i drink once a week, ive given up all other "bad things" i love and never cheat on my calories or exercise except when i go out. I only drink spirits and dont "drink and eat".

I know the calories in alcohol are empty calories but how much do you think im damaging my diet by doing this? would my one day drinking work like a cheat day or is that just not how alcohol calories work?

I think it's okay as long as you count the calories in the drinks and not go too crazy!

Alcohol was one of the biggest things I cut out of my diet when I started being healthy. I used to drink 3-4 drinks a night, and more on weekends. I still have a drink or two when I go out with friends every week or two, but I count them in my calories for the day and drink nothing but water for the rest of the week. They're empty calories, yes, but in my opinion you can/should indulge (a little, don't go overboard!) in at least one thing each week or two. My trainer at the gym agreed.

I haven't reached the point of giving up a glass or 2 of wine on the weekends. Will I ever give that up? I seriously doubt it. I can't imagine having a nice steak dinner without a glass of Cab - craziness!

Alcohol doesn't just add on calories, it also depletes your body of vitamins and while your body is busy ridding your body of the "toxin", it is not digesting fat. So if you go home from work every night and have a glass of wine - kiss weight loss good-bye.

This is why I cut back. I find the more I cut back on alcohol, the more I lose - BUT I will always figure it in somewhere as I like a good drink every once in a while. I was trying to limit myself to twice a week. I would have a glass or two of wine or a beer or two or three on two separate evenings. Then I actually got down to about once a week.

This week - forget it. I had multiple drinks on Saturday, wine on Monday, beers last night. I watched what I was eating - but I know that this will stall my weight loss for the week.

It is all a matter of choice. I choose to have a drink now and then and I will always want an occassional drink. I know that this comes at a cost of losing weight a bit slower. But now that I have been limiting myself, I find I want it less.

I think alcohol is a bit different than a cheat day or cheat meal. A big night of drinking can easily ruin a week or more of hard work for me.

Amen to that! Or wings with out an ice cold beer!

I can't imagine ever giving up my beer. It doesn't happen very often, but I love to get together with friends and share some brewskies. There's definitely more to life than counting calories and worrying about every one of them. After all Benjamin Franklin said, "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."

Justonemorepound, the articles I've read such as this one:

http://www.nutritionj.com/content/9/1/14

all point to alcohol, in and of itself, not being a factor in weight gain, due to not triggering an increased insulin response.

Low carb, low sugar alcohol such as very dry wine is what I see recommended the most.

Other than that, are the usual admonishments to have a designated driver, and not to let the drink lead to eating snacks, which are usually in the vicinity.

I don't drink, and don't care for it. But, I haven't seen any scientific data that dry wine leads to weight gain.

Mixed drinks, beer, or brandy, and such are full of carbs and sugar. The danger in those for keeping one's diet, is not the alcohol itself.

I have to bow to science on this one, and not my personal preference.

The blogs in my signature, have more info, if you're interested in using the search engine and reading about alcohol and metabolism and the interaction of alcohol and macronutrients. Not eating carbs when drinking alcohol is highly recommended.

We all like what we like.

Wow thanks everyone, defibatly found the responses really interesting and useful Ive decided to gradually cut it down because to be honest i tend to drink a lot when I do drink, I suppose if my weight loss starts to stall I'll try cutting
It out the, thanks again everyone and silver I'll definatly check that out thanks for going to the effort of getting me a link