alcohol and weight loss. grr.

yvette303

Alcorexia! Saving the calories from food so that you can drink more :drinker:

not funny

Who's laughing?

http://www.bodyconfidential.co.uk/Health/The-Bottle-Of-Wine-A-Night-Diet

crispy420

Alcorexia! Saving the calories from food so that you can drink more :drinker:

not funny

Who's laughing?

http://www.bodyconfidential.co.uk/Health/The-Bottle-Of-Wine-A-Night-Diet

this!^
Super low amounts of refined carbs and grains, moderate meat and very high veg/fruit consumption is way up my alley. Muchos gracias for the article. That being said, I'm not going to drink a bottle of wine a night. lol

firstsip

If you're losing inches--take it. That's a sign of progress, even if the scale is not moving downward. You might end up dropping weight in a week or two... afterall, it's only been 20 days.

Otherwise, your "on and off" logging is more likely a hindrance than purely alcohol.

firstsip

Thanks, everyone! I kinda knew alcohol on the reg and weight loss is not conducive, I guess i just needed to hear it from experienced weight-losers. If I'm drinking, I usually don't eat. I am definitely a drunkmuncher, so abstaining from food is a top priority if I'm drinking. At worst, I just bash of veg and salsa. The once a week idea is probably my best bet and that way, I don't feel deprived. And yeahhh, probably should up my exercise. meh. Wish this whole not being a chunk thing was easier. Anyway, thanks again!

As an aside, I drank ~regularly~ (craft beer and occasional wine; rare spirits, if only because I like beer the best). I'm saying anywhere from 1-4 or 5 pints a week. That could be one a night, or it could be two or three on one. I budget my calories, work out, etc. I've had no issues from alcohol with weight.

mammamaurer

I am 22 and when my friends get together, most of the time we drink and its a couple times a week. I've been logging (on and off) for about 20 days and exercising regularly and have noticed I've dropped an inch or two here and there. Most of the time when I drink, I ration my calories out so i can get a good buzz, but I don't go over my calorie limit. Also, I drink mostly wine now, hardly ever beer which was my norm. I have hardly lost any weight, but like I said, I've lost some girth. Is it the alcohol that's hindering my weight loss or is it just my building muscle that's making it seem like I'm not losing? Thanks for the input!

excesive cal intake will cause weight gain. it dose not matter from what if its an excess you gain. also its only been 20 days, so no your not going to see huge amounts of loss

tonedthighsbubblebutt

If you want to feel part of the crowd without drinking alcohol, you could order seltzer with lime. If you add a splash of fruit juice it will look like a cocktail without the extra calories. I don't drink often so I will generally order something like that to sip on.

WendyTerry420

Yup. Alcohol is *extremely* helpful, and it's *unthinkable* to give it up.

Fixed. :drinker:

Helpful?

I'd rather heal my brain cells instead of kill them. :smokin:

Well you certainly aren't helping them with smoking.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0197018613002106

Cortelli

Alcohol is fine if it fits your plan. I drink regularly. I did change my habits to make losing easier, and I will have to watch myself very carefully when I switch to maintenance mode. But I enjoy drinking socially; I enjoy a drink in the evening before bed; and I enjoy the occasional bender. I just have to be vigilant about managing my calories, or recognizing that I am going to pay a price for drinking too many calories.

uconnwinsnc

I am 22 and when my friends get together, most of the time we drink and its a couple times a week. I've been logging (on and off) for about 20 days and exercising regularly and have noticed I've dropped an inch or two here and there. Most of the time when I drink, I ration my calories out so i can get a good buzz, but I don't go over my calorie limit. Also, I drink mostly wine now, hardly ever beer which was my norm. I have hardly lost any weight, but like I said, I've lost some girth. Is it the alcohol that's hindering my weight loss or is it just my building muscle that's making it seem like I'm not losing? Thanks for the input!

Drink less often.

uconnwinsnc

Alcohol is fine if it fits your plan. I drink regularly. I did change my habits to make losing easier, and I will have to watch myself very carefully when I switch to maintenance mode. But I enjoy drinking socially; I enjoy a drink in the evening before bed; and I enjoy the occasional bender. I just have to be vigilant about managing my calories, or recognizing that I am going to pay a price for drinking too many calories.

Alcohol hinders cell growth, muscle recovery, and fatigue recovery. Protein cannot be metabolized correctly when you drink. Alcohol lowers testosterone levels. It lowers cognitive awareness due to a disrupted sleep pattern. It is pretty much impossible for your body to recover from legitimate workouts if you are drinking after them. Go ahead and try. Do a big workout, get drunk, and then see how you feel the next day. Sure, you might have stayed in your calorie limit, but your body is hurting after a night of drinking.

If your goal is to just lose weight, go ahead and drink. But if your goal is to be stronger/faster/healthier than everyone else, you need to limit the drinking to rare occasions when you aren't training.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/drobson11.htm

bella24xo

I have the same issue...I really realllyyyyy like beer and its so hard for me to give it up it def does put a set back on you losing weight though...im trying currently to only drink once a week and on that day work out a lil longer

Hornsby

Yup. Alcohol is *extremely* helpful, and it's *unthinkable* to give it up.

Fixed. :drinker:

Helpful?

I'd rather heal my brain cells instead of kill them. :smokin:

Well you certainly aren't helping them with smoking.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0197018613002106

I love you.....no really.....I do.

0somuchbetter0

Smoke pot. Zero calories. Unless you get the munchies. :smokin:

haha...

But seriously, I cut way back on my drinking, it was the only way. Now when I drink (maybe once every two weeks or so), I go ahead an enjoy 3, 4 glasses of wine and don't worry about the calories because it's a rare thing now. Another plus...now that I drink less often, my tolerance is lower, so I drink less than before. Seriously, just cut down. It's the only way.

uconnwinsnc

Smoke pot. Zero calories. Unless you get the munchies. :smokin:

haha...

But seriously, I cut way back on my drinking, it was the only way. Now when I drink (maybe once every two weeks or so), I go ahead an enjoy 3, 4 glasses of wine and don't worry about the calories because it's a rare thing now. Another plus...now that I drink less often, my tolerance is lower, so I drink less than before. Seriously, just cut down. It's the only way.

Pot destroys people's drive to be the best they can be. I've seen it first hand over and over again, many people who start smoking pot just start to half-*kitten* everything in life.

0somuchbetter0

Smoke pot. Zero calories. Unless you get the munchies. :smokin:

haha...

But seriously, I cut way back on my drinking, it was the only way. Now when I drink (maybe once every two weeks or so), I go ahead an enjoy 3, 4 glasses of wine and don't worry about the calories because it's a rare thing now. Another plus...now that I drink less often, my tolerance is lower, so I drink less than before. Seriously, just cut down. It's the only way.

Pot destroys people's drive to be the best they can be. I've seen it first hand over and over again, many people who start smoking pot just start to half-*kitten* everything in life.

I said "haha."That means I was joking. buzzkill much?

uconnwinsnc

Smoke pot. Zero calories. Unless you get the munchies. :smokin:

haha...

But seriously, I cut way back on my drinking, it was the only way. Now when I drink (maybe once every two weeks or so), I go ahead an enjoy 3, 4 glasses of wine and don't worry about the calories because it's a rare thing now. Another plus...now that I drink less often, my tolerance is lower, so I drink less than before. Seriously, just cut down. It's the only way.

Pot destroys people's drive to be the best they can be. I've seen it first hand over and over again, many people who start smoking pot just start to half-*kitten* everything in life.

I said "haha."That means I was joking. buzzkill much?

Sorry, I just cut some dead weight friends out of my life because they kept on telling me to relax and smoke some weed and that it is "completely harmless dude." It is a complete motivation killer.

0somuchbetter0

Smoke pot. Zero calories. Unless you get the munchies. :smokin:

haha...

But seriously, I cut way back on my drinking, it was the only way. Now when I drink (maybe once every two weeks or so), I go ahead an enjoy 3, 4 glasses of wine and don't worry about the calories because it's a rare thing now. Another plus...now that I drink less often, my tolerance is lower, so I drink less than before. Seriously, just cut down. It's the only way.

Pot destroys people's drive to be the best they can be. I've seen it first hand over and over again, many people who start smoking pot just start to half-*kitten* everything in life.

I said "haha."That means I was joking. buzzkill much?

Sorry, I just cut some dead weight friends out of my life because they kept on telling me to relax and smoke some weed and that it is "completely harmless dude." It is a complete motivation killer.

Well I'm not one of your dead weight friends. I quit smoking pot around 1986. Relax.

Cortelli

Alcohol is fine if it fits your plan. I drink regularly. I did change my habits to make losing easier, and I will have to watch myself very carefully when I switch to maintenance mode. But I enjoy drinking socially; I enjoy a drink in the evening before bed; and I enjoy the occasional bender. I just have to be vigilant about managing my calories, or recognizing that I am going to pay a price for drinking too many calories.

Alcohol hinders cell growth, muscle recovery, and fatigue recovery. Protein cannot be metabolized correctly when you drink. Alcohol lowers testosterone levels. It lowers cognitive awareness due to a disrupted sleep pattern. It is pretty much impossible for your body to recover from legitimate workouts if you are drinking after them. Go ahead and try. Do a big workout, get drunk, and then see how you feel the next day. Sure, you might have stayed in your calorie limit, but your body is hurting after a night of drinking.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/drobson11.htm

Luckily, sir, I am blessed with relatively few negative effects from drinking, though I admit I tend not to go hard in the gym and then hit the sauce right after -- it is awkward and tough to look cool with a bottle of tequila in the men's locker room or the gym breakroom. My body is not hurting all that bad after a night of drinking; it is however dehydrated if I have not consumed enough water. I am doing fine as I am. Am I doing as well as I might be if I cut out drinking entirely? No, probably not. But drinking has not prevented me from working out or meeting my goals - it is certainly not "impossible" for one's body to "recover from legitimate workouts" if one is drinking after them.

If your goal is to just lose weight, go ahead and drink. But if your goal is to be stronger/faster/healthier than everyone else, you need to limit the drinking to rare occasions when you aren't training.

Well, given this thread is titled "alcohol and weight gain. grr." and the OP was questioning whether or not her weight loss efforts required abstinence, I choose to respond to that concern. If you'd like to start a thread titled "can I become stronger / faster / healthier than everyone else and still get my sauce on?" I will gladly acknowledge that absent any sort of genetic freakiness (read: awesomeness), the answer is "no."

Hornsby

Smoke pot. Zero calories. Unless you get the munchies. :smokin:

haha...

But seriously, I cut way back on my drinking, it was the only way. Now when I drink (maybe once every two weeks or so), I go ahead an enjoy 3, 4 glasses of wine and don't worry about the calories because it's a rare thing now. Another plus...now that I drink less often, my tolerance is lower, so I drink less than before. Seriously, just cut down. It's the only way.

Pot destroys people's drive to be the best they can be. I've seen it first hand over and over again, many people who start smoking pot just start to half-*kitten* everything in life.

I said "haha."That means I was joking. buzzkill much?

Sorry, I just cut some dead weight friends out of my life because they kept on telling me to relax and smoke some weed and that it is "completely harmless dude." It is a complete motivation killer.

Sucks for those guys.

ldrosophila

probably, but damn youre 22 having fun, making memories. Make sure youre drinking socially only and try the harder stuff vodka, tequila with diet soda.