Alcohol - your opinions

dcampus · April 2013

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 · April 2013

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

curlyloca · April 2013

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 · April 2013

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 · April 2013

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 · April 2013

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 · April 2013

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 · April 2013

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 · April 2013

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 · April 2013

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 · April 2013

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 · April 2013

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 · April 2013

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.

kenorus · April 2013

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 · April 2013

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 · April 2013

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 · April 2013

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 · April 2013

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 · April 2013

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.

haroon_awan · April 2013

Alcohol and fitness/bodybuilding

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

Really informative.

Alcohol - your opinions

Replies

Categories