Drinking and fitness

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  • sullus
    sullus Posts: 2,839 Member
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    It's not just the alcohol calories that are the problem. As alcohol lowers your inhibitions, you also eat more as you drink, and tend to make poorer food choices. The less you drink and less often you drink, the more efficient your weight loss will be.

    It's not just the inhibitions. Alcohol will lower blood sugar, which makes you feel hungry. Then the lowered inhibitions kick in and because you feel REALLY hungry, you potentially eat a lot more (and make worse choices) than you would have otherwise.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    I've reduced my alcohol consumption considerably. I still drink and enjoy it and much of my social life revolves around it...but it's only a couple of evenings per week at the most.

    Also keep in mind that even if you could exercise drunk, you're not going to burn off those calories. You cannot store those calories from alcohol...your body has to metabolize the alcohol sugars and that just takes time. While your body is doing that, it cannot metabolize other stuff...so fat oxidation ceases (basically your metabolism becomes retarded for how many ever hours it take you to sober up) as does burning of any calories you are taking in food wise while you're drinking. Generally speaking, the dietary damage caused by alcohol is more about the **** we eat when we're drunk than the actual alcohol consumption itself.
  • laurie04427
    laurie04427 Posts: 421 Member
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    getdrunknotfat.com works wonders. I've had no issues with having a few beers a week since I started.. and I'm not talking about that watered down diet beer garbage either.
    Okay after reading the comments I'm thinking maybe I'll take a break from it for a while to regroup and then maybe create a cheat day on the weekend to budget some drinks. If it stretches beyond the cheat day I'll know it aint working. Thank you for the ideas.

    Tends to be like 4 whiskey and gingerales if i'm not going way overboards so 4 whiskey shots instead should be budgetable.

    (lol I was going to quit and you dragged me back in hehe)
  • Elsie_Brownraisin
    Elsie_Brownraisin Posts: 786 Member
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    It's not just the alcohol calories that are the problem. As alcohol lowers your inhibitions, you also eat more as you drink, and tend to make poorer food choices. The less you drink and less often you drink, the more efficient your weight loss will be.

    It's not just the inhibitions. Alcohol will lower blood sugar, which makes you feel hungry. Then the lowered inhibitions kick in and because you feel REALLY hungry, you potentially eat a lot more (and make worse choices) than you would have otherwise.

    Case in point- went to the pub last night, was hungry and made myself a bacon butty when I got home. Almost 800 extra cals on top of my already pretty generous allowance and I wouldn't have eaten the sandwich had I not had a couple of pints.
  • Heliconia
    Heliconia Posts: 166 Member
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    I am so much like you. I quit drinking Jan.1 at the start of my second attempt here on mfp. I really miss it of course and DO NOT have as much fun now when out with friends. I really hate when people label you an alcoholic if a person enjoys drinking! For one, I would not have been able to just stop drinking as easily as I have if I were a true alcoholic. That does not mean that I will stay off it forever. The calories are the reason I am off it for now, as is most chocolate and other temptations. What I have done is found something resembling alcohol that gives me the same pleasure. If you really think about it, it is probably not the buzz that you really want, but the feelings of relaxation, that you are treating yourself etc. I drink a spicy tomato juice with lots of lemon. Experiment with a few virgin cocktails to find one you like. Good luck!
  • richardheath
    richardheath Posts: 1,276 Member
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    After several years of being overweight and lazy I'm attempting to get fit and lose weight.

    But I'm coming to the conclusion that booze is ruining my progress and so I've quit.

    I tend to drink several days in a row. Enough drinks to push me about 500 calories over my quota each day. I drink in the evening after starting off the day eating healthy so after getting drunk I don't really have the option of exercising off the calories. Then I'll be good for a few weeks and then have my little binge again.

    Yes I know I should exercise moderation but it doesn't happen.

    Wondering if anyone had a similar experience.

    Booze started ruining my fitness progress too. So I quit as well. Now, I just drink and don't worry about fitness.

    :drinker:





    ETA: OK... not really. I just cut back on the amount I was drinking.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    After several years of being overweight and lazy I'm attempting to get fit and lose weight.

    But I'm coming to the conclusion that booze is ruining my progress and so I've quit.

    I tend to drink several days in a row. Enough drinks to push me about 500 calories over my quota each day. I drink in the evening after starting off the day eating healthy so after getting drunk I don't really have the option of exercising off the calories. Then I'll be good for a few weeks and then have my little binge again.

    Yes I know I should exercise moderation but it doesn't happen.

    Wondering if anyone had a similar experience.

    Booze started ruining my fitness progress too. So I quit as well. Now, I just drink and don't worry about fitness.

    :drinker:

    giphy.gif
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,692 Member
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    In for just adding information:

    Alcohol once in the body will be used as energy till it's burned off. That means that all other energy sources are stored until alcohol is out of the body. So no fat burning while you've taken that drink. Not my rules. That's just how body physiology works.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • sjaplo
    sjaplo Posts: 974 Member
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    If it is the buzz you are looking for that ONLY alchohol can provide you need to reassess. I do not drink and I can still go out with friends and have fun if I chose to. Can You?
    I guess thats where I am at the moment is in the reassessment of it all. Taking a half an hour to mull over an answer to that probably isn't a good sign. :)

    Thank you for the comments folks.

    mmmm nice guilt trip.

    I'm a 52 year old male and am fully aware that a life without beer is not something that is high on my list of life changes to make. In fact it doesn't make the list. I drink daily, but not to excess. I add the beer calories to my daily intake the same way I would add any other food.

    However - I have known some alcoholics in my time and there are a couple of different varieties. I guess questions to ask your self are;

    1. Do you always drink to excess once you start or can yoou have one or two and go home?
    2. Does your judgement deteriorate after a drink or two?
    3. Does drinking the night before sometimes stop you from going to work the next day?
    4. Do you lose track of events when you drink?

    Also - based on your post - drinking to excess every few weeks is not going to harm your diet - but the questions above still apply.

    cheers
  • Coltsatc
    Coltsatc Posts: 36
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    I had to quit drinking. I was drinking at least a couple beers every night, and on nights I didn't have to work the next day I'd get pretty hammered. So I'd waste the next day being hung over or sleeping in all day. I thought I could drink in moderation, but that never worked.

    While it's been good for my health and I feel like a much better parent getting up early with my kids and doing stuff with them, I'm still learning how to have fun without it. I'm pretty boring sober it turns out. My friends give me crap cuz I'd rather go to sleep and wake up early than drink with them and sleep in.

    I'm just glad I'm taking control of my life now before it got any worse. I could sense the spiraling out of control starting so I did something about it.
  • husseycd
    husseycd Posts: 814 Member
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    I love how a person with over 100 lbs to lose can get preachy about drinking alcohol to have fun. :huh:

    If you find yourself out on a Friday night and going a little overboard, it can definitely derail you. However, I would like to add I do this regularly (going to a Mardi Gras parade this weekend. I'll definitely be drinking), and maintain my weight just fine. I'm 5'5.5" and 130 lb, btw. Is it the healthiest thing? No, of course not. And when I cut, I really have to watch those nights. Whenever I add up the calories, they tend to be about 500-700 over my maintenence amount. A couple nights of those a week and one can see how that would easily counteract any deficits.

    Anyway, OP, add a couple of those nights up (even if you have to guess). That will tell you where you need to go. BTW, when I am cutting and want to go out with friends and drink, I just stick to vodka and soda. No yummy, mixologist drinks or crafts beers unfortunately. And to be honest, when I'm maintaining I have to watch those too or I'll slowly gain. They're just so high in calories.

    Cheers! :drinker:
  • kbmnurse
    kbmnurse Posts: 2,484 Member
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    Casual drinking---usually one night on the weekend. I drink 5-6 Coors lights -love the buzz. Will not give up!
  • Urban_Princess
    Urban_Princess Posts: 219 Member
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    alcohol also deteriorates your lean muscle mass.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    Additionally, your body turns that liquid sugar into fat immediately.
    This ^^ is utter nonsense.
    It's also expensive! Finally, I would rather save my calories for cheese burgers than beer. I don't know why people prefer boozes over yummy food.
    It can be expensive, and while I find it odd that some people would rather have ice cream than wine, I certainly know why. Personal preference.
  • roniredd
    roniredd Posts: 48
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    It's hard! I go period where I drink something every night and then sometimes only on w/ends. I work towards adding them into my daily calorie allowance (which can be hard when you only get 1200 to begin with!). On the good side, I have noticed that as I have lost weight, I can't drink as much without getting tipsy! So, less has become more!
  • eric_sg61
    eric_sg61 Posts: 2,925 Member
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    I do not drink alcohol because I have alcoholism on both sides of my family and want to help my nieces and nephews choose not to drink. Additionally, your body turns that liquid sugar into fat immediately. It's also expensive! Finally, I would rather save my calories for cheese burgers than beer. I don't know why people prefer boozes over yummy food.
    ummmm no, the body has no storage mechanism to store alcohol as fat.
  • SoreTodayStrongTomorrow222
    SoreTodayStrongTomorrow222 Posts: 252 Member
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    I think its very said that I actually miss getting wine drunk with my friends.... but i do... I miss wine... excessive amounts of wine :-( I have a glass every now and then but it really just isn't the same.
  • laurie04427
    laurie04427 Posts: 421 Member
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    I have noticed that as I have lost weight, I can't drink as much without getting tipsy! So, less has become more!
    I was just updating my profile and trying to think of something to put in the "why do you want to lose weight" section. There we go hehe.
  • Legs_McGee
    Legs_McGee Posts: 845 Member
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    I've gone running drunk - it's not that bad.

    I don't track my calories anymore, but when I did - I just made room for the booze ones. I only drink a few times a month though.
  • MsMaryMac48
    MsMaryMac48 Posts: 89 Member
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    It's not just the alcohol calories that are the problem. As alcohol lowers your inhibitions, you also eat more as you drink, and tend to make poorer food choices. The less you drink and less often you drink, the more efficient your weight loss will be.

    100% Agree!! Hubby and I enjoy going out to our favorite brewery/restaurant and having a beer with our dinner. BUT, I have a rule, it's called the Law of ONE. If I stop at one then I have maintained control as opposed to giving control over to other forces, in this case the alcohol. It DEFINITELY lowers your inhibitions and causes you to want to eat more...more unhealthy foods. This and the alcohol slowing your metabolism make for a bad combination. I still partake of a hand crafted brew every now and then but never more than one a week and I always include it in my calorie count and I only allow myself to indulge if I have already completed my workout for the day. I only drink beer on draft so that helps.

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