Going out (alcohol)

jbconnelly
jbconnelly Posts: 170 Member
edited September 26 in Food and Nutrition
Looking for some ideas that people have or ones that they use when they go out with friends and family. Every week I lose about 5-6 pounds, and then on Friday or Saturday (sometimes both) I'll go out to the bar and watch the games with my friends and drink beer and gain 3 or 4 pounds back. I usually do okay food-wise. It doesnt bother me that friends are eating burgers and wings and I am eating a salad, but I really do enjoy my beer!
I am finally sick of taking steps backwards every week. Any tips or advise?
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Replies

  • BamBam1113
    BamBam1113 Posts: 542 Member
    Stop drinking beer.
  • kacarter1017
    kacarter1017 Posts: 651 Member
    Stop drinking beer.

    Amen. Figure out which is more important- beer or weight loss. There isn't a right answer- it's your personal priorities.
  • lvnspoonful
    lvnspoonful Posts: 391 Member
    I struggle with not drinking any beer as well.....stop drinking beer?! Easier said than done - sorry!

    On days that I know I am going to have a few I work out more and always try to stay within my calories.
  • khaas14
    khaas14 Posts: 6 Member
    I'd be 110lbs if I stopped drinking beer.... it's a weakness. I actually switched to Bud Select 55 and uped my workouts.... It's really made a difference I can see.
  • skinnyme125
    skinnyme125 Posts: 396 Member
    beer will do it everytime. Try a mixed drink instead. Some of them are very low in calories. OR just try the lower calorie beer. I know the taste wont be the same but you will still feel like a man drinking your beer.
  • fitniknik
    fitniknik Posts: 713 Member
    uhh... got no ideas for you...
    I work out a whole bunch before I go out.
    Obviously, it doesnt take as much as it used to, but I still gain the water weight until tuesday.
    Drink water!
  • AsaThorsWoman
    AsaThorsWoman Posts: 2,303 Member
    So... would you sit down at the bar and eat 10 Snickers bars? Because if you're drinking 10 beers, that's essentially what you're doing to your glucose, insulin and calories.

    When you spike your insulin like that, your body reacts by making your fat cells bigger.
  • StefBeeney
    StefBeeney Posts: 32
    Whisky has the fewest # of calories... and it's a sipping type drink... also many of the darker beers actually have fewer calories then the so called "light" beers...
  • sunshinestate
    sunshinestate Posts: 110 Member
    I'm certainly not an expert on this issue, since I usually have a few drinks on weekend too. I would suggest drinking really light beer, or having a glass of water between each drink.
  • strapple
    strapple Posts: 353 Member
    try drinking only light beer

    bud light and miller make low calorie options (i prefer the bud light one, i think its called bud light 55)
    most bars have them

    as for mixed drinks stick to bacardi and diet coke, only 65 calories!

    and of course my favorite, a glass of red wine. you cant go wrong there (just stop at one)
  • nmpresto
    nmpresto Posts: 157
    Lots of water, try captain and diet coke (about 60 calories I believe), try lighter beer-there are a couple that have like 55-60 calories (personally I do not do this, if I am going to drink a beer I am going to drink something good), drink slower so you drink less (have 1 or 2 instead of 5 or 6). That is about all the advice I have for you, in the past I have adjusted my food intake that day to accommodate for the carbs and calories I would be drinking that night but I really don't think that is all too healthy :S
  • AsaThorsWoman
    AsaThorsWoman Posts: 2,303 Member
    I know, because I do it all the time! ARG!
  • Catzwitch
    Catzwitch Posts: 205 Member
    Stay with lighter calorie beers, drink a glass of water (if you can) between each beer, up your workouts on the days you will be drinking, and be sure to HYDRATE HYDRATE HYDRATE after. Alcohol causes a water gain for about two days after you go drinking, so you have to account for that.
  • ashleyh3156
    ashleyh3156 Posts: 177 Member
    I don't drink any more either....it's worth the weight loss, if I really want something..I have a vodka and diet coke, and just two..no more!
  • rmhand
    rmhand Posts: 1,067 Member
    less beer or light beer, its tough but its the choice you make
  • JennaM222
    JennaM222 Posts: 1,996 Member
    Looking for some ideas that people have or ones that they use when they go out with friends and family. Every week I lose about 5-6 pounds, and then on Friday or Saturday (sometimes both) I'll go out to the bar and watch the games with my friends and drink beer and gain 3 or 4 pounds back. I usually do okay food-wise. It doesnt bother me that friends are eating burgers and wings and I am eating a salad, but I really do enjoy my beer!
    I am finally sick of taking steps backwards every week. Any tips or advise?

    Vodka.rocks.lime & lemon. splash soda
  • perrytyra
    perrytyra Posts: 357 Member
    How many beers do you usually have? If you drink lite beer, you may not feel satisfied and end up drinking more. That is just what I have heard.
    Try drinking a glass of water between each beer. Drink the beers too slow, and then you have warm beer. LOL. Don't order the tall boys. Order the smallest glass, or a bottle.
  • rachelwebster
    rachelwebster Posts: 11 Member
    there are so low cal beers out there- they don't taste great but better than water. And drink a glass of water for each beer.
  • chuisle
    chuisle Posts: 1,052 Member
    Stop drinking beer.

    My response to that has always been: what's the point of being skinny if I can't go out and have a drink?

    It's not a zero sum game. It's not weight loss or beer. It's just a matter of balance. Know that when you drink beer you either have to work those calories off or you have just lose weight more slowly. Given that fact, maybe you choose a lighter beer (or for me, vodka and water, though I do love my beer when watching games) and take an extra walk that day.
  • yummy♥
    yummy♥ Posts: 612 Member
    that must be quite a lot of beer to cause a 3-4 pound gain!

    i am a wine drinker (and happily so), so i understand your dilemma. if stopping altogether is not something you're ready for, at least try to moderate - like 1 full pint of soda water with lemon or lime in between every beer. right off, that would halve your intake. try that a couple weekends, then push yourself further, like a 2 beer max for the afternoon. take small steps toward the goal if needed, but step firmly in the right direction.
  • FearAnLoathing
    FearAnLoathing Posts: 4,852 Member
    Looking for some ideas that people have or ones that they use when they go out with friends and family. Every week I lose about 5-6 pounds, and then on Friday or Saturday (sometimes both) I'll go out to the bar and watch the games with my friends and drink beer and gain 3 or 4 pounds back. I usually do okay food-wise. It doesnt bother me that friends are eating burgers and wings and I am eating a salad, but I really do enjoy my beer!
    I am finally sick of taking steps backwards every week. Any tips or advise?


    You would have to drink A LOT of beer to actually gain back 3 to 4 pounds lol.
    Drink a glass of water between beers
    switch to a lite beer
    you do not have to give up drinking to lose weight,I drink once a week and have lost 50 pounds.
  • jbconnelly
    jbconnelly Posts: 170 Member
    Thanks for all the advice, except the people who say the 20 somthing year olds should "stop drinking beer." Like that's going to happen...

    I always wondered if drinking water inbetween really helped. I'll give it a shot.
  • sillygoose1977
    sillygoose1977 Posts: 2,151 Member
    I wont tell you not to drink beer. If you are keeping up a lifestyle and having a few beers with your friends is part of that, then there is no just giving it up. I could be at my goal weight if I wanted to quit having some weekend drinks, but I don't. I do drink a lot of water while at the bar and I try to drink lower calorie beer. Google best and worst beers and you should find a good list of lower cal beers. I also try to drink mixed drinks with diet soda when possible.
  • starboardzor
    starboardzor Posts: 312
    Stop drinking beer.

    Disagree. I say, limit it to one night a week. Get a REALLY good work out in earlier that day. And really watch your calories that day too. If you want beer, fit it into your schedule! I personally don't want to live in a world with no beer, I don't know about you =)
  • RichB77
    RichB77 Posts: 88
    Stop drinking beer.

    Sometimes the simplest solutions are the most obvious :bigsmile:
  • Kristy085
    Kristy085 Posts: 65 Member
    Diet Coke and whiskey...and water in between! It really helps!
  • Waynes_World
    Waynes_World Posts: 333
    I gave up beer about 6 months ago. It has been hard but well worth it in the end.. If I am in the mood to drink I have some Vodka mixed with tea.. I love it !! Low in calories also.. around 70 I believe
  • hawaiianmegan
    hawaiianmegan Posts: 11 Member
    I know how you feel! I'm a tiny girl but I can put away probably 6+ beers in a night if I'm out in the right setting. Obviously you know this is well over 600 calories (I drink light beer about 110 cals each). Depending on what kind of beer you drink, consider something lighter. I've tried Bud 55 Select and MGD 64 and like them both. They are kind of watered down, but you still get a buzz and you can still keep up with the boys during the game without feeling as guilty. Another thing I've done is switching to liquor. Be careful with your mixers though. A shot of vodka/rum is roughly 100 calories and if you mix it with seltzer or diet soda it's about the same calorie content as a beer but you don't have to drink as many (or you can drink more slowly).

    It's hard to just say "Oh just give up beer" or "What's more important to you?" You'll just have to drink in moderation and maybe put in an extra hour at the gym on weekends. Going hard on the treadmill or elliptical for 30-40 minutes earns you about 3 beers! That's what motivates me at the gym on Friday afternoons!
  • Samerah12
    Samerah12 Posts: 610 Member
    If you just have one or two and you've planned ahead for them calorie-wise you should be fine. Pretend you're DD-ing. OR if you just want to get buzzed and its not the beer specifically that holds the draw get a whiskey and diet coke, its very low calorie.

    I don't agree with the people who say stop drinking altogether. You're shooting for longterm changes and moderation if you want to keep the weight off. Going out for drinks once a week is not unreasonable, you just need to find a way to do it that doesn't involve the backsliding.
  • Catzwitch
    Catzwitch Posts: 205 Member
    For those commenting that a 3-4 lb gain seems like a lot of beer, its not just the beer, its the water that you retain after drinking alcohol. That's why it seems like loosing 5 lbs a week, and gaining back 3-4 lbs. In actuality, you';re probably just dropping and re-holding the same 3 lbs of water each week. Ignore those 3-4 lbs, and if you are still losing weight (which in your case looks to be about 1-2 lbs a week) then it is working.
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