Question about losing weight while still drinking alcohol?

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Replies

  • MommyMeggo
    MommyMeggo Posts: 1,222 Member
    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
    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
    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: 28,439 Member
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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.
  • bribucks
    bribucks Posts: 431 Member
    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
    1 oz vodka only = 65 cals.
  • susanofarrell
    susanofarrell Posts: 30 Member
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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: 1,868 Member
    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
    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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