 2000 calories and those calories were a mix of protein, fat, carbs and alcohol does it really matter if my body metabolized the alcohol before everything else? For anyone who believes the order matters could you explain why?
I burn 2500 calories, I injested 2000 of them 500 alcohol, 500 fat, 500 protein and 500 carbs. I digest the alcohol first then the protein then the carbs then the fat or maybe the protein then the carbs then the fat then the alcohol. The end result is the same so it doesn't matter. I'm burning more than I am taking in so what order I burn them in doesn't matter because they all get burned anyways.
The statement "your body prioritizes metabolizing alcohol first so if you drink alcohol it will prevent your weight loss" doesn't actually make any sense if you think about it. If you drink so much alcohol that you are no longer in caloric deficit sure, but that could be said about any of the macros.
The only thing special about alcohol as a macro is that it is the one macro your body doesn't require. You need some carbs, you need some fats, you need some protein...you don't need alcohol.3 -
Aaron_K123 wrote: »jadorade91 wrote: »I've been told by a few people that it is "basically impossible" to lose weight if you drink alcohol, because it slows down your metabolism so drastically. Do you guys agree with that?
No, don't agree with that at all.
@Aaron_K123 beat me to it again.
Calories are calories, consumed and burnt. If you eat nothing but whey protein to the point of a caloric surplus, your body will store fat.
One thing alcohol can do is irritate the GI tract, which in turn can inhibit the adequate absorption of micronutrients, minerals, etc.0 -
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One thing alcohol can do is irritate the GI tract, which in turn can inhibit the adequate absorption of micronutrients, minerals, etc.
Assuming that is the true that would have the opposite effect, that would mean all other things being equal if you consumed a certain number of calories and that included alcohol you would lose weight faster than if it had not included alcohol because the alcohol would have interefered with your ability to absorb calories and therefore you would have recieved fewer effective calories as a result.
Practically speaking though drinking a lot is a pretty good way to sabatoge trying to lose weight due to both lowered inhibitions and the fact that if there is such a thing as an "empty calorie" then alcohol is definately it.2 -
jadorade91 wrote: »Good morning everyone!
So I have a habit of drinking an excessive amount once a week or once every other week. Usually around 1000 calories worth but sometimes more. I'm wanting to make this a much less frequent occurrence in my life. Have any of you had this habit or still do? If so, could you give me some tips on how to improve upon this? I've definitely gotten better about the frequency but I'd like to get even better.
You say you have "gotten better about the frequency." What did you do different from your previous behavior in order to have less frequent binges? What have you noticed about how you feel? Those times where you have drunk to excess on fewer occasions, what were you doing instead? Getting curious about these things can lead you to some strategies that may work for you!1 -
Aaron_K123 wrote: »
One thing alcohol can do is irritate the GI tract, which in turn can inhibit the adequate absorption of micronutrients, minerals, etc.
Assuming that is the true that would have the opposite effect, that would mean all other things being equal if you consumed a certain number of calories and that included alcohol...
Note that I wrote "micronutrients." For example, there is evidence that heavy drinking is linked to low uptake of vitamin B and D (though D could be also because of the more nocturnal habits). I'm not sure it has any impact on macronutrient metabolization.1 -
jadorade91 wrote: »I've been told by a few people that it is "basically impossible" to lose weight if you drink alcohol, because it slows down your metabolism so drastically. Do you guys agree with that?
No but also don't take diet tips from me0 -
You might find this useful - http://getdrunknotfat.com/
If I drank on a regular basis, I would work the calories into my goal.1 -
5 ways alcohol hinders fat loss:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/content/5-ways-alcohol-hinders-fat-loss.html0 -
jadorade91 wrote: »I've been told by a few people that it is "basically impossible" to lose weight if you drink alcohol, because it slows down your metabolism so drastically. Do you guys agree with that?
No. I have a mixed drink every night (4z vodka + soda) every night, and have lost 40 pounds this year. I simply make sure it fits into my calorie goals.2 -
Switching to vodka soda and two limes has drastically changed my hangover and my calorie intake!3
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allyssabebe wrote: »Switching to vodka soda and two limes has drastically changed my hangover and my calorie intake!
Mine too! I used to mostly drink cider, put on a lot of weight and had awful hangovers. I've switched to vodka now and the hangovers are much, much better.
OP, I regularly drink 1,000 calories of alcohol on a night out (regularly = one a week-ish) and it hasn't stopped my weight loss. It might have slowed it but I've still been happy with it. I try to store up a few calories during the week so I have a bit more to work with at weekends, and I also try and do a bit more exercise as well.
The only problem is if it makes you want to eat more while you're drunk or eat loads the next day. But as long as it's within your calorie goals it shouldn't be a problem.0 -
1 to 2 drinks every other night, substituting those calories for your snack calories is fine. That's about 3 to 6 drinks a week. Doing it this way, you won't need many snacks, and it might actually help you go to sleep at night without a late night binge...
However, drinking that all on ONE day a week is much harder to do. Snacking is an issue, make sure you don't eat a bag of chips or half a pizza on a binge night. That is what will derail your diet - not the drinking.
And drinking a lot ONE day a week is much tougher the entire next day. You'll crave food so much more, and you won't want to - or be able to work out as well.
I do a binge night every few weeks, where I have like 6 whiskey and cokes over a period of a few hours. But I plan my snacks with things like large cocktail shrimp, baked mushrooms with lobster/crab, raw carrots, baked string beans, anything that is low calorie. The next day is very tough. I drink plenty of water, my food cravings are off the charts, but I try to stay on my diet. It's extremely tough. It's hard not to grab an extra 500 calorie hamburger because you're not feeling so well. But it can be done with enough will power.
Six drinks (as long as they're not beer or mixed drinks with high calories) is only an extra 750-1000 calories. In an entire week, you can eat 150 calories less per day to plan, and you're fine. But most people can't be this strict. They snack an additional 1000-2000 calories with drinking, or go overboard and drink an extra 1000 calories. For those people, drinking derails them.
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If you are worried about just the weight part of it.. just exercising an hour extra would most likely negate the calories of drinking once every other week. It is constant drinking every day that would be more difficult to offset.0
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No, you just need to work it into your day. I frequently(2-3 times a week ) finish off my day with a Capt. Morgan and diet coke. I'm still losing just fine and only about 10 pounds from goal.
That is because what you drink still allows you a weekly deficit. Not everybody has those extra calories to play with.0 -
It's hard to not drink when all your friends are drinking. It is a social habit. But you can set limits if you are serious about wanting to cut down. Try alternating between an alcoholic drink and a glass of ice water.
I stopped drinking completely. The hardest part was being with other people who are drinking. It took a long time to learn how to be social without having that crutch. Good luck
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I used to drink wine every night - close to a bottle. I added it into my calorie intake and stayed under; but what i found is it causes my body to retain a lot water. I would feel bloated and it would discourage me by not seeing adequate results on the scale or in the mirror. It wasn't permanent weight obviously since I stayed within my calories and continued with exercise, and after a day of drinking a lot of water and no alcohol I would feel better. But for me, not seeing results after working so hard can really be dangerous. I am capable of saying to myself "why am I working so hard with no results, this is a waste of my time," etc. So I choose not to drink at all during the week and limit it on the weekend. I was drinking too much anyway. Not a bad thing to cut down. I agree with all the responses and theres the old cliche; moderation - that's what it's about. Cheers
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I'm glad I posted this--for some reason I felt like I was the only one who wanted to be able to drink as I'm losing weight lol. It makes me feel better to realize that yes, as long as I fit it into my calories and continue to work out, I'm okay. Woohoo!0
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I've been struggling with a few drinks every night..... working on trying to quit for a month to see what a difference I can make.0
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