Weight-Loss What affects does hard alcohol have on a dieting body?

Weight-Loss
Low calorie alcohol

Hi everyone,

I'm currently into my second weekend of my fitness + healthy food plan but i've reached a bit of a hiccup - i'm a university student, and well, you know students - we drink and go out a lot. :p Does anyone know the best choice of drink on a night out in terms of calories?

Many thanks :)
 
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My problem with drinking is kind of like my problem with eating

I can't just eat 1 of things or drink just 1 of things. I drink 5x more than I should :(
 
How does alcohol effect weight loss?

I'm new to the world of weight loss, I'd never really worried about it before, but I nearly reached 100kg and it was a bit of a landmark I guess.

Anyway, I am wondering how alcohol effects weight loss. I have started measuring my daily calorie intake, and exercising 30 minutes per day at 75% max heart rate, and I have already cut down my drinking from roughly 5 bottles of whiskey per week, to only 1 or 2, but I still seem to be having trouble losing weight. Can anyone let me know if alcohol can make weight loss more difficult?
 
Alcohol has calories of its own - just like the macro nutrients, protein, carbohydrates, and fats. However, unlike the macro nutrients, its not essential - it doesn't give us any useful nutrition - its like empty calories. How many calories?
  • Protein: 1 gram = 4 calories
  • Carbohydrates: 1 gram = 4 calories
  • Fat: 1 gram = 9 calories
  • Alcohol: 1 gram = 7 calories
Now, as I said, we need all of the others in our balanced diet - even fats, but we don't need alcohol. To lose weight, we want to cut our calorific consumption below the amount of calories that we burn. If we are going to dump any calories, then its pretty obvious that alcohol has to be high on the list.

Having said that, if alcohol is part of your social life, and or you enjoy it - it gives you something other than nutrition, then sure, enjoy some. But 5 to 6 bottles of whisky per week? Even cutting down to 1 or 2 bottles is eventually going to wreck your health and life. You need to cut much further, and not just for weight loss. Count the calories on the bottle and add them to your total consumption. Some booze has more calories than others. Red wine for example, has less than many alchopops - check out the kcals on the bottle.
 
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Thanks so much!!!

Actually, I've been considering switching to something like Absinthe. It's higher in alcohol, so my theory is that more of the energy in it comes from the alcohol rather than the other "stuff", meaning that if I drink that then I won't be getting any more calories than necessary. Another drink I was considering switching to is Jagermeister but I'm not sure whether it has a lot of sugar in it, I wish they would put nutritional information on alcohol!!!
 
Can you put off drinking until after your diet is over?

If you absolutely cannot, you have to ask yourself if alcohol is really that important to you that you cannot go a weekend without a drink? Is it really worth all of the empty calories (and bad hangovers?)

Alcohol sucks. It causes addiction, depression, and damages the liver, kidney, lungs and esophogus. Sure, everything in moderation but what is moderation? If you are drinking more than a couple of nights a week (1 drink, 2-3 times a week) then you are doing more than moderating.

If you have food issues, the last thing you need is the alcohol-related depression, anxiety, and physiological damage.

<---- former heavy drinker... quit cold turkey 2004 - no regrets and no AA.
 
I stick to red or white wine (and only ocassionally) when I am trying to lose weight...its easier for me to turn it down, if I know that I can have it. Nothing is forbidden on my foodplan...the choices are mine when it comes to how I spend my calorie budget everyday.

Beth
 
Well....

Probably the biggest thing I have ever heard and experienced with alcohol and not losing weight is simply this. The more I drink, the less I think and worry about what I eat. Bottom line is alcohol lowers inhibitions. It is no shock to anyone alive I am sure how alcohol is world famous for fueling poor decisions and mistakes. Why should losing weight be any different.....

I can sadly speak from heaps of experience of how a 6 pack of beer, or 1/2 bottle of whiskey just makes that cheeseburger, pizza or nachos look soooooooo much better....

Even here in China. Part of business in China always tends to lead towards a night of raucous drinking of 50-57% rice wine. Now I avoid it at all costs, but I was not always so wise. I few too many of those and i was stopping at the nearest "street side" BBQ for some lamb on a stick. Now by street side, I mean dude dumped out the coals on the sidewalk and was cooking up lamb and chicken skewers right there. Who was he? Where was I? Who was I? (sometimes....57% OY!) I had no idea, but those lamb and or chicken skewers were damn good....

haven't died yet, so thats pretty lucky. But my point is sometimes the loss of a little focus due to alcohol can really mess up the best intentions... or a diet.

sirant
 
after heavy drinking the night before i find the scales make me a few pounds less lol. dehydration obviously but stil makes me happy for a little bit lol

but jesus! 5 bottles of whisky a week! and your thinking of switching to absynth! lol

if you do lwo carb diet you can drink as much spirits as you want as it has 0 carbs in.
 
I have just decided to be strong and cut out alchohol. It's really hard because all of my friends are heavy on shots. But I am less likely to make a smart decision when I am drunk.
ALSO, and this is really interesting. When I am in the second half of my cycle, alchohol really depresses me. A few weeks ago, there was a period of about two weeks where I didn't want to get out of bed, exercise, eat, or anything. The worst part of those two weeks happened three times when I had been drinking a day or two before.
So it definately affects us in a HUGE way, and I think the best way to evaluate how you are affected by it individually is to keep track of what you eat, which you may be doing by calorie monitering, and keep track of when you consume alcohol, and how much.
If you have any inconsistencies in your mood or patterns, this could help :)
 
I just read an article in Glamour magazine about a woman who has been trying to lost the last 15 or so lbs. She eats perfectly, runs 3 miles a day, etc., but her job is around alcohol, and she always though it was just part of the job. She started keeping track of everything she put into her body and realized that she consumed about 2000 calories of alcohol a week. She decided to cut it out for a few weeks and lost 15 lbs.

I dont know that this would work for anyone, but it is a great example that it really does have an affect on us psysically, in addion to the emotional effects.
 
Bleh...last week someone made me take a carbomb with guiness....SOOOO nasty
ewwwwww
sorry I am just not a fan lol. Give me rum, give me Whiskey and I'll be fine....actually no dont, I cut it out! lol
 
My problem is simple.

I can't just drink 1-2 drinks. I will drink 8-9 and like someone said above...I stop caring about the diet.

I am going to a bar tonight for a friends birthday. I plan on not drinking at all
 
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