How much alcohol do you consume?

Greenbomb
Greenbomb Posts: 89 Member
in Food and Nutrition
In addition to adding calories, I have always read alcohol slows down your metabolism? Is this true? I wouldn't say I drink too much, but I usually have a vodka and diet tonic before dinner, then maybe a glass of wine (or two) with dinner. Not every night, but probably 4-5 nights per week on average. How much is this going to slow down my progress?

Replies

  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
    I have a few beers or some wine each week, usually.

    It doesn't slow your metabolism but it will halt the metabolism of other macro nutrients until all the alcohol has been metabolized first. So for a few hours after your drink (time being dependent on just how many alcohol calories you're consuming), you're slowing your progress down by that much. It's one of the reasons I restrict myself to one night a week for drinks.
  • WitchesGuildMaster
    WitchesGuildMaster Posts: 114
    Zero. Except if I drink cough medicine. But that's just because I don't like the taste of it. :smile:
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,899 Member
    Enough to make other people more interesting
  • Smirnoff65
    Smirnoff65 Posts: 1,060 Member
    Too much :drinker:
  • pipertargaryen
    pipertargaryen Posts: 303 Member
    I have a glass or 2 of red wine most nights.

    Has had zero impact on my weight loss, as well as my fitness. Stronger and healthier than I've ever been. I'm assuming regularly getting drunk would have an impact (both for calories and because we're not the best judges of food when hammered, as well as hangovers messing with your overall health).
  • Anniebotnen
    Anniebotnen Posts: 332 Member
    I don't believe alcohol slows down your metabolism, but it does metabolize differently from other macros in that it will be used for energy first. However, if you include some calories for alcohol as part of your daily or weekly number you should still lose weight. I have a good size glass of wine with my dinner most days and it has not stopped me from losing. I do think that having both a gin and tonic and a glass or two of wine on the same day would add up to more calories than you may want to "spend" on alcohol. Depending, of course, on your personal goals! Also, some people have a hard time controlling their calorie intake after drinking, which could also be a problem.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    One or two drinks a week. It's generally a Guinness and sometimes a margarita.
  • nmcrosier
    nmcrosier Posts: 268 Member
    Summertime boat drinks, more vodka and zero cal sparkling waters than I care to admit to having....and almost always a Bloody Mary on Summer Sunday.

    Winter an occasional glass of wine
  • chatnel
    chatnel Posts: 688 Member
    A bottle of wine Friday and Saturday nights and not much during the weekdays. I always weigh less in the morning after I have had a few drinks, strange!
  • EmpireBusiness
    EmpireBusiness Posts: 333 Member
    enough to numb the pain
  • BeginningAgainMay14
    BeginningAgainMay14 Posts: 97 Member
    I have a 5 oz glass of wine 4-5 nights per week.
  • VBnotbitter
    VBnotbitter Posts: 820 Member
    Enough to make MFP more interesting
  • Wetcoaster
    Wetcoaster Posts: 1,788 Member
    Not enough
  • TheFitHooker
    TheFitHooker Posts: 3,357 Member
    I drink wine a lot, and on Thursday's it's margarita night lol. We just recently started rita nights, but wine has been there from the start. You can drink and lose weight as long as you plan it.
  • smashley_mashley
    smashley_mashley Posts: 589 Member
    I try to avoid alcohol because I find that sweet drinks (long island iced teas and paralysers) have too much sugar and drinks like Caesars are too salty and use up too many of my food calories. When I have a drink, I will have a Stiegl Rader (grapefruit fruit beer from Austria) which is 2% alcohol and 500ml (17oz) is 125 calories (a Grande skinny vanilla latté is 120 calories and is 16oz)
  • Maqneta
    Maqneta Posts: 388 Member
    0
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    Wine with dinner most nights. 1-2 glasses. I'm in maintenance. I drank wine when I was losing too.
  • 303enfield
    303enfield Posts: 239 Member
    as much as it takes to pass out
  • JayStu
    JayStu Posts: 332 Member
    usually on the weekends i end up drinking 10-20 beer
  • tfisher679
    tfisher679 Posts: 64 Member
    In my household. Not enough to numb the pain. I don't drink that often.
  • kvansanity
    kvansanity Posts: 108 Member
    I used to drink 4-5 times a week. Now I drink once a week, and even then it's never more than 3 drinks in a night. At this point, one drink is enough to get me pretty buzzed since I drink so little these days. I'm so much happier now that I'm not drinking, and it's really helped my weight loss!
  • aedreana
    aedreana Posts: 979 Member
    Zero. I am allowed ONE phobia, aren't I? Well my one phobia is a deep deep fear of puking! That is why I have never been drunk, high, or pregnant.
  • MonicaJumper
    MonicaJumper Posts: 43
    None. I used to drink A LOT, but I stopped a few years ago. Went from all the time, to sometimes, to a few times a year, now none
  • TiffieLand
    TiffieLand Posts: 159
    Barely any, I do not like the smell of alcohol. Sometimes I drink the sweet girly type. It tastes like soda.

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