Alcohol Tips?

I used to drink a lot and it did concern me how it may effect my health. I had a scan about a year ago now (for nothing serious) and they checked my liver and kidneys, which were fine. For me right then I decided to cut down on alcohol to make sure I could stay healthy, which I cut down to just once a fortnight and now I haven't had any since February. I don't go out drinking on a night out though so that helps a lot and with meals out I just opt for non alcoholic drinks. It can be hard with other people drinking around me, but then I remind myself one drink will turn into many for me and I'll lose control of what I'm eating and totally regret it and it won't be worth it for a few hours of being drunk/tipsy.

I drink about 6 (25ml)wisky with diet coke every Saturday. I try to fit my drinks within my weekly calories goal and so far I lose as I should according to mfp.

There are lots of successful people here who drink moderately.

However, there are plenty of non-weight-related reasons to stop drinking excessively. When I was a heavy drinker I experienced the majority of the negative consequences listed here: https://www.ncadd.org/get-help/take-the-test/am-i-alcoholic-self-test

As far as losing weight goes:
- Having more than a drink or two makes me want to eat more and lowers my ability to stick to my plan
- I don't sleep well so am not up for exercise the next day
- Not sleeping well also makes me crave carbs and want to overeat in general

jadorade91 wrote: »

I've been told by a few people that it is "basically impossible" to lose weight if you drink alcohol, because it slows down your metabolism so drastically. Do you guys agree with that?

What I have heard, which could be wrong, is that the body metabolizes the alcohol first and food calories get stored. I would like to know if this is true.

Alcohol is exceptionally calorie dense. It's harder to lose weight because it takes up all your calories. But I would rather lose .5 pounds a week and be drink and happy than to lose 1 or more pounds a week and end up murdering someone.

DebSozo wrote: »

jadorade91 wrote: »

I've been told by a few people that it is "basically impossible" to lose weight if you drink alcohol, because it slows down your metabolism so drastically. Do you guys agree with that?

What I have heard, which could be wrong, is that the body metabolizes the alcohol first and food calories get stored. I would like to know if this is true.

Doesn't matter even if it were true. What "order" you digest your calories in would have no affect whatsoever on whether or not you are in a caloric deficit.

If I am 500 calories below my TDEE after having consumed 2000 calories and those calories were a mix of protein, fat, carbs and alcohol does it really matter if my body metabolized the alcohol before everything else? For anyone who believes the order matters could you explain why?


I burn 2500 calories, I injested 2000 of them 500 alcohol, 500 fat, 500 protein and 500 carbs. I digest the alcohol first then the protein then the carbs then the fat or maybe the protein then the carbs then the fat then the alcohol. The end result is the same so it doesn't matter. I'm burning more than I am taking in so what order I burn them in doesn't matter because they all get burned anyways.

The statement "your body prioritizes metabolizing alcohol first so if you drink alcohol it will prevent your weight loss" doesn't actually make any sense if you think about it. If you drink so much alcohol that you are no longer in caloric deficit sure, but that could be said about any of the macros.

The only thing special about alcohol as a macro is that it is the one macro your body doesn't require. You need some carbs, you need some fats, you need some protein...you don't need alcohol.

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jadorade91 wrote: »

Good morning everyone!

So I have a habit of drinking an excessive amount once a week or once every other week. Usually around 1000 calories worth but sometimes more. I'm wanting to make this a much less frequent occurrence in my life. Have any of you had this habit or still do? If so, could you give me some tips on how to improve upon this? I've definitely gotten better about the frequency but I'd like to get even better.

You say you have "gotten better about the frequency." What did you do different from your previous behavior in order to have less frequent binges? What have you noticed about how you feel? Those times where you have drunk to excess on fewer occasions, what were you doing instead? Getting curious about these things can lead you to some strategies that may work for you!

jadorade91 wrote: »

I've been told by a few people that it is "basically impossible" to lose weight if you drink alcohol, because it slows down your metabolism so drastically. Do you guys agree with that?

No but also don't take diet tips from me

5 ways alcohol hinders fat loss:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/content/5-ways-alcohol-hinders-fat-loss.html

Switching to vodka soda and two limes has drastically changed my hangover and my calorie intake!

1 to 2 drinks every other night, substituting those calories for your snack calories is fine. That's about 3 to 6 drinks a week. Doing it this way, you won't need many snacks, and it might actually help you go to sleep at night without a late night binge...

However, drinking that all on ONE day a week is much harder to do. Snacking is an issue, make sure you don't eat a bag of chips or half a pizza on a binge night. That is what will derail your diet - not the drinking.

And drinking a lot ONE day a week is much tougher the entire next day. You'll crave food so much more, and you won't want to - or be able to work out as well.

I do a binge night every few weeks, where I have like 6 whiskey and cokes over a period of a few hours. But I plan my snacks with things like large cocktail shrimp, baked mushrooms with lobster/crab, raw carrots, baked string beans, anything that is low calorie. The next day is very tough. I drink plenty of water, my food cravings are off the charts, but I try to stay on my diet. It's extremely tough. It's hard not to grab an extra 500 calorie hamburger because you're not feeling so well. But it can be done with enough will power.

Six drinks (as long as they're not beer or mixed drinks with high calories) is only an extra 750-1000 calories. In an entire week, you can eat 150 calories less per day to plan, and you're fine. But most people can't be this strict. They snack an additional 1000-2000 calories with drinking, or go overboard and drink an extra 1000 calories. For those people, drinking derails them.

akmomof7 wrote: »

No, you just need to work it into your day. I frequently(2-3 times a week ) finish off my day with a Capt. Morgan and diet coke. I'm still losing just fine and only about 10 pounds from goal.

That is because what you drink still allows you a weekly deficit. Not everybody has those extra calories to play with.

I used to drink wine every night - close to a bottle. I added it into my calorie intake and stayed under; but what i found is it causes my body to retain a lot water. I would feel bloated and it would discourage me by not seeing adequate results on the scale or in the mirror. It wasn't permanent weight obviously since I stayed within my calories and continued with exercise, and after a day of drinking a lot of water and no alcohol I would feel better. But for me, not seeing results after working so hard can really be dangerous. I am capable of saying to myself "why am I working so hard with no results, this is a waste of my time," etc. So I choose not to drink at all during the week and limit it on the weekend. I was drinking too much anyway. Not a bad thing to cut down. I agree with all the responses and theres the old cliche; moderation - that's what it's about. Cheers

I've been struggling with a few drinks every night..... working on trying to quit for a month to see what a difference I can make.