I have a couple of questions since I'm new to this; I hope you don't mind.

First, I love beer and it being summertime, I enjoy drinking it. I've started drinking Molson 67 since it is only 67 calories. If I'm supposed to eat 1500 calories a day, and I only eat 1200, and I have 4 beers, is that okay? Technically, I'm still in my range...

Second, if I have 200 calories for breakfast, 100 calorie snack, 300 calorie lunch, 50 calorie snack, does that mean I can have and 850 calorie dinner? Again, I'm still within my range.

Thanks for any help!!

As far as calories go, it doesn't really matter how you distribute them or what they're composed of, so yes, both those examples are fine.

Nutrition is a different story, and regularly substituting food for beer might not be the best health-wise in the long run. Also, a lot of people find that they make poorer choices when they're drinking. But for calorie counts, you're good to go.

I have an 8-ounce glass of wine nearly every night, ranging between 193-200 calories. I plan for it, count it and enjoy it. I'm losing slower than most, and that MAY be attributable to the daily alcohol allowance -- or it may be because I'm older, post-menopausal and hypothyroid. I don't care; the weight is coming off consistently.

I, too, am at 1,500 calories per day, which according to LoseIt is supposed to result in a 2 pound weight loss per week. Mine is slower than that, but again, it's fine.

I should add that I tend to eat most of my calories in the morning and the evening with a little snacking in between. I generally skip a regular lunch. My allotment is something like:

Breakfast 400

Snacks (several) 250

Dinner 850

The thing I decided was, if this is a lifestyle change, then it has to fit, you know, my life. This is working well for me.

Best to you!

As far as calories go, as long as you're within your calorie range for the day then no matter what you choose to eat you're "doing it right".

It's a trial and error process, though, so further on down the road you might find you have to regulate certain types of foods, or that your body does better eating at certain times... etc. HOWEVER, that is completely individual.

If you choose to eat lightly all day and then have a big dinner... by all means! If you choose to drink some beer with your calories... go right ahead!

There is no specific "right" or "wrong" to calorie counting. It's just staying within your range, and finding out what's right for you!

Enjoy!

Beer is my favorite food. And I tend to love the higher calorie beers, such as IPAs and such.

I budget it in from time to time, and count every calorie. It is fine for me.

I will say, though, that since our bodies burn alcohol before they burn anything else, I think that fat loss can slow down if calories are coming from alcohol as opposed to somewhere else.

sometimes my snack is a bailey's latte, I Make it with skim milk and about 3 ounces of baileys and enjoy every sip.

One thing I'd like to mention.

Do you carry a lot of weight in your belly?

I always have. I have a history of yo-yo dieting and every time I would lose weight before now, I always made sure I had my beer/alcohol included. Sure I would lose weight, but my stomach never went away. I mean, even at a low weight I had a "beer belly" or a muffin top, or whatever you want to call it. This time around I decided to stop drinking entirely and I have lost the beer belly. Besides a little loose skin under my belt, the bulge is gone. I have the flattest stomach I have had since adolescence. I seriously think that it is from the elimination of alcohol. All my friends who drink have tummy bulging issues. IDK, just an observation.

Oh yea, and I also ate/eat the majority of my calories for my evening meal with no ill effects in the weight loss department.