I love my wine, but....???

changingmylife67
changingmylife67 Posts: 2
in Health and Weight Loss
Ok, I admit it...I love my wine, but I know it's hindering my ability to lose weight. One glass at dinner can easily turn into a bottle in front of the T.V. (more than once a week!)

Any advice on cutting back, while not giving it up completely?
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Replies

  • Phoenix_Warrior
    Phoenix_Warrior Posts: 1,633 Member
    All I can advise is self-control. Make sure you measure and log, then put that bottle away :P
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    All I can advise is self-control. Make sure you measure and log, then put that bottle away :P

    This...just make sure it fits in your calorie goal...or exercise more to burn it off.
  • megginanderson
    megginanderson Posts: 276 Member
    yes, have you looked in MFP to see how many calories a glass is?
    I know for me, once I saw some of my fav foods calorie/fat or sodium content i was completely turned off from it.
    What about making out a plan on a blank calendar;
    What if you just try and say you will only drink 3 times a week and limit to 2 glasses and then see if you can, then the next week go to 2 times, then the next week got to 2 times but only 1 glass.
    If you set yourself a goal on paper i think the visual will help you.
  • mkwongh
    mkwongh Posts: 279 Member
    i dont drink often, but i do love my wine. I started drinking the skinny girl red wine, its not to bad.. and i think it has 89 cal's per
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    For me, drinking (too much) leads to binge eating. And lots of times, I just don't want to have to squeeze in any extra exercise for the calories, so I go without. It's been a bunch of trial and error, to be honest. 'cause Lord knows, I love me drinks! :drinker:
  • magbat1819
    magbat1819 Posts: 13 Member
    I drink wine too! I have three glasses a night! I'm losing slowly and I'm ok with that! Trying to go for two glasses a night! If you want to friend me I'm magbat1819. Good luck!
  • gman94568
    gman94568 Posts: 12 Member
    I have the same problem. For three months I decided to "Drink 0 Calories". I have given up soda, fancy coffee drinks, juices, beer, wine and any other drinks with calories. So far it has been a big help for weight loss but not willing to give it up long term. I will have the same challenge when I re-introduce it.
  • steffij100
    steffij100 Posts: 85 Member
    I love my wine too. Two methods which work for me- I have evenings I just don't drink any- it's much easier if you don't start! And if I do want wine, it absolutely has to fit into my calories- along with any potential wine induced snacking! I always make sure I eat healthily and watch my macros, so wine is an extra.

    Will cycle, zumba, strength train for wine! :drinker:
  • Naomi0504
    Naomi0504 Posts: 964 Member
    I love wine too :smile: But when I was trying hard to lose, I had to give it up. Wine always makes me crave major carbs and my self control is gone :smile:
    So I'd agree with not having it at all!
  • Bianca42
    Bianca42 Posts: 310 Member
    I switched to small wine glasses. They hold 4oz if I totally fill them up to the brim. I also keep the wine in the basement and I'm typically on the 1st or 2nd floor. I rarely go past 1 glass...but at 4oz if I have a second glass it's not the worst thing in the world.

    I also make sure that I have calories left and that I don't have any until after I exercise.

    Good luck to you!
  • TArnold2012
    TArnold2012 Posts: 929 Member
    While I have not restricted anything on my journey, there are certain items that I do not purchase to consume at home such as bacon. I still enjoy bacon, but I have it under what I call controlled occasions. Those occasions are at some one else house or a restaurant where the supply is limited for me. You may try limiting drinking wine on those occasions.
  • MsPudding
    MsPudding Posts: 562 Member
    If it's white wine that you like...spritzers! Get your normal glass of wine, add the same amount again of soda water and top up with ice/lemon. You physically can't drink as much because of all the volume you've added.

    I do hear you on the wine though. For me I've simply had to cut it out on week-days as I'm the type who simply doesn't stop at the one glass....before I know it I've had 3-4 glasses and then headed straight for the salty snacks!
  • jess7386
    jess7386 Posts: 477 Member
    I only drink on weekends.

    Also, buy smaller wine glasses :) those oz's add up!
  • rosellasweet
    rosellasweet Posts: 163 Member
    I only drink on weekends.

    Also, buy smaller wine glasses :) those oz's add up!

    I go by the weekend rule as well.
  • froeschli
    froeschli Posts: 1,293 Member
    i make a lot of my own wine - putting it in smaller bottles really helps :-)
    we also have a vacuum-stopper for wine, so the excuse that it won't be as tastey the next day goes out the window....
    other than that, limit the days you drink....
  • thistimewillbedifferent
    thistimewillbedifferent Posts: 217 Member
    This has helped me a LOT -- made me much more aware of how much I'm drinking and what it "costs:" http://caloriccuvee.com/
  • footiechick82
    footiechick82 Posts: 1,203 Member
    I love wine A LOT!!!

    I gave it up for a while just to see what happens... BUT, when I do drink it, WEEKENDS ONLY! That way, I restrict myself to 1 night. I also invested in "Skinny Girl" wine, less calories and is sooooooooo yummy!
  • mrslcoop
    mrslcoop Posts: 317 Member
    I love my wine too. I might actually kill a man who tries to separate me from my red wine. That said, I switched to Italian wine glasses (they look they small juice glasses). The wine I drink is 120 cals for 6 oz glass which means I get to fill the whole glass to the top. Makes me feel like I’m drinking more.
  • WhataBroad
    WhataBroad Posts: 1,091 Member
    it's hard... it really is and all I can say is it takes time and although you might not see any hope now, it will get easier and easier to step away from the bottle! =)

    I did the smaller glass thing and asked my family for support on this; it really comes down to will power. I limited myself to 2 glasses, 3 times a week and after a couple months, I had no problem having one glass with dinner a couple times a week at most. I drink full bodied reds and have gone back to a nice, larger glass now, still ensure it is 5 oz, so I can get the full sensory enjoyment when I have a glass.
  • samammay
    samammay Posts: 468
    I do plenty of cardio most days so I can drink at night...
  • AllanMisner
    AllanMisner Posts: 4,140 Member
    Schedule cheat days, and enjoy the things you like on those days.
  • _Waffle_
    _Waffle_ Posts: 13,049 Member
    I just came here to agree. I have a hard time being told I can't have my wine too.
  • lavaughan69
    lavaughan69 Posts: 459 Member
    I love wine too, but I only allow myself a glass or two max, and that's only if I have the calorie deficit to play with. I have some self control issues when it comes to alcohol, so I switch to rum and diet. You can have two rum drinks for the same calories as one glass of wine, and I use an entire can of pop in the drink, so it's larger than a glass of wine so it lasts longer :drinker:
  • jonnyman41
    jonnyman41 Posts: 1,032 Member
    got the same issue myself and I keep kidding myself that I am keeping the wine within my calories but I am sure I am not counting as carefully as I should!!!! I love wine :(
  • helenrosemay
    helenrosemay Posts: 375 Member
    I allow myself a bottle of wine once a fortnight and it hasn't hindered my weight loss at all. I just make sure on that day I don't go over my maintenance allowance of calories.
  • lilawolf
    lilawolf Posts: 1,690 Member
    I drank nearly every day of losing my weight. I stopped drinking on Mondays (I called it my sanity day), and then limited to 1 glass (it used to be 3 like you). I usually took a walk that paid for my wine later. I got a vacuum cork so that the wine would save better, and I waited until a lot later to start. It was very difficult at first for me to say "no, I'm not going to have more", but it's pretty easy to say "I'll have some in a little while. In ah hour. After this glass of water.". Basically, I would have my glass very close to bedtime so that I wouldn't be tempted to get more. Procrastination instead of discipline :-p

    Now, I stopped drinking Monday through Thursday except when it is a special occasion (and only one glass on Sundays). This is actually easier than just taking Mondays off was, because it stops being a habit. I also drink a bit less on other days because my body isn't so used to it. This is what I would suggest.

    Another benefit to drinking less, is that you can buy much better quality wine for the same price. Think of it as a treat, a high end splurge, instead of a gallon of koolaid.
  • JulieAnn72
    JulieAnn72 Posts: 795 Member
    I drank most days while losing all my weight too. I usually have a day or two during the week when I don't drink anything. Otherwise, two strategies work. 1. If my husband wants wine too, we will split a bottle. Then we're both limited to a half bottle. 2. We have box wine in the refrigerator so I'll occasionally just have one or two glasses. This means that I don't have to open a bottle if I'm the only one who wants to drink.
  • mdpkelley
    mdpkelley Posts: 19
    I LOVE wine but I don't drink it nearly as much after I started working out at night after dinner and after i'm done working out and ready to relax, I just want water... the way wine makes me bloat.. and the over eat after drinking too much.. how easy it is to drink a whole bottle.. I'm just kind of turned off by it.

    i keep myself from drinking it at dinner and this works because if I drink I cant work out, if I cant work out then I will get fat.. if I get fat I will be unhappy. you see what I'm doing here? I cannot drink wine and lose weight, even if its in my calorie limit I am still bloated. sometimes you have to pick and chose your battles.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Spend twice as much per bottle and drink half as much. :drinker:

    Or alternatively earn it through exercise.
  • SassyCalyGirl
    SassyCalyGirl Posts: 1,932 Member
    I didn't give my alcohol up at all-just save room for the cals! I had no problem losing.

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