Alcohol - Weight loss

cruiseking

Bud 55, and Jameson Irish whiskey (or scotch, vodka, bourbon) straight or on ice. I walk my dog around the neighborhood with two Bud 55's, after a mile I actually earn 5 calories. The only problem is, I find it to be a three Bud walk. Maybe you can do aerobics in the bar while drinking. Problem solved!

NancyAnne1960

have a glass of water inbetween each drink.
Then you still get to have drinks but you will cut you intake in half.

I agree adding a water between each drink.

OfficialPR

This is good topic as it can be a challenge. I have done the water in between drinks and usually stick to clear drinks like vodka. What are you guys thoughts on Vodka Martini's?

dlangenfeld

Someone recently posted this website, so I thought I'd share:

http://getdrunknotfat.com/

Thanks for the website...great info!!

lauristewart

I found a sugar free, light mixer with 10 cal per 4 oz. It was the sweet and sour mix. I put 1 oz of vodka, diet sprint and a lime.....74 calories each and was very tasty!! White wine has about 90 calories per glass. Just make sure you make room in your diet for the extra calories. Work out extra that day.

It can be done, hard, b/c I like to eat when I drink. I am sticking to it one night a week, usually saturday nights. I also zig zag my caloires, so I make sure I drink heavy calorie days......

Good luck!!

lbn23

vodka soda with lots of lime. 74 calories. The problem is, after 2 (and surely after 3), I start to care a LOT less about the calories in the food I am tempted by. :drinker: :laugh:

bcattoes

vodka soda with lots of lime. 74 calories. The problem is, after 2 (and surely after 3), I start to care a LOT less about the calories in the food I am tempted by. :drinker: :laugh:

I find it's easier to resist 'drunk foods' if I think less about the calories and more about what it will do to my health. It's a lot easier to resist that plate of chicken wings or cheese fries when you imagine what all the cholesterol and saturated fat will do to your arteries. :noway:

SueInAz

Vodka, rum, etc. are all about 70 calories per ounce. Keep in mind that a standard shot is 1.5 ounces, so 105 calories. Mix that with a sugar and calorie free mixer, and it's not too bad. I have a friend who has the bartender put her shot in a 16 oz. glass with Diet Coke. Last longer and spreads out the calories.

The glass of water between (or at the same time) drinks is also something I do a lot. Not only does it cut down on calories, but you won't be hung over the next morning since you're staying hydrated.

I usually prefer Bud Select 55, since I'm more of a beer drinker. It's lighter than I prefer, but I still like it better than any of the other lighter beers. Add a slice of lime for a flavor boost. The benefit is, you can look like you're keeping up with your friends but still not get wasted because they are only 2.4% alcohol. :laugh:

olyrose

My favorite drink is a vodka press (you can make it with infused vodka too). It's vodka, soda, and a splash of soda. I think ti would be pretty low cal for a drink, and it's really light and refreshing, and just a little sweet.

rn_jacki

Have you seen the "skinny girl" mixes? Most of our establishments here (Wisconsin) carry these now too. They can skinny a margarita or even cosmopolitan. I think they definitely taste "diety" , but a decent alternative.

kylee_marie

if you like more of a "girly" drink you can always take a flavored vodka and mix it with water. i think it is somewhere around 70 cals. my favorite is the raspberry or mandarin. also, i have had the whipped cream vodka with diet root beer= awesome!

mislove68

With summer and every weekend being parties of all types its harder to not have a drink. I try to stick with Saturdays I have 1 or 2. But no more then that and I become sober cab. I like bud select tried it this weekend. And I think with a lime it would be amazing!

JennsLosing

I drink one beer a day because its good for you (despite what some may say). Anything over one beer is counterproductive. I drink Michelobe Ultra or Shiner Blonde Light - both are around 95 calories. If you hit happy hour, just make sure you do cardios before you hit the bar. You put your body into high burn mode so your body will just burn the extra calories quickly. One day a week to splurge wont kill you. Just monitor your weight and if you start to gain weight (over a weeks time) then cut out the happy hour until you reach a goal (lets say, 10 pounds lost goal). That way its a reward

oooooooooooo i love me some shiner!

bcattoes

I drink one beer a day because its good for you (despite what some may say). Anything over one beer is counterproductive. I drink Michelobe Ultra or Shiner Blonde Light - both are around 95 calories. If you hit happy hour, just make sure you do cardios before you hit the bar. You put your body into high burn mode so your body will just burn the extra calories quickly. One day a week to splurge wont kill you. Just monitor your weight and if you start to gain weight (over a weeks time) then cut out the happy hour until you reach a goal (lets say, 10 pounds lost goal). That way its a reward

"Anything over one beer is counterproductive" to what? One beer ... really?? Why even bother?

jessicaeocon

THANK YOU for all the suggestions!!!!

YukonJoy

I also have a really hard time with this, especially since in my group of friends it's a social stigma not to drink.
So usually I drink vodka and soda with lime or white wine spritzers. For my white wine spritzers I pour myself a big glass of wine at the beginning of the night, then I make spritzers out of that and it's my limit for the night.

tmd01029

Lots of good ideas. What I do is white wine spritzers. Half the wine and club soda has no calories.
And drink slower than you used to. Mix in a water from time to time if it is a long night.

Other way to get your friends to not bother you about it is to offer to be the DD.

erisfreenici

Try Bud Premier 55, if you're not a gourmet beer drinker. But put it in a glass. You don't have to be a walking advertisement for them. The factor of your small size suggests you stay away from hard stuff like vodka.

Vodka can be enjoyed by all. I opt for Three Olives Cherry and club soda with an orange slice. Yum!

kimmerc1331

Thats a good idea...when I drink wine, I can pretty much drink a bottle over the course of the night...a spritzer may be just what I need.

hollyyoung71

Ok.. not sure if this is true or not, but I heard that Alcohol will slow your metabolism down by 1/3 for 24 hours. Anyone else heard of this?

tuffytuffy1

I love beer, but since I started here at MFP, I have been making wine spritzers. I put 2 ounces of wine in a tall glass filled with ice, and top with Fresca or some other diet lemon/lime soda. Delicious!

bcattoes

Ok.. not sure if this is true or not, but I heard that Alcohol will slow your metabolism down by 1/3 for 24 hours. Anyone else heard of this?

Not exactly. When you consume alcohol your body has to metabolize it as a priority because there is no where to store it. So other foods you ingest will be metabolized after the alcohol. But your metabolism hasn't actually changed, it's just change priorities.

almonds1

Vodka and Water FTW....Thats been my drink for ages. It helps with the hangovers also lol

lauz45

Vodka and diet cherry coke ♥ yum!

I've never understood what club soda is (Brit here!), is it different to carbonated water?

k8edge

Think about it this way... Alcohol slows down fat burning. Ask yourself is it really worth it? How often do you go out for drinks? When you go out... how much do you drink? Think about those questions... Calculate up your calories at the bar. I bet you would be a bit astonished. I try to limit myself to 1 drink max once a week... if that. I also only drink for special occasions. I also offer to drive so I can have the excuse not to drink.

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/QAA360805

Are you never going to drink again??? No...

Would it be more beneficial to cut it out till you reach your goal??? Yes...

Is that realistic??? Depends on you...

GOOD LUCK!

Rae6503

Hard alcohol makes me ill so I stick with light beer. Coors light generally.

Stephanie08

I still drink my wine, but I've had to add extra exercise to combat the calories.

Stephanie08

Ok.. not sure if this is true or not, but I heard that Alcohol will slow your metabolism down by 1/3 for 24 hours. Anyone else heard of this?

Not exactly. When you consume alcohol your body has to metabolize it as a priority because there is no where to store it. So other foods you ingest will be metabolized after the alcohol. But your metabolism hasn't actually changed, it's just change priorities.

Yup - this is what my personal trainer said too, your body goes for the alchohol first, and then will eventually get to the food.

azingale

I adore alcohol! I love wine and cocktails. I don't really do beer, though. I am probably slowing down my weight loss, but I'm happier by budgeting a little room for them both in what I eat and how I exercise. I still go over my totals on the weekends - sometimes by quite a lot - but I'm pretty saintly during the week. So I'm continuing to sustain slow weight loss while still getting to drink on weekends. I'm sure it would be much faster if I weren't drinking, but I don't get much opportunity to get out (or stay in and mix drinks) with my friends when I'm on my full-time work/full-time school schedule, so I'll just enjoy it while I can.

That said, make sure you don't go for greasy food afterwards... if your friends need to hit a diner after drinking, don't let that tempt you into getting something bad, no matter how alluring that 2 a.m. fried food sounds and tastes after a night of drinking... stick to veggies and omelets...

apmemo

Vodka and diet cherry coke ♥ yum!

I've never understood what club soda is (Brit here!), is it different to carbonated water?

It's the same thing. In the US, soda water is often confused with tonic (even by bartenders!), which is loaded with sugar.