Need advice about alcohol!!

tissyazd
tissyazd Posts: 221 Member
edited September 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Ok, so I need advice or opinions. I personally haven't been doing well on the weekends for the past 2 months due to birthdays/reunion/football games/Christmas parties, etc. In the past two months I lost 2 pounds. For the entire 7 months that I started this journey, I have one day on the weekend where I don't go wild, but I also don't track calories and surely go over but I still lost weight. Now, for the past 2 months I have been drinking alcohol on that day as well (a good bit) I am done drinking because I don't really have the time or desire for it now that all those parties are out of the way, but also, I think it has drastically affected my weight loss. So, over this past week I didnt' drink alcohol but didn't track calories over Christmas for 5 days! I really did not watch what I ate and ate like everyone else. So, I weigh myself today to discover I lost a pound. HOW??? I am so confused. I thought I surely gained something. But, I didn't have any alcohol. Could alcohol really be that big of cause for lack of weight loss??? Thoughts?

Replies

  • Aimee_PD
    Aimee_PD Posts: 177 Member
    i think alcohol has A LOT to do with weight gain, or no loss... you dont think that much can harm your progress, but for me i do best to just stay away! i love wine but i dont even keep it in the house anymore! can never drink just one glass lol
  • HollyMcCaw
    HollyMcCaw Posts: 154 Member
    The 3 things I know about alcohol is that 1) alcohol drinks like wine, beer coolers etc are very high in calories and usually sugar 2) when you drink alcohol your bodies main focus is to get it out of your body first, so it works to get rid of the alcohol instead of burning off whatever food you are eating at that time and 3) most people lose their inhibitions when they are drinking and tend to eat more and make unhealthy food choices.

    Hope that helps out. I am not an expert, but I LOVE red wine so I pay attention when I hear things like that lol
  • lutzsher
    lutzsher Posts: 1,153 Member
    It's HUGE.
    Im a (former) weekend warrior! I started MFP November 2009 and didn't lose any weight for the first 6 months . . . why? . . . because I would be completely dedicated Monday to Friday, losing a few pounds on the weekdays, then undo all my hard work drinking on the weekends. Every Monday morning I would be the exact same weight as the last Monday.

    I quit drinking every weekend and will now have a maximum of 2 drinks at the occasional social engagement. Since I made this change I have lost almost 50 pounds (from May to Dec 2010). I have hardly changed my food intake, just the alcohol.

    It makes a REALLY big difference in weight loss!
  • happinessblossoms
    happinessblossoms Posts: 375 Member
    Depending on what you were splurging on with your choices, definitely! A rum runner has almost 400 calories in it, plus alcohol dehydrates you.
  • sabrinafaith
    sabrinafaith Posts: 607 Member
    I drink wine on occasion. But I drink maybe 6 oz at most. I actually buy half bottles for when its just me and the husband. That way neither of us can overdo it.

    Also, we only open up ONE bottle of wine when we have company. When that is finished, everyone drinks either water, juice, or herbal tea.
  • sillygoose1977
    sillygoose1977 Posts: 2,151 Member
    I know for me it is huge. I think I could have lost a lot more weight than I have if would stop drinking on the weekends. It just so happens that I love my cocktails so I will have to keep losing veeeeeerrrrrryyyyyy sssslllloooowwwwllllyyy. :drinker:
  • Cristy_AZ
    Cristy_AZ Posts: 986
    My advice is don't drink at all, and say that with a glass of wine in my hand ;) I have done my research and know it keeps me from losing for many reasons, first it is high In calories and sugar, next it slows down my metabolism, forcing my body to burn off the alcohol before anything else, and next, as has been stated, it lowers my inhibitions, so one more glass or that extra cheese and crackers or nuts might not make it to my food diary. Actually Oct been a lot better about that part lately, but I think these things could apply to you too. I have already cut out all "hard liquor", cut put beer since I joined here, and have dedicated myself to be alcohol free after the New Year. I hope it works for me and you find what works for you too.
  • tissyazd
    tissyazd Posts: 221 Member
    Thanks everybody! Who knew that alcohol could have such an effect on weight loss? I am learning so much since I found this site!
  • StephieAmber
    StephieAmber Posts: 83
    ok ok ok...hold up a minute.

    What if the alcohol fits into our daily food allowance...like the calories and what not. For instance, if a glass of wine is 120cals and half a chocolate bar is 120cals (or insert anything else that would be the equivalent in terms of "sugars")...are we saying that the alcohol is worse, better, or the same for you as the chocolate?

    Of course I realize the responses may be anecdotal, but if the theory is calories in vs. calories out, then what difference does it make what those calories are?
  • tissyazd
    tissyazd Posts: 221 Member
    I can only speak for how I think it affected me, I think one or two if it fits would be fine. I have done that and still lost. My husband also has one 300 calorie beer most evenings and had a steady weight loss (at his goal now). But if I eat within my calories or go over like normal but add alcohol, I didn't lose. Seems to me cutting out the partying is the key to my weight loss. I may still have one or two as long as I can fit it in my day. But, my days of going out and drinking a few too many are over!
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