Alcohol and Weight Loss

msapril177

So, I'm a weekend drinker. Not every day of the weekened, but I do have a couple on Friday and Saturday. I hit the occassional happy hour on the weekday too, but that's not very often.

Weight loss and drinking seem to be a hot topic. What are your thoughts on it? Quit drinking all together? Not to drink beer? Then if no beer, do you trade the calories in that for soda? I don't like diet soda, so that's out.

I know many would say "if you take your weight loss/health serious, you wouldn't drink at all" but I guess I'm just trying to find a healthy balance, if there is such a thing.

Also, many of our activites with our friends usually involve drinking. I am somewhat afraid that if I cut back or quit all together that I will be the "boring" friend, and I do like to kick back and have a few with them too, but this is becoming much more important to me. I dunno.

Thoughts??

gemiwing

I was a drunk so had to quit entirely- doesn't mean you will have to. I can tell you though, I'm still FAR from the boring friend- even sober. I'm more wanted because who doesn't want another DD around??

Evaluate what you're drinking- whatever you want and normally drink. Plan for it. If food is more important to you than booze- then food will win. You can fit in alcohol- any kind- if you have the cals for it.

Now- if you try to stop and find you can't.. well now that's a whole nother issue entirely. I'm speaking of only the caloric side.

bizco

You can drink and still lose weight as long as you're staying within your calorie limit. Which is highly unlikely.

Make sure you log everything that goes into your mouth. MFP works but only if you're honest in logging EVERYTHING.

eeebee

I have a glass of red wine every night to unwind. I always allow myself 180 calories for the evening, it's my daily reward for watching my cals and doing my exercise and it's not affected my weight loss or toning up at all so far (1 year)

I'm sure if I cut out the wine I'd lose weight faster but to be honest, I'd probably find soemthing to snack on instead of slowly sipping the wine.

I dont think it will make a difference as long as you have the space in your calorie total for the cals the booze will add.

msapril177

I do try to log it all. Last weekend I had 4 beers and did log them, however, I'm hearing that belly fat isn't going to budge if you drink at all, stick to clear liquors, and on and on with the suggestions. I saw last night that it's okay to have 5 oz of wine at night. 5 oz is NOT that much, so is it even worth it???

I am most worried about my belly. After having two very large kids and gaining a ton of weight with them, the belly remains. I know it's not all skin, that it's fat too. Part of me wonders if I quit drinking all together what might be possible?!?!

I feel like I'm an all or nothing kind of person with this topic. How lame.

itsuki

You don't have to quit to lose weight. If you drink every day, and drinking puts you over your calorie limit, then yeah, you'll run into trouble. If you specifically save calories for drinking (which is what I do), then you're all set. Yes, beers can have a lot of carbs and calories, but as long as they fit into your diet you're fine.

But you do have to make sure you log everything. Even a rum and diet coke is going to cost you 100 calories or so (depending on how much rum you use), and even more so with beer. This can add up quickly.

eeebee

I do try to log it all. Last weekend I had 4 beers and did log them, however, I'm hearing that belly fat isn't going to budge if you drink at all, stick to clear liquors, and on and on with the suggestions. I saw last night that it's okay to have 5 oz of wine at night. 5 oz is NOT that much, so is it even worth it???

I am most worried about my belly. After having two very large kids and gaining a ton of weight with them, the belly remains. I know it's not all skin, that it's fat too. Part of me wonders if I quit drinking all together what might be possible?!?!

I feel like I'm an all or nothing kind of person with this topic. How lame.

It's not lame. I get what you mean, but do you drink for the effect mainly or for the taste? For me, after half a glass of red, not only do I savour the taste, but I start to feel my elbows and knees relaxing and already feel more chilled. So 2 x half glasses (I like to pretend they are full glasses) a night and that's me done.

I dont drink to get drunk, I eat as soon as I finish my 2nd half glass (I use Turkish tea glasses which are tiny, great for small wine servings) I eat dinner so it most definitely isn't to get tipsy or drunk. If I go out or socialise, then thats a different story and usually the drink of choice is cider!

Lastly, my belly has loast 2 dress sizes since April 2011 and throughout this time, I still eat steaks, drink red wine, have butter on toast occasionally, eat cheese, chocolate etc....just make sure to exercise regularly to balance it all out...I cannot agree that drinking a moderate amount within your daily calorie goal will prevent you from losing belly fat. :drinker:

anulle2009

I think you can still lose with drinking. You have to allow yourself to enjoy things in life in moderation. Unless you have some sort of drinking problem. Me personally enjoy my weekend beers, and it normally gets worse in summer with all the BBQ's we go to. Just watch your moderation if you dont want to keep it. Honestly too maybe try a light beer?? if possible?? I only drink bud light or miller lite. so cal wise i have that sorta on my side.

Peta22

I have a glass of red wine every night to unwind. I always allow myself 180 calories for the evening, it's my daily reward for watching my cals and doing my exercise and it's not affected my weight loss or toning up at all so far (1 year)

I'm sure if I cut out the wine I'd lose weight faster but to be honest, I'd probably find soemthing to snack on instead of slowly sipping the wine.

I dont think it will make a difference as long as you have the space in your calorie total for the cals the booze will add.

Completely agree... Just keep recording all the intake... Can't quit EVERYTHING!!

Swissmiss

Alcohol can make losing weight more difficult. Your liver will metabolize the alcohol first, leaving your food to go to fat. This is what I was told anyway. I like to have wine with my dinner but am trying to stop because I am finding it hard to lose when I do drink. If you were drinking for the health benefits then I would say to have a small drink right before bed. This is after your food has mostly digested and a drink at this time can relax you into sleep. Are any of your friends trying to lose weight or live a healthy lifestyle? What they do will influence you. Find some friends who understand what you are trying to do. You will then get support.

Peta22

You can drink and still lose weight as long as you're staying within your calorie limit. Which is highly unlikely.

Only 'highly unlikely' if you have no willpower! I record every drop of alcohol I have and try to ensure i am still keeping to my calorie goals and I've been able to lose weight. My hint... Spirits and soda water... A shot of spirits (scotch, vodka, rum, ect) isn't generally much more than around 70cals and soda water is zero so it's pretty safe. Either that or wine

smccb

I have a few beers every night with my husband and still have managed to lose most of my baby weight. Not much weight left on my abs either, but I am working out pretty intensely every day. I think the belly fat/beer thing must be a myth - or at least it is not the case with everybody.

Just remember, you have to find a lifestyle you can live happily with for the rest of your life. Otherwise, you will just yo-yo up and down with the weight loss/weight gain.

lisapr123

Yes, you can drink and lose. Count the calories and budget for them.

For me, a pint of Guinness or a glass or two of wine works well. I've learned I can pound "light" beers since they don't satisfy. On the other hand, if I have a premium beer I can milk it for an hour or so and feel satisfied. (Guinness is good for that since I prefer it not be cold). I avoid mixed drinks, mostly because the mixers are so bad...full of sugar and calories.

As for belly weight.... I continue to have a few drinks a week (maybe 3-4 max) and have dropped 2 pants sizes in 8 weeks, even though it's just 9 lbs. Perhaps I am fortunate there, in that I tend to gain and lose all over, rather than holding onto fat in a given area.

Experiment to find what works for you. I'm 33 yrs old and a drink with dinner when I'm with friends is something I am NOT willing to give up. They'd support me either way, but I love me a good glass of Rioja just as much as I love my skinnier jeans.

ItsMeRebekah

You can drink and still lose weight as long as you're staying within your calorie limit. Which is highly unlikely.

Only 'highly unlikely' if you have no willpower! I record every drop of alcohol I have and try to ensure i am still keeping to my calorie goals and I've been able to lose weight. My hint... Spirits and soda water... A shot of spirits (scotch, vodka, rum, ect) isn't generally much more than around 70cals and soda water is zero so it's pretty safe. Either that or wine

agree! i have a drink now and again and im still doing pretty good i think

Becky_Boodle

You can drink and still lose weight as long as you're staying within your calorie limit. Which is highly unlikely.

Make sure you log everything that goes into your mouth. MFP works but only if you're honest in logging EVERYTHING.

I manage to stay under my daily limit even when drinking...I just make sure to burn off the calories I'm going to consume...
I also swiched from beer or vodka and juice to drinking vodka with flavoured water...it's approx 60 cal per oz of vodka and none for the water

MrsSWW

You can drink and still lose weight as long as you're staying within your calorie limit. Which is highly unlikely.

Make sure you log everything that goes into your mouth. MFP works but only if you're honest in logging EVERYTHING.

Well I'm glad to see I've managed the 'highly unlikely', lol!

If you've got the calories for it enjoy a drink :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: Oh, and my profile picture is because I've given up wine for Lent, I'm still allowed everything else, had a cheeky little Tio Pepe last night :bigsmile:


Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter

evafury

I'm in the same boat, I honestly don't want to give up having a glass of wine at night. One thing I do that helps me with portion control is that I don't use wine glasses (we have the balloon glasses that are HUGE and can actually hold almost half a bottle of wine--we checked out of curiousity one time) so even if you only fill it a bit, it's likely to still be over the 3-4 oz serving size and looks puny. Instead, try a small juice glass, it takes less to make it look "full" and I find it helps me drink way less but don't feel like I'm being deprived...if that makes any sense Heh, I guess a lot of it is psychological for me...

Peta22

I do try to log it all. Last weekend I had 4 beers and did log them, however, I'm hearing that belly fat isn't going to budge if you drink at all, stick to clear liquors, and on and on with the suggestions. I saw last night that it's okay to have 5 oz of wine at night. 5 oz is NOT that much, so is it even worth it???

I am most worried about my belly. After having two very large kids and gaining a ton of weight with them, the belly remains. I know it's not all skin, that it's fat too. Part of me wonders if I quit drinking all together what might be possible?!?!

I feel like I'm an all or nothing kind of person with this topic. How lame.

I'm guessing that this could all be to do with different people getting different results but I've been losing belly fat by using MFP and exersizing however I have been careful to not completely limit myself. By eating back exersizes calories I've been able to still eat and drink what I like but in smaller and more controlled portions. For me, I feel that any 'controlled eating/drinking' can't be maintained unless I have some flexibility. Basically, the more rigid I try to be, the more chance I'm going to blow out and give up. A couple of drinks or a small dessert shouldn't be something that makes me panic into a binge session!

mcanavan05

I just ordered wheat belly for my kindle fire.. there's wheat in beer.. stick to vodka or red wine.. and I'm a beer drinker, so go low carb if at all.. not easy.. i've hit a wall recently 211-208..juyst broke threw today after leaning toward low card/atkins style.. wheat belly book makes sense to me.. "whole grains" everywhere..

ladyraven68

I am trying to only drink on the weekend, and last weekend I swapped my wine for a tall G&T(slimline tonic) which is about 50 calories.

LuciaLongIsland

I gave up my drinking habits due to my life circumstances. I had to retire, there went the social to do happy hour. I didn't do it every weekend but about 2 times a month. I did however drink a lot of wine. I no longer like it. Very weird. In my opinion, which is not based on medical or health facts, I believe it depends on the person. In my 40's and 50's when I drank the most I was thin to average weight. When I drank I ate less. I smoked also. Honestly< i miss all of it. Once I got sick, (it is all on my profile), life changed and so did I. I drink very little due to having little socialization, and a lot less socialization, friends don't keep in touch, Mom is no longer here, I would always choose alcohol and clothes over food. I still do. People here miss food. I haven't had pizza, soda, cake , candy, etc. in over 6 months, no craving. A martini, I want one daily, but I don't. It is about you. You need to evaluate your body. Do you eat more? etc. Good Luck, and as they say on here,"moderation".

weight2go

Me too. I drink on Friday and Sat. night. Not every Friday and Sat, if i know we are doing thing one of those nights like we did last weekend we went to Houston Rodeo Cookoff(major drinking) then I drank very little Friday night. . I stick to Vodka and (i know it sounds gross but) light Kool Aid. Only has 5 calories per 8oz. The fruit punch taste the best. When at home or going to friends. Vodka and tonic when out. I also try to do heavier workouts those days knowing Im going to be needing those calories.

machchic

I don't drink during the week because it is difficult to get in the long workouts to overcome the calories. I do have a few drinks on the weekend, but I exercise for over an hour to get the calorie burn in. What I do not do is exchange my food calories for alcohol calories. You need to make sure you are eating food and not just empty calories. I have tried it both ways and I did not lose eating less and drinking. Some days I just want a glass of wine and 1 is okay, but I mostly keep it to Friday and Saturday in so I can really get in a good calorie burn. Hope that helps. Also I stick to vodka and wine and it is a good wine so I enjoy it.

allison_42

I still drink. I'm a 21 year old college student so obviously I still drink. I just make sure I work out the days I consume alcohol and try to make sure it is within my calorie limits. I don't drink beer though, not because of the calories, I just don't prefer it. I drink liquor with 0 calorie sodas/juices/etc.

Angelabec

I drink every weekend, and when I do drink, it's normally at least a bottle of wine. I know that that probably isn't good for me, but it's what I do, and I have lost weight consistently over the last year. So, from a weight loss point of view, it's totally possible to still drink alcohol, as long as you account for the calories.

ViSabbi

You know...weighloss is about lifestyle changes. Just be reasonable about it, and make 'space' for it. It's particularly difficult to completely cut out something you enjoy but splitting in half is often possible or even just cut one. Small changes, in the long run, will help you reach your goal. The swaps suggested above are all good ideas of how you can still enjoy your happy hours without cutting it all out.

I personally chose to cut alcohol out. I drink a glass of wine perhaps once a week or on special occasions, sometimes a beer during social activities because people just think something's wrong with me when I don't drink (I used to party a lot every friday and they liked that part of me I guess even tho I'm not boring without it) Anyhow, no matter the changes you apply, you must think long-term, things that you will be able to maintain once your weighloss is achieved otherwise you will just gain the weigh back.

douglasmobbs

Treat it like chocolate, its calories that you may enjoy but will do very little good for you.

If you are getting enough goodness and have some left over calories then that is fine assuming you are happy with the rate that you will be losing at and you can control the amount you have.

There is a thought. For all those threads that have someone asking why they are not losing weight and the reply is you are having too few calories,eat more, the answer for them could be to drink more instead.

Scott_P

If you are thinking of health and fitness in the short term then drinking on the weekend is probably not a good idea. However, if you are like most serious people and view your health and fitness as a lifestyle change and not a diet for the short term, then indulging once and awhile wont hurt. Being care free 1-2 days isn't what got most people to where they are, it was adding the other 5 days of over eating as well.

CallMeCupcakeDammit

I posted this in another thread. Just so you can see it's not all about the calories. It's always good to be informed. :flowerforyou:

"Well, according to research carried in the American Journal
of Clinical Nutrition, alcohol puts the brakes on fat
metabolism (your body’s ability to burn fat as energy) in
more ways than one. In the study, eight people were given
two vodka drinks separated by 30 minutes.

Fat metabolism was checked both before and after each drink.
It turns out that even hours after drinking both drinks, fat
metabolism dropped by an incredible 73%. What is happening?

When you drink alcohol, your liver converts it into a
substance called acetate. (The acetate levels in the
subject’s bodies were 2.5 times higher than normal). And it
is the acetates in your body that make losing blubber almost
impossible.

Your body prefers burning acetate to all other sources of
fuel (fat being one of them), and basically shuts down its
normal process of burning off any other source of energy.

In other research, alcohol has been shown to increase
appetite. When you combine alcohol with meals, studies have
shown you tend to eat more. And since the alcohol is going
to serve as your body’s primary source of fuel, all the
calories go directly to your waistline.

And finally, alcohol increases your cortisol levels and
decreases your testosterone levels for about 24 hours after
you imbibe. And this definitely is not good for trimming
down or adding muscle!"

Patovader

I drink Friday and Saturday every week and have continued to lose weight, just log it like everything else.

People say things like "if you stopped drinking you would lose weight faster", my retort is always that I enjoy a drink so why should I deny myself, this is a lifestyle change not a diet.

I have lost 42 pounds in just over a year by the way.

Good luck and enjoy.

A

nmerley

sit back and look at what your drinking. Could u change it up to something less sweet or less cals. I use to drink budweiser and switched to select 55. It has fewer cals and taste just as good. I tried the cuttin it out totally then I thought this is a life time commitment do i honsetly want to cut my beer out all together. NOPE so I just learned how to add it to my diet.