Who loves beer? I love beer.

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  • dvisser1
    dvisser1 Posts: 788 Member
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    When you're saying 6 beers a week, generally 4 at the bar in one night, are you talking 12oz bottles or full pints? One way to drop the calorie count is simply reduce the quantity. Go from 6 to 5 or 16oz down to 12oz. Calorie budget what you plan on drinking and force yourself to not go over. Still get to enjoy a good beer, just not quite as much of it.

    Like you I am almost strictly a craft brew drinker and don't think there are many beers worth drinking that come in under 250 cal for a pint. I've simply cut back to 1-2 a week, or less. Hoegaarden comes in at about 150 cal for 12oz and Pyramid Hefeweizen I believe is around 180 cal for 12oz, and those are probably the "healthiest" of what I drink.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    So I have been trying to cut down on the amount of beer I consume in a given week, and am finding myself not doing that....at all. haha. I am working on losing body fat and I know my alcohol consumtion is only hurting me. I primarily drink micro/craft beers since they are the most delicious, however they are also the highest in calories and carbs. I dont drink a ton....maybe like 6-12 beers a week, depending on the week. I play guitar and sing every monday at a local sports bar, so I tend to consume most of my alcohol during the 4 hour stretch I am there.

    I decided cutting beer out all together is NOT something that I really want to do, so I am looking for some suggestions that maybe I am not aware of for some really good, lower calorie, brews. Please dont say Miller Light. I am pretty well versed on craft beers but the ones I usually drink are close to 200 cals a piece, if not more. Any suggestions? Cheers! :drinker:
    Fit it into your calories, and don't worry about it. Alcohol won't hurt you as long as you don't drink to excess, and as long as you stick to your calorie goal. In fact, moderate alcohol consumption can actually improve both insulin sensitivity, and cholesterol levels.
  • reneeileen
    reneeileen Posts: 455 Member
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    Thanks reneeileen. I made it sound a little worse than it acutally is. When I said 6-12 a week, that is on the extreme side. It's usally closer to the #6 than it is the #12. I dont think 6 beers is really killing me, but when 4 of those are in a single night, and they are 200 empty cals a piece, it is hindering my progress. I will say that I do hit the gym for about an hour and a half on mondays right before I head to the bar to perform.

    ps. Ive never tried the Old Foghorn, but I do love all the other Anchor Steams I've tried

    I wasn't thinking you were binge drinking :) I totally understand the draw of a night with 4 drinks, I've been guilty of 6 in a night in the past month. In my case it's those nights out the kill me, not the beer I have after dinner while I'm winding down. That's why I try to focus on those tougher situations. The night out with friends or football season... all of it. I can easily drink 600 - 1000 calories in a night if I'm not making a point to be aware of what I'm ordering. One of the ways I keep myself accountable when I go out is by pre-entering what I will drink in my diary before I go out. When I see the numbers I know what calories I'm working with and it makes it easier to stick with it while I'm out. I've also learned that as I've lost weight, I don't *need* to enjoy quite as much to really enjoy myself.

    Ooooh! I just got a good idea! Ask for a tasting tray and a glass of water. Enjoy a mini beer, cleanse your palate with a glass of water, enjoy the next. That way you can enjoy many brews and still keep it in the budget.
  • RachFace1000
    RachFace1000 Posts: 154 Member
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    When you're saying 6 beers a week, generally 4 at the bar in one night, are you talking 12oz bottles or full pints? One way to drop the calorie count is simply reduce the quantity. Go from 6 to 5 or 16oz down to 12oz. Calorie budget what you plan on drinking and force yourself to not go over. Still get to enjoy a good beer, just not quite as much of it.

    Like you I am almost strictly a craft brew drinker and don't think there are many beers worth drinking that come in under 250 cal for a pint. I've simply cut back to 1-2 a week, or less. Hoegaarden comes in at about 150 cal for 12oz and Pyramid Hefeweizen I believe is around 180 cal for 12oz, and those are probably the "healthiest" of what I drink.

    This^. Exactly (:
  • Jeliwood
    Jeliwood Posts: 61
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    I'm not a huge drinker since I'm such a lightweight but I do have a few suggestions.

    Perhaps you could try a hard cider like Woodchuck? It's around 160 cals which I wouldn't consider light but it's better than 200. Every little bit helps. Perhaps there is even an unfiltered hard cider or something that has a little bit of fiber in it. I'm not sure but it's always worth some research. (Hard ciders are also really good in cooking.)

    Also, for every beer you have drink a glass of water in between. This is good for a couple reasons. One and the main reason, it slows you down. Two the biggest cause of a hangover is dehydration. This keeps it from being so bad so you can get up and moving in the morning a little bit faster than before.

    If you know Mondays are your worst days try getting your biggest work out in on that morning. Wake up extra early if you have to. You burn more calories in the day and it makes you really feel like you've earned those drinks!

    Hope this gives you some ideas at least!
  • JaclynnGail
    JaclynnGail Posts: 204 Member
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    I love beer too...I tried giving it up completely for awhile, but it made me miserable to go out with my husband, friends, etc. and watch them drinking delicious beers while I drank water. What's worked well for me is trying to find a couple lighter beers that don't suck (I like Sam Adams Light okay, as well as the Shiner light blonde). I will get one of those if they are available, and sometimes that will make me feel better about everyone else drinking because I actually enjoy them. Sometimes, though, that's just not going to do it...so I just try to make sure to leave room in my calories for a Boulevard Wheat (or three) or whatever if I know I'm going to be out and want one (or three). I might never have flat abs, but being able to have good beer when I want it is more important to me than perfect abs anyway.
  • renwicker
    renwicker Posts: 158 Member
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    Thank you all for the great advice!.....and some new beer ideas I need to try. :bigsmile:

    I think the water in between will help me out the most. I dont want to drink crappy tasting beer so just by cutting what I drink in half should def help. I actually tried to do this last week at the bar, but the bartender there is so good, as soon as I'm empty he brings me another. I'm gonna have to give him the heads up that I want a water in between from now on! haha
  • renwicker
    renwicker Posts: 158 Member
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    I don't think beer is a problem. Find a local chapter of Hash House Harriers (billed as the drinking club with a running problem). A few years ago I did a couple of 24 hour runs (take a team of 10 keep a person running the whole 24 hours) and at each was a chapter of HHH.

    Im totally going to look into this!! sounds awesome

    Also if anyone wants to add me....feel free. It's always good to meet some fellow brew connoisseur!
  • emmabrackpool
    emmabrackpool Posts: 61 Member
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    its wine rather than beer for me but I save a few hundred cals for each day during the week so I can enjoy a few glasses at the weekend - it balances itself out over a 7 day period x
  • delikium
    delikium Posts: 196 Member
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    check this link
    http://howmanycalorieshave.com/how-many-calories-in-beer-top-26-brands-and-their-nutritious-calories/
  • renwicker
    renwicker Posts: 158 Member
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    its wine rather than beer for me but I save a few hundred cals for each day during the week so I can enjoy a few glasses at the weekend - it balances itself out over a 7 day period x

    I too am a big wine fan. I havent had any in a while, but I do love it. My friends and I head to NY Finger Lakes for a wine tasting weekend every summer/fall. Best times to be had by all on those weekends! And the scenery there is gorgeous to boot
  • beckylawrence70
    beckylawrence70 Posts: 752 Member
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    So glad I don't drink, drinking=belly fat...........hope you can stop or at least cut down alot, it's counter productive to what you're trying to do......:)
  • Hollirot
    Hollirot Posts: 92 Member
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    Ugh. I love beer too. :drinker: My vice is Heineken, at 150 calories per 12 ounce bottle. Ouch. And Heineken Light just doesn't taste the same to me. Sigh. Oh well.
  • hkatrobos
    hkatrobos Posts: 49
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    ahhh IPA... the crusher of my flat belly dreams. 2 pints run me just under 600 cals and like 50 carbs rawr :grumble:
  • joeynigro1
    joeynigro1 Posts: 28
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    It's hard. I have really cut beer out almost entirely because I like good beer, and good beer is super high in calories. It's hard but I'd rather use those calories on food.
  • thornholio
    thornholio Posts: 1
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    I love beer, I drink perhaps 4 pints a week, though more this week because of a beer festival. I try and make this a positive interest by drinking them in pubs after many miles of brisk cycling.
  • greaseswabber
    greaseswabber Posts: 238 Member
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    I agree with those who reduce quantity, but maintain quality. I log my beer like anything else, try to plan for a couple pints when I go out, and regularly have to forego a drink all together if I am at my limit for the day.

    Stone IPA is my standard, but I've got a bottle of Breckenridge Small Batch 471 (a great IPA) sitting in the fridge for tonight.
  • megacy
    megacy Posts: 80 Member
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    I don't think beer is a problem. Find a local chapter of Hash House Harriers (billed as the drinking club with a running problem.

    ^^ This! If this piques your interest, even a bit, do it. Definitely. Seriously.
  • renwicker
    renwicker Posts: 158 Member
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    I don't think beer is a problem. Find a local chapter of Hash House Harriers (billed as the drinking club with a running problem.

    ^^ This! If this piques your interest, even a bit, do it. Definitely. Seriously.

    I have been reading up on the Pittsburgh one since I read this earlier and I am totally checking it out. I also read the whole wikipedia page about how it all originated. Great story and history there. I'm so excited for this!!
  • megacy
    megacy Posts: 80 Member
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    I don't think beer is a problem. Find a local chapter of Hash House Harriers (billed as the drinking club with a running problem.

    ^^ This! If this piques your interest, even a bit, do it. Definitely. Seriously.

    I have been reading up on the Pittsburgh one since I read this earlier and I am totally checking it out. I also read the whole wikipedia page about how it all originated. Great story and history there. I'm so excited for this!!

    Yay! It's great fun. Enjoy! This is the first I've seen HHH mentioned on these boards, and it's got me all excited to look back into it. (I had a foot injury, then moved and have no idea where the closest pack is around here)
    And speaking about the beer, my home hash had a...oh, what to call it? Backer? Benefactor? Sponsor? (they were members too) The owners of a very good local micro-brewery...very lucky.

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