Drinking & weight loss anyone?

cheexe

So I'm kinda new. Been hanging around reading posts and tracking my calories. But I'm ready to get serious so here goes my first post!

I need to lose about 40 pounds. I had been trying to lose the same 20 pounds for about 2 years when I started dating my current boyfriend and gained another 20

I have tried everything. Weight Watchers, Boot Camps, Isagenix, but all along I was partying almost nightly. I keep trying to think what was so different before I gained the weight and that's the only thing. I wasn't drinking all the time. I certainly never drank at home and went out only on the weekends.

I'm steady at about 1300 calories per day, but I often go over when I start adding those after work beers (which also lead to after beer snacks). I have no trouble eating healthy during the week, but after work and weekends I get into trouble.

I searched some posts on alcohol and saw some information on how alcohol postpones fat burning & weight loss. So I haven't had anything to drink since Saturday and what do you know... my weight went down a half a pound for the first time since I started.

I'm looking for some friends to add and any advice or experiences you guys have had with alcohol and weight loss.

Anyone wanna go on a dry spell with me?

Thanks you guys! I know these boards are full of wise and caring people, I'm glad I found it!

wolvenchic

I'll be doing that dry spell as well after this weekend (I am hosting a party), after that, Im cutting out sugared drinks as well.

prettylyzard

I've found the same thing...I've started my dry spell this past weekend. Lets do it together!

4lafz

I allow myself a glass of wine a couple times a week - and count that on my food diary. You don't want to deprive if you want to live like this forever. Beer, however, has more calories. If I were you, I would limit myself to once a week cocktails after work and consider switching drinks. You gotta count the calories for cocktails too!

Panda86

I have read that your body burns alcohol before it burns fat, so you won't lose weight as quickly.... So a dry spell is probably a good idea. If you can handle just having one every once in a while, Mikes makes a Light Lemonade that I like... but I am not much of a drinker to begin with. If you can't handle having one every once in a while, a dry spell would probably be best so you don't have to fight the temptation so much. Best to nip it in the bud!

RedneckWmn

Drinking is one thing I haven't been able to completely cut out. However, I only drink on occassion. When I do I try and drink a light beer or have a mixed drink like vodka or rum with coke zero. You start ordering mixed drinks those calories are going to add up, and I'm talking QUICK! I have completely cut out the snacks though. That's what will get you. If you get home and absoultely have to have something to eat. Make it healthy. Have some fruits or veggies on hand. I know they don't sound nearly as good as Whataburger or Taco Bell but you will thank yourself in the morning! Hope this helps some!

aippolito1

I've been refraining from alcohol for the last month or so but splurged last night as I intend to drink quite a bit this weekend 'cause I'll be on vacation - my FIRST vacation. After that, I'll go back to not drinking until I reach my goal weight, which is 21 lbs away.

aehenson

I started working out diligently & dieting in 2008 & lost about 7 pounds for the year. This year I decided to get serious & I completely cut out alcohol for what I thought would be a 40 day period. I started dropping weight like you wouldn't believe & I extended that period for another month. I now have an occassional glass of wine but I stop there because my partying had me up 20 pounds & it just isn't worth it. I bought new clothes in February & that's when I decided to stop drinking - by the end of March I couldn't wear the new wardrobe. I am now the same size I was in my early 20's & with a few more pounds, I'll be high school size...... you have to decide what's more important.

baggins706

I dont' drink but have MFP Pals that do, so I posted this the other day. If you're gonna have one take a few tips from this link!

LOW-CAL Cocktails: http://health.msn.com/health-topics/video.aspx?vid=a2abd15f-0188-4c0f-b2e1-fa55ff723d1b

pchristie

oh my gosh, I can relate to your story so well. Mine is almost identical except, when I first met my current fiance, I first lost weight but that was because I had those first in love tummy jitters. I then, after a few months and adding birth control gradually gained twenty pounds too. I have always found that abstaining from alcohol is the best way to loose weight, but, I also like to have a drink before dinner and I love beer - michelob light is my favorite. I also love margaritas which are very high in calories. I have figured out how to make my own recipes for drinks so they are lower in calories such as using diet soda for mix instead of regular and using fresh lemons and limes and agave for margaritas, but I also tend to snack after drinking sometimes.

So, what I do is try to limit my drinks and I count them in my food diary. If, however, I find that I am still not losing weight, I will abstain until I reach my goal weight. We are going camping for two weeks beginning on Saturday, so we'll see how I do there, but I'm going to try.

I do believe that alcohol does something to your metabolism. I think it's probably different for everyone because my fiance drinks beer almost every day, and he has a 6-pack (his stomach not the beer):happy:

iplayoutside19

http://www.beer100.com/beercalories.htm

Click on the link and start adding. The play with MFP and notice what kind of damage a night out can do...or even 1 beer if you're sticking to 1300 Kcal. You have less margin for error. A pound is 3500 calories, or roughly 24 beers depending on what you drink.

I beleive beer and soda had a huge part in myself getting...well huge.

I have a beer or two every once in a while, but that's a fraction of what I used to drink.

cheexe

That's the thing. I keep telling myself I'll just have one and sometimes I do, but sometimes I don't. I don't think I can count on party-me to make the best decisions.

Maybe after I lose about 20 lbs I can try again. What do you guys think? I understand the whole lifestyle thing and I want to be realistic.

I gotta try something else because the old way just ain't working.

Versha19

Hey I also have been cutting down on my alcohol intake but I have also read somewhere that alcohol aids in digestion if woman are to have one drink per day and men to have 2 drinks today now clearly that means like a glass of wine or a beer not a sugary drink, margarita, or frozen drinks. I hope that helps because I don't think when you diet you should truly cut anything out especially things you enjoy you should just learn to eat or drink them in moderation because once you hit your goal if you binge on what youve been deprived youll just hurt yourself more instead of if you learned how ti incorporate it into a healthy lifestyle. Good Luck!!

kdiamond

It is not so much the drinking, it is what you drink and your actions because of it. When DH and I lost our weight back in 2005, we were on what we called "the alcohol diet" because we were partying a lot back then...needless to say we both lost a ton of weight. However we only drink vodka and club soda and we wouldn't eat those days or the days after when we were hungover. Not the healthiest diet but it was fun! We still drink now but not to extremes and still sticking with the Goose and Sodas! Or occasionally I make skinny margaritas with Patron which are yum!

thendrick

I found that even when I was working a glass of wine into my calorie allowance, I was not losing. Once I gave it up altogether, the weight started coming off.

cheexe

Yeah, I think everyone must be different. I either drink beer, light beer (MGD 64) or gin & diet tonic. Never mixed drinks with juice or soda and my boyfriend drinks 2-3 beers regularly and has no problems with his weight.

I guess I'll treat this like an experiment and see what happens!

DianaMI

I did not give up my after work beers, I changed to Bud 55, dont care for it alot but it helps with my craving for beer. I tried to stop, I didnt like it. But since my switch and eating good and exerciseing I have been losing weight. I drink 2 beers a night, that beer makes it to where you really dont want any more. Weekends I may have a few more depends on my cals and if im moving around.

SparkleShine

I thinnk you can lose and still drink but the weight will come off slower for sure! That's one of the things I'm having a hard time cutting out, especially during the summer with cookouts with friends and camping.:happy:

I am starting a dry spell starting this past Sunday, after a weekend of camping with friends.:drinker: