Drinking

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monicakelly21
monicakelly21 Posts: 63
in Food and Nutrition
I am 22...I drink maybe once a week. I probably would be in the category of binge drinking, but you know I am 22 and just having fun. One thing about it is I can lose weight and then the weekend comes and I drink and then all the weight I lost I gain back. Is there anything you guys can recommend to help me...maybe certain types of drinks, or perhaps what to do the next day to work off the alcohol consumed the night before.

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  • monicakelly21
    monicakelly21 Posts: 63
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    I am 22...I drink maybe once a week. I probably would be in the category of binge drinking, but you know I am 22 and just having fun. One thing about it is I can lose weight and then the weekend comes and I drink and then all the weight I lost I gain back. Is there anything you guys can recommend to help me...maybe certain types of drinks, or perhaps what to do the next day to work off the alcohol consumed the night before.
  • bluestime
    bluestime Posts: 31
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    I say drink way more than you should so that you're throwing up everywhere the next morning. You should lose a lot of weight that way. Just kidding. I couldn't resist.

    I'm not a drinker but when I switched to diet soft drinks I saved on the calories big time since they don't have any. Let's face it. When diet coke and diet snapple peach tea has zero calories that means I can drink as much as I want. Of course, I didn't like the taste at first. I bet you could switch to the light beers. After awhile it will taste normal to you. Condition yourself to like it. You'll be thanking me later.
  • age1389
    age1389 Posts: 1,160 Member
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    Not sure about low cal drinks but after a night of drinking extra WATER will really help and needed:drinker:
  • Panthera
    Panthera Posts: 23
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    I got this info from the University of Rochester website:

    Calorie Reducing Tips
    Try alternating alcoholic drinks with low calorie non-alcoholic drinks or water.
    Ask for low calorie / diet mixers where possible.
    Make your wine into a spritzer (a longer drink), or your lager into a shandy - both have fewer calories.
    Substitute your "alcopop" for a shot of spirit and a low calorie mixer - about a quarter of the calories!
    Plan your alcohol into your daily calorie quota so you can enjoy a glass or two. If you know you will be drinking during the weekend, try to save some calories each day in advance, so you can eat normally before you go out.
    Don't be tempted to skip meals to allow for drinks, as alcohol won't satisfy your hunger. In fact, alcohol lowers blood sugar levels (it prevents sugar that is normally stored in the liver, as glycogen, from breaking down). A drop in blood sugar levels sends signals to the brain you are hungry. With alcohol in your system, willpower can go out of the window and the snack attacks kick in. Eating a proper meal before you go out will line your stomach and slow the rate at which alcohol absorbs into your bloodstream, keeping you in control of how much you eat and drink.

    As for me, I like wine and I will often use diet Fresca with it. It is a bit sacriligeous, but I get fewer calories!
  • pete
    pete Posts: 76 Member
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    Not a very practical solution, but here it is:

    How about drinking really expensive wine?
    You could savor some good stuff and not have to worry about the calories.
    You can worry about your cash-flow instead. ;-)
    The expense will naturally limit how much you drink.
    You would probably not even have to deal with a hangover the next day.
  • tuber311
    tuber311 Posts: 15
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    Keep this in mind:

    Fat in food has 9 calories per gram
    Protein in food has 4 calories per gram
    Carbs in food has 4 calories per gram

    Alcohol (whether in wine, beer, or liquor) has 7 calories per gram. There's a reason alcohol doesn't have nutrition labels.

    I know that drinking is part of a good time, but for losing weight AND MORE IMPORTANT YOUR LIFELONG HEALTH, don't binge drink. Or at least challenge yourself to limiting it to once per month instead of once per week.
  • catlover
    catlover Posts: 389
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    My husband switched from the high calorie mixes to things like soda water or even plain water and I know lots of women that use diet drinks. I don't know the calorie count on alcohol since I don't drink anymore, but you might think about those things. This is bad, I know, but you could do what others suggested about candy and sweet treats and add it into your daily allowance. :wink:
  • jessneill
    jessneill Posts: 380 Member
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    I've had to deal with this as well. If you are a wine drinker I would try and stick to either wine or light beer.

    A glass of white wine is 70 calories.

    An interesting thing I've noticed since I've been working out and eating healthy over the last month is that it takes a lot less alcohol to give me a nice buzz. I'm turning into a lightweight! In more ways than one. :smile: A couple glasses of wine and I'm good, more than that and it's not pretty.

    :smile:
  • mjfer123
    mjfer123 Posts: 1,234 Member
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    As a fellow 22 year old I feel your pain.
    I too have this problem.
    Luckily Im no longer IN college or there would be more drinking.
    However, Gin and Tonic is a very low carb drink if you like the taste of juniper (kind of pine needley)
    Anything and tonic really is good, so try vodka tonic.
    Another gin drink is a Tom Collins, but they tend to go overboard on the sour mix.

    Light beers vary in calories but the more like water it tastes, the more like water it is. Bud Select does a good job in balancing calories and taste.

    I liked the idea about shaving calories during the week, I hadnt thought of that, to think I graduated as an engineer.

    Also, once you start losing weight, like jessneill said, you start feeling it more.

    Im a 6'6" guy and Im starting to feel it after just a few drinks, so its def easier to trim back on intake and the wallet is also a little thicker now too :happy: :laugh:

    So there it is, the diet drunk menu.

    Stay away from the Smirnoff ice's and sugar loaded malt drinks.
    Try using diet mixers, ie rum and diet coke or diet cranberry and vodka.

    It all depends on if your out or at a house party too.
    Bars dont like making specialty drinks usually, they have plenty of other patrons lined up.
    Good luck and the best idea is to limit your time drinking, eat a full meal before you drink with lots of water.

    You cant drink as much if youre already full.
  • dmflynt
    dmflynt Posts: 196
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    We switched to diet mixers for our drinks.....diet ginger ale and whiskey, diet Pepsi (not Coke) and rum, and diet cranberry soda and vodka. Took a little getting used to, but now drinks taste funny with regular mixers!

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