How does alcohol factor into weight loss?

MaigreKacie

I like to drink on the weekends, sometimes on Thursdays. There I said it. Not alone or during the day or anything but in good company. I'm in college after all....What I want to know is, how much can I get away with and still lose weight? Should I limit my calorie intake before or after drinking? And are alcohol calories very different from food calories? I'd appreciate advice!

RepsnSets

Alcohol has alot to do with my weight gain. I met a group of friends who party and party hard weekends only. I dont drink during the week but I made up for it on the weekends.

The reason why Im back here is because of empty calorie laced alcohol followed by greasy hangover food.

Pebble321

Calories are calories. If you have too many more than you are burning you'll gain weight.

The difference comes in at the nutritional value level - alcohol is going to give you energy (ie. calories) but nothing of nutritional value. In other words, you are getting the calories but not the goodies that go along with the calories you get from food.
Food is going to give you energy (i.e. calories) plus you usually you get some good nutrition too (chicken and veg is going to give you protein, fibre, vitamins, minerals, carbs etc) to help sustain your body. Of course, the amount of nutrition you get depends on the kind of food you eat.

So, I don't see any problem with alcohol now and again, as long as your diet is healthy and varied otherwise and you have counted the cals in your drinks.

needernt

alcohol calory called empty calory It is like simple carb but has no benefit to your body. It is harmful to you skin as it increase free radicals.
I just can tell you super models avoid drinking alcohol and sugar.
You'd better give it up.

cruciia

I would say that alcohol calories are the same as food calories. I drunk two rekorderligs on the weekend and was devastated at how many calories they contain due to sugar! Most cocktails / drinks can be logged on MFP so definitely log them in if you don't want to go over your calorie goal. It's mostly the mixers that will add the majority of the calories.

I do remember my doctor saying the same thing, and she joked that vodka is a drink of choice for it's low calories.

Vanilladays

Alcohol has calories so you have to calculate your drinks in your intake but a drink here or there is fine, I see lots of others having a drink when they choose. I very rarely do because I'd much rather eat than have a drink :laugh:

amanda741

The PT at my gym told me that what even you eat with alcohol will get stored as fat because the body will burn the calories of the alcohol first

bathsheba_c

So, the first thing you should take care of is being safe. Don't cut down on the food before drinking just to save calories when you need that food to help manage the flow of alcohol to your blood stream.

Alcohol calories are the same as any other calorie (though I am sure someone will give you grief over how alcohol has no nutritional value at some point in the thread). In general, a lot of the calories from drinking actually come from the mix-ins to drinks, such as the coke in rum and coke, or the fact that alcohol consumption in bars and parties is generally accompanied by mindless eating.

MFP has a pretty extensive database of alcohol. A beer will put you back about 150 calories for 12 oz or 1/3 liter, for example.

If you are concerned about going over calories, some people here save up during the week for a treat on the weekend. If you can't budget the calories for some fun on the weekend, you are drinking too much. :drinker:

SuperCrsa

Totally empty calories, but being in a social environment and not being able to drink because of diet is too hectic for me. I am on vodka, soda water and lime.. Its nice and refreshing. All of the buzz less of the bloat!

Nina2503

I like a drink now and then, perhaps on a Saturday night once in a while. If I know I will be doing something that involves having a drink I make sure I do lots of exercise that day to earn the calories, that way I still get to eat my food in my daily allocated calories, and use the calories earned from exercise in a guilt free way.

I also avoid the real high calorie drinks these days (pre mixed sugary stuff or beer/cider) and maybe have a few glasses of wine or stick to a white spirit with a low calorie mixer and make it a long tall drink.

HogSandwich

For me the issue is just that the drinks I like (ciders, alcoholic ginger beer) are just as fatty as their non-alcoholic versions, i.e. very. Even straight apple juice has nearly as many calories as apple cider.

But disregarding all THAT, the real danger in drinking for me is the urge to celebration-eat, and the comfort food the morning after. Dangerous bidness.

magj0y

"if you're under your cal. Limit"
That said alcohol is a simple and empty calorie. So make it count and be wise about it.

Alcohol is always given a free pass to the front of the line. That dip you had for an appetizer? The healthy'ish asian chicken salad and fries... All to the back of the line until alcohol is processed. I would highly suggest you up your water, and eat healthier foods that are easily digested. We typically drink 3 hrs after dinner on Sundays. My Choice is vodka. I do notice a bit of a difference in the guys who drink beer as apposed to liquors like rum and vodka. Beer drinkers have a bit more of a gut.

Just be sure, as much as possible, what is waiting in line isn't too greasy/fatty.

You don't have to nix the alcohol, but curbing it mor can help you lose faster.

cad39too

I know it' not good but some days when I can't seem to make my calories as I am not hungry I will have a Stella: empty calories I know but it does the job and I get to have a lager.

know_your_worth

Most alcohol has a LOT of calories! Such a bummer. And calories are calories, so they still count as part of your limit even though they're empty.

I hate how they don't have nutrition facts on alcohol. :laugh:

However, my suggestion is that you Google whatever you're drinking and check it out. I was shocked when I found out that ONE bottle of Mike's hard lemonade had 220 calories. Or a shot of Bacardi 151 (122 calories per ounce, and a shot is 1.5 ounces)Yikes!

I know some people who diet and try not to eat much during the day they know they're going out so they can drink more (and i guess have it affect them quicker on an empty stomach) Might not be the best idea though.

milk_shakes

I love beer! And I'll love beer whether I'm at goal weight or not so I don't exclude it. I don't party like I used to i go out with my girlfriends about once a month if that and we dance it off. But I drink craft beer with my fiance every week. Try to work out hard of you know you'll be drinking and log the amount you usually consume before you plug the rest of your food in for the day. Then if you're going to eat light do it Early in the day make sure you have a nice nutritious dinner in your belly so youre not a) sick or b) having three slices of 4 am pizza. Drink lots of water in between drinks so you drink less. I find that I usually gain after a night with a few beers so I don't even look at the scale til Wednesday and I just get back on track.

monty619

booze makes you fat... end of story.

yksdoris

For me the issue is just that the drinks I like (ciders, alcoholic ginger beer) are just as fatty as their non-alcoholic versions, i.e. very. Even straight apple juice has nearly as many calories as apple cider.

But disregarding all THAT, the real danger in drinking for me is the urge to celebration-eat, and the comfort food the morning after. Dangerous bidness.

what she said. Whenever I'm having a social drink, I find it almost impossible to stay away from the snacks eithr during the drinking or afterwards, on my way home. Strangely enough, it's different if I have a glass of wine with dinner or if I'm having a little night cap just with my fiancé. So, *those* drinks I allow myself as I know that I can control any extra calories... But I do have to be really careful when drinking out, in the vicinity of "bar snacks"

as for the amouint of calories in drinks, it really depends on the drink. Mostly it's all carbs seeing as it takes carbs in order to ferment anything (good luck fermenting protein...). The amount of carbs depends on to what degree the fermenting process has gone: the further it's gone the less carbs. So, a beer has more calories than the same liquid amount of vodka. However, the moment you add juices or any other sugar to the hard alcohol (because, let's face it, straight up is not exactly pleasant) then obviously the calorie amount goes up as well...

jesz124

booze makes you fat... end of story.

Yup, I think that about sums it up. It's a waste of calories, makes you feel crappy the next day and dehydrates you as well. I certainly wouldn't be drinking socially very weekend. A glass of wine yes, but social drinking normally is a lot more than that. I personally think that would hamper your progress.

witchy_wife

I don't really drink at all now, well about 3 times a year maybe. It is just empty calories and being tipsy or drunk could sway your willpower.

However I will just mention, back when I was like 18/20 I was overweight and following weight watchers. I would count my points and follow the diet during the week, and then on a Friday and Saturday night I would be out with friends and get absolutely steaming drunk (as you do at that age!). I would generally drink vodka and diet coke but sometimes horrible sugary alcopop type things so I must have been having tonnes of calories. However I lost weight every single week at my weight watchers weigh in. And I would sometimes share a pizza with my sister on the way home from the club too!

I think the reason I still lost weight was I was extremely good with my diet during the week and would not really have any treats as my nights out were my treats. Also..... we would literally dance all night! From like 8pm to 2am we would be hitting the dance floor, so that must have burned enough calories to offset some of the calories in the drinks.

Maybe I would have lost weight faster by not going out all the time and I have no doubt it wasn't very healthy for me. But I think if you drink the right kind of drinks (spirit with diet mixer) and make sure you dance your feet off all night I think you would probably get away with some drinking. Not that I am encouraging anyone to go get drunk though lol.

Lindsay_N

My drink of choice now is vodka with water and lemon juice.

HogSandwich

However I will just mention, back when I was like 18/20

Ooh, hang on. I was eating KFC three times a week and downing 2x 600ml cokes a day at 20, and was very small. Your metabolism at that age is a mighty mighty beast. That info is only valid really for those in that tiny age bracket.