Alcohol

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Replies

  • SCMomma2boyz
    SCMomma2boyz Posts: 9 Member
    Thanks so much for this thread! I thought I was alone in this struggle. For a long while I've had several mixed drinks almost every night. It was my way of relaxing. Apple crown & 7 up is my downfall, so tasty ! I've had this stubborn weight that won't budge. I knew drinking was the problem. Increased appetite, fitful sleep,hangovers caused lazy unmotivated days. I haven't had anything to drink in the last 6 days. Thought it was going to be hard but really only the first night was. I have felt so much better and my liver & waistline will thank me! I'm looking to it as a weekend treat now that I have to earn with working out. I'm new (again) to mfp & would love some friends, feel free to add me!
  • Cindy01Louisiana
    Cindy01Louisiana Posts: 302 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Maybe this will help:
    When alcohol is in the system, it has to be metabolized because it cannot be stored. So any other energy source, (carbs, fats, proteins) WILL NOT be used until all the alcohol is gone from your system. The worst time to drink alcohol is at night before bed. Why? Because we burn the most body fat AT REST and the most fat is burned SLEEPING, unless of course you still have alcohol in your system.
    Hope that helps.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png
    [/quote]
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Maybe this will help:
    When alcohol is in the system, it has to be metabolized because it cannot be stored. So any other energy source, (carbs, fats, proteins) WILL NOT be used until all the alcohol is gone from your system. The worst time to drink alcohol is at night before bed. Why? Because we burn the most body fat AT REST and the most fat is burned SLEEPING, unless of course you still have alcohol in your system.
    Hope that helps.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png
    [/quote]
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Maybe this will help:
    When alcohol is in the system, it has to be metabolized because it cannot be stored. So any other energy source, (carbs, fats, proteins) WILL NOT be used until all the alcohol is gone from your system. The worst time to drink alcohol is at night before bed. Why? Because we burn the most body fat AT REST and the most fat is burned SLEEPING, unless of course you still have alcohol in your system.
    Hope that helps.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png
    [/quote]
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Maybe this will help:
    When alcohol is in the system, it has to be metabolized because it cannot be stored. So any other energy source, (carbs, fats, proteins) WILL NOT be used until all the alcohol is gone from your system. The worst time to drink alcohol is at night before bed. Why? Because we burn the most body fat AT REST and the most fat is burned SLEEPING, unless of course you still have alcohol in your system.
    Hope that helps.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png
    [/quote]

  • Cindy01Louisiana
    Cindy01Louisiana Posts: 302 Member
    This is a great thread with useful information. I am wondering if one of you can please post a link to a medical journal or report with these facts and figures that I can read, please.
  • ClosetBayesian
    ClosetBayesian Posts: 836 Member
    This is a great thread with useful information. I am wondering if one of you can please post a link to a medical journal or report with these facts and figures that I can read, please.

    +1
  • sparklyhippos
    sparklyhippos Posts: 38 Member
    Not sure if anyone has mentioned this or not, but I like to mix club soda (sparkling water) with wine. Cuts down on the alcohol/calories and makes it like a spritzer.
  • farfromthetree
    farfromthetree Posts: 982 Member
    Not sure if anyone has mentioned this or not, but I like to mix club soda (sparkling water) with wine. Cuts down on the alcohol/calories and makes it like a spritzer.

    i will definitely have to try this!!
  • angelapolite72
    angelapolite72 Posts: 26 Member
    NewSoberMe wrote: »
    Definitely a struggle!

    I used to have a glass or two a night after my kids went to bed. Over the course of a year, that glass that turned into two of them, eventually turned into a whole bottle. And even further...a whole bottle turned into a whole bottle PLUS a couple nips. Of course that isn't to say that you'll become as dependent as I did, however I do suggest stopping the habit sooner rather than later, as it doesn't get easier to stop. I'm two weeks sober, which is the longest I've ever been sober as an addict.

    Some things I noticed, that will hopefully be of motivation to you:
    My skin looks great!
    I sleep much better at night
    My weight has stopped going up, and with a little effort it will come down
    My tummy is flatter, despite my weight pretty much staying the same
    I have more money!

    Its ultimately your choice whether you cut it out completely or just try and limit your intake. Either way, feel free to add me! Also, hellosundaymorning.org is a great community for those looking to moderate or stop their drinking.

    I was TOTALLY dependant on my drinking as well. A glass eventually turns into a bottle. Daily drinking isn't good on many levels (in my opinion). As others said, you sleep better, can lose weight easier and burn fat instead of the alcohol, have better skin, and for me, I am sharper and can perform at my job better.

    121 days sober and I love it!
  • sparklyhippos
    sparklyhippos Posts: 38 Member
    Not sure if anyone has mentioned this or not, but I like to mix club soda (sparkling water) with wine. Cuts down on the alcohol/calories and makes it like a spritzer.

    i will definitely have to try this!!

    You so should!! A couple thin orange or lime slices mixed in makes it even better :)!
  • kiralu76
    kiralu76 Posts: 28 Member
    The drinking was definitely preventing my weight loss. It was empty calories, would cause me to eat more while drinking, plus hangover food! I cut out alcohol at the beginning of February, and I have seen some dramatic results. I have lost 15 pounds (woohoo!!), I am more focused, I sleep better and its easier to keep logging and exercising.
  • ClaireLK1987
    ClaireLK1987 Posts: 22 Member
    I drink once a week on my Saturday evening off (no counting for about 5 hours so one meal, some choc and some gin). I used to drink every day too and sometimes quite a bit. Once I started calorie counting 5 weeks ago I realised it was just a habit! Once I'd broken it I didn't miss it at all. I also realised I prefer eating my calories to drinking them!!
  • caurinus
    caurinus Posts: 78 Member
    This is a great thread with useful information. I am wondering if one of you can please post a link to a medical journal or report with these facts and figures that I can read, please.

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3280601

    Also there are a few other papers here, along with some lighter reading about the (minor, but real) effects alcohol has on metabolism and appetite:
    https://www.google.com/?q=alcohol+leptin#safe=on&q=alcohol+leptin

    I used to have 3-4 drinks almost every night, but I finally admitted to myself, this habit was slowing progress toward my goals. I resolved to only drink when out with friends, plus maybe once a week with just me and my wife, for a total of 3 nights a week or less. Surprisingly, this wasn't very difficult and I find that now I'm satisfied with only two drinks in an evening, and progress has resumed. :smile:
  • CrabNebula
    CrabNebula Posts: 1,119 Member
    edited March 2016
    CrabNebula wrote: »
    karl317 wrote: »
    Finally, subject matter that qualifies me as an expert! :)

    I switched from my beloved beer to Bacardi Light Rum and Diet Pepsi. I budget it like anything else.

    I switched to spirits with diet mixers too and I love beer. But I can't often justify the fact that I could have had 3-4 shots of gin/vodka/rum for one bottle of high abv and tasty craft beer.

    I only basically drink on Friday nights now. Can't justify doing it every night or even every other.

    But remember - spirits can range anywhere from 100-180 calories per 50 ml (about 1.6 oz). They can add up quickly too, unless you're able to limit to just one or two.

    Gin is 65cals an ounce. Four ounces is 260 cals. Four ounces consumed within 60-90 minutes = me feeling great. I may or may not drink more after that, usually not more than another 2 or 3 ounces. Now compare that to my fav beers that have abvs of 7-9% and 210-250 cals a 12oz bottle. It would take me around 3 for the same effect and then that is 630 cals min.

    It is all sort of a moot point most of my life though because drinking is restricted to Fridays, holidays, and vacations the vast majority of the year. Outside of those, I'm just not interested in drinking booze. Not fun or interesting to do or worth the calories unless there is some kind of celebratory reason for it.
  • Somebody_Loved
    Somebody_Loved Posts: 498 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Maybe this will help:
    When alcohol is in the system, it has to be metabolized because it cannot be stored. So any other energy source, (carbs, fats, proteins) WILL NOT be used until all the alcohol is gone from your system. The worst time to drink alcohol is at night before bed. Why? Because we burn the most body fat AT REST and the most fat is burned SLEEPING, unless of course you still have alcohol in your system.
    Hope that helps.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png
    [/quote]

    I apologize if this is a stupid question, but in terms of general weight loss, if you maintain a caloric deficit that includes alcohol, does it matter all that much if the alcohol is being metabolized over any other source? If you're maintaining a deficit, won't weight loss still occur anyway?
  • Bluegum27
    Bluegum27 Posts: 9 Member
    Ditto. I've stopped alcohol for 3 weeks now and feel much better for it. I was a regular drinker before and find it's much easier for controlling my eating now that I've dropped it all together. Cheers....
  • TK6299
    TK6299 Posts: 502 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Maybe this will help:
    When alcohol is in the system, it has to be metabolized because it cannot be stored. So any other energy source, (carbs, fats, proteins) WILL NOT be used until all the alcohol is gone from your system. The worst time to drink alcohol is at night before bed. Why? Because we burn the most body fat AT REST and the most fat is burned SLEEPING, unless of course you still have alcohol in your system.
    Hope that helps.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png
    [/quote]

    That's why I have a drink first thing when I wake up, lol. j/k :p
  • CDamianStevens
    CDamianStevens Posts: 8 Member
    I struggle as well and I am going to do a 30 day no alcohol April. I recently did a 7 day dry spell and felt great, had more money, and lost a couple pounds. Anyone interested in becoming friends here and support the progress? If so, please friend me! I have found the more people that are involved in like minded activities, the easier it is for all of us! So please give your support and I will give mine! Friends?
  • dbkyser
    dbkyser Posts: 612 Member
    I read this while on my 7th beer of the night.
    I have quit several times. I quit for 10 years before and recently for 90 days. I recently cut back to just weekends but find I gain 6 lbs over the weekend while drinking and fight all week long to loose that 6 and possibly 1 more. Not sure if its the drinking or the food I eat when I drink to much. I may give it up again to get closer to my goal.
  • 6pkdreamer
    6pkdreamer Posts: 180 Member
    I used to have 1/2 a bottle (or so) a day just to relax. You just want a glass but because the bottle is open and you don't want it to spoil you drink the rest. Luckily I have partner to share. I notice that my personality would deteriorate so what more aggressive and impatient- not a good example for the rest of the young family as a role model. That was about a decade ago and rarely drink at all now. I'm much heathier and have saved small fortune and possible health issues. I now just hsve mineral water with a squeeze of lime or lemon. I understand its had in a Australia with such a strong out of control alcohol culture. I only provive low alcohol drinks to guest for beer,wine and lots of mineral water.And no lolly water soda.
  • Fitnesspromiddleton
    Fitnesspromiddleton Posts: 15 Member
    Wow some really good answers!!! I have to watch the alcohol at family gathers and consider someone has a birthday just about every weekend it can be hard. I know I feel terrible the next day. Have an other one tomorrow, wish me luck :).