Drinking Alcohol is impeding my weight loss??

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aquasw16
aquasw16 Posts: 342 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am wondering if drinking alcohol (usually just a glass or two of wine 2x a week...but once and a great while a beer or two, usually light beer)...is impeding my weight loss? I follow my calories closely- and exercise quite a bit. I am wondering why I am struggling to lose weight? Could it be that alcohol is adversely affecting my diet even when I drink it within my calorie range? Someone help, Please!

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  • Atlantique
    Atlantique Posts: 2,484 Member
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    If you really are just having 2 drinks per week, it's not likely to be the alcohol. If you were having several drinks simultaneously, that would impede weight loss.

    Also, if you are getting your alcohol in bars and restaurants (US), the average glass of wine is at least 2 servings of wine, so be careful when you do your logging! technically, 4 oz is a 'serving' of wine and I don't think I've been given less than 6 or 8 oz in a restaurant in 10 years.
  • skinnylizzard
    skinnylizzard Posts: 460 Member
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    I doubt that small amount would do it. I drink wine every night and I'm still losing according to my calorie intake.
  • TrainingWithTonya
    TrainingWithTonya Posts: 1,741 Member
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    While you have alcohol in your system, some body processes are slowed which can decrease your overall calorie burn for the day. If it is only one or 2 glasses a week, you're probably not doing much to slow down the metabolism, but if it is daily, you might want to cut back. Plus alcohol is 7 calories per gram so if you are underestimating your servings (IE: a serving of liquor is a shot, not a glass, or however much people tend to pour in the bottom of the glass before adding coke; a serving of wine is 4 ounces, not the full glass; etc.) then you could be adding a lot of calories you don't realize.
  • Kat120285
    Kat120285 Posts: 1,599 Member
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    Everyone is different but I drink more than that and have not only lost weight but also lost an inch. I log every drink and when I know more alcohol will be consumed than normal such as a get together, I budget so I know I've got enough but once I'm at my goal, I'm done. By goal I mean when my NET is back at goal after eating my exercise cals and such.
  • AngelicaDulas
    AngelicaDulas Posts: 196
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    It all depends on when you're drinking!! Alcohol takes precedence over food in the intestines for absorption, so if you are drinking say at dinner time/and right after dinner, all the calories, glucose, carbs etc. from the foods you eat aren't processed into useable forms of vitamins/nutrients, they are either just passed through or taken and stored as a fat because your body is unable to take the time to utilize it. The best way to enjoy the drink and not have it effect your nutrition is to eat several hours before hand to give your body time to use the food before the alcohol takes control, so to speak, of the intestines and digestive system. Hope this helps!!
  • bdnannac
    bdnannac Posts: 1
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    http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=163272800279&topic=12196

    Take a look at that.
  • aquasw16
    aquasw16 Posts: 342 Member
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    I am very aware of portion sizes and i really do only have a glass or two about 2 times a week. I am diligent about recording everything that goes into my body.
  • mikeyml
    mikeyml Posts: 568 Member
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    Having just a couple drinks per week should not be inhibiting your weight loss. There are probably other factors at play here that we don't know about. But if your 2 glasses of wine are filled to the brim then that is a different story lol.

    On a side note, where are you guys getting a serving size of 4 oz for table wine? It's always been 5 or 5.5 oz for regular table wine. But I agree that the servings are larger in a restaurant because it's hard to eye out 5 oz, especially if you're busy.

    1 serving usually means:

    12 oz of Beer
    5 oz of Wine
    1.5 oz of Liquor

    http://rethinkingdrinking.niaaa.nih.gov/WhatCountsDrink/WhatsAstandardDrink.asp
  • Melissaol
    Melissaol Posts: 952 Member
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    I only drink bed light select 55
    Also log it and stay in my calories..
    You should be fine.
  • kursejohn
    kursejohn Posts: 25 Member
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    I drink way more than that on a nightly basis (gee that sounds bad). I workout 5 days a week and try to keep at 1600-1800 calories per day. Have been loosing steadily since start of Jan 3. You might need to start working out harder and/or change your routine.
  • lvnspoonful
    lvnspoonful Posts: 391 Member
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    I am so glad you posted this! I am not a wine drinker but I like to drink 2 beers while I am cooking dinner. I make sure that I am within my calories and don't go over when drinking. I was also afraid this would impede my weight loss! Thanks!!
  • apple2k
    apple2k Posts: 9 Member
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    I tell ya what you would not believe that I lost 10lbs in two weeks because I completly stopped drinking any kind of alcohol...I know that if I want to loose weight it is to not have any at all!!! In result My partner and I won a weight loss challenge!!! But, before those two weeks I was drinking as normal and only counting my food intake in calories. I was only loosing 2lbs a week before I completely cut out the alcohol...Good Luck! :drinker:
  • kursejohn
    kursejohn Posts: 25 Member
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    I am sure I would loose more if I cut out my alcohol.
  • aquasw16
    aquasw16 Posts: 342 Member
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    Yes I think someone post above about how alcohol is the first thing to be digeted-or used in our body. So therefore our foods (whether it be good or bad) just get stored (which means FAT).

    I definintely lose more weight when I do not drink. Especially when i dont drink beer.

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