Alcohol

buffty
buffty Posts: 83
in Food and Nutrition
I've been really struggling with my weight loss regime. I don't mind working out doing 45 minutes of Zumba every day, and I don't mind eating 1000 calories a day munching on fish and vegetables. I've never had a problem with doughnuts or pizza, my trouble is a nice bottle of wine at night. Does anyone else have this problem?

I feel like I'd be doing so much better and losing so much more weight if it weren't for the pointless 500 calories I consume when I cave in and can't resist a bottle of wine! Am I alone here or does anyone else struggle with this?
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Replies

  • tuckerrj
    tuckerrj Posts: 1,453 Member
    The idea (for me) is to have it one or two nights a week, rather than every night. Include it in your calorie count and exercise to kinda compensate for it. You'll be fine.
  • joybedford
    joybedford Posts: 1,680 Member
    I indulge in the odd glass here and there sometimes more. I would like to give up but i enjoy it, I have a stressful job and life (midwife and 3 kids 2 with special needs) and it helps me unwind. I have cut down a lot as I used to drink every night now its mainly weekends. I keep saying i am going to have a alcohol free week/month but then I open a bottle to cook with and the rest needs drinking right. I am sure I would do much better if I cut it out but life is for living and the odd glass isn,t going to hurt just don,t make it every night. My diet is healthy other than this and I exercise often so I am not too worried.
  • helcart01
    helcart01 Posts: 46 Member
    3 months ago I felt exactly the same as you. Then I started logging and realised just how many pointless calories I was consuming. I decided to give up wine completely for Lent; not for religious reasons but because it is a recognised time for giving things up. I succeeded in not having a drink at all. Now that Easter is over I have proved I can manage without wine and don't think about it much. I allow myself a couple of glasses twice a week. Find other things to do in the evenings; just promising yourself you'll clear the ironing pile keeps you on your feet and away from the temptation!
  • Amitysk
    Amitysk Posts: 705 Member
    I completely understand. I try and keep it in my goals and usually can. But I have a feeling I'd have better results if I pulled back...
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    Meh, if you like it that much, just work it into your day. I rarely drink less than 500 calories of alcohol a day, every day. I make up for it with exercise. So I eat my normal amount of calories per day, then my exercise takes care of the alcohol, more or less.
  • adopt321
    adopt321 Posts: 111
    You should clarify this: "...my trouble is a nice bottle of wine at night" If you're drinking an actual bottle of wine every night or multiple times per week, you might seek counseling as there are other issues not being addressed. If you are drinking a glass (or two at most) every night you need to determine what will bring you more happiness - a rockin' body or your glass(es) of wine.
  • Requiembell
    Requiembell Posts: 106 Member
    They way you put it, it sounds like a drinking problem. Are you REALLY drinking 7 bottles of wine a week?
  • buffty
    buffty Posts: 83
    no i'm not drinking a bottle of wine every night! just occasionally in the evenings, say once or twice a week, i'll ruin all my days work by wasting it on the empty calories of a bottle of wine.
  • Mustang_Susie
    Mustang_Susie Posts: 7,045 Member
    They way you put it, it sounds like a drinking problem. Are you REALLY drinking 7 bottles of wine a week?

    That's my concern as well.
  • Mustang_Susie
    Mustang_Susie Posts: 7,045 Member
    no i'm not drinking a bottle of wine every night! just occasionally in the evenings, say once or twice a week, i'll ruin all my days work by wasting it on the empty calories of a bottle of wine.

    So, how much are you actually drinking?
    I would still say a bottle "say once or twice a week" is a concern.
    A glass once or twice a week is more reasonable.
    The bigger concern to me is not being able to give it up more than empty calories.
  • Requiembell
    Requiembell Posts: 106 Member
    no i'm not drinking a bottle of wine every night! just occasionally in the evenings, say once or twice a week, i'll ruin all my days work by wasting it on the empty calories of a bottle of wine.

    So is it a glass of wine once or twice a week? A bottle of wine once or twice a week?

    In any case consider wine to be like sugar because that is what Alcohol is basically. So, you have the same issue as a Mtn. Dew chugger.

    It is fine if you plan and burn it, but if you make it a habit, it keeps your from reaching your goals.

    Unlike sugar alcohol also slows your metabolism so it is a bit of a double whammy.

    The question you have to ask yourself is this:
    "What are my goals, and how important are they to me."

    Assuming that this is not a drinking problem, you have to answer that first. Then you make the plan to reach that goal.
  • kevinrbarger
    kevinrbarger Posts: 87 Member
    Last night I drank half a 1.5 liter bottle of Reisling. It would have been more but I had to share.

    Just work it in to your calorie count and you'll be fine. I'm a huge advocate of taking the path of least resistance and when making lifestyle changes to make many subtle ones as opposed to drastic ones so that they kind of sneak up on you and are easier to stick with. I guess what I'm trying to say is that if completely cutting out wine would be a huge drastic thing for you, then don't feel bad about just making sure that the wine consumption stays below your calorie count. And if later you feel like you don't really need it anymore, then don't drink it anymore.

    This is, of course, advice if your level of drinking is in normal limits. A whole bottle of wine every night is absolutely not normal. I can definitely see a whole bottle every so often (I'm definitely guilty of this), but not every night. If you are actually drinking that much, I would urge you to seek counseling.
  • eric_sg61
    eric_sg61 Posts: 2,925 Member
    no i'm not drinking a bottle of wine every night! just occasionally in the evenings, say once or twice a week, i'll ruin all my days work by wasting it on the empty calories of a bottle of wine.


    I would still say a bottle "say once or twice a week" is a concern.
    A bottle of wine really isn't that much to drink. It is equal to about 4 or 5 beers. Once or twice a week wouldn't be a big deal.
  • swissbrit
    swissbrit Posts: 201
    I only drink once or twice a week now in moderation (99%of the time) otherwise I get really pissed off with myself
  • buffty
    buffty Posts: 83
    susank66 - you seem to be concerned a lot. it concerns me.

    a bottle of wine every now and then is not cause for concern. as another poster pointed out, it's like 4 or 5 beers. i'm only talking about the empty calories being an issue.

    but if you're really concerned about it, go cry to a therapist. see if he can remove the stick from your backside while he's at it.

    everyone else, thanks for your helpful posts :)
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member
    no i'm not drinking a bottle of wine every night! just occasionally in the evenings, say once or twice a week, i'll ruin all my days work by wasting it on the empty calories of a bottle of wine.


    I would still say a bottle "say once or twice a week" is a concern.
    A bottle of wine really isn't that much to drink. It is equal to about 4 or 5 beers. Once or twice a week wouldn't be a big deal.

    Not for you, maybe. But you must remember that OP is a woman and is probably on a lot fewer calories than you. Also, women have a much harder time metabolizing alcohol.
  • Requiembell
    Requiembell Posts: 106 Member
    susank66 - you seem to be concerned a lot. it concerns me.

    a bottle of wine every now and then is not cause for concern. as another poster pointed out, it's like 4 or 5 beers. i'm only talking about the empty calories being an issue.

    but if you're really concerned about it, go cry to a therapist. see if he can remove the stick from your backside while he's at it.

    Wow. 4-5 beers two or 3 times a week isn't much either huh?

    I am done here. Good luck.
  • eric_sg61
    eric_sg61 Posts: 2,925 Member
    no i'm not drinking a bottle of wine every night! just occasionally in the evenings, say once or twice a week, i'll ruin all my days work by wasting it on the empty calories of a bottle of wine.


    I would still say a bottle "say once or twice a week" is a concern.
    A bottle of wine really isn't that much to drink. It is equal to about 4 or 5 beers. Once or twice a week wouldn't be a big deal.

    Also, women have a much harder time metabolizing alcohol.
    Citation, please?
  • lindamhot
    lindamhot Posts: 1
    I drink 3 glasses of wine every night, I just cut down calories in other areas. I would rather have my wine than eat .
  • tedrickp
    tedrickp Posts: 1,229 Member
    http://www.leangains.com/2010/07/truth-about-alcohol-fat-loss-and-muscle.html

    One of the more interesting things I have read on weight loss and alcohol.
  • kevinrbarger
    kevinrbarger Posts: 87 Member
    susank66 - you seem to be concerned a lot. it concerns me.

    a bottle of wine every now and then is not cause for concern. as another poster pointed out, it's like 4 or 5 beers. i'm only talking about the empty calories being an issue.

    but if you're really concerned about it, go cry to a therapist. see if he can remove the stick from your backside while he's at it.

    Wow. 4-5 beers two or 3 times a week isn't much either huh?

    I am done here. Good luck.

    Actually 4-5 beers once or twice a week is not really all that much. Like... at all.

    A 6 pack every night? Yes. Issues. 4-5 beers twice a week? Considering weekend bar hopping? Nope. In fact, I would say that's pretty conservative.
  • Cheeky_0102
    Cheeky_0102 Posts: 408 Member
    I have had to come to terms with wine like I have with sugar. It just can't be on my every day list... Less because of the calories, I almost always have 300 calories to spare for the wine, I would just have to change a snack into wine... for me it's the "impaired eating" give me a couple of glasses of wine and I will bribe my husband to take me out for icecream, or taquitos at 7-eleven, or Wendy's late night drive thru, or I will make brownies or cookies... I seem to just make stupid choices.

    so what I do is buy the single serving bottles when I can (they just don't have them everywhere in Canada) so I can't go "well there's an open bottle in the fridge) or just don't keep it in the house. Or else I wait until I'm having a night out and get a half liter with one glass :)

    It's all about balance.
  • PrettyPearl88
    PrettyPearl88 Posts: 368 Member
    I generally don't like to drink my calories, so I stick mostly to water. That being said, there are a few types of drinks that I simply am not willing to give up and I think that's okay. With the drinks that I'm not willing to give up I either drink only very low-calorie versions of them or drink them only a couple times a week only when I can fit them into my calorie allotment.

    For me, the two main drinks I'm not willing to give up are coffee and hot cocoa lol! With coffee, I drink anywhere from 1-3 large mugs daily. However, I also put very little cream and sugar into my coffee, so all the coffee I drink doesn't consume more than 150 calories tops daily. I make sure to fit all of that into my daily calorie allotment. With hot cocoa, I simply have it as a treat a few times a week! If I have like 150-200 extra calories at the end of my day, then I often reward myself with a hot cocoa!

    Perhaps you could try some of those same ideas with your wine? I hope I could help at least a little bit. :)
  • ArubaJane
    ArubaJane Posts: 62 Member
    I just started counting my calories and wow it really makes you wonder what is going into your mouth. I do exercise dailing either by running on the treadmill or doing intervel training on it. I also do a workout designed by a personal trainer but still enjoy my two glasses of wine everynight. But i do count them into my calorie count. I do not cut back on my food as that is where my main energy comes from. So i i didnt work out and have those extra calories then the wine would go. As for beer i know alot of people who work out alot and have more than 6 in a day. And yes they are think as a board! Do they have problems no!!!
  • ripemango
    ripemango Posts: 534 Member
    i opt for liquor w diet soda or brut champagne (less calories and waaaaaaay less carbs than any kind of wine).

    try having just a glass of wine w dinner every now and then and see if that satiates your wine loving self :)
  • eric_sg61
    eric_sg61 Posts: 2,925 Member
    So I guess when people drink a little bit they have "issues", LOL.
  • kevinrbarger
    kevinrbarger Posts: 87 Member
    Oh! I completely forgot about this until just now:

    http://getdrunknotfat.com/

    That website breaks down pretty much every drink and tells you how many calories comes from alcohol vs. carbs. It was pretty handy when I first started out on this.

    EDIT: The thought being that the bigger percentage of calories from alcohol is better since that will get you drunk faster even if the total calorie count is lower than something else. Basically, drinking less of a higher concentration of alcohol is better than drinking more of something with lower calories.

    I'm not really explaining this well.
  • missybct
    missybct Posts: 321 Member
    I have to admit right from the start that I rarely drink alcohol - I've probably had 5 units in the last 3 months. This is a combination of medication and health issues.

    This wasn't always the case though; I was addicted to alcohol - I denied it to myself for many, many years, but would think nothing of drinking a bottle of wine 4-5 times a week, and every day if I could have done. It was never first thing in the morning, but it was definitely an addiction.

    When I lost nearly six stone before, I cut alcohol out to maybe three times a month - I would allow myself a bottle of wine spread over two nights maybe each weekend but not always. For me, it didn't make much of a difference - some weeks I drank I lost little, some weeks I lost the most. I think it just depends on when you drink it, when you weigh in, and your level of willpower and control when you are drinking - I always found that if I drank, I got the munchies ;)

    A lot of my weight gain was due to alcohol culture. Since cutting it out pretty much 4 months ago, it has made the world of good for so many reasons both health and mentally. I imagine I wouldn't have lost as much as I have if I'd carried on with the same habits. I never, ever thought I would be free of my addiction, but I genuinely do not crave it anymore; I know I'd be disappointed in myself. I've also cut out fizzy drinks completely apart from the occasional ginger ale, and just stick to water or herbal tea.

    For what it's worth, I don't think your drinking levels are particularly high; it's the emotional attachment that people place to alcohol that is the problem. Women are allowed 14 units a week, so a bottle and a half a week. I can't see it being a problem if you either make the deficit up with exercise.
  • SMarie10
    SMarie10 Posts: 956 Member
    susank66 - you seem to be concerned a lot. it concerns me.

    a bottle of wine every now and then is not cause for concern. as another poster pointed out, it's like 4 or 5 beers. i'm only talking about the empty calories being an issue.

    but if you're really concerned about it, go cry to a therapist. see if he can remove the stick from your backside while he's at it.

    everyone else, thanks for your helpful posts :)

    I used to be under the delusion that a bottle of wine was not a big deal. It is. - very very empty calories. Sorry if you don't like to hear that analysis, but I agree with Susan, 1 -2 glasses of wine 1-2 times a week might be o.k. but a full bottle at one sitting is not. If you're really asking for feedback, you might want to lower your tone a bit and accept or reject the info you don't want without being nasty about it.
  • marcvandenberg
    marcvandenberg Posts: 190 Member
    I like my wine too.
    I just skip some other things out of my menu (appeljuice) and do an extra walk, to earn some.
    Don't stop with what you like to eat or drink, just fit it in your system.
    Remember its not a crash diet but a life-change.

    Marc

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