Alcohol!!!

jessib009

Hey guys..
so here is my dilemma: I am in college, so my weekends are usually spent drinking/going out with friends to the bars/and then going home with late night foods (like jimmy johns)/ and if its real bad, waking up the next morning and craving hangover food!

i know this obviously reaps in A LOT of calories, considering I also spend my day trying to eat my normal healthy balanced meals. does any one have any advice on how to loose weight but still have a social life? bars usually dont have low cal options like diet coke.. do you think its really bad to give yourself the weekend to drink/eat whatever you want if you dont have a ton of weight to loose?

let me know your tips/tricks/thoughts because i want to be healthy and in shape but i dont want to give up my social life!

smrtcar

avoid the bars and booze.

tony2009

Bump so I can quickly see the responses because I find myself in the same situation. >.<

JayAlexander

vodka and soda water with lime is around 70 calories a drink. I don't drink anymore, but when I did I would only have one or two drinks. That eliminated the hang over and the bad eating

Sherbog

Shoot drink all you want...BUT realize you are not going to loose weight unless you calorie count those drinks. Make a choice.....drink...or loose weight...it is all in the math...count your calories.

StacyFrisbie

Michelob Ultra, or Bud Select for beer, or you can do mixed drinks with Diet Soda or Crystal Light. Also, many stores carry sugar free/low calorie margarita mixes etc. As for foods, Keep a snack in your purse that soaks up the liquor for late nights, then the next day, try fresco menu at Taco Bell, there are some good choices there. Make sure you work out the day you go out, because you likely won't the next day. Make hangover day a rest day. I've been out of college for nearly 20 years, but I completely sympathize with you, that's one of the biggest challenges (and college is where I gained half my weight)!

Saksgirl1

you need to decide which is more important, your social life or LOSING weight/being healthy.

By the way, clothes tend to be LOOSE or you can LOSE weight

jessib009

i cant give up drinking for the time being.. we all meet at the bars! does anyone know if the skinny girl margs are good? i usually like to drink things that are stronger b/c then i will drink less. is eating/drinking whatever you want on the weekends really bad?

katy4193

I have never heard of a bar that did not have diet coke! I agree with others...you have to choose. If I want something extra, I earn it..I count it in my day...

garysgirl719

i cant give up drinking for the time being.. we all meet at the bars! does anyone know if the skinny girl margs are good? i usually like to drink things that are stronger b/c then i will drink less. is eating/drinking whatever you want on the weekends really bad?

Actually, yes, you CAN give up drinking. You are choosing not to. Just because you are in a bar, it does not mean you have to drink. As all of the previous responses have said, no, you can not just do whatever you want on the weekends. Yes it is really bad.

manny_bee

one of my good friends only eats healthy and exercises mon-fri. the weekends are his days for fun and food. he's lost well over 50lbs since jan. i suppose it's all about moderation

ocrunner11

I have found that making a choice to drink is ok, if it is done in moderation. I set a two drink limit, in my case it is wine. I order one glass and always ask for a water. I drink them both and slowly. I do know that if I drink more, I don't lose and that is even worse feeling. College life is tough, but it can be fun too, just let your friends know you need their support and not push drinks on you, if they are your friends they will help you :flowerforyou: Good Luck. Ciao

akgirl10

When I was young my friend and I would decide how many beers we wanted to drink that night. Then we'd go to the gym and burn off those calories beforehand.


Drink at least one glass of water for every drink you're consuming. It'll slow you down and keep you hydrated.

Instead of eating at a restaurant afterward, meet up at your place and have healthier snacks.

Go out someplace that has dancing.

Pick one night during the weekend to drink. If you're really good six days out of seven you will probably still lose.

aubarnold

skinny girl margaritas are delish

CelticDestiny

Ultimately it is your decision. You are going to do whatever it is you want to do. It's all about your priorities and how bad you want those things. You can give up drinking if you want to. There is nothing wrong with saying no and standing up for what you truly want. You don't have to go along with your "friends" just because they drink. If you say I'm not drinking or I'm only drinking a little and they are truly your friend they won't question you and support your decision. You can still have a social life and not drink. Just because you meet at a bar doesn't mean you have to drink.

Again, it's your decision on how you want to live your life. Figure out your priorities and stand behind them with conviction.

Latoyamary

Hey girlie,

You can still watch and lose weight while going out. Look for low calorie beverages such light beer, or a drink with vodka w diet coke, diet snapple icea tea. Or cosmo are good, only contains 132 calories. Set a limit of calories for the evening as well as exercise during the day so that you accumulate a little more. Make sure your snack are on the healthier side. If you can go online and check out the restaurant's menu. Research low-calorie drinks before heading. It is all in planning. I still have a couple of drinks on the weekends. I still logged them into my diary. It is all about moderation!!!

i_love_vinegar

when you go to the bar, order a soda or glass of juice. You can ask for a virgin pina colada etc. It will keep you hydrated as well


I'm ALSO a college student. I started drinking when I was 15, but I stopped a year later since I realized I was only drinking because it made me feel "cool." Alcohol taste bad...if you are gonna spend calories, why not on something that actually taste better? xD

dyiaane

Bacardi and Diet all the way.

jessicazanebell

I just graduated college and still party quite a bit especially since I just turned 21! I did a lot of research on the topic and I found out that the best way to drink and still lose you need to watch your fat intake on drinking days. Alcohol turns into acetate in your body and you will burn that off at energy before fat/carbs or protein. Most people gain weight when drinking because you store fat when you drink and usually you crave fatty foods when drunk or hungover. So the best way to limit the amount of fat you store is to eat a minimal amount of fat the day you're drinking and the day after. I usually try and keep mine under 30g. This way you body has no extra fat to store beyond what it would store normally. Also I usually only eat around 700cal on a day where I know I'm going to drink (because I like to drink ALOT not just 1 or 2 glasses of wine lol). I keep atkins advantage bars handy when I know I'm going to want to eat something or if my friends are going to go out. When I went to a bar an ordered rum and diet coke and the bartender laughed at me and said they don't have diet soda, I felt a little embarrassed so I know what you're talking about. I try and drink lower cal beverages before I go out and only have a couple drinks when I go out like vodka and juice and I usually get them with 2 shots that way I get the affect of 2 drinks with only the mixer for one. I drink vodka with flavored sparkling water before I go out. Safeway and QFC both have theyre own brand of sparkling water for less than a dollar each. Hope that helped...I totally feel your pain. Skipping out on a night of drinking tonight because I want to workout tomorrow morning and I know I won't if I'm hungover.

tonilizzy88

when at uni i was a big drinker and me and the girls were out 2-3 times a week. (dont really know how i got my degree lol) any ways i was also doing weigh watchers as back then i was a lot bigger than i am know.
i use to go to the gym first thing in morning the day that i knew id be going out as it helps ur metabolism and then eat a big meal 3-4 hours beforwe going out...... we had a burger van righ outside our union and i got to know the owner and told her i only wanted the burger no bun at the end of the night lol...... while out i drank malibu and diet coke or vodka and diet coke. sometimes we would have shots aswell.
on the hangover day the girls would have mcdonalds in the flat and id have a big omlett. and eventualy make it to the gym in the evening.....
i lost 2 stone in uni
if i can do it so can you, you just have to make the right choices.... dnt let weight loss get in the way of one of the best times of your life.

xraychick77

you can have a social life and NOT drink....

aLatz13

i'd say you shouldn't have to deny yourself anything. yes, its not going to be super helpful to your weight loss to keep binge drinking, BUT having a few drinks isnt going to set you back. it's all about moderation. alcohol slows down your metabolism, but its all the extra carbs and sugar from the mixers that sets you back. you could try doing shots and then drinking a water, or only sticking to light beer and things like that. As long as you're hydrating and accounting for it in your food diary its not going to be horrible for you. If you know you're going to splurge that night, treat it like you would any other splurge: work out before hand, cut out excess treats during the day.

emadigan

I know how you feel. I just graduated college. Nights I knew I was going to be drinking, I was extra good eating-wise during the day and made sure to get in a really good workout the day of and the day after. I tried to burn 500 calories in my workout and eat around 1200 calories, so that gave me 500 calories for nights out.

While I understand your not wanting to give up drinking, you can make a choice about the food you eat while drinking and hungover. I kept good food around to keep that part in check. Also, try to choose drinks that are lower in calories. I usually had vodka & lemonade, limoncello (mmm.. my favorite), or something lighter like that. I would recommend staying away from beers if possible (I know that's kinda hard) because they are high in calories and go down more quickly.

I think its just important to be aware of how many calories you are consuming. You can definitely give yourself a break on the weekend eating-wise, but still be aware of what you are consuming.

Good luck!

tammyr76

I don't drink anymore since dieting because 5 strawberry daquiries,3 alabama slammers at a bachlorette party made me gain 2 lbs over a weekend and it took me 5 days to get it back off...
If you can restrain yourself to one drink you should be ok...

Marinita1967

frankly by the look of your picture I don't see the need to lose any weight. but that being said...It's a choice as previously stated. I am a red wine lover myself. And if I know I want to enjoy a glass or two..(and I do calorie count them)...I get on the tread mill and burn off what I'm going to consume...

veggiepug

Just as others have said, you don't HAVE to drink alcohol when you go out. Offer to be the DD every once in a while. You can still have fun without getting smashed.

I understand that going out is hard to avoid in college, but that doesn't mean you have to get wasted every time you do. If you do, that is your choice, but I don't think it is conducive to a healthy lifestyle. I also don't think "eating and drinking whatever you want" only on the weekends will help you lose weight and keep it off in the long run. Who knows how many calories you will be consuming. You could easily undo all of your hard work from Mon - Fri in one night of drinking and eating whatever you want. Everything in moderation is KEY.

With that said, on the nights that you do go out to drink, I"ll echo what others have said about alternating every alcoholic drink with a glass of water. Gin & diet tonic is good and low in calories. Just try to take it slow and go straight home afterward to avoid the drunk munchies.

And to the poster who said they only eat about 700 calories on the days they plan on drinking, I have to say this is so unhealthy and kind of irresponsible. Not only are you not getting enough nutrients this way, you're increasing your chances of getting sick from drinking too much. Make sure you eat healthy and balanced meals, regardless of whether you're going to go out drinking later that night.

suzieatkinson

Vodka and club soda with a lemon and when you get home make a healthy pizza with wheat crust and 2% cheese and tons of veggies. You wont know the difference!

Deev79

As one other poster said, vodka has about 80 calories for a 1.5 ounce serving (about a shot). So if you order a vodka and seltzer water, carry some Crystal Light to-go packs in your purse. You can add any flavor to your vodka/water drink and change flavors all night. BUT...you do have to count those calories in your daily count. It truly is all in the numbers...My husband subscribes to the "eat bad on the weekends, good during the week" theory, and *shocking!*, he has not lost a pound!! Calories count no matter the time of day, the day of the week, or whether you eat them or drink them. It's all about choices!!

chazspk

Oh Life is for living!! just be super good on ur weekdays and workout well and watch the fatty foods on hang over days try to get ur workout n these days 2 a little .
Now a friend of mine does dilute down her drink with diet 7up or sparkling water it works well for her she even puts it i her bulmers.. She spends less money 2..

Best of luck

Enjoy!!!!!!:drinker:

christine24t

okay everybody let's be realistic here...it's college! you can't tell someone to stop drinking, or give up their friends because they choose to drink like the majority of college students do. i've lost 35 pounds and i've had plenty of drunken nights. I just try to avoid the endless munching after coming home from the bars. If you eat healthy during the day, you shouldn't have to worry about one or two nights of drinking a week. You look like you're mostly in good shape and possibly are trying to just tone up, so you shouldn't have any problems. I would just do as many shots as you can - less calories - and chase with sips of diet pop? i also do DD sometimes, especially on days where I don't feel too good or knew I ate terribly.

cathynicolette

It seems you have two choices 1) have only one drink and hang out with your friends or 2) get friends who don't drink (yes it can be done in college)