To Drink Or To Lose... (What's Your Answer)

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j3nnal3igh13
j3nnal3igh13 Posts: 134
in Health and Weight Loss
Ok... from reading the subject please try to refrain from judging me. I want HONEST answers from people who still have a love of wine (in my case) or alcohol. On my weight loss journey I found that I can quit cookies. I can quit cake. I can quit "Bad" Carbs. I can quit pop. I can quit all the "BAD" things out there.. besides my Love of Wine!! :drinker: I just want to know if anyone has been able to keep up with exercise and good eating habits and still enjoy the glass or 2 (or in my case bottle or 2) of wine a few times a month? PLEASE don't start judging me and calling me an "alcoholic" like I've seen on threads in the past. I don't "drink" every night. I might drink once, twice or 3 times a month, but when I do... It's a good time. :happy: I'm still faithful to my workouts (hungover or not) and my daily "diet". Like I said, I don't want the feed back that I'm a BAD bad person. I want feed back from people like me that had results. And if you didn't, I would like to hear that too. Is this something I should quit? Or can i make it work? And again... Honest yet non judgmental feedback would be nice. I'm the most judgmental person in my life... I don't need 100 more. I can't be the only one who wants answers for this. Input??
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Replies

  • reach4thestar
    reach4thestar Posts: 174 Member
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    I am just like you....I love my wine....I haven't given up....you don't have to....but I limit it to at the most 4 days in a month and whether it fits into my calorie budget or not I still have it because it makes me happy.....:flowerforyou:
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
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    I don't drink but like anything else if you can fit them sensibly into your calorie goals I don't see the problem. I like popcorn so occasionally I'll have some within my goals. You like wine so I don't see any problem with you doing that.

    In reality we're all adults and make are own decisions don't let people guilt trip you because you like a glass of wine on occasion. Just enjoy it. You'll not stick to any weight loss plan if you totally ban yourself from things you love.
  • alisonlynn1976
    alisonlynn1976 Posts: 929 Member
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    I have something like 1-4 drinks per week (or more if I'm on vacation) and I'm successfully losing weight. It's not necessary to completely give up alcohol. Cutting back some helps with keeping calories down and avoiding having to work out with a hangover, though.

    I don't think it promotes a healthy relationship with food to label certain things as "bad." Eating food is not morally wrong. It's just a matter of working out calories in vs. calories out to get your body where you want it to be.
  • toofatnomore
    toofatnomore Posts: 206 Member
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    I have managed to have decent success and still throw back a few. I used to LOVE thick and heavy beer. I would have a few a couple times a week. I have made the compromise to light (ugh) and now that I can palate it, I work it into my numbers. My diary shows what I consume...Having said that, I am not sure how different my results would be if I never touched any, but consumed the same calories in non-alcohol items. I think not much. FYI about 2 months into MFP and down about 20.
    Look at my pic...Me judge??? lol
  • trollydollymolly
    trollydollymolly Posts: 107 Member
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    I enjoy a Barcardi & Coke and I have one whenever I fancy... I just ensure it is included in my diary and that I do not go over my calorie allowance. I have lost over 114bs without giving up the old drinky poos!!

    We have to remember this isn't about being on a diet.. it's about changing our eating habits for the long term. Life is for living and I'm a great believer that nothing should be banned... just in moderation.

    That's just my thinking anyway... others will probably disagree ... but it is a personal choice.

    Sue
  • j3nnal3igh13
    j3nnal3igh13 Posts: 134
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    Thank you ladies. (and Sir! ) lol After reading my post again, I Obviously had "bad" critics before. And I know there's a "line", and I live on the other side of the line where I don't want to give up absolutely everything. I still have my life to live. :) 3 Boys under the age of 4 stress me out. :explode: :happy: Its true. Everything in moderation,And I usually count every calorie (depending how many glasses I've had that night. lol)
  • scruffykaz
    scruffykaz Posts: 317 Member
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    I don't drink often now but I manage the alchohol into my calorie allowance. If I know I'll want to drink I'll do an extra session at the gym or save some calories up for it.

    Also I swap sometimes so I have a vodka and diet coke which isn't that bad....

    I do love a good glass of red wine though!
  • joshdann
    joshdann Posts: 618 Member
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    alcohol can have detrimental effects on weight loss, but they're not to bad as to prevent anyone from enjoying an occasional glass of wine. It's better for you to not drink alcohol with meals or even within a few hours of meals (so your liver can focus on the food instead of the alcohol), but if you do it on an empty stomach and you log the calories... there isn't much harm. Not weight-loss-wise anyway. Just be sure you drink extra water on those days and you shouldn't have anything to worry about.
  • j3nnal3igh13
    j3nnal3igh13 Posts: 134
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    Red wine and only Red wine. MMM. :smile: But my other choice (if in a bar) is vodka and club soda. :drinker:
  • maca416
    maca416 Posts: 143 Member
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    If you can drink in moderation & still drop the lbs then no problem just like I will still eat out & have a curry once a month. In my case I have found that if I start banning stuff from my diets I just get fed up & fail so I don't ban anything from my diet I just know what my limits are.

    If, however, you find that because of your wine consumption you are not losing or putting on or cutting back food to accommodate the wine then I would be asking myself questions.

    Enjoy your wine & enjoy your food.
  • j3nnal3igh13
    j3nnal3igh13 Posts: 134
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    This is what I do. No drinks with meals. Its in the evening when I have a Movie night with the hubby (I'd rather drink before I eat the typical movie snacks) or a girls night at the bar. I always end my night with as much water as I drank. Ex. 4 glasses of wine... 4 glasses of water. Does this help somewhat?
  • kat239
    kat239 Posts: 92 Member
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    Hi I drink every weekend so few more than you. The difference now is I just log it it dose use up quite a few calories, but i am healthy eating now I love MFP.
  • j3nnal3igh13
    j3nnal3igh13 Posts: 134
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    Thank you everyone. With the input, I think I'll be ok. I allow myself the "treat" when I can, I drink just as much water to equal my intake that night, and I still workout when I'm Hungover.... Lets hope the LBS still come off. I was always told... QUIT everything you enjoy. Bad weight loss plan right there.
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
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    It's better for you to not drink alcohol with meals or even within a few hours of meals (so your liver can focus on the food instead of the alcohol),
    I'd love to see your evidence of that because no offense that just sounds like Nonsense.
  • Zomoniac
    Zomoniac Posts: 1,169 Member
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    I'm about 70lbs down, gone from unable to run a couple of years ago to doing a marathon this month, and I drink pretty much every night. So my answer is both.
  • Maaike84
    Maaike84 Posts: 211 Member
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    I still have drinks regularly - and I have managed to go down from a BMI of 28 to a BMI of 23.5. But to be honest, it probably would have gone faster if I didn't drink - and I have cut back on drinking during the week. My problem is not having the drink itself though, it's then wanting to also eat all the foods because I had the drink :)
  • Kegsey55
    Kegsey55 Posts: 28 Member
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    I see what I am doing to lose weight as a lifestyle and not a diet. I'm not going to be happy to give up wine (and, in my case, gin) in the long term. So I fit them into my calories and enjoy. I have been known to go out for a walk (in the rain!) to earn enough for a G&T!
  • BlackStarlight
    BlackStarlight Posts: 554 Member
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    I enjoy a vodka and coke every now and again the trick is to just work it into the numbers.
    You can have both :happy: xx
  • misschoppo
    misschoppo Posts: 463 Member
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    I very rarely drink unless there is a special occasion or something so I can go for months without any alcohol, I think that last time I had a drink was probably around my birthday which was in February! But I do love other things like COOKIES & FLAPJACKS or a huge chinese takeaway feast! Like others have said, if you like something and enjoy it, then just enjoy it a bit less frequently or up your exercise. If you fit your treats into your cal allowance great! But if you go over on your cals every now and then because you treated yourself, in the grand scheme of things a few days here and there of indulging is no big deal so long as those days don't start to outnumber your "good" days.
  • KinoM
    KinoM Posts: 359 Member
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    I drink most weekends. Sometimes a little, sometimes a lot, sometimes not at all. As long as you track it & work it into your calories it's fine. But try to avoid eating during or after drinking, as it affects the way you metabolize food.

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