Wine is my downfall....help!

Janicebuf

Hi group, Been trying to follow a 1200 calorie diet but I typically drink 2 glasses of wine at dinner. I am Italian and it is what I am used to. I want to change so I only have wine on the weekends. It is so hard because we get together with friends and make gourmet dinners and of course wine is always present. Any alternative suggestions to wine?

CoraGregoryCPA

Water

I'm a huge wine drinker too. But I noticed small improvements helped. So cut back to 1 glass of wine with dinner. Yes, I know it's hard. Drink one glass then fill the glass with water instead of wine.

AFter you have mastered that, you could also fill the 1 glass with ice and wine. The ice will help you get "more" wine and the alcohol affect but less calories. It's always helped me.

After you have mastered that technique, then you can cut back to 1/2 a glass, then no glass, then only weekends, etc. Small improvements to cut back will help!

Also, maybe 1400 calories a day won't be too bad so you can have that glass of wine. You have to enjoy this. It is a lifestyle change but not an "end all".

sprintto50

You could compromise with a spritzer instead of a glass of wine. Or drink whatever low calorie beverage you like, out of your wine glass. I like sparkling water with a bit of lemon or lime. Wine has a place in your diet. It's like everything else you enjoy. Moderation. And starting new, healthy habits.

labellecanuck

Instead of having 2 glasses, being to reduce by getting two half glasses.
I know the social pressure of drinking wine can be tough to resist but once you start, it won't be that difficult to follow through on.

Gemalar

weight watchers do nice rose (and white i think) they are actually really tasty and so low in calories its unreal

CoraGregoryCPA

I wonder where you get this at?

I also agree with the comment about 2 1/2 glasses instead of 2 full glasses. Do 2 oz per glass or something.

weight watchers do nice rose (and white i think) they are actually really tasty and so low in calories its unreal

Janicebuf

Great suggestions! Keep 'em coming. Thank you so much! Don't have access to WW wine:( where do you buy it?

vickie62

Unfortunately wine is my downfall too!! Trying to hold for the weekends

Janicebuf

Unfortunately wine is my downfall too!! Trying to hold for the weekends

I think I have a better shot at winning the lottery, lol

Kethypookins

I heard on a nutrition program that a typical serving of alcohol in any form will be treated by your body as 40 grams of sugar. That's enough to make me think twice!

Hayliela

Weight watchers wine in the UK is available from Asda and Waitrose. You can order it online frrom them but they only deliver to the UK. WW rose is really nice!!

SuffolkSally

No answers here, it's a problem for me too... If you can stick to two glasses that's not too bad for calories, maybe you could exercise more/compromise on your rate of weightloss/have smaller measures to make it work within your goals.

Me, when I drink wine I have way more than that, which is bad calorie wise and is also awful for my motivation level. I find it easier to not drink at all, and find others respect that too, whereas there's peer pressure to have another glass or finsih the bottle if everyone else is in that mode.

sdbart

I get the single serving bottle of wine (barefoot pinot noir). Split that small bottle into 2 glasses of wine and you won't feel like you are depriving yourself of your "two glasses of wine" Good luck and I understand... I like my glass of wine on the weekends and will make my accommodations in my diet to do so.

I know this sounds strange... but you could also up your calories from 1200 to how ever many you need to fit in the two glasses of wine into your calories per day. Just make sure that before you set up your food for the day, you put your wine in right in the morning so you don't go over on the food...

AliceNov2011

I'm from New Orleans, so wine is normal at my table, too.

I pour one XX ounce glass (on the food scale), and don't allow myself to refill it. So I sip slowly all night instead of going back over and over again. Once my glass is empty, I'm back to water.

On date night, I allow myself up to three light (no sugary mixers) 1-oz. vodka, rum or tequila cocktails or share a bottle of wine.

In general, that means I'm allotting 250ish calories a day to alcohol, on average. I eat well, so I can live with that.

arnfolly

I am NOT Italian, but LOVE my ITALIAN PINOT GRIGIO. LOVE LOVE LOVE IT! I use to drink it nightly as well, and have learned to do w/o and cut back to only weekends. I drink water. I will however put water in my wine glass, the oral fixation helped the situation believe it or not.

kbeech06

I love wine, especially red. I could happily polish off a bottle by myself. I did however give it up for Lent. All alcohol actually, but since I usually only drink wine, its wine that I am missing most. I figured Lent would give me the reason to give it up and stick to it. Its been just over two weeks since I've had any...and I do miss it. I have been drinking water with lemon, or fizzy water with lemon. When we have dinner, I take out a wine glass, and fill it with water. Hopefully once Lent is over, I will be able to stick to a glass or two on weekends.

Editing to add, what's really hard is hubby loves red wine too and he's not given it up...so there is a bottle of wine on the table during our Sunday roast :grumble: :grumble:

AJinBirmingham

Have you tried mixing your wine with water? (It's an old trick I learned at corporate events, where we needed to appear to be participating whole heartedly in the revelry, but needed to remain sharp and sober.)

AmazonRDH

i love wine too, sunday is my cheat day. i drink a whole bottle of wine on sunday (LOL!) and then go without the rest of the week, i just remind myself..........4 days til cheat day..... etc. it works for me, :drinker:

chicbuc

I love wine. I cut down to one 10oz glass at night after I work out and shower and am settling down to wind down for bed...more on Saturdays if I want, and that's cutting way down. I also eat 2000+ calories a day. If I only had 1200 allotted calories there is no way I could have any wine...lol.

shadowfeet33

This may be one of those situations where I need to take my own advice, BUT here goes anyway. I like wine a lot and when I am successful at avoiding it during the week, it is bc I workout when I get home from work. By the time I get cleaned up and have enough water to get me through my workout, I don't really feel like it anymore or it is too late. Also, if not working out I will have tea or something like that. So, I'll actually DO that this week LOL and post some good numbers I am definitely much more successful at losing weight when I avoid wine during the week.

Blacklance36

skinny girl wine is actually good and low in calories.
Also, I exercise to make up for wine intake.

88meli88

Love wine. I didnt have any when I joined MFP, and then I tried to work it into my calories as suggested by many. I hated having 1 glass more than not having any. For me, it is harder to stop after 1 glass than not have any. So I prefer having on my TREAT list.

mmddwechanged

Me too! And I'm noticing that my husband has been pouring me glasses without asking which makes me drink even more! I don't think it's a problem though. It helps that I don't have a 1200 calorie day but even on my 1800 calories I sometimes notice that my red wine habit has eaten all my protein calories.

MileHighTexan

I get the single serving bottle of wine (barefoot pinot noir). Split that small bottle into 2 glasses of wine and you won't feel like you are depriving yourself of your "two glasses of wine" Good luck and I understand... I like my glass of wine on the weekends and will make my accommodations in my diet to do so.

I know this sounds strange... but you could also up your calories from 1200 to how ever many you need to fit in the two glasses of wine into your calories per day. Just make sure that before you set up your food for the day, you put your wine in right in the morning so you don't go over on the food...

I'm putting mini wine bottles on my shopping list now! I can't believe I didn't think of this. Thank you so much! Oh and I also pre-plan by putting my alcohol calories in my diary ahead of time if I know I'm going out with friends.

leotardbanshee

when i feel really sad about not having alcohol i drink perrier from a wine glass and still feel fancy with none of the calories as long as i don't go overboard and drink a bottle rather than a glass ( make sure that you measure how many oz your wine glass holds because you may be surprised that a glass may be more than a true serving of wine) i can usually maintain my weight loss drinking one glass of wine a night( it has to be a red wine). another thing you could do if you can't give it up is, look at your other calories you are eating throughout the day and see what you can cut out. can you give up dressings, coffee creamers, oils, added sweeteners etc to compensate for the extra calories? good luck!

Emilie04444

These are great tips. I've noticed that on work week days, I will just come home and pour a glass of wine and forgo the workout all together That is a major issue because after work is my time to workout. I think this week I am going to have a snack on my way home, come home, have some water and then just go for a jog outside. If I sit down, or start eating, I won't want to workout, which is really causing me to not lose weight. At least if I worked out, I could have a glass without the guilt I think I am going to try spritzers too that way it halves the calories

Metallux

just remember that as soon as alcohol is in your system you no longer burn fat because the body needs to eliminate the toxic substance first.

if you are also eating lots of carbs proteins and fats with alcohol, all those get stored in the body for the hours it takes to clear out the alcohol, so by the end of the night, you'll probably be sleeping on a lot of calories and gaining the dreaded belly fat. it would be like you had a giant dinner at midnight.

I used to drink quite a bit and luvvvv red wine especially, but since I mostly don't drink anymore, I can instantly see the negative effects of even 2 glasses on myself in the morning. Its like I was drinking pickle juice and am super dehydrated--I even get a couple zit break outs.

GluttonousGirl

This is a tough one for me too! Chew gum drink lots of water and find ways to keep yourself occupied.

EDesq

And people think Soul Food is a problem, LOL. Cultural habits are very difficult to break, so you must change them gradually. Unfortunately, Cultural habits were formed out of necessity and times were very different>>people worked long hours at Hard jobs, food was scarce and many of these things that are eaten regularly now, were actually "treats" for ancestors. I have given up alcohol, Green Tea and other Teas are My focus now...I'm all into it; New GOOD Habits!

That is why it's about a LIFESTYLE Change and NOT Dieting. Lifestyle Change takes time and Patience and is SUSTAINABLE. You have to give up some/all of the old Bad Habits or Correct them to make them Healthier...If You Love Yourself.

marciebrian

Hi group, Been trying to follow a 1200 calorie diet but I typically drink 2 glasses of wine at dinner. I am Italian and it is what I am used to. I want to change so I only have wine on the weekends. It is so hard because we get together with friends and make gourmet dinners and of course wine is always present. Any alternative suggestions to wine?

Wow can I relate to this one. my problem is that I love wine and then I don't think about what I'm eating. I only allow myself wine 1 night a week, generally weekends. good luck!

verzanie

hi, I know exactly what you mean! Im italian too and used to have wine with dinner..so I now use smaller glasses so I can have two glasses. Also I include it in my calories so it's not too bad. just do an extra 20 mms exercise! ;-)