Is it drinking alcohol while losing weight is bad?

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Replies

  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Jthanmyfitnesspal wrote: »
    Danp wrote: »
    Since dropping most of the weight I went out for drinks after work a while ago and was convinced to have a couple of ciders which I did. And holy cow my tolerance for alcohol has been absolutely obliterated. 2 or 3 drinks was all it took put me in a very chipper mood LOL! That was a definite unexpected consequence of losing weight.

    I have found that it's more a function of infrequent drinking. You really feel it. If you have a drink every day, you won't feel it at all.

    FWIW, while agreeing that different people will have different experiences, I'm in Dan's camp.

    Smaller me is able to consume less alcohol, in order to stay safe and functional. I go through phases now, in maintenance, but I drink alcohol fairly regularly: Couple of times a week I stop in at my local brewpub, and have a craft beer (IPA, not "light" beer) most weeks; occasionally, I'll have a drink almost every night, if there are lots of social dinners going on or something. Either way, being smaller means alcohol hits me harder.

    I don't know how big Dan is, or you. I suspect you're both bigger than me, because I'm really not all that big (5'5", 130s pounds), and I'm kind of old besides (64). Small me can't absorb as much alcohol and function safely, compared to obese me (almost 1/3 more body weight then).

    I'm sure frequency has an impact. But so does size.

    My tolerance has gone from my version of "a drink" being in a large cup to counting the sips to stupid. I suspect it is a combination of reducing my weight and the infrequency in which I partake. I know of thin to modestly overweight people who have gotten into accidents with BA levels that would be poison to a normal person.
  • speyerj
    speyerj Posts: 1,369 Member
    I have read that your liver metabolizes both alcohol and fat and that like most of us, it doesn't do well at multitasking. When you drink alcohol, your liver prioritizes metabolizing the alcohol over fat. So, that makes a good argument for not drinking every night if your goal is to burn fat.

    But, I'm in total agreement with @AnnPT77 that since you are in this journey for the long haul, don't give up anything during weight loss that you aren't willing to maintain for the rest of your life. If alcohol isn't something you want to give up, find a way to fit it in.

    So yes, I do indulge but, definitely less often then before.
  • jcverhalen
    jcverhalen Posts: 11 Member
    They make some surprisingly good craft light beers now. One of my favorites is only 98 calories (and this is from someone who considers themselves an insufferable beer snob). Tbh, I hike/exercise while maintaining a deficit solely so I have those extra calories to drink. It has absolutely no effect on weight loss, just makes it harder to stay at or under goal calories, but, if you can comfortably fit it in, and possess the willpower not to slam a family size bag of chips with it, there’s no reason not to indulge.
  • slbbw
    slbbw Posts: 329 Member
    I am in the camp of make room for the thing you want and enjoy in moderation. If I want a donut or a slice of pizza, no lower calorie version is really going to do it for me. I would prefer to eat a small controlled portion of the thing I want and move on. In the alcohol camp I tend to drink wine and spirits because I can get a better bang for my buck calorie wise. I absolutely do not enjoy light beer. I personally would rather get myself down to 1 per day or less of something I truly enjoyed as opposed to subbing in something else.

    This discussion drastically changes depending on what your calorie budget is. Someone with 2500 calories to work with will more easily fit in their nutrition with a nightly alcohol splurge than would someone who has 1500 calories or less. I have adjusted my tastes over the years intentionally to prefer less sweet things. As a positive consequence I can easily add a small portion of chocolate wine or whiskey to my diet nightly if I choose.
  • whmscll
    whmscll Posts: 2,254 Member
    Maxxitt wrote: »
    Someone hit "disagree" when I posted that I, personally, found it impossible to meet my body's nutritional requirements drinking regularly. I just wanted to expand that if your calorie limit for modest deficit is ~1400 (set by MFP for .5 #/week) as mine is, then getting essential nutrition via food just about takes up all those calories. So individuals are going to vary a lot :)

    This is my experience. When losing weight I have to eat 1350-1400 calories. There is virtually no room for any empty calories, especially alcohol, unless I am taking a break to eat at maintenance. Even with exercise I have to maximize the value of every morsel so I’m not always hungry.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    The general answer is "no,drinking alcohol is not bad when losing weight".

    The long answer is that it may be fine or it may be bad, depending on the person. I find I can work a glass of wine in a few days a week. If I drink the whole bottle, I am good with the calories usually but my self control goes out the window and I overeat. I also find I retain water if I drink regularly.

    Cutting down, especially if you drank a serving or two daily, might be a good idea so you can make room for more food but it really depends on the person.
  • ritzvin
    ritzvin Posts: 2,860 Member
    whmscll wrote: »
    Maxxitt wrote: »
    Someone hit "disagree" when I posted that I, personally, found it impossible to meet my body's nutritional requirements drinking regularly. I just wanted to expand that if your calorie limit for modest deficit is ~1400 (set by MFP for .5 #/week) as mine is, then getting essential nutrition via food just about takes up all those calories. So individuals are going to vary a lot :)

    This is my experience. When losing weight I have to eat 1350-1400 calories. There is virtually no room for any empty calories, especially alcohol, unless I am taking a break to eat at maintenance. Even with exercise I have to maximize the value of every morsel so I’m not always hungry.

    It generally has to use 'exercise calories' to fit in there for me (and for a lot of people). In general, if I'm in a bar, its after a group run, a group ride, or for dancing (preferably after a run or ride). Most of the athletic, fit people I know drink, but.. there is almost always at least a 5 mile run, 30 mile ride, etc beforehand.
  • chelleedub
    chelleedub Posts: 50 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    chelleedub wrote: »
    Well, it's still empty calories. But, it's great that you switched to light beer; you need to make it work for your lifestyle. While daily drinking isn't great for you, that's a big change. Can you have a glass for water and a pitcher on the table as well? Maybe a bowl of nuts. This could help you cut down on the amount of beer and absorb it more slowly, as well.

    I'm not the one who clicked "disagree", but I have to say that for me a bowl of nuts would be among the worst possible choices to put alongside alcohol. I can munch those babies mindlessly all evening, and they're soooo calorie-dense. 😬

    Actually, you don't absorb all the calories from nuts, and protein slows the absorption of carbs.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,030 Member
    chelleedub wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    chelleedub wrote: »
    Well, it's still empty calories. But, it's great that you switched to light beer; you need to make it work for your lifestyle. While daily drinking isn't great for you, that's a big change. Can you have a glass for water and a pitcher on the table as well? Maybe a bowl of nuts. This could help you cut down on the amount of beer and absorb it more slowly, as well.

    I'm not the one who clicked "disagree", but I have to say that for me a bowl of nuts would be among the worst possible choices to put alongside alcohol. I can munch those babies mindlessly all evening, and they're soooo calorie-dense. 😬

    Actually, you don't absorb all the calories from nuts, and protein slows the absorption of carbs.

    I know about the calorie absorption issue. I also know that eating a pound or more of them is still a daily calorie goal deal-breaker, for me. If they work for you to slow consumption or absorption of alcohol (or carbs, though I'm not sure how those came in here), without over-consuming them, that's great. The only observation I made was that I find them extremely easy to over-eat, so for me it would be a bad plan to have a bowl of nuts at hand while consuming alcohol. Several other people seem to have the same issue. ;)
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,598 Member
    Ain't great for your liver to drink every day. I would cut back.
  • jhanleybrown
    jhanleybrown Posts: 240 Member
    I have to cut alcohol completely to lose weight. But it's the snacking that goes with it. I can avoid snacks if I'm alcohol free. And with alcohol 99.5% chance of unhealthy and voluminous snacking. Even one drink.

    Sucks but it is what it is.

  • nighthawk584
    nighthawk584 Posts: 1,992 Member
    I quit alcohol same day I decided to start losing weight. 11 months later, I think it was one of the best decisions along side losing weight.

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