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Does it have an affect??

kmaf2018
kmaf2018 Posts: 124 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
Does alcohol have an effect on your weightloss even if youve included it within your daily calorie intake?

I love my wine at the weekends (like some people do) and I always filter the wine into my daily calorie goal but I cant help thinking maybe I should just cut it out completely? Its not really effecting my weightloss so im just asking out of curiosity as ive been reading the effects of alcohol versus weightloss but then they talk about "its all about calories in calories out", this week I lost 3lb and I have been trying to reduce my intake but I just wondered if it does effect weightloss even if youve included it in your daily intake?

Replies

  • Staceygram
    Staceygram Posts: 147 Member
    It hasn't for me. I love sipping my whiskey and as long as I'm within my calorie goal I'm still losing.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    If you can stay within your calorie goal, there's no problem.

    That said, I have cut out alcohol except for special occasions. I tend to overeat once I get a couple drinks in me. It's not the alcohol, it's the drunk munchies, that kill me.
  • Snickers6961
    Snickers6961 Posts: 11 Member
    According to studies alcohol stops the bodies ability to burn fat from anywhere between 3 and 7 days. I quit drinking and the pounds came off much easier.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    Snickers6961 wrote: »
    According to studies alcohol stops the bodies ability to burn fat from anywhere between 3 and 7 days. I quit drinking and the pounds came off much easier.

    Really?!? Do you have the study? I'd like to see that.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Snickers6961 wrote: »
    According to studies alcohol stops the bodies ability to burn fat from anywhere between 3 and 7 days. I quit drinking and the pounds came off much easier.

    This isn't true...

    While alcohol is in your system, your body can't metabolize anything else but the alcohol...once the alcohol is metabolized you go right back to normal.

    I agree that it's generally easier to lose weight with a reduction of alcohol consumption...but that's largely because alcohol comes with a lot of calories and no nutrition. But you don't stop burning fat for 3-7 days...if that was the case, I would never have lost 40 Lbs.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    Snickers6961 wrote: »
    According to studies alcohol stops the bodies ability to burn fat from anywhere between 3 and 7 days. I quit drinking and the pounds came off much easier.

    Haha, where was this study? Someone's blog? That's not true even in the slightest.

    Personally I've dieted with alcohol and without, similar caloric levels and the weight loss rate was indistinguishable. Calories are calories, just like everything else. I would just watch the total alcohol intake relative to "normal food" because there's not a whole lot of actual nutrition in alcohol. But at the end of the day, reasonable and monitored alcohol intake is just fine.
  • kmaf2018
    kmaf2018 Posts: 124 Member
    Thanks everyone! Your replies have made me feel less "guilty"! I have 1-2 bottles a week, usually at the weekend but I was starting to feel ever so bad! I do filter it into my daily calorie intake but was curious as to what everyones thoughts were as it seems to be a 'bad' thing to do whilst 'dieting'....
  • STEVE142142
    STEVE142142 Posts: 867 Member
    As long as you don't go over your calorie limit alcohol won't affect how you lose weight. The only thing is if you drink too much your body May retain some water to compensate but eventually that will come off. A calorie is a calorie is a calorie it doesn't matter where those calories come from as far as weight loss. You can eat Snickers and drink vodka and still lose weight. Wouldn't recommend that as a valid form of weight loss and what it would do to your body.

    January 2016 my starting weight was 288. My current weight is 208 period I've been maintaining since September 2016. Since last January I've been on vacation 3 times and there were more than a couple days I probably drink my calorie limit alone.

    For this to work you have to enjoy the journey if I had to give up beers on the beach during the summer I could never do it
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    STEVE142142 wrote: »
    As long as you don't go over your calorie limit alcohol won't affect how you lose weight. The only thing is if you drink too much your body May retain some water to compensate but eventually that will come off. A calorie is a calorie is a calorie it doesn't matter where those calories come from as far as weight loss. You can eat Snickers and drink vodka and still lose weight. Wouldn't recommend that as a valid form of weight loss and what it would do to your body.

    January 2016 my starting weight was 288. My current weight is 208 period I've been maintaining since September 2016. Since last January I've been on vacation 3 times and there were more than a couple days I probably drink my calorie limit alone.

    For this to work you have to enjoy the journey if I had to give up beers on the beach during the summer I could never do it
    Alcohol is a diuretic. It does the opposite of making you retain water.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,749 Member
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    STEVE142142 wrote: »
    As long as you don't go over your calorie limit alcohol won't affect how you lose weight. The only thing is if you drink too much your body May retain some water to compensate but eventually that will come off. A calorie is a calorie is a calorie it doesn't matter where those calories come from as far as weight loss. You can eat Snickers and drink vodka and still lose weight. Wouldn't recommend that as a valid form of weight loss and what it would do to your body.

    January 2016 my starting weight was 288. My current weight is 208 period I've been maintaining since September 2016. Since last January I've been on vacation 3 times and there were more than a couple days I probably drink my calorie limit alone.

    For this to work you have to enjoy the journey if I had to give up beers on the beach during the summer I could never do it
    Alcohol is a diuretic. It does the opposite of making you retain water.

    Yup, I ccan be 5lbs lighter the morning after a big night. Hungover as hell, but 5lbs lighter. Right up until I start replenishing...
  • _runnerbean_
    _runnerbean_ Posts: 640 Member
    KMAF00 wrote: »
    Thanks everyone! Your replies have made me feel less "guilty"! I have 1-2 bottles a week, usually at the weekend but I was starting to feel ever so bad! I do filter it into my daily calorie intake but was curious as to what everyones thoughts were as it seems to be a 'bad' thing to do whilst 'dieting'....

    As long as you are in a calorie deficit you
    will lose weight. However, if you are female two bottles of wine over one weekend is classified as "binge drinking" in the U.K. (And probably other countries). It comes with significant health risks so maybe cut back a bit for those reasons. Also You won't have many calories left for food if you are logging that many alcohol calories.
  • _runnerbean_
    _runnerbean_ Posts: 640 Member
    I do drink small amounts occasionally
    (One glass of wine, two bottles beer once a week) but I find I lose my willpower to eat healthily when I drink more than that so it's a double whammy of calories - alcohol plus the snacks. When I'm really focussed on losing weight I cut it out altogether for a while.
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