Any advice for a wine girl...

neesey
neesey Posts: 8
edited September 20 in Health and Weight Loss
I need some help and from the success stories I have read (and seen), I know I have come to the right place. I just started MFP one week ago today although I have been doing Weight Watchers since January. I have not had any real weight loss. I have been going up and down with the same 5 pounds.

I have added jogging to my days and I eat really well. I don't always meet my calorie count in food, but I do after a couple of glasses of wine in the evening.

My question is....could my couple glasses of wine in the evening be my downfall? Surely I am not the only person who likes her wine in the evening!?

Does anyone have any thoughts or advice or past experiences they would be willing to share? Thank you in advance.

Replies

  • lessertess
    lessertess Posts: 855 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/62997-the-alcohol-question?hl=alcohol&page=1#posts-1257147


    This was a previous post on the subject. Bottom line, yes: alcohol consumption can inhibit weight loss. Although you can probably manage a drink or two in a week, I wouldn't advice daily.
  • galelynn57
    galelynn57 Posts: 9
    No your not the only one that likes her wine. I just started on Friday May 14th. It really hard since I would have a few rum and diet cokes or a couple ozs of wine mixed with diet mt. dew. I look at it this way, if you can't enjoy a cocktail in the evening....lol. If you would like to add me as a friend you are more than welcome to.
  • hamiltonba
    hamiltonba Posts: 474 Member
    Alcohol does inhibit weight loss. galelynn57 - you remind me of my sister who would consistently comment that if I can't eat icecream every evening .....well needless to say, she still has weight issues. It boils down to how motivated you are to lose weight. Drinking every day not only hurts weight loss, but sounds like an issue.....
  • elzettel
    elzettel Posts: 256
    I too enjoy a glass of wine. I recently read women who enjoy a glass of wine (5 oz) or a glass of beer (12 oz) daily are less likely to be overweight or obese (don't remember the specific percentages) and thought JACKPOT! I read on and it cautioned that anymore than that amount has the opposite effect. So, as with everything, moderation is the key. I know you have to take everything you read with a grain of salt these days. If you've been enjoying your wine and started to notice a negative impact then it very well could be the culprit.
  • mtracy11
    mtracy11 Posts: 13
    Alcohol has a lot of carbohydrates so if you are drinking it in the evening, your body is storing it as fat. Even if you are under your calories, you are probably overconsuming carbs and at the worst time of day!!! Try mixing 1/2 the wine with diet sprite or another spritzer! It's half the calories and still settles the craving. :)
  • Richelle73
    Richelle73 Posts: 23 Member
    I love Cabernet....They say one glass is healthy for you at a meal. So limit yourself to one glass and more for your cheat day. Start adding in a snack at 10am and one at 3 pm... Do your research of what would be a good calorie source with the foods you like. Maybe an Apple, eat one half and then the other half later, carrot sticks, nuts, etc. That way you are eating smaller meals more frequently, kicking up your metabolism, and getting more of your calories through out the day.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,420 Member
    I don't think you're an alcoholic, so take this excerpt for what it is worth.
    _____________________________________________________________________

    The sweet side of alcoholism

    If you have traded an alcohol addiction (sugar) for a sweet roll addiction (sugar), you have gained little more than a lessened risk for a DWI. Biochemically sugar and alcohol are the same thing. When you take in large amounts of sugar it sends your blood sugar high and releases a feel good neurotransmitter called serotonin. The alcohol and the sweet roll both send your blood sugar high but the alcohol is able to spike your blood sugar twice as quickly. So if you have stopped taking in alcohol and replaced it with high sugar eating you are setting your self up for a relapse.

    If you are ready to put an end to this cycle you need to be eating balanced meals every two hours and taking some amino acids to help rebuild and heal your brain chemistry. Balanced meals should consist of protein, fat, and carbohydrates. For healthy protein, eat chicken, fish beef, cheese, and steak; for fat- butter, olive oil, raw nuts, cream cheese; for carbs-fruits and lots of veggies.

    from: http://www.weightandwellness.com/id40.html
    I posted the above on my "Sugar is not your friend" thread. I'm seriously trying to eliminate sugars that aren't dairy or fruit.

    ..and just from my experience ( I also like to have drinks) - - the alcohol tends to make me want to eat. Even a couple of drinks. I used to have red wine because it is the least harmful calorie-wise, and it filled my carb need in the evening. Not really worth it if it makes me want popcorn.
  • needamulligan
    needamulligan Posts: 558 Member
    per recent thread: wine/alcohol inhibits fat burning. One poster noticed that she was able to get off a plateau after cutting wine out of her diet. Interesting...
  • termc2
    termc2 Posts: 3
    Same habit I had....come to find out that when I stopped doing that the pounds started to come off. I have a weight watchers cook book I use and have a glass or two of wine on Sundays. I stay under the calories for food consumption. but, something funny I noticed is my stomach is shrinking, They say on women that alcohol will help to create the fat around the middle. I do not know if that is true but I cant help but wonder if that helped me. I was finally brave enough to start a ticker...:flowerforyou:
  • MsElphaba
    MsElphaba Posts: 432 Member
    I enjoy wine.

    I have tried all kinds of diets and probably like many of you I end up crashing them because I over denied myself. So, this time around, its about choices. I'm not looking to loose lots of weight quickly, but long term by making smarter choices. If that means I have 1 glass instead of 2, but rather than none, that is my smarter choice.

    I was at a wedding this weekend and I bypassed the meatballs but allowed myself to have half of the skin on the baked chicken... it was a choice.

    If I cut out wine totally just to loose the weight, I know that will not be a decision I can live with forever. I have to make choices that I know I can keep long term.

    It is what it is.
  • Robin1117
    Robin1117 Posts: 1,768 Member
    Hi! I still incorporate my red wine into my daily dinner and have had no problem losing the weight I needed to lose, and then some. I make sure to exercise daily so those calories can be added in, as I don't think I could fit them in otherwise. You have to enjoy life and I think that glass or so at the end of the day is so rewarding, especially when you have eaten well and exercised throughout the day. Good luck!
  • neesey
    neesey Posts: 8
    Thanks to all of you who responded to me. I have learned so much from each reply and thread link (Lessertess, yours was especially helpful).

    It is also good to know that when I choose not to have my wine tonight, there are others choosing to do the same with me!

    THanks everyone!
  • thendrick
    thendrick Posts: 102 Member
    The recent wine post convinced me to give it up for a while to see if I would see the weight come off quicker. (I only need to lose about another 11 pounds and I'd rather do it sooner than later, and then worry about maintenance afterwards.)
    I do miss it though!
  • AmandaB4588
    AmandaB4588 Posts: 655
    I love me some wine!! As someone mentioned above, moderation is key. Dr. Oz says a glass of red wine a day is beneficial to your health. Now when my mom and I have red wine, we call it our "medicinal wine." :laugh:

    I drink wine less frequently on my weight loss journey than I have in the past. I found that it wasn't the actual wine that I enjoyed so much but the winding down with my family at the end of the night. Now I will have a half glass some nights or drink something else--- tea maybe.
  • rs1177
    rs1177 Posts: 124 Member
    I love wine too...red wine is my fav.
    And as my MFP friends would know, I struggle with my weekends. I also have a hard core sweet tooth, I just can't have one cookie, or one choclate, because I can't control myself and I just end up binging. I have found now that even when I have one glass of wine it seems to spike that sugar craving....because wine is full of sugar.

    I know there are some beneifts of drinking a glass of red wine daily, but you can also get these same benefits from other sources I'm sure. Plus if it is afftecting your weight loss efforts than it is having a negatitve affect.

    Every week I say that I'm going to cut out wine for a month ( I have been saying this since February!), but I have cut back drastically. I used to be a daily glass drinker too. Now I just have a couple ( 1-3 glasses ) once on the weekend. Which isnt bad....but it causes me to spiral out of control indulging in everything but something healthy.

    I have 7 weeks to go to my wedding, starting this week I am going to give it up until june 12 when my sister is having a stag party for me. I want to lose those last 10lbs....

    So in saying all this, if you drink a glass daily my prediction is if you even cut back to a couple a week you would definitly see the weight come off faster!

    good luck, I know how hard it is!
  • elledance18
    elledance18 Posts: 5
    Oh yes, gotta love wine! My family is French, so cutting out wine has been out of the question for me!

    My weight loss is coming along nicely, however wine is one of two things I allow myself to cheat with. If possible, I try to drink wine earlier in the evening with a meal instead of right before bed. I also add an extra workout just to balance out those calories. What Ive found is that if I want that glass of wine bad enough, the workout part wont phase me. If its not worth the extra workout, its not worth drinking!

    I doubt there is little scientific evidence to support my claim lol, but I also think life is too short to cut out ALL of the good stuff :)
  • rs1177
    rs1177 Posts: 124 Member
    well, I do agree with you too...do an extra workout! I'm not that strong though, so just for at least a couple of weeks I"m going to try to stay away, but I love it too much to leave it for good! I just find it so relaxing!
  • Johnnyswife
    Johnnyswife Posts: 1,447 Member
    Mmm..I love a nice chilled glass of riesling. I gave it up though so I could lose weight without any issues. However if I get my promotion and a raise this week, I shall have 1 small glass in celebration! :drinker:
  • AmandaB4588
    AmandaB4588 Posts: 655
    Mmm..I love a nice chilled glass of riesling. I gave it up though so I could lose weight without any issues. However if I get my promotion and a raise this week, I shall have 1 small glass in celebration! :drinker:

    Riesling is my fav!! Definitely have to drink it in moderation though. Why can't that be the healthier wine? :grumble:
  • Johnnyswife
    Johnnyswife Posts: 1,447 Member
    Mmm..I love a nice chilled glass of riesling. I gave it up though so I could lose weight without any issues. However if I get my promotion and a raise this week, I shall have 1 small glass in celebration! :drinker:

    Riesling is my fav!! Definitely have to drink it in moderation though. Why can't that be the healthier wine? :grumble:
    I don't know, but it doesn't help that it goes REALLY well with any kind of dark chocolate dessert. :laugh: If I treat myself, I am going to a bar with the hubby for 1 small glass and there will be NO chocolate involved. lol
  • cymills
    cymills Posts: 133 Member
    I love this comment..."If I cut out wine totally just to loose the weight, I know that will not be a decision I can live with forever. I have to make choices that I know I can keep long term. "

    When you deprieve your whole self - body , and mind of something you love you are more likely to "binge" . Your weight loss may slow down, depending on how often you have a glass or two. Then again - it may not.
    You need to decide what you want to do - for you. If it makes you happy - go for it! BTW - do you know steess can screw up your metabolism as well. perhaps more than that occasional glass of wine ....:laugh:
  • Barneystinson
    Barneystinson Posts: 1,357 Member
    I have found - and maybe this is just me - that when I am in a cut or loss mode, I have to remove alcohol completely (esp. beer!) to continue steady weight loss. When I decide I'm at maintenance or acceptable weight, moderate consumption is okay (i.e. 1-3 drinks per week, typ. dry red wine for me).
  • ifeelgreat
    ifeelgreat Posts: 12
    I love red wine too, but have substituted a weeknight glass of wine for a variety of green tea (Ginger Green tea is my favorite). Diet cranberry Juice (sweetened with Splenda) makes a great low calorie substitution for a "drink" with dinner. I have a glass or two of red wine on the weekend, but I always "earn it " with more exercise.
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