Alcohol

Aprilxlirpa

I usually have a glass of wine 1 or 2 nights a week with dinner. I always log it and I always have enough calories for it. I heard the other day alcohol will inhibit weight loss. Is there any truth to this? Even if I have the calories for it is it just hurting me in the long run??
Any input would be appreciated!!

Aprilxlirpa

I usually have a glass of wine 1 or 2 nights a week with dinner. I always log it and I always have enough calories for it. I heard the other day alcohol will inhibit weight loss. Is there any truth to this? Even if I have the calories for it is it just hurting me in the long run??
Any input would be appreciated!!

kechiemc

Hi there April

Great question and I can't wait to hear the responses.

I have a glass of wine with dinner almost every night and have still been 'successful' with my weight loss. I realize that alcohol is empty calories. However, in my opinion, alcohol all by itself does not inhibit weight loss. I believe that alcohol combined with some bad habits may inhibit weight loss. For example, if we continued drinking after dinner, got a buzz, and added some high calorie snacking into the mix, I could see us not losing weight and maybe even gaining a few pounds.

-Kechie.

alf1163

I don't think a glass or two of wine a week will hurt you at all. The problem is that most people, including myself, will have one too many and then overeat. Also the calories in alcohol are converted into sugar so that is not good. I set up a no alcohol challenge for myself in the month of Aug to see if I finally reach my goal. :flowerforyou:

time2wrk

There are some who believe that because it is a depressant, it also slows down your metabolism. You may want to test your own body and see if just eliminating it makes your weight loss any easier or faster. I think everyone's body responds differently.

Aprilxlirpa

There are some who believe that because it is a depressant, it also slows down your metabolism.

Ohh, good point, never thought of that!

tashjs21

I don't think cutting it out would help my weight loss. I quit smoking and managed to not gain...Now if I took away my alcohol...I'd turn to food and snack endlessly to "unwind". I think everyone is different. But I am interested to see a more educated answer on this.

kellch

Ummmmm...how about if every Saturday I drink enough to cover every other night of the week? :drinker: :bigsmile: :drinker: :bigsmile: :drinker: Would that inhibit my weight loss? :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Thrust

Good read on the subject:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/drobson194.htm

Aprilxlirpa

That was a great link, exactly what I was looking for, thank you!!

2day4ever

Thanks, Thrust, for a great summary article. I, too, am challenging myself to see how a "no alcohol" August goes and the info provided in the summary article is excellent motivation and rationale.

This is what I have learned from my own observations of the past month (when there were a lot of social occasions involving alcohol):

1. I definitely eat more and am much more likely to "indulge" in "bad" food when I drink
2. I do not sleep as well (and I am intrigued by the data that says good sleep helps weight loss)
3. My face looks a little bloated (my eyes are definitely puffier) after even 1-2 glasses of wine the night before. I figure there are internal changes happening, too, that I just cannot see
4. I find myself doing weird head games with exercise like "if I just walk one more mile on the treadmill, I can have a glass of wine tonight" and that feels like icky thinking to me
5. I've been drinking alcohol (never excessively b/c I am a light-weight who tends to fall asleep before I ever get "drunk") for almost 25 years now (wow!) interrupted only by my pregnancies. It is very hard for me to admit that the way I metabolize alcohol in my 40s is as different as the way I metabolize chocolate.

So, thank you for the wake up call of brining up this topic. For me, it might make all the difference in NOT SABOTAGING my day to day efforts at weight loss and better nutrition!

ladywalkalot

:drinker: I love my wine too!

Research that I have done states that drinking alchohol with food slows the metabolism of the actual food.....
Alcohol is a toxin to the body so it becomes a priority to the liver to metabolize. Therefore the foods eaten with alcohol have the potential to "sit" longer and metabolize to fat quicker.

Alcohol is also metabolized at 7calories per gram unlike carb and protein at 4 calories per gram. Fat is metabolized at 9 calories per gram. So it actually is closer to a fat......

jlwhelan1

I like a glass of wine or cider...or a tequila sunrise. I am a light drinker. One to two is my limit. But I know I will have an added pound or two and a sluggish feeling the next day. So I'm not drinking anything until I reach my goal...