Alcohol

2

Replies

  • 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: 353 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.
  • hj_man7211
    hj_man7211 Posts: 10 Member
    I like to keep it small and in moderation. I love a glass of wine with dinner but i only do that if I'm out. I also make sure the food i eat is low in carbs and sugar. Most alcohol is high in both.

  • JustDoIt987
    JustDoIt987 Posts: 120 Member
    Thank you guys for your awesome support and help !
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,521 Member
    The Barwnaked Ladies said it all:

    https://youtu.be/5kAJOSCyTB0
  • StealthHealth
    StealthHealth Posts: 2,417 Member
    I can't seem to do it. I can usually work the calories into my daily or weekly allowance but I can't seem to keep my fingers out of the cookie jar once I've got a beer or two inside me.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
    hj_man7211 wrote: »
    I like to keep it small and in moderation. I love a glass of wine with dinner but i only do that if I'm out. I also make sure the food i eat is low in carbs and sugar. Most alcohol is high in both.

    Most alcohol is relatively low in carbs and sugar. Beer can be high in carbs and mixers may be high in carbs/sugar, but distilled liquors and wine are usually pretty low. Sweet wines will have more but dry wines have very little.
  • clayelliott847
    clayelliott847 Posts: 125 Member
    Let's remember if you eat before, alcohol will not hit you as hard. I remember college girls would not eat before a night of drinking, so they would have the calories. They would be drunk off their *kitten* and do stupid things.
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,675 Member
    I drink one or two beers or a glass of wine a couple of times a week. I have two major indulgences - beer and ice cream. If I'm trying to lose weight, I stop both, because they are both luxuries. If I exercise enough I can have one or the other, rarely both. It's a trade-off. If I drink more I have to eat less. I like to eat. I also like the occasional drink, but I can live without it.
  • dieselbyte
    dieselbyte Posts: 733 Member
    dieselbyte wrote: »
    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.
    ...

    This doesn't make sense to me. What difference does it make what order your body metabolizes calories? If you eat 100 calories, 50 protein, 50 fat, or you eat (and drink) 100 calories, 40 protein, 40 fat, 20 alcohol... aren't the CICO results the same?

    You *might* get more micronutrients from the protein/fat food combo, but that depends on what you eat. If you're already getting the micros you need, I don't see what the problem would be.

    Yes, CICO results are the same, but that wasn't my point. The point I was making wasn't solely about order of calories metabolized. OP stated he drank a lot, then made poor food decisions on top of that. My first point was about excess calories from alcohol coupled with excess calories from food. Order does not matter, I was just illustrating how not factoring alcohol into your plan can lead to unwanted results.
  • Stacyines
    Stacyines Posts: 72 Member
    edited August 2017
    I actually believe alcohol attributed to my 15lb weight gain. I was eating about the same for the exception of my drinking.
    I did HOWEVER go out drinking on Sunday. I lost 6 pounds that night. My skin looked fabulous too, BUT it was obviously dehydration. As soon as I drank a couple of cups of water it was back up 6 lbs and a very puffy face.

    I've had the worst trouble cutting alcohol from my diet. Usually giving in to one drink or two a week which coincidentally not loosing any weight either.