Alcohol

AnnPT77

ninerbuff wrote: »

While moderation in alcohol isn't destructive to weight loss, it CAN affect how you can lose stored body fat dependent on when it's consumed.
Alcohol CANNOT be stored by the body. It has to be metabolized to leave the body. So while it's metabolizing, you don't burn any carbs or fats till it's gone.
So having alcohol when before you go to bed at night isn't a great strategy since the majority of stored bodyfat is burned off while you sleep...................unless you have alcohol in your body.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

If one is in a calorie deficit, that fat is going to burn sooner or later to make up for the deficit. I don't really care if burns while I'm still asleep, or later when I'm awake. It's going to happen.

Sure, absent the alcohol, the largest fraction of what burns while asleep is fat, but since calorie expenditure is low, it's not a huge amount of fat anyway (as measured in calories).

Troubled sleep is one of many reasonable justifications not to drink right before bed, but I don't think the fat-burning issue is a biggie. It's like the question of being fat-adapted, or fasted training, or anything: Eventually, a calorie deficit is going to be made up from stored body fat, unless the deficit is so extreme that we can't metabolize enough fat to cover the deficit, in which case we're putting other types of tissue at risk. What we're burning in any given moment isn't all that important, except to endurance athletes.

sober0clock

My goal is to give up alcohol for a year and lose 50lb. I do drink far too much and wanted to see how 12 months off would make me feel. Also, when I do drink it's never just one glass and it always involves pigging out on snacks. I don't think I can continue drinking and lose weight, so it has to go.

izzywright60

sober0clock wrote: »

My goal is to give up alcohol for a year and lose 50lb. I do drink far too much and wanted to see how 12 months off would make me feel. Also, when I do drink it's never just one glass and it always involves pigging out on snacks. I don't think I can continue drinking and lose weight, so it has to go.

Have you seen this?

https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/takethechallenge/

SomeMFPuser

Give it up totally? No. Cut back and be mindful of how much and when? Absolutely..

This has to do more with age than calories though for me.

If you are cutting alcohol for weight loss, just be sure you consider the impact once you bring it back in once you've hit your goal weight.

xMrBunglex

iwriteprofessionally wrote: »

I stopped drinking a few years ago after trying to stop since 2007. What a difference! I love not being in trouble, not missing work, not having hangovers & I have time for more things & more money for those things.

My first year or so I missed it. I thought I was bored; but I now realize that what I mistook for boredom back then was actually an absence of chaos in my life!

It's also quite the slap in the face when you realize how much money drinking causes. Not just the cost of booze & bars, but I would spend stupid money when drinking. Go up to the casinos & gamble like a moron.

Thank GOD Amazon & online shopping wasn't around back then!!!

LiveOnceBeHappy

I've entirely quit drinking. I was drinking quite a bit of wine. I figured out my glasses of wine were more like 1.5 glasses of wine, and then I'd have 2 or 3. I wonder how I gained all those pounds?!?! I find now I sleep like the dead without the wine. It's been about 4 weeks. I had reasons for drinking (hard day, tough kids at school, long week, social anxiety). It finally dawned on me that the wine did not help me in any way. A walk with the pooch does more to help me with the rough spots than wine ever did. I can have a diet coke or water.

skiptheglobe

sober0clock wrote: »

My goal is to give up alcohol for a year and lose 50lb. I do drink far too much and wanted to see how 12 months off would make me feel. Also, when I do drink it's never just one glass and it always involves pigging out on snacks. I don't think I can continue drinking and lose weight, so it has to go.

It took an entire year of not drinking before I began seeing weight loss. I spent that year taming the resulting sugar craving from the alcohol elimination. Only after that did I see the weight loss.

Suggest giving it longer than a year. It may take time to maximize your weight loss pace after quitting alcohol...but quitting WILL make you lose!

This is my second weight loss journey. I weighed 180lbs and through stressful working, bad eating habits, and plenty of work related alcohol, gained to 310lbs...along with gaining every ailment and medicine that comes with it.

I finally told myself NO ONE was coming to save me from this. As much as people might care, they will not stop me from basically killing myself. The only way this will change is if I change it myself.

I quit drinking, took a year to kill sugar, and lost to 207lbs. Eventually decided I could drink again. Eventually fell into all of the same bad habits. Eventually hit 290lbs. Again. One common denominator was alcohol.

Well, it took twice for me to quit smoking, I guess quitting alcohol and losing weight take twice also for me. I'm 230 and I'm expecting 200 by February. Strength training twice a week makes a difference also.

Again, don't just quit drinking for a year...give your body time to adjust afterwards to see the really big weight losses. Personally, I am eliminating it totally for good. I feel far too healthy without it.

Walkywalkerson

I have periods of cutting alcohol and I agree with the OP it is a game changer.
I don't drink midweek unless it's a social occasion - but weekends usually involve wine and overindulgence food wise because of it.
I do log the calories and keep my calories fairly lowish midweek to compensate - but my weight loss is very slow because of it.
It's taken me around 14 months to lose 43 lbs with many ups and downs.
Cutting out alcohol would make my weight loss steadier and faster - but I'm not sure it's sustainable for maintenance.

drmwc

When I did my diet, I went for 1,200 calories a day for a couple of months. The only way I could get that to work was cutting out drink. When I moved onto more sensible calorie amounts (maintenance is around 2,400), I found I didn't really miss it, so now I only drink on special occasions. These are quite rare - there have been 4 in the last 3 years (two weddings, a 50th birthday and a 30th birthday.)

socaldogmom

This thread is inspiring. One week eating tons of veggies, fruit, protein (mostly lean), healthy carbs and drinking lots of water. I feel sooo good this week. I usually would have alcohol every evening and lots of carbs all day which is how I gained the weight. The next morning I would need lots of coffee to wake up after the effects of one or two drinks (usually wine) from the night before. I didn't realize how much the "bad" food and alcohol was impacting the way I felt. Feeling amazing and determined to stay on track.

Dianedoessmiles1

Darlene_Oregon wrote: »

This discussion is quite old. But if anyone is interested. In November of 2021, I became very ill from alcohol and ended up in the ICU. I woke up vomiting blood (esophageal varices). I was in the hospital for five days. I had been drinking heavily and the withdrawals were bad (although I don't remember a lot). I was hallucinating though.
Anyways, when I was discharged, I didn't drink for four months. That was because the experience was quite scary. I lost 30 lbs in three months without even trying.
I had been drinking whiskey mixed with club soda. I don't think the calories were the problem. But my problem is when I would drink, I would get the munchies and make bad food choices. I would eat everything in sight.
I track my weight on MFP and mark on my calendar the days I don't drink. For me, there is a direct correlation with alcohol and weight loss/gain. When I'm not drinking, my weight steadily goes down and back up when I'm drinking.

HI Darlene, I drank Fireball the calories no doubt helped along as you ,, the MUNCHIES and I didn't feel well enough to cook, JUNK FOOD! MEGA Junk food. Seems to go hand in hand. As you saw on my post about the 2024 Spring 5% Challenge and my success at losing 110 lbs, I've lost an entire person!

WELCOME the 2024 Spring 5% Challenge. I look forward to getting to know you more. You can do this! WITH SUPPORT!! If you do not belong to AA it's a suggestion. They do have online meetings which is nice if being in person is to much. I no longer go and did not like them, but I did enjoy NA. I was younger at that time and related better to NA.

Darlene_Oregon

@Dianedoessmiles1 I'm kind of new to this all. So I tried to delete some of my posts. Not sure if it worked or not. I hope not. I've having some problems right now and I was getting depressed that no one was replying to my posts. So thank you so much for replying.
I know I shouldn't be relying on MFP. But I don't really have family or friends where I live (except for my husband and a few acquittances). I tried AA many years ago but didn't care for it. And I live in a really small town, so I'd rather not get involved with that.
What you said about not feeling well enough to cook is where I'm at right now. I had two frozen burritos tonight for dinner.
When I'm not drinking, I will have salmon or chicken with some roasted Brussels sprouts, cauliflower or sauteed spinach and things like that. And I never ate after dinner.
I'm not sure how the challenge works or how to talk to others in the challenge. How do I see your posts? I've never been into social media. So I'm not as savvy as most.
Anyways, I hope I didn't mess things up too much. I do plan on conquering the beast (alcohol) soon!
Darlene

Darlene_Oregon

@Dianedoessmiles1 I don't think we're supposed to leave comments in the "Introduce Yourself" discussion. But I looked at your profile. Amazing weight loss! Also I realize you have some medical issues. But you seem pretty resilient. Good luck to you! By the way, we live on complete opposite ends of the country.
Take care of yourself!

Dianedoessmiles1

@Darlene_Oregon LOL At that we do!! I am outside of Portland, we think dearly of you all out there holding up "the other end". On the chat we can post what we wish, but you are correct not under the Introduce yourself to the team.

Darlene_Oregon

@Dianedoessmiles1 LOL I will keep holding up the other end. I'm not sure where the chat is. But I'm sure I'll figure it out. Boy, this stuff can be complicated!