Advice Please on Alcohol

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  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,932 Member
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    so if you don't eat all day and use your calorie allowance on alcohol what affect would this have?

    Nice straw man. That's a case of very bad macros
  • animatorswearbras
    animatorswearbras Posts: 1,001 Member
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    I usually have a couple on a Friday or Saturday night and still lose (as long as I don't hangover binge too badly the next day ;P) However I find it harder to fit in alcohol cals if I don't exercise too, to give myself some weekend leeway :)

    I also have vodka and diet coke (and have alot of coke so I can pace myself and drink less), clear spirits plus a sugar free mixer is usually best for cals at 55-70cals a shot depending on your source.

    I guess different strokes for different folks. :)
  • bbvsusan
    bbvsusan Posts: 41
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    I've had nice weight loss without alcohol. I've had a cold and don't want to mix it with medications.
    But that's not the point … I'm just one of those personalities … I don't want some wine, I want all the wine!. I can start with a reasonable glass but then I top it up … and again …
    I'm sure measuring would help.
    I'm feeling better today and don't plan on using as much medication as I have since Sunday. I'm not sure if I'll go buy wine today or abstain until I finish my 10 lb challenge. I'm pretty sure I'm not going to hold off entirely for the 13 week contest I'm in at work.
    But I should measure carefully.
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
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    so if you don't eat all day and use your calorie allowance on alcohol what affect would this have?

    You'll be drunk and hungry and probably in a crap mood.
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,932 Member
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    Read this by Lyle McDonald if you get a chance.

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/nutrition/nutrient-intake-nutrient-storage-and-nutrient-oxidation.html
    Alcohol
    And, finally, as noted above, there is absolutely no store of alcohol in the body. None whatsoever. Effectively, alcohol is seen as a sort of metabolic ‘toxin’ or ‘poison’ to the body. And this means that alcohol oxidation is 100% perfect, that is, the body will effectively do everything in its power to get rid of the alcohol increasing alcohol oxidation to maximum (which means decreasing the oxidation of other nutrients consumed with that alcohol) so that the alcohol can be gotten rid of.

    I’m going to ask readers not to read anything into the above paragraph, don’t infer or try to draw conclusions about how alcohol might or mightn’t fit into the diet in terms of anything. As it turns out, alcohol is an oddity among nutrients with seemingly contradictory effects on things. I’m going to address that in detail in a forthcoming article and, for now, just take the above as some much needed background information.

    I'm aware of this. I think though, were talking about a glass or two of wine or 1 or 2 beers on occasion. In the actual practical world of realism, in an otherwise healthy diet when the calories are adhered to, and macros are nailed, it won't matter.

    It would also be more intellectually honest to post the follow up and final conclusions. But this is MFP . . .
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
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    so if you don't eat all day and use your calorie allowance on alcohol what affect would this have?

    You'll be drunk and hungry and probably in a crap mood.


    Or maybe so drunk you don't realize you're hungry and thus in a great mood. Depends on your calorie allowance/alcohol tolerance really.
  • SarahJains
    SarahJains Posts: 35 Member
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    It's no different from other calories in that sense, but may affect your ability to choose healthy foods afterwards, and may exacerbate cravings for salty and fatty foods. But if that all fits into your calories for the week then go for it.


    I agree - had 1 "day off" on saturday and ate fatty food, chocolate, drank alcohol and it took me two days to actually "recover" and get back on track and choose healthy options for my meals.

    I just kept eating cos I couldn't shake off the hunger and cravings.

    i don't know why - maybe it had something to do with the one day off I gave myself after eating really well for over a week.

    x
  • Ophidion
    Ophidion Posts: 2,065 Member
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    It would also be more intellectually honest to post the follow up and final conclusions. But this is MFP . . .
    LMFAO...because it is so damn true!
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
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    It's no different from other calories in that sense, but may affect your ability to choose healthy foods afterwards, and may exacerbate cravings for salty and fatty foods. But if that all fits into your calories for the week then go for it.


    I agree - had 1 "day off" on saturday and ate fatty food, chocolate, drank alcohol and it took me two days to actually "recover" and get back on track and choose healthy options for my meals.

    I just kept eating cos I couldn't shake off the hunger and cravings.

    i don't know why - maybe it had something to do with the one day off I gave myself after eating really well for over a week.

    x

    I'd put my money on a low calorie goal combined with the mental toll of a restrictive diet where your arbitrarily label things healthy and unhealthy rather than "calorie dense" and "not calorie dense" or "nutrient dense" and "not nutrient dense" and that this lead to a binge.

    But. I'm just spitballing here. I get all sorts of weird idea when I don't sleep.

    Setting aside just one day out of the week or whatever time period where you're allowed chocolate and alcohol? It practically screams "set up for disaster."
  • caroline_mason42
    caroline_mason42 Posts: 83 Member
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    In answer to the 29 week question, I am off to a hotel holiday....now why is this different you may ask, well for the last three years i have done a villa holiday so I could hide round the private pool in my swimmers and all is well with the world, this year the little ones want to meet other children so it is 35 degree heat in a 250 room hotel with a public pool.....enough to strike fear into the hearts of everyone with almost 3 stone to loose :blushing:
  • TLwineguzzler
    TLwineguzzler Posts: 289 Member
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    I'm staying dry for January and I'm definitely finding the weight is coming off easier. Before I'd always be 1 or 2 lbs heavier on a Monday morning than I was on the previous Friday if I drank a two or three bottles of wine over the weekend. I've not had any gains at all this month, might just carry on through February!

    *sigh*
    Being over 1 or 2 lbs doesn't mean anything. Water retention. It's not actual weight. You did not gain 2 lbs over the weekend. Lol.

    Yeah, well it takes me all week to lose that 2lbs again hence I can go weeks without losing an ounce, I've now lost 4lbs in 2 weeks. As for water retention I drink on average 6 to 8 glasses of water a day, I can only do that because my office is next door to the toilet! :drinker:
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
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    Oh I am not opposed to people drinking....
    If you want to, go ahead....

    I am just giving info regarding how the body handles alcohol....
    To say the body treats alcohol the same as other macros.....is not true.....
    It does handle it differently.
    So I was just posting info for the OP to read and be informed about......

    Me personally I don't drink....but that is me.
    If you want to have wine, then have it.
    Just make sure you count it.
  • rondaj05
    rondaj05 Posts: 497 Member
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    I joined My Fitness Pal last June. My tracker is incorrect by the way, I am at goal since December after losing 21lbs. I wanted to lose weight but not drastically change my lifestyle as I needed to find a way to eat, drink and exercise in a way that I can sustain this for life. I lost weight while still drinking wine, etc. I exercised more if I wanted to have a drink while my 1200 cals a day were used on good, non processed food. I also do not eat more when I drink. I hope this helps but everyone is different

    ^This. If you remove "diet" from the equation and remember this is supposed to be a sustainable lifestyle then this makes sense.

    :drinker:
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,932 Member
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    Oh I am not opposed to people drinking....
    If you want to, go ahead....

    I am just giving info regarding how the body handles alcohol....
    To say the body treats alcohol the same as other macros.....is not true.....
    It does handle it differently.
    So I was just posting info for the OP to read and be informed about......

    Me personally I don't drink....but that is me.
    If you want to have wine, then have it.
    Just make sure you count it.

    You posted an article in which the author cautions not to draw conclusions until his follow up as evidence. Care to post the follow up?
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
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    I'm staying dry for January and I'm definitely finding the weight is coming off easier. Before I'd always be 1 or 2 lbs heavier on a Monday morning than I was on the previous Friday if I drank a two or three bottles of wine over the weekend. I've not had any gains at all this month, might just carry on through February!

    *sigh*
    Being over 1 or 2 lbs doesn't mean anything. Water retention. It's not actual weight. You did not gain 2 lbs over the weekend. Lol.

    Yeah, well it takes me all week to lose that 2lbs again hence I can go weeks without losing an ounce, I've now lost 4lbs in 2 weeks. As for water retention I drink on average 6 to 8 glasses of water a day, I can only do that because my office is next door to the toilet! :drinker:

    Wut? It takes me 3-4 weeks to lose 2 pounds and yet the fact remains that if I'm randomly up 2 pounds and didn't over eat/over drink that it's not fat gain. Because math and logic and science.
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
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    Oh I am not opposed to people drinking....
    If you want to, go ahead....

    I am just giving info regarding how the body handles alcohol....
    To say the body treats alcohol the same as other macros.....is not true.....
    It does handle it differently.
    So I was just posting info for the OP to read and be informed about......

    Me personally I don't drink....but that is me.
    If you want to have wine, then have it.
    Just make sure you count it.

    You posted an article in which the author cautions not to draw conclusions until his follow up as evidence. Care to post the follow up?

    I will have to look for it....
    But the basic premise of his point will not change how the body handles alcohol....

    Calm down brother....
    Again, I am not saying don't drink....
    I am just giving the OP information, so she can make an informed choice....
  • clareinkster39
    clareinkster39 Posts: 2 Member
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    My friend works for a drinks compnay and has quoted this to me before. I am doing Dryathlete to raise money for cancer research uk, which means I have no alcohol during January. I have lost 22lbs since just before Christmas - I have the same again to lose, but this is amazing for me. I had a very boozy December, due to my 40th birthday, so was drinking more than I should. However, starting back to exercise and no alcohol has made me feel a dam sight better, i want to exercise now, I am losing the weight, which motivates me no end. I used to include the alcohol in my calories, now and again is fine, but for most of us, it wouldn't work on a bigger scale.
  • clareinkster39
    clareinkster39 Posts: 2 Member
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    I like this idea - will exercise for wine!!
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
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    here is another good article regarding the calorie count per macro....

    So posting just for info, so I don't get my head taken off.....

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/nutrition/calories-nutrients-or-food.html
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,932 Member
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    Oh I am not opposed to people drinking....
    If you want to, go ahead....

    I am just giving info regarding how the body handles alcohol....
    To say the body treats alcohol the same as other macros.....is not true.....
    It does handle it differently.
    So I was just posting info for the OP to read and be informed about......

    Me personally I don't drink....but that is me.
    If you want to have wine, then have it.
    Just make sure you count it.

    You posted an article in which the author cautions not to draw conclusions until his follow up as evidence. Care to post the follow up?

    I will have to look for it....
    But the basic premise of his point will not change how the body handles alcohol....

    Calm down brother....
    Again, I am not saying don't drink....
    I am just giving the OP information, so she can make an informed choice....

    You posted half an article. That's not information. That is dishonesty.

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