Cutting Out the Beer?

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  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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: 6,554 Member
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    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
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    Why cut it out...I just work harder so I can have it :happy:
  • pinupgirl333
    pinupgirl333 Posts: 8
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    I'm in the same boat girl. I love my beer and shots. I usually drink Fridays and Saturdays but I'm trying to cut down to 1 and drinking only Skinny *****es and limiting my beer intake. I drink Coors light but that doesn't help when you drink 5 lol
  • infamousmk
    infamousmk Posts: 6,033 Member
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    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.


    HAHAHHAHAH. No. Craft beer in the US is freaking amazing. Please do not think of Coors, Miller, Budweiser, etc. as the figureheads of American beer. I could rattle off two dozen flavourful, high ABV, truly delicious and well-crafted beers and that wouldn't even be the tip of the iceberg. (you may find me around the internet as denverbeerchick ... my beer-love credentials are legit.)
  • BeeElMarvin
    BeeElMarvin Posts: 2,086 Member
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    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.

    Don't show yourself to be so misinformed; simply because the mass produced Coors, Bud etc. is all you have tasted doesn't mean we don't have excellent beers.

    oops, just read Kort's post - she said it all.
  • zincalloy
    zincalloy Posts: 43
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    Of course I know that almost every country makes some good beer, I was just talking about your regular beer. It's tosh and shouldn't even be allowed to be called beer.
    Compared to European or Australian regular beer or lager it's like drinking a soft drink.

    I don't know how you manage to have alcoholics with that kind of weak nonsense around.

    I think the US really should make more effort in the drinking department. :drinker:
  • tuppertracy
    tuppertracy Posts: 14
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    I totally agree. I don't go to bars but we love going to our friends for a cold beer and some snacks. I count my beer in my calorie count and try very hard to limit the snacks. If I do go over, I work extra hard the next day.
  • AllanMisner
    AllanMisner Posts: 4,140 Member
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    There are definitely advantages to abstaining from alcohol while trying to lose weight or build muscle. Beer appears to be the worst of the lot, causing fat deposits in the stomach (beer belly). Wine and spirits don't seem to do that as much, but are calories that you don't need. Wine has proven health benefits, so I take that as my poison of choice.

    That said, I decided to use Lent as an excuse to avoid alcohol. I'm training for the Warrior Dash in April and the timing is great to let me abstain until the race (drop fat, build muscle). Then drink like a mad man to celebrate completing the course!

    Really though, life is about balance. If you enjoy something, find a way to make it work for you. There certainly are ways to be healthy and enjoy beer.
  • Alinat305
    Alinat305 Posts: 18
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    I love wine, what I have been trying to do is instead of drinking 3 glasses of wine when I go out for the evening, I'll have 2...Some of us enjoy social drinking when going out, I won't give it up I have just cut down.
  • BAMFMeredith
    BAMFMeredith Posts: 2,829 Member
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    I have not given up alcohol whatsoever. I'm just mindful of my consumption. For instance, I knew I wanted to have a glass of wine last night so I made sure I had the calories to allow for it. When I do my long runs on Saturdays (10-11 miles or thereabouts) I treat myself with a few beers because I've got the calories for it. If I don't have the room in my diet, I don't drink. I also make sure I'm well hydrated.

    That said, beer is probably the worst of the boozes in terms of bloat/retaining water/fat deposits etc...but everything in moderation!!! As a matter of fact, I'll probably have a couple beers tonight because I'm getting a killer work out in today. As long as I'm under on my calories for the day, I'm good to go. And I've lost 9 lbs so far (and 2 pants sizes) with this approach. I honestly thing that's why I failed so many times before, because I didn't allow myself to have the things I like to have. All about balance and moderation :)
  • doorki
    doorki Posts: 2,611 Member
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    I bank calories over the week to facilitate my drinking and eating on the weekends. It does lead to some higher weights on Monday but it all falls off on Tuesday and I end up being net down pounds for the week.
  • BAMFMeredith
    BAMFMeredith Posts: 2,829 Member
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    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.


    HAHAHHAHAH. No. Craft beer in the US is freaking amazing. Please do not think of Coors, Miller, Budweiser, etc. as the figureheads of American beer. I could rattle off two dozen flavourful, high ABV, truly delicious and well-crafted beers and that wouldn't even be the tip of the iceberg. (you may find me around the internet as denverbeerchick ... my beer-love credentials are legit.)

    Haha amen. I work for a beer distributor. While our main brand is Anheuser Busch we have several other suppliers and breweries we work with. I could probably go on for hours about different kinds of beer...mmm...now I want a beer...

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