Clean eating and alcohol, possible?

I love craft beers too, so I feel your pain. I've cut out all beer until I hit my weight loss goal, at which point I'll be able to add some calories back in for maintenance weight. It's been April since I had a good beer and it will probably be by the end of July before I have another one, as I'm trying not to cheat on this. So yeah, I'm missing out on the summer IPA's but my real love is for autum offerings like Octoberfests and Pumpkins. Even Wee Heavy's and such. To make it more difficult, I have several cases cellared right next to where I workout! It being growler weather, my beer snob friends are also trying to break me! Lol I tend to agree though if you work them into your macros you probably don't have to obstain. I just want faster results.

Who says drinking "good" beer isn't clean eating anyway. Give me a break. Beer is a natural product full of good stuff. Check it out:

1.Up to two beers a day for men (women should only have one), will help to reduce your risk of having strokes, and heart disease. Light drinking appears to reduce the risk by as much as 20% according to research in United States.
2.Beer can help to increase the level of HDL (beneficial cholesterol) in the body and decrease the likelihood of blood clots.
3.A couple of beers can raise the level of anti-oxidants in the blood stream. This enables the cells to carry more oxygen around the body. More oxygen helps better muscle activity among other things.
4.Beer contains vitamin B6 which is needed to make haemoglobin, the red coloring in blood. This carries oxygen around the body. It also helps maintain correct blood sugar levels.
5.It is fat free, aids restful sleep and promotes relaxation.
6.Beer contains vitamins B and B2 (as well as B6) and essential minerals like calcium, potassium, and phosphorus.
7.Dark beer is better for you than light. It contains more flavanoids which are natural oxidants that help to protect the body from disease.
8.For post menopausal women, beer may be a beneficial addition to the diet. Some hop flavanoids have properties like oestrogen and research suggests that this property may make it possible to produce a natural form of HRT to replace the current one.
9.Beer can help to reduce blood pressure and levels of insulin in the blood.
10.Beer drinking can also reduce the incidence of kidney stones. This may be due to the water, the hops, or the alcohol, but, whatever the reason, it seems to help.

Moderate.

I'll go with the "who said drinking beer isn't clean" category as well. Should it make the majority of your daily calories? Nope, probably not, but beer has been around a really long time, and I've heard it referred to as liquid bread on history and discovery channel programs.

Eating clean is a ridiculously vague and unhelpful term anyway, unless you aren't washing your produce or you are rolling your food on the ground before eating, it is probably "clean"

Cut/reduce things that I don't care for so much - it's a lifestyle, it shouldn't be unpleasant. If alcohol gives you joy (and you're not an alcoholic lol) than enjoy it! But maybe you don't care as much for another slice of pizza or the sour cream on your baked potato. Do what works for YOU!

From LeanGains

http://www.leangains.com/2010/07/truth-about-alcohol-fat-loss-and-muscle.html

@seventwenty: Just checked out your blog! I too am studying for the bar (NY--February. Graduating a semester early, in December). I feel your pain on the craft beer withdrawal; since I moved to Cleveland to finish law school I've delved just as deep into microbrewery debauchery as I have casebooks.

I've been on MFP off and on for a while but never used my ticker (or any of its tools, really) since my weight fluctuates so frequently. Starting last Tuesday, after weeks of finals then vacation (ie: heavy boozin') I decided to refrain from alcohol as long as I can...just to "clean out" and "dry out" a bit. But gosh do I miss it all, especially the good beers here like "Great Lakes" editions. Now this is just me, so don't anyone jump down my throat, but I've cut back on the beer lots because they tend to bloat me. For those without that problem, I'm soooooo jealous. But I read on one of these "alcohol" posts that a pint of good craft beer can yield up to 650 calories! YIKES! Don't get me wrong, I WILL be having those again, just doing a little personal experiment for as long as I can. Tomorrow's toga party...well, that's another story. Maybe vodka/club soda, maybe nothing at all. Haven't touched ANYTHING in 10 days and it kind of sucks but I'll live vicariously through you!

Anyhoo, I definitely think you can fit them into your macros and still lose weight. You seem to have a handle on how much you can and want to drink, so you should not have any issue. The one thing I'd recommend (stating the obvious) is to stay extra active if you're going to indulge in those yummy beers. I always worked out harder when I knew I'd be drinking something other than a few wines, vodkas or bourbons.

Sorry for the long post but I will end with this sidebar: Your blog noted that Brooklyn Lager was your fav. Well, back home in NYC I'd go to Brooklyn Brewery's AWESOME block parties in Williamsburg, Brooklyn every summer and, needless to say, they ROCKED!

Add my as a friend if you'd like. It'd be nice to have someone to share in the suffering with (bar-prep wise and weight loss wise). Cheers!

Late reply - for me alcohol and eating clean doesn't work - if I really eat clean and have a glass or two of wine or a beer I am so ill the next day, my head aches for hours and my body is exhausted for a day or two after - even if I drink a ton of water at the same time - I think my body knows the answer for me - eating clean & alcohol = NO!