Alcohol Calories don't count?

like_milk

Had William the Conqueror not died in an accident I'm sure his alcohol diet would see him live, well, slender and a picture of perfect health, even today...

Flowers4Julia

That was a great article, thanks for posting! I looked at a few of the research articles that were referenced and there is alot of great info there. I think we should still count the calories but not worry about it IF our diets are made up of good nutritionally dense foods (ie, not processed garbage).

:drinker:

snafuing1

I went from 175 lbs to where I am now (~147 lbs) mostly not counting calories from alcohol (as long as it was just straight liquor, I count wine/beer). Didn't seem to affect my weight loss. That was a year ago. I still drink like the 24 year old grad student that I am. I think the trick is to eat high protein, and lift weights to keep your testosterone levels up.

amydee714

I thought the theory behind it was interesting as well. Not sure how acurate it is! lol, but it is interesting to think about.

Someone else (IRL) gave this example (which actually kinda made me laugh):

He held up a Kleenex and said "Everything is made up of calories. This Kleenex has calories; however, if I eat this I will not gain any weight because my body cannot process the calories in this Kleenex. It won't be good for me, especially if I eat a lot of them, but the point is that no matter how many I eat I will not gain wait from the calories in this Kleenex."

Interesting, albeit, completely ridiculous theory!

DopeItUp

Welp, looks like it's gonna be a liquid lunch for me today.

DopeItUp

This is called the William the Conqueror diet, it's legit and has been around since the 11th century, look it up!

How'd that end for ole Billy the Conqueror?

I think he eventually died.

I think that's a pretty obvious assumption at this point.

LilMissImperfect

I gotta say part of the reason im as heavy as i am is because of liquor! When I first joined a gym my trainer and my dietitian had my keep a journal of everything i ate, drank, and their portions. After three weeks we looked over everything together, lo and behold 3/4 of my calorie intake came from alcohol (used to be quite the party-goer).

dawndw

:noway:

Owsla135

"A man drinks like that and don't eat, he's gonna die"

Serenstar75

Everyone's body processes things differently. I think the key is to figure out how your own body works and eat in a way that supports your weight loss. I lost 60 lbs in 2010 and was able to maintain the loss quite well eating whatever I wanted - as long as it didn't include wheat. I could eat butter, cream, cheese, corn, rice, etc. in whatever portions I felt like eating without gaining. But, as soon as I started eating wheat again on a regular basis, my weight just skyrocketed. I've gained almost 20 lbs in the last 2 months (4 weeks of which I was traveling) and the culprit for me is the wheat. I know it and I don't know what I was thinking ... like the results would be different for me this time. lol So, I'm back to the low fat and wheat-free diet until the weight comes off again - when I can add more fats back into my diet.

How do you cut wheat? I'm not meaning just eating gluten free style foods, but how do you know which things exactly to cut and did you cut anything else too? I'm really thinking of doing this. I don't know that I eat much wheat though, so I want to sort it out

kshiraakshara

They count. All of the weight I'm trying to lose came when I started drinking more, and I pretty much only drink straight vodka (not cocktails).

AngelaKoder

I like this one!

I once saw on everybody loves raymond robert was drinking wine. He said "I should work out... but you know what? Drinking makes you happy with your body the way it is"

Obviously not a good mantra to live by but it cracke dme up.

MissJanet55

As my alcoholic mom drank more she got thinner and thinner, but that was because she stopped eating unless she was with me or my sister. Most of her calories were coming from alcohol.

For people who aren't alcoholics, I think drinking can be a different kind of minefield - a fattening minefield. If I have more than one drink I start to think "oh, pizza. Great idea, I'll just eat ALL OF IT."

3foldchord

I have heard before that it's not the alcohol that's the problem, it's the mixers.

So, I should drink my rum straight? No coke or chai?

lallaloolly

They count. Whatever reason they aren't affecting him (yet), I would not assume they won't affect you.

HurricaneElaine

<snip>
One of the great things about alcoholism is how you start replacing food calories with alcohol calories, which still ARE calories, they just don't have any nutrition to them. Oh, wait, no, that's one of the bad things. Drink enough and you stop absorbing nutrients even when you do eat food.

Wow - now I finally know why my severely alcoholic brother, who eats maybe twice a week, weighs over 300 pounds.

athens1000

Everything you put in your body counts!
This guy is going to realize how much they count in a few years, if not sooner. Life has a funny way of sneaking up on ya!

Not to mention the damage he is doing to his heart, liver and so on....

Nice theory.. I wonder if he thinks somehow wasting his entire paycheck on booze is actually making him richer.

nanainkent

My ex was (before he died) an alcholic. He drank every day and worked a full time job. No one knew. He drank for breakfast, and snuck away at lunch. He did not eat dinner. He never ate...except Sunday Mornings until the liquar store opened he gorged himself, He was skinny as a rail and he died at 42 from liver failure. But hey, he was skinny. Maybe your friend is on the same secret diet. Do you see him eat each day?

jrojeck

Bahahaha! Wouldn't that be awesome if that were the truth? I could party so much more. What can I say? It's more fun when you're drunk but there are consequences.

Sarauk2sf

CoderGal

As I sit here in all my ignorance, I can't help but make sense of this...but I may be drunk lol. What category does a pure alcohol calorie go into anyhow in terms of food stuffs (fat/protein/carbs/other things that are not counted)? I honestly don't know and I'm not sure how else to ask that. Is it one the human body can absorb? I suppose so?

A calorie is a calorie...yep...don't throw that one at me, I deal with units of measurement constantly. Even though the food world likes to mess with the word calorie allot.

Surely alcohol contains energy (calories). For proof, I've lit some on fire over some delicious strawberries, ice cream, and cracked pepper.

But sometimes I wonder what calories get left out and if it's an accurate assumption not to count them. Maybe alcohol is one of those cases? No idea. I'm sure once you add a bunch of sugary flavors in there people start absorbing the energy. Because we only count 3 types, and not others. That seems funny to me, but I haven't looked into it. And some of the ones we do count we seem to count funny.

Take insoluble fiber for example. Most don't count those calories, since according to some nerds it doesn't change inside the body? However, apparently we partially absorb soluble fiber to varying degrees? There seems to be some argument over to what degree? " In some countries, fiber is not listed on nutrition labels, and is considered 0 Calories/gram when the food's total Calories are computed. In other countries all fiber must be listed, and is considered 4 Calories per gram when the food's total Calories are computed (because chemically fiber is a type of carbohydrate and other carbohydrates contribute 4 Calories per gram). In the US, soluble fiber must be counted as 4 Calories per gram, but insoluble fiber may be (and usually is) treated as 0 Calories per gram and not mentioned on the label.". - wikipedia

martintanz

Interesting theory, but I don't buy it. If anything, straight alchohol gets absorbed more readily than does wine or beer. Just less volume, and if consumed without high calorie mixers, I suppose one could keep from gaining too much weight that way, as long as one avoids late night runs for sliders, chicken, or pancakes.

My guess is, your friend is compulsive generally, and substituted compulsive drinking for his former habit, compulsive eating. So, he figured out that if he just drinks shots of gin, vodka, or whiskey without eating copious amounts of nachos and wings, he can stay thin. So your friend is a thin alcoholic, rather than a fat alcoholic. His mother must be so proud. (I know, snarky, but the snark isn't directed at you, but rather at your friend.)

c2111

thanks for sharing the link, its interesting. Im not a big drinker and when I do its wine. Maybe I'll go down the G&t and vodka route next time Im socialising. My brother was an alcoholic, died at 40 last year it was very sad, he was skinny but thats because he didnt eat anything, everything in moderation is the key.

Lady_Bane

Part of the reason why Im here losing weight is because of calories in the amount of alcohol I drink.

LOL WHAT?

lol Im here trying to drop weight no thanks to my partying lifestyle.

OOOOOO. I thought you meant that you are losing weight because of the alcohol. hehe. My bad :P

Pelly57

You see my friend (despite being 30) parties on the weekend like a 20 year old frat boy. :drinker: He is the guy that drinks and the next day doesnt remember what happened.

One of the great things about alcoholism is how you start replacing food calories with alcohol calories, which still ARE calories, they just don't have any nutrition to them. Oh, wait, no, that's one of the bad things. Drink enough and you stop absorbing nutrients even when you do eat food. Your friend needs help.

This.

Enough alcohol and you don't eat much, if you are drinking straight spirits, you are not consuming that many calories in the grand scheme of things. Then, the next day you don't eat much because you are hung over. He may indeed have a problem.

darrcn5

I am guessing he is throwing them back up. They certainly count.

CoderGal

As I sit here in all my ignorance, I can't help but make sense of this...but I may be drunk lol. What category does a pure alcohol calorie go into anyhow in terms of food stuffs (fat/protein/carbs/other things that are not counted)? I honestly don't know and I'm not sure how else to ask that. Is it one the human body can absorb? I suppose so?

A calorie is a calorie...yep...don't throw that one at me, I deal with units of measurement constantly. Even though the food world likes to mess with the word calorie allot.

Surely alcohol contains energy (calories). For proof, I've lit some on fire over some delicious strawberries, ice cream, and cracked pepper.

But sometimes I wonder what calories get left out and if it's an accurate assumption not to count them. Maybe alcohol is one of those cases? No idea. I'm sure once you add a bunch of sugary flavors in there people start absorbing the energy. Because we only count 3 types, and not others. That seems funny to me, but I haven't looked into it. And some of the ones we do count we seem to count funny.

Take insoluble fiber for example. Most don't count those calories, since according to some nerds it doesn't change inside the body? However, apparently we partially absorb soluble fiber to varying degrees? There seems to be some argument over to what degree? " In some countries, fiber is not listed on nutrition labels, and is considered 0 Calories/gram when the food's total Calories are computed. In other countries all fiber must be listed, and is considered 4 Calories per gram when the food's total Calories are computed (because chemically fiber is a type of carbohydrate and other carbohydrates contribute 4 Calories per gram). In the US, soluble fiber must be counted as 4 Calories per gram, but insoluble fiber may be (and usually is) treated as 0 Calories per gram and not mentioned on the label.". - wikipedia

Additionally, I found the following quotes interesting:
Chronic consumption of substantial amounts of alcohol is not associated with the expected effect on body weight
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1957830
These data do not appear to support the proposition that regular alcohol consumption raises blood pressure by producing a generalised increase in sympathetic activity.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3790399
Long-term alcohol intake can decrease the total amount of food consumed when food is freely available...
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18471931
The age- and sex-adjusted insulin levels and insulin resistance index decreased with elevating alcohol intake, while fasting glucose levels remained unchanged, suggesting that alcohol improves insulin sensitivity.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12393073
Consumption of 30 g/d of alcohol (2 drinks per day) has beneficial effects on insulin and triglyceride concentrations and insulin sensitivity in nondiabetic postmenopausal women.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12020337
Alcohol consumption reduces the incidence of T2D, however, binge drinking seems to increase the incidence.
Long-term alcohol use seems to be associated with improved glycemic control in T2D probably due to improved insulin sensitivity.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20556883
There is good reason to believe that regular moderate alcohol consumption promotes insulin sensitivity of skeletal muscle; conceivably, this benefits the protective effects of moderate drinking on vascular health and risk for obesity and diabetes
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11516237

:drinker:

Lift_hard_eat_big

If he's getting hammered off of hard liquor, he's probably not drinking that many calories to make a difference. I drink 2 liters of soda often and it doesn't cause me to gain much weight.

amydee714

A couple of things-
1: I work directly with him all day long (we are supervisors together) and does not drink throughout the day at all except for a gallon of Diet Mountain Dew
2: I have never in all my life seen anybody who can eat as much food as he does. He was recently training for an eating contest and he put down in one sitting a large fully loaded pizza, an order of garlic knots, a calzone, and an order of cheesy breadsticks. Normally for lunch he will eat a footlong sub and a large bag of chips or his leftovers from the day before (which looks like a trough to me! - lol)

I know that he works out like mad at the gym daily and doesn't drink during the week. And while he CLEARLY drinks far too much far too often, he doesn't get blackout drunk every weekend. We have worked together (as in desks apart) for the last 5 years and he is one of the smartest people that I know. But even smart people make poor life choices.

Like I said earlier, I am not certain that I believe this is true or not, I just thought it was an interesting theory. One of my MFP friends also brought up the example of Sugar Alcohols. Those are not counted as carbs because the body doesn't process them. Is it possible this is the same type of thing?

Pandy1962

That's like saying there's no calories in broken biscuits - hogwash.

Half the biscuit = half the calories. You can have twice as many :-)

So are you telling me that the calories don't fall out of a broken biscuit, I have been lied to. :grumble: :sad: