Alcohol

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  • dclark566
    dclark566 Posts: 330 Member
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    Lost 50 and I have NEVER given up my wine... couple glasses a few nights a week...weekends....uhhh can be more :) If I drink I include it in my calories for the day.
  • pixiesgreene
    pixiesgreene Posts: 88 Member
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    Mmm, alcohol.

    Sorry, was there a question?
  • waterwing
    waterwing Posts: 214 Member
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    I honestly find it difficult to lose weight while drinking. I think if you're smart about it and it's an occasional thing then you should be okay. Spirits and soda water or red wine.. drinking a glass of water between drinks and/or budgeting calories could help.

    For me I find that when I have a few drinks I also feel the need to eat a few french fries and by a few I mean a lot..

    Obviously you have to find what works for you and where your strengths and weaknesses lie and then learn to work with them. I tend to cut out alcohol if I want to have a good weight-loss week but this is also about lifestyle so you have to make realistic choices.

    Good luck! You'll figure it out!
  • toaster6
    toaster6 Posts: 703 Member
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    I drink. I don't drink a whole lot, but I enjoy hard liqour every once in awhile and I managed to lose. Just make room for it. And you didn't gain five pounds of fat over the weekend. It's probably water weight.
  • Ctrum69
    Ctrum69 Posts: 308 Member
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    I drink. I don't drink a whole lot, but I enjoy hard liqour every once in awhile and I managed to lose. Just make room for it. And you didn't gain five pounds of fat over the weekend. It's probably water weight.

    Well, if you eat, say, six lbs of beef and don't poop, you could "Gain" 5 lbs over a weekend.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,039 Member
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    Thanks for all the good advice everybody! Vodka stays :)


    Ah - I remember - one step forward - two steps back!

    You diet like a slave all week weigh-in on Friday morning and you have lost 2lbs and then you have a drink and a pizza etc on Friday/Sat and hey presto you weigh-in on Monday morning and you have gained the 2lbs plus another 2lbs.

    Mark my words - you cannot drink and lose weight!

    Welcome to HELL!!!

    Well I drank and lost weight.

    I think the problem in your scenario is the pizza etc,not the alcohol.

    I don't eat silly things just because I have a few drinks.

    I do agree with others about mixers being the problem, not vodka itself - I use diet coke as a mixer, almost no calories in that.
  • jacklo
    jacklo Posts: 17
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    Personally, what worries me is not so much the alcohol but the poor eating decisions that often follow (e.g., late night Taco Bell). Consequently, I've cut out all alcohol temporarily until I hit my target weight and BF%, mainly because I want to get dieting over as quickly as possible. It's not that difficult for me, but I can appreciate a wine lover (as there seem to be quite a few on this forum) not being willing to do the same.

    Here's an interesting article that's got lots of information in it on alcohol, fat loss, and muscle growth. I cannot attest to its accuracy or correctness, but it's worth looking at:

    http://www.leangains.com/2010/07/truth-about-alcohol-fat-loss-and-muscle.html

    Good luck!
  • ChrisM8971
    ChrisM8971 Posts: 1,067 Member
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    I think maybe you guys need to look up the "science" of alcohol and calories. Alcohol is not metabolized the same as other calories, so it is not a matter of simply eating 3500 calories to gain a pound.

    Ok let me get this straight, what you are saying is that although whether we gain or lose weight is not down to what side of the energy balance equation we are and the body mysteriously gains weight while eating at a deficit when you drink alcohol?

    My scales must be completely inaccurate then!
  • Autk79
    Autk79 Posts: 283 Member
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    For me personally I cannot lose weight drinking alot. But I dont drink anywhere near one. I use to work out and eat healthy and was drinking 3 nights a week. I couldnt lose any weight and then stopped drinking for a while and lost 32 pounds. After a while I slowed my working out down a little and went back to drinking and gained 30 pounds back in a year. I think it effects everyone different and it depends on what you drink and how much? I like those dark liquors so Im just trying to stop all together.
  • Ctrum69
    Ctrum69 Posts: 308 Member
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    For me personally I cannot lose weight drinking alot. But I dont drink anywhere near one. I use to work out and eat healthy and was drinking 3 nights a week. I couldnt lose any weight and then stopped drinking for a while and lost 32 pounds. After a while I slowed my working out down a little and went back to drinking and gained 30 pounds back in a year. I think it effects everyone different and it depends on what you drink and how much? I like those dark liquors so Im just trying to stop all together.

    The question is what were you drinking?

    beer, wine, rum, scotch, everclear, vodka, and a singapore sling are all "alcohol".

    It's not the alcohol itself.. it's what it's carried in that you really need to be concerned with.
  • Lesa_Sass
    Lesa_Sass Posts: 2,213 Member
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    For me personally I cannot lose weight drinking alot. But I dont drink anywhere near one. I use to work out and eat healthy and was drinking 3 nights a week. I couldnt lose any weight and then stopped drinking for a while and lost 32 pounds. After a while I slowed my working out down a little and went back to drinking and gained 30 pounds back in a year. I think it effects everyone different and it depends on what you drink and how much? I like those dark liquors so Im just trying to stop all together.

    The question is what were you drinking?

    beer, wine, rum, scotch, everclear, vodka, and a singapore sling are all "alcohol".

    It's not the alcohol itself.. it's what it's carried in that you really need to be concerned with.

    Since you seem to be a newbie to MFP, can you please give us some back ground and what your experience is to be giving such advice?
  • Ctrum69
    Ctrum69 Posts: 308 Member
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    For me personally I cannot lose weight drinking alot. But I dont drink anywhere near one. I use to work out and eat healthy and was drinking 3 nights a week. I couldnt lose any weight and then stopped drinking for a while and lost 32 pounds. After a while I slowed my working out down a little and went back to drinking and gained 30 pounds back in a year. I think it effects everyone different and it depends on what you drink and how much? I like those dark liquors so Im just trying to stop all together.

    The question is what were you drinking?

    beer, wine, rum, scotch, everclear, vodka, and a singapore sling are all "alcohol".

    It's not the alcohol itself.. it's what it's carried in that you really need to be concerned with.

    Since you seem to be a newbie to MFP, can you please give us some back ground and what your experience is to be giving such advice?

    Common sense?
  • SandraD1424
    SandraD1424 Posts: 81 Member
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    I'm a drinker too. Last time I lost weight I didn't change anything except the mix so I've started doing that this time too. Vodka and Crystal Light flavoured water. I have been drinking a crap load of pop as mix for rye and dark rum the last 6 months, so I've switched back to vodka and the CL water. I'm thinking about getting a sodastream to carbonate the CL water just for fun.

    In the past I have ordered vodka/water at the bar and just add a little of the CL singles pack. I usually mention it to a server so they know what's up when they see me adding this stuff!
    I do the same thing with the Crystal Light :)
  • karadee103
    karadee103 Posts: 3
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    It's been a long time but I used to go onto getdrunknotfat.com LOL! to see what was 'safe' to drink while keeping the cals down and getting me buzzed at the least. I believe I used to enjoy 'Knob Creek' a lot.
  • Panthers89
    Panthers89 Posts: 153 Member
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    I drank wine and beer on Saturday and beer on Sunday. I also drank a few beers on Thursday. I work out a little longer when I know I'll be drinking later the same evening.

    I was certain with yesterday's Super Bowl I would go over my calorie goal. I had 5 beers over the course of the day but I ate nacho chips (which I have mostly eliminated from my diet over the past 3 years), and I am carrying extra water weight as I weighed in this morning. It will be gone by Wednesday, and I've already had 8 cups of water this morning.

    It's water weight, just stick to your diet plan and meet your calorie goal and it will be OK in a few days.
  • runitskat
    runitskat Posts: 30
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    I lost 80lbs, and maintain it, while having red wine every day.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    I drink wine or been often. I have still lost weight.


    Unless you ate about 7000 calories a day this weekend, you did not gain 5lbs. It's water weight.


    3500 calories per pound *5 pounds +1800 calories *3 days (for assumed maintenance) = 22,900 calories.

    2,900 calories / 3 days = 7633 calories per day.

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