Alcohol or Cake?
 

Okay, this is simple yet something that I can't seem to figure out. For the SAME amount of calories, would it be better for my diet to have white/red wine mixed with some juice/water, or eat a slice of cake/any other pastries? Would it make a difference? If so, why?

Thanks for all who will answer! Any useful insights or follow up questions will be much appreciated :)

I doubt it would make a big difference as they are both basically sugar. The wine/juice might have more nutrients, but I'd say go for whichever you want as long as the calories are the same and you are getting the nutrients you need from your other foods.

But what about how the kind of food is used? 'Cause i've also heard about how alcohol is metabolized differently.. Is it true/applicable?

It will make zero difference in one night.

A 5 oz glass of wine is 125 calories. That's not going to have an effect on your weight loss. Now, if you had 5 glasses, and then started eating everything in sight, and did this 3 nights a week you'd have a problem.

Really, put this energy into figuring what you'll wear and just have a good time.

Thanks! :)

Alcohol is metabolized via a slightly different metabolic pathway...but that doesn't really make much difference in the good ole cals in/ cals out equation. As long as you are consuming within a calorie range conducive to weight loss...enjoy your drink!

Ohh. I'd remind myself that the difference isn't that significant as i seem to think. Thank you! :)

Alcohol is much better imo. But don't mix it with juice.

Beer is also a mild diuretic so you'll lose water and, therefore, perhaps some weight too if you've been holding water.

I drink beer every evening and it is fab!

For me alcohol calories do not go the same way as food ones.

I never put on weight with drinking, no matter how much I sink. Although I can stall following a big night.

It's what you may be tempted to eat when drinking alcohol that is more the problem. I am very disciplined to avoid food when doing so.

I guess my body is just weird.

You have a lot of willpower. I start to eat everything salty in sight after 2 beers.

Dagmar :D

EAT THE CAKE!!!!


(I am a substance abuse counselor so I might be a little biased :cool: )

Cake no question!

What's a substance counselor? :)

I would pick the one you want more. Is it a fantastic cake? A really great bottle of wine?

I would avoid adding juice to anything. It is really just sugar.

You will probably feel better the next day sticking to cake.

I'll take the booze.

My body actually deals better with that than the processed sugar rush from cake. I do like cake, it just really does not like me.

Plus booze just makes me sleepy. I'm a cheap date!:D

Booze v. Cake? For me... crack the bottle! No question. :)

I'm not a big cake fan.

I like all these fellow Boozers!

Let the rest eat cake!

Wine vs desert happens to me almost every sunday when I have my parents over for supper... I always choose the wine :cheers:

I have been thinking about this thread since I first read it.

My first instinct is booze!!! But I'd have to hide the cake first. The booze would make me weak and I'd eat the cake too afterwards. Boo.:rolleyes:

What do you by you process alcohol better than sugar?

I thought of the same thing! I might opt to pair the cake with the wine i'd be sipping :))

I have a glass of wine every night. It hasn't affected either my 50-pound weight loss or maintenance. The only thing that derails me is consuming too many calories, no matter what form those calories take.

F.

I use beer to make sure my weight loss isn't too quick. ;)

Oh okay, thanks! :)

I have to say I think this is kind of a hilarious question. Fundamentally I don't think it makes any difference if you're talking about one night/one serving, so it's more a matter of which one you like better. For me, cake all the way! Dessert is my favorite food group. :o

(To be honest, if it was a special occasion or something -- I'd have both. :lol: )

Ever tried UV's Cake Vodka? They make it in white cake and chocolate flavors. :D Best of both worlds, in my book!

There's always the fact about alcohol affecting and metabolizing differently that makes this question kinda tricky.. But thanks for sharing your answer!

Well said! If only there was one slice of that every time i'm craving for wine and cake, haha.

Can someone please do an experiment. Or, I'll do it if you like.

I will eat cake. And then many times the calories worth in beer.

I guarantee my weight will be affected less by the beer.

Alcohol and cake is like chalk and cheese.

This made me laugh, and wish I had a like button. LOL

I do like that vodka. :) And I'm fond of the chocolate wine, as well.


Seriously, I can easier have a glass of wine than the comparably sized equivalent calorie dessert or cake and keep it in my calorie target. I don't care about the metabolism difference, I just know that I have more control over wine than dessert.

I actually want to try replacing anything i'd eat after dinner with wine, just to see what happens.

And, also quoting Shannon in ATL, I think I'd have more control over wine than dessert! :^:

Can't wait to see the results CoffeeAndCookieGirl. Keep us posted.

Remember to resist the munchies!

Will do!

Sign me up for the alcohol and I'll pass on the cake :) Much like you Ian I indulge often (whiskey and diet pop) and it really does not affect my weight loss, some mornings I can be as much as 3 pounds down after a night of drinking.

I have excellent self control with snacking so that's not an issue. I've never been much on sweets or snacks my problem was always portion sizes. I'd rather have 2 plates of supper than supper and dessert. So bad...

I have loved the title of this thread so much and thought of all kinds of lead-in questions for it.

Honestly, I go into lockdown mode on social occasions, so the answer for me would be "neither." But I might take a plate of cake and mash it up a little, to look like I'd toyed with it. And I might let the wine just touch my lips, then abandon it somewhere with a lot of other abandoned half-empty or empty glasses.

Then maybe I'd let myself eat a dinner roll. Or an extra piece of meat. I don't know. But really, that's what I'd do.

Abandoning wine is like....like.....abandoning a child! Sob!

re:
 

If both were on a table in front of me, that's what I would have - both.

Mixing cake and wine is like mixing gin and tonic.

I like cake, but don't love it. Because of my sensitivity to artificial colors, I'm now suspicious of most of it and won't take the risk. Same with mixed drinks - too many hidden side effects in most liqueurs and mixers. So, poor me (:D) is limited to the world of craft beers, wines, and single malt Scotches. What an awful existence. ;)

Oh Becky, I love single malt scotches and craft beers. And cake.

I never abandon a glass of wine. I also can't abandon cake once I start it, so at social gatherings I try to get small pieces or none if I can help it.

I have to tell you, I'm playing parts of this thread in Eddie Izzard's voice in my head and picturing us all in a variation of 'cake or death?'.

Weirdly enough, I poured myself a glass of white wine (purposely avoiding all the pastries and breads on the table) and couldn't finish the whole thing. Which is awfully weird.. I didn't find the fattening foods on the table tempting either. Maybe it's just tonight. I'll see again tomorrow!