alcohol & losing weight

savinapopp · July 2010

Hi Ladies...I've finally decided that I need to cut back on drinking to lose some weight. I drink about a glass (or two) of wine a night and I drink much more on the weekends. I was going to stop drinking for a few months and up my workouts. I eat very well and have been working out, but haven't seen much of a difference(not on the scale or inches lost : ( ), so I think this is the change I need. Has anyone done the same thing and lost weight??

crnota · July 2010

I am not a big drinker anyway so I can't say that I stopped and lost weight, but I can tell you that it will help!

Just think of the calories that are in 2 glasses of wine per night, and then add up how many calories you drink on the weekend. That is a decent number for the week, and if you simply omit (or cut back to maybe just wine on the weekend, or something), you save a lot of calories without even changing any of your food.

And the thing about alcohol is that the calories are empty- no nutritional benefit at ALL. And so easy to overdo it and not even think about it, when you are drinking something rather than eating (same goes for any drink- sugary stuff, milkshakes, etc).

I think that just like cutting out a large soda habit can bring about results, so can cutting out a lot of alcohol. Of course a drink here and there, worked into your calories for the day, is no big deal!

LittleKatie13 · July 2010

Cutting back on alcohol definitely helped me. I limit myself to 2 glasses of wine 2 nights a week (usually friday and saturday). No martinis, mixed drinks, blended drinks and definitely nothign during the week.

Shtallionchick14 · July 2010

When I am working out and watching what I eat, I feel like I am working so hard at losing weight that I don't want to waste the calories on alcohol. Only for very special occasions will I drink, but keep in mind, I was never a real partier to begin with. I will still go to clubs and bars, but I don't drink. I just hang with friends and dance, and laugh at the drunks.

Alcohol has so many calories that it is unreal.

Kate504 · July 2010

I have pretty much stopped drinking and now i can hardly drink one beer.

i used to go out may one or two weekends a month and drink, sometimes get drunk with friends.
I was never a person to drink during the week, but I have noticed a difference with how i feel.

msange727 · July 2010

op: good idea! when your body consumes alcohol, it stops its fat-burning processes until the alcohol is out of your system, so it basically gets in the way of losing weight - and not entirely because of the calorie content (although high-cal drinks don't help the cause), but more because of the way the body metabolizes the alcohol. a lot of trainers tell their clients to cut that as a first step in changing their diet. i would say if you're going to cut back or completely eliminate the alcohol, give yourself about 2 weeks to determine you're results; but you'll feel like your stomach is flatter and less bloated in probably a few days. good luck! :]

MsAlphaBee123 · July 2010

Savinapopp--- I was the same type of drinker as you. Loved a glass or two after work to wind down. Often had a bit more on wkends with friends and FI. Was pretty active and though I was in an "average" weight.

4 weeks ago I gave up drinking.

I thought I would die w/o my glass of wine or two a few nights a week. I honeslty missed it sooo bad the first week. Esp since I was upping my workout intensity and frequency... Then ... who'd a thought... it acutally got easier. I actually didn't want to drink anymore. Even on wkends with all this wedding related activiites fast approaching... I say NO thanks and have water with lemon instead. Yes I am the "boring" sober sister. but really It has made soo much of a difference... I am now 128lbs. (ive lost about 13 lbs) and 2 pants sizes.

Eating the "Clean" diet and no alcohol has made all the differnce in the world in terms of my success in weightloss. Good LUCK!

bangbangshakeit · July 2010

I agree that cutting alcohol out has really helped me as well. I have never been much on wine, but the thing I miss is having a couple mixed drinks when relaxing with friends. I found by replacing my beloved vodka & cranberry or vodka & OJ with crystal light, that I still get to enjoy a couple drinks with WAY LESS calories. I usually have a few in different flavors in my purse anyway (those individual packets that you can put in a bottle of water) so if I'm at a friends, I'll quick throw one of those in a bottle of water and mix it with whatever I'm having instead of the juice. Plus, they've got tons of flavors so you can surely find something to go with any kind of liquor LOL

mata8888 · July 2010

WOW im glad this was posted. I had been thinking the same thing. And now with your stories I definitely want to cut it out. I get married in Feb. Can I give it up for 6 months? I'm going to try and just drink on very special occasions. thank you for the extra motivation!

savinapopp · July 2010

thanks for all of the advice, ladies

afloggie · July 2010

Cutting back helps!!! I have not drank in 3 weeks, at all, not one single drop! And have lost 6.2 lbs. I was by no means a lush before but I did like to drink on the weekends.

scpalmtree06 · July 2010

I've been eliminating alcohol for the past two weeks and have found that when I'm in a bar with others I am satisfied with ordering a Peligrino or Perrier sparkling water. It's "fancy" like a real drink, but no calories! Just a suggestion for those of you wondering what to drink that's nonalcoholic.

SinginStef · July 2010

I definitely need to do this but it's so hard when a lot of my friends have different events they want me to attend where EVERYONE will be drininking. Thanks for posting...this helps to keep me motivated!

CSTK1910 · July 2010

Oh, it definitely helps! I drank a fair amount in college, especially towards the end of senior year. After I graduated though, I mostly stopped drinking (was hanging out with more family than friends, no longer lived within walking distance of my favorite clubs/bars, etc). Within a few months I had probably dropped about 20 pounds. I didn't feel particularly overweight beforehand but afterwards I definitely felt like I had been!

I agree also there are definitely lower calorie options (love Malibu/Diet Coke or Crystal Light with pretty much anything, and wine's not bad), but moderation is key.

PeonyPrincesskdd · July 2010

Yes I cut out alcohol and it has helped. All alcohol is .. is carbs.. and sugar... not good at all.. u dont think u would lose weight eating bagels and rolls and donuts.. do you.. so alcohol is no better.

roselyn81 · July 2010

How about coffee? I've heard mixed reports...

PeonyPrincesskdd · July 2010

I haven't heard anything negative with coffee regarding weight gain or hindering weight loss. They say a cup of coffee is fine to start your day. I am not sure what others think on here, but I am pretty sure a cup of coffee is fine and won't hinder weight loss efforts.. just don't put a lot of cream and sugar

roselyn81 · July 2010

I have a little under 2 months! I am determined to cut out the booze. I don't drink a lot but I have two glasses of wine with dinner when we go out, about once or twice a week (which we should also cut out!) I know the alcohol makes a difference.

Good luck, ladies!

roselyn81 · July 2010

I have a little under 2 months! I am determined to cut out the booze. I don't drink a lot but I have two glasses of wine with dinner when we go out, about once or twice a week (which we should also cut out!) I know the alcohol makes a difference.

Good luck, ladies!

SAS21 · July 2010

Earlier this year when I was trying to lose weight I cut out alcohol completely - I was drinking every weekend. Along with this I stuck to a healthy eating and consistent exercise plan. I lost 18 pounds in eight weeks. Cutting out the alcohol definitely helped me lose the weight!

bangbangshakeit · July 2010

I was wondering about the coffee thing as well -- It is really hard for me to NOT have my Dunkin Donuts Iced Coffee every morning -- I also read that coffee can actually help boost your metabolism before a workout which I'm not sure if its true. My biggest issue with coffee is I like adding flavored creamers which is a lot of sugar/fat... But I figure its one drink a day -- The rest of the day I'm drinking water, crystal light, or the occasional diet soda....

kbramp · July 2010

I actually had my doctor tell me (and I'm not a nutritionist, so maybe he's wrong) that cutting out drinking was one of the best solutions to weight loss because drinking prohibits actual weight loss. He told me as a rule of thumb that one night of drinking (3 drinks or more) would equal three days of not losing weight. He explained it in medical terms that I've already forgotten, but I took his advice and only drank 1 night a week (every Saturday) and I lost a ton of weight, from a 14/16 to a size 10.

JSteff22 · July 2010

I cut back on drinking back in February (getting married next month), only having a drink/drinks 2 nights a week (mostly weekends). I also upped my workouts to 6 days a week and incorporated a lot more running. I've noticed a huge difference. I wasn't looking to lose as much as get more definition and I have really noticed the difference. Plus, my energy level is up so much more and I sleep better at night without the glass of wine. Now, don't get me wrong, I kind of miss having a glass whenever I want, but it's worth it now. I am sure it will all go down the tubes during the honeymoon

Sweetness712 · July 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_getting-shape_alcohol-losing-weight?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:238Discussion:68e91fb5-6f5c-48ce-85e0-e3f8b67c5d92Post:8e9f6c49-71ce-44ad-8593-e8dd1d106700">Re: alcohol & losing weight</a>:
[QUOTE]I actually had my doctor tell me (and I'm not a nutritionist, so maybe he's wrong) that cutting out drinking was one of the best solutions to weight loss because drinking prohibits actual weight loss. He told me as a rule of thumb that one night of drinking (3 drinks or more) would equal three days of not losing weight. He explained it in medical terms that I've already forgotten, but I took his advice and only drank 1 night a week (every Saturday) and I lost a ton of weight, from a 14/16 to a size 10.
Posted by kbramp[/QUOTE]<div>
</div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12px;" class="Apple-style-span"><div style="border-style:initial;border-color:initial;outline-width:0px;outline-style:initial;outline-color:initial;font-size:12px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-attachment:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;background-color:transparent;border-width:0px;padding:0px;margin:0px;">Yes! I heard that as well. Drinking slows down your metabolism 2-3 days after you drank. If you don't drink, you wouldn't be adding calories... the more you exercise, the more your metabolism increases, which will help you lose more weight. </div><div style="border-style:initial;border-color:initial;outline-width:0px;outline-style:initial;outline-color:initial;font-size:12px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-attachment:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;background-color:transparent;border-width:0px;padding:0px;margin:0px;">
</div><div style="border-style:initial;border-color:initial;outline-width:0px;outline-style:initial;outline-color:initial;font-size:12px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-attachment:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;background-color:transparent;border-width:0px;padding:0px;margin:0px;">I rarely drink alcohol, but I do drink a cup a coffee daily. I used to drink a big cup of coffee or an iced coffee from Dunkin Donuts, but there's just too much fat/ calories. So I switched to a small cup of coffee with regular milk and I have been losing much more weight. But I'm a huge supporter of eating what you want, but in moderation. I eat 4-6 small meals a day and my cut off time is 6pm.</div><div style="border-style:initial;border-color:initial;outline-width:0px;outline-style:initial;outline-color:initial;font-size:12px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-attachment:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;background-color:transparent;border-width:0px;padding:0px;margin:0px;">
</div><div style="border-style:initial;border-color:initial;outline-width:0px;outline-style:initial;outline-color:initial;font-size:12px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-attachment:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;background-color:transparent;border-width:0px;padding:0px;margin:0px;">Since Nov 2009, I have lost 18 pounds. I still have another 20 pounds to go. =)</div></span>
</div>

peggyo10 · July 2010

when i committed to losing weight/getting in shape in january, i knew i wasn't going to completely cut out alcohol, but i did make a couple of important changes.

the most important thing was to (almost) stop drinking at home. i drink water or seltzer with dinner now instead of a glass or two of wine or beer. the exception is friday nights...when we have a shabbat dinner at home, we spilt a bottle of wine...but we don't open a second one!

the other important change was to stay away from beer. if i'm out and i'm going to have a drink, i go with jack and diet coke or gin and tonic.

in addition to messing up weight loss on its own (b/c of the calories and the effect on metabolism), i find that i eat more if i drink a lot...either b/c i load up on bready stuff to absorb the alcohol or just because i make less smart decisions about what to order or when to stop eating.

i've lost 40 pounds since january. i just joined a gym yesterday, so hopefully adding in an exercise routine will help me lose 30 more!

mtsookasem · July 2010

Alcohol plays a big part in weight loss, not only because of the calorie content... At least for me. My problem is that I eat badly while I am drinking as well.

I lost 20 lbs last year, and I did not make any progress until I quit drinking altogether for a few months. It was hard, but it really made a difference.

I am maintaining my weight at this point and try to limit drinking to 1-2 days a week. I avoid beer and try to stick with wine or Vodka & Club soda (lowest calorie mixed drink).

luckymelcg4 · July 2010

Try Mikes hard Light lemonade and cranberry lemonade! only 98 calories each, jsut keep a food diary and add up the calories to account for it and keep well hydrated with water. I personally found that drinking just on weekends has helped me and I am still losing weight. I stick to the Mikes light or Malibu and diet if I am out! good luck!

Megstage · July 2010

I use a calorie counting program called "I Lose It" and it's been amazing to see just how many calories are in each thing I eat. Wine/beer/cocktails have tons of calories!

PeonyPrincesskdd · July 2010

All this talk of ppl telling how much weight they lost really got me motivated. It is hard for me to lose anything. It seems I am healthy enough. lol What I mean is my normal, everyday lifestyle is drinking 64 or more oz a day, green tea, kashi cereal. fruits veggies whole grains only, low carb, no alcohol, minimal sugar etc.

For someone who is already doing this, it is hard to lose weight and I feel the only way is the just step up the intensity and really work it. Which is hard.

I think this is called a plateau? When I am already having healthy habits but in order to lose weight you need to kick it up major.

I know people who lose 12 lbs by just cutting out soda. Well I haven't had soda in years and years. Therefore, that won't work. I am already doing what I need to be doing...

anyway I got a pedometer and went running today and it said 3 miles. Good for a start.. I haven't worked out in a week or 2. I need to continue this for anything to work...

mtsookasem · July 2010

Plateaus are really hard. Sometimes it can help to change up your exercise routine. Your body needs to be challenged. For example, if all you do each workout is jog. Your body is less challenged each time and begins to get "used to it". Change up the routine by doing intervals (1 minute of sprints, 2 minutes powerwalk for at least 20 minutes), adding incline, etc.

Also, many women are afraid to do weight training in fear of becoming bulky. Weight training is important because it builds muscle - muscle burns fat. Also, you continue to burn calories after lifting weights. If you are afraid of becoming bulky, use low weights but do many reps. (5 lbs weights, 20 reps). You will not become bulky, but just tone up.

vikandkaty · July 2010

Yes, the awful plateau! I agree on challenging your body and switching it up (and also agree on the effectiveness of cutting out drinking to lose weight). This sounds strange, but I started drinking a couple glasses of water first thing in the morning (I heard this was an energy booster for starting the day) and noticed subsequent weight loss, then I started working out earlier and found the pounds seemed to slide off. I've heard that working out in the first half hour of the day jump starts your metabolism as well, does anyone know about this?

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