Hi, I like beer.

RachaelRenk
RachaelRenk Posts: 116 Member
in Introduce Yourself
I have been on MFP over a year ago. It's funny to look back when I first joined and how happy I would be to be that size again... anyways, I came back about a month ago with a more serious problem. I am not overweight but I am very close to being in the overweight BMI category. My last doctor's visit was the first time in my life the nurse/doctor has mentioned my weight (specifically, my weigh gain). I was mortified. I was depressed. The immediate goal was to not gain anymore weight, the long term goal is to lose some of my beer-gut-weight, and also to put on more muscle and tone (like I have always wanted). I try to work out once a week. That sounds bad. I'm a busy college student with two jobs, so I am proud of myself for that.

There's me - any pro tips for not drinking so much beer? I definitely will never cut out beer entirely, but maybe there are some alternatives or tricks to cut back. Thank you in advance!

P.S. Even though I do not log my food/fitness or even log in every day, I still find the support here in the community overwhelming and perhaps the most helpful thing..
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Replies

  • arghbowl
    arghbowl Posts: 1,179 Member
    Labatt 52. 52 cal/beer. Really low alcohol content, but at least you can still kind of sort of taste the beer.
  • astronomicals
    astronomicals Posts: 1,537 Member
    Dry wine and hard alcohol. I hope its craft beer at least. In the end, I can drink a lot and I need to keep it to one or zero days a week or I can't expect to make any progress. 12 beers and 8 shots in a night easy.... No way you're going anywhere doing that consistently. Sucks, but, thats how it is.
  • FrankiesSaysRelax
    FrankiesSaysRelax Posts: 403 Member
    If you really want to lose weight, you're going to need to log your food. It's literally as simple as that. You can still have beer, but fit them into your calories for the day. You'll soon realize that more than a few is going to take up a pretty big chunk of your calories for the day and it's probably not worth it. Also, exercise can help give you back some calories so you have more to drink. I know you're busy with school and work, but there are tons of free workouts online using only your bodyweight that are under 20 minutes. Just something to think about.
  • mackkcam87
    mackkcam87 Posts: 15
    Hi, I like beer too. Unfortunately, I don't have any tips. Much like astronomicals said I have had to cut back to once a week in order to see progress and stay on track. I have no scientific evidence to back this up but I don't observe the same bloated status of my tummy when I indulge with hard a rather than beer. Maybe it's just me. You're not alone! At least there's that.
  • Baba_Roxy
    Baba_Roxy Posts: 38 Member
    I loved beer so much, and it really took a toll on my weight. I didn't want those low calorie beers because they were like 2% alcohol! Pointless! You end up drinking more to get drunk and it would even out anyway. Not worth it.

    I found out a year ago I was allergic to gluten, meaning no more beer. I have found some gluten free beers I actually really love (Omission Lager tastes like Sam Adam's Boston Lager!) and I find they have less carbs and calories than normal beer. I recommend at least trying them; maybe you'll find one you like!

    Also, I would start my night with low calorie hard liquor so I'd only want a couple beers later on. Not much of a liquor fan, but it helped!

    As a fellow college student working my *kitten* off, I wish you the best!!!
  • TribeHokie
    TribeHokie Posts: 711 Member
    I have the same problem. I love all alcohol but I'm finding it is easier to cut out wine and liquor than beer. Luckily my roommate isn't much of a drinker so no influence there, but it can be difficult to drive straight home instead of stopping by the store on the way back from class and picking up a six pack. It is even harder to pass by the aisle when I'm at the grocery store. Generally what tends to work for me is setting small goals (no beer on weekdays = beer on friday/saturday) and taking it a decision at a time. Also, buying more expensive craft beer serves the twofold purpose of indulging in something I wouldn't normally treat myself to and convincing the budget conscious part of me that I don't also need to buy a bunch of miller or whatever on top of that.
  • poohbear1958
    poohbear1958 Posts: 175 Member
    Hi, I'm in UK and drink a fair amount of beer which I put in my log. Please feel free to add me for support.
  • Myhaloslipped
    Myhaloslipped Posts: 4,317 Member
    You honestly just have to cut down on it significantly. Try cutting your beer consumption in half. I cut out beer completely a few years ago, and I dropped 20 pounds unbelievably fast. It was awesome.
  • 257_Lag
    257_Lag Posts: 1,249 Member
    Log it. All of it. Every last ounce. Tomorrow, decide if it was worth it.

    If it was, then start working out just for it! The dangling carrot works wonders! :bigsmile:

    I will freely admit that I work out solely for alcohol consumption. So far it has worked for me.
  • RachaelRenk
    RachaelRenk Posts: 116 Member
    Dry wine and hard alcohol. I hope its craft beer at least. In the end, I can drink a lot and I need to keep it to one or zero days a week or I can't expect to make any progress. 12 beers and 8 shots in a night easy.... No way you're going anywhere doing that consistently. Sucks, but, thats how it is.

    Absolutely craft beer. Beer is also a big part of my job (at a resturaunt where next to food, beer is our biggest profit maker)...we have rotating taps and specialize in micro and local brews. So not only do I enjoy beer (drinking, reading about it, talking about it) it's also important that I can talk about it with customers. I can't drink that much, but I probably average 1-2 pints a day. Another part of my job, I get a free beer after work. That is hard to pass up...I like wine alright, I'm not big into hard alcohol - maybe a shot here or there but it isn't really as enjoyable to me as beer is.

    I try and log everything (usually miss 2-3 days a week, on weekends) but something I run into a lot is that when I try and enter the beer I drank that day, there is no record of it in the search function for MFP and I don't know how to find out the exact calories for that beer! :/

    Thanks for the responses, everybody!
  • lukasmac
    lukasmac Posts: 216 Member
    Just log your liquid dinners.
  • krystina_letitia9
    krystina_letitia9 Posts: 697 Member
    I have been on MFP over a year ago. It's funny to look back when I first joined and how happy I would be to be that size again... anyways, I came back about a month ago with a more serious problem. I am not overweight but I am very close to being in the overweight BMI category. My last doctor's visit was the first time in my life the nurse/doctor has mentioned my weight (specifically, my weigh gain). I was mortified. I was depressed. The immediate goal was to not gain anymore weight, the long term goal is to lose some of my beer-gut-weight, and also to put on more muscle and tone (like I have always wanted). I try to work out once a week. That sounds bad. I'm a busy college student with two jobs, so I am proud of myself for that.

    There's me - any pro tips for not drinking so much beer? I definitely will never cut out beer entirely, but maybe there are some alternatives or tricks to cut back. Thank you in advance!

    P.S. Even though I do not log my food/fitness or even log in every day, I still find the support here in the community overwhelming and perhaps the most helpful thing..

    I lost 30lbs the first year I was on MFP (although I've since gained it all back with stress and pregnancy!). I have to say - I LOVE beer and wine. I learned to make them count in my daily calories. I never cut them out. Sure, there were days that I had much more than I anticipated and I ate (and drank) WAY over my cals for the day, but generally, you can make it work.

    I don't think beer hindered my weight loss whatsoever! That being said, you can research what beers are the best bang for your buck. If I'm going to have more than a few, I pick a light beer. If I'm only having one, I drink a big microbrew. (Well, that's what I did before I got pregnant :tongue: )
  • emAZn
    emAZn Posts: 413 Member
    I track my net calories weekly and what ever is left over from being good for the week are the calories I allow myself to drink. I usually save up between 1500 and 2500... but mine are for vodka :)
  • krystina_letitia9
    krystina_letitia9 Posts: 697 Member

    I try and log everything (usually miss 2-3 days a week, on weekends) but something I run into a lot is that when I try and enter the beer I drank that day, there is no record of it in the search function for MFP and I don't know how to find out the exact calories for that beer! :/

    Thanks for the responses, everybody!

    Sometimes a more obscure beer won't be in the database but you can pick one that's similar!
  • angelique_redhead
    angelique_redhead Posts: 782 Member
    A pint of beer isn't that much if you're logging your other calories. They call Guiness a meal in a glass. I have a pint occasionally. I'm more likely to have a single malt scotch though since I try not to drink often. I'm diabetic.
  • nucleocide
    nucleocide Posts: 1
    I just got back from a weeks vacation in Ireland. I didn't run while there like I normally do. I had four pints of Guinness, per day, each day. I lost two pounds.

    I think what did it was the smaller food portions. Feel free to drink a lot, as long as you eat less. It's all about them calories.
  • sullus
    sullus Posts: 2,839 Member
    Actually Guinness is a good light beer choice, if You don't like the whole American Light Lager thing ..
  • sevsmom
    sevsmom Posts: 1,172 Member
    Craft beer * generally* tends to be higher in alcohol and calories. So, one 12 oz bottle can pack the punch of 2 or 3 Mic Ultras or Bud Light....(gag ugh YUCK!) I would enjoy 1 or 2 lovely craft beers over a dozen crap beers any day. In fact, I'm heading to a local craft beer event this evening!
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    If you like beer. Make it fit. Drink craft, enjoy it, log it, make it fit.

    ...but if you plan on this whole MFP thing actually working, you have to know what's going in.

    Count everything, beer included. There are a few calculators out there for the unlisted beers. You put the ABV in. It gives you an estimate of calories per 12 ozs.

    I'd rather drink water than any "XXX light" crap and wish I was drinking a real beer.
  • OliviaMM4
    OliviaMM4 Posts: 1
    I empathize with you. My thing is wine but I get it. I probably wouldn’t pass up the free glass of wine at the end of my work day either! I agree with the folks that say log it but what works for me was not finishing the glass. Sometimes it’s really hard but leaving ¼ or 1/3 of a beer keeps you from having a second glass and it gets all warm and unappetizing. It all adds up!
  • SMarie1219
    SMarie1219 Posts: 67
    I have to agree just log it. I track my beer and if I know I will most likely be drinking quite a bit of it I try and work out and up my water consumption to counteract the swelling.
  • capnrus789
    capnrus789 Posts: 2,736 Member
    If you like beer. Make it fit. Drink craft, enjoy it, log it, make it fit.

    ...but if you plan on this whole MFP thing actually working, you have to know what's going in.

    Count everything, beer included. There are a few calculators out there for the unlisted beers. You put the ABV in. It gives you an estimate of calories per 12 ozs.

    I'd rather drink water than any "XXX light" crap and wish I was drinking a real beer.

    QFT

    Realizing that you don't need 3 beers every night is the first obstacle.
  • YesIAm17
    YesIAm17 Posts: 817 Member
    I drink 3 to 4 beers 3 days a week. For me it's Bud Light @ 110 calories each, which comes out to 990 to 1320 calories a week.

    It just isnt an issue IIFYM... but in order to know If It Fits Your Macros you must log everything.

    You might also want to start keeping a time log of everything you do... and I mean everything. You almost certainly will find that even after sleep, classes, homework, commute, work, etc, you have at least 30 to 60 minutes a day for exercise. Most people who track their time find they waste a lot doing unnecessary repetitive tasks like checking their email 20 times a day, visiting certain websites over and over, things they end up spending hours on per day but could be done in minutes per day.

    Hope that helps.
  • dan_IRL
    dan_IRL Posts: 204 Member

    I try and log everything (usually miss 2-3 days a week, on weekends) but something I run into a lot is that when I try and enter the beer I drank that day, there is no record of it in the search function for MFP and I don't know how to find out the exact calories for that beer! :/

    Thanks for the responses, everybody!

    Sometimes a more obscure beer won't be in the database but you can pick one that's similar!

    Agreed, I usually have pretty good luck finding most of my craft beers in MFP. But if I don't I try and find one that is a similar style. "Russian Imperial Stout" or "Black IPA" should be pretty similar regardless of the the brewer.

    I also agree with make sure you track everything. Make it fit into your daily calories. Beer is a HUGE source of empty calories. So keep that in mind when "making it fit".
  • stuj019
    stuj019 Posts: 28
    It has to be a lifestyle change so you do have to change somethings. Good Luck !
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    A pint of beer isn't that much if you're logging your other calories. They call Guiness a meal in a glass. I have a pint occasionally. I'm more likely to have a single malt scotch though since I try not to drink often. I'm diabetic.

    This is inadvisable, a pint of beer can be a TON of calories. Most beers I tend to drink average 8-9% ABV which comes out to 300-400ish calories for a single pint. That can be a significant amount of someone's daily intake, especially a woman's.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member

    I try and log everything (usually miss 2-3 days a week, on weekends) but something I run into a lot is that when I try and enter the beer I drank that day, there is no record of it in the search function for MFP and I don't know how to find out the exact calories for that beer! :/

    Thanks for the responses, everybody!

    Sometimes a more obscure beer won't be in the database but you can pick one that's similar!

    Agreed, I usually have pretty good luck finding most of my craft beers in MFP. But if I don't I try and find one that is a similar style. "Russian Imperial Stout" or "Black IPA" should be pretty similar regardless of the the brewer.

    I also agree with make sure you track everything. Make it fit into your daily calories. Beer is a HUGE source of empty calories. So keep that in mind when "making it fit".

    http://simplybeer.com/how-many-calories-are-in-my-beer/

    this is what I go by. because ABV can vary even between styles (Oskar Blues Ten Fidy = 10.5% versus Stone Farkin Wooten stout at.. what...13.2%) it's just better to take the time to count it if you're so inclined.

    the link above is what I use for everything.

    ETA: Another is: http://www.homebrewdad.com/beer_calorie_calculator.php
  • MrsK20141004
    MrsK20141004 Posts: 489 Member
    Huge beer fan. I've switched to light of my favourite brand though for the most part. If draught is available I'm not getting lite... I try to find that balance. If I have a regular beer with a meal then I try and keep the food lighter. I'll NEVER give it up completely, that won't work for me. I know that so I work with it and I log EVERYTHING. Even if its embarassing. Then I know what I'm accountable for and where I need to make changes to account for things I refuse to change (like beer).

    Cheers! :drinker:
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    Dry wine and hard alcohol. I hope its craft beer at least. In the end, I can drink a lot and I need to keep it to one or zero days a week or I can't expect to make any progress. 12 beers and 8 shots in a night easy.... No way you're going anywhere doing that consistently. Sucks, but, thats how it is.

    Absolutely craft beer. Beer is also a big part of my job (at a resturaunt where next to food, beer is our biggest profit maker)...we have rotating taps and specialize in micro and local brews. So not only do I enjoy beer (drinking, reading about it, talking about it) it's also important that I can talk about it with customers. I can't drink that much, but I probably average 1-2 pints a day. Another part of my job, I get a free beer after work. That is hard to pass up...I like wine alright, I'm not big into hard alcohol - maybe a shot here or there but it isn't really as enjoyable to me as beer is.

    I try and log everything (usually miss 2-3 days a week, on weekends) but something I run into a lot is that when I try and enter the beer I drank that day, there is no record of it in the search function for MFP and I don't know how to find out the exact calories for that beer! :/

    Thanks for the responses, everybody!

    I typically calculate 30-35cals per 1% ABV for a 12 ounce serving. So for example, a 12 ounce bottle of an 8% brew is 240 calories. 10%, 300 calories. I leave leeway because something like a big sweet stout or barleywine will definitely be higher calories due to residual sugars. So I'd use 35 cals for that calculation. A 9% bottle would be more like 315 calories (or even higher). Something like a dry belgian would be on the lower end. You can approximate calories pretty well that way.

    If you're gonna drink 1-2 pints of beer a day then you have to account for it somewhere. Either by decreasing food intake or increasing activity (or both). Or both and decrease beer intake to just 1 pint a day. I allow myself 1-2 beers a day but I'm in the gym helping to make up for it and I adjust my food intake as well. It's doable, I've had 1200+ unique beers in the last 2.5 years while losing 93lbs.
  • jconnon
    jconnon Posts: 427 Member

    I try and log everything (usually miss 2-3 days a week, on weekends) but something I run into a lot is that when I try and enter the beer I drank that day, there is no record of it in the search function for MFP and I don't know how to find out the exact calories for that beer! :/

    Thanks for the responses, everybody!

    Sometimes a more obscure beer won't be in the database but you can pick one that's similar!

    Agreed, I usually have pretty good luck finding most of my craft beers in MFP. But if I don't I try and find one that is a similar style. "Russian Imperial Stout" or "Black IPA" should be pretty similar regardless of the the brewer.

    I also agree with make sure you track everything. Make it fit into your daily calories. Beer is a HUGE source of empty calories. So keep that in mind when "making it fit".

    http://simplybeer.com/how-many-calories-are-in-my-beer/

    this is what I go by. because ABV can vary even between styles (Oskar Blues Ten Fidy = 10.5% versus Stone Farkin Wooten stout at.. what...13.2%) it's just better to take the time to count it if you're so inclined.

    the link above is what I use for everything.

    ETA: Another is: http://www.homebrewdad.com/beer_calorie_calculator.php

    Thanks for the links, those are helpful.

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