Alcohol during a diet?

SarahJains
SarahJains Posts: 35 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Okay so, I still like having a drink but I was wondering what sort of alcoholic drinks are okay to have during a diet?

Now i'm only talking once a week on a saturday night, not every night!

Are there any low calorie wines?

advice please :)
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Replies

  • vijaynarayanan
    vijaynarayanan Posts: 23
    I does not matter Sarah

    Avoid the sugary mixers with liqours stick to dry wines and make sure it fits into your broad macros. Beer would be a bad idea I guess.

    Vy
  • Whyareyoumad
    Whyareyoumad Posts: 268 Member
    Not really sure on the drinks, I like a good rum and coke on occasion and count the coke I put in it. All of the usual beer is in the database and I count those as I drink them. I am still losing weight by staying under my calorie target.
  • UpEarly
    UpEarly Posts: 2,555 Member
    I lost 66 pounds while still enjoying wine and good craft beer several times a week. I didn't find that it had any negative impact on my weight loss. I have a drink or two with dinner 2-3 nights a week now, and I've been on maintenance for almost two years.
  • JoanaMHill
    JoanaMHill Posts: 265 Member
    Pretty sure most people will tell you that any one would be fine as long as you know how many calories it is and log it correctly. And it's true. If you have room in your day for it, then why not have a full-calorie drink over a 'light' one? Unless of course you find one you enjoy. Then you have room for even more :)
  • CoCoRedRider
    CoCoRedRider Posts: 47 Member
    getdrunknotfat.com :drinker:
  • BenjaminMFP88
    BenjaminMFP88 Posts: 660 Member
    Alcohol is just calories. The fancier frillier the drink usually the more sugar so be mindful if you are counting calories. Nothing wrong with it.
  • momtastic2014
    momtastic2014 Posts: 99
    Once a week I like to have 2 shots of vodka.
    Sometimes a glass of wine with dinner.
    Be sure to measure out serving size.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    Log your drinks. Drink the ones you enjoy.
  • Pain_Train
    Pain_Train Posts: 36
    I drink what I want and make cuts to calories elsewhere.
  • SirDoctorofTARDIS
    SirDoctorofTARDIS Posts: 113 Member
    It's fine to drink. Just remember alcohol has 7 kcals/gram. 80 proof Vodka is about 97 kcal per shot (roughly). Just drink wisely :drinker:
  • LexiMelo
    LexiMelo Posts: 203 Member
    A normal glass of wine (3.5 oz) only has about 70 calories. That is a really small glass though! Just enjoy a few glasses every now and again, track them (ahead of time so you have a plan), and don't go too crazy and you'll be fine.

    Margaritas, on the other hand, can be dangerous!

    There are "skinny girl" drinks out there and things of that nature but they are generally disgusting (and full of strange ingredients) and I wouldn't recommend them. I'm all for enjoying the real thing in moderation. The worst is the 70 calorie beer...yuck.
  • Pain_Train
    Pain_Train Posts: 36
    I lost 66 pounds while still enjoying wine and good craft beer several times a week. I didn't find that it had any negative impact on my weight loss. I have a drink or two with dinner 2-3 nights a week now, and I've been on maintenance for almost two years.

    Nice !!
  • hdelamore
    hdelamore Posts: 206 Member
    If you are looking for a low cal drink I'd go for vodka, lime & soda. :)

    I wouldn't go for any 'low calorie' wines- they normally turn out to be 5% of lower! and in my opinion not very nice.

    To be honest I'd just drink what you normally drink, but log it first, if you've logged 4 drinks before you start drinking you're unlikely to go over. I also tend to have a high calorie burn on days when i want to have a drink
  • MinimalistShoeAddict
    MinimalistShoeAddict Posts: 1,946 Member
    You can have any type of beverage you like and be successful. That being said, this website seems to be very popular among people who share your concerns:

    www.getdrunknotfat.com

    "The Get Drunk Not Fat database displays beer calories, wine and alcohol calorie and carbs sorted by their calorie to alcohol ratio. Maximize your buzz by choosing drinks with the highest amount of calories from alcohol, not from fillers!"
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    Margaritas!! :drinker: :drinker: :drinker:
  • JojoEffeckt164
    JojoEffeckt164 Posts: 146 Member
    I enjoy my beer even though I´m dieting right now. When I have it I count it! one bottle (500ml) has 200kcal. Can´t have it often though.
  • whiteheaddg
    whiteheaddg Posts: 325 Member
    I lost 66 pounds while still enjoying wine and good craft beer several times a week. I didn't find that it had any negative impact on my weight loss. I have a drink or two with dinner 2-3 nights a week now, and I've been on maintenance for almost two years.

    Absolutely this!!! Use MFP as a planning, not just tracking, tool. Add in your wine, beer, 1/2 gallon of ice cream, etc. when planning your meals for the day. If it fits while maintaining your desired macro ratio and calorie count for loss or maintenance then your are good to go!
  • Amitysk
    Amitysk Posts: 705 Member
    I just make sure I have room for it in my day. Usually stick with a dry red or white. Vodka with club soda is pretty good as well.
  • Lesa_Sass
    Lesa_Sass Posts: 2,213 Member
    Just an FYI, calories from alcohol are not normal calories.

    Calories from alcohol are 'empty calories', they have no nutritional value. Most alcoholic drinks contain traces of vitamins and minerals, but not usually in amounts that make any significant contribution to our diet.

    Drinking alcohol also reduces the amount of fat your body burns for energy (1). While we can store nutrients, protein, carbohydrates, and fat in our bodies, we can't store alcohol. So our systems want to get rid of it, and doing so takes priority. All of the other processes that should be taking place (including absorbing nutrients and burning fat) are interrupted.
  • sullus
    sullus Posts: 2,839 Member
    It's fine to drink. Just remember alcohol has 7 kcals/gram. 80 proof Vodka is about 97 kcal per shot (roughly). Just drink wisely :drinker:

    Had to read this 3x before my brain didn't see "Just drink wiskey"

    But seriously. Just drink whiskey.

    Dig through my diary .. I like me some drinks. Just log them, make room for them, and stay in your calorie goals. Keep in mind drinks vary wildly. A long Island Iced tea can have 800 calories. A pina colada can top 900.

    Rum and diet coke is around 100
  • HWeatherholt
    HWeatherholt Posts: 283 Member
    Most liqueurs have around 100 calories per shot. Some have a few more some a few less.

    I'm not a huge drinker but if I have one or two with dinner I log my shot and order it with diet soda. I don't freak if that shot or two puts me too close for comfort to my calorie count. Now if I'm planning a big night out with friends and know I'll be drinking a ton, I plan ahead and limit my calories from other sources or hit the gym and burn off the number of shots I want before I head out....one of my cousins counts his time on the treadmill not by time or distance but by shots.
  • Riemersma4
    Riemersma4 Posts: 400 Member
    I stick with liquor (martinis, etc) and dry wines.

    I avoid the mixers like the plague as they KILL the cals.

    And, as always, make sure it all fits in macros

    Life style, over time, is what matters.

    Best!
  • kristen2713
    kristen2713 Posts: 253 Member
    I'm in with most of the above answers. I lost still drinking, but just in moderation. Just keep room in your calories/macros for it, and stay away from things like mudslides, margaritas, drinks with juice, etc. I do like the skinny girl wines that are 100 cal for 5 oz I think, BUT, once I really started looking into it, most reds, blushes and dryer whites don't have more than 120-130 cal for the same amount, so it's not really worth the added expense to me. In my opinion, eliminating anything completely when "dieting" is a bad idea. Just use the moderation rule! :drinker:
  • Elegra2006
    Elegra2006 Posts: 144 Member
    Lower calorie drinks that are still yummy are:

    gin with slimline tonic or vodka with slimline tonic - approx 55 cals/drink

    champagne (yay!)

    weight watchers wine (you can get it in Asda and few other supermarkets) actually tastes pretty decent if you're going somewhere that you can BYOB
  • sullus
    sullus Posts: 2,839 Member
    Most liqueurs have around 100 calories per shot. Some have a few more some a few less.

    I'm not a huge drinker but if I have one or two with dinner I log my shot and order it with diet soda. I don't freak if that shot or two puts me too close for comfort to my calorie count. Now if I'm planning a big night out with friends and know I'll be drinking a ton, I plan ahead and limit my calories from other sources or hit the gym and burn off the number of shots I want before I head out....one of my cousins counts his time on the treadmill not by time or distance but by shots.

    !! Shallow and Pedantic Alert !!

    Liqueurs are generally around 20-25% alcohol and contain a lot of sugar, and come in around 150 cal/shot. Liquors are 40-50% alcohol, and around 100 cal/shot.

    This translates to: 300 cal of Amaretto (liqueur) has the same amount of alcohol as 100 cal of vodka (liquor).
  • just_Jennie1
    just_Jennie1 Posts: 1,233
    I loves me my wine and was imbibing every night and although it fits into my calories I found that it does inhibit (or slow down) my progress. With that said we have been eliminating booze Monday-Thursday making it a "treat" on the weekends since that is when we typically go out. I have found in the past when I cut down my booze consumption that I did lose more weight and inches.
  • hubn8147
    hubn8147 Posts: 110 Member
    I have had a wine called "Skinny Vine" and the flavor was "Thin Zin". I thought it was pretty good! It was 85 calories for 5oz - which is awesome!
  • eldamiano
    eldamiano Posts: 2,667 Member
    Yep. Half a pint of lager only has half the amount of calories as a full pint....
  • jemmadc
    jemmadc Posts: 3 Member
    Vodka and soda with lemon or lime. Can't go wrong!
  • essjay76
    essjay76 Posts: 465 Member
    Just like with anything you absolutely can't give up while trying to lose weight, don't give it up. Enjoy it in moderation. You can still find a way to enjoy it while fitting it into your daily calorie needs and macros. Now, drinking 1300 calories worth of liquor might not be nutritionally sound, but you'd still lose weight if you were consuming at a deficit.

    Some of the best options are wine (there are also health benefits with drinking wine), lighter beers, and liquor without the mixer..

    I personally am a liquor gal so I drink things neat, on the rocks, or mixed with a zero calorie soda depending on the quality of the liquor. I don't like sweet drinks in general so luckily I avoid the sugar and calories. I also regularly drink wine and I've managed to keep my weight stable for the past few years.

    Enjoy yourself!

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