Alcohol ?
 

I have read some articles that mention not drinking any Alcohol on a diet. They never really said why. Do any of you know why? I have a beer or two every once in awhile as long as I have calories for it.

:hat:

I think yo pretty much hit the nail on the head Howie, calories. Plus if one becomes tipsy our judgement becomes poorer and often I believe that effects our food choices.

Miss Chris

Im partial to a glass of red wine every now and then :) Its my treat when i have been good :)

I've heard that the reason alcohol isn't recommended on a diet is because your body burns off alcohol before anything else, so in effect it prevents fat from burning off and you'll have a slower loss rate - but to me that seems a bit over the top, it's not as though we subsist on beer or other alcohol alone. I figure a light beer or a wine spritzer now and then isn't going to slow down the weight loss process terribly much. I do think it's a valid point about alcohol affecting judgment, which could lead to overeating, especially at vulnerable moments (i.e. social get-togethers with an abundance of available food). All I know is this - if I'm talking about making a lifestyle change, it can't be one that encourages deprivation or I won't be able to stay on it long term; I'll have that occassional glass of wine and if it means I won't burn off a couple of ounces because of it, then so be it! :)

Hi Howie! I know where you are coming from. We love our beer here in Norway as well. However, Miss Chris is right. There are just too many calories there's no nutritional value. I don't think that 1 beer will affect your healthy food choices, but more than 2 might. Howie, do you like red wine? Did you know that red wine is considered a healthy alternative? Weight Watcher type groups and even most doctors here in Norway highly recommend red wine. It not only has fewer calories, but red wine also reduces the risk of heart disease, if you drink it in moderation. I enjoy 2 glasses with my husband on Saturday nights. The food highlight of my week! I have stopped drinking beer, cognac and other types of alchoholic beverages altogether. If beer is impossible for you to give up, then try to replace it with a Light version which has approx. 20% fewer calories. If you get a chance, check out the following website. It lists dozens of different beers and compares calories and alchohol content. http://brewery.org/brewery/library/AlClbinger.html
Viking Mom

I do drink light beer. And I count it within my calories for the day that I have it. I only have it one or two nights a week. So I don't think I'm hurting my diet. Just wanted to know what others do.

howie... and everyone else... such sensible people!!!!!!! even us WLS folks get an occasional glass of wine [no beer because of the bubbles] or whiskey, but not until we're a year out. i've been ENJOYING [and i DO mean that!] two glasses of red wine a month for a little while. such a nice treat!!!!

Well I drink wine every night and though It does slow weight loss it sure doesn't stop it. I've lost 56 pounds in the last year having my night cap all the while. You just have to allow for it and make sure you don't allow it to weaken your control.

I drink. I count the calories. Red wine or beer a couple times a week. Sometimes a boilermaker for an extra kick. I try to limit it to two drinks (which is about 300 calories). I believe that including moderate amounts of alcohol in one's diet can be a healthy thing.

I find that overdrinking is a problem for me in a number of ways. If I have more than two drinks in a night, my ankles and hands feel swollen the next day until I drink a lot of water and flush it out. (I'm actually mildly allergic to the yeasts in beer and wine, so if I don't want that reaction I drink Bloody Marys.)

Currently, it doesn't seem to be stopping the weight loss. I can see where it would be a problem in the future when I move to fewer calories a day. If you're aiming for 1500-1800 calories, you don't always want to "waste" 150 calories on alcohol.

Sorry, I love to drink. I brew my own and I have more wine than you shake a stick at. I limit my intake but I still drink.

I remember Bob Greene toted that drinking alcohol affects your workout the next day too. Oprah claimed she could never run as far after a glass of wine the evening before. I can believe it but WHO CARES I LOVE THE STUFF ... ahem... I mean, you should consider that. ;)

Well I tested it this week I had a couple of beers last Friday and a couple Wednesday. It did not seem to affect my weight loss this week. I even had two treat nights when I only allow one and still lost 3. So I think it will be fine. I love an ice cold beer every now and then. Beer had nothing to do with the extra treat night that was all my own undoing.

the reason i heard for not drinking on a diet is. when you consume alcohol that then reacts with the digestive juices in your stomarch. which turns into lactate. the body then spends the next 8-10 hours burning this off at expense of all others. so thats like nearly half a day where you wont burn any fat. also beer is full of carbs. which take about 6 hours to fully enter the system and if not used quickly will be turned into fat.

I enjoy drinking wine often and an occasional beer or mixed drink. The biggest problem that I have it that if I have more than one or two, I am always hungry and my judgement is too affected to say no.

I just heard that it's empty calories, and I would rather spend my calories on other things, but I will have a drink every now & then. Everything in moderation.

Alcohol also limits testosterone production which for a guy might be a bad thing. ;)