For the functioning alcoholics...

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eschoon88
eschoon88 Posts: 15 Member
in Food and Nutrition
hey all!

So, I've been with MFP for a little over a week now (my first weekly weigh in day is tomorrow-EEEEK!) and I've already identified a huge problem area....I like to drink.

I don't mean blackout drunk, puking, liver failure type of drinking; I mean a glass or two of wine (red in the winter, white in the summer), a cold beer at the end of the day, cocktails with friends before dinner type of drinking. I know I can budget for drinks throughout the week, but I didn't know if diet alcohol existed???

I already know about Skinny Girl, and their wines are decent given the 100 calories a serving. What do other members do to enjoy a drink but keep on track?
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Replies

  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
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    I just worked drinks into my calories. Sometimes I'd go over, mostly not. I also don't tend to overdo snacks when i drink, which helps. I regularly drink wine and the occasional beer(s).
  • suezensays
    suezensays Posts: 23 Member
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    Pair wine or liquor with diet / club soda. As for beer, I guess stay on the light side. And just try to plan ahead. I'm not really an alcoholic, though...I just try to keep up with one :)
  • michelle0989
    michelle0989 Posts: 121 Member
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    I usually try to eat healthier than usual during the day when I know I will be having drinks. Also on days where I have drinks, they are usually my only snacks for the day. My choice of drink also helps keep the cals down: Bud Light or skinny margarita.
  • meredith1123
    meredith1123 Posts: 843 Member
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    vodka and crystal light rasberry lemonade.
  • eschoon88
    eschoon88 Posts: 15 Member
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    Sounds yummy!
  • holothuroidea
    holothuroidea Posts: 772 Member
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    I think you need to look up what it means to be a alcoholic (functioning or otherwise), and be more careful about throwing that word around.

    To answer your question, you can work the alcohol into your calorie goal. However, when your calories are restricted you might have a difficult time meeting minimum amounts for macro and micronutrients if alcohol takes up a considerable chunk of your calories.

    Depending on how low your calories are, you can really only afford for 10-20% of your calories to come from non-nutritive sources ("empty calories" like alcohol, which are essentially refined carbs) before you start sacrificing your health long-term.
  • lambchoplewis
    lambchoplewis Posts: 797
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    I also love to drink wine but.. don't most days as I tend to eat crap when I drink and even binge. I plan when I have an event or happy hour with friends and look forward to this. I have to abstain or I will over drink and eat. Wish I could do different but I have tried and I know what happens.

    If I do drink and eat too much, I get right back on track even if I feel like crap the next day.
  • sjr1016a
    sjr1016a Posts: 39 Member
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    I like to drink wine. I don't drink during week but might have a glass or two over the weekend. It's been really hard as I use to drink a glass everyday. It's getting better the longer it gets but I look forward to my glass of wine over the weekend. I have been trying (I'm not perfect) to be good during the week so I can work the wine in my calorie intake. It's not always perfect but consistent enough to see results. :-)
  • diliveslife
    diliveslife Posts: 42 Member
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    I like to drink too but drinking is usually what impairs my weight loss. I have a hard time limiting myself to one or two- and the calories add up real quick even if you worked out. Another issue is that since I work full time, if I go out to happy hour then that means I skipped my evening workout- so now not only am I not adding any workout cals in- I am adding drinks. WIth only 1200 calories to work with I feel like I need to earn some every day as it is... It's tough... I think the best thing would be to limit my drinking to once a week to help me achieve results faster, but sometimes I feel like my need to unwind and relax with a bottle of wine is greater than my desire to get to goal. It shouldn't be like that, but it can be..
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
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    I work it in to my calories too, but I have my own way. I also try not to drink more than twice a week, it definitely adds up. Summer might be a little tougher to stick to that though. TIme to amp up the workouts! :laugh:

    If I want a margarita, I use Baja Bob's sugar free margarita mix (no calories), lots of fresh lime juice and good tequila (Patron or Jose Cuervo silver reserve). I do NOT like those Skinny Girl mixes.

    If I want wine, I will drink Kim Crawford's new lighter savignon blanc wine, and I throw a little club soda in there so I drink less.

    If I want a mixed drink, I'll use flavored vodka and diet ginger ale or something like that. Low calories.

    And if I want a beer, I drink a GOOD beer. No light crap because I drink too many!!! :laugh:
  • BEERRUNNER
    BEERRUNNER Posts: 3,049 Member
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    SAME problem here babycakes! BUTTTT I have learned how to get around this.:bigsmile:

    1.) Work a little harder ar at the gym. An extra mile on the treadmill should do it!

    2.)Eliminate any liquid calories in the daytime like pop, juice, etc.....

    3.) Stay Hydrated!....drink lots of WATER!!!

    4.) Take a multivitamin

    5.) reserve some calories for the drinks!

    And enjoy your wine!!!!!:bigsmile:
  • salcha76
    salcha76 Posts: 287 Member
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    ice tea and a flavored vodka....yum!!! you can also walk off your buzz with a buddy....it's nice to do in the sumemrtime:)
  • BEERRUNNER
    BEERRUNNER Posts: 3,049 Member
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    I like to drink too but drinking is usually what impairs my weight loss. I have a hard time limiting myself to one or two- and the calories add up real quick even if you worked out. Another issue is that since I work full time, if I go out to happy hour then that means I skipped my evening workout- so now not only am I not adding any workout cals in- I am adding drinks. WIth only 1200 calories to work with I feel like I need to earn some every day as it is... It's tough... I think the best thing would be to limit my drinking to once a week to help me achieve results faster, but sometimes I feel like my need to unwind and relax with a bottle of wine is greater than my desire to get to goal. It shouldn't be like that, but it can be..

    I feel ya babycakes!!!:bigsmile:
  • Jchambers1130
    Jchambers1130 Posts: 173 Member
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    The brand Skinny Girl is TERRIBLE calories. Look at the fine print on the bottom where they really list the amount and calories. I know the flavoured vodka is something like 70 calories for 1.5ozs. Normal vodka has ~40 calories per 1.5oz.

    Like many said stick to club soda and vodka or 1-2 beers arn't really going to kill you. Do something stupid while drinking the beer and you will probably burn the calories you drank.
  • BEERRUNNER
    BEERRUNNER Posts: 3,049 Member
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    The brand Skinny Girl is TERRIBLE calories. Look at the fine print on the bottom where they really list the amount and calories. I know the flavoured vodka is something like 70 calories for 1.5ozs. Normal vodka has ~40 calories per 1.5oz.

    Like many said stick to club soda and vodka or 1-2 beers arn't really going to kill you. Do something stupid while drinking the beer and you will probably burn the calories you drank.

    Vodka is 40 calories!??!
  • zanne54
    zanne54 Posts: 336 Member
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    No vodka I would want to drink is 40 calories.

    Stoli is 69 calories for 1 oz
    Smirnoff is 75 calories for 1 oz
    Grey Goose is 80 calories for 1 oz.

    Can you tell I like to drink too? I'm an almost daily drinker, and it's been very difficult to fit in food and booze into my daily calories. What's been working for me, is to plan out my daily meals/normal snacks to use up my calories. Any extras like booze or dessert calories have to be "earned" by exercise. It's been working for me so far; I'm less than a pound away from a 40 lb loss since January 2nd.
  • holothuroidea
    holothuroidea Posts: 772 Member
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    The brand Skinny Girl is TERRIBLE calories. Look at the fine print on the bottom where they really list the amount and calories. I know the flavoured vodka is something like 70 calories for 1.5ozs. Normal vodka has ~40 calories per 1.5oz.

    Like many said stick to club soda and vodka or 1-2 beers arn't really going to kill you. Do something stupid while drinking the beer and you will probably burn the calories you drank.

    Vodka is 40 calories!??!

    Yeah, I'm wondering that, too. I thought most grain alcohols were 100 calories a shot.
  • mstrickland9
    mstrickland9 Posts: 102
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    SAME problem here babycakes! BUTTTT I have learned how to get around this.:bigsmile:

    1.) Work a little harder ar at the gym. An extra mile on the treadmill should do it!

    2.)Eliminate any liquid calories in the daytime like pop, juice, etc.....

    3.) Stay Hydrated!....drink lots of WATER!!!

    4.) Take a multivitamin

    5.) reserve some calories for the drinks!

    And enjoy your wine!!!!!:bigsmile:


    This! I think this is a great solution to your problem! :bigsmile:
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
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    If I want wine, I will drink Kim Crawford's new lighter savignon blanc wine, and I throw a little club soda in there so I drink less.

    Kim Crawford is my FAVORITE sauvingon blanc! I haven't heard about this lighter version, but now I'm all excited about it. *off to google...*

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