weight loss and alcohol

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  • Huffdogg
    Huffdogg Posts: 1,934 Member
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    I believe what happens is that the alcohol will be burned for energy immediately because the acetone produced in metabolizing it is seen as a poison by your body. So if you are in a caloric surplus, and alcohol is in the mix anywhere, all dietary fat will end up stored as adipose. Don't quote me on that, but I believe that's how it breaks down.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    Wine is fairly low calories for an alcohol drink (if you compare it to, say, beer). Two 5oz glasses of wine is like 180-200 calories, compared with 24 oz of beer that can be 360-420. It's certainly not something that is so high calorie that you have to starve yourself to meet your daily intake goals.

    What I have come across is that alcohol is the body's preferred metabolic chemical. What that means is drinking 2 glasses of wine before dinner makes your body burn the alcohol for its energy needs, makes up the rest with protein/carbs/fats, and put any extra food you eat into storage and waste.

    Is 2 glasses likely to be THAT big of a difference? Probably not. But, those who are really OCD about diet will say if you're going to drink alcohol, do it a couple hours after eating and eat low fat/low carb foods near the time that you are planning on drinking.

    My recommendation would be as a compromise, cut out the glass you drink while cooking and see if you break the plateu.

    Alcohol is metabolized preferentially but nothing would go to fat storage over a 24 hour period for someone who is in calorie deficit. Less energy in than out = no fat storage. More energy in than out = fat storage.
  • lisalsd1
    lisalsd1 Posts: 1,520 Member
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    I'm mostly a "calories in/calories out" person, BUT 2 glasses of wine (depending on the size) is a couple of hundred cals. Say it's 200 cals...200 cals of chicken is going to look a lot different than 200 cals of wine. I don't think wine is necessarily "empty calories," there are health benefits to wine, BUT again it depends on the size of your "glass."

    I know for me, a glass of wine is 7 oz. (I poured and measure one time). So realistically, I can only have 1 glass, b/c my 1 glass is almost 2. And I can't drink a glass every night; b/c seriously, if I think a glass is 7 oz., I shouldn't be drinking every night.

    If you are plateauing, like the other posters have suggested, cut back and see what happens.
  • SueMizZou
    SueMizZou Posts: 146 Member
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    Alcohol can make you retain fluid. Be sure to keep your water intake at appropriate levels. You should be ok
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
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    I definitely have more of an appetite when I drink before dinner. And it lowers my self control to resist the urge to snack. Some days it's not a problem, other days it does seem to make me go over a little. I am drinking less these days because I am making a real effort to stick to my calorie goals.
  • BL_Coleman
    BL_Coleman Posts: 324 Member
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    The only thing I would caution is make sure it is only a glass. A glass of wine is 5 oz....but if you poor it yourself alot of the time you poor 8 or more. So just make sure on portion size and your fine.
  • beagle1983
    beagle1983 Posts: 8 Member
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    my face exactly! "quite a bit"?? hmm. tell me i'm not jaded and a boozehound, because I never considered it to be that much! uh oh.
  • trudijoy
    trudijoy Posts: 1,685 Member
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    What a lot of people don't realise is that theres a big difference between having a glass or two of a fave alcoholic drink of an evening, and 'drinking'.

    I've drunk wine right through. I've had the odd beer/spirit/cocktail but I've had a glass or two of wine most nights since I started this. Whether or not it impedes your progress depends on what you're eating and drinking along with it, imo.

    A casual glass or even 2 glasses of wine (if they're standards) is pretty normal for many people and many cultures. measure it exactly, know that not all wine is created equal, and enjoy x
  • beagle1983
    beagle1983 Posts: 8 Member
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    oh, and to add, I stay within my calorie budget, and don't usually eat more because of it. So it's not causing me to binge or anything afterwards. (and I definitely measure :) I'm a stickler for measuring. No "but it's a glass!!" 10 oz glasses for me. I have a 5 oz glass that holds just the right amount - and I have a 1 year old so I'm not looking for a good buzz) I was mostly wondering what people thought about the type of calories, and their opinions if it mattered. I guess it's all over the board :)

    I ended up getting past the plateau (increased calories by 400 for 3 days, then back to normal) and dropped 2 lbs immediately. So maybe it was my metabolism stalling and not the wine. yay for breaking plateau!
  • tiggerlgh
    tiggerlgh Posts: 73 Member
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    I have a 5 oz glass of red wine (I weigh it out) almost every night, I just plan it in my daily calories. So far it has not seemed to affect my weight loss at all. If it does I may reconsider then, but my wine would be pretty hard for me to completely give up. So I agree with you as long as you plan for it I see no reason in not having it.

    ETA:; Since I have been measuring my bottles last a lot longer :)
  • alexandriax03
    alexandriax03 Posts: 289 Member
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    Instead of drinking two glasses every night, I would cut back and only drink 1 glass 3 nights a week.
  • midge412
    midge412 Posts: 1
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    I agree, it seems to be that way for me also
  • shapefitter
    shapefitter Posts: 900 Member
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    It has always affected my weight loss, even if it is within my calorie allowance. My personal view is that it affects the liver somewhat as it has too work so hard on getting rid of the alcohol, that it cannot at the same time metabolise the fat (or something like that). don't know if that's right or not..

    This is correct.
  • feb_rmm
    feb_rmm Posts: 1 Member
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    I love wine.
    I can't say that I drink it every night (though given the chance I probably would), but I'd say that there were times where I was having a bottle of red at the weekend and I still managed to keep up my weight loss. I think that as long as everything else is on track you shouldnt have to worry.
    I don't really think that there's such a thing as good and bad calories although I don't like to have too many of my calories from fat.
    If I'm 100% honest, I won't always count the calories from my wine but I've usually some extra calories from the rest of the week left.

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