Alcohol

JustDoIt987

Do you guys manage to drink alcohol and still maintain your weight? How often do you drink and what do you usually drink? Yesterday I drank 5 glasses diet coke with vodka and 2 shots of whiskey , but then I got really hungry and ended up eating A LOT ! Hopefully it wont show that much on the scale !

Tim_Redfearn

Try eating smaller meals if you know you are going to be drinking and doing an extra bit of cardio to help balance it out. That's what I try to do

Hypsibius

JustDoIt987 wrote: »

Do you guys manage to drink alcohol and still maintain your weight? How often do you drink and what do you usually drink? Yesterday I drank 5 glasses diet coke with vodka and 2 shots of whiskey , but then I got really hungry and ended up eating A LOT ! Hopefully it wont show that much on the scale !

I know people who drink a bunch and maintain or cut weight.

I am NOT one of those people. Too much alcohol makes me feel starving -- I crave lots of greasy food, and it obliterates my willpower for the next 48 hours as I try to feel better. On top of that, I'm unlikely to work out in any serious way.

A glass or two of wine or a beer on weekend doesn't affect me much though, so I keep it to that.

7 drinks and I'd be a bit of a mess. It was a lot easier in my 20s because I'd bounce back faster, but 30s? Hell no.

Ironandwine69

I have a couple of drinks on the weekend no matter what my fitness goals are.
The biggest problem with drinking is when you get a little tipsy you make irresponsible desicions, like loaded fries, lava cake etc.

rsclause

No food problems related to alcohol but if I run 25+ miles a week I can fit my booze in and maintain or even lose if I don't drink beer all day during the weekend. I have 4 oz. scotch, 1/2 bottle wine and a beer daily.

dieselbyte

Tim_Redfearn wrote: »

Try eating smaller meals if you know you are going to be drinking and doing an extra bit of cardio to help balance it out. That's what I try to do

Agree to work it into your day, but doing extra cardio to balance out can be unhealthy mentally - no need to punish yourself for making a choice. All foods, and drinks, can be enjoyed in moderation, without feeling guilty.

The issue with alcohol is two-fold. While technically its 7kcals/gram, our bodies view it as a toxin, and works actively to metabolize or excrete it, stalling the metabolism of other foods. Couple this with the food decisions one makes when drunk, and you can see where that leads lol. The other issue is the impact the next day. Does it derail training because you are hungover or not feeling up to it? Do you spend most of the day sedentary?

Again, everything and anything can be enjoyed in moderation. Work it into your goals if you can.

jenifer7teen

I drink multiple glasses of wine probably 5 days a week. If I drink early on the weekend I could easily drink more than a bottle. I mostly feel guilty because of the calories, but I honestly rarely have any other side effects (like binge eating, hangovers, etc). I guess that's the advantage of being sort of an alcoholic with a tolerance. I truly feel I am just always going to be a drinker so I've accepted it. I quit while I was pregnant obviously but basically had a "bottle of wine" tolerance level in no time...so....maybe I am just really efficient at processing it? I love booze in general but I do try to stick with wine now since it's easier for me to track how much I've had. Would I lose weight faster if I quit drinking, no doubt, but is it worth it to me? No. I find it relaxing as I am usually active non-stop with a crazy 1 year old and busy social life. So for me it's part of my mental health and happiness! I work hard at the gym and on my bike and am active everyday so I feel that I earn it as my indulgence. Some people eat dessert everyday....mine just happens to be wine!

cwolfman13

I drink most days and have no problem cutting weight or maintaining so long as my exercise stays consistent. I'm active pretty much 6-7 days per week.

In the winter my activity typically drops and I usually put on about 10 lbs but it comes right off when it starts getting nice again and I resume my normal schedule.

This year ill have my indoor trainer and I also belong to a climbing gym so things should go better this winter

Tweaking_Time

I lost 75 pounds in 18 months while drinking beer or bourbon. Just count the calories.

kdiamond

I only drink once a week when working on a specific goal - for me I sometimes lose willpower when I drink.

I do try to drink Tito's and soda (or Le Croix) which doesn't typically hinder any progress. Only certified gluten free vodka out there.

nowine4me

I still drink once in a while (like right now) but I keep it to one, maybe 2 Titos or red wine. I had to give up Chardonnay altogether because I guzzle it like water. Literally.

jenifer7teen

Yeah chardonnay is so drinkable on hot summer days. I've thrown in more red wine because it's less refreshing and slows my consumption down.....a bit...

Need2Exerc1se

I drink every day. During the week, a glass or two of wine with dinner. One the weekends, usually a bottle a day. Often when it's hot I make sangria but use stevia instead of sugar with the fruit.

I don't eat a lot of junk when/after drinking though. One of the good things about wine is that it pairs better with healthy foods than with junk food. And a piece or two of good quality chocolate with red wine makes the perfect dessert.

clayelliott847

Just be careful with meds. Like Metformin for Diabetes can lead to Lactic acidosis. Obviously, a regular drinker or a binge drinker.

J72FIT

dieselbyte wrote: »

Tim_Redfearn wrote: »

Try eating smaller meals if you know you are going to be drinking and doing an extra bit of cardio to help balance it out. That's what I try to do

Agree to work it into your day, but doing extra cardio to balance out can be unhealthy mentally - no need to punish yourself for making a choice. All foods, and drinks, can be enjoyed in moderation, without feeling guilty.

The issue with alcohol is two-fold. While technically its 7kcals/gram, our bodies view it as a toxin, and works actively to metabolize or excrete it, stalling the metabolism of other foods. Couple this with the food decisions one makes when drunk, and you can see where that leads lol. The other issue is the impact the next day. Does it derail training because you are hungover or not feeling up to it? Do you spend most of the day sedentary?

Again, everything and anything can be enjoyed in moderation. Work it into your goals if you can.

^^^All of this...

AnnPT77

Now well into my 2nd year of maintenance, I eat slightly below maintenance most days to allow for a very indulgent day once a week or so.

The indulgent days pretty much always include alcohol, but maybe 2-4 drinks typically (not 7). There's only so much a l'il ol' lady (61, 5'5", weight in 120s) oughta be drinking, y'know, especially if she has to drive (in which case fewer, and with food!).

Other days - the lower cal ones - I might have a drink, possibly 2, if I've already hit protein, fat, and veggie/fruit goal minimums and still have the calories left. It trades off against other calorie -dense treat foods. Frequency varies, but maybe 3x a week on average in summer, less in winter (fewer activity calories)?

Drinking does sometimes lead to over-eating for me, though, especially if sleep was also sub-par, or there are social triggers. It's something I'm still working on.

IME, the body almost seems to shrug off a way-over-goal day if it's exceedingly rare, but mine doesn't shrug off the once-a-week-ish ones: I have to account for those.

hrush1889

I think its perfectly normal to want to drink sometimes, an evening drink or so doesn't matter too much. But if I am drinking at a social event or something on the weekend I try to hit the gym or do a long morning run before hand so that I have some extra calories to work with and that way you can enjoy yourself and relax about it. Also another suggestion is mixing your liquor with low cal seltzer, flavored waters, or low cal juices.

krael65

Yep. I usually drink three days a week, a couple glasses of red wine. (OK, they may be "large pours"). I pre-log the wine calories at the start of my day and I just fit them in. I don't tend to eat while I'm drinking, so that's not a problem for me. I did this all through losing and while maintaining. There are days when I have more than my 2 glasses .... the occasional party and whatnot. But it all evens out.

Jthanmyfitnesspal

I'm no saint, and I hate to be a constant buzz-kill to everyone just trying to have a good time, but alcohol is a diet challenge, very similar to sugar, but worse.

First, in large quantities (yes,@JustDoIt987, you are describing a large quantity) has many well-known negative effects to your health. Second, in terms of nutrition, it has none, but it does have calories (7kcal/gram, second only to fat). Third, it lowers inhibition to overeating and drinking. Fourth, it is highly habit forming. Just have a drink for several days in a row and then decide not to, you'll be thinking about that drink all night long. It's creepy! Fifth, when you have alcohol in your system, it is metabolized first, meaning that other nutrients are more likely converted to fat.

You know what good well with a beer? Another beer and a bag of chips!

Need2Exerc1se

Jthanmyfitnesspal wrote: »

I'm no saint, and I hate to be a constant buzz-kill to everyone just trying to have a good time, but alcohol is a diet challenge, very similar to sugar, but worse.

First, in large quantities (yes,@JustDoIt987, you are describing a large quantity) has many well-known negative effects to your health. Second, in terms of nutrition, it has none, but it does have calories (7kcal/gram, second only to fat). Third, it lowers inhibition to overeating and drinking. Fourth, it is highly habit forming. Just have a drink for several days in a row and then decide not to, you'll be thinking about that drink all night long. It's creepy! Fifth, when you have alcohol in your system, it is metabolized first, meaning that other nutrients are more likely converted to fat.

You know what good well with a beer? Another beer and a bag of chips!

Whoa, so much wrong here.

Nutrition, alcohol may not provide nutrients but alcoholic drinks may. Wine contains several valuable nutrients as well as probiotics.

People have varying levels of addictive behavior. I drink over the medical recommendations and have for decades without becoming addicted or experiencing any negative health effects). Yet when I was pregnant, I stopped drinking for a year without any problem. When I had surgery I quit drinking during recovery with no problem.

What difference does it make which is metabolized first or second or last? Too many calories will converted to fat. Period. Don't eat too many calories and you won't gain fat. Period.

ritzvin

JustDoIt987 wrote: »

Do you guys manage to drink alcohol and still maintain your weight? How often do you drink and what do you usually drink? Yesterday I drank 5 glasses diet coke with vodka and 2 shots of whiskey , but then I got really hungry and ended up eating A LOT ! Hopefully it wont show that much on the scale !

If I feel like spurging a bit, then some wine. Usually, liquor + calorie-free diluent (as in rum + diet soda, or cherry vodka + club soda,...) = calories for the 1.5 oz of liquor only (slightly less than 100 calories). I have in the past occasionally asked for only 1 oz or half a shot rather than the standard pour if I'm watching calories.

I usually only drink when I'm out dancing, and unless it is a follow-heavy venue, I can typically burn off at least 1-2 of them.

I'm a very short female, so the calories in bar food (pretty much ANY bar food) are ridiculously higher than what I can fit into a meal and so not worth it - I don't think I'd eat it even if I was drunk at this point. (If I cycle hills as fast as I can for 2 hours, then I can pretty much make room for half a burger & fries..otherwise, um no.).