Alcohol

hermajestee
hermajestee Posts: 28 Member
in Motivation and Support
I know exactly why I'm overweight. I know why I've gained 20lbs since I initially signed up for MFP 2 years ago. I tend to overindulge in wine - way too often. I have to have a hysterectomy before the end of the year & I really want to be in the best shape I can be in before that happens. I feel like I'm so far behind the 8-ball. :( I also know that the only way I'm going to be able to lose weight & keep it off is by giving up the wine. I need support I want to be held accountable. Is anyone else in this boat?

Replies

  • marcimlarson
    marcimlarson Posts: 54
    Drink as much water as you can during the day, it flushes toxins out of your skin, dont feel like you have to give it up 100% because red wine has many health benefits besides that you like it. I have not given up drinking, but my water habit has made a huge difference in supercharging my metabolism. i will still have like, 2 glasses of cab sav at night :) YOLO
  • rowanwood
    rowanwood Posts: 509 Member
    Drink as much water as you can during the day, it flushes toxins out of your skin, dont feel like you have to give it up 100% because red wine has many health benefits besides that you like it. I have not given up drinking, but my water habit has made a huge difference in supercharging my metabolism. i will still have like, 2 glasses of cab sav at night :) YOLO

    No. Water doesn't do that.


    Wine has calories. Count them and make sure they fit into the amount you need to get to your goal. Bam, problem solved.


    In other words, unless you never want to drink wine again, don't give it up.
  • ileitch
    ileitch Posts: 99
    I agree - alcohol seems to do me in, whether the calories fit into my quota or not. If I abstain for a while, I can start losing weight again. When things are going well, and I add alcohol, the weight loss slows, and stops, and eventually I start to gain. It should be a simple matter of calories - but it's not. There's more going on. At least for me.

    Adequate water intake is helpful, but doesn't seem to change the effect of alcohol. For me.
  • kimm40p
    kimm40p Posts: 15 Member
    I have recently lost over 20lbs and never gave up drinking. I prob have 2 glasses of wine every night and maybe more on weekends. I just fit it into my calorie goal for the day. Get extra calories from exercise and that can be your reward. Helps keep my sanity. Just make sure you are not over counting your exercise calories. Get a hr monitor.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Maybe look into changing your habits, but you don't have to give anything up entirely...you just have to fit it in. I personally made a determination not to drink nearly as much as I used to (for a variety of reasons) but I haven't given up my wine and beer entirely.

    The biggest issue with alcohol is that you cannot metabolize anything else while you have it in your system...and usually alcohol is accompanied or followed shortly by food...which cannot be metabolized until your body can process the alcohol...what's worse is that often people make very poor nutritional decisions and eat junk when they are intoxicated...also you're obviously less inhibited so it's a lot easier to just say frack it and eat something you didn't really plan to.
  • amyrob56
    amyrob56 Posts: 27
    Sorry to say but for me I really do have to curb the wine drinking. My husband retired last year and took up making wine. He makes great wine and it costs almost nothing to make! I could not even begin to lose weight until I gave up drinking any wine during the week and cutting way back on the weekends. I do have to count each glass and I do have to measure accurately! Those wine glasses are huge! and it is very easy to over pour....
  • Amalthea8284
    Amalthea8284 Posts: 49 Member
    I am trying to cut back to save on calories too, so I started drinking wine spritzers. You add sparkling water to your wine (make it 50/50?) and you reduce the calories by at least have an still get something to drink.
  • laurynwithawhy
    laurynwithawhy Posts: 385 Member
    It seems like you're going to get a lot of mixed reviews. Honestly, I love my wine, alcohol, etc. and refuse to give it up, so I fit it in. The trick is to be really strict and actually measure stuff. 4 oz is nothing! If you really feel like you can't control yourself enough to fit it into your calories, then by all means give it up. But I don't believe in giving things up unless you're going to give it up forever. Do you really plan on never drinking wine again (what a dark life that would be!). Maybe you could plan a glass or two on the weekend, or make it part of a cheat day? That way you wouldn't be fully deprived.
  • jennegan1
    jennegan1 Posts: 677 Member
    I can easily over indulge in my wine intake a good 20 or more ozs in a night.About a month ago I gained 7 lbs and then I cut out wine for about 2 weeks and lost those 7lbs. Can I give up my daily glass no, but can I cut back sure I can. So besides for increasing my water in take during the day and start to drink wine later on in the evening. I am also being more active with more working out and increasing my proteins and trying to keep under my calorie goal for the day with food so then this way if I do drink wine I got that extra calorie to go to wine drinking
  • cupcakecutie1985
    cupcakecutie1985 Posts: 110 Member
    I hear ya on this!!! Don't give it up, cause that will just make you want it more! I had to pretty much do a 3 weeks on, one day/weekend off. And I dont go crazy I'll get skinny girl wine, or low cal mix for hard liquor! It's not perfect, but it kinda works! I personally seen a much more significant loss through my "Sober October" where I only had one weekend of booze!! I can be somewhat of a support, although I experience my own derailments too! :drinker:
  • TigerBite
    TigerBite Posts: 611 Member
    Allot calories for wine ... and exercise so you have more calories over all ... Problem solved ...
  • hermajestee
    hermajestee Posts: 28 Member
    Thank you everyone for the comments! I like the idea of not drinking at all during the week. I'll make it a part of my cheat meal on the weekend.
  • lambchoplewis
    lambchoplewis Posts: 797
    The biggest issue with alcohol is that you cannot metabolize anything else while you have it in your system...and usually alcohol is accompanied or followed shortly by food...which cannot be metabolized until your body can process the alcohol...what's worse is that often people make very poor nutritional decisions and eat junk when they are intoxicated...also you're obviously less inhibited so it's a lot easier to just say frack it and eat something you didn't really plan to.

    This is exactly correct. You get a double whammy from drinking - calories and metabolic changes. The alcohol is metabolized before anything else for fuel. So, the fat and calls from your food don't get used.
  • hantms
    hantms Posts: 3
    On a day when you expect to drink alcohol (Saturday night party, etc) you go way low on food. Banana for breakfast, boiled egg for lunch. Vegetables for snacks.

    Then drink.. trouble is the munchies after.

    Biggest thing though is that if a Saturday night with friends involves a restaurant and then bars, skip one or the other. So you join either the food binge or the drink binge but not both.
  • cevalid
    cevalid Posts: 59
    The problem I've had when allotting calories for alcohol is that I then eat a lot less and prioritize exercising (good) but then as a consequence, get tipsy off two glasses (240ml) of red (next day not good).
  • Enny2405
    Enny2405 Posts: 97 Member
    I am not a wine fan - but I now drink my bourbon with diet coke and try to limit my drinking to once or twice a week.
  • 9thChakra
    9thChakra Posts: 141 Member
    I know exactly why I'm overweight.
    I overindulge in wine way too often.
    The only way I'm going to be able to lose weight is by giving up the wine.
    I want to be held accountable.

    accountable - able to be explained (World English Dictionary)

    Explain yourself. You know you are overweight. You overindulge in wine too often. You know this. Why do you overindulge?

    Somewhat rhetorical...just to get you thinking.

    You really may want to consider why it is you are overindulging. You really may want to consider why you claim to want to lose weight before a major surgery but are not taking the steps to do so. Steps that you have already stated.

    I can relate to the way you feel. I have been (and still fall into) this way of thinking. I found a great deal of insight by listening to the audiobook "Intuitive Eating." Really changed the way I look at my relationship with my body and food.

    Best to you! You can do it!

    9thChakra
  • mathemr06
    mathemr06 Posts: 14
    I just started...Need friends and supports :)

    However, on weekends, I like to drink with friends but I have come to realize with the help of a friend that days you want to drink, you just have to watch what you eat before hand....

    Not starve yourself, but eat a little less during the day or more veggies!!! Just stay under your calorie goal if you want to have a drink or so.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    The biggest issue with alcohol is that you cannot metabolize anything else while you have it in your system...and usually alcohol is accompanied or followed shortly by food...which cannot be metabolized until your body can process the alcohol...what's worse is that often people make very poor nutritional decisions and eat junk when they are intoxicated...also you're obviously less inhibited so it's a lot easier to just say frack it and eat something you didn't really plan to.

    This is exactly correct. You get a double whammy from drinking - calories and metabolic changes. The alcohol is metabolized before anything else for fuel. So, the fat and calls from your food don't get used.
    There are no "metabolic changes." Alcohol is metabolized first. That's all. If you are tracking calories, the fat and calories from the food you eat certainly do get used. The alcohol gets metabolized first, then the food is metabolized. The problem with alcohol has nothing to do with it being metabolized before food, and everything to do with drunk people over-consuming their maintenance calories by making poor choices.
  • lambchoplewis
    lambchoplewis Posts: 797
    Day 6 no alcohol. Feeling great and bloat is gone. I am up early because I slept through the night!!! No snacking and lbs are coming off. 8 lbs to go of which I gained back from drinking and eating. I can do this
  • lambchoplewis
    lambchoplewis Posts: 797
    Day 7 - no wine!!! Yeah!!! I am feeling good. Not overeating and binging. I can do this. The weight will come off!!!
  • lambchoplewis
    lambchoplewis Posts: 797
    day 8 - no wine and still feeling great!! I am starting not to crave a drink around 4-6pm so much. I feel better in my clothes but the scale has stayed the same for the last 3 days. I think it will drop eventually. This is not easy as I did cancel a happy hour meeting with friends last night - it is too soon. I have been eating dinner earlier, taking a bath and getting out of kitchen and places I like to sit and have a drink. I can do this. I have to also think of the $$ I am saving. At least $60.00 so far!!!
  • Smex36
    Smex36 Posts: 9
    I'm sorry to hear you are having surgery - I hope it goes well for you and you recover quickly.

    I don't know what your healthcare plan is like but perhaps raise this issue with your doctor? I know it can be a bit humiliating talking about weight or alcohol (everyone thinks as soon as you mention alcohol you must be an alcoholic... so wrong!) and it feels like you are being judged, but ultimately doctors are there to help you maintain and improve your health. You seem to feel that alcohol is impacting your health (through calories or otherwise) and so it is their job and obligation to help you however you see fit.

    Good luck :)

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