Quit alcohol = losing weight

flippy1234

I have posted that I quit drinking. Today is 10 days to be exact since I have had any kind of alcohol. I have already lost several lbs. I drank a lot. Wine mostly. I tried to count it in my daily calories but gave up because I was always going over even though it did not seem like a ate a lot. Alcohol has lots of empty calories. Now I can barely reach my calorie limit for the day. I am under every day. As a result, I am lighter and have much more energy. My stomach has slimmed down quite a bit. Pants are all loose. So, If anyone says alcohol does not add lbs even if you count it....it does. It's bad, it's poison and it is a drug.

toxikon

Congrats! I've cut out most liquid calories and it definitely does help. Now I just drink water, tea and zero-sugar beverages. I don't miss the other stuff.

dark_sparkles37019

I've quit now for the time being too. I just got tired of it.

cwolfman13

flippy1234 wrote: »

I have posted that I quit drinking. Today is 10 days to be exact since I have had any kind of alcohol. I have already lost several lbs. I drank a lot. Wine mostly. I tried to count it in my daily calories but gave up because I was always going over even though it did not seem like a ate a lot. Alcohol has lots of empty calories. Now I can barely reach my calorie limit for the day. I am under every day. As a result, I am lighter and have much more energy. My stomach has slimmed down quite a bit. Pants are all loose. So, If anyone says alcohol does not add lbs even if you count it....it does. It's bad, it's poison and it is a drug.

It only adds pounds if it's making you exceed maintenance calories.

ETA: when I cut, I usually cut out beer or substantially restrict it...but I still make cocktails with diet mixers and lost 40 Lbs pretty easily.

AnnPT77

OK, I'm truly happy that you've found good results, but: You didn't accurately count the alcohol, but consuming alcohol will prevent people losing weight, even if they count it accurately?

I don't think so. I drank alcohol while losing (not to the exclusion of good nutrition), counted it, and lost just as expected.

I think not counting accurately (alcohol or anything else) is a bigger issue for weight loss than alcohol per se. Clearly, drinking alcohol immoderately is bad for us in other respects, so we should avoid that. And people who can't moderate alcohol would be smart to give it up entirely.

Congratulations on finding a route that's working so well for you: It should be a step forward in many ways. Best wishes!

SomeMorr

quit a month and a half ago, it has made a big difference.

kgirlhart

flippy1234 wrote: »

I have posted that I quit drinking. Today is 10 days to be exact since I have had any kind of alcohol. I have already lost several lbs. I drank a lot. Wine mostly. I tried to count it in my daily calories but gave up because I was always going over even though it did not seem like a ate a lot. Alcohol has lots of empty calories. Now I can barely reach my calorie limit for the day. I am under every day. As a result, I am lighter and have much more energy. My stomach has slimmed down quite a bit. Pants are all loose. So, If anyone says alcohol does not add lbs even if you count it....it does. It's bad, it's poison and it is a drug.

If you don't go over you can have alcohol and still lose weight. If you count it but are always going over then you won't. You said in your post that you were always going over. You are right that alcohol can be a lot of empty calories and you may not get to eat as much if you drink a lot. But it is still possible to drink occasionally and lose weight. If one logs their alcohol consumption and doesn't go over their calorie goal they can still lose weight.

Happygirl95148

The same here no beer for me for 11 days I have drinked like 2 drinks but not too much calories like 130 on each one it satisfied my craving hehe

vingogly

For heavy drinkers trying to quit, a lot of people I've known got a craving for sugary treats when they stopped: for about a year after I quit, I'd eat maybe a pint of ice cream every day. That was 25 years ago, and the cravings do go away after a while. The cravings I suspect are the result of the body's metabolism being screwed up by years of drinking, but it's something to watch out for if you're trying to lose weight and quit drinking at the same time. Probably doesn't apply to the one glass of wine with dinner crowd, however.

katnadreau

Glad you're feeling better, and have found a way to lose weight, but I'm also in the camp that has successfully lost while enjoying a nightly glass of wine. A 4 oz glass of wine is only 100 calories, pretty easy for most of us to fit in our days. A big part of this weight loss journey is making it sustainable for life. So I personally decided to not cut anything from my diet, but focus on smaller portions. It didn't take long to realize I'm 100%satisfied with 4-5 oz glass of wine, or one piece of chocolate. Consuming several portions just isn't part of my daily life anymore. Im 24 lbs down, in maintenance, and also feel great with a lot of energy! Good luck as you continue your journey!!

janejellyroll

Congratulations on your success so far. However, I would encourage you not to project your situation (didn't log accurately when drinking, went over calorie goal) on to everyone who is consuming alcohol. It is possible for some people to accurately log their alcohol, meet their calorie goal, and have success.

For people who have trouble managing their drinking, it's absolutely bad *for them*. This doesn't mean that it's bad for everyone.

rsclause

I never quit drinking but when I was counting I logged every drink. This meant that I need to measure instead of just pouring. This in turn caused me to reduce a bit. I was also running 30 miles a week so I could still drink and be under daily. I lost fifty pounds and all of my beer gut. Fast forward and I am drinking lots of beer on the weekends and have put close to thirty pounds on. I have slacked off on my running too. Ski trip starts tomorrow so not a good time to reduce now but I gotta get back to a better balance.

CharlieBeansmomTracey

no one said it doesnt add weight if you count it. anything can cause you to gain weight if you go over your calories. The thing is with alcohol your body tries to process it first before anything else. as for gaining weight. my mom is an alcoholic and drinks beer. she eats maybe one meal a day and you are lucky if she is 70 lbs soaking wet now.she lost a lot of weight,of course Im sure it has a lot to do with her alcoholism.

orionaimee

I struggle with giving up wine on the weekends. I don't ever drink calories except for my wine and I just enjoy it so much. That is a hard one for sure, good for you for being able to do it.

hesn92

Congrats on your loss however I’d like to point out that anything can make you gain weight if you consume too much of it. You can’t say alcohol still “makes you gain weight even if you log it” when you said yourself you weren’t logging it accurately when you were drinking. You were likely drinking too Much and it was causing you to go over on your calorie goals.

sjgold123

I love an odd glass of wine so weigh up what i want food treat or wine. The trouble is when i drink wine my lips feel the need for a snack so it will be a once a month treat for me as i struggle with the burst of appetite and the more wine i have the less willpower i have!!!!

SilverRose89

flippy1234 wrote: »

I have posted that I quit drinking. Today is 10 days to be exact since I have had any kind of alcohol. I have already lost several lbs. I drank a lot. Wine mostly. I tried to count it in my daily calories but gave up because I was always going over even though it did not seem like a ate a lot. Alcohol has lots of empty calories. Now I can barely reach my calorie limit for the day. I am under every day. As a result, I am lighter and have much more energy. My stomach has slimmed down quite a bit. Pants are all loose. So, If anyone says alcohol does not add lbs even if you count it....it does. It's bad, it's poison and it is a drug.

I don't think anyone says alcohol does not add lbs even if you count it, if it makes you go over your calorie allowance for the day? Of course you will put on weight in that case whether you count it or not.

You will not, however, put on weight from alcohol if you maintain a calorie deficit. Small amounts of alcohol in moderation is possible to fit in.

Well done on the loss though, and also on quitting alcohol. When you drink a lot, that can be tough thing to do.

missanne11

Silverrose89 I too stopped alcohol. Jan 16. I joined the gym that day and feel so motivated. I'm hoping to also lose +++weight. Congrats

dsboohead

I noticed that when I quit alcohol totally....my body changed. I may have counted it to still attain a deficit and lose weight but quitting changed my waistline and that puffy look!
Now I use those calories for healthy stuff!

missanne11

Oops that was meant for flippy1234

Nikki542687

Congrats on being sober for 10 days!! Coming from a family full of alcoholics, you are correct that it does contribute to weight gain. It is nice to hear that you are free from alcohol AND you are losing some weight while you are at it!

nowine4me

I stopped drinking altogether to lose and its really amazing how much better I felt. Especially the mental clarity.

In maintenance, I treat a glass of wine like I would a dessert of creme brûlée. A rare treat with with a meal on an occasion.

For me it wasn’t so much the calories of the wine itself. ( I could have worked that in) but more the poor food choices that came along with it.

WilmaValley

so many extra calories in alcohol!

Need2Exerc1se

I don't doubt that I would have lost weight more quickly without alcohol. But quick wasn't really my goal. I drink wine nearly every day and did so while losing about 36 lbs and keeping it off for 2 years. And for over 20 years while being thin before gaining weight.

Wine is not empty calories.

callsitlikeiseeit

i plan for my booze. lost 100 pounds spending 2 nights a week drunk on my neighbors deck a few years back lololol

lili200

AnnPT77 wrote: »

OK, I'm truly happy that you've found good results, but: You didn't accurately count the alcohol, but consuming alcohol will prevent people losing weight, even if they count it accurately?

I don't think so. I drank alcohol while losing (not to the exclusion of good nutrition), counted it, and lost just as expected.

I think not counting accurately (alcohol or anything else) is a bigger issue for weight loss than alcohol per se. Clearly, drinking alcohol immoderately is bad for us in other respects, so we should avoid that. And people who can't moderate alcohol would be smart to give it up entirely.

Congratulations on finding a route that's working so well for you: It should be a step forward in many ways. Best wishes!

When I drink I have less control over stuff I eat.

OldHobo

I think alcohol is a little like shellfish. Some love it, some hate it, some abstain for religious reasons, and some die from anaphylactic shock. For some reason, folks aren't as compelled to proselytize their shellfish position though.

netitheyeti

I like a nice glass of wine with my dinner (if it fits into my daily calories), I definitely *feel* better without any extra weekend drinks though - I'm not into going out, but I AM into videogames... fridays would often end with long skype calls and "let's grab a few ciders and play Overwatch/insert other multiplayer game"

I can see how it would be a real issue in excess, depending on what you drink it can really add up... I LOVE a strong rum and (diet) coke... but after looking into how many calories 100ml of rum was I now stick to a small 100ml glass of red wine

janejellyroll

lili200 wrote: »

AnnPT77 wrote: »

OK, I'm truly happy that you've found good results, but: You didn't accurately count the alcohol, but consuming alcohol will prevent people losing weight, even if they count it accurately?

I don't think so. I drank alcohol while losing (not to the exclusion of good nutrition), counted it, and lost just as expected.

I think not counting accurately (alcohol or anything else) is a bigger issue for weight loss than alcohol per se. Clearly, drinking alcohol immoderately is bad for us in other respects, so we should avoid that. And people who can't moderate alcohol would be smart to give it up entirely.

Congratulations on finding a route that's working so well for you: It should be a step forward in many ways. Best wishes!

When I drink I have less control over stuff I eat.

People who find this to be true have good reason to keep it in mind (and limit their drinking if they can't find a way to address it). But this doesn't mean that alcohol will prevent *everyone* from losing weight. It's a particular issue for people who can't control what they eat when they drink. It's a particular type of over-eating.

Some people find it harder to control what they eat when they're in a social situation like a party. Does this mean that nobody can socialize while they're losing weight? Absolutely not. It means it's a particular issue for this group of people to address. Nobody else has to curb their socializing because it's an issue for others.

cshern

way to go. I fall on and off the wagon myself. haven't had it stall my weight loss, as long as I stay under the calories everyday, although I know on those days I don't get all the nutrients I'd be getting if I equaled the calories in food.

But, I really like to drink. I like the way it makes me feel. :-)

I notice that if I drink too much or too late, it makes me want to start eating all over again for the day. But that's a story for another day.

lightenup2016

I often have a drink or two (wine or beer) after dinner with hubby when the kids are in bed. I fell into the bad habit of eating more with those drinks, too, adding to the calorie load and resulting weight gain. I just began (again!) logging and losing weight about two weeks ago. I've found that I can pre-log and plan for two drinks (light beers or small glasses of wine), plus a slice of cheese and a few crackers, and be fine. I'm no longer mindlessly succumbing to the munchies induced by drinking, and I'm losing weight, probably mostly due to cutting back in this way. Sometimes I only wind up having one drink and could pass on the small snack. I'm working on occasionally skipping the drink altogether, lol!