Beer and weight loss

ladynocturne

As long as you meet your weekly calorie goal, you will lose weight. What you eat or drink does not matter. It can make a difference in how you feel though.

Not true, alcohol is not a normal calorie:

Alcohol is also metabolized differently from other substances, and it affects the way your body handles carbohydrates and fat. When alcohol is present, your body starts to process it right away instead of focusing on the things it would normally work to break down, like sugars and dietary fat. Those get converted into body fat instead.

Read more: http://www.ehow.com/way_5651804_alcohol-weight-loss.html#ixzz2thJEXgGW


I would seriously consider cutting the drinking down to one night per week if you are incapable of socializing with out drinking.

It looks like she is only going out once a week. While I agree that most of your information is true (sorry but food/calories in your stomach do not instantly get stored as fat as soon as you drink alcohol.), she isn't in a body building competition where this is actually going to affect her very reasonable weight loss goal. =\

I don't think you understand that people need a social life and if they enjoy beer, telling them to "reduce or completely cut it out" instead of telling them to fit it into their calories will eventually lead to them quitting and giving up on a healthier lifestyle because they are losing their minds.

cwolfman13

When I was losing I had to cut back on the beer quite a bit...I like big, full bodied craft beers that are generally in the neighborhood of a couple hundred calories per 12 Oz. My intake of vodka diet tonics increased substantially though.

richardheath

I had half a pint of Bud last night and I feel utterly ashamed of myself. But it was the only way I could get my beer fix.

You should feel ashamed of yourself! Next time, drink a GOOD beer and all will be well!

@ OP: First, love your avatar!

Second, yes, it can definitely be done. I cut back when I lost weight (40 lb) and have maintained now for a year and a half while still drinking. It is important to remember that this is about the long term. If you don't want to give up beer totally, then you'll eventually have to figure out how to work it into an overall healthy lifestyle. Might as well start now.

And third... Guinness in Dublin! I'm so jelly!

WestCoastJo82

I cut down how much I was drinking when I was losing because those were easy calories for me to cut, but I still drank some every week (7ish over the course of the week) and lost no problem. Please don't swap Guinness for Coors Light, that's just bad advice. If you're going to drink calories, they may as well be the best ones you can get (a lovely craft IPA, in my case).

chezjuan

And to the poster who is suggesting Coors Light over Guinness (especially in Dublin)…..nope. No comparison. :drinker:

I actually think that kind of a suggestion is "fightin' words" in Dublin!

OP: I drink regularly. I did cut down a bit while I was losing weight, but I still would have a drink (beer/wine/scotch and soda) almost every day. Now that I am on maintenance, I have generally have 2 on an average weeknight, but I make sure that it fits into my calorie goals and that I have hit my macro goals as well.

lh1626

Just plan your week for it. You can always think of it this way.....take away the number of calories every day that would equal to the number of beers you want to have. You can always work out and earn calories as well. There is a way to balance it. I am a beer drinker....my specific preference is Summer Shandy when it is available. Those are amazing but have quite a few calories. They go down so well in the summer!! :drinker:

I was able to slowly lose and still drink several days a week....I had to workout and plan my week.

Lesa_Sass

As long as you meet your weekly calorie goal, you will lose weight. What you eat or drink does not matter. It can make a difference in how you feel though.

Not true, alcohol is not a normal calorie:

Alcohol is also metabolized differently from other substances, and it affects the way your body handles carbohydrates and fat. When alcohol is present, your body starts to process it right away instead of focusing on the things it would normally work to break down, like sugars and dietary fat. Those get converted into body fat instead.

Read more: http://www.ehow.com/way_5651804_alcohol-weight-loss.html#ixzz2thJEXgGW


I would seriously consider cutting the drinking down to one night per week if you are incapable of socializing with out drinking.

It looks like she is only going out once a week. While I agree that most of your information is true (sorry but food/calories in your stomach do not instantly get stored as fat as soon as you drink alcohol.), she isn't in a body building competition where this is actually going to affect her very reasonable weight loss goal. =\

I don't think you understand that people need a social life and if they enjoy beer, telling them to "reduce or completely cut it out" instead of telling them to fit it into their calories will eventually lead to them quitting and giving up on a healthier lifestyle because they are losing their minds.

The calories getting stored is not my opinion, it is a scientific fact. She stated two or three pints a couple of times a week.

Alcohol is a different monster than food. We do not need alcohol to survive. If some one has an issue with cutting down alcohol to make their selves healthier, then they have a bigger problem than losing weight.

All things in moderation, right? 3 pints of Guinness is not moderation whether you like it or believe it. When we start depriving our bodies of nutrition to fit alcohol into our diet, well that is just sad.

Cortelli

- Consume less caloric beverages: Coors Light is one of the lowest kcal available.

Dear God, no. No, no, no. Especially not for someone in Dublin of all places. A pint of Guiness is only 166 or so cals. A pint of coors light would be 135 cals. And the difference in taste for an extra 30 calories? Dear God, just no.

cpcoursec

Try to do some form of exercise on the days that you know that you're going to drink. Drink plenty of water before drinking and the following day.

Just wanted to add I did laugh.....Coors Light in Ireland....right.

Autk79

Might be a lil off topic but for the ones who say keep it in your calorie def? So lets just say I go out and drink 600 calories (3 beers, 3 shots, ect.), and Im on a 1200 calorie diet. So I should go out drinking after only eating 600 calories. Im pretty sure Id be a sloppy drunk lol. Im not saying this is me, I just dont really see how its possible to keep it in your calorie count unless your only having one? I have learned I cannot lose weight and drink unless its one or two drinks a week.

WestCoastJo82

Might be a lil off topic but for the ones who say keep it in your calorie def? So lets just say I go out and drink 600 calories (3 beers, 3 shots, ect.), and Im on a 1200 calorie diet. So I should go out drinking after only eating 600 calories. Im pretty sure Id be a sloppy drunk lol. Im not saying this is me, I just dont really see how its possible to keep it in your calorie count unless your only having one? I have learned I cannot lose weight and drink unless its one or two drinks a week.

You can fit in your 600 cals of alcohol on a 1200 cal diet by eating 1100 six days. If you are eating that little, you'd probably be better off thinking in terms of calorie goal for the week if you want to splurge on 600 cals of alcohol. Or just drink to TDEE that day and have a smaller loss for the week. Or have an epic workout that burns 600 before you drink them. There's lots of ways to fit it in if it's something that's important to you.

Autk79

You can fit in your 600 cals of alcohol on a 1200 cal diet by eating 1100 six days. If you are eating that little, you'd probably be better off thinking in terms of calorie goal for the week if you want to splurge on 600 cals of alcohol. Or just drink to TDEE that day and have a smaller loss for the week. Or have an epic workout that burns 600 before you drink them. There's lots of ways to fit it in if it's something that's important to you.
[/quote]

Thank you. I can try it. It just seemed like before no matter what I did I gained and if I stopped drinking I would lose. But I didnt keep up with my calories as much before.

KapuaK

I love Sierra Nevada...not as heavy as Guiness for sure but in order to drink that I have to consume less calories or burn more calories somewhere. So you have to find that balance. If you want to drink up then workout more Hey dancing is a great calorie burner...just sayin'.

sjaplo

As long as you meet your weekly calorie goal, you will lose weight. What you eat or drink does not matter. It can make a difference in how you feel though.

Not true, alcohol is not a normal calorie:

Alcohol is also metabolized differently from other substances, and it affects the way your body handles carbohydrates and fat. When alcohol is present, your body starts to process it right away instead of focusing on the things it would normally work to break down, like sugars and dietary fat. Those get converted into body fat instead.

Read more: http://www.ehow.com/way_5651804_alcohol-weight-loss.html#ixzz2thJEXgGW


I would seriously consider cutting the drinking down to one night per week if you are incapable of socializing with out drinking.

It looks like she is only going out once a week. While I agree that most of your information is true (sorry but food/calories in your stomach do not instantly get stored as fat as soon as you drink alcohol.), she isn't in a body building competition where this is actually going to affect her very reasonable weight loss goal. =\

I don't think you understand that people need a social life and if they enjoy beer, telling them to "reduce or completely cut it out" instead of telling them to fit it into their calories will eventually lead to them quitting and giving up on a healthier lifestyle because they are losing their minds.

The calories getting stored is not my opinion, it is a scientific fact. She stated two or three pints a couple of times a week.

Alcohol is a different monster than food. We do not need alcohol to survive. If some one has an issue with cutting down alcohol to make their selves healthier, then they have a bigger problem than losing weight.

All things in moderation, right? 3 pints of Guinness is not moderation whether you like it or believe it. When we start depriving our bodies of nutrition to fit alcohol into our diet, well that is just sad.

I hate to disabuse you of a notion you obviously hold dear, but there is no such thing as "scientific fact" only scientific opinion based on research data. And who says beer isn't nutrition? Below are the nutrients in a typical beer. (I can play the internet research game too.....)

Water: 327.38 grams
•Calories: 153
•Protein: 1.64 grams
•Carbohydrates: 12.64 grams
•Fiber: 0 grams
•Total Fat: 0 grams
•Saturated Fat: 0 grams

Micronutrients:
•Calcium: 14 milligrams
•Iron: 0.07 milligrams
•Magnesium: 21 milligrams
•Phosphorus: 50 milligrams
•Potassium: 96 milligrams
•Sodium: 14 milligrams
•Zinc: 0.04 milligrams
•Vitamin C: 0 milligrams
•Thiamine: 0.018 milligrams
•Riboflavin: 0.089 milligrams
•Niacin: 1.826 milligrams
•Pantothenic Acid: 0.146 milligrams
•Vitamin B6: 0.164 milligrams
•Vitamin B12: 0 micrograms
•Folate: 21 micrograms
•Vitamin A: 0 International Units
•Vitamin E: 0 milligrams
•Vitamin K: 0 micrograms

If I'm not mistaken - Guinness in Ireland is actually only 4.2% alcohol and about 200 cal per 20oz pint w/ about 14g of carbs.

You choose to eat what you like to round out your calorie intake - I'll choose what I like.

eimaj5575

Yes absolutley you can lose weight drinking beer. I lost weight drinking beer, eating french fries, and mostly anything I wanted. I just learned how to have those things the right way. You dont have it all in the same day. If I was drinking that night I had the most amount of food for the least amount of calories as possible and tried to workout also. Alot of times I would eat subway veggie subs. Very filling and not alot of calories. Then I worked out to get extra calories and drank a few beers as I wanted at night. You dont do it everyday but you can lose weight and have anything you want. Its a lifestyle change so if beer drinking is in your lifestyle you learn to incorporate it in. Trust me I said I would never give up beer or french fries, and I havent! Hit my goal weight and some. I have lived this new lifestyle for about 3 years now. Good luck! And drink up

littleburgy

Hell yes I lost over 10 kilos/20 pounds, and I love beer. I saved it for the weekends or special occasion. Tastes even better when you worked hard for it all week.

bwogilvie

I often have a cocktail after work, and usually a glass of wine with dinner. I've lost over 50 lb. Just figure your drinks calories into your daily total. According to Guinness's website (http://www.guinness.com/en-ie/food-calorie-guide.html), Guinness draught is 35.2 calories/100ml, or 200.03 per Imperial pint.

Eating food with or before drinking slows down alcohol absorption.

tedrickp

All things in moderation, right? 3 pints of Guinness is not moderation whether you like it or believe it. When we start depriving our bodies of nutrition to fit alcohol into our diet, well that is just sad.

Says who?

And why would someone have to deprive themselves of nutrition?

Hit your macros, hit your micros ...drink some ****ing beer.

...Even GASP 3 pints...at a time!!!

livingminimal_dotcom

I'm a big craft beer fan with a pretty extensive cellar and am active in the local scene etc. I typically drink 4-5 22oz bombers per week on any given week. The key is just to simply count the calories and add them in to the daily total. "Craft Beer" is actually in the diary and at 12oz = 154 calories, I think it's probably pretty accurate.
I did recently make a new rule for myself though, as a cyclist, if I want to have a beer, any beer, I need to "earn" the calories with a nighttime trainer session in my garage.
15 minutes = 1 x 12oz beer
30 minutes = 2 x 12 oz beer or a 22oz.

etc etc. This is separate from my regular morning rides, which just go to my food calories, but I usually need to eat them all. The trainer program is a great way for me to get some extra time in the saddle in and burn a few more calories to then spend on beer.
Good luck!

BusyRaeNOTBusty

Yes you can drink beer and lose weight. Just include it in your calories.