To Drink Or To Lose... (What's Your Answer)

j3nnal3igh13

Ok... from reading the subject please try to refrain from judging me. I want HONEST answers from people who still have a love of wine (in my case) or alcohol. On my weight loss journey I found that I can quit cookies. I can quit cake. I can quit "Bad" Carbs. I can quit pop. I can quit all the "BAD" things out there.. besides my Love of Wine!! :drinker: I just want to know if anyone has been able to keep up with exercise and good eating habits and still enjoy the glass or 2 (or in my case bottle or 2) of wine a few times a month? PLEASE don't start judging me and calling me an "alcoholic" like I've seen on threads in the past. I don't "drink" every night. I might drink once, twice or 3 times a month, but when I do... It's a good time. :happy: I'm still faithful to my workouts (hungover or not) and my daily "diet". Like I said, I don't want the feed back that I'm a BAD bad person. I want feed back from people like me that had results. And if you didn't, I would like to hear that too. Is this something I should quit? Or can i make it work? And again... Honest yet non judgmental feedback would be nice. I'm the most judgmental person in my life... I don't need 100 more. I can't be the only one who wants answers for this. Input??

reach4thestar

I am just like you....I love my wine....I haven't given up....you don't have to....but I limit it to at the most 4 days in a month and whether it fits into my calorie budget or not I still have it because it makes me happy.....:flowerforyou:

_Zardoz_

I don't drink but like anything else if you can fit them sensibly into your calorie goals I don't see the problem. I like popcorn so occasionally I'll have some within my goals. You like wine so I don't see any problem with you doing that.

In reality we're all adults and make are own decisions don't let people guilt trip you because you like a glass of wine on occasion. Just enjoy it. You'll not stick to any weight loss plan if you totally ban yourself from things you love.

alisonlynn1976

I have something like 1-4 drinks per week (or more if I'm on vacation) and I'm successfully losing weight. It's not necessary to completely give up alcohol. Cutting back some helps with keeping calories down and avoiding having to work out with a hangover, though.

I don't think it promotes a healthy relationship with food to label certain things as "bad." Eating food is not morally wrong. It's just a matter of working out calories in vs. calories out to get your body where you want it to be.

toofatnomore

I have managed to have decent success and still throw back a few. I used to LOVE thick and heavy beer. I would have a few a couple times a week. I have made the compromise to light (ugh) and now that I can palate it, I work it into my numbers. My diary shows what I consume...Having said that, I am not sure how different my results would be if I never touched any, but consumed the same calories in non-alcohol items. I think not much. FYI about 2 months into MFP and down about 20.
Look at my pic...Me judge??? lol

trollydollymolly

I enjoy a Barcardi & Coke and I have one whenever I fancy... I just ensure it is included in my diary and that I do not go over my calorie allowance. I have lost over 114bs without giving up the old drinky poos!!

We have to remember this isn't about being on a diet.. it's about changing our eating habits for the long term. Life is for living and I'm a great believer that nothing should be banned... just in moderation.

That's just my thinking anyway... others will probably disagree ... but it is a personal choice.

Sue

j3nnal3igh13

Thank you ladies. (and Sir! ) lol After reading my post again, I Obviously had "bad" critics before. And I know there's a "line", and I live on the other side of the line where I don't want to give up absolutely everything. I still have my life to live. 3 Boys under the age of 4 stress me out. :explode: :happy: Its true. Everything in moderation,And I usually count every calorie (depending how many glasses I've had that night. lol)

scruffykaz

I don't drink often now but I manage the alchohol into my calorie allowance. If I know I'll want to drink I'll do an extra session at the gym or save some calories up for it.

Also I swap sometimes so I have a vodka and diet coke which isn't that bad....

I do love a good glass of red wine though!

joshdann

alcohol can have detrimental effects on weight loss, but they're not to bad as to prevent anyone from enjoying an occasional glass of wine. It's better for you to not drink alcohol with meals or even within a few hours of meals (so your liver can focus on the food instead of the alcohol), but if you do it on an empty stomach and you log the calories... there isn't much harm. Not weight-loss-wise anyway. Just be sure you drink extra water on those days and you shouldn't have anything to worry about.

j3nnal3igh13

Red wine and only Red wine. MMM. But my other choice (if in a bar) is vodka and club soda. :drinker:

maca416

If you can drink in moderation & still drop the lbs then no problem just like I will still eat out & have a curry once a month. In my case I have found that if I start banning stuff from my diets I just get fed up & fail so I don't ban anything from my diet I just know what my limits are.

If, however, you find that because of your wine consumption you are not losing or putting on or cutting back food to accommodate the wine then I would be asking myself questions.

Enjoy your wine & enjoy your food.

j3nnal3igh13

This is what I do. No drinks with meals. Its in the evening when I have a Movie night with the hubby (I'd rather drink before I eat the typical movie snacks) or a girls night at the bar. I always end my night with as much water as I drank. Ex. 4 glasses of wine... 4 glasses of water. Does this help somewhat?

kat239

Hi I drink every weekend so few more than you. The difference now is I just log it it dose use up quite a few calories, but i am healthy eating now I love MFP.

j3nnal3igh13

Thank you everyone. With the input, I think I'll be ok. I allow myself the "treat" when I can, I drink just as much water to equal my intake that night, and I still workout when I'm Hungover.... Lets hope the LBS still come off. I was always told... QUIT everything you enjoy. Bad weight loss plan right there.

_Zardoz_

It's better for you to not drink alcohol with meals or even within a few hours of meals (so your liver can focus on the food instead of the alcohol),

I'd love to see your evidence of that because no offense that just sounds like Nonsense.

Zomoniac

I'm about 70lbs down, gone from unable to run a couple of years ago to doing a marathon this month, and I drink pretty much every night. So my answer is both.

Maaike84

I still have drinks regularly - and I have managed to go down from a BMI of 28 to a BMI of 23.5. But to be honest, it probably would have gone faster if I didn't drink - and I have cut back on drinking during the week. My problem is not having the drink itself though, it's then wanting to also eat all the foods because I had the drink

Kegsey55

I see what I am doing to lose weight as a lifestyle and not a diet. I'm not going to be happy to give up wine (and, in my case, gin) in the long term. So I fit them into my calories and enjoy. I have been known to go out for a walk (in the rain!) to earn enough for a G&T!

BlackStarlight

I enjoy a vodka and coke every now and again the trick is to just work it into the numbers.
You can have both :happy: xx

misschoppo

I very rarely drink unless there is a special occasion or something so I can go for months without any alcohol, I think that last time I had a drink was probably around my birthday which was in February! But I do love other things like COOKIES & FLAPJACKS or a huge chinese takeaway feast! Like others have said, if you like something and enjoy it, then just enjoy it a bit less frequently or up your exercise. If you fit your treats into your cal allowance great! But if you go over on your cals every now and then because you treated yourself, in the grand scheme of things a few days here and there of indulging is no big deal so long as those days don't start to outnumber your "good" days.

KinoM

I drink most weekends. Sometimes a little, sometimes a lot, sometimes not at all. As long as you track it & work it into your calories it's fine. But try to avoid eating during or after drinking, as it affects the way you metabolize food.

IronPhyllida

To be honest, a treat is always a good thing and would be hard cutting out the last element, ie booze. Personally I always said I'd never be able to give it up, but the more i've picked up on exercise, the less I've needed it... Also saying that that, I've started the 'Go Sober October' and day 4 so far and I've survived, although the weekend is near and that's my week time.... So I'll get back to you on Monday

kaned_ferret

I'm exactly the same as you, and yes I'm losing without giving up my wine :drinker: For me - until my car blew up last week and I've had to re-evaluate outgoing expenditures - I drink wine pretty much every night, between a glass and half a bottle. Just log it! If it fits, go for it.

kaned_ferret

I also have one or 2 days a month where I'll drink a bottle or two :laugh: Just an excuse to jumo on the treadmill and pick up those dumbells!

j3nnal3igh13

"Go Sober October".... HA! Sounds intriguing... but NO! Its my Birthday and Halloween month... That would NEVER be do-able (or I have No balls. LOL) A week or 7.5 days is long enough... :noway: :drinker:

simplybe13

I'm a wine lover as well and although I'm drinking much less, I still have wine at the weekend and put it in my food diary! I try not to go too crazy or then I start to eat lots as well (old habits die hard!!!). If I drink too much, I dont punish myself (another old habit), I just take the next day as a new day and get back on the treadmill as it were!! Good luck!!!

BerryH

Like others have said, so long as you stay under your net calories, no problem. One idea is to only drink out of your exercise calories - that way you get all the nutrition you need out of your food first rather than skipping something you shouldn't for a drink.

Check out my MFP tagline: "Will run for wine" :drinker:

kaned_ferret

Check out my MFP tagline: "Will run for wine" :drinker:

This is why I LOVE you Berry!

MrsSWW

I'm with Berry, don't drink 800 calories and only eat 400 calories! Then again, I can't remember the last time I only had 1200 cals :laugh:

As long as you're eating a nutritionally sound, balanced diet then go for it - my diary is open but please ignore the last two weeks as I've been on holiday... one thing I would say is that after a couple of drinks my resistance to snacking is minimal and that is why I reduced the amount I drink during the week (when I'm in work).

Patovader

I drank wine (a bottle) every Friday throughout , I also had beer on a Saturday. I was really good throughout the week and did enough exercise to ensure that my average for the week was only plus or minus 100 cals. I consistently lost around a pound per week doing this and never felt as though I was on a 'diet'. So to answer your question, why not both ;-)

:drinker:

meerkat70

The only thing to watch with alcohol really is that it's a bit moreish, and being sure that you stop when you reach the level you'd planned for. I do this by not having much alcohol in the house! I did give up entirely for a year, and to be honest, I did feel better for it. I now drink much more lightly than I used to, but am thinking about going clear for a bit again, once I get past my birthday and christmas. It helps with my running - I find I'm a bit more sluggish if I've had alcohol the previous day.

And I've *never* heard this business about not eating and drinking at the same time. I too would love to see the evidence!