Drinking alcohol while trying to lose weight?

[nicolep91]

OK, now I'm going to sound like a real lush (a great 1st impression here, I'm sure!) and I know that drinking alcohol isn't the best thing to do while you're trying to lose weight, but I like to have a drink or 2 (or 3 lol!) on the weekends. Is there anyone out there who does this and still successfully shows a loss for the week? And what can you drink that is low in calories? I usually have Jack Daniels and Diet Coke and I think that is about 60 calories per oz. which doesn't sound like much, but probably adds up fast.

 

[IheartMickey]

It's not so much the calories you should be concerned about when it comes to drinking, it's the fat. Alcohol contains a lot of that.

Try things that don't have hard liquor like beer or Mike's Hard Lemonade. Or you could always go virgin with drinks like Mudslide, Pina Colada, etc. Though those contain a lot of sugar. Hrm.

 

[Disneyaholic]

I love to have my glass of wine with dinner. Since I'm doing Weight Watchers, I just make sure I "save" 2 points each day for it!


(hic)

 

[Dizzy-Disney4]

Well, I'm doing Atkins and your supposed to stay away from alcohol. But, that being said, I do have some Michelob Ultra (Very low carb beer) in my fridge and I might have one on the weekends, but rarely. If we go out to dinner, again rarely, I might order a Captain and Diet coke. These occasional splurges don't seem to affect my wieght loss.

 

[wovenwonder]

I KNOW its high in carbs --- but over the summer I have been known to endulge on Parrot Bay Rum mixed with Crystal Light Raspberry and a little diet gingerale! Add a tropical umbrella --- and I'm all set!

 

[Rhonda]

"White" alcohol has the fewest carbs (sugars). Gin is the lowest. So, being on Atkins, I drink Gin & Diet Tonic with a slice of lemon or lime. Vodka is also low on the list.

The highest are rums and whiskeys - they have the most sugar, so your body will be busy burning off all the sugar from the alcohol and won't have time to burn fat from your body for a couple of days after drinking.

 

[kamgen]

I am on WW and I find that beer and wine work best for me....Michelob Ultra is a great beer an is low carb....
I just save some points for those!

The worst drinks I have seen are frozen drinks (too much sugar) and drinks with cream, milk, or something like that.

Kamy

 

[nicolep91]

Thanks for all the suggestions! I'll have to give them all a try this weekend! lol! J/K

I'm not a big fan of domestic beer so I think I'll pass on the Michelob Ultra (not really watching my carbs that much anyway), but it's something to keep in mind in case all you Atkins followers convert me!

Rhonda, I didn't know that about "white" alcohol, thanks for the tip! I do like lime vodka with diet Squirt.

Disneyaholic, something about your name just told me that you'd be a drinker! haha!

Thanks again, everyone!

 

[nativetxn]

IheartMickey, there is no fat in alcohol.

I had diet coke and rum on Friday, no carbs. I guess I'll see tomorrow, when I weigh in, if it stopped my weight loss or not. I'm still in ketosis so that is a good sign.

 

[Rhonda]

As long as your stick is pink - then I'm sure you've still been losing! I do notice when I have a drink, I won't lose that day - but the following day I start losing again.

 

[Lisa L from MI]

I admit that I am an avid beer drinker.....I love my beer!!! I have been low-carbing since about late April/early May of 2002 and have lost 50 lbs. I really never limited my alcohol intake but switched to Michelob Ultra.....I worked for me, but I am sure everyone is different.

 

[bicker]

Alcohol has no fat, and any carbohydrates come from additives, not the alcohol itself. Alcohol is always used first, by the body, regardless of other calories present. It is also never stored as fat. So, conceptually, if you're an alcoholic and never eat much food, you won't get fat. Of course, that doesn't work well in practice.

 

[anniet]

Originally posted by bicker
Alcohol has no fat, and any carbohydrates come from additives, not the alcohol itself. Alcohol is always used first, by the body, regardless of other calories present. It is also never stored as fat. So, conceptually, if you're an alcoholic and never eat much food, you won't get fat. Of course, that doesn't work well in practice.

I agree and I've also been told that as long as your body is burning alcohol you are decreasing metabolism decreases it's fat burning processes by 30%.

That was enough to make me lay off the hooch- (okay excet for an occasional glass of wine)

 

[TigH]

I've cut back on beer/alcohol since I started WW. I think that has been a huge key to my success. I've only had one Corona since March 9th.

 

[IheartMickey]

Hm. I saw this thing in Jane magazine over a year ago about liquor and how much calories etc were in it. I guess it didn't say fat but for some reason I gave up my allowance of Mike's Hard Lemonade. (Holiday's.)