How do you cope with managing alcohol?
Options
Replies
-
which non alcoholic would you recommend that takes the edge off?bluepotatoes66 wrote: »Save space in my calories for a few drinks and know a lot of good non-alcoholic drinks that can be ordered at a bar. If I'm going somewhere private, I tend to just bring a bottle of sparkling water with me. Gets the liquid into my body and no one asks questions.
0 -
I simply stop drinking alcohol when I'm training/dieting and drink water instead.
If you properly count calories, you can fit alcohol into your diet but, usually there's only room for 1 can/glass/shot of booze a day b4 you run out of room for real food.
very true, I can keep to 1200. that's no problem and you're right it cuts real food. It's just hard attending a social event without some form of social lubricant0 -
Well Alcohol is mostly carbohydrate, so I pretty much replace a whole food with alcohol for a certain amount of KCALs. Unless you're talking about getting drunk, then, well, you can log it and not like what you see on the scale the next day. Also, exercise and training...I don't have to cope with jack.0
-
-
I struggle with this as well. Like everyone else says... Limit what you drink, drink water in between, log everything, or just don't drink. It's been quite lonely for me not going out anymore and I struggle to find friends with healthy habits but it's worth it. After a month long streak of no drinking, I had a bit of a crazy weekend and I think I was drunk for a good 2 days strait and way hungover on Monday. The victory for me was getting back on my bike and back to my normal healthy eating habits the next day. I'm sure I've let it push me off the wagon for too long in the past.
By the way, I drink deep eddys lemon vodka with water, a splash of cran and squeezed lemons. It taste delicious and I can have 2-3 and feel pretty buzzed.2 -
I do terribly, its my nemisis. If you find the secret please share. If you do I promise to buy the next round. I mean non-alcoholic beverage!
yeah its really my downfall. Sound silly, but without it, it does impact my social life somewhat. I'm from England originally so we really are a drinking culture (now based in berlin)1 -
I'll admit I drink far too much and it's probably why I'm no longer losing weight. My mother just died however...so I'm coping as well as I can. Usually though, I mix vodka or rum with sparkling water and try not to eat as much that day if I'm going to drink.0
-
@LylaRoad If it's the mutual 'being under the influence together' that is essential to your social life, and you decide to cut back on alcohol, it may be a real eye opener. Speaking from personal experience, I was so disppointed to find how not fun it actually was to go out and "drink" when I was committed to sticking to just one drink (nursing it all evening as someone else mentioned). I found out I was really bored with the whole thing after 2-3 social events without much booze. I ended up really grieving the discovery that I had little else in common with those "friends".
Hopefully, your friendships are not as shallow and one-dimensional as mine were way back then. I was really young...and I am old now. I have different friends, some of them drink & some don't. We have a blast together having nothing to do with the alcohol. Different friends. Different maturity level.3 -
I do terribly, its my nemisis. If you find the secret please share. If you do I promise to buy the next round. I mean non-alcoholic beverage!
yeah its really my downfall. Sound silly, but without it, it does impact my social life somewhat. I'm from England originally so we really are a drinking culture (now based in berlin)
I'm near London, might be over in Berlin in August as a good friend lives there now with his girlfriend. Meant to be a great city. But agree, us Brits love a pint and a chat2 -
Hey all,
I just started here and coping ok with the restrictive calories in terms of food, but alcohol... this is so hard with a social life, which revolves a lot around events involving drink. What do you do?
If I may, I originally come from countries where we drink a lot. I mean far more than the US and even the UK.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_alcohol_consumption_per_capita
Having said that, we have a different approach to alcohol consumption. Usually, it goes with a meal and/or before a meal but only students and youngsters would drink alcohol on its own to get wasted.
With that being said, I have always had rules when it comes to alcohol consumption: I never drink alone. (Even wine which is considered "sacred" in my two original cultures).
I also found out that there is absolutely NO NEED to drink alcohol at a party. (And that is quite a revelation in the UK where people no matter how old they are would binge drink more easily). I have managed to avoid the peer pressure to drink booze even if everyone else does drink. As long as you're contributing to the party and that you look like you're enjoying yourself, then that's it.
When I WANT TO have a drink, I usually anticipate and count the corresponding calories in my daily intake. [Although, as I allow myself one cheat meal per week, I also tend to not count the calories for this one. (It actually boosts your metabolism as long as you do not exaggerate).]
Finally, another revelation to me: calories are not that high in pure alcohol, it is usually everything that goes with it that have a high-calorie ratio.
E.g. One pint of draught beer (520ml) is about 190 kcal.
One glass of red wine (125ml) is about 90 kcal.
One shot of whisky (35ml) is about 70kcal.
Same for a shot of vodka.
However, cocktails can be far higher in calories because of all the sweet additions to the drink.
1 -
girl_inflames wrote: »I'll admit I drink far too much and it's probably why I'm no longer losing weight. My mother just died however...so I'm coping as well as I can. Usually though, I mix vodka or rum with sparkling water and try not to eat as much that day if I'm going to drink.
sorry to hear that, my dad died a few years back. Give yourself the mourning time and do what makes you feel better
1 -
@KetoneKaren yeah I totally know what you mean. I had those friends when I was younger too. Now I'm very selective of who I choose and some do and some don't drink that much. They're all lovely people. I think it's more on my part as I feel like I want to relax and normally I do it through alcohol. I know it's not the answer. Some people's weakness is cakes, fast food etc. Mine is alcohol
0 -
Don't drink so much. Personally I quit alcohol in my late 20's because there was really no need for it to me.Hey all,
I just started here and coping ok with the restrictive calories in terms of food, but alcohol... this is so hard with a social life, which revolves a lot around events involving drink. What do you do?
Do you drink to be in the "in" crowd? Or do you just like to get buzzed up? Either way, alcohol is 7 calories per gram and doesn't store in the body, so it has to be metabolized. Until it is, NO OTHER ENERGY SOURCE (fat/carbs/protein) is used.
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
1 -
I really like Corona Light and it's only 99 calories so I can easily fit two in when I go out. It actually works out well because with calorie restrictions I can feel a bit tipsy just off of one beer, then I'll start one more before I eat and then just sparkling/plain water or tea after that. I don't go out a whole lot though so when I do it's usually higher calorie craft beers, at least two, and I chow down so it blows my deficit no matter what.0
-
@teamvic yeah it is a great city, I love it here. Also as you will notice, a very skinny, health conscious city.
Actually for most part I don't consider my diet that bad thanks to Berlin's influence, traveling and previously dating a vegetarian. Although recently I have been buying crisps and cookies, which clearly has an impact. If I don't watch my weight, I easily put on. Saying that though I never go through a whole packet at once. Biggest downfall though is alcohol, this is a regular feature and I binge. I can cut the snacks. I get pangs, but it can be manageable. But drink is really hard to cut due to the association with fun, relaxation, enjoying time with friends. I try to suggest other activities with friends and have tried, but tbh sometimes I just wanna drink...obviously some underlying issue there, but I have yet to resolve it.
Worst thing is the next day I just want to eat something fatty :-/ This time though, I'm going to make a conscious effort to log everything, even it's depressing. Least I can try and make up for it and be aware how many calories are going to be in that pizza I want to order the next day! I'm determined though.
Thanks all for the advice everyone. Actually I have a summer work party tonight. That means free alcohol and food. Yep FREE - which is never easy to resist. But I made a deal with myself. Im going to log everything regardless of if I feel *kitten* about seeing it the next day. Alternate drinks, alcohol and water. Try and get a lot of veg in to fill up. This is a special event, so even if I no doubt will fall off the wagon, I'm going to dust myself off tomorrow and get back on 0 -
Even before I started losing weight I have never been a big drinker. Most events I just don't have any, and all is fine and no one complains (other than the occasional fun poking for being a Russian who doesn't drink heavily). Sometimes like once or twice a year I would have a glass of something, which is easy on the calories since it's only one glass.
I understand not everyone is a light drinker and that alcohol may be just as important as food is to me to enjoy social times, so maybe the way I deal with food would work with alcohol? I basically just pick the foods I absolutely want and love, add a small portion to my plate, slowly eat it while socializing, and only go for seconds if I really still want more. It still packs a calorie punch, but with careful planning I can usually take it.1 -
Lyla -- socializing without the social lubricant takes some getting used to. You can amuse yourself by stepping back & watching the badly behaved drunks. There is one in every situation no matter how high brow.
My "excuse" is always that I'm the designated driver. Over the years people got used to me not drinking & now it's a "thing" when I do drink when out with friends.
I've also grown really picky about what I will drink. I'm not about to waste my drinks on junk. If I'm gonna have some, it will be really great wine, not nasty box stuff or what most places offer as house wine. I get too hung over on the hard stuff so that stopped being fun years ago, post college.
Last night at dinner with friends I would have loved to have joined in but again I was the designated driver so I stuck to non-alcohol. I caved to peer pressure to have a soda not just water but even that is few & far between.
When I do indulge the water in between really helps.0 -
If you meet someone wat a bar/party/drinking event there's a good chance you just met someone who, duh, likes to go to bars/parties/drinking events (not saying that's bad, just stating the obvious). If you replace those with some other activity you'll still meet people, just ones that like that activity, whatever it is. To kind of extend on what the other poster said, which is it you REALLY want? To meet someone or to meet someone while drinking?0 -
@kitkatlp thanks for your comments. I actually don't drink alone often and if I do, it's because I got home from a night out and am not ready to stop drinking. Terrible habit I know, so I really try to restrict that. Hard to tell wasted me though, I can tell you.
It's not so much the peer pressure, although there will be some element. I think it's to get in their head space or get away from what's going on in my head a little too,
So you have a cheat meal and don't count the calories? And it boosts metabolism? Im trying to take it into account today, but I have a work party so free food and drink. Amazing, but terrible for my diet. I think I may as well write it off for tonight
Wow a shot is only 70! I'm going to try and drink more spirits. Just gonna hit my wallet harder
0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 391.4K Introduce Yourself
- 43.5K Getting Started
- 259.7K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.6K Food and Nutrition
- 47.3K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 389 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.7K Motivation and Support
- 7.8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.2K MyFitnessPal Information
- 22 News and Announcements
- 919 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.3K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions