Beer Points Plus Value

inturnldemize
inturnldemize Posts: 6
in Food and Nutrition
I know that the WW quick guide says that a regular beer is 5 points and light beer is 3 points but I calculated differently. Is it something that we just follow from Weight Watchers and take it for face value or can we use the nutritional information if we have it? For example, the official WW points says that a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (12oz) is 5 points. I found the nutritional information for that beer online and by calculating it, I get 2 points. I did the same for a Sam Adams Boston Lager. I get 2 points but WW says 5 points. What should I be using here? Any help would be appreciated. I don't want to go over my daily point allowance, especially for beer. Thanks!

Replies

  • LazSommer
    LazSommer Posts: 1,851 Member
    Log your cals and stop doing WW?
  • inturnldemize
    inturnldemize Posts: 6
    Log your cals and stop doing WW?

    Thanks for the answer to the question I asked. Very appreciated....

    Anyone else with a better answer?
  • calihoya
    calihoya Posts: 80 Member
    As an avid craft beer drinker, having only two options for beer is probably not going to give you a full idea of how much you're consuming. Take a look at ratebeer.com and they have estimated calories for beers based on ABV. Now, keep in mind these are only estimates, but it will give you somewhat of an idea of what you're consuming. Bud Light Platinum is more alcoholic than regular Budweiser, and therefore more caloric per ounce, so be careful about so-called "light beers." You may also encounter something like an imperial stout where it's 13% ABV so the calories are going to be way more than something like a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,899 Member
    You all mathenate while I drink my Lagunitas IPA, scan the bar code, and call it a day.
  • evsplava
    evsplava Posts: 35 Member
    Realize your body will burn the alcohol in the beer before it burns anything else in your body reducing the number of calories burned and impacting your metabolism. I would plan a day when you are drinking beer and measure it both ways one using weight watchers and one counting calories
  • pleasurelittletreasure
    pleasurelittletreasure Posts: 236 Member
    And NOW I'm thirsty. :grumble:
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,232 Member
    WW adds extra points for alcohol, which they don't make public in their calculations. It's why they say that the calculator doesn't apply to alcohol (when you're a member there is a warning about that on the tracker thing). It's been a while since I was a member but I remember it being a hot topic when they started, and there was a formula which involved multiplying the alcohol % with the other nurtitional data to get the "correct" points.

    Many people argued that this was a false way of adding points and "punishing" people for having alcohol.

    ETA: have a search on their forum, I know on the Australian site at least they had actual WW reps explain it occasionally...
  • inturnldemize
    inturnldemize Posts: 6
    As an avid craft beer drinker, having only two options for beer is probably not going to give you a full idea of how much you're consuming. Take a look at ratebeer.com and they have estimated calories for beers based on ABV. Now, keep in mind these are only estimates, but it will give you somewhat of an idea of what you're consuming. Bud Light Platinum is more alcoholic than regular Budweiser, and therefore more caloric per ounce, so be careful about so-called "light beers." You may also encounter something like an imperial stout where it's 13% ABV so the calories are going to be way more than something like a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.

    Thanks for the answer!! I too, am an avid craft beer drinker. I got about 14 different kinds in my collection right now. I actually make my own beer too!! How much do you count a normal 5 - 6% beer? Do you do Weight Watchers too?
  • evsplava
    evsplava Posts: 35 Member
    I have a friend who brags about being able to drink 80oz of beer and that was him just getting started! I did the research of what it was doing to him and at 870 calories and 60 or so carbs there is no way he could convince me to join him
  • pleasurelittletreasure
    pleasurelittletreasure Posts: 236 Member
    I have a friend who brags about being able to drink 80oz of beer and that was him just getting started! I did the research of what it was doing to him and at 870 calories and 60 or so carbs there is no way he could convince me to join him

    I'm a complete lightweight. If I drank that much....oh my. I suppose, after the subsequent porcelain god worship, the end result would be weight loss! :sick:
  • FitOldMomma
    FitOldMomma Posts: 790 Member
    I think I would use the actual nutritional and calorie values given for each individual brand of beer. If they vary that much, that could really make a difference in total calories.

    Kind of like how many here comment on the difference in determining true calorie counts of food: weighing the food vs ambiguous portion sizes such as 'medium'.

    I'm thankful that I never developed a taste for alcohol....my friends who love wine and beer complain about the calories. :)
  • evsplava
    evsplava Posts: 35 Member
    I work very hard to try to keep my weight under control. When I did my research I read a person who drank 19,000 calories of beer would have to walk 2,000 miles to burn the calories off. I'm active and I would burn the calories but I work too hard for that and don't wish to catch his sedentary lifestyle
  • evsplava
    evsplava Posts: 35 Member
    What does a typical situation involving beer look like?
  • deluxmary2000
    deluxmary2000 Posts: 981 Member
    You all mathenate while I drink my Lagunitas IPA, scan the bar code, and call it a day.

    I'll take your lagunitas IPA and raise you a Stone Ruination IPA.

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