Switching beer for club soda or seltzer

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Polo265
Polo265 Posts: 287 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all - I am losing a few inches, but still retain the belly bloat, some of which is fat. I drink 4-5 light beers (95 calories) per night, which I count in my daily calorie intake. If I switch out the beer for club sodas or seltzers, would it be expected that my belly bloat would decrease, or am I just switching the sources of carbonation? Opinions?
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  • Old_Cat_Lady
    Old_Cat_Lady Posts: 1,193 Member
    edited September 2017
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    You might be craving the alcohol, not the carbonation. Seltzer may have just as high calories. Google: beer belly. It's the calories that you need to worry about. Do you log your food?
    http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/the-truth-about-beer-and-your-belly
    It's not necessarily beer but too many calories that can turn your trim waistline into a belly that protrudes over your pants. Any kind of calories -- whether from alcohol, sugary beverages, or oversized portions of food -- can increase belly fat.
  • Old_Cat_Lady
    Old_Cat_Lady Posts: 1,193 Member
    edited September 2017
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    Also, are you eating anything with the 4-5 beers a night? To lose weight, you need to log everything. Carbonation never made a difference in my belly (personally).
  • jame0529
    jame0529 Posts: 30 Member
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    I would definitely try to at least cut back. Even though you're counting the calories, your body processes alcohol much differently than it would club soda, so you will definitely benefit. Drinking it every day isn't great for you anyways!
  • Polo265
    Polo265 Posts: 287 Member
    edited September 2017
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    I know that the drinking isn't good for me and I do want to cut back or eliminate. I do count the calories and every morsel that I eat. I don't snack with it, but I do eat regularly nutritious meals. I do like the fizz in the 0 calorie seltzers or club soda, and I was thinking it would help me to make the transition. Am curious as to replacing one carbonated drink for another.
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
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    I've got a sodastream and love it. I don't pay store prices for water. Just filter, stick it in the fridge and fiz it when I want it. It doesn't replace beer, but maybe you don't need to go cold turkey on the beer. Have one then switch to fizzy water.

    Carbonation has nothing to do with a beer belly. What do you mean by belly bloat?
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
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    Polo265 wrote: »
    I know that the drinking isn't good for me and I do want to cut back or eliminate. I do count the calories and every morsel that I eat. I don't snack with it, but I do eat regularly nutritious meals. I do like the fizz in the 0 calorie seltzers or club soda, and I was thinking it would help me to make the transition. Am curious as to replacing one carbonated drink for another.

    You'll probably just need to give it a try and see. It's going to depend on what is causing the bloat. If it's carbonation then switching won't help with that, but it's definitely going to be less calories. But it could be something the beer causing you to bloat - hops, barley, wheat, even the alcohol itself. In that case switching could not only lower calories but also eliminate the bloat.
  • eep223
    eep223 Posts: 624 Member
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    I definitely lost the bloat when I cut the beers/wine and switched to sparkling water. I also found it way easier to stay in my calorie goals. I have a Purefizz and I love it, but there are also so many fun flavors available in 12 packs these days, you'll never get bored. Tea has become my other evening beverage. It's a nice wind down.
  • DX2JX2
    DX2JX2 Posts: 1,921 Member
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    Polo265 wrote: »
    Hi all - I am losing a few inches, but still retain the belly bloat, some of which is fat. I drink 4-5 light beers (95 calories) per night, which I count in my daily calorie intake. If I switch out the beer for club sodas or seltzers, would it be expected that my belly bloat would decrease, or am I just switching the sources of carbonation? Opinions?

    It's not the beer alone that's doing it. It's the volume of everything together (food and liquid). Eating/drinking less in general will shrink the belly as you lose weight (and I assume that you're already doing this via logging calories). Switching from one liquid to another won't make a difference but consuming fewer calories overall will.
  • ritzvin
    ritzvin Posts: 2,860 Member
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    Tacklewasher wrote: »

    Carbonation has nothing to do with a beer belly. What do you mean by belly bloat?

    ditto. If you are referring to an uncomfortable very bloated feeling from just the beer - then could be an issue with the wheat/barley or some other beer ingredient. If a permanent 'beer belly'/'beer gut' (ie you are just fat), then yes (duh), ditching the 400ish+ beer calories nightly will help.
  • rmgnow
    rmgnow Posts: 375 Member
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    It may not be the beer, belly fat is notoriously the last thing to go for many guys.

    Try some core strengthening workouts. Cardio or otherwise
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,677 Member
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    Maybe instead of 4 light beers have one good beer and then drink water.
  • Famof72015
    Famof72015 Posts: 393 Member
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    Who can have just ☝️
  • Polo265
    Polo265 Posts: 287 Member
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    spiriteagle99 wrote: »
    Maybe instead of 4 light beers have one good beer and then drink water.

    I like the taste of the beer I drink. I know some say it's nasty, but I like it. LOL
  • JustinAnimal
    JustinAnimal Posts: 1,335 Member
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    I'm fine with craft beer and domestic swill. Alcohol is my big problem. Personally, I experience less bloat (not necessarily in the belly) when I don't drink and when I don't eat salt-heavy foods or processed foods or take-out or whatever. I'm sure it's different for every person.

    I will say that I definitely make the most progress toward fitness and fat loss when I don't drink at all. Again, different for everyone. I just have no will power, realize this about myself, and sometimes do the right thing by not introducing temptation.
  • JustinAnimal
    JustinAnimal Posts: 1,335 Member
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    Famof72015 wrote: »
    Who can have just ☝️

    Like this. There is no one good beer. There are fourteen, and they like the company of pizza and tacos after 2 a.m.
  • DX2JX2
    DX2JX2 Posts: 1,921 Member
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    JustinAnimal wrote: »
    Famof72015 wrote: »
    Who can have just ☝️

    Like this. There is no one good beer. There are fourteen, and they like the company of pizza and tacos after 2 a.m.

    Heck, they like that company at 2PM as well.
  • melissaulmen
    melissaulmen Posts: 123 Member
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    I recently decided to stop drinking during the week. I feel a lot better through the week, and the beer is better on the weekend because I REALLY enjoy it!
    I was drinking coors light and I noticed bloating from it. I switched to Michelob Ultra Amber on the weekends, and do not notice the belly bloat the next day.
  • timtam163
    timtam163 Posts: 500 Member
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    http://www.livestrong.com/article/192754-problems-with-water-retention-and-drinking-alcohol/

    Alcohol can cause a lot of water retention; if you're stuck in a plateau, try cutting back/way down on alcohol and see what it does for you. I was having 1-3 drinks a night for a while, and lost like 7 pounds right away after quitting (more than 5% of my body weight!) and also suddenly had energy to wake up early and exercise. I don't know if it will be the silver bullet for you but if it causes a drop in water weight for you it could help motivate you to keep going.

    I'm pretty sure selzer water will not contribute to bloating in the same way.

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