Beer or Vodka?

AnnPT77 wrote: »

barblyons40 wrote: »

I love Miller Lite (96 calories per 12 oz) but it's a diet killer. Is it better to switch to vodka (65 calories per 1 oz) for the waistline even though it has 35% alcohol vs 4.2% for Miller Lite? At what point do you trade calories for liver function?

Vodka: 35% x 1 oz. = 0.35 oz alcohol
Beer: 4.2% x 12oz = 0.504 oz alcohol

I wouldn't drink Miller Lite if you paid me (rather have real water, thanks), but I'm not seeing the tradeoff. The beer has more calories and more alcohol.

But the difference is minor, on both fronts, if you don't drink lots of either, often. Drink what you enjoy, within your calorie goal. Don't let alcohol regularly drive out your nutrition to hit calories, or let alcohol drive out water either. You'll be fine.

But maybe I drank too much craft beer while losing 60+ pounds, ruining both liver and brain, thus ability to do arithmetic?

I know you got the 35% from the OP, but where are people finding 70 proof (35% alcohol) vodka. I'm no expert, but I don't think I've ever seen any under 80 proof (40% alcohol)?

Other than I, I totally agree with you. More alcohol in the bottle of beer than in a single 1 oz. shot of vodka (even at 80 proof).

OP, at one serving per day, I don't think a tenth of an ounce of alcohol one way or the other is going to make a big difference to a healthy liver. If you're drinking enough that the small difference per serving actually starts to mount up to something significant, you're drinking so much either way that you're probably not doing your calorie budget or your liver function any good.

patslitzker wrote: »

Just stop drinking. When you're dieting it's going to do more than just add calories to prevent fat loss. You'll be wasting your time unless it's very infrequent.

Schwat? How did I lose 21 pounds in 4 months in 2014 while drinking (way too often)?

Depends on whether you want to just get drunk or enjoy the taste.

I find that since I'm watching calories, I make sure I'm drinking something good. So a nice Porter or Guinness is my go to beer, a decent gin (with diet tonic) or good scotch on the rocks if I want something harder and a good red wine with a meal. A glass of water between drinks if I'm having more than one, and not gulped down so I can get to my next drink quicker either.

No Bud Light or crap wine for me anymore.

Down 65 lbs (junk science my *kitten*) but continuing to enjoy my life.

Neither. Silver tequila.

I have been drinking vodka water with a lemon and it is really good and low calorie. I think you could have any drink as long as it fits into your calories. I have been avoiding margaritas because sugar (sad) but you don't have to give anything up. That's why MFP doesn't seem like a hard core diet.

I like beer so I drink the Bud Light Platinum. Its 137 calories but 6% alcohol.

Vodka makes me moody for some reason.

I much prefer rum or whiskey personally. Unless it is a hot summer day, then beer would be my drink of choice. I just try to fit it in my calories.

I'm a homebrewer and always budget in enough calories for a solid ale. I let Untappd and MFP duke it out over my soul. If not beer then it's a good scotch, bourbon, or whiskey. I let the occasion dictate the beverage.