Alcohol and Weight Loss

Jaymie

Is this true???

I have heard that alcohol inhibits your body's ability to burn fat and slows down your metabolism??

RDTaylor13

Alcohol is really just sugar, and turns to fat after it enters your system. you don't have to avoid it all together, but have it in moderation, and remember, that any alcoholic drinks you have will count towards your daily calories.

HealthyChanges2010

Is this true???

I have heard that alcohol inhibits your body's ability to burn fat and slows down your metabolism??

Drinking alcohol while working on dropping lbs. sure doesn't help the process. It does slow it down..

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Q "Can Alcohol Prevent Weight Loss?
I have been exercising vigorously for two months (every other day) and have changed my eating habits, but haven't lost any weight. I do drink alcohol almost every day. Could that be the reason why I haven't lost? "

A "alcohol can slow the process by which your body burns fat. The alcohol calories you consume aren't stored. Instead, they're converted to acetate, a type of fuel that the body burns quickly. As a result, you burn off your alcohol calories before you burn the fat you are trying to eliminate by increasing your exercise and cutting back on your food intake.

Also, alcohol can actually stimulate your appetite, loosen your inhibitions and undermine your willpower, causing you to eat more than you planned.

You can work an alcoholic drink into your weight loss program, but to do so, you'll have to account for the calories. For example, if you're on a 1,500 calorie per day diet, you can have a glass of wine with dinner - but only if you make sure that your food calories total no more than about 1,400. By the way, you shouldn't need alcohol almost every day. I would recommend a trial of no alcohol or only 1-2 drinks weekly for a period of 4-6 weeks to see if it helps with weight loss.. "

Jaymie

I only drink in moderation but I am a wine lover and just wondered if I had to completely cut it out of my diet... im not sure if I want to do that or can possibly do that!!!!

p1nkpr1ncess

I am a wine lover too! As this is a life-style change we can't COMPLETELY cut out the things we enjoy or it would be more like a diet - denying yourself treats just doesn't work, you would end up losing it and bingeing in rebellion!

So if you don't want to cut it out just have it in moderation - I used to drink wine on its own, then I wanted to start losing weight so switched to diet spritzers! It cuts your wine intake in half for each glass you have! I also used to have a glass or two of wine Weds through to Sundays!! Now I've cut it back to Weekends only! All of these changes help!!

Tonight we are going out for a meal and I've already planned that I will have a glass of wine with my meal and then when we go to meet friends for drinks I will have a few vodka and diet cokes - one of the lowest cal alcoholic drinks there is!

Like everything hun, if we expect to change the way we eat and drink for LIFE then it has to be attainable - so everything in moderation!
-x-x-

rad007

I drank the whole way through my diet....that is correct that when it hits the body it does store with fat...it only turns to sugar in diabetic's bodies and similar ailments. Burn more calories than you take in, increase protein, and switch to low calorie items. Rum and Coke Zero, Bud Select 55, MGD64, Vodka and Diet Cranberry and you will be fine.

xonophone

I am also a wine lover and enjoy social drinking as well. Since joining MFP however, and learning how many calories are in one ounce of 80 proof alcohol or a 5 oz glass of wine, I have cut down a great deal. I do still enjoy cocktails, but I am sensible about it and account for it in my daily total. I was able to lose weight and averaged 1.5 lb per week weight loss even with having a few drinks on the weekends, although I did cut out my weekday drinking at that time. Now I'm on maintenance and will have an occasional glass of wine with dinner on a weekday but only if I've exercised that day and have lots of extra calories to consume. I think the key is moderation. Whether it's wine, chocolate, cheese, freshly baked bread....whatever it is, enjoy in moderation!:drinker:

keith0373

While I don't drink as much as I used to. I still have a few drinks whenever I want to. I plan ahead and do the exercise necessary to burn the calories. It is pretty easy. Burn 3500 calories more than you eat and you lose a pound. I just try to stay a bit negative each day and exercise alot.

jmathews

I'm going to a party tonight and am hitting the gym hard this morning so I can have a few drinks. Red wine or Vodka and tonic??? hmmm.... Planning ahead definitley pays off.

mooz

My doctor actually recommended I add a glass of red wine to my dinner each night. I done like wine so I haven't done it but I think drinking a glass is fine. As someone else said, just be sure you're in your calorie budget. Planning ahead no matter what the situation really helps too.

Jaymie

Thanks for all the great posts guys!

yup definately planning ahead!! I have to get into the mindset that this isnt a DIET!!! I have to change my ways that wont leave me feeling deprived... because when I feel like I am depriving myself... I just happen to want more!!!

Oh the forbidden fruit is always so delicious! :devil:

HealthyChanges2010

Thanks for all the great posts guys!

yup definately planning ahead!! I have to get into the mindset that this isnt a DIET!!! I have to change my ways that wont leave me feeling deprived... because when I feel like I am depriving myself... I just happen to want more!!!

Oh the forbidden fruit is always so delicious! :devil:

Isn't it though! ah and that line can apply to soooooooo many things in life

Jaymie

LOL agree!!!

SHBoss1673

I never understood doctors recommending 1 glass of red wine a night. I mean, if you're trying to lose weight, that's NOT a good strategy. Alcohol does, in fact, inhibit weight loss, that's been studied to death. If you want the antioxidant affect that the vitamins in red wine give you, eat some berries, they contain the same types of vitamins and minerals, without the severe downside of alcohol. Does this mean you can never drink again? No. But drinking in moderation is a solid practice no matter what situation you are in, Two glasses of wine, once a week probably will have very little, if any affect on a diet, but drinking every day, even if it's only 1 glass of wine, will slow down your weight loss. Maybe it's not enough for you to easily notice, or maybe it is, that depends on your individual situation, but it will affect it. That's just a medical fact.

Do what makes you happy, if that's drinking regularly, that's your choice. But you must at least accept the consequences of those decisions.

Jaymie

Thanks Boss!

Yes I thought I had read somewhere that alcohol slowed down weight loss and of course with the amount of 'empty' calories in a drink it would.. I drink in moderation but I want to cut back to very minimal drinking (for my healths sake)

sheyna1983

Is this true???

I have heard that alcohol inhibits your body's ability to burn fat and slows down your metabolism??

From what I gathered from school (I'm a pharmacist) - it seems that alcohol is bad for 2 reasons - 1-it turns to sugar eventually which turns into fat and 2-it essentially causes too much work in your liver to break down the alcohol and the fat in your body so the fat stays.....

I always gain a couple pounds after I have alcohol if I have any fattening food that same day - I like to seperate my alcohol from food by at least 3-4 hours and eat healthy the day I drink - and since I'm a little hungry it gives me a buzz faster and I can drink less and take in less calories.....wow I sound like a lush right now

fitbot

I like to booze it up as much as the next guy, but living in a place and social setting where all outings revolve around alcohol, got me steadily gaining weight. At the start of June I went for 15 DAYS without any booze (which might be nothing for some, but was hard for me, due to boozy social gatherings) and first of all i felt AMAZING and had much more energy, and second, the scale actually started moving down after staying in the same place not matter how much I worked out. I am now trying to stay as alcohol free as possible.