Question about losing weight while still drinking alcohol?

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  • bribucks
    bribucks Posts: 431 Member
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    I find it difficult. Maybe it would be easier to be accurate if I was a beer drinker, but I like my tasty cocktails and margs! (Which are difficult to track - did they put in 1oz of tequila? 2oz? - and most are high calorie). I've switched to drinking more wine than cocktails because it is easier to track and generally lower calorie.

    That being said, it is still possible to lose weight, you just have to be more cautious. If you know you are going to have a few drinks one night, tailor the rest of your day around it. Eat fewer calories than normal, so you can "afford" those drinks, or take a long walk. It is the spontaneous drinks that are harder - find a low calorie drink that you enjoy, and stick to just one.
  • oregonlady
    oregonlady Posts: 2,743 Member
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    1 oz vodka only = 65 cals.
  • susanofarrell
    susanofarrell Posts: 30 Member
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    I typically slow my drinking way down when trying to lose weight. 1 glass of wine a week type of slow down. It's just hard for me to make it work! More importantly, though, I've heard 2 factoids that I believe are true.
    1) Alcohol lowers your inhibitions, including your eating inhibitions. You're much more likely to indulge on unhealthy choices when drinking.
    2) I've heard that alcohol changes the way your body (liver) metabolizes calories. So even if you do stay in your calorie goals, your body doesn't use the calories as well as they should.

    Drink if you think your body is responding well to how you make decisions (food included) when drinking. I can only drink sometimes.
  • InkAndApples
    InkAndApples Posts: 201 Member
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    I still drink but I've found that counting calories has led me to cut back considerably, as I'd rather have food most of the time!
  • ambonds
    ambonds Posts: 96 Member
    edited July 2017
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    As a lot of other people have already said, just try to fit it into your calorie limit for the day. I don't like sweets (like.... at all) but I DO drink regularly, and I just restarted my fitness journey.

    Do I intend to stop drinking altogether? No. But do I plan to decrease my number of drinks and, more importantly, change WHAT I drink? ABSOLUTELY.

    My hubby and I moved to the beach about 3 months ago. During that time he had a month between grad school finishing and new job starting, so it was basically beach bum party month. I'd regularly kill a bottle of wine or a 6 pack by myself over the course of a day. Yikes! But now I'm focusing on low calorie drinks, and it seems to be helping a lot (down 4lbs since July 5). I remind myself the goal isn't to get a buzz, but to enjoy the flavors that I love!


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  • IAmTheGlue
    IAmTheGlue Posts: 701 Member
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    oregonlady wrote: »
    1 oz vodka only = 65 cals.

    ^This!!

    I'm currently stone sober as I just had a baby and developed a possible liver issue during the pregnancy so I'm trying to get this sorted out, but from my drinking days... vodka is low in calories. For me, liquor was never the problem. The problem was liquor let my guard down and hellz yes I would like some nachos... lol

    Is it the liquor or the questionable choices later that are holding you back?
  • gnatseyelashes
    gnatseyelashes Posts: 16 Member
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    For some reason, wine makes me hungry, also lowers inhibitions - I was just dinking around,
    not losing weight.

    About a week ago I stopped wine altogether (I don't drink beer or alcohol). Not only am I not
    as hungry, I feel more in control when I actually am and the weight is starting to come off. YAY

    As others have mentioned, planning for the calories is important and if I'm having a special dinner,
    will allow for wine calories - but 5-6 oz's isnt much - and those Reidel glasses are HUGE!
  • fiddletime
    fiddletime Posts: 1,862 Member
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    I like wine but found my alcohol was making up 25-30% of my daily calories. Not good. I switched to scotch and drank much less as I don't like it as much. I'd measure out 1-2 ounces at night. I finally decided I was tired of the calculations, counting and planning, and have stopped all casual drinking. Not at home and not out, except maybe for a very special occasion. My calorie counting life is much easier and I feel better as well.

    I was able to lose the first ten pounds of twenty drinking wine, but then stopped losing.
  • spiffychick85
    spiffychick85 Posts: 311 Member
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    Yep I drink pretty regularly. I've lost all but the last miserable 3lbs of baby weight I have to go...so it can be done. I just made it fit. I drink in the evenings, I measure it out and log it. I don't eat breakfast, and lunch typically comes in around 300-400 calories...dinners typically 400-600 and I average 12,000 to 20,000 steps a day...so I typically have plenty of room for beverages :)

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