alcohol and weight loss. grr.

I am 22 and when my friends get together, most of the time we drink and its a couple times a week. I've been logging (on and off) for about 20 days and exercising regularly and have noticed I've dropped an inch or two here and there. Most of the time when I drink, I ration my calories out so i can get a good buzz, but I don't go over my calorie limit. Also, I drink mostly wine now, hardly ever beer which was my norm. I have hardly lost any weight, but like I said, I've lost some girth. Is it the alcohol that's hindering my weight loss or is it just my building muscle that's making it seem like I'm not losing? Thanks for the input!

A calorie surplus hinders weight loss and I doubt you are building muscle.

It's the alcohol. Even though I see a significant difference in my waistline after not drinking for about 4 days, I always start again anyways. I guess I haven't gotten to the point where I want to give it up completely. I know that's what I have to do to get the figure I want though. And one glass of wine or beer doesn't do it for me. I've built up such a high tolerance that to even get a relaxed, fuzzy feeling I have to have at least a few glasses of wine. And it's hard to "just figure it in your calories" and still eat normally.

http://www.caloriesecrets.net/low-calorie-alcoholic-drinks-drink-wisely-without-gaining-weight/

Unlike the other nutrients, protein, carbohydrate and fat, our body cannot store alcohol. Hence removing it from the body takes preference over normal functions. This can result to an interruption of the fat burning process, giving extra potential for weight gain

A calorie surplus hinders weight loss and I doubt you are building muscle.

I agree. You might be losing water causing inch loss. That won't last.

If you feel like it's the alcohol, you might be undercounting the calories or it might be causing some upset to your system that makes you bloated. It does that to me. But if that was your issue, you wouldn't be seeing inch loss.

Do you eat after drinking and forget to log?

What worked for me is cutting my drinking down to once a week. That way I can workout more and eat less during the week and then have a good time with friends and still eat relatively normally that day. I'm the kind of person that can drink a bottle of wine no problem so it's something I've been forced to plan for.

Hey girl! Good for you for recognizing that it "might" be a problem. Like you, I am part of a social circle of friends that get together and drink numerous times a week. As many indicate here, you may be not be losing weight in part due to your alcohol comsumption, but in my experience there is always a lot of factors at play. As one person mentioned, your body cannot burn fat when you are drinking because it is working hard to rid itself of the alcohol. what does this mean in real life - try not to eat/drink at the same time...because essentially whatever you eat will be retained as fat. I know that the "right" answer is abstain, don't drink and yes it's the reason, but as someone who lost 60 lbs at age 27 (last year) while still drinkiing here are some "tricks" I used so that I didn't lose that social connection.

1) like you, I swtiched from a carb heavy beverage of choice to wine on occasion, but mostly vodka (flavoured) and soda or diet pop.
2) Refused to eat and drink at the same time. One or the other
3) tried to make drinking nights active - i.e. dancing at a club or a friend's place for fun instead of pub/restaurant sitting
4) went period of time "off the scene" In my case it was more extreme like I went a month at one time, and then some two week stints, but I think just like taking a week off here or there makes a difference
5) low cal the day of drinking..essentially saving cals for the night

For what it's worth, your friends will still be there drinking when you're done what you need to do, so I do recommend you abstain for periods of time; maybe hang out and just drink a diet soda or something 1 out of the few nights, etc.
GOOD LUCK!

Anytime I want to get serious about losing the weight; it all begins with giving up the alcohol completely! I really believe that by cutting it out completely, that's the only way I am going to finally get to my goal.

Best of luck to you, it is very hard to quick drinking ... I have tried and failed many times. But I am finally on track and I have it down to one drink, once a week.


you can do it.

Alcorexia! Saving the calories from food so that you can drink more :drinker:

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Yup. Alcohol is *extremely* helpful, and it's *unthinkable* to give it up.

Fixed. :drinker:

Helpful?

I'd rather heal my brain cells instead of kill them. :smokin:

Well you certainly aren't helping them with smoking.

Alcorexia! Saving the calories from food so that you can drink more :drinker:

not funny

Who's laughing?

http://www.bodyconfidential.co.uk/Health/The-Bottle-Of-Wine-A-Night-Diet

If you're losing inches--take it. That's a sign of progress, even if the scale is not moving downward. You might end up dropping weight in a week or two... afterall, it's only been 20 days.

Otherwise, your "on and off" logging is more likely a hindrance than purely alcohol.

I am 22 and when my friends get together, most of the time we drink and its a couple times a week. I've been logging (on and off) for about 20 days and exercising regularly and have noticed I've dropped an inch or two here and there. Most of the time when I drink, I ration my calories out so i can get a good buzz, but I don't go over my calorie limit. Also, I drink mostly wine now, hardly ever beer which was my norm. I have hardly lost any weight, but like I said, I've lost some girth. Is it the alcohol that's hindering my weight loss or is it just my building muscle that's making it seem like I'm not losing? Thanks for the input!

excesive cal intake will cause weight gain. it dose not matter from what if its an excess you gain. also its only been 20 days, so no your not going to see huge amounts of loss

Yup. Alcohol is *extremely* helpful, and it's *unthinkable* to give it up.

Fixed. :drinker:

Helpful?

I'd rather heal my brain cells instead of kill them. :smokin:

Well you certainly aren't helping them with smoking.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0197018613002106

I am 22 and when my friends get together, most of the time we drink and its a couple times a week. I've been logging (on and off) for about 20 days and exercising regularly and have noticed I've dropped an inch or two here and there. Most of the time when I drink, I ration my calories out so i can get a good buzz, but I don't go over my calorie limit. Also, I drink mostly wine now, hardly ever beer which was my norm. I have hardly lost any weight, but like I said, I've lost some girth. Is it the alcohol that's hindering my weight loss or is it just my building muscle that's making it seem like I'm not losing? Thanks for the input!

Drink less often.