Alcohol - your opinions

dcampus

Hi there,

I am currently stuck in a dieting vicious circle.... Every weekend I am virtuous with logging and calorie consumption, and if I weigh on a Friday morning I can easily shift 1-2lbs without a problem. However, at the weekends I tend to be more lax with my logging, especially when it comes to alcohol and sure enough, I have usually put on 2lbs by Monday morning.

Not only is this annoying, I cant imagine its very healthy and I wanted to hear your thoughts on alcohol and how damaging it can be to a good diet? Some people I have spoken to say they don't worry about alcohol consumption and some say it's a diet killer - I just wanted to throw it out there and hear what people have to say really.

Thanks so much.

DeeC01

bump - 'm in the same boat as you. Would really love to see all the opinions.

curlyloca

Alcohol is the reason I go over my calories allotment on the weekends. I bank some calories though during the week so my weekly overall isn't over. I enjoy drinking. I won't stop (unless I get knocked up). Moderation is key. . As far as the weight gain, it's just water weight. Drink LOTS of water.

chelseaohwalker

For me it's a diet killer! If I don't drink I have steady weight loss week to week. Then I'll decide to treat myself to a drink or two which always leads to 3-4. Then I end up snacking and before I know it I'm 500+ calories over where I needed to be. If you can keep within your calories it's probably not a big deal but you have to be pretty tricky to do that! Maybe if you can limit it to once a week and only have two drinks like wine or something lower calorie.

BrittanyGQ

I don't drink NEARLY as much as I used to, but when I was out partying every single weekend, looking back I feel like that nearly ruined everything I worked so hard for! Yeah, I'd try to be diligent with calories and working out during the week, but then I'd completely alcohol binge and eat 3am White Castle. For me, at least, it was a vicious cycle as well--going up and down the same few pounds! I'm still trying to learn how not to splurge (mostly with restaurant food and my bf spoiling me), but I think having a few drinks every now and then isn't so bad. It's life. Enjoy it. It's just a problem when you drink so many calories, then get bombed and want to eat a bunch of greasy, crappy drunk food. :laugh: I think it's just a matter of trying to be smart about it (no sugar-laden cocktails, not much in excess, etc.) and balancing it out with exercise and eating healthfully most of the week. Also, I think in the past I'd deprive myself so much during the week that I would be CRAVING the drinks and bunches of food by the weekend!!!! Lately, I've been trying to up my calories a bit and have more protein in my diet, and that helps significantly. Good luck!

dcampus

Thank you, and thenewbritt I completely agree with you - I find eating out hard as well but its something I enjoy. My other problem is that I much prefer wine to spirits which are typically lower calorie so that seems to affect things too.

capergirl770

I am the exact same way.. I drink on the weekend and bam, weights back.. I decided today that thats it until I get my weight off. I think it depends on the person. Some people can drink and still lose others cant. Im one of the ones that can't. I was up 2 lbs this morning from having 6 beers( light) ughhhh

yanniejannie

I saw (years and years ago) on a PBS station a discussion of alcohol and it's history..........one of the discussion group made the statement that if alcohol was invented/discovered today it would be classified as a sched. 2 narcotic.........that got my attention and did it for me.

Tubbytucka

Most weekend weight will just be water - I think 1g of carbs will hold 4g of water. However, in my experience, if you want to get rid of some weight/fat/call it whatever, you have to change the behaviour that made you unhappy with your weight in the first place.

Try a month without drinking and eat clean, do some exercise, you'll be surprised how a couple of small changes will make a difference.



Yeah, it's not easy...

KrazyAsianNic

Alcohol and weight loss really don't go well together unless you record it to stay under your cals. there's tons of calories in alcohol.

Hbazzell

I log my booze and still try to stay under but even if i am under I still gain. I think alcohol is my dieting devil.

kerryjudson

alcohol is not your friend, it turns straight to fat, makes you make bad food choices not only when you're drinking it but when you're suffering a hangover the next day.

give yourself a trial break from it for 4 weeks and see what a difference it makes to your weight loss. this way you will know how it is affecting your life style plan

i have cut out alcohol at weekends just having it now and again or on special occasions, its made a difference to me - to my purse too

nvpixie

I drank beer last night, which I often do on the weekends, but I don't think it affected me much. I'll drink lots of water today and stay active to keep my metabolism going. I might even have another beer tonight

ETA: I always log my alcohol even when I go embarrassingly overboard.

ArubaJane

i will have 2 5oz glasses of red wine. I alot for that and will exercise just to have them. I would rather have my wine than sweets!

majope

First of all, log everything--it's the only way you can get a clearer picture of whether your drinking is having an impact on your weight loss or not. It might not be as bad as you think...or, it might be worse.

One thing I can see that might be holding you back is splitting up your food and drink into "virtuous" and not. There's nothing wrong with a few glasses of wine. Maybe if you made it part of your regular life you wouldn't splurge on on the weekends? Since I know I can have wine when I want it, it's not a problem for me to limit myself to one or two glasses with dinner.

Best of luck!

Vailara

Me, I've more or less given it up. I'm not anti-alcohol, and I think light drinking is fine. However, it just didn't seem to work well for me with weight loss. Not only did the alcohol (I was only having a small glass of wine) have calories, but it made me want to eat! I find it easier now that I have more calories for solid food.

jsantarelli

One of the things I do is to not get on the scale every day. I only get on the scale on Friday mornings, then by the end of the week what ever I have drank & eaten over the weekends has mitigated itself through the rest of the week.

Jon

Markguns

Try a couple of glasses of Red Wine. (it's at room temp so you can make it last) Then Water n Lemon. More than 2 drinks is going to sabotage your work.

paxbfl

This is one of many reasons I recommend a free day. Eat what you want, drink what you want, take a day off from the gym. But understand that if you have a 1,000 calorie surplus on your free day (very easy to do!) then you need to work hard the other 6 days. For me, the free day allows me to indulge in things I enjoy (including alcohol) so I don't feel deprived. I usually feel gross after my free day, so it motivates me to have a really good next week.

Bottom line is you have to think of it as a lifestyle change. So unless you're willing to give up alcohol for the rest of your life you have to find a way to enjoy it in moderation and still make your weekly calorie goals. For me the free day allows me to do that.

Unknown

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haroon_awan

Alcohol and fitness/bodybuilding

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKHGsnFlBZc

Really informative.

XXXMinnieXXX

Partner was losing 1-2lbs per week. He is still eating what I am but he's been drinking more. This in turn makes him eat more on the weekend. Such a shame when he's eaten well all week. He lost weight about 6 weeks in a row, upped his weekend antics and the last 3 weeks have been +2,+1,+2 on the scales. He's upset that he's done that, and realises not is the drink. It's 9 calories per gram! Not worth it, add onto that the extra beer munchies calories and it's ruining all your hard work! If your honest, you know the answer! Cut it back!

Zara :-)

Gracie1214

One of the things I do is to not get on the scale every day. I only get on the scale on Friday mornings, then by the end of the week what ever I have drank & eaten over the weekends has mitigated itself through the rest of the week.

Jon

I do the same and I drink vodka and diet coke and within my calories

CoderGal

Hi there,

I am currently stuck in a dieting vicious circle.... Every weekend I am virtuous with logging and calorie consumption, and if I weigh on a Friday morning I can easily shift 1-2lbs without a problem. However, at the weekends I tend to be more lax with my logging, especially when it comes to alcohol and sure enough, I have usually put on 2lbs by Monday morning.

Not only is this annoying, I cant imagine its very healthy and I wanted to hear your thoughts on alcohol and how damaging it can be to a good diet? Some people I have spoken to say they don't worry about alcohol consumption and some say it's a diet killer - I just wanted to throw it out there and hear what people have to say really.

Thanks so much.

Screw opinions, lets talk about fact. Fact - alcohol has calories, if alcohol makes you go over your TDEE, you'll gain weight. It's also not the most nutritious way to go about things. But it is delicious. It's a toss up.

MeganKSchultz

Unlike food, you can live without alcohol. However, I understand how hard it can be to quit a vice (mine is sugar.) Can you reduce the amount you consume, or maybe change the type of drink from say... a margarita to a glass of wine?

rotill

Thank you, and thenewbritt I completely agree with you - I find eating out hard as well but its something I enjoy. My other problem is that I much prefer wine to spirits which are typically lower calorie so that seems to affect things too.

1 dl cognac is 225 calories, while 1 dl dry white wine is 80 calories. The only reason why you might get less calories from cognac, is that you normally drink smaller amounts than of wine. But as you see, you can drink almost three times as much wine as cognac, before you get to the same amount of calories.

ninerbuff

It can/can't be a diet killer. Depends on the person. A person having an alcoholic beverage a day, but counts it towards calorie intake doesn't have a problem.
The weekender who thrives for alcohol on the weekend succumbs to drinking and if gets inebriated is less likely to make conscious decision on intake.
For what it's worth, I would say that you learn how to moderate your weekends.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

slimjaques

Love all the comments! For me, it's like what newbritt says - maybe the problem isn't so much the alcohol as the stuff I eat after the alcohol. I am PERFECT on days with no alcohol - and always go over if I drink - unless it is just one light beer or one glass of red wine. White wine is my enemy when I'm working on losing weight. Do I always remember that? Well....

whackyjackie

Hi,
I like the alcohol and it helps me chill. Its worth the calories and I always count it in and log it. I would rather exercise hard for a feel good buzz and then drink my alcohol for the feel good relax and chill factor. I wonder if I am on my own with this philosophy??
Anyone out there fancy a drinking dieting friend?
Whackyjackie

barbaratrollman

I don't drink often, certainly not every weekend, but if I go to a concert or something like that, I will usually have a couple beers. Since I've been focusing on improving my fitness (I began on Jan. 4th 2013), I've discovered that some hard ciders are lower in calories and sugar than the fancy micro brews I typically drink. Woodchuck "Crisp" variety, for instance, is only 120 calories and 6 grams of sugar. I don't like domestic "Lite" beers, so they aren't for me.

Even when I drink, it will usually only be something like 2 or 3 over the course of an afternoon to evening outing. I am normally driving and I will not drink and drive, so I drink mostly water, especially for the last 2 or 3 hours of a night.

Also, most activities that I go out for involve a lot of movement...fast walking and vigorous dancing, jumping, etc... So, I generally burn off any extra calories I've taken in from a couple of ciders, during the same night out.

So far, I have always stuck to eating only healthy foods on these outings. The key for me is to keep a lot of good, nutritious munchies in my car, so there is always something handy to eat that is in keeping with my chosen healthy lifestyle. I can't stand White Castle. LOL

I still log *everything*, even if the beverages I drank put me over my goal for the day.
I think moderation is the key. I mean, moderation with alcohol is the key, even if you are not trying to lose weight and get fit, isn't it? Over drinking isn't a great choice for anybody.

wannatangle

I have a glass of wine almost every night. I log it. If I know I'm going to have more than that I definitely keep that in mind during the day to make sure it fits in my calories. If I'm going to a party or something, I'm going to exercise that day. I very rarely have more than two drinks, and don't have a problem with it making me want to snack or anything. I don't feel it has hindered my weight loss.