Blame it on the a-a-a-a-a-alcohol!

SamanthaD1218
SamanthaD1218 Posts: 303 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi MFPers! Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving (and for you non-Americans, hope you are having a great weekend!)

So here is my question - have any of you cut out alcohol as a part of your healthy eating / weight loss plan? Like, COMPLETELY? I know a lot of my weekend calories go to drinking socially with friends, and I assume that if I cut out alcohol I'd see progress much more quickly. I'm sure I could go out and just have one drink, or stick to sodas, but I was just wondering if anyone took a more drastic approach. If you have, did you see faster results? Did you keep it up for the long-term or just do it to kick start weight loss?

Aside from alcohol, I don't get ANY of my calories from beverages (no soda, juice, coffee drinks, etc.) I stick to water and tea exclusively, and eat fruits and veggies rather than drinking juices.

I'm interested to hear your stories and opinions!

Replies

  • patalves
    patalves Posts: 6
    I save calories during the week that can be used towards alcohol on the weekends. Alcohol often kinda counts as my cheatmeal. ;)
  • CamillaHerold
    CamillaHerold Posts: 60 Member
    I have one to two glasses of red wine each night. I drink it because I enjoy it and I'm glad it has health benefits too! Once in a while I have a single shot of vodka. That used to be my alcohol drink of choice until I discovered red wine. Now that I am so into logging and exercising almost every day, I would not think of drinking more than two glasses; its not because of the calories, its because I don't want a hangover to interfere with my workouts!
  • Lunaluna01
    Lunaluna01 Posts: 21 Member
    I stopped loosing weight and I put it down to the bottle of wine or so at the weekend so gave it up for 3 weeks. It was hard but it kick started with the weight loss for a bit. The third week I didn't loose anything and have now gone back to having a few drinks at the weekend, because well life is short and weight loss is a long, slow journey!
  • TheFangsKittie
    TheFangsKittie Posts: 117 Member
    I lose much more on the weeks I don't drink. Used to drink each day but now once a week. If I abstain for the week I lose an extra pound or two
  • Oricalcos1
    Oricalcos1 Posts: 6
    Alcohol affects the liver negatively. The liver is vital in breaking down and metabolizing fat. If your liver is constantly working to break down alcohol it will put very little effort into metabolizing the fat that you have stored. Drinking from time to time won’t hurt you, but it certainly won’t help you! When I “detoxed” my body I noticed greater fat loss. My organs are all clean and ready to do their jobs of maintaining my body and not cleaning out the processed junk I use to put into. Short answer - I stopped drinking and noticed greater fat loss.
  • BarbellBlondieRuns
    BarbellBlondieRuns Posts: 511 Member
    I never cut out anything the entire time I was really losing weight. For the most part, a calorie is a calorie. If you're counting the cals and making room for the booze in your calorie allowance then you're good to go!
  • Marymoe138
    Marymoe138 Posts: 68 Member
    At this time, I have cut it out. I put on quite a bit of weight because of what I drank and I honestly feel so much better without it in my diet, I am not going to say this is permanent, but for now I am good without it.
  • kuntry_navy
    kuntry_navy Posts: 677 Member
    I cut it down a ton, and have been able to keep my weight down. But, I usually cleaned out the fridge after a night in the bar.
  • Unknown
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  • texerus
    texerus Posts: 62 Member
    My opinion is when you drink you also eat more. If I were to drink it would lead to ordering a large pizza and 12 piece of hot wings and eat it all. :drinker:
  • saree2013
    saree2013 Posts: 17
    Use whatever excuse you need. I quit drinking. All of a sudden I am 40 pounds in!
  • ChrisM8971
    ChrisM8971 Posts: 1,067 Member
    Alcohol affects the liver negatively. The liver is vital in breaking down and metabolizing fat. If your liver is constantly working to break down alcohol it will put very little effort into metabolizing the fat that you have stored. Drinking from time to time won’t hurt you, but it certainly won’t help you! When I “detoxed” my body I noticed greater fat loss. My organs are all clean and ready to do their jobs of maintaining my body and not cleaning out the processed junk I use to put into. Short answer - I stopped drinking and noticed greater fat loss.

    Just wondering how you detoxed your body?
  • RunBrew
    RunBrew Posts: 220 Member
    Nope. Not even modified a little. Cutting alcohol out totally isn't a sustainable 'lifestyle change' for me, so it essentially was no different than any other 'fad-diet/food demonizing' baloney.

    It helps that I only drink maybe 10-12 drinks per MONTH, but to simply say 'No more, ever' is not a 'lifestyle change' that I'm interested in.


    It's amazing how many people say they had to cut out drinking totally because they couldn't control their food choices when drunk.
    That screams alcoholism. Seek counseling. Seriously.
  • Ke22yB
    Ke22yB Posts: 969 Member
    When I started I cut out everything with the intention as I got down and healthier I would resume but with a greater control and much less than I had been drinking. As time went by and my weight loss increased and I felt better and better and I was exercising I was less inclined to drink. After about a year and a 100 pounds or so we were on vacation in Aruba and I was running on the beach every morning and one night as we were out to dinner I had two goblets of chardonay with an absolutely delicious dinner. I was pretty melloww after 2 wines and this was a guy who used to drink 4 or 5 hard drinks a night. The next morning my mouth was dry and gummy my body was clammy and my run was crappy. The only difference was the wine the night before. That was almost exactly 4 years ago as we are preparing to go on vacation to Aruba Sunday and I have not had a drink since that night.
    It never was my intention to stop completely but it has worked out that way I have lost almost to my goal only another 23 pounds to go but I know I wont drink again. Except maybe this February at my daughters wedding probably won't worry about the day after the wedding feeling a little wobbly
  • kekeleeks
    kekeleeks Posts: 74 Member
    I cut out alot of drinking and have found that as time goes on, I have less desire for it. If I do drink, most of the time it is beer or wine, no more than 2 glasses or bottles. I don't indulge in hard liquor too often, it tends to bring out my self-indulgent side (ie, who cares how many cals are in that & let's eat some crap food) and I am more likely to make bad choices. I have learned to stay away from the fruity type mixed drinks because they can be packed full of calories. 1 or 2 drinks could easily put you over calories. So I will usually drink like a rum & coke or vodka & tonic or if I can stand it straight up.

    I think it just comes down to what you want to use your calories for and planning ahead. If you know you are going to the bar be more conscious about what you are eating throughout the day etc.
  • tinyfitlauren
    tinyfitlauren Posts: 30
    I haven't completely cut it out, but I have restricted it quite a bit. For me, its not because of the calories or anything in the alcohol, but because when I'm drunk I always come home and binge eat... so until I get that on lock, I don't get drunk.
  • CaffeinatedConfectionist
    CaffeinatedConfectionist Posts: 1,046 Member
    I still drink fairly regularly, though I do so primarily on weekends now. Also, this thread title makes me think of that Gogol Bordello song.... "I've been waitin' long, long time - alcohol/now you teach me how to rhyme - alcohol/just don't stab me in the back with cortisol" :drinker:
  • TheVimFuego
    TheVimFuego Posts: 2,412 Member
    Cut booze?

    What manner of madness is this?!
  • fallingken
    fallingken Posts: 98 Member
    I have never been a big drinker, but I do enjoy the occasional barley based carbonated and refrigerated recovery beverage on occasion. But I limit myself to one.
  • uconnwinsnc
    uconnwinsnc Posts: 1,054 Member
    I save calories during the week that can be used towards alcohol on the weekends. Alcohol often kinda counts as my cheatmeal. ;)

    But, but...you aren't 21. ;)
  • Cortelli
    Cortelli Posts: 1,369 Member
    I was a regular and moderately heavy drinker of craft beers -- 3 or 4 or so per day on average (more on weekends, less during the week). When I got more serious about my weight, I found I just couldn't fit all those extra calories in a healthy but calorie deficient day. I still go out and have some beers now and again, but as a regular thing, its no longer in the house for me (my wife has a wheat beer she drinks every so often so there's still some in the fridge most days).

    But, with the beer gone, I still have a glass of wine in the evenings some days and almost always have a few nips of spirits before bed (been on a tequila kick for several months) -- yum! Wouldn't consider cutting it out totally because I enjoy it; if I stop enjoying it, then sure, I'd consider it.
  • westendcurls
    westendcurls Posts: 252 Member
    I try to keep it to just once ot twice a week, any more than that dose seem to interfere with progress.
  • 1Kristine1
    1Kristine1 Posts: 697 Member
    Most days alcohol isn't worth the calories, but Ive never been a big drinker.
  • Deipneus
    Deipneus Posts: 1,861 Member
    So here is my question - have any of you cut out alcohol as a part of your healthy eating / weight loss plan? Like, COMPLETELY?
    I cut out alcohol completely for about 4 months because I thought I was overdoing it and wanted to make sure I COULD stop ;-) It really wasn't that hard but after 4 months, I eased into more moderate drinking. I actually saw no difference in my weight or fitness when I was doing without completely.
  • JamericanBoy
    JamericanBoy Posts: 484 Member
    What, what, what?! That's crazy talk. Everything in moderation. Life is toooo short/ :drinker:
  • patalves
    patalves Posts: 6
    I save calories during the week that can be used towards alcohol on the weekends. Alcohol often kinda counts as my cheatmeal. ;)

    But, but...you aren't 21. ;)

    But, but... I'm Canadian. :P
  • DamePiglet
    DamePiglet Posts: 3,730 Member
    No. I'm under the influence as I type this.






    Edited to make sense.

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