Drinking alcohol whilst dieting

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Replies

  • maasha81
    maasha81 Posts: 733 Member
    I usually have vodka club soda with a wedge of lime < I squirt some lime juice in there > . Sometimes I do have a glass or two of red or white wine. It's not a big deal to me as I have max 3 drinks if so much and I account for it
  • BossLadyDSimp
    BossLadyDSimp Posts: 257 Member
    I used to do sweet whites and heavy calorie beer ...

    Now I drink Miller 64 for beer and I get a DRYYYYY red ... I didnt like it at first but it isnt that bad now ... I am convinced that it gets me drunker faster.

    What I have really done is not drink everyday like i did in law school ... making me more of a treat!
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  • askeates
    askeates Posts: 1,490 Member
    I have changed over to malibu and diet pepsi, although I really love malibu and pineapple juice, but the sugars in the juice is crazy!
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  • seif0068
    seif0068 Posts: 193 Member
    I like basically the same drinks you do! The first response I would give is simply to cut back and reserve drinks for special occasions and treats. That was helpful for me - instead of having a drink with dinner on a random weeknight, I reserve it for when I am out with friends, dinners with families, etc.

    I really like making white wine spritzers with half white wine (I like the sweet ones too) and club soda. Cuts the calories in half!

    I also like ciders and out of curiosity just now, did a search for low cal ciders. It looks like Michelob makes one: http://www.appforhealth.com/2012/06/michelob-ultra-light-cider-review/

    Best of luck to you!
  • firstsip
    firstsip Posts: 8,399 Member
    Is this for a night of heavy drinking, or what?

    I've had no issues losing weight healthily while including alcohol. I have the very rare mixed drink, but only because I prefer nice, unfiltered craft beer (full of B vitamins, so... not nutritionally empty, thanks), or dry reds. I've been literally told to "drink my medicine" by my doctor.

    If I know I'm drinking anything, I make sure I drink lots of water, might get an extra workout in, and mind my weekly calories so I can be fine with a splurge. Often, I just fit a beer or glass of wine in every few days.
  • gurse
    gurse Posts: 9
    eat more protein than usual on drinking days. Here's an article that explains it all. http://www.leangains.com/2010/07/truth-about-alcohol-fat-loss-and-muscle.html

    and some alcohol caloric information

    http://getdrunknotfat.com/
  • BobOki
    BobOki Posts: 245 Member
    Makers Mark 45 is only like 80 cals for 100ML. That is a LOT of alchy for 80 cals. Pair that with some zero cal coke or dr pepper 10 for a great, but manageable drink.

    p.s. love leangains!
  • katieme
    katieme Posts: 59 Member
    Vodka lime and soda is my tipple of choice at the moment but am looking forward to a couple of sherries over christmas :)
  • mrslcoop
    mrslcoop Posts: 317 Member
    RED WINE. ~115 calories per 5 oz (depending on the brand). I find it has the most bang for your buck.

    Though some here will have you believe no one in their right minds could like red wine.....
  • climbing_trees
    climbing_trees Posts: 726 Member
  • liloldDee
    liloldDee Posts: 92 Member
    Red wine is my preference but when out I go for vodka, soda water and lime, if it's a long night every second drink is sparkling water.
  • Skinny Girl wine, every little bit helps.
  • I am so glad you asked this question. I get together with my family and we tend to drink a lot. I love beer, especially Bud Light Lime. I have really been doing good with the help of My fitness pal. I know it is going to be hard not to drink. But with all of the replies I have read to your post, maybe I can try and stick to the spacing drinks with water. I wish I could keep in my head how bad and GUILTY I feel after I have had beverages and remembered all the bad things I had eaten because my guard was down. Thank you and good luck to you!
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    Skinny Girl wine, every little bit helps.
    Want to save some money? Just water down your own wine. That's all Skinny Girl brand does, and you're paying booze prices for the water.
  • laurenpjokl
    laurenpjokl Posts: 118 Member
    The replied here are very interesting!

    When I go drinking I don't bother calorie counting. If I didn't have some nights off I'd never maintain.
  • Cortelli
    Cortelli Posts: 1,369 Member
    Sipping straight spirits is one option. I like a decent tequila but you could do vodka, bourbon, scotch, rum, etc. You can have two shots in a tumbler (3oz) for around 200 - 240 calories and you are unlikely to gulp straight spirits down. Sip and nip over the course of 30 - 60 minutes and then follow it with a glass of water or two. I actually consider spirits my "treat" on most days and sip some before bed while reading or watching something stupid on TV. It's often more satisfying and calorie efficient to me than wine / beer / or cocktails.


    i cant drink spirits in sips... shoots are all i can do :D

    I have been a big craft beer drinker in the past (and likely will be again) but it was just too hard to try and fit 600 - 1000 calories from California IPAs and whatnot into a healthy calorie deficit. I decided to greatly reduce the beer intake but still have the occasional glass of red wine and just about every day have a few shots of tequila or bourbon.

    Try it at one point -- sipping ever so slowly and feeling the pleasant warmth of the liquor -- it beats doing shooters and shots and I find even when I overindulge it is way less than when I am lining up shots on a bar or drinking pint after pint. Interspersing with plain water also keeps you hydrated and slows you down if you are susceptible to having one too many.

    ETA: make sure you get your spirits (preferably 2 shots or more) in a tumbler or highball glass -- if you order a shot and it comes in a shot glass, you're going to feel silly sipping; if it comes in a tumbler and is decent volume, you're not going to be throwing that bad boy back!
  • 4daluvof_candice
    4daluvof_candice Posts: 483 Member
    Makers Mark 45 is only like 80 cals for 100ML. That is a LOT of alchy for 80 cals. Pair that with some zero cal coke or dr pepper 10 for a great, but manageable drink.

    p.s. love leangains!

    hmm never tried that....:glasses: 3.4 oz only 80 cals yeah you cant beat that....:drinker:
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,474 Member
    it can be done.
    I drink whatever I want.
    it works.
  • Cortelli
    Cortelli Posts: 1,369 Member
    Makers Mark 45 is only like 80 cals for 100ML. That is a LOT of alchy for 80 cals. Pair that with some zero cal coke or dr pepper 10 for a great, but manageable drink.

    p.s. love leangains!

    hmm never tried that....:glasses: 3.4 oz only 80 cals yeah you cant beat that....:drinker:

    Numbers are off. Maker's Mark is 110 cals in a 1.5 oz shot. Most 80 proof spirits will be 65 - 80 per 1 US oz. Maker's is 90+ proof and thus a bit higher. (Bacardi 151 is 183 cals per shot!)

    EDIT: corrected 65 - 80 cals per 1 OZ, not per 1.5 OZ shot.
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    Alcohol has 7 calories per gram. You can minimize the calories you down with it, but there's no free buzz. Well, outside non-beverage drugs.
  • Is this for a night of heavy drinking, or what?

    I've had no issues losing weight healthily while including alcohol. I have the very rare mixed drink, but only because I prefer nice, unfiltered craft beer (full of B vitamins, so... not nutritionally empty, thanks), or dry reds. I've been literally told to "drink my medicine" by my doctor.

    If I know I'm drinking anything, I make sure I drink lots of water, might get an extra workout in, and mind my weekly calories so I can be fine with a splurge. Often, I just fit a beer or glass of wine in every few days.

    Yeah - I primarily meant for a few big nights out near Christmas, a few parties.


    I generally have maybe one drink a fortnight so I'm not really interested in cutting that out, but thanks for the responses everyone.
  • eat more protein than usual on drinking days. Here's an article that explains it all. http://www.leangains.com/2010/07/truth-about-alcohol-fat-loss-and-muscle.html

    and some alcohol caloric information

    http://getdrunknotfat.com/

    These are interesting, thanks.