What am I doing wrong? Is it the booze?

autumnk921

I have been having the same issue since after the holidays...I actually lost weight during that time but for some reason after the new year I began drinking a lot more than normal for me. 2x per week and at least 3 rum & cokes each time...I gained all of the 10lbs it took me forever to lose in only 2 months but I also started eating badly too.

I have finally lost a couple of those pounds and holding steady but I am still having my drinks on weekends. I have cut down my crazy eating - pizza rolls, pastas, breads & all of the foods that I get carried away with so I am hoping to start losing again but I completely understand that after a hard week, it is so nice to be able to kick back, enjoy a couple of drinks and just relax.

I am going to take some of the advice given to you and log EVERYTHING. Save up my extra calories and keep on having my ME time. We all deserve that !!:drinker:

I know things will get straightened out for you soon with getting the weight down again. Best of luck to you !!!!

Btw, have a great weekend too. :flowerforyou:

autumnk921

Calories are calories, booze or food. Alcohol isn't a magic fat-adding substance. If you are faithfully and accurately logging everything, booze will not be your problem. I drink every day and I've lost 84lbs doing it.

I would recommend not cutting your calories down so low. Maybe eat your 1600 and add in exercise 3-5 days a week on the weekend? Then use those 3-5 days of exercise calories "earned" to give yourself your alcoholic treat? That's what I do and it works just fine.

QFT

I've lost 33 pounds while drinking, but I log it. You still have to make it fit into your calories or you won't be in a deficit.

That's what I thought! That's why I think 1200 calories shouldn't kill me, I wouldn't think! Does it sometimes take your body a month or so to get adjusted? I know that weight loss is basically a mathematical equation and you have get rid of more calories that are taken in! If I eat 1200 calories a day and work out 5 days a week, I would think I can have an extra 2,000, whether it's beer or anything else. Right?

To answer your question on it taking a month or so for your body to adjust - I definitely agree with this. Anytime that you start a new way of eating, drinking, and working out, it will take your body at least 4-6 wks to realize that this might be a permanent adjustment with your lifestyle. Especially when you change all of the above at once. Your body has to adjust just like our minds have to adjust to new habits.

Give it some time - A month, maybe even two (for your body to catch up) before you change things up again. This will help you to know if it is working out for you or not.

I hope this helps you in some ways. Now, if only I could take my own advice. :laugh:

coeyd79

I have been having the same issue since after the holidays...I actually lost weight during that time but for some reason after the new year I began drinking a lot more than normal for me. 2x per week and at least 3 rum & cokes each time...I gained all of the 10lbs it took me forever to lose in only 2 months but I also started eating badly too.

I have finally lost a couple of those pounds and holding steady but I am still having my drinks on weekends. I have cut down my crazy eating - pizza rolls, pastas, breads & all of the foods that I get carried away with so I am hoping to start losing again but I completely understand that after a hard week, it is so nice to be able to kick back, enjoy a couple of drinks and just relax.

I am going to take some of the advice given to you and log EVERYTHING. Save up my extra calories and keep on having my ME time. We all deserve that !!:drinker:

I know things will get straightened out for you soon with getting the weight down again. Best of luck to you !!!!

Btw, have a great weekend too. :flowerforyou:

Thanks so much!!! I'm going to try it too!!! Good luck to you as well :-)

linnaeus

So to reiterate what everyone else is saying, you can't "save up" calories for the weekend. Just like you can't expect to drink 2 gallons of water and not get thirsty for a couple days. We're not camels! The only people that could possibly consume >1,000 calories in a sitting are athletes that consume 3-4,000 calories per day. And us 30+ women with office jobs simply don't have the luxury of that.

Calorie counting is indeed useless unless you log every last cracker. Once you've gotten that honest with yourself for several weeks, THEN you'd probably know enough to accurately figure out calories in a sitting without logging.

My last advice for you would be to figure out what exactly it is about drinking that you like. If it's the act of drinking itself, then always have a glass of water next to your beer, or alternate beer and some other low-cal liquid, so you can stretch the calories. If it's about getting drunk, then look into low-cal cocktails. Or, a bottle of wine is typically 600 calories (there was just a major post about that). Personally, I feel so great losing weight(and also taking care of some other personal issues) I'm starting to feel better about myself and that's led me to care less about drinking. In other words, I already feel great and at ease with life on the weekend so I don't really need drinks to make it happen. It's kind of an awesome place to be.

coeyd79

You're an alcoholic.
Are you driving after drinking a twelve pack plus shots?
You're a danger to society.
Quit drinking before you kill yourself or someone else.
I would say that trumps weight loss.

Wow. Talk about jumping to conclusions.

As for the OP response....I wasn't aware that having 3 degrees makes it impossible for someone to be an alcoholic. Not saying you are one, but saying that the amount of education you have has nothing to do with it.

tlmclennan

You're an alcoholic.
Are you driving after drinking a twelve pack plus shots?
You're a danger to society.
Quit drinking before you kill yourself or someone else.
I would say that trumps weight loss.

Wow, you must be a bundle of joy to be around. In my experience, people who make rash judgements such as this, are really unhappy with their own lives. This site should be about encouraging people not bashing them for no reason.

coeyd79

You're an alcoholic.
Are you driving after drinking a twelve pack plus shots?
You're a danger to society.
Quit drinking before you kill yourself or someone else.
I would say that trumps weight loss.

Wow. Talk about jumping to conclusions.

As for the OP response....I wasn't aware that having 3 degrees makes it impossible for someone to be an alcoholic. Not saying you are one, but saying that the amount of education you have has nothing to do with it.

Ha! I agree! I was just so angry with her comment! She made it sound like I was a dumb broad that had no idea about anything, but yes, you're correct in saying education has nothing to so with it!!!!!

coeyd79

You're an alcoholic.
Are you driving after drinking a twelve pack plus shots?
You're a danger to society.
Quit drinking before you kill yourself or someone else.
I would say that trumps weight loss.

Wow. Talk about jumping to conclusions.

As for the OP response....I wasn't aware that having 3 degrees makes it impossible for someone to be an alcoholic. Not saying you are one, but saying that the amount of education you have has nothing to do with it.

Ha! I agree! I was just so angry with her comment! She made it sound like I was a dumb broad that had no idea about anything, but yes, you're correct in saying education has nothing to so with it!!!!!

latprin

You may need to increase your caloric intake if you are working out five times a week. The alcohol is a factor but it seems as if you are not eating enough. When I was younger, I was able to do numerous shots and chase them each with a beer. Now I'd be lucky if I could do one without passing out. I guess it's a reflection of age getting to me.

pucenavel

http://www.aa.org/lang/en/subpage.cfm?page=71

coeyd79

http://www.aa.org/lang/en/subpage.cfm?page=71

Thanks, but I think I'm alright!!! Just a normal, hard working girl without any kids. I think I'm allowed!!! But thanks so much! I've never heard of AA!!!

charovnitza

http://www.aa.org/lang/en/subpage.cfm?page=71

Thanks, but I think I'm alright!!! Just a normal, hard working girl without any kids. I think I'm allowed!!! But thanks so much! I've never heard of AA!!!

I just re-read your original post, and now am wondering if you are still drinking the same quantity of alcohol (2 six packs of beer and a few shots) in one day, as opposed to a weekend? Regardless, If you could cut that amount in half as a test for one weekend, and then weighed yourself a day or two later, you might find out that the alcohol is the issue. Or, just go without booze for one weekend and see what happens. As you know, it takes a few days for the bloat to go away. But in any case, it might target the reason you aren't losing weight. You seem to have tried everything else, why not this?

professorRAT

My suggestion: For the next week, eat AND drink like you normally would, only this time, LOG EVERYTHING. Weigh every bit of food you eat and record every drop of booze you enjoy on the weekend. Add it up, and get an honest sense of your calorie intake for the week. My guess is you'll be able to spot the issue pretty quickly, and it may be the reality check you need.

^This. Weighing will help and, most importantly, LOG EVERYTHING. <

---

repeat daily.

eric_sg61

I used to drink a bit on the weekends. I had to seriously reduce it to start seeing fat loss. Alcohol is more than just the calories. There are some hormonal and metabolic changes that occur, those changes are amplified by the amount of alcohol.

If your going to drink, log everything. Logging is what helped me see how many calories I was drinking, and it is what helped me reduce it.

kathydraperfitness

Not going to judge on the drinking but will assure you that the girls on the covers of the fitness mags are not drinking alcohol. You want fat loss - reduce the alcohol.

Consider this - Your body is creating new cells everyday from the fuel you give it - Are you feeding your body the fuel to create the cells you want for the future??

NanaWubbie

Start logging everything for a while, even on the weekends. The empty calories in alcohol can really add up quickly! If after a month you have no results, it may be time to get your thyroid checked.

eric_sg61

Not going to judge on the drinking but will assure you that the girls on the covers of the fitness mags are not drinking alcohol.

I wouldn't put money on that! LOL

stella1314

if you will not have deficit of 3500cal per week, you will not loose 1 lbs per week...as simple as that.
thats what happening to me. Even if i eat 1200 cal per day, if i wount make deficit in cal doing physical activity, i wount loose....and i am not loosing right now, bc i dont go to gym...silly me:flowerforyou:

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

My suggestion: For the next week, eat AND drink like you normally would, only this time, LOG EVERYTHING. Weigh every bit of food you eat and record every drop of booze you enjoy on the weekend. Add it up, and get an honest sense of your calorie intake for the week. My guess is you'll be able to spot the issue pretty quickly, and it may be the reality check you need.

^This. Weighing will help and, most importantly, LOG EVERYTHING. <

---

repeat daily.

I'd recommend this too. Be truly, brutally honest. I don't see anything wrong with saving up your calories, but you need to make sure you really know how many calories you're getting. I know for some (like my husband) drinking leads to snacking. You didn't say whether you actually weigh your food. If you don't, start that now as well.