Summer time drinking@ the cabin.

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mellybelly08
mellybelly08 Posts: 27
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm going up to the cabin next Monday night till Friday with my best friend.. we are both 20 (almost 20 for me!) We like to drink a lot... But I have cut alcohol out of my diet A LOT from how I used to drink. But since we're going to her cabin I know that we will be drinking a lot and probably every day... I can also guarantee I will be tempted by the most delicious but not so healthy food.. but I wont let myself get out of control. I"ll have my phone with me to calculate all my calories(minus the drinks)

So my question is: If i eat just as healthy as I am now, and calculate all my points, will I gain weight? Will my weight stay the same?
Should I not stay up that long?... even though i really want to......

Thoughts?
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Replies

  • now_or_never12
    now_or_never12 Posts: 849 Member
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    If you calculate your calories and add them to your tracker and stay under your limits you won't gain weight (well you shouldn't depending on what you are eating as you may retain water).

    Why wouldn't you calculate calories for the drinks? They are in the tracker to search for or are you planning to just not track any drinks you have?

    Go and have a good time. Get smarter drinks (things like vodka and rum are pretty low cal for a shot and you can mix with flavoured water or diet pop to lower the calories per drink) or go for light beer or make a wine spritzer (wine with sparkling water). Eat smart and get some exercise in.

    You'll find a way to make it all work if the weight loss is important to you.
  • Audddua
    Audddua Posts: 176 Member
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    I've got a lot of situations like that myself. Try to make better decisions and drink lots of water to slow down your drinking. I still go over my calories and I try not to beat myself up about it. Get back on the wagon when you get home and you'll be fine. Go live your life and enjoy yourself!

    Also, I bet you could work a little harder and build up a small calorie deficit before and after the trip to help offset all the extra calories. Don't starve yourself or anything though!!
  • rdy2lose
    rdy2lose Posts: 106
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    I was just in Italy for a week and was really worried I would gain weight before I left. I was careful about what I ate, but since I could not track anything I am sure I went over my calories, carbs and fat allowance every day. I even had a glass or two of wine each day.

    As it turned out since we were in the mountains and did A LOT of walking up and down the sides of the mountains. I weighed myself at my regular time when I got home, and I was VERY surprised to find that I had lost a pound! So if you can, increase your activity during the day and have 1 or 2 drinks, sip them slowly, add ice or water to make it last longer.

    If you friend doesn't support you drinking less to lose weight so that you can be healthy then perhaps he/she is not as good of a friend a you thought. Explain to him/her how important it is to you to lose weight, perhaps if they realilze it is important to you, they will support you.

    Besides, you're still drinking you are just less, and you won't have a nasty hangover to deal with the next day...

    Good luck
  • mellybelly08
    mellybelly08 Posts: 27
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    If you calculate your calories and add them to your tracker and stay under your limits you won't gain weight (well you shouldn't depending on what you are eating as you may retain water).

    Why wouldn't you calculate calories for the drinks? They are in the tracker to search for or are you planning to just not track any drinks you have?

    Go and have a good time. Get smarter drinks (things like vodka and rum are pretty low cal for a shot and you can mix with flavoured water or diet pop to lower the calories per drink) or go for light beer or make a wine spritzer (wine with sparkling water). Eat smart and get some exercise in.

    You'll find a way to make it all work if the weight loss is important to you.

    I dont want to calculate them because when me and her drink we drink a little too much sometimes....
    And thank you for the ideas that is defiantly what I'm going to do! with the diet pop and im going to find the best light beer I can !
  • mellybelly08
    mellybelly08 Posts: 27
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    I've got a lot of situations like that myself. Try to make better decisions and drink lots of water to slow down your drinking. I still go over my calories and I try not to beat myself up about it. Get back on the wagon when you get home and you'll be fine. Go live your life and enjoy yourself!

    Also, I bet you could work a little harder and build up a small calorie deficit before and after the trip to help offset all the extra calories. Don't starve yourself or anything though!!

    I know I can defiantly get back on track when I get home.. I'm just really worried about the weight gain because it will be my birthday on the 23... the Saturday after we get back.. oh yay.. more drinking lol! jk

    Thanks for the tips!! :)
  • mellybelly08
    mellybelly08 Posts: 27
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    rdy2lose, That's great that you lost after your trip! I'll defiantly be swimming a lot in the lake and can make it a workout for myself... and her!
    She does know that this weight loss important i'm sure she'll understand.
    Thankyou!:)
  • chantaljl
    chantaljl Posts: 21
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    When you drink, you're enabling your liver from functioning properly.. You will not flush out normally. The liver is a very important organ! Don't drink too much and be safe! Have a great weekend!
  • efcdcdb
    efcdcdb Posts: 392 Member
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    It definitely a challenge - I have similar issues (although not exactly since I am going to be 55 next month, and you are only 20 :laugh: ). I agree with what most everyone said. I would say to try to be as active as you can "naturally" - which probably means taking little walks, long hikes, throwing a ball around, playing other "lawn" games, etc. Try not to just sit. Volunteer to be the one to run back to the cabin or to the car or whenever there is a need to "fetch and carry"......Other than trying to drink lighter drinks, you probably aren't going to cut back there. But do what you can with the food....listen to that little voice telling you to stay out of the dip or the cheese or whatever bad stuff is around. You don't have to be perfect, or even good. Just try to be less bad. :devil:
  • mellybelly08
    mellybelly08 Posts: 27
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    It definitely a challenge - I have similar issues (although not exactly since I am going to be 55 next month, and you are only 20 :laugh: ). I agree with what most everyone said. I would say to try to be as active as you can "naturally" - which probably means taking little walks, long hikes, throwing a ball around, playing other "lawn" games, etc. Try not to just sit. Volunteer to be the one to run back to the cabin or to the car or whenever there is a need to "fetch and carry"......Other than trying to drink lighter drinks, you probably aren't going to cut back there. But do what you can with the food....listen to that little voice telling you to stay out of the dip or the cheese or whatever bad stuff is around. You don't have to be perfect, or even good. Just try to be less bad. :devil:

    So all the times I sit around watching everyone unpack things from the boat all the way up a long flight of stairs to the cabin.. I should do that this time... that sounds like work! lol j/k
    You said all that perfectly though, I needed that! Thanks:)
  • lizsmith1976
    lizsmith1976 Posts: 497 Member
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    You're at a cabin? Go hiking! and swimming (not after drinking :) ) Have fun and enjoy your vacation! Eating healthy and a healthy lifestyle shouldn't keep you from living life! Log your calories, but enjoy yourself.

    When I go on vacation I give myself permission to not eat at a deficit. That's not going crazy overboard, that's just taking a break from losing weight.
  • ericachristie85
    ericachristie85 Posts: 69 Member
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    I am from Winnipeg too. I just discovered "Canadian 67 sublime" beer, not to be confused with CAnadian 67 which taste like crap. But this lime beer tastes just like bud light lime, with 67 calories. That is almost double the drinking or half the guilt. This summer I am taking 24 of these for any weekend at the lake.
  • kokaneesailor
    kokaneesailor Posts: 337 Member
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    Calories are calories. Would you eat a 1,000 calorie slice of cheesecake right now? Alcohol is way overrated IMHO. If you have to drink then match one glass of water to one glass of whatever it is your indulging in. Have a safe time at the cabin and watch out for the bears. :smile:
  • Ritzbrit
    Ritzbrit Posts: 211 Member
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    I hear ya girl! It's summertime and you want to have fun, and you should. I came across the same issues over my memorial weekend camping trip. It's usually a big drinking fest. But with my decision to become healthier I planned ahead. I brought healthier food options such as granola bars, turkey hot dogs, fruit, veggies, etc. Of course I had to have a s'more and a brat but I still calculated my food. I also woke up early to go for a jog/walk so I could indulge a little more.

    As far as alcohol went, I did some research beforehand. I ended up getting strawberry vodka (smirnoff) and added it to club soda. We are talking almost 64 ounces of club soda in my big water bottle to maybe 2 oz of vodka (69 calories for 1 oz). So I basically was drinking water. The first night I didn't drink, second day I had one and third day let loose and had 3. And because I've been active and eating healthy, it didn't take me long to catch a buzz and have a good time. I still enjoyed myself without over doing it. If you like beer, try bud light ultra, very light beer. And maybe alternate with water?

    I know you want to have a good time but I think tracking your drinks help keep you accountable and it is really a wake up call to see how fast those calories add up. But it's ultimately up to you.

    When I got back, I was up a little so I increased my workouts and ate a lot of green veggies to help flush me out and was back on track within the week.

    I assume with being at a cabin your probably not just going to sit around and drink? Maybe swim? or other water activities? Just keeping active will help.

    Have fun, be safe!
  • now_or_never12
    now_or_never12 Posts: 849 Member
    Options
    If you calculate your calories and add them to your tracker and stay under your limits you won't gain weight (well you shouldn't depending on what you are eating as you may retain water).

    Why wouldn't you calculate calories for the drinks? They are in the tracker to search for or are you planning to just not track any drinks you have?

    Go and have a good time. Get smarter drinks (things like vodka and rum are pretty low cal for a shot and you can mix with flavoured water or diet pop to lower the calories per drink) or go for light beer or make a wine spritzer (wine with sparkling water). Eat smart and get some exercise in.

    You'll find a way to make it all work if the weight loss is important to you.

    I dont want to calculate them because when me and her drink we drink a little too much sometimes....
    And thank you for the ideas that is defiantly what I'm going to do! with the diet pop and im going to find the best light beer I can !

    If you are going there expecting to drink a lot and not track any of the drinks you will gain. Depending on drinks you can drink your entire day's calorie goal very quickly. Usually with drinking comes not so great food choices.

    You don't have to drink a lot to be there and have fun. You just need to decide which is more important to you. Drinking and eating and not sticking fully to plan so you can go and have a good time and deal with the consequences when you get back or sticking to plan while still having a good time.

    I found when I drink it leads to bad food choices and such. Last time I had a weekend away with a lot of drinks it took over two weeks to get back on track.
  • mellybelly08
    mellybelly08 Posts: 27
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    I am from Winnipeg too. I just discovered "Canadian 67 sublime" beer, not to be confused with CAnadian 67 which taste like crap. But this lime beer tastes just like bud light lime, with 67 calories. That is almost double the drinking or half the guilt. This summer I am taking 24 of these for any weekend at the lake.

    That is awesome! I'm writing that down and defiantly getting that , thanks!!
  • mellybelly08
    mellybelly08 Posts: 27
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    Calories are calories. Would you eat a 1,000 calorie slice of cheesecake right now? Alcohol is way overrated IMHO. If you have to drink then match one glass of water to one glass of whatever it is your indulging in. Have a safe time at the cabin and watch out for the bears. :smile:

    Thanks I'll keep the water matching in mind:)
    And for the bear thing... thanks that is my worst fear.. but 4 years at this cabin I've never seen one and I plan to keep it that way , so I wont be hiking in the bush unfortunately... even though it would be a great workout
  • HeidiJ810
    HeidiJ810 Posts: 20 Member
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    Here are some ideas for you:

    http://theview.abc.go.com/blog/hungry-girl-cocktail-recipes

    http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=49211&sc=3030

    And TRACK EVERYTHING you put in your mouth. The whole point of tracking is to account for what you put into your body and to see how those foods/drinks affect your weight. If you are not being diligent or honest about it then what is the point? Have fun!
  • HeidiJ810
    HeidiJ810 Posts: 20 Member
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    PS- There is a book by Hungry Girl called Happy Hour. You should pick it up :)
  • Kenzieb07
    Kenzieb07 Posts: 207 Member
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    I'm heading up north with 10 other girls today through Sunday and I have the same concern! I am packing light beer (Bud Select 55, because then I get TWO beers for the calories of 1 other type of light beer!) and vodka and Diet Coke. I'm going to stay away from margaritas and full-flavored beers. I'm also bringing my workout clothes and my TurboFire videos so I can work off some calories!! We can't not allow ourselves to have fun because we're watching our calories... We just have to be conscious about what we're putting in our mouths. If we give up fun, I guarantee you we'll fall off the wagon and give up on the weight loss journey completely.

    Have fun and make smart choices -- that's all you can do!!
  • mellybelly08
    mellybelly08 Posts: 27
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    Thanks for all the replies:) Very helpful

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