Drinking and fitness

24

Replies

  • husseycd
    husseycd Posts: 814 Member
    I love how a person with over 100 lbs to lose can get preachy about drinking alcohol to have fun. :huh:

    If you find yourself out on a Friday night and going a little overboard, it can definitely derail you. However, I would like to add I do this regularly (going to a Mardi Gras parade this weekend. I'll definitely be drinking), and maintain my weight just fine. I'm 5'5.5" and 130 lb, btw. Is it the healthiest thing? No, of course not. And when I cut, I really have to watch those nights. Whenever I add up the calories, they tend to be about 500-700 over my maintenence amount. A couple nights of those a week and one can see how that would easily counteract any deficits.

    Anyway, OP, add a couple of those nights up (even if you have to guess). That will tell you where you need to go. BTW, when I am cutting and want to go out with friends and drink, I just stick to vodka and soda. No yummy, mixologist drinks or crafts beers unfortunately. And to be honest, when I'm maintaining I have to watch those too or I'll slowly gain. They're just so high in calories.

    Cheers! :drinker:
  • kbmnurse
    kbmnurse Posts: 2,484 Member
    Casual drinking---usually one night on the weekend. I drink 5-6 Coors lights -love the buzz. Will not give up!
  • Urban_Princess
    Urban_Princess Posts: 219 Member
    alcohol also deteriorates your lean muscle mass.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Additionally, your body turns that liquid sugar into fat immediately.
    This ^^ is utter nonsense.
    It's also expensive! Finally, I would rather save my calories for cheese burgers than beer. I don't know why people prefer boozes over yummy food.
    It can be expensive, and while I find it odd that some people would rather have ice cream than wine, I certainly know why. Personal preference.
  • roniredd
    roniredd Posts: 48
    It's hard! I go period where I drink something every night and then sometimes only on w/ends. I work towards adding them into my daily calorie allowance (which can be hard when you only get 1200 to begin with!). On the good side, I have noticed that as I have lost weight, I can't drink as much without getting tipsy! So, less has become more!
  • eric_sg61
    eric_sg61 Posts: 2,925 Member
    I do not drink alcohol because I have alcoholism on both sides of my family and want to help my nieces and nephews choose not to drink. Additionally, your body turns that liquid sugar into fat immediately. It's also expensive! Finally, I would rather save my calories for cheese burgers than beer. I don't know why people prefer boozes over yummy food.
    ummmm no, the body has no storage mechanism to store alcohol as fat.
  • SoreTodayStrongTomorrow222
    SoreTodayStrongTomorrow222 Posts: 252 Member
    I think its very said that I actually miss getting wine drunk with my friends.... but i do... I miss wine... excessive amounts of wine :-( I have a glass every now and then but it really just isn't the same.
  • laurie04427
    laurie04427 Posts: 421 Member
    I have noticed that as I have lost weight, I can't drink as much without getting tipsy! So, less has become more!
    I was just updating my profile and trying to think of something to put in the "why do you want to lose weight" section. There we go hehe.
  • Legs_McGee
    Legs_McGee Posts: 845 Member
    I've gone running drunk - it's not that bad.

    I don't track my calories anymore, but when I did - I just made room for the booze ones. I only drink a few times a month though.
  • MsMaryMac48
    MsMaryMac48 Posts: 89 Member
    It's not just the alcohol calories that are the problem. As alcohol lowers your inhibitions, you also eat more as you drink, and tend to make poorer food choices. The less you drink and less often you drink, the more efficient your weight loss will be.

    100% Agree!! Hubby and I enjoy going out to our favorite brewery/restaurant and having a beer with our dinner. BUT, I have a rule, it's called the Law of ONE. If I stop at one then I have maintained control as opposed to giving control over to other forces, in this case the alcohol. It DEFINITELY lowers your inhibitions and causes you to want to eat more...more unhealthy foods. This and the alcohol slowing your metabolism make for a bad combination. I still partake of a hand crafted brew every now and then but never more than one a week and I always include it in my calorie count and I only allow myself to indulge if I have already completed my workout for the day. I only drink beer on draft so that helps.
  • Teamdhb120
    Teamdhb120 Posts: 25 Member
    I had to cut my drinking way back. I would drink white wine almost daily. I've only had a few drinks this month and will just drink wine occasionally from now on. I have no plans to stop completely. I love wine and will find a way to include it in my calorie allowance. I'm also increasing my exercise to five days a week.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    It's not just the alcohol calories that are the problem. As alcohol lowers your inhibitions, you also eat more as you drink, and tend to make poorer food choices. The less you drink and less often you drink, the more efficient your weight loss will be.

    Not everyone eats more or makes poorer food choices when they drink.
  • jnb143
    jnb143 Posts: 62 Member
    I've lost 15 pounds this past month. The main thing I did was to stop drinking during the week and limit myself to weekends. Occasionally, I will have a beer if I go somewhere with a friend, but even on the weekends, I tend to only drink one day during the weekend, if I'm out. I also try not to drink a 12 pack of beer in a few hours, which it's sad to say, I have been guilty of doing so. You can still lose weight while being a social drinker. Just do it in moderation!
  • rockmama72
    rockmama72 Posts: 815 Member
    When I first started tracking on MFP, I was just trying to see where I was with eating. To my surprise, my food calories (and this was normal eating) never passed what maintenance would be for my ideal weight. But my booze calories consistently put me way over. I got chubby from alcohol! This infuriated me.

    I've cut back a LOT, but not cut it out. I feel it's cruel to expect a girl to have dinner without wine :)
  • sjaplo
    sjaplo Posts: 974 Member
    When I first started tracking on MFP, I was just trying to see where I was with eating. To my surprise, my food calories (and this was normal eating) never passed what maintenance would be for my ideal weight. But my booze calories consistently put me way over. I got chubby from alcohol! This infuriated me.

    I've cut back a LOT, but not cut it out. I feel it's cruel to expect a girl to have dinner without wine :)

    um no - you got chubby from taking in more calories than your body used. Whether it was solid food or liquid food is irrelevant.........
  • rockmama72
    rockmama72 Posts: 815 Member
    When I first started tracking on MFP, I was just trying to see where I was with eating. To my surprise, my food calories (and this was normal eating) never passed what maintenance would be for my ideal weight. But my booze calories consistently put me way over. I got chubby from alcohol! This infuriated me.

    I've cut back a LOT, but not cut it out. I feel it's cruel to expect a girl to have dinner without wine :)

    um no - you got chubby from taking in more calories than your body used. Whether it was solid food or liquid food is irrelevant.........

    Wow, what a dumb thing to argue about. (As if I haven't been around long enough to know that excess calories cause weight gain.) As I said, my booze calories put me over all the time, and the point I was making was that if I hadn't been drinking so much, I would not have put on weight because my food intake is good. Meaning I don't overeat, I overdrink. And yes, it was way too much, which is why I have cut back.

    Would it make you feel better if I change that one sentence? How about this: "I drank so much that it put me over on calories every day and I gained weight." Does this help, dear?
  • luciana131
    luciana131 Posts: 1
    i love wine.
    like seriously. love. wine.
    i work out so that i can have wine.

    i have also contemplated quitting drinking so that i can reach my goal weight, because as rockmama72 mentioned, my eating habits are pretty darn healthy. my drinking habits on the other hand... not so much. but it the end, i love wine. there are few things i enjoy more than having a glass while i make dinner or as i read after the kids have gone to bed. i also wish that i could say that i completely budgeted for those calories all the time, but i don't always. i am trying though.
  • sjaplo
    sjaplo Posts: 974 Member
    When I first started tracking on MFP, I was just trying to see where I was with eating. To my surprise, my food calories (and this was normal eating) never passed what maintenance would be for my ideal weight. But my booze calories consistently put me way over. I got chubby from alcohol! This infuriated me.

    I've cut back a LOT, but not cut it out. I feel it's cruel to expect a girl to have dinner without wine :)

    um no - you got chubby from taking in more calories than your body used. Whether it was solid food or liquid food is irrelevant.........

    Wow, what a dumb thing to argue about. (As if I haven't been around long enough to know that excess calories cause weight gain.) As I said, my booze calories put me over all the time, and the point I was making was that if I hadn't been drinking so much, I would not have put on weight because my food intake is good. Meaning I don't overeat, I overdrink. And yes, it was way too much, which is why I have cut back.

    Would it make you feel better if I change that one sentence? How about this: "I drank so much that it put me over on calories every day and I gained weight." Does this help, dear?

    ooooh aren't we touchy. Perhaps a drink to calm? Q.t.i.p.
  • rockmama72
    rockmama72 Posts: 815 Member
    LOL! ^^^

    Says the dude who quoted me with an obnoxious, "Um, no."
  • Beet_Girl
    Beet_Girl Posts: 102
    My tip: give up alcohol for a while so your tolerance goes down. Then drink on an empty stomach. Pretty easy to get wasted on not too many calories that way.
  • _MG_
    _MG_ Posts: 453 Member
    I dink some bourbon neat every now and then. Only costs 104 calories.
  • bwogilvie
    bwogilvie Posts: 2,130 Member
    Like most of my French and Italian friends, I have a glass of wine with dinner fairly regularly, sometimes two, and often a cocktail after work. I did that when slowly gaining weight, and I've done that while losing weight over the last 14 months. I figure the calories into my daily meal plan.

    If you want to keep drinking in moderation (more or less), check out the Hash House Harriers, sometimes described as "a drinking club with a running problem": http://gthhh.com/
  • linzkane
    linzkane Posts: 1
    Im def there with you :) its so hard to go somewhere and be surrounded by deer and not have one, I personally give in everytime!!
    I think its something we would have to do gradually but I don't think I can completely cut it out just cut down(which I have) instead of drinking 3 times a wk I drink once a month this way I still have a drink but not as many as I use to.

    Best of luck and keep at it!!!
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    I typically only drink weekends and it has not affected my fitness level or goals….

    ETA - when I do drink I try to log all my drinks….
  • Sreneesa
    Sreneesa Posts: 1,170 Member
    Additionally, your body turns that liquid sugar into fat immediately.
    This ^^ is utter nonsense.
    It's also expensive! Finally, I would rather save my calories for cheese burgers than beer. I don't know why people prefer boozes over yummy food.
    It can be expensive, and while I find it odd that some people would rather have ice cream than wine, I certainly know why. Personal preference.


    Exactly! Lmao

    I find it odd someone wants a cheeseburger over a shot or a drink. Different strokes for different folks.
  • ipoundstoloose
    ipoundstoloose Posts: 1
    Yes l do also have that problem only mine is home made wine. To night is my first night but l drank a lot of tea.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    alcohol also deteriorates your lean muscle mass.

    ehh, I do not think that is accurate….
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Additionally, your body turns that liquid sugar into fat immediately.
    This ^^ is utter nonsense.
    It's also expensive! Finally, I would rather save my calories for cheese burgers than beer. I don't know why people prefer boozes over yummy food.
    It can be expensive, and while I find it odd that some people would rather have ice cream than wine, I certainly know why. Personal preference.


    Exactly! Lmao

    I find it odd someone wants a cheeseburger over a shot or a drink. Different strokes for different folks.

    I will take the beer and the cheeseburger….
  • Brina4777
    Brina4777 Posts: 40 Member
    You are not alone and I'm glad to see that I'm not alone either! I love beer! It is my biggest weakness and it sabotages me all the time! I try to keep myself busy and drink water instead. I also try not to keep any beer at home so it's not so accessible. I do have days though that I cave in and then feel guilty about it the next day. It's an ongoing battle.
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
    My tip: give up alcohol for a while so your tolerance goes down. Then drink on an empty stomach. Pretty easy to get wasted on not too many calories that way.

    That's actually quite true. Once I got down to 110 pounds I can drink much less, for example I can drink 3 vodka sodas and that is plenty! I also make better drink choices than I used to (and I have learned how to make skinny margaritas and piña coladas too).

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