does anyone ever drink? How does it affect you?

Rarely! Because if I want to lose weight, and only get 1500 calories, I want every calorie to be food, preferably full of nutrition.

While I was losing the weight, I think I drank one time, when I went out with a buddy. It was a planned cheat. I had two beers, and it was worth every calorie.

Now that I have one foot in the maintenance zone, I've had maybe two drinks in the last two months. A few oz of Baileys in the evening.

So I have not had enough alcohol to say that it has affected me differently from any other calories. It was a lovely indulgence that I earned, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Any more drinking, though, and I would have gotten diminishing returns.

I enjoy wine- really enjoy it! It's not the calories in the wine that get me in trouble as much as the fact that it's usually a social situation, I let my guard down and it leads to over eating big time, and therefore a week of working hard to make up for it.

If you enjoy a drink now and again, reserve it for special occasions.

Of course, if you're a beer drinker, or drink certain mixed drinks you can be drinking a huge number of calories.

Tread carefully.

I drink wine... but never more than a glass once or twice a week. I don't find it effects me. Just be careful not to allow yourself to get drunk enough to lower your food inhibitions .

Yeah, I drink 6 oz wine with dinner about 5-6 days a week. It's 150 calories, but I do enjoy it. I drank this amount last year throughout my 50-lb weight loss and continue to do it in maintenance. I've been toying with the idea of going down to 4 oz (100 cals), but I'm not sure.

F.

I quit drinking way back on July 12, 1976 after I developed an allergy to alcohol. Every time I drank I would get an allergic reaction and break out in handcuffs.

Thirty five years later I can laugh about it, but back then it was not very funny.

Larry,

Funny guy, that Larry


Alcohol is useless nutritionally. Wine may or may not have health benefits; depends on what study you read. That alcohol consumption drops your guard and leaves you possibly to indulge in additional food is another negative. I don't drink, but if I could I probably wouldn't for the same reasons I don't drink fruit juice or soda. I drink water. I've gotten used to it, and in addition to its benefits, drinking water is a real money saver!

Love this!

Technically....I am in maintenance. I lost 87 pounds from September 2010 to May of 2011 and have been in maintenance since then. But I gained 10 pounds over the holidays and I am trying to lose that weight. I did drink 2 margaritas last night (I made them without sour mix....just tequila, lime juice, and light cranberry juice)...so it added about 300 calories to my day, but I was only at about 1000 calories and I had done the elliptical at lunch and took a run after work...hopefully....I won't see an ill effect.

All my 1000 calories were veggie and protein (fish and eggs). And I drank 100 ounces of water yesterday. This maintenance thing is tough...I was so good and then boom...up 10.

Re: alcohol, I think it's up to each of us to know ourselves and decide accordingly. I think I can safely say I have no alcoholic tendencies (wish I could say the same for overeating), but I really enjoy my glass of wine, so for the time being I see no reason to give it up.

F.

I never really enjoyed drinking, don't really like the taste of alcohol, so when I used to drink it would always be sugary or fattening drinks.

I go out with my friends and when they are drinking I have no problems getting a diet coke.

Really I want to be able to enjoy every calorie and alcohol isn't worth it to me. I totally understand that it would be to others, though

i drink.

rye and diet coke/ jack and diet coke/ tequila shots.

about 60-70 cals a drink.

they are not always planned. BUT booze is a diuretic which means that if you're holding on for dear life to some water weight- nothing like a couple of tequila shots to clean that water weight out -if i don't do uh, 3 am "snacks" - (read double cheeseburgers at mcd's after) then i will actually LOSE the next morning - although its just a waterweight loss.

aside from that- the more weight you lose, the lower your tolerence becomes. it might be me and my hot room- but 2-3 standard 1 oz drinks is more then enough for me, and comes in under 250 calories. for a night out with friends- i'm okay with that, even if it puts me over cals.

I find the same about the diuretic effect, but was afraid to say it . On the few nights I've gone out and done shots with friends I've woken up a lb. or two lighter.

hey this is actually a fact- i have a very good friend who is about 6'9 used to be 350 + , and is now a 200 lb marathon runner, he has sent me to the link to studies, unfortunately i cannot fit them right now - coffee, and alcohol have this effect the most. especially when you are training for something- your body will hold on to water, especially if you are feeling dehydrated.

research wise, it's only up to 125 ml that acts like that, and notice that you gain back about half of what you lose the next day as your body holds on to a little water again.

i see it as a fishbowl effect- you want to change the water every once in a while lol

I drink on the weekends usually (I'm in college, sue me). I will say one good thing about losing weight/counting calories is I tend to not go overboard on drinking because I think about the calories! haha and I have foregone sugary margaritas and mixed drinks for wine, vodka shots, or vodka and diet coke. Yes, I know that alcohol has a ton of calories (I have looked up all of the calorie counts), but I always make sure to set my limit, work out a little extra on those days, and stick to the lowest calorie options. Could I lose more if I stopped drinking? Yes. Is it worth putting in a little more time at the gym in order to enjoy nights out with my friends? Absolutely!