Occasional Alcohol Consumption

If it was kismet for AprilLove125, then it must be double-kismet for us all because I also was going to post about this.

I do like to have about one (or two) alcoholic beverages on any given day. Most week days this means a glass or two of wine before (and then after) dinner as the night wears on. This still fits into my daily caloric/macro sets, so I've just been assuming this whole time that it's ok. Occasionally, I switch this up with some beer or a mixed drink that I don't feel is too unhealthy (Guinness/Gin & Tonic).
It doesn't sound to me like you're going crazy with your drinks or your calories/macros. I can't help but think that if we were all to cut alcohol out of our diets completely we would certainly lose weight faster, but if you don't see yourself giving up alcohol entirely one day, that's not a sustainable solution. I think you're doing just fine trying to watch what you drink and being conscious of your decisions.

My strategy for drinking is to log everything, keep it in moderate amounts (drinking less + weight loss have both led to getting drunk on less ), and if I'm drinking for the buzz rather than for taste, I stick to a spirit + low calorie mixer. So, I usually have rum and diet coke, or vodka and diet coke, or gin and slimline tonic etc. If I'm drinking for the taste, or to accompany a meal, obviously I'll have what I like and enjoy a glass or two of red wine. I also try to make sure that if I'm going to be drinking, I'm getting plenty of nutrients, and that I'm well hydrated.

I lost 35 Lbs while regularly consuming alcohol...and not always in moderation either. You cannot store alcohol sugars as fat BTW...they have to be metabolized immediately...it is generally the **** you eat while/after you drink that causes problems because your body has to store that stuff as fat because it is solely working on the alcohol and can't metabolize anything else.

I generally have a glass of wine or a beer everyday, sometimes a few more on the weekends! As long as it fits my daily intake of calories and carbs i'm really not concerned at all with it. Just be sure to drink plenty of water to counteract any dehydration! It's not a bad thing to work out a little harder to have that extra drink

I still drink, but I have found that when I am eating clean consistently, if I drink any hard alcohol it makes me sick. I still drink wine, and I love beer so I make it worth it by having a stout, for a lower calorie option, Guinness has about 120 calories per 12oz which is only about 10cals more than Bud Light :noway:

I usually have anywhere from 1-5 drinks on the weekend. I make sure to log it. I admit there isn't always room for it so it can make me go over. It hasn't affected my weight loss.

Right now I probably have 2-3 beers/glasses of wine/mixed drinks a week and I'm definitely going to cut down significantly but I was wondering if anyone else has had this challenge.

I would love any recommendations for healthier types/brands/strategies for having the occasional cocktail. Thanks!

2-3 drinks a week is not going to affect your weight loss much as long as you track those calories and keep a deficit.

As far as healthier options, in general wine is healthiest - about 100-150 calories per glass, is usually sipped rather than chugged, has nutrients and is easist on your liver.

Beer is second - also easier on your liver than liquors but usually higher in calories per glass than wine and often consumed in higher quantities. Also tastes better with greasy fried drunk foods than wine.

Liquor is usually less calories than beer or wine but is hardest on your liver. It's also often mixed with high sugar drinks, which can derail weight loss. Some liquors make your clothes fall off and can lead to mistakes faster than anything other than computers and handguns.

I use to drink about 7 beers a night. Then I started MFP and started logging my beers. I still drink everynight but I have limited them to 4 beers a night and still stay (most days) within my calories. I lost 25 pounds in the first few months and now I'm working on toning.

Wine has a lot of calories, granted vino is a healthier alcoholic beverage. But for me, I drink whiskey because I can get a good buzz with less fill. I know most people like to go out for wine or beers, but I generally stick to whiskey and water. For people who don't like brown drinks, it dilutes the strong taste, slows the buzz and reduces the caloric intake.

When I started MFP I thought vino would be an healthier alternative, but when I started clocking in my calories, I saw how many more calories I was imbibing with wine. So when I go out to party, this is my drink. Or tequila. I get my fruit at the end. LOL

-At the end of the day, you may still be concerned with your weight loss, but don't forget to live and enjoy life. You only have only have one life. Enjoy it. And if you need to take that beer to pound town, do it. -Just make sure to take those weights to pound town when you hit the gym, also!

I will never EVER give up my beer. At times I have gone gluten free beer (New Planet Brewery makes some good choices) but I average 5-7 beers a week. (More during football season). I am still able to lose, I just keep the snack foods away when drinking a a good craft beer.

I would rather die of thirst than drink a light beer. All of them are so full of adjuncts its not even real beer.

Ditto here. With a 7-tap kegerator and dedicated Guinness kegerator in my basement, it's kinda hard for this homebrewer to not have a drink with dinner. But I always log my alcohol and I'm usually careful about the rest of the meals...