Alcohol
Jayj180894
Posts: 286 Member
Can I drink as much alcohol as I like as long as it is in my calorie deficit and still lose weight?
2
Replies
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Yes.6
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Yes, but there are two things to consider. First, for many people, drinking as much as they want within a calorie goal will prevent them from meeting their nutritional needs. This will impact your health and energy over time. Secondly, some people find that drinking lowers their inhibition and decreases their ability to avoid making food choices that put them over their calorie goal (or makes it difficult to log accurately, which results in them eating more than they intend).28
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Yes, if you can avoid the drunk munchies. I couldn't, so I had to cut out alcohol.13
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quiksylver296 wrote: »Yes, if you can avoid the drunk munchies. I couldn't, so I had to cut out alcohol.
That was my problem, especially if I'm out..
"Well, I've already had one drink, two won't kill me"
"If I can do two, what's wrong with three?"
"I've had three drinks, might as well have the nachos at this point, right?"
"I can't eat nachos without a drink! Bartender! Another beer!"
...and that's how my one drink turns into "holy-*kitten*-what-did-I-do-last-night". So I try to not drink alcohol when I'm dieting.20 -
I'll be the little old auntie here and say that anything over two drinks for a woman is not good for you in general.
Be careful...it's not just weight that is at stake here.21 -
You sound like fun. I want to drink with you 🥂
Just remember that looking/feeling good and losing weight aren’t the same thing—there are a number of ways in which alcohol indirectly inhibits weight loss (even promotes weight gain). So, it’s not COMPLETELY linear but generally, yes, you can.5 -
This sounds like a loaded question.
Other than occasional drink, I would think having to really account for calories in alcohol consumption is going to be a problem.4 -
tzimmer10211 wrote: »This sounds like a loaded question.
Other than occasional drink, I would think having to really account for calories in alcohol consumption is going to be a problem.
I don't think there is any problem with regularly drinking reasonable amounts less than occasionally, like regularly having a glass of wine with dinner or having some beer on the weekend (unless it's a problem for someone individually, of course). Obviously if it is crowding out what you need, it's an issue. But for many people, 120 calories for wine is something that can be fit into diet that is meeting nutritional needs.7 -
janejellyroll wrote: »tzimmer10211 wrote: »This sounds like a loaded question.
Other than occasional drink, I would think having to really account for calories in alcohol consumption is going to be a problem.
I don't think there is any problem with regularly drinking reasonable amounts less than occasionally, like regularly having a glass of wine with dinner or having some beer on the weekend (unless it's a problem for someone individually, of course). Obviously if it is crowding out what you need, it's an issue. But for many people, 120 calories for wine is something that can be fit into diet that is meeting nutritional needs.
I took the comment about being hard to account for the calories in alcohol was referring to when one gets past more than a few in a sitting may lose track.3 -
I got to my lowest weight drinking wine. I could drink a glass, get buzzed, and avoid the munchies that liquor gives me.7
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Tthank you for this post because I am wondering the same thing !!
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Yeah, although personally alcohol causes me to retain water like crazy, so I see a stall on the scale when I drink.
But I still drink because... I like it.4 -
I had to all but quit drinking to make my diet work If you can drink and diet at the same time, more power to you, but I think that'd put you in the minority. For me, it wasn't just the calories from the alcohol; it was the lowered inhibitions - the sense that "this day is shot" while buzzed and slightly over my caloric target, which made me lose self control and binge.8
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I actually saved this thread below because of @lgfrie's answer here, too. I've reread it several times because it's inspiring and insightful. That is all.
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10779803/alcoholic-quitting-alcohol-effortless-weight-loss#latest2 -
For pure weight loss, certainly! CICO.
One of the main problems, though, with drinking within your caloric deficit range (as others may have alluded) is hitting your macros.
Initial weight loss is all about calories. Once you have that down, you can move from beginning stages (CICO) to intermediate/advanced weightloss (CICO + macro partitioning). With alcohol being 9 cal/gram and 0 protein or fat, you'll probably find it hard to hit minimums of .8g protein/lb and 50g fat, absent a decent amount of cardio to make room.
Weightloss is the first step though, and-as an initial focus-as long as your counting alcohol and in a deficit you're heading in the right direction.0 -
Justin_7272 wrote: »For pure weight loss, certainly! CICO.
One of the main problems, though, with drinking within your caloric deficit range (as others may have alluded) is hitting your macros.
Initial weight loss is all about calories. Once you have that down, you can move from beginning stages (CICO) to intermediate/advanced weightloss (CICO + macro partitioning). With alcohol being 9 cal/gram and 0 protein or fat, you'll probably find it hard to hit minimums of .8g protein/lb and 50g fat, absent a decent amount of cardio to make room.
Weightloss is the first step though, and-as an initial focus-as long as your counting alcohol and in a deficit you're heading in the right direction.
Just as clarification: Alcohol has 7 calories per gram, not 9.1 -
Justin_7272 wrote: »For pure weight loss, certainly! CICO.
One of the main problems, though, with drinking within your caloric deficit range (as others may have alluded) is hitting your macros.
Initial weight loss is all about calories. Once you have that down, you can move from beginning stages (CICO) to intermediate/advanced weightloss (CICO + macro partitioning). With alcohol being 9 cal/gram and 0 protein or fat, you'll probably find it hard to hit minimums of .8g protein/lb and 50g fat, absent a decent amount of cardio to make room.
Weightloss is the first step though, and-as an initial focus-as long as your counting alcohol and in a deficit you're heading in the right direction.
Just as clarification: Alcohol has 7 calories per gram, not 9.
You are correct - my bad!
Point still stands 🙂2 -
I gave up alcohol in December, not just to be healthier but I tended to make very unhealthy decisions while inebriated. This is the longest I have stuck with calorie counting and exercise and I contribute it to giving up alcohol completely. To each their own though! For myself, I was like the post above; 1 drink into 2, 2 into more, and then wanting McDonald's on the way home haha5
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I lost 3 stone drinking half a bottle of wine a night. Bad I know, far too much. But it is possible as long as you are in a deficit. Don’t judge me....13
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Justin_7272 wrote: »For pure weight loss, certainly! CICO.
One of the main problems, though, with drinking within your caloric deficit range (as others may have alluded) is hitting your macros.
Initial weight loss is all about calories. Once you have that down, you can move from beginning stages (CICO) to intermediate/advanced weightloss (CICO + macro partitioning). With alcohol being 9 cal/gram and 0 protein or fat, you'll probably find it hard to hit minimums of .8g protein/lb and 50g fat, absent a decent amount of cardio to make room.
Weightloss is the first step though, and-as an initial focus-as long as your counting alcohol and in a deficit you're heading in the right direction.
Just as clarification: Alcohol has 7 calories per gram, not 9.
Surely that depends on the AVB%. I'm all about the ale me
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Justin_7272 wrote: »For pure weight loss, certainly! CICO.
One of the main problems, though, with drinking within your caloric deficit range (as others may have alluded) is hitting your macros.
Initial weight loss is all about calories. Once you have that down, you can move from beginning stages (CICO) to intermediate/advanced weightloss (CICO + macro partitioning). With alcohol being 9 cal/gram and 0 protein or fat, you'll probably find it hard to hit minimums of .8g protein/lb and 50g fat, absent a decent amount of cardio to make room.
Weightloss is the first step though, and-as an initial focus-as long as your counting alcohol and in a deficit you're heading in the right direction.
I'd say that depends on your size and the amount of alcohol you consume. I have 2 or 3 glasses of wine with dinner almost every evening. I have not issues hitting my protein or my fat without a decent amount of cardio.0 -
Justin_7272 wrote: »For pure weight loss, certainly! CICO.
One of the main problems, though, with drinking within your caloric deficit range (as others may have alluded) is hitting your macros.
Initial weight loss is all about calories. Once you have that down, you can move from beginning stages (CICO) to intermediate/advanced weightloss (CICO + macro partitioning). With alcohol being 9 cal/gram and 0 protein or fat, you'll probably find it hard to hit minimums of .8g protein/lb and 50g fat, absent a decent amount of cardio to make room.
Weightloss is the first step though, and-as an initial focus-as long as your counting alcohol and in a deficit you're heading in the right direction.
Just as clarification: Alcohol has 7 calories per gram, not 9.
Surely that depends on the AVB%. I'm all about the ale me
That's not the alcoholic drink (with mixers, etc), that's just the alcohol. Take a drink like scotch on the rocks (my fav!!) - the scotch is 40% alcohol (80 proof) so 30 ml (about 1 ounce) of scotch has (30x.4) x 7 = 84 calories.4 -
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I find that I *can* lose weight - but it's a lot harder for me. For a lot of the reasons mentioned above, less inhibitions, the tendency to forget what I snacked on after a glass or two... and what I call "creep" that one glass after work to relax, then the one with dinner, then the one after dinner... and then it's like - shoot. The bottle is gone.1
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Justin_7272 wrote: »For pure weight loss, certainly! CICO.
One of the main problems, though, with drinking within your caloric deficit range (as others may have alluded) is hitting your macros.
Initial weight loss is all about calories. Once you have that down, you can move from beginning stages (CICO) to intermediate/advanced weightloss (CICO + macro partitioning). With alcohol being 9 cal/gram and 0 protein or fat, you'll probably find it hard to hit minimums of .8g protein/lb and 50g fat, absent a decent amount of cardio to make room.
Weightloss is the first step though, and-as an initial focus-as long as your counting alcohol and in a deficit you're heading in the right direction.
Just as clarification: Alcohol has 7 calories per gram, not 9.
Surely that depends on the AVB%. I'm all about the ale me
No.
In the USA definitions, ABV (alcohol by volume) is about the entire packaged drink: How much alcohol the entire beverage contains, so 8% ABV beer is 8% alcohol, 92% other stuff (mostly water, by volume). Proof is 2X ABV, so 80 proof vodka (or whatever) is 40% ABV, 60% other stuff (again mostly water, by volume).
Alcohol is sort of a pseudo macronutrient: It's not any of protein, carbs, or fats (the real macronutrients) . . . but it has calories. Seven calories per gram, as a generality, just has protein and carbs have approximately 4 calories per gram, fats 9 calories per gram.
Most foods we consume - even simple foods as opposed to "food products" - are not "pure" macronutrients (a few are close), right? Most foods are a combination of fats, carbs, protein (or 2 out of 3). Similarly, most alcoholic beverages (even something like beer, wine, vodka to which we at home or bar add nothiner) are also not "pure" alcohol. Everclear (in the US) is close as it gets, as they produce a 190 proof (90% ABV). Some have macros (usually carbs) as well, and most contain (by volume) lots of water.
ETA: I'm an IPA gal myself, going for the rich and bitter. DIPAs, Imperials, and so for . . . but li'l ol' lady can't hold a lot of that stuff, sadly. Especially not if I'm driving.3 -
Justin_7272 wrote: »For pure weight loss, certainly! CICO.
One of the main problems, though, with drinking within your caloric deficit range (as others may have alluded) is hitting your macros.
Initial weight loss is all about calories. Once you have that down, you can move from beginning stages (CICO) to intermediate/advanced weightloss (CICO + macro partitioning). With alcohol being 9 cal/gram and 0 protein or fat, you'll probably find it hard to hit minimums of .8g protein/lb and 50g fat, absent a decent amount of cardio to make room.
Weightloss is the first step though, and-as an initial focus-as long as your counting alcohol and in a deficit you're heading in the right direction.
Just as clarification: Alcohol has 7 calories per gram, not 9.
Surely that depends on the AVB%. I'm all about the ale me
No.
In the USA definitions, ABV (alcohol by volume) is about the entire packaged drink: How much alcohol the entire beverage contains, so 8% ABV beer is 8% alcohol, 92% other stuff (mostly water, by volume). Proof is 2X ABV, so 80 proof vodka (or whatever) is 40% ABV, 60% other stuff (again mostly water, by volume).
Alcohol is sort of a pseudo macronutrient: It's not any of protein, carbs, or fats (the real macronutrients) . . . but it has calories. Seven calories per gram, as a generality, just has protein and carbs have approximately 4 calories per gram, fats 9 calories per gram.
Most foods we consume - even simple foods as opposed to "food products" - are not "pure" macronutrients (a few are close), right? Most foods are a combination of fats, carbs, protein (or 2 out of 3). Similarly, most alcoholic beverages (even something like beer, wine, vodka to which we at home or bar add nothiner) are also not "pure" alcohol. Everclear (in the US) is close as it gets, as they produce a 190 proof (90% ABV). Some have macros (usually carbs) as well, and most contain (by volume) lots of water.
ETA: I'm an IPA gal myself, going for the rich and bitter. DIPAs, Imperials, and so for . . . but li'l ol' lady can't hold a lot of that stuff, sadly. Especially not if I'm driving.
Just to chime in: my easy rule of thumb for beer is 2.5 kcal per fluid oz per ABV%.
So a 12 fl oz pour of an 8% ABV Belgian Trippel, for example, would be 2.5*12*8=240 kcal.
Calories are lower for highly attenuated beverages, and higher for less attenuated brews.
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janejellyroll wrote: »Yes, but there are two things to consider. First, for many people, drinking as much as they want within a calorie goal will prevent them from meeting their nutritional needs. This will impact your health and energy over time. Secondly, some people find that drinking lowers their inhibition and decreases their ability to avoid making food choices that put them over their calorie goal (or makes it difficult to log accurately, which results in them eating more than they intend).
OP, this is VERY real and VERY common, even amongst the most hardcore dieters. Please be careful with your consumption....I've been here before😬
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fitnessguy266 wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »Yes, but there are two things to consider. First, for many people, drinking as much as they want within a calorie goal will prevent them from meeting their nutritional needs. This will impact your health and energy over time. Secondly, some people find that drinking lowers their inhibition and decreases their ability to avoid making food choices that put them over their calorie goal (or makes it difficult to log accurately, which results in them eating more than they intend).
OP, this is VERY real and VERY common, even amongst the most hardcore dieters. Please be careful with your consumption....I've been here before😬
What's funny is when I cut out all alcohol I actually gain weight...about 35-40lbs... Over 9 months..
not the greatest for my diet or body composition 
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fitnessguy266 wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »Yes, but there are two things to consider. First, for many people, drinking as much as they want within a calorie goal will prevent them from meeting their nutritional needs. This will impact your health and energy over time. Secondly, some people find that drinking lowers their inhibition and decreases their ability to avoid making food choices that put them over their calorie goal (or makes it difficult to log accurately, which results in them eating more than they intend).
OP, this is VERY real and VERY common, even amongst the most hardcore dieters. Please be careful with your consumption....I've been here before😬
What's funny is when I cut out all alcohol I actually gain weight...about 35-40lbs... Over 9 months.. not the greatest for my diet or body composition
Oh no🙈😂 glad to see you're still active here💪1 -
fitnessguy266 wrote: »fitnessguy266 wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »Yes, but there are two things to consider. First, for many people, drinking as much as they want within a calorie goal will prevent them from meeting their nutritional needs. This will impact your health and energy over time. Secondly, some people find that drinking lowers their inhibition and decreases their ability to avoid making food choices that put them over their calorie goal (or makes it difficult to log accurately, which results in them eating more than they intend).
OP, this is VERY real and VERY common, even amongst the most hardcore dieters. Please be careful with your consumption....I've been here before😬
What's funny is when I cut out all alcohol I actually gain weight...about 35-40lbs... Over 9 months.. not the greatest for my diet or body composition
Oh no🙈😂 glad to see you're still active here💪
Haha yea I'm good my little bub #3 is 8 months and I'm still killing it
3
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