Do you count alcohol in your calorie goal?

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  • MissSusieQ
    MissSusieQ Posts: 533 Member
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    you already know the answer to this, so i'm not sure what you thought you'd gain from asking.

    you wouldn't bother asking 'do you count breakfast in your calorie goal?', because that's just silly - you ate it, you count it. why would alcohol be different?
  • WVprankster
    WVprankster Posts: 430 Member
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    Why would you set your calorie goal so low?

    OT: yes, you should count alcohol. It's empy calories, but it's still calories.
  • careyannal
    careyannal Posts: 161
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    If you're not willing to cut back, then the benefit is you have instant motivation to work out! Because only eating 800 calories a day just so you can drink sounds insane to me
  • imtriagain
    imtriagain Posts: 104 Member
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    I realised why I had gained weight when I started MFP and recording my daily glass of wine or 3. I now try to limit alcohol to 2 days a week (sometimes 3), and compensate with extra exercise. I find having alcohol every day, is just too calorie intensive for me.
  • RubyRubixcube
    RubyRubixcube Posts: 258 Member
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    I sure as hell do!

    I went over my calorie intake by 2500 on saturday because I counted my alcohol intake. yours just lying to yourself if you dont and your really not getting anywhere

    When I started MFP I was having 2-4 std drinks everyday... and after logging and seeing this pattern and calorie intake just for alochol I realised how freakin stupid it is to "be healthy" but keep my drinking habits. So I've cut back for the most part, seems like the smart thing to do
  • obsidianwings
    obsidianwings Posts: 1,237 Member
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    Stop drinking 400 calories a day. Problem solved. Or do more cardio. Or more weights. Or stop drinking every day.
    This. Not logging it would be as stupid as not logging 400 calories of chocolate. Are you sure 1200 cals is the right amount for you? Thats quite low anyway
  • sz8soon
    sz8soon Posts: 816 Member
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    Are you for real?

    Yes they count, yes you should log it. You consumed it right?

    Your not eating enough.

    Stop drinking every dang day

    If you want your body to change, you must change.

    Opinion asked. Opinion given.
  • ElizaRoche
    ElizaRoche Posts: 2,005 Member
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    I dont drink... So i dont have to worry about this :smile:
  • spangey13
    spangey13 Posts: 294
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    Alcohol is a waste of calories in my opinion. I drink water mostly and maybe one or two coke zeros a week. Oh and my morning coffee. Other than that, I just think of it as a waste!!
  • ClairBears84
    ClairBears84 Posts: 531 Member
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    My calorie goal is 1200 a day, and I drink 2-3 standard drinks (355ml bottle beer) every day, which is about 300-400 calories. This means I can only eat about 800 calories a day , or be 400 calories over...

    I starve over 800 calories a day... any help pls?

    I get this, I love beer, So I here is my beer loving advice, cut down to two and drink a light beer? I drink Castle light, 90 cal a bottle.
  • EdTheGinge
    EdTheGinge Posts: 1,616 Member
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    I've given up alcohol as there's too many empty calories, I've found in the past that I notice the loss more when I haven't been drinking. This is an extreme measure, but hey it works for me. For 5weeks I've drank purely water.
  • DairByNature
    DairByNature Posts: 35 Member
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    yep, def count it in !!!! its a big part of ur calorie intake, plus it just means you either cutit out all togetherr or @ least in the week ( that i ended up doing & feel much much berret for ) or work out an extra 400 calories extra a day !!!!:drinker:
  • GuybrushThreepw00d
    GuybrushThreepw00d Posts: 784 Member
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    Log the calories, and cut down on the beer habit.
    Switch to light beer, and have less. Or do what i did and just switch from beer to Gin. :drinker:
  • queensturg
    queensturg Posts: 60
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    I always include drinks in my food diary, since you can certainly drink calories as well as eat them.

    It always makes me laugh to see people talk about being on a diet, then about how they go out drinking on the weekends. While they're drinking a bottle of pop. Both are some of the fastest ways to pack the extra calories on.
  • Kaiukas
    Kaiukas Posts: 111 Member
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    Seriously????

    I had the exact same reaction. I am hoping this is a joke :love:

    Calories are calories are calories. But getting only 800 kcal from food isn't sustainable. Up your workout calories and cut your beer calories. It really ain't rocket science :wink:

    Not everyone is prepared to give up alcohol altogether. I personally plan my calories (in and out) so I can have a nice drink or two over the weekend. Denying yourself things you enjoy altogether will come back to bite you.

    Moderation and balance is the key to long-term success.

    Best of luck! :flowerforyou:
  • joselo2
    joselo2 Posts: 461
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    I don't log it because when I come in from a night out little drunk I don't even think out that!!
    Seriously, funny how even people who eat healthy and wouldn't dream of adding hundreds of cals in one night time of eating would happily do it with food, hehe!

    Thing is, at least you log it! Maybe you just need a lower cal drink option? I go for diet coke and white rum if I am thinking about that, rather than beer. Serious, I think I drink too much sometimes, I tell myself I am a big guy, I can handle my drink, so I can drink like, 7,8,9+ in a night.... but maybe this is part of the reason of my weight, that and the greasy take aways I always am tempted to get on the way home when I have been on the drink!!

    I hope you find a way to manage the cals without it harming your lifestyle too much, if you like to go have a drink sometimes!
    xxxx
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    Sorry but you have your issue all wrong!
    You are simply drinking too much and eating too little.

    Make alcohol "special" rather than normal would be my advice.
  • dpbg24441
    dpbg24441 Posts: 7 Member
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    I used to drink beer but have switched to vodka and diet coke. As a direct swap it's approx. 25% of the calories (1 pint of UK Heiniken (568 ml at 5% ABV) is 227 calories where 1 UK single measure of 40 % vodka (25ml) is 55 calories.

    As with others, I do take account of the alcohol calories in my daily count.

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    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter
  • floydfreeman911
    floydfreeman911 Posts: 9 Member
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    Increase yourativity AND decrease your alcohol consumption I know that sucks but unless you are willing to burn th extra cal daily, i's a must.
  • Laddiegirl
    Laddiegirl Posts: 382 Member
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    Those beers are calories consumed so of course you need to log them. I personally don't drink often but when I do I log it. You can always use your exercise calories to cover those if you really need to because 800 calories a day isn't enough for most people to get enough nutrition and have energy.

    But drinking 2-3 drinks a day sounds like a bit of a different problem than whether or not to log the calories. I know 2-3 doesn't sound like a lot but if its a daily occurance to function or required to "relax" at the end of your day...it is at the very least the start of a problem.

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