ALCOHOL

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  • martinh78
    martinh78 Posts: 601
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    I cut down from drinking 6 nights a week to one night a week. I exercise in the afternoon before heading out (last night as it happens).

    I usually go over my calories by 500-1000 on Friday becasue of beer, but I figure that's still at my maintenance level so not a disaster for one day. It's just stalling my weight loss by 1/7th I guess.

    Plus I usually have a big day in the hills on the weekend so more than burn them back off within a day or two.
  • Deeangelique
    Deeangelique Posts: 17 Member
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    I had the same thing. Found that on a Friday night, i was easily drinking almost 2000 calories through alcohol! And on a monday I'd have about a thousand (1.5 - 2 bottles of wine).

    I find cutting down my alcohol on mondays and fridays harder than cutting down the food! But I'm trying. I have stopped drinking pints, avoid going to the pub where i end up drinking cocktails, and instead have my friends round for a night in with some rose wine. It's still tough though, so I also try to limit myself to one drinking day a week, and on the day I do my best to eat less.

    I think you're entitled to a treat now and again, but maybe just make sure you do a good work out the day before so you dont feel so bad about it :)
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
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    LOL so funny I found this post!

    I decided to have a beer last night, a Michelob Ultra....
    Now mind you, I really don't drink much anymore, the older I get the less tollerant my system becomes...
    ....back to my beer, that I didn't even finish...about 3/4 of it.

    woke up this morning feeling like CRAP! I thought to myself (with my spliting headache) I didn't have a case of beer, I barely had 1 BOTTLE!....
    I was quite sick :sick: ...wont go into details BUT...I have come to the conclusion, it's not worth wasting my calories or taking away my good feelings of accomplishment with my feeling like crap!

    So...nope....no drinking for me. If I really feel like drinking anything, it will maybe be a small glass of wine once a year :bigsmile: lol

    Disgusting! If you're going to drink a beer, drink a beer. Michelob Ultra has little in common with actual beer.

    LOL!!!

    I haven't cut out alcohol by any means. I'm just smarter about it than I used to be. There's no reason for me to get drunk all the time, but there's also no reason to lie to myself and say that I will never have another glass of wine, bottle of beer, or mixed drink ever again.
  • jaxxie
    jaxxie Posts: 572 Member
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    Idontthinkineedacuphanna.gif


    I will not deprive myself of what I enjoy, if this is to be a lifestyle change then, to me, this means permanent....so while I do my best to do well, I also enjoy a good hangover! Best of luck to you.
  • saltedcaramel86
    saltedcaramel86 Posts: 238 Member
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    I actually enjoy alcohol but am not a big drinker to begin with (most people I know drink almost daily!). I'd have a bottle of wine on the weekend or when I was off the next day, but trying to cut down to fortnightly. I'd rather have a little of the good stuff as opposed to loads of "diet" stuff so prefer a couple of glasses of red wine rather than low cal beer, for example. If I'm not having wine, I'll have a couple glasses of brandy or whiskey (neat, so save cals on mixers!) My downfall is when I'm relaxing with a drink, I end up snacking on crisps and chocolate. That's the part I need to work on.
  • Mara_
    Mara_ Posts: 104 Member
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    As a student, yes I drink alcohol. But i'm not a binge drinker, or as my friends like to describe: 'she is a cheap girlfriend' :laugh:. Because I don't drink that much, I allow myself to drink when I want. But I stick to beer and vodka :heart:.
  • notthatthis
    notthatthis Posts: 218
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    Alcohol, I like to drink alcohol and like you for many years viewed it as a CALORIE product. Alcohol has calories but they are useless, what happens to the physiology of the body is the key to understanding how alcohol consumption may really put a dieter behind in their goals. There are many references to alcohol on the internet and for the purpose of responding to this post I searched,

    "alcohol and digestive system while dieting"

    This article which leads to further articles on the web site were quite clear and provides further links in the articles to the science.

    http://chestofbooks.com/health/nutrition/Diet-Dietetics/Is-Alcohol-A-Food.html

    Again, I do drink (once or twice per week) but I am now much more aware of how the alcohol is going to effect my diet goals and simply counting the calories does not fully prepare you for how your metabolism and digestive systems deal with the food currently waiting to be digested in your body when having to deal with the alcohol toxins- nutrition not fully taken from food, food that could have been burnt by your system converted to fat and the list goes on and on.

    As I spend more time exercising and really trying to hit my goals, especially after the weight loss, then alcohol will have to go.
  • tonishires
    tonishires Posts: 1 Member
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    Yes to this! ^^^ Vodka and diet mixers are a good way to go (vodka is the lowest calorie spirit, I think)!
  • loved1
    loved1 Posts: 206 Member
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    I'm abstaining until I lose at least 10% of my body weight - not just because of the calories, but also because of how the body burns alcohol before fat. At this point, I want the full benefits of my workouts.
  • ashesmf
    ashesmf Posts: 100 Member
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    I try not to drink my calories but if I do it's Bud Light and SoCo. As long as I end up under that day, I'm okay with it. Although, the 2 times I've done so, I've instructed everyone around not to let me eat while I was drinking. Normally I end up with a bag of chips after all the alcohol.
  • RotterdamNL
    RotterdamNL Posts: 509 Member
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    I am trying to stop with alcohol as i was drinking every other day rum/whisky/wine, and not a couple glasses but the whole bottle. It destroyed many thing, my stamina, my body was aching, bad sleep, depressive and ofc the empty cals. This is my first week i didnt drink a drop but still got huge urges.
  • OkRebeccaJay
    OkRebeccaJay Posts: 40 Member
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    Just be careful choosing what you drink - a single measure of white rum or vodka is around 52 calories, and diet mixers are minimal on the calorie front :)
  • effa1991
    effa1991 Posts: 5
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    I'm a student...I drink alot but I normally cannot even look at food the next say so I tell myself it balances out!!
  • melindanew
    melindanew Posts: 150 Member
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    As an American expat living in Australia, I've changed my whole attitude to alcohol.

    I do drink, every Saturday. I keep Saturday night for my anything goes meal. Have some wine (mmmm...) go out with my husband, have a nice dinner. I'm still doing fabulously.
  • Ryokat
    Ryokat Posts: 168 Member
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    Great, now this thread has got me wanting some wine, and it's only 7 am.

    Oh well, it IS the weekend...
  • chelledawg14
    chelledawg14 Posts: 509 Member
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    Someone else mentioned Bud 55 but I find it very difficult to drink....as in gross, doesn't taste like beer. I was a Bud Light girl. I switched to Miller 64 and love it - and if I they don't have it, I'll drink Miller Lite for 96 cals instead. I work my once a week or every other week night out with hubby into my calories for the week. We will have wine sometimes instead - I just make sure to plan it out in advance.
  • madbabybrooks
    madbabybrooks Posts: 1
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    I have cut alcohol out of my diet too...........

    I have lost a total of 50 pounds now...........I think I may even see a bikini in my future!
  • DawnieB1977
    DawnieB1977 Posts: 4,248 Member
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    I used to drink a lot when I was at university, and even when I first started working after graduation. Weirdly I lost loads of weight back then, but I guess I didn't eat a lot.

    Since I did my teacher training when I was in my late 20s I've hardly drunk at all. I guess also moving in with my now husband and having a mortgage and bills to pay meant we went out less too.

    Since Sept 2008 I've spent about 19 months pregnant and now with 2 young kids we don't go out very often, and hangovers and waking up in the night/getting up early and dealing with noisy kids really do not mix! So I just don't bother drinking at all, apart from the rare occasion.

    I'm really aware of the calories now too, so that puts me off even more.
  • mustdothis40
    mustdothis40 Posts: 45 Member
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    I drink wine every night- I am sure people will have their opinions, but I am OK with it. I work it into my plan because I know that is how my life goes. If I cut it out, it would be a diet. I am looking to make changes I can live with for the long haul. It may make my loss slow and steady, and I am fine with that. :smile:
  • lornaloo3
    lornaloo3 Posts: 102
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    http://getdrunknotfat.com/

    That site will give you ideas on what will give you the most bang for your caloric buck, but remember that alcohol slows your metabolism for hours and hours after you consume it. It's not just the calories you drink that you're in debt for.

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