Alcohol

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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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  • riffraff2112
    riffraff2112 Posts: 1,757 Member
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    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
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    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: 15,268 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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: 6,472 Member
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    I work out hard all week, I party on all weekend, works for me.
  • cmkruse71
    cmkruse71 Posts: 1 Member
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    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: 13,576 Member
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    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
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    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.

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