Alcohol and weight loss

Has anyone successfully been able to drink alcohol (a significant amount) on a splurge day once a week and not have it effect your weight loss?
«1

Replies

  • skullshank
    skullshank Posts: 4,323 Member
    edited November 2014
    i drink on the weekends. factor it into your daily calories.
    or if it's a splurge day, don't.

    easy peasy.
  • pander101
    pander101 Posts: 677 Member
    Yeap. I go out a couple times a week.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Yes...I regularly consumed alcohol on the weekends while I was losing. I still lost weight. I'm sure things would have moved along faster had I abstained, but that wasn't going to happen.

    I'm on a cut right now and I don't drink during the week at all...but I will be having a good time on Saturday night and enjoying some craft beer. Again...I'm probably better off not doing that, but I'm sure the extra week or whatever it'll take me to hit my goal will be well worth it. I love craft beer and it takes everything that I have not to sit down with one every night...especially with all the winter brews coming out. Unfortunately a couple of those set me back around 400 calories so it's pretty hard to indulge on a regular basis.
  • phaia
    phaia Posts: 7
    I felt like drinking a glass or 2 of wine daily (even with keeping track of the calories) was contributing to very stubborn loss for me. I've stopped that, but we party every Friday, and I'd like to have just that one day still!
  • steffiejoe
    steffiejoe Posts: 313 Member
    When I did not have a jumbo margarita once a week at happy hour I was making progress with reducing my body fat. Since I started doing this my body fat rate went up from 23% to 25.6%. I've been going to happy hour almost every friday for over two years now and my fat reduction has been slow. The other day I checked an my BF is at 24.8%.

    Personally I feel the alcohol has hindered my progress of reaching my goal which is 20%.
  • phaia
    phaia Posts: 7
    Encouraging to see it wasn't a big roadblock for you guys, I'll allow myself to indulge tomorrow! :D
  • DeterminedFee201426
    DeterminedFee201426 Posts: 859 Member
    edited November 2014
    i drink 2 times per week still get results 4oz of liquor or beer 12-24 oz within those 2 days. i've losted 26 lbs so far .. everything in moderation is key a glass of wine should be fine
  • anna_jewel
    anna_jewel Posts: 127 Member
    I have wine in moderation, it fits into my calories. I think it prob slows down my weight loss a little, but i think of this as a lifestyle change not a diet
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    Drink all the alcohol, your body has no stores for it
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    When I drink I tend to like to drink more than I should calorie wise...I stick to red wine and whisky. I don't know how to answer your question because I never tried losing weight and NOT drinking...so I'll just say, I still lost weight.
  • I don't do 'splurge' days - I factor the alcohol into my daily calories.
  • kcowart130
    kcowart130 Posts: 10 Member
    I'm still losing weight, though slower than I probably would without. I do switch margaritas and things of that nature for light beers or plain liquor with diet soda to keep the sugar and extra calories down as much as possible.
  • eldamiano
    eldamiano Posts: 2,667 Member
    Yes do lots of exercise in the week so that you are running at a calorie deficit for the week and then the alcohol will bring it up to neutral.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Caloric deficit is all that's required for weight loss; doesn't matter how you get there.
  • bmele0
    bmele0 Posts: 282 Member
    Your body will reach to burn the alcohol off first, which inhibits the body from burning fat. I tend to stay away from the high-calorie, lower alcohol percentage drinks like sugary mixed drinks and beer.The other problem most people have while drinking is not making good decisions and not being able to stay away from all the salty, high-fat foods that are usually present. I also noticed I feel so sluggish the next day after a night out and alcohol can impact your metabolism.
  • kcowart130
    kcowart130 Posts: 10 Member
    bmele0 wrote: »
    The other problem most people have while drinking is not making good decisions and not being able to stay away from all the salty, high-fat foods that are usually present. I also noticed I feel so sluggish the next day after a night out and alcohol can impact your metabolism.
    Very true. If too much alcohol is involved I always revert to cheesy-greasy-everything-delicious that night and the next day.

  • fobs13
    fobs13 Posts: 1,080 Member
    Cut out wine bar a special occasion as found I ate too much with it. Don't miss it. Had a glass last night for my birthday but ended up over my goal. Usually have a gin and slimline tonic instead now as don't nibble when drinking that. Don't generally drink Monday to Friday.
  • jrline
    jrline Posts: 2,353 Member
    yes as long as it fits in your calorie goal you can drink one drink a day or several drinks in one day if you skipped them for a few days.

    29509743.png
  • Branstin
    Branstin Posts: 2,320 Member
    Yes!
  • PRMinx
    PRMinx Posts: 4,585 Member
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    Caloric deficit is all that's required for weight loss; doesn't matter how you get there.

    Flagged three times for this?! Oh, MFP, build the like button already!
  • HeatherYvette78
    HeatherYvette78 Posts: 8 Member
    I always have a drink a day, sometimes two. I work it into my calories. It's never been an issue for me in terms of weight loss.
  • glevinso
    glevinso Posts: 1,895 Member
    I have had a beer or two, occasionally more, every night for the past 4 months and still dropped 15 lbs in that time.

    Log the calories, that is all that matters.
  • Beploveshomer
    Beploveshomer Posts: 283 Member
    I have. I drink 3-4 times a week. Usually a 6 pack or a bottle of wine. I've lost 14 pounds so far. I try to factor it into my calories, and am usually close. It also helps that I stop eating at 5-6pm so I don't have to drink as much to get a "buzz". I also drink light beers and dry red wine so less cals. and sugar. Also, on the contrary, I do not get alcohol munchies, at all, no appetite while drinking so that helps too.
    If I start to have a hard time losing weight I do plan on cutting down though.
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,740 Member
    PRMinx wrote: »
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    Caloric deficit is all that's required for weight loss; doesn't matter how you get there.

    Flagged three times for this?! Oh, MFP, build the like button already!

    I know! I think I'll just follow Lifting4Lis around all day and see how many flags she gets. So ridiculous...
  • MelanieRBrace
    MelanieRBrace Posts: 245 Member
    For me, I would try to drink and stay within my calorie allotment. However, I went over most of the time. I did lose some weight but very slowly. When I stopped drinking the weight came off faster. Probably partly because I was more consistent within a calorie deficit and partly because it slows down your metabolism (my personal opinion).
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
    phaia wrote: »
    Has anyone successfully been able to drink alcohol (a significant amount) on a splurge day once a week and not have it effect your weight loss?

    Not just alcohol, but I've been pounding jello shots every Sunday since football season started. Although it may have been affecting my weight loss, hard to know what would have happened if the world was different.

  • nickatine
    nickatine Posts: 451 Member
    you can put whatever you want in your mouth and swallow it as long as you stay within your daily caloric needs\.
  • considerphi
    considerphi Posts: 2 Member
    I've heard that when alcohol is in your system, your body will burn it first over all other sources of fuel. So if you have it with a lot of sugar and fat coursing in your system, all that other stuff will get stored. I have no idea if this is true but I figure it's not a bad idea to eat extra super healthy for the day (protein and veggies only) if I know I'm going to go out to drink later. And to pick drinks with low sugar/carbs.

    That said, I often have a glass of wine with dinner and keep it within my calorie allotment.
    I have managed to keep up my weight loss.
  • glevinso
    glevinso Posts: 1,895 Member
    No - that is not true.
  • Unknown
    edited November 2014
    This content has been removed.