Drinking and losing fat...?

[2 D]

I know drinking is counter-productive to building muscle and to a lesser extent losing fat, but if I drink a few nights a week (I usually don't order anything over the top or too much in general) how would this affect my fat loss? I try and stick to the basic hard liquors with stuff like diet soda, or diet tonic water, or sometimes straight up or what have you to avoid unneccessary calories/carbs at night, and occasionally a light beer or two.

I ask because I wasn't drinking until about Mid-October, then it was like 3 nights a week and people are telling me I've leaned down, yet I've managed to keep my strength (actually it has improved in some areas) and I appear to be more muscular than before. However I have noticed it is harder the following day in the gym, even if I didn't get very drunk the night before so that is the major draw back for me right now.

The problem is I'm a social person in an extremely social atmosphere and situation. I know this doesn't mean I have to drink, but I do enjoy it so I was wondering what kind of limitations I should put on myself from now on, if needed.

[Adina]

But...imagaine how much better your results would be...

Alcohol slows my progress. It drags my cardio down for the next few days. It's one of the few things I can pinpoint the effect it has on me.

As far as being social...I can be just as social with a diet coke in my hand. In fact...when in a social setting, I generally get told, "I want what she's having".....because I'm having fun...and I just smile and say it's a diet coke.

[TheNormalMan]

Maybe just cut back to 1-2 nights a week instead of 3-4. That'll help your results a bunch.

[F.A.M.E.]

Anything more than 1-2 nights a week and that is just plain out not having discipline.

[Lucide]

I would say that you should just make your best attempt to stop drinking or to slow it down considerably. At some point you are going to have to evaluate what's more important to you: your body or your drinking.

So if you are going to do a lot of drinking, at least make it fit into your calories. And each time you take a drink, don't obsess over all the hard work, time, and sweat that you're forfeiting for your fleeting pleasure.

[JMav18]

I think if I HAD TO have a drink (which I would avoid at all costs) I'd probably just grab one beer and sip it for a while, seriously, you don't HAVE TO get drunk.

I dont know man, I'm in the process of losing weight and the cravings for beer, junk food, chips, candy, fast food, buffets, etc are much worse. I'd love to have those things but I just remember all the success stories of the people who accomplished their goals; I want to be like that.

[martinibluex]

In every trial alcohol slowed down fat burning to almost 0 for 24 hours after drinking. Bummer. I'd love to be drunk right now. I used to have a drink or two about 4-5 nights a week. It helped me relax and was good for my blood pressure. After I started working out I have stopped completely. That is how bad I want a killer body.

[phenixdragon]

I'd stick with hard a, less carbs!

[vauxall]

Yeh I really notice the difference when ive been drinking too. Im a DJ and I play in clubs every weekend, so the temptation is always there to drink.

I choose not to drink because I put alot of hard work in training and I want results.

I guess its a personal choice for you to decide how much is to much

[SK1989]

I get the same issue, but the fact that I don't drink sodas either but don't want to seem a douche ordering a pint of water when with friends. But I usually stick to just a half pint of cider, keep it to the minimum. I try avoid alcohol + junk food at all costs and 99% of the time I do.

[RTW2]

My biggest weakness

Might be a lot closer to my goal if i could just stop drinking

Crown&Coke addict!!

[juice1348]

Originally Posted by JMav18

I think if I HAD TO have a drink (which I would avoid at all costs) I'd probably just grab one beer and sip it for a while, seriously, you don't HAVE TO get drunk.

I dont know man, I'm in the process of losing weight and the cravings for beer, junk food, chips, candy, fast food, buffets, etc are much worse. I'd love to have those things but I just remember all the success stories of the people who accomplished their goals; I want to be like that.

Everyone knows you DONT HAVE TO get drunk, but I love to get drunk with my friends on Saturday nights, thats it. I wont even have a sip of alcohol any other day. If your not catching a buzz then what is the point of putting alcohol into my body? right? lol.

[Daniel Wilson]

Originally Posted by juice1348

Everyone knows you DONT HAVE TO get drunk, but I love to get drunk with my friends on Saturday nights, thats it. I wont even have a sip of alcohol any other day. If your not catching a buzz then what is the point of putting alcohol into my body? right? lol.

Yea man that's my attitude. If you're gonna drink may as well drink properly so you get the effect. Sipping on alcohol is like drinking sugar water. What's the point?

[juice1348]

Originally Posted by Daniel Wilson

Yea man that's my attitude. If you're gonna drink may as well drink properly so you get the effect. Sipping on alcohol is like drinking sugar water. What's the point?

if im going to have "one drink", it might as well be a diet coke...its the same effect, lol.

[TheNormalMan]

If I go out, I just volunteer to be the DD, that usually shuts everyone up about me not drinking and I have an excuse not to drink.

[CaptainSwole]

i've read and heard that drinking even a little bit can mess with your hormone levels, i.e. negate the positive impact lifting has on test.

[Invidious]

Yeah the effects of drinking on at least my fat loss is easy to see. I always stall out for at least a day or two after any serious drinking. And that's even when it is hard alcohol and a no calorie mixer. I like to drink..but I want to be ripped more...:-)

[kwri298]

I drink once or twice a week when bulking or when trying to maintain. I don't drink when cutting.

[josh0899]

depends how much you drink.
for myself i find that 2 beers ruins that days fat loss.

[caut1on]

Alcohol does not make you fat, it has absolutely 0 fat in it, it is what you eat when you are drunk that makes you fat. This is the problem i had my first 2 years at college, no self control, i would eat pizza at 2am then go to sleep at 3 or 4, this is the way you gain most weight from drinking. Plus drinking makes you lazy. If you drink and you can get up and go to the gym the next day you should be fine as long as you are still eating healthy. This year i have not had any problems at all, but it takes determination. Now building muscle mass when drinking is totally different, putting on mass is difficult when drinking 4-5x a week because when your drinking do you eat your typical meals every 2.5-3hrs? NO. Thats why this christmas break im looking forward to seeing serious results because i will not drink for a good month at least.

[Boxerz]

Originally Posted by caut1on

Alcohol does not make you fat, it has absolutely 0 fat in it, it is what you eat when you are drunk that makes you fat. This is the problem i had my first 2 years at college, no self control, i would eat pizza at 2am then go to sleep at 3 or 4, this is the way you gain most weight from drinking. Plus drinking makes you lazy. If you drink and you can get up and go to the gym the next day you should be fine as long as you are still eating healthy. This year i have not had any problems at all, but it takes determination. Now building muscle mass when drinking is totally different, putting on mass is difficult when drinking 4-5x a week because when your drinking do you eat your typical meals every 2.5-3hrs? NO. Thats why this christmas break im looking forward to seeing serious results because i will not drink for a good month at least.

having fat or not, it is a lot of calories which turn into fat. fat has more kcals than carbs and protein naturally, that's why people think fats are the only thing that makes you overweight. alcohol changes the chemistry levels in your brain so that you don't send the correct signals to your body. you won't get the right signals to continue a good metabolism or grow muscle. i try to avoid any drinking 3 hours of a workout, you're already dehydrated as it is.

[Starky1177]

alcohol doesnt make you fat itself...It gets burnt up before anything else get burned (all the food you ate before hand that you would normally be burning if you werent drinking) and those calories get stored as fat instead...Thats how you get fat from drinking

[2 D]

Originally Posted by caut1on

Alcohol does not make you fat, it has absolutely 0 fat in it, it is what you eat when you are drunk that makes you fat. This is the problem i had my first 2 years at college, no self control, i would eat pizza at 2am then go to sleep at 3 or 4, this is the way you gain most weight from drinking. Plus drinking makes you lazy. If you drink and you can get up and go to the gym the next day you should be fine as long as you are still eating healthy. This year i have not had any problems at all, but it takes determination. Now building muscle mass when drinking is totally different, putting on mass is difficult when drinking 4-5x a week because when your drinking do you eat your typical meals every 2.5-3hrs? NO. Thats why this christmas break im looking forward to seeing serious results because i will not drink for a good month at least.

I'm getting f*cked up x-mas eve, x-mas and new years... solid!

And referring to the part of working out still the next day, I've gone to the gym plenty of times hungover and even a few times drunk (accidentally).

So the determination is always there.

[Number1Dad]

I don't have any scientific evidence to support my claim, but from my own experience, you can still lose quite a bit of weight while drinking. I probably have a little over a case of beer per week on average, and I've lost 15 pounds in the last 2 1/2 months. Problem with me is that I like the taste of beer more than any other drink. Luckily, I have a genetic predisposition to high alcohol tolerance and very rarely have a hangover.

[praex]

its tough to stay away from it dude. i drink all the time, mainly cuz i am in college. i know its bad for me and hinders me, but hey, i only live once and im gonna enjoy it while i can. college only rolls around once and i'm going to have a lot of fun doing it. i can work hard during the week, and yeah drinking slows me down, but i still see results.

it does bother me that i could be seeing better results. its not a sacrifice i'm willing to make though. when i'm out of college and older, definitely. i guess i'm just not grown out of that stage yet.

[thepointman]

I guess this is one reason to be glad that I can't stand the taste of alcohol. I never thought people actually drink it because they like the taste, I always thought it was just stomached in order to get drunk. Means to an end kind of thing.

[Power Serge]

Vodka, Diet Coke or Rum, Diet Coke = Zero Carbs.

When you drink alcohol, that alcohol becomes the first thing your body will burn for energy, thus your fat burning will be halted until all the alcohol has been processed. On top of the alcohol, if you drink something with carbs in it they will be next in line, since they are simple sugars.

So the drinks above are the best bets for when you're partying during a cutting phase.