Beer Calories

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Just a quick one for everyone;

I am trying to stick to a daily intake of around 1400 calories. If I include beer in my day, but as part of the 1400 calories some days -reducing elsewhere, let's say- will this negatively impact my fat loss? I'm just thinking that the high carbohydrate content of the particular beer I like (a dark stout-220 calories/bottle) might hinder my efforts. Or, since the beer calories are part of my daily intake, will they not have a negative effect?

What are your thoughts? Thanks!

Replies

  • Panda86
    Panda86 Posts: 873
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    I once read that our bodies burn alcohol before they burn fat, which is why many people who drink regularly end up with the "beer gut". If this is true, I would really limit your intake to only a couple a week.
  • lulu64uk
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    Its not the beer that gets me, but the lack of self control after a few - if you can handle that then I guess a little of what you fancy.....
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
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    You should be fine calorie wise, but you're right to be concerned about the carbs. Unless carbs are used quickly for energy they get stored as fat. Plus, if you're exercising alcohol isn't good for your body.
  • Halochic
    Halochic Posts: 12 Member
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    The beer calories are part of your daily calories. But for the caloric content of 2 guinesses, for example, you could have eaten a meal. Technically if you stay under your caloric intake for the day and exersise, you will lose weight. Regardless if you have added beer.
  • mccorml
    mccorml Posts: 622 Member
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    you could even switch beers to something lower like michelob ultra while weightloss requires a little sacrifice to keep with it long term you have to find comprimises and squeeze it in haha
  • 00trayn
    00trayn Posts: 1,849 Member
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    I've also read that your body burns off the alcohol before it can burn fat. With one beer, that's only a few hours, but it does add empty calories to your diet. If you can, I'd say cut back on it as a daily staple and make it more of a once every few days thing. I won't drink beer during the week because I know I'll have 2 or 3 when I'm with my boyfriend on the weekend. You could probably still lose weight, but you won't be getting enough real food if you're drinking a 200 calorie beer and sticking to 1400 calories a day.
  • FrenchMob
    FrenchMob Posts: 1,167 Member
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    A beer a day if factored into your daily calories isn't going to affect your fat loss, but once you start having a few(as in your getting tipsy), then it will even if you're within your calorie allowance. Why? The liver is responsible for many things including detoxing your blood of alcohol, and converting fat to glucose (not that simple but general idea). If it's too busy detoxing alcohol, it's not converting the fat very efficiently and that's the part that will slow your fat loss.
  • Giovanni_P
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    I decided to designate Sundays as my , "let the beast out" day. Its the only day of the week I drink, and eat what ever I like. Monday thru Saturday i'm on the grind, but Sunday? Forget about it.
  • young1726
    young1726 Posts: 347 Member
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    I decided to designate Sundays as my , "let the beast out" day. Its the only day of the week I drink, and eat what ever I like. Monday thru Saturday i'm on the grind, but Sunday? Forget about it.

    My husband and I kinda do this too. If we lose weight that is...we have a carefree weekend. We are pretty good about sticking to our calories Mon-Fri, but if we lose weight we don't watch what we do on the weekends at all. We try not to go TOO crazy, but if it does happen we don't feel bad about it. It works for us, we have continued to see the scale drop and it keeps us sane all week! :)