Alcohol...

kaytbognar

Hi! I find myself in a bit of a quandry. I love alcohol. Not in a "my name is kayt and I'm an alcoholic" sense, though it has certainly been close to that in the past and could easily be again in the future. But I love having a few drinks.

I love good scotch. I love good wine. Microbrews. Herbal bitters. Most recently, local rum.

I'm not going to stop loving these things any time soon, and while I've come to embrace the less-is-more philosophy (especially accompanied by a switch to better quality fare) I have trouble finding a way to fit a couple drinks into my diet. Yes, I know that alcohol is bad. Yes, I know that I would ultimately be healthier if I eliminated it. I'm not interested in sermons on the evils of drinking, I will not be convinced plain and simple.

I'm just curious if there's anyone out there that has found a way to find a balance between a drink or two on a regular basis (maybe not daily, but a couple times a week) and maintaining a fairly health well rounded diet?

hagan8123

Here is what my doctor told me...lay off beer and wine. I love good beers especially Belgium's. I like to come home from a hard day teaching high school kids and have 2-3 drinks. Scotch and water is ok, or 1 shot of vodka mixed with 1 6.75 oz. of Topo Chico Mineral Water (per drink) and a twist of fresh lime.

leelu

Use a shot measure as its really easy to poor more then you think. A vodka and diet coke is only 56 calories ... when i am in a pub i ask them to poor a single shot into a pint glass of diet coke. it takes me a lot longer to drink it so your not feeling like your sitting with an empty glass

butterfly7449

If you are counting your calories normally that is not alot in a day a those drink can really tap into your food calories. Not sure for you but that is important cause I just love food. But you could either do a couple of things, either exercise so that you gain more calories to eat o drink. If you do a very good workout you can burn up to 200-550 in an hour or less. Or during the week don't eat all your calories kinda like bank them so that you have those extra cal. Also remember that if you are on a 1200 calorie count if you go over that number and I think up to 1700 your considered to be in the maintenance level. Meaning that will not lose or gain any weight you will just maintain your current weight. Hope that helps a little. I think that hard liquor did not have that many calories, I should look in to that

Ang8178

Hello fellow boozer :laugh: I did used to drink alot more, but have learned to tone it down quite alot! I have a drink almost everyday! Pish posh, I know it's bad, but like you, I'm not giving it up. Anyway, my food diary is set to public if you want to check it out. Most of the time I put what I'm drinking at the end of the day first thing in the morning so I know where I stand on food. I also have been working out ALOT! I must say though, if I'm not drinking alcohol, I'm only drinking water! I drink sooooo much water during the day! Then a few cups before bed.

PJilly

Hello fellow boozer :laugh: I did used to drink alot more, but have learned to tone it down quite alot! I have a drink almost everyday! Pish posh, I know it's bad, but like you, I'm not giving it up. Anyway, my food diary is set to public if you want to check it out. Most of the time I put what I'm drinking at the end of the day first thing in the morning so I know where I stand on food. I also have been working out ALOT! I must say though, if I'm not drinking alcohol, I'm only drinking water! I drink sooooo much water during the day! Then a few cups before bed.

This sounds like me too. I drink a glass of wine with dinner pretty much every night. I used to do that and then some. I have my black coffee in the morning, water only all day long, my 6 ounces of wine with dinner, and water the rest of the evening. My diary is public as well. On occasion, I'll have a second glass of wine or a mixed drink (usually rum with fat-free cocoa — very tasty).

TCASMEY

Here is what my doctor told me...lay off beer and wine. I love good beers especially Belgium's. I like to come home from a hard day teaching high school kids and have 2-3 drinks. Scotch and water is ok, or 1 shot of vodka mixed with 1 6.75 oz. of Topo Chico Mineral Water (per drink) and a twist of fresh lime.

Did your doctor give you a reason to lay off the beer and the wine. Why is scotch or vodka better? Just curious!

xonophone

I have been having the same dilemna - I too love my cocktails. I knew that is has no carbs but I was amazed to learn how many calories are in one ounce of pure alcohol (wine and vodka are my favorites) I found an article that states pure alcohol has about 7 calories per gram. There are approximately 28 grams in 1 ounce. Given that vodka is 40% alcohol, there are 78.4 calories per ounce of vodka! And I must be totally honest: when I measured how much vodka I was pouring into my typical vodka with club soda it was about 2 1/2 ounces! And I will easliy have 2 or 3 on a Friday or Saturday night. Occasionally during the week I will also have a cocktail. But man, do those extra calories add up, even on the days when I go to the gym! So I've been trying hard to cut down during the week at least. I have been buying tons of those flavored carbonated waters in fun flavors like Key Lime, White Grape, and Strawberry Kiwi, and pour some of them over rocks in a fun glass. I've also been buying herbal teas for my "nightcap." It's been working for the past 2 weeks. But now it is Friday night and I'm on #2...lol.

Here is a link to the article I was talking about. I don't know how accurate the information is, but it does correlate to the calorie counts on MFP: http://www.shapefit.com/alcohol-calories.html

IdalieBeyer

When I drink I enjoy drinking darker beers which have more calories. But my default drink is a vodka tonic with lime. It's clear which means it's less calories. I also drink Mojitos again the clearer the drink the better. Of course I also drink wine, reds, whites whatever I'm in the mood for, but I just drink it all in moderation.

kaytbognar

Thank goodness I'm not alone

PJilly-- rum with cocoa sounds amazing! I'm addicted, seriously honest and true, to this coquito stuff our bartender makes. It's like coconut egg nog, but made with moonshine. It's such a killer! I need to resisit it more often.

xonophone-- I HEAR YOU. I hated learning that alcohol is only 2 cals shy per gram than fat, it depressed me SO much. As a result, I usually have my drinks straight up or on rocks, screw the mixers (scotch, cognac, really good stuff doesn't need it anyway) I'm on number 4 for the evening, though i've decided this MUST be my last.

Ang-- I drink water all day long, one cuppa black joe in the AM, tea in the aft just to keep cozy against the rain, but it's water water water all the time. I don't like soda and juice I find is waaay too sweet for me, so I'm a water girl. And then, I get slipped a mick. OK, not really, but our bartender is always giving me tasty treats--whatever is left over from the cocktails he makes for guests. Which means, sugar laden, creamy, rich, delicious, diet-killing drinks. Which starts me on to the scotch, the cognac, the rum. Augh, it's SO HARD having free access to whatever is in the bar.


It's discouraging, I guess I'll have to work on the workout/consumption balance. Hopefully, someday, I'll get it right. Harumph. Definitely didn't happen tonight, though

mmeitz

I enjoy everything you do! The most effective system that I've implemented has been vodka& club soda with a lime wedge. If I'm simply 'over' VCS I will alternate booze & water.

mmeitz

Watch that tonic... it is FULL of sugar.

slightingscale

I hate to be the party pooper here, but this post opened my eyes. I used to drink alcohol within my calorie limits, but I wasn't losing weight. I knew my body was processing alcohol differently than other foods, and this post explained it all to me. Now, I still have alcohol, but I really think twice about it.

SHBoss1673 wrote this around New Year's Eve, and my further research has proved it true.

"Notes about alcohol calories. They are far worse for the body than even processed carbs or straight processed sugars are. Why? Because alcohol is processed differently from other energy sources. Essentially, in layman's terms, alcohol supplants all other energy sources, relegating carbs, fats, and proteins to secondary and tertiary sources of energy. when this happens the body still continues storing extra energy as fat. In other words all the food you ate and are processing when you introduce alcohol, instead of being burned during the course of normal activity, now becomes fat (well, not ALL of it, but a lot), and fat is far harder to burn off than ingested glucose (carbs and sugar). so in essence, by drinking, you're making it harder to work off any food you ate that day. It's not that big of a deal if this is a once or twice a month thing, but if you do it a lot, yeah, you're gonna have problems getting rid of fat. Thus the prevalence of "beer belly" for people who drink a lot of beer. That freshman 15? You guessed it, it's generally because of the alcohol, and usually not because of the "bad" food in the cafe (well, to a degree). "

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/74136-extra-calories-and-alcohol?hl=alcohol&page=2#posts-1008844

kaytbognar

Not a huge fan of tonic, so I'm safe! Always used to love a vodka club, though I'm not such a fan anymore (oevrdrank it? who knows...) Scotch. Scotch scotch scotch. And a cigar. that is was i looooove lately, and when I'm a cheapskate it's rye.

The worst is that I just keep finding more things to love. Campari on rocks, for instance, gosh. I could drink a whole bottle! Dubonnet, Manhattans, cognac, godfathers...the list goes on.

I think my best bet is to just trade, in my mind, a sweet treat/food treat for a drink. I enjoy a drink more, and it usually lasts longer. If only alcohol were calorie-free! *LAMENTS*

kaytbognar

I hate to be the party pooper here, but this post opened my eyes. I used to drink alcohol within my calorie limits, but I wasn't losing weight. I knew my body was processing alcohol differently than other foods, and this post explained it all to me. Now, I still have alcohol, but I really think twice about it.

SHBoss1673 wrote this around New Year's Eve, and my further research has proved it true.

"Notes about alcohol calories. They are far worse for the body than even processed carbs or straight processed sugars are. Why? Because alcohol is processed differently from other energy sources. Essentially, in layman's terms, alcohol supplants all other energy sources, relegating carbs, fats, and proteins to secondary and tertiary sources of energy. when this happens the body still continues storing extra energy as fat. In other words all the food you ate and are processing when you introduce alcohol, instead of being burned during the course of normal activity, now becomes fat (well, not ALL of it, but a lot), and fat is far harder to burn off than ingested glucose (carbs and sugar). so in essence, by drinking, you're making it harder to work off any food you ate that day. It's not that big of a deal if this is a once or twice a month thing, but if you do it a lot, yeah, you're gonna have problems getting rid of fat. Thus the prevalence of "beer belly" for people who drink a lot of beer. That freshman 15? You guessed it, it's generally because of the alcohol, and usually not because of the "bad" food in the cafe (well, to a degree). "

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/74136-extra-calories-and-alcohol?hl=alcohol&page=2#posts-1008844

I read SHBoss's very informative post, it's part of what got me thinking. I like my drinks. I try not to go too mad for them, but in sitting down and trying to hash out the things I can and can't do without in the Big Lifestyle Revolution that weight loss is supposed to emerge from, the liquor is not going anywhere. I can ditch chocolate, potato chips, french fries, cakes, cookies, whatever, but if i look down the line years from now, I have to be realistic. I see myself coming home and have a drink with my roommate, with my partner, my father or sister or whatever. It's not a sacrifice I'm ready or willing to make; I can modify my intake, trade quantity for quality, but to eliminate completely? No way, Jose.

I appreciate the information you've offered, it's important to know the facts, but the point of this post was to find out if anyone's had success balancing weight loss and a fondness of spirits. I'm not talking a binge festival of guzzling back a case of beer in one night, or polishing off a mickey of cheap licks before even hitting the bar. I like a few ounces of scotch while on the phone with home, and if it means it takes longer to lose weight, well, it'll just have to take longer. I will work harder. I'm looking for someone with perspective on how hard I have to work in order to keep a balance.

LittleSpy

Use a shot measure as its really easy to poor more then you think. A vodka and diet coke is only 56 calories ... when i am in a pub i ask them to poor a single shot into a pint glass of diet coke. it takes me a lot longer to drink it so your not feeling like your sitting with an empty glass

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but 1 ounce of vodka is about 65 calories. 1 shot is 1.5 ounces. 65 x 1.5 is not 56, it is about 100. So, there would be 100 calories in a diet coke with 1 shot of vodka.


I love beer.
I have cut WAY back. but very occasionally (lately about once a month), I have 2 or 3 beers (that's 2 or 3 pints... - 600 calories or so, I suppose). Whatever beers I want. I exercise more that day to even it out as much as I can. If I want beer more often than that, I resort to light beer. Yuengling light is one of the only "light" beers I can almost actually enjoy.

Buzzkitty1

I really slow down my weight loss efforts if I drink regularly, but dang it, I'm not giving it up either! I have given up on having any alcohol on work nights (Sunday through Thursday) but on Friday and Saturday nights, I will have a few glasses of wine. Last night I had 3 measured 4 oz servings of white wine. I make a white wine spritzer with ice and lots of flavored seltzer. It hits the spot!
I truly believe that alcohol is fine in moderation. My 24 ounces of wine a week is not impeding my weight loss efforts.

kaytbognar

I really slow down my weight loss efforts if I drink regularly, but dang it, I'm not giving it up either! I have given up on having any alcohol on work nights (Sunday through Thursday) but on Friday and Saturday nights, I will have a few glasses of wine. Last night I had 3 measured 4 oz servings of white wine. I make a white wine spritzer with ice and lots of flavored seltzer. It hits the spot!
I truly believe that alcohol is fine in moderation. My 24 ounces of wine a week is not impeding my weight loss efforts.

Maybe this is something I will try. Setting a couple measured ounces per week seems like a good plan. I run into trouble when I have no limit (usually wind up throwing restratint to the wind, then) but I don't wanna cut out everything altogether.

Thanks!

PJilly

I've managed to lose about a pound a week while having my daily glass of wine. It was hard at first not having more than one glass on Friday and Saturday nights. That's when I used to let my hair down and have a few (by few, I mean several). So that took some discipline, but I really don't miss it now. In fact, I feel a better sense of balance now that I treat weekend days the same as weekdays when it comes to my eating and working out. And, speaking of balance, I feel like part of that is having a glass of wine as well as a little dark chocolate every day. Those are things that give me pleasure, and while I might lose weight faster without them, there's something to be said for having some pleasure. I'm in this for the long haul, not some quick fix, so it's important to me to make changes I can live with for the rest of my life — not just to get to some arbitrary goal.

leelu

I am not sure what is standard where you are from but in Aus a standard shot is 25ml thats .84 oz if your drinking 1.5 oz thats actually what we would refer to as a double shot.

so 56 calories in a single shot or 104 in a double

dujennifer

I am with you! I could probably lose 10-20 pounds easy if I gave up the wine at night and weekend drinking. I have started eating better and working out, and losing weight SLOWLY. You would think for my health and weight loss journey, I would give it up, but no. Oh well, at least I am having fun losing weight slowly because I haven't given up all my indulgences.