Question about losing weight while still drinking alcohol?

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  • StealthHealth
    StealthHealth Posts: 2,417 Member
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    I'm jealous of those who can do it. I struggle because I tend to make poor late night food choices once I've had a drink or two. :(

    So, I generally, abstain and save it for special occasions only (which I usually plan for by increasing the deficit slightly for a couple of days and pre-logging my food).
  • MommyMeggo
    MommyMeggo Posts: 1,222 Member
    edited July 2017
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    For me its easier to have none. And when I say easier- I dont mean easy.
    I love my wine... but 1 5oz glass just pisses me off...and Id rather eat food...Or by the time its Happy Hour Ive already eaten my calories. :(

    If you can fit it in, have a drink. If you know 120cals of wine will turn into 360- then plan for that and get in some good calorie burns.

    Personally - even when not going over my calories- when I have NO alcohol I feel better and look slimmer.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
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    jazmin220 wrote: »
    Have any of you had any luck or success with regularly keeping track of the calories in alcohol you drink while staying within your calories ?

    I am somewhat of a heavy drinker. I'm having issues completely cutting it out or even cutting down on my alcohol intake to lose weight. I work in an environment where drinking is commonplace. So I'm just wondering if there's anyone here who has had success with losing weight while regularly drinking.

    Thanks in advance!

    I have a real-time personal story for you. I moved house in the middle of June. I had a 3 week period where I could start moving the things the movers don't and clean the new place. During that time, I decided it would be easier to drink my wine instead of moving it so I was drinking a bottle almost every day (usually within my calorie allowance and yes, I logged it). During that time, I lost just under 2 pounds total. About 3 days before the move, I had no more to drink and didn't buy any. I unpacked my scale and finally weighed myself a week after stopping drinking and I had lost 9 lb.

    Did the alcohol cause me to retain water so I showed minimal losses over a month? Did it affect the actual fat loss? I really don't know what happened, I just know that the alcohol was the only change.

    I am back to my usual, which is a glass or two of wine a week, and only on days where I have exercise calories to eat back. My weight loss has evened out again to where I am averaging about 1.5 lb a week.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
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    StealthHealth wrote: »
    I'm jealous of those who can do it. I struggle because I tend to make poor late night food choices once I've had a drink or two. :(

    So, I generally, abstain and save it for special occasions only (which I usually plan for by increasing the deficit slightly for a couple of days and pre-logging my food).

    This.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
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    jazmin220 wrote: »
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    Yes. I lost over 40 pounds while drinking just about every night and just staying within my calorie limit. I've been maintaining for almost two years using the same strategy.

    The tricks: if you have trouble stopping drinking once you start, hitting your calorie goal is still going to be a challenge. You have to plan somewhat more carefully (depending on your calorie goal) in order to meet your nutritional needs. And if you're the kind of person who eats more when you drink, it can be really hard to do this (I'm not, but I know lots of people report this issue). These are all reasons to be careful, but once these are taken into account, there's no reason why someone can't drink and also lose weight.


    Thanks ! Everything you've said makes sense. I guess now I'm concerned because lots of times I start to drink and then I get comfortable with eating more junk food. Of course once I sober up I start self loathing over it. I just have to learn to have self control if I'm gonna have cocktails

    I call that the "drunk munchies" and it has been my downfall at times. I love to cook and have made myself some interesting "snacks" while drunk. Did you know that all you need for pate' a choux is butter, eggs, and flour? Don't even need custard or whipped cream, just fill with a spoonful or two of jam.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
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    MommyMeggo wrote: »
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Just a note: when alcohol is in the body, it can't be stored. So it has to be metabolized. During this process NO OTHER ENERGY SOURCE gets burned. So you burn no calories from carbs or fat. And if you drink before going to bed for the day that's even worse because it's when you're at rest that you burn the most STORED BODY FAT..........unless you have alcohol in your system.

    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
    9285851.png

    Just another reason to have a mimosa for breakfast. Done and done.

    Or a loaded bloody mary.
  • jesspen91
    jesspen91 Posts: 1,383 Member
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    I love craft beer and a large part of my social life revolves around it. On days when I'll be drinking I will do some extra cardio to give me more calories and try to eat fewer calories during the day. I will then choose drinks that take me a long time to finish (e.g. large volume, low abv) and only have two or three. Heavier drinking days are less frequent and I just have a day off from logging on those days and accept that I may not lose that week. Those only occur once every few months though.
  • MommyMeggo
    MommyMeggo Posts: 1,222 Member
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    earlnabby wrote: »
    MommyMeggo wrote: »
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Just a note: when alcohol is in the body, it can't be stored. So it has to be metabolized. During this process NO OTHER ENERGY SOURCE gets burned. So you burn no calories from carbs or fat. And if you drink before going to bed for the day that's even worse because it's when you're at rest that you burn the most STORED BODY FAT..........unless you have alcohol in your system.

    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
    9285851.png

    Just another reason to have a mimosa for breakfast. Done and done.

    Or a loaded bloody mary.

    Now we're talkin'!
    Science recommends being drunk in the morning! You heard it here folks!
    **Where's my spicy V8?**
  • esnider211
    esnider211 Posts: 30 Member
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    I have a higher deficit 5-6 days a week to allow for 1-2 nights of going out with all the craft beer and cider. I also focus more on the weekly calories than the daily. Now that I'm only 10 lbs from goal weight and well into a healthy BMI I cut my goal from to .5 lb a week, so it isn't too hard to manage with exercise. My going out night diary entries are ridiculous.
  • AmyOutOfControl
    AmyOutOfControl Posts: 1,425 Member
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    StealthHealth wrote: »
    I'm jealous of those who can do it. I struggle because I tend to make poor late night food choices once I've had a drink or two. :(

    So, I generally, abstain and save it for special occasions only (which I usually plan for by increasing the deficit slightly for a couple of days and pre-logging my food).

    Ditto. I have issues with moderation in general, I guess. Food, alcohol, work... it is how I ended up 60 pounds overweight.

    I quit drinking all alcohol and dropped 30 pounds. I started drinking 1-2 glasses of wine in the evening... weight loss plateau. I just eliminated alcohol again and now the scale is starting to slowly inch down this month. It sucks but my food choices are terrible after a glass of wine.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
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    MommyMeggo wrote: »
    earlnabby wrote: »
    MommyMeggo wrote: »
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Just a note: when alcohol is in the body, it can't be stored. So it has to be metabolized. During this process NO OTHER ENERGY SOURCE gets burned. So you burn no calories from carbs or fat. And if you drink before going to bed for the day that's even worse because it's when you're at rest that you burn the most STORED BODY FAT..........unless you have alcohol in your system.

    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
    9285851.png

    Just another reason to have a mimosa for breakfast. Done and done.

    Or a loaded bloody mary.

    Now we're talkin'!
    Science recommends being drunk in the morning! You heard it here folks!
    **Where's my spicy V8?**

    I like that I can 'woo' this for both definitions!
  • jessiferrrb
    jessiferrrb Posts: 1,758 Member
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    drinking has slowed my weight loss at times and hasn't at others. the only variable is my commitment level at the time. i've made some stupid choices at parties to drink all day and not eat to stay in my calories, and i've made some smarter choices to pre-log drinks and stick to that number, alternating water or taking breaks as necessary. other times, even my best intentions don't prevent me from going over. *kitten* happens, "let's order a pizza" isn't the worst idea in the world, and my goal is to make healthy strides without losing out on time with friends and parties and the things that i enjoy doing. slowly but surely i just look better doing them.
  • socalkay
    socalkay Posts: 746 Member
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    I lost weight while allowing myself one or two drinks twice a week. I've reached my goal weight and found I can maintain while having one or two drinks 4 - 6 nites a week. If I start going over two drinks a day, I start putting on weight.

    If you are a heavy drinker and are having trouble cutting down, I suspect you are going to have a hard time losing weight. If you manage to stop drinking for a time to lose some weight, you will probably just put it right back on when you start drinking again, as you'll be back to hard drinking very quickly.

  • rubydrm
    rubydrm Posts: 112 Member
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    As long as I can fit it into my calories for the day, I love to have an IPA or two! I don't lose as fast as I do when I don't drink, but I expect that. I also steer clear the next day of the favorite hangover foods...those, to me, is when I gain the most!
  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
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    There is impact, but on a molecular scale and nearly incalculable.

    Thinking back to my Navy days when I was off rotation I would typically run 6 mi, swim 2 mi and have a drink in hand by 1100. Would down 4-6 drinks/day and at ~6% bodyfat.
  • JennJ323
    JennJ323 Posts: 646 Member
    edited July 2017
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    I've been able to continue to lose while having the occasional drink. I try to stick with the lower calories drinks (vodka & soda or vodka & diet tonic or vanilla vodka & diet coke).. and I find it easier (and cheaper!) to have the drinks at home, that way I'm not tempted to order mozzarella sticks after a few drinks. But if I'm going out with friends or to dinner with my husband I let myself enjoy a drink or two and just try to be conscious of everything I eat during the day before I go out.

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