Alcohol

GeologyLady8
GeologyLady8 Posts: 7 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
My motto is “a drink is a sandwich,” and I keep telling myself this. If we’re trying to lose weight, it’s pretty much a given that we stave off alcohol. It’s also easy after a couple of drinks to lose all food inhibitions and eat the world’s fried and junk foods. This is all an obstacle for me since I spend a lot of time going out to shows or hanging out with friends at bars. Does anybody have any tips for nonalcoholic options to order?
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Replies

  • riffraff2112
    riffraff2112 Posts: 1,756 Member
    Most people here will tell you that its not a given that you have to give up alcohol. I definitely agree that one drink tends to lead to two (and on and on), and can cause you to eat more than you wanted as you lose your inhibitions and focus, but the key is to make things fit and try to enjoy your calories without giving up things that you like.

    I simply place a two drink limit on myself, and drink as much water as possible. Probably not the best advice but I have never been a huge drinker anyway.

    If you go out a lot, this could be a major roadblock. Good luck.

  • piguy8373
    piguy8373 Posts: 1 Member
    Non alcoholic beer! Pros: Very little alcohol, it contains vitamins( I remember Runner’s world ran an article encouraging drinking a na beer from time for this reason), it’s sort of like what everyone else is having. Cons: it still contains some alcohol and calories, taste(to me it’s like someone made a beer flavored soft drink), everyone will wonder why your drinking a near beer at a bar. On that note the classic non alcoholic drink at a bar is club soda with a lime wedge. The reason being it looks like it’s a cocktail bonus calorie free!
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    I like club soda and cranberry or I bring water flavour with me in my purse...but I often will get vodka added to it.

    @40 calories a drink I can afford it and the sammich/pizza at the end of the night if I so choose.

    I often don't tho...not interested in food after drinking...I am interested in sleeping.
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
    If I'm out with friends and I don't want a drink, I get a diet coke.
    If I want to drink, I prelog the drinks. It can also be helpful to think of your calories for the week instead of the day.
  • GeologyLady8
    GeologyLady8 Posts: 7 Member
    riffraff2112 wrote: »
    Most people here will tell you that its not a given that you have to give up alcohol. I definitely agree that one drink tends to lead to two (and on and on), and can cause you to eat more than you wanted as you lose your inhibitions and focus, but the key is to make things fit and try to enjoy your calories without giving up things that you like.

    I simply place a two drink limit on myself, and drink as much water as possible. Probably not the best advice but I have never been a huge drinker anyway.

    If you go out a lot, this could be a major roadblock. Good luck.

    Yeah, I also just realized that whether or not avoiding alcohol calories has an impact on weight loss really depends on your size and goals. I’m a 5’3 female with a calorie goal of 1200-1400 a day, so two drinks is almost a meal for me. Also, since I’m a smaller, I have no tolerance and will exercise poor food judgment after just one or two (haha, it’s funny that’s the first inhibition I lose).
  • GeologyLady8
    GeologyLady8 Posts: 7 Member
    tracymegan wrote: »
    Alcohol stops your metabolism while your body gets rid of the toxins. The plan I follow penalizes alcohol with 10 grams of fat in addition to varying carbs depending on the type of alcohol. Since I only get 64 grams of fat a day...I keep the alcohol under control.

    Woah, that’s really helpful to know! What plan do you follow? Do you have any resources about this link between alcohol and metabolism?
  • nicolega2001
    nicolega2001 Posts: 48 Member
    I'm not a big drinker but when I do want a drink I find one that I like that fits into my calorie allotment for the day. I think you can drink in moderation and still lose weight, but the reality is that binge drinking is probably going to cost too many calories.
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,474 Member
    I work out hard all week, I party on all weekend, works for me.
  • cmkruse71
    cmkruse71 Posts: 1 Member
    I'm following a Ketogenic Diet and so I look for the things that are going to limit my carbs. I have found that red wine, vodka soda with lime, and Michelob Ultra are the best choices for me. I understand that Ultra isn't the greatest beer but if I'm after a cold beer on a hot day, it hits the spot.

    Fun Fact: champagne has the fewest carbs of all wines (1g), red wine is next (2g) and then white wine (3). Good luck with your journey!
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    I didn't give up alcohol for weight loss. But I also don't overeat just because I have a drink.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    edited October 2017
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    tracymegan wrote: »
    Alcohol stops your metabolism while your body gets rid of the toxins. The plan I follow penalizes alcohol with 10 grams of fat in addition to varying carbs depending on the type of alcohol. Since I only get 64 grams of fat a day...I keep the alcohol under control.

    um..if your metabolism stops you die...*cough* so no alcohol doesn't stop it.

    This^. But what alcohol does do is stop the liver from metabolizing fat until the alcohol is cleared. Your liver disposes of blood alcohol at the rate of .016% per hour. That is about 1 to 1.5 ounces of liquor, depending on proof, 1 beer or about 4 to 5 oz of wine. So, if you have 3 drinks over a couple of hours, you are not metabolizing fat for about 3 hours. Done chronically it may affect weight loss. Done occasionally, probably not a big deal.
  • MegaMooseEsq
    MegaMooseEsq Posts: 3,118 Member
    mmapags wrote: »
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    tracymegan wrote: »
    Alcohol stops your metabolism while your body gets rid of the toxins. The plan I follow penalizes alcohol with 10 grams of fat in addition to varying carbs depending on the type of alcohol. Since I only get 64 grams of fat a day...I keep the alcohol under control.

    um..if your metabolism stops you die...*cough* so no alcohol doesn't stop it.

    This^. But what alcohol does do is stop the liver from metabolizing fat until the alcohol is cleared. Your liver disposes of blood alcohol at the rate of .016% per hour. That is about 1 to 1.5 hours of liquor, depending on proof, 1 beer or about 4 to 5 oz of wine. So, if you have 3 drinks over a couple of hours, you are not metabolizing fat for about 3 hours. Done chronically it may affect weight loss. Done occasionally, probably not a big deal.

    Huh, that is interesting. As a regular drinker, I definitely notice a bit of a lag between nights out and dropping weight, although I credit most of that to water weight and goofing up my digestive cycle.The deficit math always works out within a few days, though, so I'm not sure any effects are long-term. Or else I'm just not drinking enough. :smile:
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
    MegaMooseEsq wrote: »
    mmapags wrote: »
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    tracymegan wrote: »
    Alcohol stops your metabolism while your body gets rid of the toxins. The plan I follow penalizes alcohol with 10 grams of fat in addition to varying carbs depending on the type of alcohol. Since I only get 64 grams of fat a day...I keep the alcohol under control.

    um..if your metabolism stops you die...*cough* so no alcohol doesn't stop it.

    This^. But what alcohol does do is stop the liver from metabolizing fat until the alcohol is cleared. Your liver disposes of blood alcohol at the rate of .016% per hour. That is about 1 to 1.5 hours of liquor, depending on proof, 1 beer or about 4 to 5 oz of wine. So, if you have 3 drinks over a couple of hours, you are not metabolizing fat for about 3 hours. Done chronically it may affect weight loss. Done occasionally, probably not a big deal.

    Huh, that is interesting. As a regular drinker, I definitely notice a bit of a lag between nights out and dropping weight, although I credit most of that to water weight and goofing up my digestive cycle.The deficit math always works out within a few days, though, so I'm not sure any effects are long-term. Or else I'm just not drinking enough. :smile:

    See, I'm the opposite. If I drink more than a little, but don't scarf down the nachos and potato skins, I'll have dropped by the next morning. I know it's the diuretic effect and not fat loss, but the scale will be down. It will go back up again.
  • Sunnybrooke99
    Sunnybrooke99 Posts: 369 Member
    edited October 2017
    That’s so funny bc I kinda tell myself the opposite! “That bag of chips is a glass of wine” lol. I would trade it for nutrition food, but it keeps me from the empty calorie snacks. You really learn where your priorities lie when you start counting calories!
  • debrag12
    debrag12 Posts: 1,071 Member
    edited October 2017
    I only drink ale sometimes bailey and wine. I don't go for the super weak ales (or largers) either. I don't tend to eat anything afterwards (unless I haven't had dinner), that and I fall a sleep as soon as I get home ;)

    I went to an Octoberfest on 7th October and I'm going to an ale festival this Saturday.

    You don't have to give up anything, just fit it into your day, have some control. I never used to and still don't on occasion, I just take out less money, it is expensive after all. I also try to pre-log even though most ales aren't in the database so I pick one at the same %.

    It all helps my BMs too ;)
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    i drink what i want.

    i make it fit, or am over for the day.

    not a big deal.

    but then, i dont drink very often so, theres that.

    BUT when i lost the majority of my weight, i was on a back deck drinking every saturday night (and sometimes friday too). i used to say i worked out for my beer ;)
  • maura_tasi
    maura_tasi Posts: 196 Member
    I'm a big fan of vodka sodas with lime (like many others have suggested!). I tend to not drink during the week unless it's an occasional glass of red wine after work, however, I'm more socialable on the weekends. I LOVE craft beer but I limit myself to one or two of those and then switch to vodka sodas throughout the rest of the night. I also alternate every other drink with water (mostly because I'm a light weight and will be drunk too quick if I don't lol). I'm a bad drunk snacker so when I get home I try to make a b line straight to my bed haha. I do sometimes find myself at those by the slice pizza places though
  • rugratz2015
    rugratz2015 Posts: 593 Member
    piguy8373 wrote: »
    Non alcoholic beer! Pros: Very little alcohol, it contains vitamins( I remember Runner’s world ran an article encouraging drinking a na beer from time for this reason), it’s sort of like what everyone else is having. Cons: it still contains some alcohol and calories, taste(to me it’s like someone made a beer flavored soft drink), everyone will wonder why your drinking a near beer at a bar. On that note the classic non alcoholic drink at a bar is club soda with a lime wedge. The reason being it looks like it’s a cocktail bonus calorie free!

    My husband is off drink for health reasons and he went away for a stags weekend (about 20 lads) and drank non alcohol beer all weekend. no one realised he wasn't drinking.

    Driving is also a good excuse to not drink.
  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
    tracymegan wrote: »
    Alcohol stops your metabolism while your body gets rid of the toxins. The plan I follow penalizes alcohol with 10 grams of fat in addition to varying carbs depending on the type of alcohol. Since I only get 64 grams of fat a day...I keep the alcohol under control.

    Nope. There is no detectable decrease in metabolic activity. This is nonsense.
  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
    Just log it and move on. Alcohol is no different than any other item with calories. Try and find the closest equivalent and log it.

  • mtbusse73
    mtbusse73 Posts: 93 Member
    GeologyLady8 wrote: »
    riffraff2112 wrote: »
    Most people here will tell you that its not a given that you have to give up alcohol. I definitely agree that one drink tends to lead to two (and on and on), and can cause you to eat more than you wanted as you lose your inhibitions and focus, but the key is to make things fit and try to enjoy your calories without giving up things that you like.

    I simply place a two drink limit on myself, and drink as much water as possible. Probably not the best advice but I have never been a huge drinker anyway.

    If you go out a lot, this could be a major roadblock. Good luck.

    Yeah, I also just realized that whether or not avoiding alcohol calories has an impact on weight loss really depends on your size and goals. I’m a 5’3 female with a calorie goal of 1200-1400 a day, so two drinks is almost a meal for me. Also, since I’m a smaller, I have no tolerance and will exercise poor food judgment after just one or two (haha, it’s funny that’s the first inhibition I lose).

    WOW...very low calorie goal. How many pounds per week are you trying to lose?

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