Wine and Weight Loss

meganmorsey
meganmorsey Posts: 75
edited October 5 in Health and Weight Loss
Does alcohol have a negative effect on weight loss even if I stay at/under my calorie goal? I don't drink often, but I love a glass of wine with dinner or after a stressful day at work. I haven't had much at all since I started MFP because I'd rather have food calories than drink calories. But I'm really missing wine! I wouldn't drink it every day. Just a glass 2-3 times per week.

Thoughts on alcohol?

Replies

  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    I think it can make you gain water weight... but thats about it.. Esp if your not excessive about it and not eating the typical hung over food fare.

    I don't drink nearly as much as I used to, but I do enjoy a drink or 2 every now and then. So far it hasn't registered as more then a blip on the scale.

    I know that if i was to go back to my college drinking ways, I'd put all this weight back on in no time.
  • grassette
    grassette Posts: 976 Member
    Have a glass of wine with Sunday supper, and use exercise to de-stress the rest of the week. That way you can build up a calorie deficit and have your wine without it having too much of an impact. Exercise is a better way to de-stress than wine is. There is nothing like a hard workout to wipe the slate clean, to get the endomorphins that lift your mood, and improve your body tone over all. It gives you a new mental perspective and you are able to roll over the bumps of life a lot better. Wine on the other hand is a depressant. It relaxes, but does not give you the benefits of exercise for the heart, lungs and soul.
  • magickclaire
    magickclaire Posts: 18
    The real issues with alcohol are the sugars and the dehydrating effect it has on you.

    As long as you're on top of your liquids it shouldn't be too bad, make sure you have your 8glasses of water in the day and maybe a small glass after your wine at night before bed, just to make sure you can wash it all through. If you do that and are under your calories, sugars.etc for the day, it shouldn't have any effect at all : )
  • LisaMariaCallow
    LisaMariaCallow Posts: 170
    I agree with everyone! Exercise is the best way to de-stress, but a glass of wine now & then won't hurt...just drink at least a glass of water with it to dilute it & flush it out of your system.
  • WalkingFlower
    WalkingFlower Posts: 41 Member
    Why not?
    The wine has beneficial effects on human health..

    Some of the beneficial effects:
    Wine optimizing heart rate, oxygen consumption, increasing muscle energy and strength of bones
    Wine reduces the share of "bad" LDL cholesterol levels while increasing "good" HDL cholesterol.
    People who drink wine regularly, but sparingly, are at lower risk to get Alzheimer's disease - it is assumed that this is due to antioxidants in wine.

    One daily glass of wine is not too many calories, i think :)
  • FITnFIRM4LIFE
    FITnFIRM4LIFE Posts: 818 Member
    I have wine with dinner and Love beer. I count it in my weekly goals,and it works for me.
    I try to not deprive. Just moderation:-) Beer to me is like chochlate to some.mmmmmm(Homer simpson noise)
  • meganmorsey
    meganmorsey Posts: 75
    Have a glass of wine with Sunday supper, and use exercise to de-stress the rest of the week. That way you can build up a calorie deficit and have your wine without it having too much of an impact. Exercise is a better way to de-stress than wine is. There is nothing like a hard workout to wipe the slate clean, to get the endomorphins that lift your mood, and improve your body tone over all. It gives you a new mental perspective and you are able to roll over the bumps of life a lot better. Wine on the other hand is a depressant. It relaxes, but does not give you the benefits of exercise for the heart, lungs and soul.

    You are SO right! I do feel great after a good workout. And now that I think about it, those days that I do a good hard workout after work, I don't really feel like having wine. Once a week would be a great compromise.
  • RAFValentina
    RAFValentina Posts: 1,231 Member
    In the military, we're constantly shoved in to briefings on alchocol/sex/drugs/safe behaviour etc.

    Our doctor here said that tee totallers, regardless of how healthy their lifestyle was increased their Relative Risk (RR) of heart and other diesease to 1.0 whereas though who enjoyed some drink in moderation (as a guide, a small glass of red wine 5 times a week - not in one sitting!) in fact lowered their RR to 0.5!!!

    So there are some benefits. Just like any food or drink product, everything in moderation.

    Alcohol can be dehydrating so it's good to make sure you're well hydrated. Also, in my opinion, it should be enjoyed with something such as a meal.

    I tend NOT to drink during the week but will have a glass or two of wine or a G+Slimline T. They are calorific but you can choose better options, sweet white wines are pretty high in calories due to their sugar content, but things like brut champagne tend to have a slightly lower alcohol percentage AND as they're not sweet they have fewer calories... plus I don't tend to neck it back so much and drink less and the drink lasts longer because of the bubbles! Same goes for cheaper alternatives such as Prosecco/Cava/Spumante etc... but I am an officer so my taste is Champagne, Cava or Prosecco! ;)


    Just some thoughts...

    Also mixers in alcohol can be more calorific than the booze themselves... vodka is around ~ 54 calories per UK single unit (25ml) but the mixer such as fruit juice could be 120! So I stick to diet lemonade, diet coke, slimline tonic, soda water and dash of cordial. :)

    Hope that helps.
  • welloiledmachine
    welloiledmachine Posts: 1,147 Member
    Moderation is considered one 5 oz glass per day. You can also get the health benefits from just eating the skin of red grapes. Any more than 5 oz can lead to other problems, but a couple times a week should be okay and help aid in losing weight and other health benefits. I stay away from it as I prefer food calories that make me feel full.
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