Can't give up alcohol - started replacing meals with beer...

I'd recommend shots over mixed drinks or beer. The calories really start to add up with the juices, sodas and mixers.

To address the addiction part – I have a very stressful life and don’t see the problem in having a few drinks in the evening to help me relax. I would stop drinking if it was causing me health problems.

I know a few people who have had substance abuse problems (alcohol or drugs or whatever) and "recovered." When they "recovered," they turned to something else to feed their addiction. Every one of them.

Sometimes it was God (and there is a difference between simply being a religious person and being addicted to it), sometimes food. So ... you're just saying you need to trade one unhealthy addiction for another (assuming you aren't a troll, which I still doubt) in order to deal with your life stresses,

And as others have said, healthy stats do not mean no eating disorder. Bulimics tend to be healthy weights, and some binge eaters are also healthy weights.

You are an adult and we're all strangers, but you've said a lot of things in here that are concerning (if true).

And to those who think people seeing this as an issue are "non-drinkers," maybe you ought to think about whether you have problems, too. I have a drink or two every once in a while. I have even been quite drunk more than once in my life. But I don't "need" alcohol for anything. I can enjoy it and walk away from it with no problem.

I don't have a drinking problem but I do need a drink to help with my other problems...

Your desire to drink in certain situations is tantamount to other peoples desire to eat in certain situations...



If you removed those "other problems" then you wouldnt need a drink and would have no problem hitting your goals.

Good luck! :drinker:

I like to have a glass or 2 of red wine most nights. I'm trying to make sure I get the most nutrition I can out of the calories I consume (no empty calories), plus exercise a little more. If I find I'm not losing I'll cut back to maybe only having wine on the weekends but it is something I enjoy.

Having a craving for a beer or two every day is the same as having a craving for a soda or a candy bar.

However! I read about girls in college who would do the same thing and replace meals with alcohol. This was classified as an eating disorder and not alcoholism. Don't do it! It's crazy!

My advice...do an intense workout for 30 minutes every day (that’s what I do). You will burn about 300+ calories and have room for 2 beers! You could also consider raising your calorie goal because 1200 for a 5'8" person sounds really low! Make it 1400-1500 (net calories)!

Thank you so much courtneymaybe – I didn’t know how to respond to the poster you quoted because I was shocked to be criticized on how my body looks – I have a pear shape and my upper body doesn’t have much fat on it. I have provided my stats and it is obviously I am not underweight!

AshleyLeelett – I really want to lose weight, but I have a feeling that if I didn’t have a drink to look forward to I would start looking forward to ice cream or something instead – totally counter-productive. Everyone has their comforts right?

Ice cream would be a better option actually. It has some good nutrients in it whereas alcohol has none. Also, your body does not metabolize anything (fat, protein, carbs) until it has finished metabolizing all of the alcohol in your system. Drinking alcohol is far more counter-productive to weight loss than anything else you could replace it with at the same caloric intake. Drink everyday if you want but don't delude yourself into thinking the alcohol is better than ice cream.

If I started eating ice cream every night I would eat a whole pint. A few drinks is enough for me and definitely makes me feel better than an ice cream coma.

More power to you, just addressing your logical fallacy. I cannot help you with your portion/impulse control issues. Good luck.

Instead of drinking regular beer (miller, bud ect..) Try getting into good quality craft beers. It's usually the caloric equivalent of 2 of those beers, but twice as good. If you have a sweet tooth, you can find solid, hearty beers that are like drinking dessert. Here's my favorite:

I like craft beers too but I was not a fan of the Banana Bread beer. I went in with high expectations and left with meh.

We will have to agree to disagree here. I'd love to have those on tap. This one is a good second place:

or this!

I was happy with my:



But you guys are making me thirsty once more.

Thank you so much courtneymaybe – I didn’t know how to respond to the poster you quoted because I was shocked to be criticized on how my body looks – I have a pear shape and my upper body doesn’t have much fat on it. I have provided my stats and it is obviously I am not underweight!

AshleyLeelett – I really want to lose weight, but I have a feeling that if I didn’t have a drink to look forward to I would start looking forward to ice cream or something instead – totally counter-productive. Everyone has their comforts right?

Ice cream would be a better option actually. It has some good nutrients in it whereas alcohol has none. Also, your body does not metabolize anything (fat, protein, carbs) until it has finished metabolizing all of the alcohol in your system. Drinking alcohol is far more counter-productive to weight loss than anything else you could replace it with at the same caloric intake. Drink everyday if you want but don't delude yourself into thinking the alcohol is better than ice cream.

If I started eating ice cream every night I would eat a whole pint. A few drinks is enough for me and definitely makes me feel better than an ice cream coma.

Turning to food for comfort isn't the answer either. If it were just a "one of those days" type deal, I'd be inclined to say, "eh, it happens. Go have that drink or eat a bunch of ice cream."

But this sounds like a regularly occurring thing and whether it's "feeling" like you HAVE to have a drink to deal with your problems or overindulge in certain foods...that is concerning and again, please consider talking to someone.

Instead of drinking regular beer (miller, bud ect..) Try getting into good quality craft beers. It's usually the caloric equivalent of 2 of those beers, but twice as good. If you have a sweet tooth, you can find solid, hearty beers that are like drinking dessert. Here's my favorite:

I like craft beers too but I was not a fan of the Banana Bread beer. I went in with high expectations and left with meh.

We will have to agree to disagree here. I'd love to have those on tap. This one is a good second place:

That looks incredible! Since I don't know how to post a pic, I'll just ask if anybody has tried this? It's my favorite beer this summer:
http://urbanchestnut.com/beer?id=1112&cat=Bottles

Apparently I also don't know how to post a link. Urban Chestnut Schnickelfritz. Delicious!

Here you go:

Thank you so much courtneymaybe – I didn’t know how to respond to the poster you quoted because I was shocked to be criticized on how my body looks – I have a pear shape and my upper body doesn’t have much fat on it. I have provided my stats and it is obviously I am not underweight!

AshleyLeelett – I really want to lose weight, but I have a feeling that if I didn’t have a drink to look forward to I would start looking forward to ice cream or something instead – totally counter-productive. Everyone has their comforts right?

Ice cream would be a better option actually. It has some good nutrients in it whereas alcohol has none. Also, your body does not metabolize anything (fat, protein, carbs) until it has finished metabolizing all of the alcohol in your system. Drinking alcohol is far more counter-productive to weight loss than anything else you could replace it with at the same caloric intake. Drink everyday if you want but don't delude yourself into thinking the alcohol is better than ice cream.

If I started eating ice cream every night I would eat a whole pint. A few drinks is enough for me and definitely makes me feel better than an ice cream coma.

Based on what you have said in this thread, I beleive you could have a drinking problem or may be devolping one so I stand by my first reponse of seek help. But you're a big girl and if you want to drink your problems away you can and no one has the right to tell you that you are wrong as long as you're not hurting anyone. So here's some honest advice:

-I know you don't want to eat your exercise calories because of your cheat days. You could add additional work outs to what you already do now and eat back just those calories. That way you can still have your cheat days and enjoy your beer and eat dinner.

-You may also want to look into what is causing you stress and try to remove it from your life (I know, easier said that done.)

-If you cannot remove your stress factors, maybe consider therapy/prescribed medication over self medicating.

-If you just want to calm your nerves and you are just as happy with ice cream as you are beer, buy small servings of ice cream and eat them with little spoons. It's always better to learn moderation then to just avoid something.

There you go. I hope you find a solution and you can do it in a healthy way.

dang! this is making me want a drink now and its not even 2pm!!(central time)....time to run out and get me some zero calorie margarita mix to add to my patron!!!

Hey - it's always 5 o'clock somewhere. :drinker:

I appreciate the honesty of the original question. I have replaced beer for dinner myself on occasion. The problem for me is low energy and low satisfaction ultimately with that method. Experiment with what works. I need to cut alcohol out if I am serious about losing weight. The sugars send my food cravings into over drive. I just can not win at losing while drinking. Some people can. It doesn't work for me. I like beer too but I had to chose. Do I like fitting into my clothes or do I want beer? Beer has won sometimes but then I feel lousy about myself. .....everyone is different though.

It seems highly arrogant to tell you to go to AA based on the question; as your life with a couple of beers each day might be still very manageable to you. Over eaters anonymous is a similar 12 step program many people here could benefit from I bet. If food intake is difficult to manage, are people saying to go to OA ? I don't know as usually I don't visit the community here. I just track my calories and exercise but lately I wanted to find support as I am back to my high weight. I found this thread. Some people are helpful. Some people are not so much.

I just wanted to say thanks for asking the question. I like hearing people can manage alcohol in a weight loss plan and are successful. It just is the one thing that sabotages my plan every time. Your question, for me, has reminded me that I just need to focus on how I feel with the amount and quality of food/drink that goes in .....and beer or wine or vodka, no matter how I want to manage those calories into the day....is not going to work...for me, for now. It might not be helpful (my response here) to you (sorry) but your question helped me think this thing through. So thanks for that!

It seems highly arrogant to tell you to go to AA based on the question; as your life with a couple of beers each day might be still very manageable to you. Over eaters anonymous is a similar 12 step program many people here could benefit from I bet. If food intake is difficult to manage, are people saying to go to OA ? I don't know as usually I don't visit the community here. I just track my calories and exercise but lately I wanted to find support as I am back to my high weight. I found this thread. Some people are helpful. Some people are not so much.

Actually, people are recommended to seek counseling if they feel they can't stop eating. So yes, I have recommended the National Eating Disorders website and OA to those who have issues with their food in that regard.

"I feel sorry for a man that doesn't drink, when He gets up in the morning its the best he is going to feel all day"

Frank Sinatra

"Work is the curse of the drinking classes."

Oscar Wilde