alcohol and weight loss

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peterjasper
peterjasper Posts: 41 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I was wondering how other people trying to lose weight incorporate alcohol in their diet. I have pretty much avoided alcohol for most of the last month and enjoyed good weight loss and feel better for it. I was shocked at how mamy calories are on a bottle of wine when I tracked it on MFP.
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Replies

  • mkphotogirl
    mkphotogirl Posts: 55 Member
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    same here -- in fact, i realized i was sabotaging all my exercise by drinking over 2000 calories of alcohol per week. so much for working out, i was wondering for the longest time why i saw no difference on the scale. i've cut that back by a lot -- and i've created an alcohol category in my food diary so that i can really look at it as a treat/indulgence rather than a part of my regular diet.

    i have days of the week that i look forward to going out and drinking -- but maybe 2 glasses of wine instead of 4 beers.
  • lovelylela415
    lovelylela415 Posts: 91 Member
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    Occasional glass of red wine or champagne, no more than 2x/ week, if that. (That's what I do)
  • KayRisTee
    KayRisTee Posts: 31 Member
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    I drink fairly often, usually 2 or 3 nights a week and I'll have 7 or 8 shots of vodka. I stay away from mixed drinks because they have so many extra calories, so a shot chased by orange juice is what I do. If I'm drinking beer I stay to the lower cal beers like MGD64 or Budlight.
    It helps that I usually know going into to the day knowing I'm going to drink that night so I'll choose healthy low cal foods and exercise a bit more than normal and it helps stay under my calorie goal. I also make sure to drink lots of water that way I don't feel yucky the next day.
  • grrrlface
    grrrlface Posts: 1,204 Member
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    When I started here I had cut it out completely. Now I'm too quick to pick up a beer if I have extra calories and it is stalling my weightloss so I'm cutting down again. :)
  • candylilacs
    candylilacs Posts: 614 Member
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    I drank rose last month. Quite like it. Not a whole bottle though. I usually share it with the hubs. It's been so long between drinking that two glasses seems to be more than enough.
  • crackur
    crackur Posts: 473 Member
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    Nope, I've lost as much weight with and without........its how you factor it in.
  • melham
    melham Posts: 233 Member
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    Just like anything else you want to eat or drink - you can either budget calories for it or not eat/drink it. I've lost a total of 20% of my body weight and I drink wine every day.
  • psuskifan
    psuskifan Posts: 19 Member
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    Commit to entering the alcohol accurately into MFP and let the cards fall as they will. Most of the time I don't think you will want to wipe out your hard work at the gym/food choices with 350 calories of booze. That said, if you are at a wedding/had a rough week and want to live it up, go for it, just enter it correctly.
  • Minks_esposa
    Minks_esposa Posts: 54
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    Alcohol stalls my weight loss and I always make sure to count the cals. I just get bloated the next two days and it sucks. Plus it wreaks havoc on my hypoglycemia and I wake up middle of the night shaking, not good. I only drink during special occasions now like at the military ball or if we go out to eat a restaurant, so that ends up being about once a month if even that. I don't think the bloat and cravings are worth it plus hangovers suck when you get older and have kids to wake up to the next morning.
  • NadineSabbagh
    NadineSabbagh Posts: 142 Member
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    I'm lucky that I can't drink wine, or many other alcoholic drinks for that matter. I tend to stick to vodka and diet coke, which, weight-loss-wise, is probably one of the best choices for me as it is around 60 calories per measure. This means that I can easily incorporate a glass or two into my daily calorie allowance, if I fancy a drink to relax at night.

    If I'm planning on having a big night out I stick the the vodka and diet coke as well. I know I shouldn't, but I do sometimes eat less during the day than I normally would so that I have more calories to spend on alcohol, although I make sure that I've had an adequate amount of food. As long as I'm still at a calorie deficit for the week, I don't fret too much if I go over on calories on a night out. At the start of the night I tend to keep track of the calories I'm consuming, but that can sometimes go out the window and I just enjoy the night, and get back on track the next day :)

    I did give up alcohol for a long time, as it was one of the main causes for my weight gain in the first place... but now I don't deprive myself of my much-needed nights out, I just try to be slightly more sensible than I used to be :P
  • peterjasper
    peterjasper Posts: 41 Member
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    I recently went a month without a drink and realised some good weight loss. I agree with s lot of people here that you can incorporate alcohol, you just have to 'own it' and count the calories. For me weight loss stalls, but you can't be good all the time huh?
  • septembergrrl
    septembergrrl Posts: 168 Member
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    I basically had to cut out alcohol to make my calorie goals. I still have about two drinks a week as a treat, but before I started I had a beer or some wine almost every day. Turns out I don't miss it much.
  • telepathe
    telepathe Posts: 34
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    It all comes down to the calories. I like my alcohol and if I know I'll drink in the evening I exercise a little more or just eat a little bit less the next day. :) My favorite cocktail is the White Russian but now that I'm on a diet I usually can't afford those 300+ calories (vodka, coffee liqueur and heavy cream :drinker: ), so I usually stick to vodka and tequila shots nowadays.
  • Lochlyn_D
    Lochlyn_D Posts: 492 Member
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    If you work out as or after you drink, it burns right off. I drink 4 - 5 beer a day but only while I'm walking the dogs. I am trying to cut back though.
  • tbreck1
    tbreck1 Posts: 12
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    one 8 oz glass, almost 200 cal....Holy...I would drink a bottle by myself...until you count you have no idea. I guess you have to choose when you're going to enjoy it.
  • grantwashere
    grantwashere Posts: 171 Member
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    Mmmmmmmmm........Beer.......
  • maxphia32
    maxphia32 Posts: 99 Member
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    I have a glass or 2 a wine a week... :smile:
  • chezjuan
    chezjuan Posts: 747 Member
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    I currently have a drink or two (generally beer, wine, or a Gin and Tonic) almost daily, as long as it fits into my calorie goals and doesn't end up messing up my macros. Sometimes on a weekend or at a party I will have more, and try to account for it.I am at maintenance now, and am fairly active (working out about 5X a week for an hour or so) so my calorie needs are decently high (2600/day). Generally I plan on working in a drink a day, and if I have extra calories and have done a decent job on my macros, I'll throw in a nightcap before bed too.

    When I was actively losing, I worked in alcohol, but had to limit it a bit more because my daily calorie goals were lower. I tended toward a drink or two a week (M-F) and maybe an extra beer or something on Saturday. I never had a problem with it stalling my weight loss.

    I was sort of surprised at the number of calories in alcoholic drinks in general when I first started logging. I knew that alcohol was high in calories, but when you also add in the carbs (sugars, etc.) in beer and wine, or the content of the mixers, you can end up having 300-400 calories (or more) without even noticing.
  • emilypink573
    emilypink573 Posts: 132 Member
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    I think if it fits in your calorie goal it should be fine. Beer especially is high in calories so it can take quite a chunk of calories.

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