Does alcohol count towards your daily calories?

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  • Strokingdiction
    Strokingdiction Posts: 1,164 Member
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    Ladies!?!! According to the MFP database the accepted serving size is "load." I take no responsibility for the accuracy of the nutrition information presented.

    Spermdbentry_zpsdecfd896.jpg

    And if that sad image and joke isn't enough for you, be aware that devouring human souls is not going to impact one's calorie target:

    Humansouldbentry_zpsfa3c239d.jpg

    that entry is obviously wrong - theres no protein listed ;)
    the souls thing is good to know though

    You wouldn't see much protein since it's mainly carbs. Just another common nutrition myth.
  • BuoyantSoul
    BuoyantSoul Posts: 117 Member
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    If you've got 500 calories to spend on booze, you'll get more bang for your buck with straight distilled spirits rather than beer, wine, liqueurs, cocktails, etc. I mean, provided you're drinking for the purpose of DRINKING and not just enjoying the taste.

    Hell, that's only like three beers, but around eight shots of whiskey! I know which one I'd take if it were a Saturday night...

    Careful - in the US it's like 5 shots of whiskey (or tequila!). About 69 cals per ounce for many spirits, and a US shot is typically 1.5 ounces (not sure if you are in the US or elsewhere - in some European countries a typical shot is going to be more than 1.5 ounces, or more than the roughly 100+ cals). Still your point is spot on -- when losing I reduced my IPA intake and upped my tequila + whiskey intake - the habit has stuck.

    I'm not in the West but I realize in many places a jigger is considered a "shot". That's why you don't measure in shots, you drink straight from the bottle!

    But yeah, I don't mess around with beer if I want to get a buzz on, it's Jameson for me. Anyway the beer in my country is at most 3% alcohol and tastes like s***, so there's no point!

    IPA, mmmmmm, when I lived in the US I loved me a Brooklyn IPA.

    Well now you kinda have to say where you are! I've seen "shots" in many places in Asia (and the middle east) that varied from less than an ounce to well more than 3 ounces -- taking shots at a roadside "club" in southern India is radically different than having a shot at a club in Phuket. Calorie and taste wise they can be really, really different (as well as being really, really different in terms of cost).

    Yeah, a "shot" is not a scientific measurement, but after a few of them, who cares? At that point you don't even care if you have pants on. Or maybe that's just me?

    I'm in China. Shots aren't as popular here. It's more like what we would call "bottle service". The beer here is mostly garbage though you can get some surprisingly good local brews if you're savvy. My father-in-law works for the local brewery and brings a case home free every week.

    I found some one kuai baijiu at the local shop and my husband is daring me to shoot the bottle. Not to mention the "penis alcohol" as I call it, made out of the penises of dogs, deer, and geckos. Totally medicinal though. Still he wants me to drink it, for laughs.

    I lived in India for a year - don't get me started on Indian booze. That Old Monk rum and Bagpiper nonsense about did me in. Blended whiskey my *kitten*. Oh god and the beer, the beer, wonderful if you want a hangover without all the hassle of getting a good drunk on first. Nonetheless I did manage to spend a good portion of my time in India completely out of my head.
  • kjarvo
    kjarvo Posts: 235 Member
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    friggin hell, I didn't say I did this everyday. I don't know where everyone is getting that from. Also again, I said I LOG IT!!!! I said that in my first post, no one reads. I suppose this post is a bit troll-like, because it is sort of hypothetical, but this day will happen some time in my life because I am a student and we binge drink. Once a week, once a month, it depends, but I want to know what I should eat on those days.
    Can your body use the alcohol as fuel. Forgive me for my ignorance, because I really don't know. But I have been reading that alcohol metabolises as acetate. I don't know the chemistry of it, and if your body can use this acetate or it just converts it to fat. I don't think this is a ridiculous question. That's why I was wondering whether you should count the alcohol calories as extra and make sure you eat your 1200 calories for the day, because if it can be used, and I only eat 700 calories to accommodate the 500 alcohol calories I will probably be sick. You shouldn't drink on an empty stomach.
    Also, again 1200 calories is hypothetical. I aim for that everyday and eat back my exercise calories. My days vary immensly, from 1100 on days where I sleep in and am very sedentary or eat very low calorie foods, to 2400 calories when I go out for a meal or have a few treats.
  • kjarvo
    kjarvo Posts: 235 Member
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    So, in other words, if I eat 1200 cals of ice cream which doesn't give me a full spectrum of nutrients, can I eat 500 more to fill the gap? No. Either exercise, eat at matinence or just have a bad day nutritionally as a treat.

    Not can, should (in terms of alcohol).
  • meganjcallaghan
    meganjcallaghan Posts: 949 Member
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    why not go for one of those low calorie beers? There's a Molson Canadian light beer for 67 calories with a hint of lime. I make a shandy out of it, mixing it with diet ginger ale so I get 2 drinks out of one can to make it go further. perhaps something like that could allow you to feel like you're having some drinks without having to spend a lot of exercise on it
  • Oi_Sunshine
    Oi_Sunshine Posts: 819 Member
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    This thread is over complicating things. A day where you got your macros in and then went over in alcohol, to me, would be better than skimping on food and drinking. Your body will use the alcohol as "fuel" because calories are the measurement of energy one gets from food. It just isnt healthy fuel. This is really just your call. If you make up the extra with a deficit later, things will even out. If you don't, you'll just be losing weight more slowly than usual.

    Also, don't eat souls. It's rude.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    yes , it counts.

    yes, you log it.

    I drink on weekends and log it …sometimes i make room for it sometimes I do not and end up over my calories for the day …
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    I know alcohol has calories in, but can you count it towards your 1200+ exercise? It has calories but no nutritional value so should it be an extra that you have to work off or can I actually count it towards your daily goal? Everyone reiterates that you must log it, but it has no nutrition.
    The problem is you shouldn't drink on an empty stomach, and if I plan on drinking 500 calories I shouldn't only be eating 700.
    What I have done previously is eaten my 1200, tried to do 500 calories of exercise to earn some of the alcohol and just accept the rest as going over my goal so I am not sick.

    Yes I shouldn't plan on drinking that much but I'm a student. It's allowed.

    so if your were not a student it would not be allowed? that is news to me, as I am a non-student...
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,932 Member
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    Not if you drink enough and puke it out. Great way to also deal with the 3:00 a.m. Waffle House catastrophe.

    So I guess, if you're being all moderate and serious and stuff and want to lose weight, then count it. Otherwise, no.
  • HeidiGrrrl
    HeidiGrrrl Posts: 81 Member
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    Empty calories are still calories, and must be counted. You'd count sugar, wouldn't you? Just because something has no nutritional value doesn't mean it's "free".
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,529 Member
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    If someone ate their alotted calories just from food and regular drink, but didn't include 500 calories of alcohol, they won't lose weight.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • kjarvo
    kjarvo Posts: 235 Member
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    Empty calories are still calories, and must be counted. You'd count sugar, wouldn't you? Just because something has no nutritional value doesn't mean it's "free".

    I didn't say it was free, I said should you have your 1200 calories of food in addition to the alcohol, or can you count the alcohol towards your 1200 calories. I ALWAYS log it!
  • carrieous
    carrieous Posts: 1,024 Member
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    yes it definitely counts. Try to stick to just 1-3 drinks per week
  • 281Danielle
    281Danielle Posts: 113
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    Yes it should count against your 1200 but it is ok to have a day off once in a while, it won't completely ruin your weight loss attempt as long as it's not a few times a week. I would even say once a week is ok but a reasonable amount and not over doing it, even though I'm sure some people are going to say that is too often. Drink plenty of water the next day and that should help with the water weight you might gain from drinking, I always gain 3-5 pounds after a night of drinking but it is always water weight. Enjoy yourself, life without fun is no life at all....

    Like you said get a workout in the day you plan on going out too, that will help with the extra calorie intake. I personally can't drink if I have food in my belly so I always drink on an empty stomach but I honestly don't drink very often probably about 4 times a year....
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    Not if you drink enough and puke it out. Great way to also deal with the 3:00 a.m. Waffle House catastrophe.

    So I guess, if you're being all moderate and serious and stuff and want to lose weight, then count it. Otherwise, no.

    this also helps prevent the dreaded 'spins' ….
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,932 Member
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    yes it definitely counts. Try to stick to just 1-3 drinks per week

    Or you could just hit your macros and calories, train hard, and enjoy that glass or two of wine or beer every night . . .
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    yes it definitely counts. Try to stick to just 1-3 drinks per week

    Or you could just hit your macros and calories, train hard, and enjoy that glass or two of wine or beer every night . . .

    blasphemer!!!!!!
  • Stoshew71
    Stoshew71 Posts: 6,553 Member
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    Calories and making sure you get all your nutrients in are 2 completely different but related things.
    Would you want to eat 1200 calories a day of nothing but apples and expect to be healthy? No.
    Would you eat 700 calories and drink 500 calories of sugar water? (Kind of what you are asking).

    If all I had was 1200 calories to work with in a day (and I been there), I would want to make the most of my calories. To be honest, I would not waste any of them on alcohol. As you early answered yourself, how would I get all my protein and vitamins on just 700 calories? You can't and that is the point.

    If you want to play, then you have to pay. Either accept that you will go over for the day or exercise the extra calories off. or just don't drink at all. Just because you are a student doesn't mean you have to drink. No one is putting a gun to your head, right?
    But if you do drink, not saying you shouldn't, then just realize there will be a consequence to your diet.

    Enjoy. :-) :drinker:
  • baptiste565
    baptiste565 Posts: 590 Member
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    Alcohol does not lead to any significant weight gain.. It will lower ur inhibition and make u,eat more fiod
  • Cortelli
    Cortelli Posts: 1,369 Member
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    Not to mention the "penis alcohol" as I call it, made out of the penises of dogs, deer, and geckos.

    I think I'll pass should the opportunity ever present itself.
    I lived in India for a year - don't get me started on Indian booze. That Old Monk rum and Bagpiper nonsense about did me in. Blended whiskey my *kitten*. Oh god and the beer, the beer, wonderful if you want a hangover without all the hassle of getting a good drunk on first.

    Haha! Now I know you really were in India for a while!

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