So do I have to give up wine then?

pinksherbert

Hi All,

Back on the weightloss wagon (again!) today - and new to mfp.

My biggest problem has always been the weekends - and drinking wine as our social life very much (at the moment) is based around going out drinking. Or dinner with friends - and wine.

We all know that if you want to lose weight you have to cut back on alcohol and that's fine, but do I have to save cals for a big night out or what? I dont think it would be sensible to go under 1200 and save it all for booze.

Does anyone have any suggestions or am I on a dry wagon for a while?

Thanks!

ChRiStA_1983

A glass of white wine (and by glass, I mean 4 oz.) is anywhere from approx. 80-100 calories (depending upon the sugar content).....

Just work it into your calorie count for the day, and you should be good!

bluiz13

in my opinion, you dont have to give up anything.....you have to be willing to work hard, track what you eat and enjoy things in moderation...when you give stuff up that is when you feel like this is a diet...it should never be a diet....everything you do everyday right now should be what you are willing to do for the rest of your life...getting the weight off by giving stuff up will never work in the long run unless you can absolutely live with never having that thing again.....just my opinion...

lacybolton

in my opinion, you dont have to give up anything.....you have to be willing to work hard, track what you eat and enjoy things in moderation...when you give stuff up that is when you feel like this is a diet...it should never be a diet....everything you do everyday right now should be what you are willing to do for the rest of your life...getting the weight off by giving stuff up will never work in the long run unless you can absolutely live with never having that thing again.....just my opinion...

I agree moderation is key.

maysflower

I love wine too. The trick I use is to drink a wine spritzer. Half wine, half club soda or mineral water. Cut's your calories in half so you can have a few glasses without feeling too guilty. But you should cut back on your alcohol consumption, not just for weight loss, but for the extra calories you might consume from the drinking hungers You know what I mean, McDonald's at 2am...does that sound familiar???

fteale

I have except for dire emergencies. There are so many calories in wine.

sam363

I think that if you maintain your goals through out the week and work the wine calories into your day for the times that you do go out you will be just fine. And if you go over by 100 or 200 calories on the one day you will still lose weight. You can also make sure to get in exercise on the days you do go out so that you maintain your goal. Also, if you plan what you are going to eat before your go out you have a better chance of sticking with it and knowing what you are putting in your body.

I agree with the above poster - if you have to give it up it's not going to be a fun easy road. Listen to your body and if you need a night out plan for it. Life only happens once!

galaxysue

I open a bottle of wine a week when its gone its gone!!! So I try to have a small glass a night

lisastrom

in my opinion, you dont have to give up anything.....you have to be willing to work hard, track what you eat and enjoy things in moderation...when you give stuff up that is when you feel like this is a diet...it should never be a diet....everything you do everyday right now should be what you are willing to do for the rest of your life...getting the weight off by giving stuff up will never work in the long run unless you can absolutely live with never having that thing again.....just my opinion...

I agree moderation is key.

Moderation is key. Try having a glass of water in between each alcoholic drink and order the skinny drinks when you can. This may help.

Lexie71

i agree with many of the posters here. Unless you plan to give up wine for the rest of your life don't bother giving it up now. Listen to your body and be aware. If you are eating when you are physically hungry and stopping when the physical hunger is satisfied having wine will not stop your weight loss.

melsinct

Add me to the "I refuse to give anything up" crowd. Sure, I could stop drinking wine for 3 months but I will have to deal with the wine's calories as soon as I decide to drink again. I budget calories for it and if I do go over, it is ALWAYS on a Saturday. Even when I have several glasses of wine on a Saturday I stay within what would be my maintenance calories at this weight...meaning (theoretically) because of that one day I drank too much wine, I won't gain or lose.

I am sure that wouldn't work for everyone but it has been working for me. If the weight stops coming off I will reassess.

RatBoyGL

The only thing you should "give up" is spontaneous drinking at the last minute.

If you have already consumed your cals for the day, and then someone calls you up and once to go out, you are basically screwed unless you say no.

This is what I have done and it works for me.

Now, if it is planned early enough in the day, I know it is coming, and I can cut back on other meals and/or exercise more to allow the calories.

This happened to me Saturday before last. Some friends hit me and the Mrs. up to go to a Celtic Pub and check out this cool live band. Well, I knew what was going to happen, so I planned accordingly. I ate a smaller lunch and dinner, and exercised again later in the day even though I had already exercised that morning.

Didn't seem to effect my weight loss journey too much.

Now, it did effect me the next morning with the hangover though. :laugh:

pinksherbert

I have except for dire emergencies. There are so many calories in wine.

Ha ha! - I think I have a lot of dire emergencies when it comes to wine!

kmunis

I am not giving up my wine either! Like other posters I just plan accordingly. I am also in the group that thinks if I go over my calories occassionally (like once a month) its not going to kill me. Its been working for me so far.

One thing I do watch though is no more than two glasses of wine. If I have more than that it makes me hungry and at that point my resistance is already low from the vino. :drinker:

MinnieInMaine

I love most of these replies!!! Nothing wrong with having some wine with your friends on the weekend.

Another idea besides those above is to add in a bit of extra exercise that day or have a lighter lunch.

Drunkadelic

I've been known to drink my dinner on the weekends so I won't go over my calories lol.

I would never recommend that, as I realize it's not healthy, but it's what I do when I want to drink a lot

Nuts4play

Well, the last thing you want to do is drink on an empty stomach... so I completely disagree with cutting back on your food for the day. Alcohol on an empty stomach hits HARD, so it's just not worth it!
I would exercise off the calories you gain by drinking. That way you still have plenty of room for eating well-balanced healthy meals. You could exercise a little extra each day so that you have an overage at the end of the week or you could just plan to exercise extra on the day of drinking;) Enjoy! and stay safe

Something I do when going out is order (& drink) a glass of water between each cocktail/wine. (This also helps keep you from having a hangover the next morning, as alcohol dehydrates you and that is actually what causes hangovers). You can ask for it to be served in a wine or cocktail glass if you'ld like to avoid discussions about it from your friends. Keep in mind that when you start "feeling it" that you're feeling the effects of the last drink. The present drink hasn't even hit you yet. (Just something to keep in mind)