Alcohol & weight loss

hmg90

So I just realized why I have NOT lost weight the way I thought I would when trying.
Alcohol and their serving sizes. I stick to either wine and restrict it or gin with diet tonic. A diet GT is listed at around 60 calories per serving according to the database. I don't use a big glass or anything but have realized upon further calculations that such a glass must have a very low amount of gin to qualify for 60 calories.

So I just see how much of an impact alcohol has had over the holidays, even though I have otherwise been healthy. Annoyed
The only way is actually to measure up wine or gin in a measurement jar and do the calculations.

How do other people handle having alcohol in social settings while still dieting? What's your 'go-to' solution?

atamrowski

This is a tough one. I am an avid wine drinker (not sure if it's a good thing or a bad thing). I'm starting a new program (WW) and even though I am allowed points to splurge on wine, I am not even going to bother. I can't just drink one glass of wine and that's it lol so why even bother? Just going to eliminate it altogether for now.

Social drinking is tough. I would say just to guesstimate but drink water in between each drink. Hope that helps.

Dugleik

Serving sizes, are the devil. I bought a delicious cake, that was a little high on the calories. Didn't notice before after I'd had a slice that the serving size was 20g (0.04lb).

Anyways: alcohol. I deal in one of three ways:
1. I save up calories and/or just call it a cheat day.
2. One drink, one glass of something zero calorie
3. Mixed drinks that are low calorie: http://www.glamour.com/health-fitness/2008/12/5-best-low-calorie-cocktails#slide=1

F00LofaT00K

So I just realized why I have NOT lost weight the way I thought I would when trying.
Alcohol and their serving sizes. I stick to either wine and restrict it or gin with diet tonic. A diet GT is listed at around 60 calories per serving according to the database. I don't use a big glass or anything but have realized upon further calculations that such a glass must have a very low amount of gin to qualify for 60 calories.

So I just see how much of an impact alcohol has had over the holidays, even though I have otherwise been healthy. Annoyed
The only way is actually to measure up wine or gin in a measurement jar and do the calculations.

How do other people handle having alcohol in social settings while still dieting? What's your 'go-to' solution?

I just think ahead.......... If I'm going to a party or out for drinks, I leave about 200 calories free and have one or two drinks. To continue losing weight, the only thing to do is to remain at a caloric deficit. If I want to drink more I either choose not to OR I go over my goal and feel disappointed in myself.

TheVimFuego

I drink red wine like a fish and never log exercise, I figure they'll cancel each other out.

Doubtless my fat loss progress would be better without it but my sanity would be shot.

Hey, I'm in super slim fit shirts, chin chin!

Cortelli

Like others I do my best to plan for it and deal with it. Also am drinking more liquor neat instead of tasty beers.

D_squareG

I weigh it on my food scale. All of it. I drink daily.

MsMacL

So I just realized why I have NOT lost weight the way I thought I would when trying.
Alcohol and their serving sizes. I stick to either wine and restrict it or gin with diet tonic. A diet GT is listed at around 60 calories per serving according to the database. I don't use a big glass or anything but have realized upon further calculations that such a glass must have a very low amount of gin to qualify for 60 calories.

So I just see how much of an impact alcohol has had over the holidays, even though I have otherwise been healthy. Annoyed
The only way is actually to measure up wine or gin in a measurement jar and do the calculations.

How do other people handle having alcohol in social settings while still dieting? What's your 'go-to' solution?

Two capfuls is an approx. measure.

MsMacL

When I was on MFP three years ago I lost 3 stone - that was from Jan 1st to mid May. I stayed off alcohol until about Easter time. I lost about 2 stone in the alcohol free period and just 1 stone in the remainder. That was just maybe half a bottle of wine one nite of the weekend - nothing much at all.

I have heard somewhere that any alcohol consumption retains 'fluids' and this means that weight loss is harder to achieve! I found that weekends when I drank - it effected my weight loss in the following week - weight loss was more straight forward in alcohol free weekends.

When I was young, I could lose weight and drink but not any more so I'm cutting right back. I could drink 8 USA shots - almost 600 calories!!!! Now, I look at the bottle of vodka and see it as 1000 calories and that makes me think before pouring.

janicelo1971

I measure it and drink daily...just try to stay within your calories allowed...but DO measure it!

I also gave up beer in april and switched to tequila(skinny girl magueritas-zero calories other then tequila) thinking less carbs would better for me..however I haven't seen a change in weight...not sure it makes any different what you drink..again just count the calories...

kiekie33

I use to have a glass or 2 (or 3 lol) of wine daily. At first I tried just 1 glass per day but when it comes to alcohol im pretty much all or nothing (bad habits from my college days) I decided to cut back to just one day per week, I just try to make room for it in my calories and it seems to be working pretty well for me.

SN: It was a nice bonus seeing those extra dollars I saved

Pandora_King

I drink Brut Champagne. At 450 calories a bottle and only 12g sugar, it works well for me.

truelove7

Exactly! After 3-4 glasses of wine my eating goes to ****.
(Edit to add this was in response to chriskellint...apparently I hit reply instead of quote!)

CharityGC

I'm lucky in that I don't want to snack or eat when I've been drinking. But I can easily drink a couple thousand calories in alcohol.

truelove7

But I can easily drink a couple thousand calories in alcohol.

This too. One drink for me is laughable.

Cortelli

I'm lucky in that I don't want to snack or eat when I've been drinking. But I can easily drink a couple thousand calories in alcohol.

Amen. (Though it might be hard for me to get to a couple thousand - I will easily go well over a thousand if I don't watch it, and that's just relaxing and enjoying some drinks - not even going on a bender!) Thank goodness I don't also get the hungries when I drink :drinker:

CharityGC

I'm lucky in that I don't want to snack or eat when I've been drinking. But I can easily drink a couple thousand calories in alcohol.

Amen. (Though it might be hard for me to get to a couple thousand - I will easily go well over a thousand if I don't watch it, and that's just relaxing and enjoying some drinks - not even going on a bender!) Thank goodness I don't also get the hungries when I drink :drinker:

I have friends who always want to hit up McDonald's or Jack in the Box on the way home from a night out. I never get anything. Generally, when it's time to go home, I just want to go to sleep. I only do a night out occasionally, and I can enjoy a glass of wine with dinner.

Scorpioangel

I used to drink things like Mike's Hard Lemonaid and frozen margaritas but changed it to straight shots when I started my new eating... I don't need many and lost the weight and stayed in my calorie goals

Brad592

This is one of the problems with calorie counting.
Alcohol is a drug and other chemical processes are happening when we drink it. For example, every 200ml of beer creates 300ml of urine.
Someone above hit the nail on the head - its what we eat when we are drinking that matters. The body deals with these calories in a different way when alcohol is in the system.
Do your own research and make your own opinion but it is not as simple as calories with alcoholic drinks.

alexchatwin

Alcohol is a drug and other chemical processes are happening when we drink it. For example, every 200ml of beer creates 300ml of urine.

This has just solved an issue I have with weight monitoring - I weigh myself daily and on days after a few glasses (/bottles) of wine, I reliably weigh 1kg less than the day before.. but it all goes back the day after.. I'm just more dehydrated!

MsMacL

Well, I know what a pub measure is, here in Scotland, as it has to be displayed and I have measures in my house.

tedrickp

This is one of the problems with calorie counting.
Alcohol is a drug and other chemical processes are happening when we drink it. For example, every 200ml of beer creates 300ml of urine.
Someone above hit the nail on the head - its what we eat when we are drinking that matters. The body deals with these calories in a different way when alcohol is in the system.
Do your own research and make your own opinion but it is not as simple as calories with alcoholic drinks.

Speaking of research, could you share yours by any chance? Especially the 200ml of beer creates 300ml of urine.

FrauMama

I drink almost daily (usually only wine, though, and NEVER a sweet mixed drink) and log it. On nights out, I will either not log or just add an additional 1000 calories, or more, depending.

Because:

Doubtless my fat loss progress would be better without it but my sanity would be shot.

That said, I'm relatively fit and lean; if I weren't maybe I'd rethink things... It IS possible, though, to lose weight/lean out and still drink some. Thank God.

Another approach would be to cut booze on the weekdays. I did that to initially lean out to fitness model years ago and it worked well. Now, with kids, though, a glass of wine a night (at least) is a near requirement.

Man, I sound like a lush.