[sal27253]

I drink all the time and haven't found it to impact my weightloss at all. I am on WW and a Vodka Tonic with lime is 2pts so I drink my points. I also enjoy Cherry rum with Diet Coke (2pts) and ofcourse a diet mimosa (champagne and sunrise crystal lite) on the weekends! If you drink cut back on what you eat. It's all about checks and balances you know.

p.s. If alcohol makes you swing by the taco shop for a carne asada burrito with extra colby jack and guac ofcourse avoid it like the plague.

[Lori Bell]

Drink up. Sounds good. You don't know how many chicks I've seen pass through the gates of 3FC who vowed that they will NEVER give up____________(fill in the blank). I hope they are all enjoying maintaince right now, but since they quit posting after a few weeks we'll never know.

[Shannon in ATL]

I often have one glass of wine with dinner, most often red, but I treat it exactly like food. I measure it out into the glass, recork the bottle and put it back up. I don't go back for more, I count it in my calories as part of the meal. I don't do it because I have to have it, I do it because I enjoy it and I think that red wine has some health benefits. It doesn't make me munchy, quite the opposite actually. I would never say I can't give it up, because my maintenance is more important to me than anything else.

On instances where I drink too much at social events I also track all of those - those can make me munchy, so I try really hard to limit the food availability during them.

As it goes, vodka is probably lower cal than a lot of the other options, absolutely. And exercise really helps me unwind at the end of the day, too.

[mandalinn82]

Drink up. Sounds good. You don't know how many chicks I've seen pass through the gates of 3FC who vowed that they will NEVER give up____________(fill in the blank). I hope they are all enjoying maintaince right now, but since they quit posting after a few weeks we'll never know.

I will never give up cupcakes. I've been a member since 2006, and have been maintaining for three years this week.

Some people don't do well with having to give things up forever. Some people don't do well when having trigger foods is an option, ever again. Both are valid approaches to weight loss and maintenance.

[sacha]

I stopped drinking in June 2009 when I got pregnant and never started again, but before, I did have a shot of vodka with rasberry ice crystal light as my drink - low calorie and delicious. It was my favourite drink when I was 115lbs too.

For me, the problem with alcohol is that it allowed me to slack on poor food choices (I tend to get tipsy after only one drink). If that's in check, then I see no harm in a nightly drink, and if I were to have one, vodka would be the choice.

If my boy stops waking 5-10x a night, I might look into having a drink again but until then.. ugh!

[Shannon in ATL]

I just reread my post earlier, then read Amanda's and have to revise my comments that I now read as a little snarky. Sorry OP.

I would give up wine for maintenance because I don't love it that much, it just isn't important to me. I won't give up ice cream, and I find ways to make it work because I love it and it is important to me. I've been maintaining two years with it.

If one drink a night works for you and you can plan it in to your calories I don't see a problem with it. I do like vodka with lime and seltzer, or a little sprite a lot.

[tonimaroni2]

Originally Posted by krampus

I still drink like a fish at weekend social events if the occasion calls, but I very rarely imbibe during the week. For regular drinks, I'd say 1 serving of vodka in Coke Zero or something could be aight.

LOL That sounds like me.

[rachinma]

I love red wine, but I hate hangovers, so I rarely drink. And, on occassion, I can have one glass, but usually it's all or nothing (e.g. five glasses).

This has nothing to do with weight loss, I suppose, and everything to do with me being a lush with no self control - LOL.

[Lori Bell]

Originally Posted by mandalinn82

I will never give up cupcakes. I've been a member since 2006, and have been maintaining for three years this week.

Some people don't do well with having to give things up forever. Some people don't do well when having trigger foods is an option, ever again. Both are valid approaches to weight loss and maintenance.

That's great Mandalinn82, and you are enjoying maintenance, like I hope all the others are. Best of both worlds. You are a very lucky woman.

[goodforme]

Originally Posted by sal27253

If you drink cut back on what you eat. It's all about checks and balances you know.

I have cut out ALL caloric beverages, I prefer to chew my calories.

[Shmead]

How many calories are you eating otherwise? If you are eating 1200/day, then a drink every day is a good chunk (5%, at least) of your daily calories--that's a lot of your daily calories that are providing neither nutrition or sating hunger. If you are young enough/active enough that you can eat 2000 calories a day and lose weight, then having 60 of those calories come from alcohol is probably not a big deal.

Personally, I'd do something about the three hour commute. If the job is that wonderful, move closer. If the home is that wonderful, get another job. But right now your drive is a part time job and it's affecting--in your own words--your health and your marriage. Unless it's a limited time contract so you know it'll be over in the next six months or whatever, I'd start taking concrete steps to change it--not overnight, but in the future. You can't live that way for the next 5, 10, 20 years, so you might as well start now trying to find a way to change it.

[SCraver]

I was thinking maybe you should talk to your Dr. If your stress is that bad - maybe something like Zanex would help? IDK. Not that replacing booze with a drug is necessarily the answer, but it does wonders for a few people I know.

Some people can have a drink each night and lose just fine... I am not in that category. I limit myself to twice a week. And I exercise regularly... that is definitely a big help.

[KenzideRhae]

Originally Posted by krampus

I still drink like a fish at weekend social events if the occasion calls, but I very rarely imbibe during the week. For regular drinks, I'd say 1 serving of vodka in Coke Zero or something could be aight.

Haha, I'm the same way! Alcohol isn't a daily thing to me. Sometimes I'll have a glass of wine with dinner, but most of the time if I'm drinking, I am getting my drank on.

But to answer OP, I think it really depends on how your body reacts to the alcohol. I read some other comments where people said they retain water or they are more likely to make bad food choices, but it's the opposite for me. If you like having that one drink a day and it's not causing you to feel bad physically or to gain more weight, then I say go for it.

[slayrick]

Thanks for the comments guys. Great feedback. I did in fact cut out all alcohol last week and it wasn't a big deal. Alcohol not my problem, my problem is food.

Cheers!