Alcohol & weight loss

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hmg90
hmg90 Posts: 314 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So I just realized why I have NOT lost weight the way I thought I would when trying.
Alcohol and their serving sizes. I stick to either wine and restrict it or gin with diet tonic. A diet GT is listed at around 60 calories per serving according to the database. I don't use a big glass or anything but have realized upon further calculations that such a glass must have a very low amount of gin to qualify for 60 calories.

So I just see how much of an impact alcohol has had over the holidays, even though I have otherwise been healthy. Annoyed :(
The only way is actually to measure up wine or gin in a measurement jar and do the calculations.

How do other people handle having alcohol in social settings while still dieting? What's your 'go-to' solution?
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Replies

  • atamrowski
    atamrowski Posts: 417 Member
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    This is a tough one. I am an avid wine drinker (not sure if it's a good thing or a bad thing). I'm starting a new program (WW) and even though I am allowed points to splurge on wine, I am not even going to bother. I can't just drink one glass of wine and that's it lol so why even bother? Just going to eliminate it altogether for now.

    Social drinking is tough. I would say just to guesstimate but drink water in between each drink. Hope that helps.
  • Dugleik
    Dugleik Posts: 125
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    Serving sizes, are the devil. I bought a delicious cake, that was a little high on the calories. Didn't notice before after I'd had a slice that the serving size was 20g (0.04lb).

    Anyways: alcohol. I deal in one of three ways:
    1. I save up calories and/or just call it a cheat day.
    2. One drink, one glass of something zero calorie
    3. Mixed drinks that are low calorie: http://www.glamour.com/health-fitness/2008/12/5-best-low-calorie-cocktails#slide=1
  • F00LofaT00K
    F00LofaT00K Posts: 688 Member
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    So I just realized why I have NOT lost weight the way I thought I would when trying.
    Alcohol and their serving sizes. I stick to either wine and restrict it or gin with diet tonic. A diet GT is listed at around 60 calories per serving according to the database. I don't use a big glass or anything but have realized upon further calculations that such a glass must have a very low amount of gin to qualify for 60 calories.

    So I just see how much of an impact alcohol has had over the holidays, even though I have otherwise been healthy. Annoyed :(
    The only way is actually to measure up wine or gin in a measurement jar and do the calculations.

    How do other people handle having alcohol in social settings while still dieting? What's your 'go-to' solution?

    I just think ahead.......... If I'm going to a party or out for drinks, I leave about 200 calories free and have one or two drinks. To continue losing weight, the only thing to do is to remain at a caloric deficit. If I want to drink more I either choose not to OR I go over my goal and feel disappointed in myself.
  • TheVimFuego
    TheVimFuego Posts: 2,412 Member
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    I drink red wine like a fish and never log exercise, I figure they'll cancel each other out. ;)

    Doubtless my fat loss progress would be better without it but my sanity would be shot.

    Hey, I'm in super slim fit shirts, chin chin!
  • Cortelli
    Cortelli Posts: 1,369 Member
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    Like others I do my best to plan for it and deal with it. Also am drinking more liquor neat instead of tasty beers.
  • D_squareG
    D_squareG Posts: 361 Member
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    I weigh it on my food scale. All of it. I drink daily.
  • MsMacL
    MsMacL Posts: 75 Member
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    So I just realized why I have NOT lost weight the way I thought I would when trying.
    Alcohol and their serving sizes. I stick to either wine and restrict it or gin with diet tonic. A diet GT is listed at around 60 calories per serving according to the database. I don't use a big glass or anything but have realized upon further calculations that such a glass must have a very low amount of gin to qualify for 60 calories.

    So I just see how much of an impact alcohol has had over the holidays, even though I have otherwise been healthy. Annoyed :(
    The only way is actually to measure up wine or gin in a measurement jar and do the calculations.

    How do other people handle having alcohol in social settings while still dieting? What's your 'go-to' solution?

    Two capfuls is an approx. measure.
  • MsMacL
    MsMacL Posts: 75 Member
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    When I was on MFP three years ago I lost 3 stone - that was from Jan 1st to mid May. I stayed off alcohol until about Easter time. I lost about 2 stone in the alcohol free period and just 1 stone in the remainder. That was just maybe half a bottle of wine one nite of the weekend - nothing much at all.

    I have heard somewhere that any alcohol consumption retains 'fluids' and this means that weight loss is harder to achieve! I found that weekends when I drank - it effected my weight loss in the following week - weight loss was more straight forward in alcohol free weekends.

    When I was young, I could lose weight and drink but not any more so I'm cutting right back. I could drink 8 USA shots - almost 600 calories!!!! Now, I look at the bottle of vodka and see it as 1000 calories and that makes me think before pouring.
  • janicelo1971
    janicelo1971 Posts: 823 Member
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    I measure it and drink daily...just try to stay within your calories allowed...but DO measure it!

    I also gave up beer in april and switched to tequila(skinny girl magueritas-zero calories other then tequila) thinking less carbs would better for me..however I haven't seen a change in weight...not sure it makes any different what you drink..again just count the calories...
  • kiekie33
    kiekie33 Posts: 65
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    I use to have a glass or 2 (or 3 lol) of wine daily. At first I tried just 1 glass per day but when it comes to alcohol im pretty much all or nothing (bad habits from my college days) I decided to cut back to just one day per week, I just try to make room for it in my calories and it seems to be working pretty well for me.

    SN: It was a nice bonus seeing those extra dollars I saved
  • Pandora_King
    Pandora_King Posts: 153
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    I drink Brut Champagne. At 450 calories a bottle and only 12g sugar, it works well for me.
  • truelove7
    truelove7 Posts: 79 Member
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    Exactly! After 3-4 glasses of wine my eating goes to ****.
    (Edit to add this was in response to chriskellint...apparently I hit reply instead of quote!)
  • CharityGC
    CharityGC Posts: 499 Member
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    I'm lucky in that I don't want to snack or eat when I've been drinking. But I can easily drink a couple thousand calories in alcohol.
  • truelove7
    truelove7 Posts: 79 Member
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    But I can easily drink a couple thousand calories in alcohol.

    This too. One drink for me is laughable.
  • Cortelli
    Cortelli Posts: 1,369 Member
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    I'm lucky in that I don't want to snack or eat when I've been drinking. But I can easily drink a couple thousand calories in alcohol.

    Amen. (Though it might be hard for me to get to a couple thousand - I will easily go well over a thousand if I don't watch it, and that's just relaxing and enjoying some drinks - not even going on a bender!) Thank goodness I don't also get the hungries when I drink :drinker:
  • CharityGC
    CharityGC Posts: 499 Member
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    I'm lucky in that I don't want to snack or eat when I've been drinking. But I can easily drink a couple thousand calories in alcohol.

    Amen. (Though it might be hard for me to get to a couple thousand - I will easily go well over a thousand if I don't watch it, and that's just relaxing and enjoying some drinks - not even going on a bender!) Thank goodness I don't also get the hungries when I drink :drinker:

    I have friends who always want to hit up McDonald's or Jack in the Box on the way home from a night out. I never get anything. Generally, when it's time to go home, I just want to go to sleep. I only do a night out occasionally, and I can enjoy a glass of wine with dinner.
  • Scorpioangel
    Scorpioangel Posts: 951 Member
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    I used to drink things like Mike's Hard Lemonaid and frozen margaritas but changed it to straight shots when I started my new eating... I don't need many and lost the weight and stayed in my calorie goals :)
  • Brad592
    Brad592 Posts: 28 Member
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    This is one of the problems with calorie counting.
    Alcohol is a drug and other chemical processes are happening when we drink it. For example, every 200ml of beer creates 300ml of urine.
    Someone above hit the nail on the head - its what we eat when we are drinking that matters. The body deals with these calories in a different way when alcohol is in the system.
    Do your own research and make your own opinion but it is not as simple as calories with alcoholic drinks.
  • alexchatwin
    alexchatwin Posts: 3 Member
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    Alcohol is a drug and other chemical processes are happening when we drink it. For example, every 200ml of beer creates 300ml of urine.

    This has just solved an issue I have with weight monitoring - I weigh myself daily and on days after a few glasses (/bottles) of wine, I reliably weigh 1kg less than the day before.. but it all goes back the day after.. I'm just more dehydrated!
  • MsMacL
    MsMacL Posts: 75 Member
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    Well, I know what a pub measure is, here in Scotland, as it has to be displayed and I have measures in my house.

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