While trying to lose weight, I limit my alcohol to 1-2 drinks on the weekend, if I really want some. I try to drink light beer or light liquors with seltzer or diet coke. Sometimes I'll just have some wine.

I've heard that alcohol slows down your metabolism for 72 hours, but I've never seen the scientific evidence to support that theory. I've also read that if you work out after a day or night of drinking, your body burns off the alcohol first before you burn anything else off. If that is true, it's a waste of calories either way.

I lost 60 pounds without restricting alcohol or any food groups. Just a 10-15% deficit. However, now that I'm 30 pounds (or 15% body fat) away from my goal, I'm being a bit more careful about my intake.

So, you can drink. Moderation is best though, as with all things. And be sure to add your drinks when logging your calories.

Actually, alcohol speeds up metabolism, as body sees it as poison and tries to get rid of it as soon as possible. You can't store those carbs in it.

Reason why the Atkins stuff goes for net carbs for items that have sugar alcohol.

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

Please say it's so. Because I *really* miss my evening glass of pinot noir!

Tim Ferriss, the author of "The 4 Hour Body" also says that wine may help with fat loss, due to research on reservatrol.

Actually, alcohol speeds up metabolism, as body sees it as poison and tries to get rid of it as soon as possible. You can't store those carbs in it.

Reason why the Atkins stuff goes for net carbs for items that have sugar alcohol.

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

Please say it's so. Because I *really* miss my evening glass of pinot noir!

Tim Ferriss, the author of "The 4 Hour Body" also says that wine may help with fat loss, due to research on reservatrol.

Hey, at least that's a nice reasonable inclusion compared to what some may want to include.

If only I could stick to a 5 oz portion, I'd be good to go. But my glasses are 15 oz lol. I need smaller glasses.

I refuse to give up booze so...

I have had to make a conscious effort to pass up a beer on a regular basis...especially when it's just one of those "beer after work" things where I only drink one or two. However, I have NOT passed up a beer or margarita or whatever else I enjoy drinking when it comes to girl's night out, birthday parties, holidays, camping, cookout, etc. I try to work my alcohol calories into my macros, which usually means limiting myself to one drink instead of three. If I know we are having an event that weekend where I plan to drink more than one, I'll behave and avoid alcohol that entire week and even try to squeeze in an extra walk or hike the day of the boozey event. I also had to learn to NOT fret when the scale is up the next day. It usually takes a couple days to balance back out if I have had more than a couple, which still happens a couple times a month.

That said, I've still lost at a nice 1lb/week rate. The key for me was not letting the booze allow me to eat like a fat kid, which was probably the bigger problem. :drinker:

Sometimes (often) alcohol makes up my calories. I have a hard time eating as much as I should, but I don't seem to have a problem drinking those calories. :laugh:

It doesn't seem to affect my weight loss. Now it's possibly why I've never achieved the definition I want, but I doubt it.

Don't worry I'm not drinking a fifth a night. Just a few glasses of wine. And I rarely eat simple carbs, mostly veggies and fruit.

Oh and what I meant to ask around the issue about non-nutritious calories was whether if i intended to have say two beers one evening would i be better taking those calories over two days as long as I wasn't eating below my BMR on the day I wasn't drinking it on? So that it made sure I had more "proper" calories for my body to use on the day I was drinking.

I would like to point out this wouldn't be a regular event, just trying to work out how to make it work best.