Quit drinking alcohol, not losing weight
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Beautiful__Ending wrote: »You're eating more than you think. Till you accurately measure actual intake, you'll likely be overconsuming calories.
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Yes that's what I just said lol..I was asking how many calories I should be eating to lose..I already stated that I will be focusing more on measurements.
I think what @ninerbuff meant was you're likely not at 2000 calories, meaning the logging is off and you're eating a higher number of calories and therefore not in a caloric deficit.
For the greatest level of accuracy, weigh all solids with a food scale (including pre-packaged foods like frozen meals, protein bars, slices of bread and eggs, etc.) and measure liquids with measuring cups and spoons. Most folks who switch to the from eye-balling or even from just using measuring cups for everything are usually floored to see they're eating hundreds more calories per day than they thought.1 -
Definitely be patient with yourself. I cut out alcohol at the end of July and have lost 3-4 pounds in August, but it didn't happen overnight. I focused on the positive changes I was making though - kept tracking and logging into MFP and kept working out. The weight loss will come. But you do have to be patient as your body is adjusting and healing as many others have said.1
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Beautiful__Ending wrote: »vespiquenn wrote: »suzannesimmons3 wrote: »Buy a scale and use it....then after a few weeks you can see about slowly cutting calories if loss isn't forthcoming. Your body is still healing itself so be kind.
This is one of the best pieces of advice you can receive during a stall (but a week or even two or three isn't considered a stall). Buy a food scale. Weigh everything you eat and use only measuring cups for liquids. Weigh even prepackaged food.
Not drinking alcohol will only help if it brings you into a calorie deficit.
I lost over 50 pounds from 2015-last summer, after the birth of my third child.. but when I got into the alcohol trap last year, I gained most of the weight back. I had a food scale that I used for meats, and measuring cups I used for just about everything else, I didn't weight pre-packaged foods either, honestly I just think that's a little over the top. I just need to get back to measuring, at least close enough, instead of eyeballing everything like I've been doing lately.
Thanks everyone for your advice, I was just thinking of going to 1200 calories because that's how I lost weight previously, but I will try to just work my way down slowly, and exercise 4x a week.
If you are not going to be making changes to your diet that will last the rest of your life, you'll gain back the weight. Cutting down to a drasticly low calorie limit (if you should be losing at 2000, 1200 is drastic) just to lose the weight is going to be a yoyo diet. That is likely why you gained it back in the first place. Try finding a lifestyle that you won't abandon after you hit your target weight (i.e. running in the mornings, making nutritionally dense meals that you enjoy eating, remain aware of portions and nutrition information in every single thing you eat while aiming for a modest deficit, find your ideal macro balance that leaves you feeling good and full more easily, learn to view food as fuel and not as a treat or emotionally satisfying activity)1 -
I drink lots. just work it off.works for me.0
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First of all, congrats on quitting and changing your life. I quit several years ago and it was the hardest, but best, thing I ever did for myself.
I echo what some of the other commenters have said. Give it time. Your organs need to detox and adjust to the new normal. They are still acting like they did when you were drinking. Once they adjust, your body will start to function like it should, and you will lose weight.
Be gentle with yourself!1 -
Beautiful__Ending wrote: »I was drinking about everyday for a year. About 8-9 beers plus a bunch of junk food while intoxicated. I gained 40 pounds. It's been a week since I quit drinking. I've been counting calories but staying about 2000 just because I've just felt really hungry. I haven't lost any weight and I'm a little ticked off. I'm thinking of cutting down to 1200 calories starting tomorrow, having one maintenance days week, and working out 4x a week. Does this seem like a good plan?
I've lost eleven pounds this year. In January 2017, I was 247 lbs and now I am 236 lbs. This is mainly from exercising in the park. I still drink beer regularly, though not everyday, and eat fast food occasionally. You're unfairly blaming the alcohol for the forty pound weight gain. If you don't exercise regularly no amount of counting calories and eliminating beer is going to change your weight.6 -
Beautiful__Ending wrote: »I was drinking about everyday for a year. About 8-9 beers plus a bunch of junk food while intoxicated. I gained 40 pounds. It's been a week since I quit drinking. I've been counting calories but staying about 2000 just because I've just felt really hungry. I haven't lost any weight and I'm a little ticked off. I'm thinking of cutting down to 1200 calories starting tomorrow, having one maintenance days week, and working out 4x a week. Does this seem like a good plan?
I've lost eleven pounds this year. In January 2017, I was 247 lbs and now I am 236 lbs. This is mainly from exercising in the park. I still drink beer regularly, though not everyday, and eat fast food occasionally. You're unfairly blaming the alcohol for the forty pound weight gain. If you don't exercise regularly no amount of counting calories and eliminating beer is going to change your weight.
Umm...no, not true. Losing weight is an effect of burning more calories than you consume. Exercise can help with that, but certainly isn't required.2 -
Losing weight is an effect of burning more calories than you consume. Exercise can help with that, but certainly isn't required. [/quote]
Umm....Yes, it's true. Any nutritionist is going tell you that you need to exercise to burn calories. Saying, "losing weight is an effect of burning more calories than you consume" and exercise "isn't required" makes you look like a damn fool.12 -
Alcohol has a lot of sugar calories (you were probably consuming at least 1350 calories in just alcohol); your body needs time to reset itself. Also, try to log / weigh what you are currently eating, just to give yourself some data points (in terms of when you are hungry and what you are gravitating toward food wise). Sugar / alcohol is really hard to come down off of. Be gentle as you make the transition to a healthier lifestyle.0
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You guys read that she was drinking 8-9 beers per day, right? Regardless of whether she "needs" to stop drinking to lose weight, drinking that volume every day is really bad for your health.
OP - good for you for quitting. Are you going to meetings or anything? There is no shame in any of that!
Personally, I would spend a couple of weeks just being focused on good, healthy food to make sure that you're getting all your vitamins and minerals. Then start worrying about your calories. When my boyfriend stopped drinking he was hungry all the time for about a month. His body was getting used to the reduced calories and I think that's maybe a symptom of detox over the longer term (mental symptom?). It got better though.1 -
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Umm....Yes, it's true. Any nutritionist is going tell you that you need to exercise to burn calories. Saying, "losing weight is an effect of burning more calories than you consume" and exercise "isn't required" makes you look like a damn fool.
You are 100% incorrect. If I burn 2000 calories a day just living life and I eat 1500 calories a day, I will lose weight. I don't need to exercise. Exercise just helps me create a deficit.11 -
Losing weight is an effect of burning more calories than you consume. Exercise can help with that, but certainly isn't required.
Umm....Yes, it's true. Any nutritionist is going tell you that you need to exercise to burn calories. Saying, "losing weight is an effect of burning more calories than you consume" and exercise "isn't required" makes you look like a fool. [/quote]
Nutritionist?! Mmkay.
I'm sure you'll also think this makes me a "damn fool", but there are some clear deficiencies in your understanding of how weight loss works.1 -
Umm....Yes, it's true. Any nutritionist is going tell you that you need to exercise to burn calories. Saying, "losing weight is an effect of burning more calories than you consume" and exercise "isn't required" makes you look like a damn fool.
You are 100% incorrect. If I burn 2000 calories a day just living life and I eat 1500 calories a day, I will lose weight. I don't need to exercise. Exercise just helps me create a deficit.
If I go on the threadmill, I burn calories. If I walk around the park, I burn calories. It's good you're watching what you eat but it's best to exercise. It would be a surprise if any nutritionist would tell you exercising isn't required to lose weight.3 -
Umm....Yes, it's true. Any nutritionist is going tell you that you need to exercise to burn calories. Saying, "losing weight is an effect of burning more calories than you consume" and exercise "isn't required" makes you look like a damn fool.
You are 100% incorrect. If I burn 2000 calories a day just living life and I eat 1500 calories a day, I will lose weight. I don't need to exercise. Exercise just helps me create a deficit.
If I go on the threadmill, I burn calories. If I walk around the park, I burn calories. It's good you're watching what you eat but it's best to exercise. It would be a surprise if any nutritionist would tell you exercising isn't required to burn calories.
If I go on the threadmill, I burn calories. TRUE!
If I walk around the park, I burn calories. ALSO TRUE!
But you also burn calories just being alive! And if your "just being alive" calories (calories out) are greater than the calories you consume (calories in), then VOILA!, you'll lose weight.
Exercise is not required.
Can it be beneficial? Absolutely!
Does it help with the calories out part of the equation? Of course!
But required? Nope.7 -
Umm....Yes, it's true. Any nutritionist is going tell you that you need to exercise to burn calories. Saying, "losing weight is an effect of burning more calories than you consume" and exercise "isn't required" makes you look like a damn fool.
You are 100% incorrect. If I burn 2000 calories a day just living life and I eat 1500 calories a day, I will lose weight. I don't need to exercise. Exercise just helps me create a deficit.
If I go on the threadmill, I burn calories. If I walk around the park, I burn calories. It's good you're watching what you eat but it's best to exercise. It would be a surprise if any nutritionist would tell you exercising isn't required to lose weight.
I've lost weight without exercise. It's not required. It's preferable for most people who are able to for their general health, but it's not required for weight loss.2 -
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suzannesimmons3 wrote: »Honestly scales are not over the top. I will bet you money what you weigh in a cup will be way more than you think....so you "think" you are on 1200 but more than likely you are on 1500+
packages are not allowed to weigh less than stated so to make sure they are not breaking the law they can and do add more to the pack sometimes 10-20% more than stated
actually I have had products weigh less than the package states. not often but it does happen.I have contacted those companies though to let them know.1 -
Umm....Yes, it's true. Any nutritionist is going tell you that you need to exercise to burn calories. Saying, "losing weight is an effect of burning more calories than you consume" and exercise "isn't required" makes you look like a damn fool.
You are 100% incorrect. If I burn 2000 calories a day just living life and I eat 1500 calories a day, I will lose weight. I don't need to exercise. Exercise just helps me create a deficit.
If I go on the threadmill, I burn calories. If I walk around the park, I burn calories. It's good you're watching what you eat but it's best to exercise. It would be a surprise if any nutritionist would tell you exercising isn't required to lose weight.
I lost weight sitting on my butt due to an injury and lost weight with no exercise and lost weight watching my calories. losing weight is really 100% about calorie intake and output, but exercise helps your body in many other ways0 -
Umm....Yes, it's true. Any nutritionist is going tell you that you need to exercise to burn calories. Saying, "losing weight is an effect of burning more calories than you consume" and exercise "isn't required" makes you look like a damn fool.
You are 100% incorrect. If I burn 2000 calories a day just living life and I eat 1500 calories a day, I will lose weight. I don't need to exercise. Exercise just helps me create a deficit.
If I go on the threadmill, I burn calories. If I walk around the park, I burn calories. It's good you're watching what you eat but it's best to exercise. It would be a surprise if any nutritionist would tell you exercising isn't required to lose weight.
I would never trust anything a nutritionist says. Registered Dieticians who actually study nutrition science and are held to a high professional standard say the same thing everybody else is saying: eating fewer calories than you burn will result in weight loss. exercise is not required. Exercise is helpful in creating the deficit but people who are bedridden will lose weight if the are in a calorie deficit.1 -
Losing weight is an effect of burning more calories than you consume. Exercise can help with that, but certainly isn't required.
Umm....Yes, it's true. Any nutritionist is going tell you that you need to exercise to burn calories. Saying, "losing weight is an effect of burning more calories than you consume" and exercise "isn't required" makes you look like a damn fool. [/quote]
Wow, some strong language from someone who is completely incorrect. Seeing that your body burns calories while sleeping, it is fairly obvious that exercise is not necessary to burn calories. Weight loss is about taking in less calories than you consume. Exercise helps burn additional calories but it isn't necessary at all to create a deficit. Before you go around calling other people foolish maybe you should attempt to educate yourself.
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suzannesimmons3 wrote: »Nutritionists. ....I can pay 29.99 and spend 3 hours on an online course to become one.....I. wouldn't trust ANYTHING they said. Excersise is beneficial....is it mandatory for weigh loss....no and if you believe otherwise you need to study science.
Edit to add. ..
How do bedbound unable to move patients lose weight if excersise isn't he only way you can.
You misspelled exercise and weight. Any person can read whatever scientific studies which will tell them what they want to hear. The consensus is eating right and dieting is good for you, but exercise is beneficial.
Nobody is saying it isn't beneficial. What everyone but you is saying is that it isn't required.2 -
suzannesimmons3 wrote: »Nutritionists. ....I can pay 29.99 and spend 3 hours on an online course to become one.....I. wouldn't trust ANYTHING they said. Excersise is beneficial....is it mandatory for weigh loss....no and if you believe otherwise you need to study science.
Edit to add. ..
How do bedbound unable to move patients lose weight if excersise isn't he only way you can.
You misspelled exercise and weight. Any person can read whatever scientific studies which will tell them what they want to hear. The consensus is eating right and dieting is good for you, but exercise is beneficial.
so scientific studies are wrong but a nutritionist who probably has no degree or any real qualifications is correct? anyone these days can become a nutritionist. and most states they dont need a degree or license to practice either and most arent backed by the AMA like dietitians are.0 -
Beautiful__Ending wrote: »Ok thank you. I won't go down to 1200 just yet.. and honestly I have been pretty bad about measuring my food too so maybe I've been eating more than I think, I have to work on that. I didn't really think about my body needing to heal itself.. thank you
Sounds like you have it.
I agree with those who said maybe cut it a little (100 or 200 calories) and mostly tighten up the logging and give it time. And congrats on cutting out the drinking, given the amount that's important for your health!
Makes total sense to focus on making that big change first and your body may take a bit of time to adjust.1 -
Yes, you burn calories from sleeping but it wouldn't be anywhere near as much as lifting weights, jogging, shooting hoops, running on the threadmills, exercise bike, or other forms of exercising.3
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Beneficial does not equal required. Rather than sticking to your guns over your initial statement which you seem to want to do everything you can to not say that you misspoke, why don't you ask your dietician nutritionist if exercise is "required" for weight loss. Let us know what their answer is.3
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Good job! It's a good place to target in your diet...booze is great, makes you feel great. Everybody loves it because it's awesome. But yeah, it's really not the best on your diet and your body.
I think 2000 to 1200 is too big of a jump...don't forget, you don't have to be perfect! You just need progress. Time marches on, and if you make some important changes like...less booze, then...it will WILL show over time.
I suggest you log your calories...I know it's a major pain, but it does help.
I personally have found more success by eating close to a calorie goal, and then well...getting some good exercise in...maybe even A LOT of exercise.
Small changes become big changes.1 -
Yes, you burn calories from sleeping but it wouldn't be anywhere near as much as lifting weights, jogging, shooting hoops, running on the threadmills, exercise bike, or other forms of exercising.
Nobody is disputing that you burn more calories exercising vs sleeping. What people have a problem with is when you said:
"Any nutritionist is going tell you that you need to exercise to burn calories. Saying, "losing weight is an effect of burning more calories than you consume" and exercise "isn't required" makes you look like a damn fool"1 -
fiddletime wrote: »Beneficial does not equal required. Rather than sticking to your guns over your initial statement which you seem to want to do everything you can to not say that you misspoke, why don't you ask your dietician nutritionist if exercise is "required" for weight loss. Let us know what their answer is.
Okay, will do.1 -
Beautiful__Ending wrote: »I was drinking about everyday for a year. About 8-9 beers plus a bunch of junk food while intoxicated. I gained 40 pounds. It's been a week since I quit drinking. I've been counting calories but staying about 2000 just because I've just felt really hungry. I haven't lost any weight and I'm a little ticked off. I'm thinking of cutting down to 1200 calories starting tomorrow, having one maintenance days week, and working out 4x a week. Does this seem like a good plan?
It takes a while to get in to a new routine and there isn't always a loss the first week of a change. I have a mixed drink a couple times per week and I always show a loss the next day so I fit it in to my calories. Be sure you are weighing everything you eat and tracking it, don't guess at it.0
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