Say it ain't so

SweetAsPie872

I know I can't be the only social drinker here. Is Michelob ultra light honestly the lowest calorie beer? I see alcoholics that are skinny. Wtf am I doing wrong here? Should I switch the liquor? Maybe vodka? I need some advice to still be able to enjoy drinking conservatively but without all the empty calories. Anyone have suggestions or secrets?

TavistockToad

:huh: skinny, and so healthy...

RAinWA

I had a close relative who was an alcoholic and skinny because he didn't eat, just drank. Oh, and then all his organs failed and he died. At 50. So that's not really a good measuring stick there.

If you want to drink, work it into your calories but not at the expense of getting enough nutrition.

cmriverside

Well, conservative drinking (AKA safe level for a woman) would be one unit per day - not to exceed seven units in a week. So you should be able to fit that amount into your calories. It's a hundred, calories for a Mick Lite, right?

SweetAsPie872

I thought it was less than that. Miller has 95 calories. Tears my stomach up. Vodka isn't calorie free. Headed to a catfish festival so I'm trying to behave. Ugh! The struggle is real. I know I'll have more than 1. How do people do it? Diet and go out?

nowine4me

I used to be a heavy drinker. I used to weigh 220. I now limit myself to 2 drinks per week and am closer to 140.

Honestly, People don't give a crap if you drink or not, they just want to enjoy your company. Do what's best for you. Club soda with lime is my party trick.

megpie41

SweetAsPie872 wrote: »

How do people do it? Diet and go out?

It's pretty simple really. You go out with friends and either limit yourself to 1 drink, or don't drink at all. It's not that difficult. I never truly understood why people "have" to drink to have fun.

Don't get me wrong, I've gone out with friends and had drinks...but if I'm trying to better myself and lose weight etc, it really isn't a problem not drinking (or having just one) and still socializing.

azironasun

SweetAsPie872 wrote: »

Is Michelob ultra light honestly the lowest calorie beer? I see alcoholics that are skinny. Wtf am I doing wrong here? Should I switch the liquor? Maybe vodka?

Former bar manager here. The skinny heavy drinkers we encountered drank hard liquor: vodka, gin, whiskey, etc, and never ordered food. The fat ones drank beer, or beer with shots of hard liquor, and also kept our kitchen in business. Wine drinkers were mostly women, both skinny and fat.

sofchak

I was listening to a podcast today that was in part about diametrically opposed goals and prioritizing accordingly. We encounter these situations all the time - I personally want to strength train AND want to be an endurance athlete. They are opposing goals so I have to choose which is my priority.

You have a similar situation - drink to have fun or lose weight/live healthier. They don’t exist very well together as goals. Those who are successful at becoming healthier and losing weight prioritize those lifestyle choices over drinking - maybe that means working out harder and eating a little less on the weekdays to have the extra calories on the weekends; maybe that means limiting alcohol to one drink then switching to water; maybe it means eating at maintenance calories on the weekends.... whatever works for your lifestyle and goals.

The suggestion/secret I say is to plan how you intend to tackle these social events and stick to it because the habits you create now should be habits you want to sustain forever on your journey to a healthier you.

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Anon2018

SweetAsPie872 wrote: »

I know I can't be the only social drinker here. Is Michelob ultra light honestly the lowest calorie beer? I see alcoholics that are skinny. Wtf am I doing wrong here? Should I switch the liquor? Maybe vodka? I need some advice to still be able to enjoy drinking conservatively but without all the empty calories. Anyone have suggestions or secrets?

OP I totally know what you mean. There are some girls who seem to constantly be going out and stay super thin. Besides the comments on drinking vodka and no-calorie mixers (which is what I do), I've found that there are two strategies that work for me:

- Limiting the frequency of going out, and enjoying myself. I'll skip random friday night "let's grab a few drinks" outtings and keep my nights out to birthdays, big sporting events, weddings, festivals, etc. I plan to eat "maintenace" cals those days and workout. Saving calories for 400 calories of booze while in a defecit = guarenteed sick.
- Go out frequently and stick to 1-2 drinks and then switch to club soda and tell everyone i'm drinking vodka sodas.

I actually prefer strategy 1, strategy #2 is just not enjoyable for me. The bonus is, less frequent drinking plus reduced calories over time make it easier to get drunker or 2-3 drinks instead of 5-6 over the course of a night