Calories are just calories - even as alcohol?

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Replies

  • tobnrn
    tobnrn Posts: 477 Member
    Its all about the calories. If it fits. Enjoy. I had a couple beers last nite. I eat/drink whatever I want. No need to feel deprived.
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
    But how long does the body take to burn off the alcohol in one glass of wine? An hour? So you divert some metabolic resources away from fat burning for an hour? I think metabolism of alcohol is fairly quick, isn't it? I think it starts in the mouth.

    Like someone said, you don't see a ton of obese, severe alcoholics so there must still be some fat metabolism going on.
  • tobnrn
    tobnrn Posts: 477 Member
    "Studies show that even small amounts of alcohol have a large impact on fat metabolism. Dropping whole body lipid oxidation (a measure of how much fat your body is burning) by up to 73%!"
    It isn't bollocks, but you have to read it carefully - it means that after ingesting alcohol the rate of fat oxidation fell by 73% while the liver took care of the alcohol. After which it would go back to the fat burning.

    I thought it was 100%, so this is good news for me.

    If your metabolism reduced by 70% you would be a heap on the floor. The red faced skinny alcoholics suggest metabolism may be increased by alcohol.

    Sure, it's the fat burning that I'm interested in, though.

    So the bottom line is drink alcoholic drinks in moderation?

    The body will prioritize burning off the alcohol which leads to lower cho/fat oxidation.
    Lean gains a great article on this. You can still drink like a fish and lose fat. Once I find it I will post it.

    ETA: http://www.leangains.com/2010/07/truth-about-alcohol-fat-loss-and-muscle.html?m=1
  • kdeaux1959
    kdeaux1959 Posts: 2,675 Member
    I decided at the start of this that it had to be about the long term and for me that's only going to work if I still get to drink wine on weekends, eat take out one night a week and have a bit of cake on birthdays. What I try to do is eat a decent balanced diet and any less healthy options have to be earned by exercise. It's working for me so far!

    ^^^This^^^ with one caveat. Your base calories of 1200 is where most agree your basic nutritional status is maintained. (I personally think for those of us who are taller, that number actually increases but I digress--I also think that if you dip below that one day or maybe two it is more about what you do on the long term that is most important. I would think about on those days maintaining some level of exercise to compensate.. That way, you can have your wine and drink it too...
  • Brandi0418
    Brandi0418 Posts: 63
    Nicely said! :bigsmile:
  • kdeaux1959
    kdeaux1959 Posts: 2,675 Member


    So the bottom line is drink alcoholic drinks in moderation?

    Balance in all things... = All things in moderation.
  • Kara_xxx
    Kara_xxx Posts: 635 Member
    I know calories in/out = weight loss. If I'm aiming for 1200 cals a day, and want to have a couple of glasses of wine a few nights a week - which is 340cals for 2 glasses - and can fit it in without wanting to binge/overeat/insert everything else negative you hear about alcohol and weightloss here, is it really a bad thing?

    Hard to say without seeing your diary. Personally with such few calories to go round I struggle to see how you can meet your protein, your macros etc while wasting over a quarter of your allocation on booze.

    It just depends what you want. If it's just about the weight and the looks and being skinny... then don't worry about the booze...

    A standard 175ml glass of wine usually contains 2 units of alcohol, so you're getting 4 units every night = 28 units a week --- which for a woman is DOUBLE the recommended guidelines. ... IF you WERE drinking two glasses every day... A couple just on the weekend is a different matter.

    http://www.nhs.uk/Tools/Pages/Alcohol-unit-calculator.aspx

    Your body. Your priorities. Your choice.
  • SusanMcAvoy
    SusanMcAvoy Posts: 445 Member
    I have been drinking wine on the weekends ever since I started. I'm not going to give up something I love. So I guess you can call it my cheat days. I still logged it though and always kept track even though I went over on those days. I never ate as much food on those days so that helped. Enjoy your life!!! :flowerforyou:
  • wackyfunster
    wackyfunster Posts: 944 Member
    It is still calories in vs out. Your body will burn alcohol preferentially, which is why fat oxidation is reduced while there is alcohol in your system. It doesn't change your TDEE, or cause you to gain weight if eating at a deficit. If eating at a SURPLUS then alcohol WILL cause more fat gain.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    http://www.ajcn.org/content/77/1/91.full "Meals with similar energy densities but rich in protein, fat, carbohydrate, or alcohol have different effects on energy expenditure and substrate metabolism but not on appetite and energy intake"
    Diet-induced thermogenesis was larger after the alcohol meal (by 27%; P < 0.01)
  • debussyschild
    debussyschild Posts: 804 Member
    With respect to how your body metabolizes it, no, ethanol gets processed only by the liver and is not used as energy. It's usually stored as fat, and a lot of it gets stored in the liver. Drinking in moderation like you're doing is fine, however. It won't derail your progress to have a couple of glasses (5 oz each) of wine a couple of times a week. Any more than that, and it really starts to work against your weight loss especially since alcohol is a diuretic and if you don't drink enough water, it will dehydrate you. Drink up! Wine is yummy, no reason to deprive yourself of it, especially since--and you're right--it can lead to binging. Not something your liver (or thighs) will be too happy about.
  • debussyschild
    debussyschild Posts: 804 Member
    Did a little searching and found a good (a bit lengthy) article about alcohol, how it's metabolized, how it can affect weight, etc. Just food for thought. IMHO (and this is coming from someone who LOVES to DRINK), the more you can avoid alcohol while trying to lose weight (and maintain), the easier it will be. I say this because alcohol isn't exactly filling or nutritive, so even if you're staying within calorie goals, you might still feel pretty hungry and deprived. With that said, here's the link:

    http://www.medicinenet.com/alcohol_and_nutrition/article.htm
  • hhindsle
    hhindsle Posts: 43 Member
    bump..to read links later
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,966 Member
    Yes have your wine. If you want this to be long-term, you should allow yourself to have treats every now and then. 1200 seems low however and if i was only eating that much I would not waste the calories on a drink. How did you decide that you should be eating 1200?
  • Heaven71
    Heaven71 Posts: 706 Member
    I know calories in/out = weight loss. If I'm aiming for 1200 cals a day, and want to have a couple of glasses of wine a few nights a week - which is 340cals for 2 glasses - and can fit it in without wanting to binge/overeat/insert everything else negative you hear about alcohol and weightloss here, is it really a bad thing?

    On the days I allow for wine, I do ok on all my protein/fat/carbs. I know I *could* choose healthier calories, but if all my basics are being met, in YOUR opinion, should I give up my wine?

    If you want to drink, you have to exercise, get a fitbit, you may be burning more in a day than you think.
  • katglaze
    katglaze Posts: 45 Member
    Once a week or two I drink a glass of wine. I am as I type sipping a Cosmo Martini. Life is short and I know that my calories are important but so is enjoying a relaxing glass of wine!
  • LesterBlackstone
    LesterBlackstone Posts: 291 Member
    With respect to how your body metabolizes it, no, ethanol gets processed only by the liver and is not used as energy. It's usually stored as fat, and a lot of it gets stored in the liver.


    Not even remotely true. Alcohol can only be used as energy. It cannot be stored at all.
  • Kathy53925
    Kathy53925 Posts: 241 Member
    Enjoy a drink without sabotaging your diet with these 5 low calorie wines. In most countries, wines do not list nutritional data on their bottles, so isolating a brand that has the lowest calorie wine is nearly impossible. There are, however, several types of wine that tend to have fewer calories than other choices. The following guidelines give calorie estimates for a four-ounce glass of wine.
    White Zinfandel. People tend to have strong opinions about drinking white zinfandel. For some, it hardly qualifies as wine, while others prefer its fruity taste to other choices. Love it or hate it, white zinfandel tends to be one the lowest calorie wines available. One glass of white zinfandel has an average of 80 calories.
    Sauvignon Blanc. This dry white wine is a good choice for someone watching their calories. As a general rule, dry wines will always have fewer calories than sweeter wines. Sauvignon Blanc is generally described as crisp and refreshing. A glass of Sauvignon Blanc contains about 80 calories.
    Chablis. Chablis is a French wine made from 100% Chardonnay grapes. A wine with a very pure taste, Chablis often has an acidity that some describe as a green-apple. One glass of Chablis has about 83 calories.
    Chardonnay. A white wine that is often both affordable and always easy to find in restaurants. Chardonnay is often a great low calorie choice. Chardonnays have a lot of flavor variation and are generally dry. A glass of Chardonnay has an average of 90 calories.
    Cabernet Sauvignon.The only red wine to make the list, Cabernet Sauvignon is a popular dry red wine. The fact that it is dry makes it more diet-friendly than sweeter reds. Red wines are generally higher in calories than white wines. A glass of Cabernet Sauvignon has an average of 95 calories.

    http://www.mademan.com/mm/5-low-calorie-wines.html
  • wackyfunster
    wackyfunster Posts: 944 Member
    With respect to how your body metabolizes it, no, ethanol gets processed only by the liver and is not used as energy. It's usually stored as fat, and a lot of it gets stored in the liver.


    Not even remotely true. Alcohol can only be used as energy. It cannot be stored at all.
    This is true. Otherwise all alcoholics would be obese.
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