Cutting Out the Beer?

MaryPhillips90
MaryPhillips90 Posts: 236 Member
edited November 11 in Food and Nutrition
I like beer, and I have it every so often. I'd say maybe about 4-5 times a month and a good 4-5 beers each time.
Will completely eliminating beer help my weight loss?
Also, I loooove some vodka. How does watermelon vodka and cranberry-apple juice (my FAV drink) settle with dieting/weightloss?
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Replies

  • shovav91
    shovav91 Posts: 2,335 Member
    Alcohol does make you retain water, but you won't truly gain wait from excessive alcohol if you account for the calories and remain at a deficit.
  • katiedid1226
    katiedid1226 Posts: 231 Member
    I have the same problem. I am not strong enough to give up the beer....I love the taste of it (microbrews) which can be as high as 200 calories for each one! Ughhhhh.

    I have been trying to lose weight for a few months now & haven't given up the beer. I also haven't lost any weight, so I fear that I may have to give it up :(
  • HeidiRene
    HeidiRene Posts: 335 Member
    Alcohol slows your metabolism. Eliminating it will help you lose. But, if you want to drink then by all means do. It's fun so why not. However, if you want to lose eliminating alcohol is definitely effective.
  • Hood25
    Hood25 Posts: 201 Member
    I know from experience that it will help! I too love (loved) beer. It turns to sugar or something like that in your body and makes you crave food or at least it did me. I decided to cut it out and it was weird at first because I was used to having a beer with my dinner. Now I just carry around a water bottle and I don't even think about drinking a beer. I don't however deprive myself. I have a few beers maybe twice a month and enjoy every minute of it. You never know till you try! You can do it!
  • chantel14
    chantel14 Posts: 128
    I wasn't able to give up the beer but it does help if you cut back.... 4-5 times a month isn't that bad. I just logged it and drank more on a cheat day :)- and still managed to keep losing. Light beer is a lot better but a little depressing to drink... haha
  • calgarychick2012
    calgarychick2012 Posts: 65 Member
    well i just decided to drink fridays only so i usually end up going over the next day i drink tons of water.Fridays are my cheat day, spike day so i can live with it. I am religious with sunday to monday workouts eating healthy and staying within calorie range. I have heard vodka and soda with lemon or lime or vodka water. still 97 calories the juice and vodka is more then regular beer. so up to you.
  • Realtygal
    Realtygal Posts: 9 Member
    It depends on what type of diet you are on. A low-carb diet permits low-carb beer such as Michelob Ultra Light (2.5 grams of carbs/bottle) and, BTW, distilled alcohol such as vodka. If you're watching calories, maybe not. Keep in mind that alcohol of all types inhibits self-control which could result in falling off the diet-wagon!
  • Corryn78
    Corryn78 Posts: 215
    Pretty sure beer is my dieting downfall.
  • midwifekelley2350
    midwifekelley2350 Posts: 337 Member
    nope, not cutting it out. i go for the real, great tasting beer and have one or two or have a nice glass of wine. quality of life is important to me
  • iNkedFiTmama
    iNkedFiTmama Posts: 277 Member
    I still drink beer :x I just make sure I have the calories for it and drink a crap ton of water the next day..and I mean a CRAP ton of water.
  • Johnny760
    Johnny760 Posts: 30
    I don't think the beer is so much the problem. I think it's the food, that is normally associated with the social situation. Normally, when go out for drinks there is food involved. If you notice most bar food is fried. I think as long as you don't eat the bar food, a few beers won't hurt you.
  • shaycat
    shaycat Posts: 980
    Almost every time I go over my calories it is because of drinking. I dont want to cut it out completely, but I know it is my main problem.
  • doornumber03
    doornumber03 Posts: 221 Member
    I'm a huge craft beer lover and won't cut them out.....Just be smart about it. My wife and I normally will only drink on the weekends now
  • jryan12341
    jryan12341 Posts: 21 Member
    FYI- beer is also known to cause pregnancy, uncontrolled urges, impulse actions and an occasional walk of shame.
  • SMarie10
    SMarie10 Posts: 956 Member
    nope, not cutting it out. i go for the real, great tasting beer and have one or two or have a nice glass of wine. quality of life is important to me
    totally agree. When I have a drink, I go for the good stuff.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,966 Member
    I think cutting it out completely would help. I decided to not drink because I just don't want to drink my calories. When I'm counting calories I just can't stand wasting them on a beverage. But that's your call. There are things that I love and wont give up.. like cookies lol...
  • infamousmk
    infamousmk Posts: 6,033 Member
    As long as you have calories for it - enjoy your beer! I lost 20 pounds in about seven months last year, and I had beer at least three times a week. I did have a couple of months where I only drank on the weekends, but that had a lot to do with how late I was working out, how early I had to get up, and how much more fun it was to anticipate the weekend beers in my future. Lately though, I just make sure I work out and earn the calories to enjoy my beverages when I get home.
  • infamousmk
    infamousmk Posts: 6,033 Member
    FYI- beer is also known to cause pregnancy, uncontrolled urges, impulse actions and an occasional walk of shame.

    False. Poor judgement and lack of self control causes these things.
  • kdeaux1959
    kdeaux1959 Posts: 2,675 Member
    IMHO. All things in moderation. I for one got where I am at by doing things in EXCESS... I now have to undo it by operating at a deficit. It is not so much what you do, but HOW much of it that you do. I do not personally think that 4-5 per month should be a major ;problem; OTOH, 4-5 per DAY would clearly be. I personally don't drink (not my vice... I have others such as diet soda)... but one per week or so should be ok. Let it be your little treat for the week....
  • a_stronger_steph
    a_stronger_steph Posts: 434 Member
    A life without beer would make me a truly sad and crabby person. I drink beer like some people like wine. I stock my beer cabinet according to type/season (IPAs are mostly in the back right now, waiting for summer to call, whereas the barley wines, Trappist ales, and stouts/porters are up at the front and ready to be enjoyed). Giving up beer, for me, was never even on the table. I did cut back, but didn't eliminate, because I was aiming to modify my eating habits in a sustainable way. It didn't negatively affect my weight loss that I can tell, anyways! Would I have lost faster if I'd given it up? Maybe. But for me, it wouldn't have been worth it.
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
    has never been a problem for me....I don't like beer most of the time..(sometimes a really cold one on a hot day.....) Most beers are pretty high in calories, though, and it looks like it goes straight where no one wants it---they don't call it a beer belly for nothing!
  • xoFlo
    xoFlo Posts: 28 Member
    I too am a beer lover! Tempted by beers, popcorn, cookies more so than wine and candy. I drink the bud 55 (pitiful, I know-but still...) raaaawther often and the microbrews (YUM!) only as a special treat (or when I'm blowing it).
    I agree, life simply requires a beer every now and then.
  • HonkyTonks
    HonkyTonks Posts: 1,193 Member
    Just count them as calories consumed and don't overdo it. It is not going to slow your weight loss really any more than eating 100-150 calories of anything.
  • smokinjackd
    smokinjackd Posts: 341
    I tried cutting it out completely the first month with mixed success. Ok, failed miserably. Thanks to this app though I am able to moderate my food during the day to accommodate a beer or two. And because I'm honest to myself, I learn from my beerstakes when I over consume.
  • b0t23
    b0t23 Posts: 260 Member
    giving up alcohol for a few months really helped me with that initial weight loss

    but now I can enjoy it again as long as I stay within my allotted calories.

    you may see a one or two day weight gain but it will not make you gain weight in and of itself.
  • zincalloy
    zincalloy Posts: 43
    I don't mean to sound rude but doesn't the beer you drink in the States count towards your daily water intake?

    Cos if it's as weak as some of the American beers they sell over here in England then it should be classified as water. ;-)

    Myself, I couldn't dream of giving up red wine, brandy or bottled cider. Nothing beats an ice cold Magners on a sunny day.
  • a_stronger_steph
    a_stronger_steph Posts: 434 Member
    I don't mean to sound rude but doesn't the beer you drink in the States count towards your daily water intake?

    Cos if it's as weak as some of the American beers they sell over here in England then it should be classified as water. ;-)

    Myself, I couldn't dream of giving up red wine, brandy or bottled cider. Nothing beats an ice cold Magners on a sunny day.

    I used to think the same way (I'm Canadian), until I discovered microbreweries. There is an amazing craft brewing culture in the US, and they are producing some outstanding beers. Check out the breweries of Souther Tier, Dogfish Head, Rogue, Stone, and Avery, to name but a few... they make some seriously delectable stuff!
  • WingMan380
    WingMan380 Posts: 2,139 Member
    I drink 1-2 glasses of red wine a day for the cardiovascular benefits. At the beginning of the day, I go ahead and log in at least 1 glass and if I have a couple extra calories come night time and things are going well................ At 44 calories for a 5 ozs, pour the lady and I another glass!
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    Just count them as calories consumed and don't overdo it. It is not going to slow your weight loss really any more than eating 100-150 calories of anything.

    Yup, I'd agree with this.
    The tricky thing with alcohol though is that it can impair your judgement, and can lead to the need to eat a cheeseburger (or three) at 1am. Try to keep the amount your have each time to one or two - I alternate beer or cider (or any alcoholic drink) with a plain soda water. This works well because it cuts down my calories but I still have a fizzy drink in a glass so it doesn't look and feel like you are missing out.
  • penney88
    penney88 Posts: 32 Member
    Why cut it out...I just work harder so I can have it :happy:
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