Can’t lose weight if I drink alcohol

jmgj27

Hi guys

I had been losing slowly but steadily since the New Year. Now down just shy of 2 stone with a long way still to go. About 4 weeks ago I started to allow myself to have 2 slimline gin and tonics on a Friday night. Nothing else about my diet changed except that I ensured the 150 odd calories were deducted elsewhere in my diet so I could indulge. Since then I haven’t lost a lb. Could somebody please explain why as I’m confused. Thanks!

Momepro

My guess is either that since calorie counting is an imperfect science for most people, you are underestimating something or overestimating exercise.
Or you have lost enough that you needed to reevalute and many need to go down a few calories to continue losing.
But without more to go on, that is just a guess.

meganw2020

I highly doubt it has to do with the alcohol. You have just hit a plateau, it happens to everyone on the weight loss journey. Just stick with it and you will see the scale move. I stalled out for a month or more before, it is not at all uncommon.

NovusDies

It is likely something @momepro and @meganw2020 said. The alcohol is a coincidental factor. If you think about it, let's say for some reason it did give you problems for a day, which it shouldn't if you accounted for the calories, how could it have prevented weight loss for the other 24 days you were dieting.

quiksylver296

I retain water for 3-4 days after having alcoholic beverages. Friday, you say? 1, 2, 3 days. Yep, there you go.

callsitlikeiseeit

i got nuthin.

i lost most of my weight during a time period where i was pretty well plastered (beer) every friday and saturday night.

as long as you are in a deficit, you should lose.

jodymaro1

Isn’t there a lot of sugar and calories in tonic???Doesn’t liquor or wine turn to sugar also? Sugar and carbs really mess up my weight loss. I cut back to 2-4 drinks per week or less now. I was drinking beer or wine and adding it to my diary and under my calorie alotment but I didn’t lose weight. It is the main reason that I gained my weight back after maintaining 110-115 for many years. They have lower calorie and sugar choices out there if you goggle it. I would steer from drinking too often though is my suggestion. Stay away from fake sugars too. Aka sweeteners or diet sodas. And exercise and drinks lots of water. One week at a time!

janejellyroll

jodymaro1 wrote: »

Isn’t there a lot of sugar and calories in tonic???Doesn’t liquor or wine turn to sugar also? Sugar and carbs really mess up my weight loss. I cut back to 2-4 drinks per week or less now. I was drinking beer or wine and adding it to my diary and under my calorie alotment but I didn’t lose weight. It is the main reason that I gained my weight back after maintaining 110-115 for many years. They have lower calorie and sugar choices out there if you goggle it. I would steer from drinking too often though is my suggestion. Stay away from fake sugars too. Aka sweeteners or diet sodas. And exercise and drinks lots of water. One week at a time!

OP mentioned Slimline tonic specifically -- that's sugarfree.

Whether or not a food or drink "turns to sugar" is irrelevant if OP is in a calorie deficit.

AnvilHead

janejellyroll wrote: »

jodymaro1 wrote: »

Isn’t there a lot of sugar and calories in tonic???Doesn’t liquor or wine turn to sugar also? Sugar and carbs really mess up my weight loss. I cut back to 2-4 drinks per week or less now. I was drinking beer or wine and adding it to my diary and under my calorie alotment but I didn’t lose weight. It is the main reason that I gained my weight back after maintaining 110-115 for many years. They have lower calorie and sugar choices out there if you goggle it. I would steer from drinking too often though is my suggestion. Stay away from fake sugars too. Aka sweeteners or diet sodas. And exercise and drinks lots of water. One week at a time!

OP mentioned Slimline tonic specifically -- that's sugarfree.

Whether or not a food or drink "turns to sugar" is irrelevant if OP is in a calorie deficit.

Not to mention the fact that all carbs "turn to sugar" in the body. It's how they're digested/metabolized.

mywayroche

Gin and tonic doesn't magical make you stop losing weight. Are you dehydrating yourself? Are you logging the alcohol? Are your eating patterns changed the day after you drink? Do you consume more carbs when hungover?

RuNaRoUnDaFiEld

Alcohol is the first thing to be used as an energy source by the body.

I lose weight the day after drinking due to dehydration. It has never made me gain weight.

elcy

Even Harvard agrees that the "Calories In/Calories out" model is flawed, how foods are metabolized absolutely does change based on what you are consuming. I'm not saying that your 2 drinks a week is completely throwing off your weight loss, but I'm commenting because several folks on here seem to think it's that simple.

JustinAnimal

I'd say that it IS possible to lose weight while drinking.

It just doesn't happen for me. I'm now on a month-long challenge to simply not consume alcohol, while also staying under calorie goal.

janejellyroll

elcy wrote: »

Even Harvard agrees that the "Calories In/Calories out" model is flawed, your metabolism absolutely does change based on what you are consuming. I'm not saying that your 2 drinks a week is completely throwing off your weight loss, but I'm commenting because several folks on here seem to think it's that simple.

What do you mean by "Harvard," like the organization collectively made a determination and announced it? Harvard is a huge university with tons of different disciplines represented. If the historians and economists and the janitors and the dean's secretary got together and decided calories don't matter, what bearing does that have on reality?

CharlieBeansmomTracey

elcy wrote: »

Even Harvard agrees that the "Calories In/Calories out" model is flawed, how foods are metabolized absolutely does change based on what you are consuming. I'm not saying that your 2 drinks a week is completely throwing off your weight loss, but I'm commenting because several folks on here seem to think it's that simple.

well if thats the case then my mom who is an alcoholic wouldnt be losing weight.she drinks A LOT of beer which we know has a lot of calories.I lost weight counting my calories and being in a deficit even eating junk food and things I want to eat. even some days I go overboard. so if that was the case on the days I ate nothing but junk I would have never lost weight.weight loss isnt any faster when I "clean" up my diet either. so no. all food is processed and broken down,some things like fiber is either broken down or just passed through the body,depending on the type of fiber it is.

cwolfman13

elcy wrote: »

Even Harvard agrees that the "Calories In/Calories out" model is flawed, how foods are metabolized absolutely does change based on what you are consuming. I'm not saying that your 2 drinks a week is completely throwing off your weight loss, but I'm commenting because several folks on here seem to think it's that simple.

It was that simple for me...40 Lbs ezpz...and it's been that simple for a crap ton of MFP users.

Maxxitt

Try an experiment - keep everything as is, but forego the gin/tonics for a couple of weeks and re-assess.

AnvilHead

elcy wrote: »

Even Harvard agrees that the "Calories In/Calories out" model is flawed, how foods are metabolized absolutely does change based on what you are consuming. I'm not saying that your 2 drinks a week is completely throwing off your weight loss, but I'm commenting because several folks on here seem to think it's that simple.

Before we take yet another thread down that silly rabbit hole, I'll direct you to the current discussion in the Debate forum: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10654872/why-do-people-deny-cico/p1

cwolfman13

jmgj27 wrote: »

Hi guys

I had been losing slowly but steadily since the New Year. Now down just shy of 2 stone with a long way still to go. About 4 weeks ago I started to allow myself to have 2 slimline gin and tonics on a Friday night. Nothing else about my diet changed except that I ensured the 150 odd calories were deducted elsewhere in my diet so I could indulge. Since then I haven’t lost a lb. Could somebody please explain why as I’m confused. Thanks!

Have you adjusted your calorie targets since you lost weight?

You've lost 28 Lbs...if you haven't adjusted your calorie targets, your deficit is smaller than it was when you started. I can guarantee you that two gin and tonics on a Friday have nothing to do with your stall...150 calories is extremely immaterial to your overall weekly deficit...I think it's just a coincidence.

NovusDies

I read that if you live within 2 miles of a Temperance woman's grave and you drink her spirit will visit your home in the night and shove mayo down your throat. That is why some people can drink on a diet and others can't.

anniebag28

I have a drink most nights but I allow for the calories,I eat very heathy and I loose weight .

elcy

Hey you guys, the 90's called, they want their outdated dietary advice back.

AnvilHead

elcy wrote: »

Hey you guys, the 90's called, they want their outdated dietary advice back.

You had something constructive to offer, then?