Does alcohol ruin your diet?

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MalteseFalcon
MalteseFalcon Posts: 1
in Food and Nutrition
I am simply trying to lose about 25 lbs. I know some people believe that is an incredibly small amount but for me it has been so hard. I have had such a hard time. I think I finally realized why. I am extremely strict about my eating and love fresh fruits, veggies and lean meats during the week. I can even tolerate eating lean meats and no fried food on MOST weekends. There is definitely room for wings or pizza. I've found my weakness is alcohol. I'm even smart about drinking light beer or mixing with Crystal Light or soda water instead of juices and soft drinks. It seems that everywhere we go, drinking is involved. I even see the scale drop about a pound during the week then the weekend hits and I've officially labled myself as a "weekend warrior" because I always put back whatever I lost. I even work out 5 days a week for about an hour in the gym. Right now I'm maintaining my weight but it sucks!

I know many would recommend an AA meeting for me but it's not that extreme (and yes I's aware of denial). I've been on birth control for years and that has also caused problems with weight gain/loss.

How can I get out of this habit? Does anyone else do the same?
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Replies

  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
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    Alcohol can hinder your results, but I think as long as you are smart about it you can work it in without cutting it out. I would cut down the amount you drink on the weekends and possibly even try not to drink every single weekend. It's like any other vice food...you have trouble losing weight if you eat pizza and cheese sticks every weekend, but if you eat a smaller amount of it and not do it every weekend you can still have success. Make sense?

    And for the record, you can still go out and have a good time without getting drunk every time. Sometimes it's more fun to back off of it watch the others get silly, lol!
  • runningfromzombies
    runningfromzombies Posts: 386 Member
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    It's done the same to me in the past. It's hard to try and make a "lifestyle change" when going out and being social with your friends nearly requires you to drink.

    I've just cut out alcohol entirely for the last several weeks and it's done wonders for getting me past my plateau. Before I hit the plateau, though, I would exercise extra hard or long the day that I knew I would be drinking...and then reserve some calories for the festivities.

    Oh, and weigh in on Friday morning only, after you've spent a good long week getting rid of the excess from the weekend. :D

    (Oh, and I've also been on birth control for about three years now. I didn't put on weight when I first started on it, though, and I've managed to lose a solid amount while staying on it.)
  • rikisue206
    rikisue206 Posts: 99 Member
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    I have the same issue!!! I have switched to the 55 cal beer and if I am drinking say vodka I mix it with sugar free Red Bull. However, I still enter it in as part of my cal's for the day. I also only drink every other weekend. If I am feeling really guilty I will hit the eliptical! :drinker:

    Good luck!
  • greenmisty
    greenmisty Posts: 24
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    Giving up drinking is hard for me too. Depending what you like to drink, it can be loaded with calories! My boyfriend and I love to have wine with dinner and for a while there, it was getting to be almost every other night. We've cut back some. And we both like having a cold beer when it's hot outside and we go fishing and love taking a cooler full of beer. I try to stay away from mixed drinks or drinks with juices as they are the highest calories. I found that a caesar has less calories than I thought. Wine has way more than I thought, and hard alcohol isn't bad, it's the mix you put into it. My friend swears by rum and diet coke for the lowest calories. Just make sure you count them into your calories and as long as you're under, then it should be ok. Everything in moderation.
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
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    Oh, and weigh in on Friday morning only, after you've spent a good long week getting rid of the excess from the weekend. :D

    That's a great idea for ANY of us to do. Why does Sunday or Monday have to be the weigh-in day? As long as it's every week...then who cares what day of the week? I tend to slack off over the weekend because my cupboards run empty and we end up eating out. Weighing on Friday would show all the work I put into it Monday-Friday. Hmmm...I shall now weigh-in Saturday mornings before the debauchery of the weekends begins! :bigsmile:
  • lyndyb88
    lyndyb88 Posts: 123 Member
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    it doesn't sound to me like you have an alcohol problem by any means...you didn't say for instance that you get falling on your face drunk when you do drink - I also will have a couple of drinks when I go to the bar for karaoke almost every weekend - I've found that when you dance it out you're burning a lot of calories. I stand a lot during the time at the bar and am almost always dancing, so it helps to burn the alcohol calories. The hardest part for me was getting over what everyone else thought when a chubby girl like me was up dancing :P :D Good luck!!
  • Sugarchef
    Sugarchef Posts: 319 Member
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    Ahhh, my friend the martini, how you have become my frienemy. We used to hang out often, but when deciding to drop these last 15 pounds, I had to kick you to the curb. Yes, I missed you for a while and so we hung out every day this past weekend. When will I learn to ignore you while on this quest!? You impair my judgment when making food choices. I'm sorry to tell you this, but we can only see each other 1 day per week, if that. Don't be angry if you don't see me for a while, just know I'm doing what's right for me.
  • merrillfoster
    merrillfoster Posts: 855 Member
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    I've lost 25 lbs without giving it up, I just try to make sure I fit it into my calories
  • HolleeERL
    HolleeERL Posts: 313 Member
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    Alcohol has not been my friend while trying to lose weight. I am training for a half marathon and do a lot of running. I stay within my calorie goal most of the time, but then I get a hankerin' for beer...and I lose count...and then I get hungry again...and eat late night snacks. :o( Even when I don't eat and have a bunch of beer, I've found that even two or three maybe twice or three times a week will keep the weight on. I even drink light beer (but not the ultra stuff - YUCK!) Anyway, my husband and I have concluded that if we are to lose the desired weight, we must either cut back considerably or completely the beer. Unfortunately, I know completely giving it up is unsustainable since I LOVE beer, but I could cut back some. I think that would be most helpful in the weight loss battle!
  • katbass
    katbass Posts: 351 Member
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    :drinker: Girl, I can totally relate! I dont get crazy, but I definitely enjoy my glasses of wine on the weekends...which leads to McDonalds at 11pm and wings for lunch the next day and then, ya cant have wings without beer, right? Its a cycle on the weekends.
    During the week, I am great! Rarely struggling. But weekends destroy anything I achieved during the week.

    What worked for me (in the past), was committing to NO alcohol until I lost 10 lbs. I did it...and then went on vacation for a week in the caribbean. Dumb. I gained it all back.
    I didnt drink at ALL from 1/1/11 to the first week in March. Not "forever", but definitely easier in the winter vs this time of year with pool days and beach days.
    Im determined to end 2011 with a hot body. There are 27 weeks left in the year. One pound a week is TOTALLY do-able. Give yourself 4 weekends without alcohol. Maybe start after July 4th since that will likely be a drinkin' day. :drinker:

    Once you are past that first weekend, yu literally wont miss it or plan your weekend around it. I think a lot of people have the same "issue" but are fearful of people calling them alcoholics. :laugh:
  • Hollycat
    Hollycat Posts: 372
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    Who cares? :drinker:

    Kidding. I just couldn't resist. I"m actually a tea totaller...:blushing:

    Hollycat
    :flowerforyou:
  • RMinVA
    RMinVA Posts: 1,085 Member
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    Ahhh, my friend the martini, how you have become my frienemy. We used to hang out often, but when deciding to drop these last 15 pounds, I had to kick you to the curb. Yes, I missed you for a while and so we hung out every day this past weekend. When will I learn to ignore you while on this quest!? You impair my judgment when making food choices. I'm sorry to tell you this, but we can only see each other 1 day per week, if that. Don't be angry if you don't see me for a while, just know I'm doing what's right for me.

    Funny you mention the last 15 pounds...because that's where it got tough for me. In fact I have been backsliding for awhile now. When I first started this journey I could indulge a bit more than I can now and not "pay the piper." Over time, I have found I can either indulge in alcohol or food, but not both. So I eat healthy and drink (usually wine these days), or splurge on something I don't normally eat and drink water. Such are the choices we make.
  • RMinVA
    RMinVA Posts: 1,085 Member
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    double post...
  • donjohnson99
    donjohnson99 Posts: 5
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    A calorie is a calorie... alcohol isn't the problem, as long as you track the intake. I have a similar weekend problem... but it's what I lose control and eat when I'm drinking that's the problem. My willpower gets drunk and let's me eat bad things... Less drinking = better eating habits.
  • mark03264
    mark03264 Posts: 334 Member
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    Does alcohol ruin your diet?

    Yes...Alcohol is big in calories!

    But like anything, in moderation you can get away with it. You just need to decide if you really want to lose weight or not.
  • Contrary03
    Contrary03 Posts: 289 Member
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    I have been the same weight for a few months now (144)... not losing, but not gaining either....( i exercise 5-6 days wk ). I started out just wanting to lose 15-20lbs too. I enjoy my 1-2 cocktails daily...lol My poison of choice is Captain Morgan & Coke... so i tried lower calorie drinks~ skinny girl margarita's, vodka & sprite Zero ( that's not bad )... I thought it was the alcohol too, but i cut everything out for atleast a couple wks, and no loss. I tried raising my cal's thru food and lost a pound this past week, so maybe i wasn't eating enough. I'm hoping it continues.
    Tonite, i splurged and tried a new drink my sis told me about~ an "orange julius"... whipped cream vodka, & OJ. (Delish!)... until i logged it and found out the vodka is higher in cal's than i thought. I already made it, so i'm gonna drink it! It is alot harder to lose when your not big to begin with, or close to your goal.... it stinks i know. Good luck!~:drinker:
  • Evieqvc
    Evieqvc Posts: 3
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    Alcohol is not a problem if you stick with low calories beer or a glass of red wine. I have a glass of wine at least 5 times a week and its only about 100 calories for 15flounces. Works for me. maybe you can try this.
  • juliapurpletoes
    juliapurpletoes Posts: 951 Member
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    A cocktail each night has NOT hindered my progress at all. I've been at MFP since March and have lost 1/2 to 1 pound a week on the average. For a total of 15 pounds. (I only need to lose a total of 20)

    I exercise hard 7 days a week and I eat nutrtitiously.

    You can do anything you put your mind to!
  • mbgalarneau
    mbgalarneau Posts: 2
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    I'm a homebrewer (beer) and had the same concerns. I'm only a month into it, but I find alcohol is the same as any other vice (chocolate, pastries, ice cream, etc)... measure it accurately and count it with the rest... one drink only, no seconds!
  • Mahhafooznit
    Mahhafooznit Posts: 24 Member
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    I had to cut out booze. It derails me too much. So I tell myself. every 45 workout days, I can go out drinking. usually takes about
    2 months to accomplish. so far has been effective as 1 day every 2 months drinking does not derail me as much as drinking every other weekend. I still have a long way to go though. Must shed 40 lbs. already shed 25 lbs since feb 9th/2011.

    Today was workout day 22. yay!

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