I ♥ Homebew and craft beer!

ChangeIsADecision
ChangeIsADecision Posts: 709 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Who's with me... and how do you make your calories work - more so on the weekends - with having a few quality craft beers/homebrew? Do you exercise for hours? I've got to find a balance... I'm not getting anywhere and with my husband brewing delicious IPAs - it's such a struggle.

What to do...what to do?

Replies

  • 5stringjeff
    5stringjeff Posts: 790 Member
    I make room for a couple of beers every now and then. Maybe have a little bit lighter of a breakfast or lunch on the days you want to drink. It's certainly not the most nutritious way to lose weight, but if you can maintain a calorie deficit and still have a beer or two, you'll still lose weight.
  • tincanonastring
    tincanonastring Posts: 3,944 Member
    I limit to one beer a day when I want one. If I'm going to be going out, I'll bank some calories during the week in preparation. And yes, I run for beer. At least sometimes.

    I've also taken to choosing heavier, more alcoholic beers. The calorie count is higher for each one, but I end up drinking less of them.
  • codygish
    codygish Posts: 63 Member
    ChangeIsADecision wrote: »
    Who's with me... and how do you make your calories work - more so on the weekends - with having a few quality craft beers/homebrew? Do you exercise for hours? I've got to find a balance... I'm not getting anywhere and with my husband brewing delicious IPAs - it's such a struggle.

    What to do...what to do?

    I wish I had some wonderful advice to offer, but you have to find a way to make the calories fit. As a homebrewer, I understand the challenge of having great beer in the fridge and trying to find a balance. I sit at a desk all day, so an under desk bicycle helps me. The combination of exercise and calories burnt means I have room for a beer or two in the evening and can stockpile a calorie deficit for the weekend. You don't say what your days look like, but perhaps you can find something similar?
  • cheer4beer
    cheer4beer Posts: 22 Member
    It can be challenging if you're trying to lose. Although I haven't had any problems losing weight while drinking 1 or 2 every night (more on weekends), I still have about 50 lbs to lose. I imagine it will get harder as I near goal, so may have to throttle it down a little bit until I reach maintenance but I'll never cut it out. If you enjoy a good beer, have a good beer - you may just have to get a little creative to fit it in your calories. Accurately logging homebrew is the trickiest part. So far I must be overestimating because I've been consistently losing 2 lbs a week. Like codygish I tend to bank 100-300 calories a day during the week to account for the extra beers I will usually have during the weekend. So far it's working. Good luck!
  • cschafer2016
    cschafer2016 Posts: 9 Member
    ChangeIsADecision wrote: »
    Who's with me... and how do you make your calories work - more so on the weekends - with having a few quality craft beers/homebrew? Do you exercise for hours? I've got to find a balance... I'm not getting anywhere and with my husband brewing delicious IPAs - it's such a struggle.

    What to do...what to do?

    There's a brewing program called "Beersmith" that, among other things, will calculate calories in a homebrew recipe. Cheap and definitely worthwhile if your husband brews a lot.
  • enterdanger
    enterdanger Posts: 2,447 Member
    edited March 2016
    I limit myself to 4-5 beers a week...sometimes that's like one a night and sometimes that's like 4 on a Saturday. Like @tincanonastring I also have been known to run for beer. Also, I frequently pass up a chewable snack for my beer snack. I don't do any home brew since we have so many great craft breweries around here that I'm not willing to put in the effort. If my husband brewed IPAs I'd be in big trouble. lol. Of course, he'd be brewing some wheaty stuff...he doesn't like IPAs.

    I recently joined untappd and enjoy seeing new beers, but have limited friends on there. You can find me on there under enterdanger too if you want to be beer social media buddies.

    *edited because my typos made me sound drunk...I'm not*
  • bathmatt12345
    bathmatt12345 Posts: 145 Member
    I, sadly, wish there was a good piece of advice, at least I haven't found it. I assume 300cal/pint, so I often get the sampler/taster/whatever which can be like 12 oz total and it lets me try many different one.

    Hard when I live in a great beer city..
  • tincanonastring
    tincanonastring Posts: 3,944 Member
    enterdanger wrote: »
    I limit myself to 4-5 beers a week...sometimes that's like one a night and sometimes that's like 4 on a Saturday. Like @tincanonastring I also have been known to run for beer. Also, I frequently pass up a chewable snack for my beer snack. I don't do any home brew since we have so many great craft breweries around here that I'm not willing to put in the effort. If my husband brewed IPAs I'd be in big trouble. lol. Of course, he'd be brewing some wheaty stuff...he doesn't like IPAs.

    I recently joined untappd and enjoy seeing new beers, but have limited friends on there. You can find me on there under enterdanger too if you want to be beer social media buddies.

    *edited because my typos made me sound drunk...I'm not*

    I don't have many friends on Untappd, either (also tincanonastring). Incoming FR next time I'm on there!
  • T0M_K
    T0M_K Posts: 7,526 Member
    ChangeIsADecision wrote: »
    Who's with me... and how do you make your calories work - more so on the weekends - with having a few quality craft beers/homebrew? Do you exercise for hours? I've got to find a balance... I'm not getting anywhere and with my husband brewing delicious IPAs - it's such a struggle.

    What to do...what to do?

    I think you mail me a 6pak a week. :)
  • rosebarnalice
    rosebarnalice Posts: 3,488 Member
    I "save" calories during g weekdays so I can "spend " them on week3nds!
  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
    I love craft beer as well. I go to the, "Great American Beer Festival," every year, this year was my first year counting calories and going. I went on maintenance and saved 400 calories all week before I went so id have 2000 calories to play with there. It was amazing.
  • ChangeIsADecision
    ChangeIsADecision Posts: 709 Member
    Wow.... thanks for all the encouragement! I love to see other MFP users drink good beer and still losing. I think my problem is not planning enough! It sounds like that is the key to most of everyone's success.

    I try to limit myself during the week with the except of a taste of hubby's here and there. With the summer coming I asked Hubby to brew some lighter options too... we have a blonde ale and a pilsner "cooking" as we speak. But I think I just have to buckle down and keep myself accountable to 4 "good" beers on the weekends. I do have Mic ultra in the frig for those occasions where I still want to have a beer "flavored" beverage but I catch all kinds of banter from our friends. :D

    If you guys are interested check out out website: 1350brewing.com/
  • ChangeIsADecision
    ChangeIsADecision Posts: 709 Member
    tincanonastring wrote: »
    I limit to one beer a day when I want one. .... The calorie count is higher for each one, but I end up drinking less of them.

    @tincanonastring - I agree... I would rather have two or three really good beers rather than a 6 pack of low calorie stuff.
    cheer4beer wrote: »
    It can be challenging if you're trying to lose....Like codygish I tend to bank 100-300 calories a day during the week to account for the extra beers I will usually have during the weekend. So far it's working. Good luck!

    Thanks for the tip... I'm going to try this. 200-300 calories a day won't be hard considering I've upped my exercise and will be much more aware of needing the deficit. ;)
    cschafer2016 wrote: »
    ....There's a brewing program called "Beersmith" that, among other things, will calculate calories in a homebrew recipe. Cheap and definitely worthwhile if your husband brews a lot.

    @cschafer2016 - Oh yes, my hubby is an avid Beersmith user. Once he went to brewing all grain recipes he loves that program. Has it on his laptop, phone, tablet...it's a great tool and we just recently noticed the calories listed. UGH!! Good thing for me now though!

    @tincanonastring and @enterdanger - I'll add you guys on Untappd. The invite will be from 1350 Brewing. Looking forward to seeing some "Cheers".

    Thanks again everyone for your response. I'd love to keep this thread going with ideas, tips and good beers you've tried and loved.

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