Alcohol

JustDoIt987
JustDoIt987 Posts: 120 Member
edited November 20 in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Do you guys manage to drink alcohol and still maintain your weight? How often do you drink and what do you usually drink? Yesterday I drank 5 glasses diet coke with vodka and 2 shots of whiskey , but then I got really hungry and ended up eating A LOT ! Hopefully it wont show that much on the scale !
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Replies

  • Tim_Redfearn
    Tim_Redfearn Posts: 33 Member
    Try eating smaller meals if you know you are going to be drinking and doing an extra bit of cardio to help balance it out. That's what I try to do
  • rsclause
    rsclause Posts: 3,103 Member
    No food problems related to alcohol but if I run 25+ miles a week I can fit my booze in and maintain or even lose if I don't drink beer all day during the weekend. I have 4 oz. scotch, 1/2 bottle wine and a beer daily.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I drink most days and have no problem cutting weight or maintaining so long as my exercise stays consistent. I'm active pretty much 6-7 days per week.

    In the winter my activity typically drops and I usually put on about 10 lbs but it comes right off when it starts getting nice again and I resume my normal schedule.

    This year ill have my indoor trainer and I also belong to a climbing gym so things should go better this winter
  • Tweaking_Time
    Tweaking_Time Posts: 733 Member
    I lost 75 pounds in 18 months while drinking beer or bourbon. Just count the calories.
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
    I only drink once a week when working on a specific goal - for me I sometimes lose willpower when I drink.

    I do try to drink Tito's and soda (or Le Croix) which doesn't typically hinder any progress. Only certified gluten free vodka out there. ;)
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
    I still drink once in a while (like right now) but I keep it to one, maybe 2 Titos or red wine. I had to give up Chardonnay altogether because I guzzle it like water. Literally.
  • jenifer7teen
    jenifer7teen Posts: 205 Member
    edited July 2017
    Yeah chardonnay is so drinkable on hot summer days. I've thrown in more red wine because it's less refreshing and slows my consumption down.....a bit...
  • clayelliott847
    clayelliott847 Posts: 125 Member
    Just be careful with meds. Like Metformin for Diabetes can lead to Lactic acidosis. Obviously, a regular drinker or a binge drinker.
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 6,009 Member
    dieselbyte wrote: »
    Try eating smaller meals if you know you are going to be drinking and doing an extra bit of cardio to help balance it out. That's what I try to do

    Agree to work it into your day, but doing extra cardio to balance out can be unhealthy mentally - no need to punish yourself for making a choice. All foods, and drinks, can be enjoyed in moderation, without feeling guilty.

    The issue with alcohol is two-fold. While technically its 7kcals/gram, our bodies view it as a toxin, and works actively to metabolize or excrete it, stalling the metabolism of other foods. Couple this with the food decisions one makes when drunk, and you can see where that leads lol. The other issue is the impact the next day. Does it derail training because you are hungover or not feeling up to it? Do you spend most of the day sedentary?

    Again, everything and anything can be enjoyed in moderation. Work it into your goals if you can.

    ^^^All of this...
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,610 Member
    Now well into my 2nd year of maintenance, I eat slightly below maintenance most days to allow for a very indulgent day once a week or so.

    The indulgent days pretty much always include alcohol, but maybe 2-4 drinks typically (not 7). There's only so much a l'il ol' lady (61, 5'5", weight in 120s) oughta be drinking, y'know, especially if she has to drive (in which case fewer, and with food!).

    Other days - the lower cal ones - I might have a drink, possibly 2, if I've already hit protein, fat, and veggie/fruit goal minimums and still have the calories left. It trades off against other calorie -dense treat foods. Frequency varies, but maybe 3x a week on average in summer, less in winter (fewer activity calories)?

    Drinking does sometimes lead to over-eating for me, though, especially if sleep was also sub-par, or there are social triggers. It's something I'm still working on.

    IME, the body almost seems to shrug off a way-over-goal day if it's exceedingly rare, but mine doesn't shrug off the once-a-week-ish ones: I have to account for those.
  • hrush1889
    hrush1889 Posts: 56 Member
    I think its perfectly normal to want to drink sometimes, an evening drink or so doesn't matter too much. But if I am drinking at a social event or something on the weekend I try to hit the gym or do a long morning run before hand so that I have some extra calories to work with and that way you can enjoy yourself and relax about it. Also another suggestion is mixing your liquor with low cal seltzer, flavored waters, or low cal juices.
  • krael65
    krael65 Posts: 306 Member
    Yep. I usually drink three days a week, a couple glasses of red wine. (OK, they may be "large pours"). I pre-log the wine calories at the start of my day and I just fit them in. I don't tend to eat while I'm drinking, so that's not a problem for me. I did this all through losing and while maintaining. There are days when I have more than my 2 glasses :) .... the occasional party and whatnot. But it all evens out.
  • ritzvin
    ritzvin Posts: 2,860 Member
    Do you guys manage to drink alcohol and still maintain your weight? How often do you drink and what do you usually drink? Yesterday I drank 5 glasses diet coke with vodka and 2 shots of whiskey , but then I got really hungry and ended up eating A LOT ! Hopefully it wont show that much on the scale !

    If I feel like spurging a bit, then some wine. Usually, liquor + calorie-free diluent (as in rum + diet soda, or cherry vodka + club soda,...) = calories for the 1.5 oz of liquor only (slightly less than 100 calories). I have in the past occasionally asked for only 1 oz or half a shot rather than the standard pour if I'm watching calories.

    I usually only drink when I'm out dancing, and unless it is a follow-heavy venue, I can typically burn off at least 1-2 of them.

    I'm a very short female, so the calories in bar food (pretty much ANY bar food) are ridiculously higher than what I can fit into a meal and so not worth it - I don't think I'd eat it even if I was drunk at this point. (If I cycle hills as fast as I can for 2 hours, then I can pretty much make room for half a burger & fries..otherwise, um no.).
  • STEVE142142
    STEVE142142 Posts: 867 Member
    Alcohol is just a different source of calories. You can eat Snickers bars and drink vodka and still lose weight. Wouldn't recommend it because of what it would do to your body but you have to look at it this way a calorie is a calorie as far as weight loss.

    To put things in perspective started my weight-loss Journey January 1st 2016. Lost 80 lb in approximately 8 months and I've been basically maintaining for 10-plus months.

    In 2016 I went on vacation 3 times each time I drank too much I ate too much there were days in fact multiple days where I drank my calorie limit. I still managed to lose weight during that time and I've also maintained it during that time.

    For this to work this has to be a lifetime commitment and it has to be sustainable. If you give up stuff you enjoy it won't work. I still enjoy the occasional Wendy's hamburger slice of pizza and beers on the beach if I had to give those things up I could have never done it
  • need2belean
    need2belean Posts: 358 Member
    Do you guys manage to drink alcohol and still maintain your weight? How often do you drink and what do you usually drink? Yesterday I drank 5 glasses diet coke with vodka and 2 shots of whiskey , but then I got really hungry and ended up eating A LOT ! Hopefully it wont show that much on the scale !

    Of course! As long as it fits in your plan why wouldn't you? I drink a glass or two a couple nights a week and maybe about 3.5 glasses on weekends unless it's a planned event (birthday party/graduation party etc).
  • PaulaS1220
    PaulaS1220 Posts: 61 Member
    Alcohol is just a different source of calories....


    For this to work this has to be a lifetime commitment and it has to be sustainable. If you give up stuff you enjoy it won't work. I still enjoy the occasional Wendy's hamburger slice of pizza and beers on the beach if I had to give those things up I could have never done it

    Yes, this!

    I drink a beer (and not usually a light one, either) probably 5 days a week. There's nothing better after a hot run, LOL! But, I almost never have more than one, maybe on a weekend I'll have two. So, it's about moderation and of course, I log them all.

  • rakshamv
    rakshamv Posts: 4 Member
    I am like you when it comes to drinking with pals. I stick with grilled vegetables and fruits with drinks and I keep eating while drinking. It helps the next day on the scale.
  • V4kerker
    V4kerker Posts: 33 Member
    Do you guys manage to drink alcohol and still maintain your weight? How often do you drink and what do you usually drink? Yesterday I drank 5 glasses diet coke with vodka and 2 shots of whiskey , but then I got really hungry and ended up eating A LOT ! Hopefully it wont show that much on the scale !

    If it doesn't show up on the scale where do you think it's going to show up? 455-700(depends on proof) calories has to go somewhere.

    Yes I drink ALCOHOL and I've been losing weight since April, but it's been showing up on my scale as 16 extra POUNDS I could've lost since last April.
    I think one of these days I'm going to be sick and tired of being sick and tired.
  • rimir74
    rimir74 Posts: 29 Member
    I drink just one beer at a time - generally/ only on Friday and Saturday nights.

    I add the beer to my daily calorie allowance at the start of those days. This ensures I have minimal chance of exceeding the calorie count for that day.

    (I've been on maintenance/ slowly losing routine for about the last year.)
  • Misskcm
    Misskcm Posts: 143 Member
    I have started to drink once every 9 days. Keeps tolerance down so I drink less and I spend a lot less money.

    I'm a drunk eater too. Like eat an entire bag of family sized Doritos in 30 minutes. I know it is gross. But I eat less if I have a small meal before I drink.

    Just moderate. That's the most important thing.
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