Alcohol

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Ok. So I am about a year out of college and, like many college kids, I partied a LOT. Drinking pretty much every night. Looking back, I don't know how I'm not much bigger than I am. I mean, between beer beer beer, wine, liquor, and that $5 delivery pizza place... wow.

Since graduating my hubby and I have cut down quite a bit on the drinking. We might have a couple beers on a weeknight or two, but we mostly keep it to the weekends. I usually just kind of expect that we and a couple friends will be drinking on Friday and Saturday nights. Now that I'm eating healthy and watching calories, tha's going to be harder. I don't want to give it up. :drinker: But I'm willing to cut back.

So I guess my question is, how do any of the other drinkers out there handle this. For example, I "saved" 400 calories from yesterday to apply towards alcohol tonight. Haha. Is that a decent way to do it? I'm also skipping all my snacks today. Is it better to just go over and not cut back on HEALTHY calories so much?

Thanks y'all. :flowerforyou:

ps - I'm not an "alcoholic," so no need to be concerned. Just a youngin who likes to let loose!

Replies

  • kerikitkat
    kerikitkat Posts: 352 Member
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    Ok. So I am about a year out of college and, like many college kids, I partied a LOT. Drinking pretty much every night. Looking back, I don't know how I'm not much bigger than I am. I mean, between beer beer beer, wine, liquor, and that $5 delivery pizza place... wow.

    Since graduating my hubby and I have cut down quite a bit on the drinking. We might have a couple beers on a weeknight or two, but we mostly keep it to the weekends. I usually just kind of expect that we and a couple friends will be drinking on Friday and Saturday nights. Now that I'm eating healthy and watching calories, tha's going to be harder. I don't want to give it up. :drinker: But I'm willing to cut back.

    So I guess my question is, how do any of the other drinkers out there handle this. For example, I "saved" 400 calories from yesterday to apply towards alcohol tonight. Haha. Is that a decent way to do it? I'm also skipping all my snacks today. Is it better to just go over and not cut back on HEALTHY calories so much?

    Thanks y'all. :flowerforyou:

    ps - I'm not an "alcoholic," so no need to be concerned. Just a youngin who likes to let loose!
  • Shannon023
    Shannon023 Posts: 14,529 Member
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    On alcohol days (T-6 hours :drinker: ) I just go over my cals & worry about it the next day. I figure I owe it to myself once a week since I'm such a saint (snicker) the rest of the week.

    Enjoy! :drinker:
  • riotthyme
    riotthyme Posts: 13 Member
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    I personally try to give myself enough extra calories that if I end up going over, it's not by that much. (But I like drinking Guiness so really I have to exercise my *kitten* off to drink what I like). If I haven't planned on drinking later that evening, I try to do something that's somewhat low-cal like Miller Lite or a glass of white wine.

    My roommate always did Vodka and Crystal Light - I think it works out to be something like 65 calories a serving for the mix of the two.
  • ali106
    ali106 Posts: 3,754 Member
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    well I was never a big drinker but hubby and are going out to dinner on Saturday and i've been really in the mood to have a few drinks...its been soooo long! lol....I think I'll go for a raspberry stoli, splash of cranberry, a lime and diet sprite....it tastes sooo good and refreshing....I have to figure out how many cals are in one though...probably under 100....it will be a nice treat and after the week I've had I need it LOL

    hugs and I'm not going to stress about it either...because Lord knows its not a habit lol!
    I think the last time I had alcohol was at my sister's wedding...in 2006! lol
    ali
  • neverbeenskinny
    neverbeenskinny Posts: 446 Member
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    I am not much of a drinker, but sometimes I do like to socialize with friends and coworkers. On the days that I plan to do that, which is usually Friday evening and Saturday evenings, I just make sure that I do a lot of exercising. I go to the gym almost every Friday morning before work and run an hour on the treadmill and do a half hour of kickboxing. On Saturdays I will do a snow shoeing trip for a couple of hours in the mountains, or go hiking for a couple of hours. I just make sure that I set a rule for myself, if I don't work out that morning, I don't get to drink anything except for water with a slice of lime or lemon when I socialize that night. But I don't trade my food for drinks, I make sure that I eat the equalent of 1200 calories in food on those days.
  • rem1979
    rem1979 Posts: 344 Member
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    Calories don't roll over day to day. If I were you, hit the gym or exercise that day you are planning on drinking. I would not though cut out healthy calories from food and substitute for alcohol.
  • Life_is_Good
    Life_is_Good Posts: 361 Member
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    I drink red wine... 1-2 glasses every other day... sometimes more on Fri & Sat.

    I'm not a youngin' anymore - this is just something I enjoy :happy: - not going to give it up... I make adjustments to what I'm eating or excercise a bit more so my diet will allow the extra calories.

    I did read somewhere, however, you body processes the alcohol first, leaving the food for last... :ohwell:
  • Beccilynn
    Beccilynn Posts: 177
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    I still love going out dancing myself , I usually make sure I eat my calories and then I will work out extra to get me some more calories ... drink ---dance for an hour--drink---dance for an hour LOL :laugh:
  • kerikitkat
    kerikitkat Posts: 352 Member
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    Hahaha! You know, I didn't think about that - dancing burns a lot of calories and I used to dance all the time when we were out or even just hanging out at the house. Not so much anymore, since dancing alone isn't the same. :tongue: I need to make some friends here that like to go out and dance. I've lived in Houston for 9 months and still haven't met very many people my age. :frown:

    My hubby says we'll just do shots instead of drinking beer. haha.

    I am trying to come up with new exercise ideas, too. Right now I just run about 3 times a week, but I've never liked running much. I LOVE to rock climb, but there isn't a gym nearby. I don't think I would use a regular gym very well - I don't like them. Hiking would be awesome, but there aren't any places like that around here either.

    I don't like Houston very much. :sad:
  • Beccilynn
    Beccilynn Posts: 177
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    Hahaha! You know, I didn't think about that - dancing burns a lot of calories and I used to dance all the time when we were out or even just hanging out at the house. Not so much anymore, since dancing alone isn't the same. :tongue: I need to make some friends here that like to go out and dance. I've lived in Houston for 9 months and still haven't met very many people my age. :frown:

    My hubby says we'll just do shots instead of drinking beer. haha.

    I am trying to come up with new exercise ideas, too. Right now I just run about 3 times a week, but I've never liked running much. I LOVE to rock climb, but there isn't a gym nearby. I don't think I would use a regular gym very well - I don't like them. Hiking would be awesome, but there aren't any places like that around here either.

    I don't like Houston very much. :sad:


    I grew up in houston (actually humble..about 20 minutes out) I hate that place :angry: well you have 1 thing to look foward to , in the summer it is so hot and humid you can just stand out side and sweating !! :sick:

    my family still lives there . wouldnt go back ever!

    so yea good luck with that :huh:
  • AndreaMMil
    AndreaMMil Posts: 165
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    Being a stay-at-home mom of 2 small kids, there will be trouble if I don't get my 2 glasses of red wine everyday. I build them into my alotted calories. Seems to be working just fine.
  • mkeithley
    mkeithley Posts: 399
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    I have a friend who competes in fitness/figure competions(like bodybuilding competitions but not so big and muscley) anyway when she is training for a competion she always drinks diet coke and jack daniels. She said it had something to do witht the way the body broke down that particular liquor(whiskey), maybe it didn't turn to glocose/sugar as much/fast? or carbs or something along those linesI'm no science major, but something along those lines. She certainly wsn't drinking it for the taste:noway:

    If I know I will be drinking that day I eat healthy/clean all day but I'll do a full extra workout that day, I also drink water in between each drink I order, that helps with the hangover too:wink:
    If you go to
    www.ahealthyme.com/topic/drinkcalc
    and see how many calories a certain drink has in it.
    let's say a 4 ounce margarita is 270 calories(not including ice). At a lot of places their margarita glases are HUGE like 16 ounces(8 ounces of cocktail and 8 ounces of ice), 270x2=540!!! Holy smokes!!! That's almost 40-50 minutes on the stairstepper for one drink!!!!
    To me it's not worth it. Keep in mind when you are computing/logging calories that if 4 ounces of white wine is 96 calories, you might be drinking 6 or 8 in a glass, or if 12 oz of lite beer is 102 you might be drinking it out of a pint glass, etc.
  • kerikitkat
    kerikitkat Posts: 352 Member
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    Thanks mkeithley, I know the portion sizes at bars and restaurants are whacky. And things like margaritas are TOTALLY out now. I used to love blending up a pitcher and having friends over to lay out on the lawn with me... but they are so ridiculously high in sugar and cals. Now I drink mostly light beer or liquor mixed into a diet soda. If we go out I always get beer - mostly because it's the cheapest choice and I know exactly what I'm getting. :wink: \

    However, back in my college town there was this AWESOME gay bar we used to go to all the time. The dance floor was fantastic, the people were so incredibly accepting and funny, and the bartender upstairs made drinks with about twice the normal amount of acohol for $3. Never could turn him down. He was hot, too. :love: