Beer Diet Anyone?

incircles_lp2
incircles_lp2 Posts: 132 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I've been on a beer diet recently and I've discovered that for one, I really, really love beer, and for two, beer really loves to keep me from losing weight! I haven't had a beer for a couple weeks now and I have already seen results in weight loss- is this true for others? I've been the same weight for almost two years now and I have been working my butt off. However, the one thing I love to do after a long day at work is to have one or two microbrews or stouts. I think this has been my downfall. I am not a huge beer drinker, but I do love to have one after work or a few on a weekend night.

Has anyone else been on a beer diet? I need some support. It is so much harder than I thought it would be!!! Is there really any benefit of going on one besides losing some weight?

Replies

  • MissAnjy
    MissAnjy Posts: 2,480 Member
    My husband was an alcoholic for many years. He was 450lbs. 2 years ago, he got clean and sober. 9 months after he got sober, he had lost 90lbs. He continues to lose consistently. Hubby's current weight is 238lbs and he's 6'4. He eats whatever he wants, he just doesn't drink.
  • Rjperron
    Rjperron Posts: 150
    I have a hard time cutting back as well. I did realize when I joined MFP how MANY calories I was consuming in alcohol alone, not to mention the calories in bar food. I've switched to only a couple of drinks here and there and a glass of wine at the end of the day. I feel better, I'm sleeping better, and I've seen a difference in my body.

    Bottom line: we can do it!
  • lutzsher
    lutzsher Posts: 1,153 Member
    This has been my biggest challenge myself. I "joke" to people when they comment how dedicated I am because I can stay away from all treats and sweets that "I save my calories for beer". Little do they know just how true that is.
    I also was the person to come home every evening and have a beer or two . . . and usually a few more than that on weekends. My weight slowly crept up over the course of a decade to the point where I was clearly in the obese category.
    I find that I have to completely abstain from all beer for the scale to move at all. I had a function on the weekend and drank 2 beer . . . and Im still trying to get the few pounds off almost a week later . . . Im still 1 pound higher than I was last Friday morning as a result!
    Apparently I love beer more than it loves me back (insert big sigh here).
  • sillygoose1977
    sillygoose1977 Posts: 2,151 Member
    I've been on the beer diet for years. That's how I ended up a chunk. I still love my beer but it is just a weekend thing and I try to keep to light beers. Harder in the cold weather with the yummy winter brews and hard ciders.

    Check out the Like Minded Lush thread under Motivation and Support. For those of us who love our cocktails but know how they affect our weight loss.
  • GorillaNJ
    GorillaNJ Posts: 4,024 Member
    I have all but given up on weekday beers... I do have a glass of wine (regular glass not the half bottle gobblets we got as a wedding gift) with dinner. Saves a lot of calories there.

    Sunday's are my downfall. My buddies come over and everyone picks up a different 6 pack of some microbrews, my one buddy is even making his own now. We watch football drink too much beer... I have lost more on the weeks that we do not get together.
  • balston2010
    balston2010 Posts: 62 Member
    i am also trying to give up beer. not so much during the week but on the weekends too much consumed. I have also been working my butt off and eating decent but the beer is not letting it come off!
  • Egger29
    Egger29 Posts: 14,741 Member
    Hey there,

    I'm both a Sport Conditioning Coach and an avid Homebrewer of 12 years. So how does one fit a healthy lifestyle while still enjoying a brew now and then? It's all a matter of lifestyle.

    Ironically, I used to have this great beer glass that had a Nutrition Label printed on one side, but it broke during a move.

    Anyway, your standard pint is going to be about 150 calories, give or take. In moderation, there's nothing wrong with that and the fact that you enjoy the darker brews (likewise myself) is good as those have been attributed to the same benefits as red wine. (Lowered cholesterol, lowered heart disease risk etc).

    Moderation is the key....if you're having 3-4 a day then you're looking at 600 calories of empty nutritional value.

    But if it fits with your daily calorie allottment and you're physically active in the sense of giving you some breathing space, there's nothing wrong with a pint here and there if that's something you enjoy.

    For what it's worth, I'm on a strict training regimen for my hockey conditioning but still enjoyed the pumpkin pale ale I found on the weekend. That being said...I had one...not six.

    That reminds me...I need to get the Peach Cream Ale started this weekend so that it's ready for Christmas. :-)

    Cheers!
  • melliebee
    melliebee Posts: 187 Member
    The most painful part of my weight loss journey has been the realization that I cannot have a 6 pack of beer and 6 pack abs at the same time. It was a tough choice.. But it had to be made. Vodka diet is my new pal! :)
  • Egger29
    Egger29 Posts: 14,741 Member
    In regards to a "Beer Diet", there is little to no actual nutritional value in a beer, save the 4% Iron content per serving. (No...drinking a 2-4 a day will Not help you from being anemic and is not recommended).

    With anything, it's a personal choice. Alot of people use the claim "I go out with my buddies and..." or "My friends all get together and.." etc. So what? You are the one who decides what you're doing to put into your mouth food and drinkwise.

    I would assume we're all adults on here so just because friends are having a six pack doesn't mean we all have to.

    If you're serious about your personal nutrition for whatever your goals are, then you make the choices yourself for what you put into your body. It's simple as that.

    All the best to you.
  • Rworthy
    Rworthy Posts: 271 Member
    I had a problem in the beginning drinking beers. I would gain a pound or two if I consumed beer on weekends. Now I haven't noticed any change when I do drink. I try to drink only light beers, like Bud light or Bud select. There's also a Bud Select 55 *55 calories; which is pretty good. It does the trick. I know you can also have a shot of liquor, or selzer and liquor, but only like 2 per night, which is very low in calories and has no fat content. The coke or tonic has a lot of sugar, so I wouldn't recommend that.
  • bethvandenberg
    bethvandenberg Posts: 1,496 Member
    yep love the beer. My husband is a brewer and makes the best porter and oatmeal stout. They're fantastic and one night about 3 beers in I asked him what the calories were and he said 436 for 24 oz. OMG that's a meal. I couldn't believe that I'd drank a whole days calories in a couple of hours. It was so yummy but really? For that I would have to walk over 10 miles to burn off.

    So now beer on occasion and I figure that's what it's all about anyway. If I have what I want when I truly want it and know what I have to do to compensate for the calories then that's it. :)

    Good luck
  • zenravn
    zenravn Posts: 3 Member
    I'm just starting out on MFP, and just starting (hopefully) to take losing weight seriously. I knew beer was going to be a problem, especially all of the IPAs and barleywines i love so much. So i'm trying to cut down, though i don't want to limit it to specific days, or even specific amounts, i do want to gain some control in the regulation department, and hopefully with summer coming soon, switch to some lighter beers. tip for all: some stouts, like guinness draught (not the extra stout), are about as low in calories as beer gets, so you don't have to drink only the lightest of light beers, it's more about alcohol content and residual sugars left over from the malt. here's a link to some beer nutritional info. if you can't find the one you're looking for, you can find something similar. good luck to everyone.
    http://www.beer100.com/beercalories.htm
  • sollyn23l2
    sollyn23l2 Posts: 1,755 Member
    sbrewingmarketing wrote: »
    "Although a 'beer diet' might seem enjoyable, it is not a sustainable or healthy approach to nutrition. Beer does not provide essential nutrients necessary for a balanced diet. Moderation is crucial! Enjoy beer as part of a healthy lifestyle, alongside nutritious foods, but do not depend on it as the main component of your diet plan!"

    This post is 14 years old. It's unlikely that any of the commenter's are still on MFP. And while you are correct about only drinking beer, I think you misunderstood what the original poster was saying.

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