What about alcohol?

dkmcarolina
dkmcarolina Posts: 3
edited December 19 in Fitness and Exercise
For me alcohol consumption = no weight loss. Is that other people's experience. I've made the commitment to NO booze for a week to see what happens. I enjoy a drink or two after work, but I think it's really holding me back. Thoughts?
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Replies

  • BackTatJIM
    BackTatJIM Posts: 1,140 Member
    I was getting into the habit of having a few drinks about 3-4 days a week after work, but they are really unused calories, right now I cut it to having some drinks just once a week and only once a week (my cheat day) and I have not had a problem losing weight, hope that helps a lil
  • dkmcarolina
    dkmcarolina Posts: 3
    Thanks. I was thinking about the one day a week thing, eventually. I got to break the habit first. Just herbal tea tonight.
  • BackTatJIM
    BackTatJIM Posts: 1,140 Member
    yeah really just cutting back on anything unhealthy will help you lose weight, we all need to have a lil fun, good luck
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    Calories in, calories out. I lost 60 pounds, still had one beer, or mixed drink, or glass of wine, pretty much every night.

    Responsible alcohol consumption is actually turning out to be good for you, the key being responsible. Alcohol is actually technically a macronutrient. If you're at a calorie deficit, then drinking won't impact weight loss. If it causes you to overeat, or if you drink to a point of eliminating your calorie deficit, that's a different story. Not too difficult either, as 2 real beers can easily chew up 400 calories if you aren't paying attention (which is why I stick to one.) :drinker:

    As for why it's good for you, it turns out that there have been some interesting studies that show alcohol consumption can improve both insulin sensitivity and cholesterol.
  • keepitcroosh
    keepitcroosh Posts: 301 Member
    Same as wgpjim, i was also in the habit of having a couple of beers almost every night after work. You will see a difference in weight depending on how much you drink already. Might as well try it! I even only drink on weekends now, and even though i have been eating clean and weight training & cardio 5 times a week for at least an hour (it'll be my 3rd mnth doing this), i literally did not lose a single pound. I truly feel that it was because of drinking on the weekends. I see a slight difference , but definitely not on the scale. A week might not be enough to see a drastic difference though. Good luck!!!!
  • ashtonvv
    ashtonvv Posts: 144
    i dont drink often, maybe 1-3 times heavily for "celebrations" per month and it has not hindered my progress at all. Anything in moderation is okay... for me anyways!
  • Laces_0ut
    Laces_0ut Posts: 3,750 Member
    i'd rather have 7 on saturday than one a day!
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
    For me alcohol consumption = no weight loss. Is that other people's experience. I've made the commitment to NO booze for a week to see what happens. I enjoy a drink or two after work, but I think it's really holding me back. Thoughts?

    I would think you would try a month. only a week might be too short. booze is empty calories. if you want to make the trade off...its up to you but for me, when I want to lose/cut...I cut out the booze. now if they make a protein based beer, I would reconsider.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    One or two are probably not stopping you from losing weight, but having a whole lot at once isn't good for your body (much worse to have one binge a week than a single drink a day). It's also not good for your judgement - eating a whole pizza or three kebabs seems like a remarkably good idea after two many tequilas!
  • dmmihelcic
    dmmihelcic Posts: 161 Member
    If I stick to my calorie and exercise goals I loose weight. I know its empty carbs and is not helping me build muscle, but still manage to loose. If I get hammered all that tracking goes out the window so I try to keep it to a few once or twice a week.
  • sleepytexan
    sleepytexan Posts: 3,138 Member
    Ya, I bet it will help you to cut it out.

    The problem with alcohol is that one drink leads to another, leads to another, leads to a plate of nachos, basket of wings, and a half gallon of ice cream when you get home.
  • Sheilav330
    Sheilav330 Posts: 57
    I had a margarita about a week ago with a lot of ice i made it my self and it didn't do anything to my weight loss and also i had a corona this past saturday because i was out of light beer but i enjoy occasionally some alcohol once in a while yet i drink lots of water after i drink them :)
  • MargotAllen
    MargotAllen Posts: 63
    I'm drinking beer right now! :D
  • dmmihelcic
    dmmihelcic Posts: 161 Member
    Ya, I bet it will help you to cut it out.

    The problem with alcohol is that one drink leads to another, leads to another, leads to a plate of nachos, basket of wings, and a half gallon of ice cream when you get home.
    Well said!
  • jaqqii
    jaqqii Posts: 11
    Ya, I bet it will help you to cut it out.

    The problem with alcohol is that one drink leads to another, leads to another, leads to a plate of nachos, basket of wings, and a half gallon of ice cream when you get home.
    Well said!

    I don't think it's the alcohol that's the issue, it's all the snacking that goes along with it, then the hangover carbs the next day to feel better. A whole weeks worth of work gone to waste on one night boozing!!! This is my downfall every week!
  • jaqqii
    jaqqii Posts: 11
    I'm drinking beer right now! :D

    haha! I hope you are in a different time zone from me as this was posted 7.58am my time!
  • christinakeaton
    christinakeaton Posts: 10 Member
    I think it all depends on what you drink and how much of it you drink. The miller chill beers only have 100 calories per 12 fluid oz. That's pretty good! So you can have a couple beers and not feel guilty about it :)
  • AllTehBeers
    AllTehBeers Posts: 5,030 Member
    i'd rather have 7 on saturday than one a day!

    Me too. I drink every weekend but for me, I worry more about weekly totals then daily. Pounds are lost in weeks not days. I still want to enjoy myself during this weight loss journey.
  • i_miss_donuts
    i_miss_donuts Posts: 180 Member
    I have read that it promotes fat storage - think it was Jillian Michaels. And back in the day when Body for Life was the rage, Bill Phillips said it was a big no, no for anyone watching calories (empty calories).

    I also drink a glass (or two) of wine 3-4 days per week. Convinced it was holding back my weight loss, I went cold turkey for a week to see if that got me "unstuck." No change. Didn't lose or gain. So I continue to drink, but make sure it is within my calorie allotment - don't go over two drinks and make sure that a healthy meal is already waiting for me so I don't give in and eat the crap my hubby consumes.
  • Cyphio
    Cyphio Posts: 20
    I used to drink a good amount a week, not all at once, but it definitely added up over time. I did cut back some alcohol which helped my eating habits and allowed me to use those calories for more nutritious foods. That being said I still have one once in awhile and have not seen any big differences. Everything in moderation. Some experts have a ton of different reasons why you should cut it out all together, but it is a pretty big part of my social life so I have learned to manage.
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
    This is such a difficult topic. Sometimes with the stresses of work, I need to have a few glasses of wine at night. Then, on weekends, I might drink more. It's tough for sure. I used to not count alcohol at all, and I lost weight. Then, I started counting it and realized how much it contributed to empty calories, so I stoppped drinking during the week. I lost about 8 lbs just from that alone. Now, I try to not drink during the week, although I slip a lot. Last night a had two beers. But, that's really nothing considering I used to have 12 or more.

    So, there this thing about enjoying your life too. That's where it gets tough. So, here's my current thing. During the week, little to no alchohol. Weekends are open season. Thats about it.
  • spade117
    spade117 Posts: 2,466 Member
    I'm drinking beer right now! :D

    haha! I hope you are in a different time zone from me as this was posted 7.58am my time!

    It's noon o'clock somewhere.
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member

    So, there this thing about enjoying your life too.

    I think it is sad and pathetic to go through life thinking you need the numbing effects of alcohol to enjoy it
  • AllTehBeers
    AllTehBeers Posts: 5,030 Member

    So, there this thing about enjoying your life too.

    I think it is sad and pathetic to go through life thinking you need the numbing effects of alcohol to enjoy it

    I enjoy my life sober. I enjoy alcohol as well. Its sad and pathetic you have to confuse the two.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    I have read that it promotes fat storage - think it was Jillian Michaels. And back in the day when Body for Life was the rage, Bill Phillips said it was a big no, no for anyone watching calories (empty calories).

    I also drink a glass (or two) of wine 3-4 days per week. Convinced it was holding back my weight loss, I went cold turkey for a week to see if that got me "unstuck." No change. Didn't lose or gain. So I continue to drink, but make sure it is within my calorie allotment - don't go over two drinks and make sure that a healthy meal is already waiting for me so I don't give in and eat the crap my hubby consumes.
    It does NOT "promote" fat storage. You do not store any more fat than you would eating the same number of calories without the alcohol. If maintenance is 2000 calories and you eat and drink 2500 calories, you will store 500 calories. If you just eat 2500 calories, you will still store 500 calories. If you eat 1500 calories, you will burn 500 calories of stored fat. If you eat and drink 1500 calories, you will still burn 500 calories of stored fat.

    The problem with all the "DON'T DO IT YOU WILL IMMEDIATELY STORE FAT" kinds of claims, with any food, not just alcohol, is the dishonesty factor. If you drink alcohol and eat food at the same time, will the alcohol get metabolized first? Yes. Does that mean other food you ate will end up being stored as fat until the alcohol is metabolized? Possibly, depends on the food (fat and carbs can be stored relatively easily for later processing, protein can't.) Does that change overall fat storage or calorie burn over a 24 hour period? No. Food is stored as fat all the time, even without alcohol, and dosed out as needed. The only thing that matters is a 24 hour overall total.
  • JodaNord
    JodaNord Posts: 496 Member
    @tigersword - Love this response. So many things get a bad rap from not fully understanding the processes of the body and how we use what we put in as fuel and what we burn and store and how it happens. Thanks for this post...

    Hope ppl read and understand, its a matter of things in moderation, and OVERALL, healthier more sensible choices not a matter of NEVER having this or that.
  • i_miss_donuts
    i_miss_donuts Posts: 180 Member
    I have read that it promotes fat storage - think it was Jillian Michaels. And back in the day when Body for Life was the rage, Bill Phillips said it was a big no, no for anyone watching calories (empty calories).

    I also drink a glass (or two) of wine 3-4 days per week. Convinced it was holding back my weight loss, I went cold turkey for a week to see if that got me "unstuck." No change. Didn't lose or gain. So I continue to drink, but make sure it is within my calorie allotment - don't go over two drinks and make sure that a healthy meal is already waiting for me so I don't give in and eat the crap my hubby consumes.
    It does NOT "promote" fat storage. You do not store any more fat than you would eating the same number of calories without the alcohol. If maintenance is 2000 calories and you eat and drink 2500 calories, you will store 500 calories. If you just eat 2500 calories, you will still store 500 calories. If you eat 1500 calories, you will burn 500 calories of stored fat. If you eat and drink 1500 calories, you will still burn 500 calories of stored fat.

    The problem with all the "DON'T DO IT YOU WILL IMMEDIATELY STORE FAT" kinds of claims, with any food, not just alcohol, is the dishonesty factor. If you drink alcohol and eat food at the same time, will the alcohol get metabolized first? Yes. Does that mean other food you ate will end up being stored as fat until the alcohol is metabolized? Possibly, depends on the food (fat and carbs can be stored relatively easily for later processing, protein can't.) Does that change overall fat storage or calorie burn over a 24 hour period? No. Food is stored as fat all the time, even without alcohol, and dosed out as needed. The only thing that matters is a 24 hour overall total.

    Yep - per my second paragraph - that is pretty much where I have landed. I don't understand the biology/chemistry science behind the claims (eyes glaze over) and my rather unscientific approach has shown me for me it doesn't seem to help my weight loss to not drink. I prefer to budget for my alcohol and enjoy it.
  • natvanessa
    natvanessa Posts: 230 Member
    Drinking for me isn't a problem because of the calories. My problem is I tend to get hangovers worse than most people. That means I have a really hard time working out the next day. I simply cannot work out when I'm hungover. I've reduced my drinking purely for this fact. I feel awful when I don't workout simply because I drank too much the night before. :sad:
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
    Drinking for me isn't a problem because of the calories. My problem is I tend to get hangovers worse than most people. That means I have a really hard time working out the next day. I simply cannot work out when I'm hungover. I've reduced my drinking purely for this fact. I feel awful when I don't workout simply because I drank too much the night before. :sad:

    This too. Well, except, I can workout on a hang over. I ran a 10k on one of the worst hangovers I ever had. LOL. It was really hard, but when I was finished, I felt great. LOL. Mind over matter. But, I tend to not workout on a hang over, so to me it has a double effect...too many cals while drinking, and then no working out the next day. So, drinking is bad. I have slowed way way way down from where I was before. So, that's good, right?
  • allylbrown
    allylbrown Posts: 71
    I def think it has a lot to do with age and metabolism! I have really noticed since turning 40 that it is impossible for me to lose this extra 10 lbs while drinking. I try to only drink red wine once a week but the prob is we go out and that could equal at least 5 drinks...Which is completely empty calories...It's hard but I am really going to try and abstain for awhile. I am 45 a runner and weigh 126, my usual wt before my 40's was 110-116. I also notice that I can not exercise effectively after drinking (again got worse with age!). I am really trying to train more for my running so I am going to try really hard to cut back on the wine. Wish me luck, btw my knickname is allyredwine!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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