Stop drinking beer and lose weight?

[Angelkc22]

I have a fairly ok diet during the week. I've cut out fast food, and I cook all my meals at home. For example, yesterday I had zucchini for lunch and a deli sandwich for dinner. I would think by cutting out fast food, cooking my meals at home, avoiding anything fried, and introducing more veggies into my diet would make a small dent in my weight loss efforts, however it has not. I do drink on the weekends, every weekend, Friday and Saturday, approximately 8 beers a night (16 total for the weekend). This is the only part of my diet I have avoided reevaluating.... I cant' seem to lose any weight. Is that enough beer to cause me to not lose weight or should I keep looking for other things that could be sabotaging me? Thanks!

[PremierGirl]

I have a fairly ok diet during the week. I've cut out fast food, and I cook all my meals at home. For example, yesterday I had zucchini for lunch and a deli sandwich for dinner. I would think by cutting out fast food, cooking my meals at home, avoiding anything fried, and introducing more veggies into my diet would make a small dent in my weight loss efforts, however it has not. I do drink on the weekends, every weekend, Friday and Saturday, approximately 8 beers a night (16 total for the weekend). This is the only part of my diet I have avoided reevaluating.... I cant' seem to lose any weight. Is that enough beer to cause me to not lose weight or should I keep looking for other things that could be sabotaging me? Thanks!

dang ... do you even have to honestly ask ........ of course that's hindering results..... 16?

[LatinoMusculito]

drop the beer.

either you want to actually look good and how you want... or you can lose your inhibitions by drinking beer to temporarily think you look good, but not actually be so.

I stopped drinking regularly a while ago. Best decision ever.

[Greater Deity]

I have a fairly ok diet during the week. I've cut out fast food, and I cook all my meals at home. For example, yesterday I had zucchini for lunch and a deli sandwich for dinner. I would think by cutting out fast food, cooking my meals at home, avoiding anything fried, and introducing more veggies into my diet would make a small dent in my weight loss efforts, however it has not. I do drink on the weekends, every weekend, Friday and Saturday, approximately 8 beers a night (16 total for the weekend). This is the only part of my diet I have avoided reevaluating.... I cant' seem to lose any weight. Is that enough beer to cause me to not lose weight or should I keep looking for other things that could be sabotaging me? Thanks!

The message I entered is too short.

[Angelkc22]

dang ... do you even have to honestly ask ........ of course that's hindering results..... 16?

I also forgot to add... those nights that I'm drinking, I usually am not eating dinner because I am running around getting ready. Not that the beers are replacing the dinner, it just happens that way... but without dinner and adding the beer, does it still make a difference?

[Greater Deity]

i also forgot to add... Those nights that i'm drinking, i usually am not eating dinner because i am running around getting ready. Not that the beers are replacing the dinner, it just happens that way... But without dinner and adding the beer, does it still make a difference?

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Yes!

[youngandfree]

I have a fairly ok diet during the week. I've cut out fast food, and I cook all my meals at home. For example, yesterday I had zucchini for lunch and a deli sandwich for dinner. I would think by cutting out fast food, cooking my meals at home, avoiding anything fried, and introducing more veggies into my diet would make a small dent in my weight loss efforts, however it has not. I do drink on the weekends, every weekend, Friday and Saturday, approximately 8 beers a night (16 total for the weekend). This is the only part of my diet I have avoided reevaluating.... I cant' seem to lose any weight. Is that enough beer to cause me to not lose weight or should I keep looking for other things that could be sabotaging me? Thanks!

Try 2 beers a week if you must. What is the rest of the week like? Zucchini for lunch and deli sandwich for dinner isn't much. Yes, cutting out fast food and fried food is going to help.

What are your goals and when do you want to reach them? What is the typical day like for you when you cook your meals? What kind of exercise are you doing? All these things are factors and answer them and we can give more specific advice.

[Harloe]

8 beers a night.

How about not do anything one of the nights if you want to continue drinking?
Iv been partying abunch lately and the Idea of not drinking makes me abit upset.
haha

16 beers over the weekend is abit much if your trying to lose weight

[LatinoMusculito]

Oh, you may also be under eating.

A zucchini for lunch? What is that, like 50 calories?

And your deli sandwich for lunch? 300 calories?

I am assuming that is half your food for the day? That's like 350 calories. I'll give you 500 for the benefit of the doubt.

You are probably under eating.

You know, if you exercise regularly and eat too little calories, you won't see any progress.

You have people running on the treadmill for years, eating next to nothing, and never dropping any BF.

[VoxExMachina]

If each beer is say, 130 calories, then 16 of them is 2,080 calories. For you, that might be almost a full day's worth of maintenance calories. So basically, if you do everything else right, you are eating 8 days worth of food each week.

Another way to look at it is that if you could burn 600 calories an hour on the treadmill, you need to work out an additional 3.4 hours each week just to burn off the beer.

What's worse is that on the weekends, you are probably already eating your maintenance calories (or a bit less), you aren't using your beer calories INSTEAD of your normal daily caloric input. So when you add a thousand calories a day (in a short amount of time, on top of that) your body doesn't need those calories so they are stored away as fat.

Alcohol is very easily metabolized and stored.

So, yes, unfortunately your beer is working against you big time. You don't need to cut them all out, but what I would do is commit to "pre burning" your beer calories. In other words, if you want to drink 8 beers on the weekend then you need to do an additional 1,040 calories of cardio the week before. It has to be IN ADDITION to whatever you already do. If you only get an extra 400 calories burned, then only allow yourself 3 beers.

If you do that, then pretty soon you won't WANT the dang beers, cause you will be able to relate it to all the blood, sweat, and tears of all that cardio. And you will keep yourself honest. (Even then you might not burn off as many fat calories as you actually stored, but it will be a good start).

Whew. I need a beer...

[Angelkc22]

Try 2 beers a week if you must. What is the rest of the week like? Zucchini for lunch and deli sandwich for dinner isn't much. Yes, cutting out fast food and fried food is going to help.

What are your goals and when do you want to reach them? What is the typical day like for you when you cook your meals? What kind of exercise are you doing? All these things are factors and answer them and we can give more specific advice.

I can't even tell you what my goals are anymore. I've been trying to lose ANY weight for YEARS now. I just get stuck fluctuating between the same 5-7 lbs. I go down a little, down a little more, then the next day I'm right back up... then up some more... then down a little... Overall I would like to lose 30 lbs, but I'm struggling just to lose 5 lbs. The rest of the week is about the same. Lots of veggies, meals cooked at home with reduced fat or fat free foods, I look out for sodium in food, I make sure I make small changes like whole wheat bread instead of white bread, all that stuff. I would say I eat better than the average person, but I don't eat lettuce and a glass of water like some on here. more power to you if that's your diet, but I just can't do it.

[fyre500]

You ate a zucchini for lunch? Wow. Great meal choice.

Yes, 16 beers is easily hindering your results. Even if those beers are 100 calories/each (most likely more though), that's 1600 extra calories you're taking in for the week.

Think about it. This thread is stupid. A little common sense would result in the answer.

[Angelkc22]

If each beer is say, 130 calories, then 16 of them is 2,080 calories. For you, that might be almost a full day's worth of maintenance calories. So basically, if you do everything else right, you are eating 8 days worth of food each week.

Another way to look at it is that if you could burn 600 calories an hour on the treadmill, you need to work out an additional 3.4 hours each week just to burn off the beer.

What's worse is that on the weekends, you are probably already eating your maintenance calories (or a bit less), you aren't using your beer calories INSTEAD of your normal daily caloric input. So when you add a thousand calories a day (in a short amount of time, on top of that) your body doesn't need those calories so they are stored away as fat.

Alcohol is very easily metabolized and stored.

So, yes, unfortunately your beer is working against you big time. You don't need to cut them all out, but what I would do is commit to "pre burning" your beer calories. In other words, if you want to drink 8 beers on the weekend then you need to do an additional 1,040 calories of cardio the week before. It has to be IN ADDITION to whatever you already do. If you only get an extra 400 calories burned, then only allow yourself 3 beers.

If you do that, then pretty soon you won't WANT the dang beers, cause you will be able to relate it to all the blood, sweat, and tears of all that cardio. And you will keep yourself honest. (Even then you might not burn off as many fat calories as you actually stored, but it will be a good start).

Whew. I need a beer...

I also want to add and let everyone know that I am ok with giving up the beer if it will make a difference. I'm just confused because you have some people on here saying "yes, it matters, stop with the beers" and then there are d0uchebags saying "no dude drink the beer! i'm cut as h#ll and i drink my ass off." its unfair. @$$holes anyway, if it will make a difference, I have no problem stopping.

[Angelkc22]

You ate a zucchini for lunch? Wow. Great meal choice.

Yes, 16 beers is easily hindering your results. Even if those beers are 100 calories/each (most likely more though), that's 1600 extra calories you're taking in for the week.

Think about it. This thread is stupid. A little common sense would result in the answer.

Seriously? You could have just clicked on by, but you chose to waste my time? 1600 extra calories for the week, but also unintentionally skipping two meals in the process. It's a genuine question, @$$wipe.

[fyre500]

I can't even tell you what my goals are anymore. I've been trying to lose ANY weight for YEARS now. I just get stuck fluctuating between the same 5-7 lbs. I go down a little, down a little more, then the next day I'm right back up... then up some more... then down a little... Overall I would like to lose 30 lbs, but I'm struggling just to lose 5 lbs. The rest of the week is about the same. Lots of veggies, meals cooked at home with reduced fat or fat free foods, I look out for sodium in food, I make sure I make small changes like whole wheat bread instead of white bread, all that stuff. I would say I eat better than the average person, but I don't eat lettuce and a glass of water like some on here. more power to you if that's your diet, but I just can't do it.

Misknowledge seems to be running your life.

1. Don't weigh yourself everyday. Your weight is going to fluctuate constantly. Weigh yourself once/week, the same day each week, under the same conditions. For example, weigh yourself Saturday mornings, right when you wake up, after you take your morning piss, and wear the same clothes (or no clothes) every time.

2. Don't avoid fat. Fat doesn't make you fat. Excess calories makes you fat. You need fat in your diet. If you're eating foods lower in fat to save calories, that's not a big deal but don't avoid it altogether. Fat is important for the body to function.

3. Calculate your daily calorie needs and eat 300-500 less each day. Use a BMR calculator (they are everywhere on here on BB.com... probably in the stickies at the top of the Nutrition page). Eat plenty of all three macronutrients (protein, carbs, and fats) and keep your calories where you need them to be and you will be successful. It's not as technical as people make it out to be.

It seems like you're afraid of food and that's not how you lose fat. That's how you begin the frightening road to an eating disorder.

[fyre500]

Seriously? You could have just clicked on by, but you chose to waste my time? 1600 extra calories for the week, but also unintentionally skipping two meals in the process. It's a genuine question, @$$wipe.

Don't get a ****ing attitude if you want any goddamn help. My post was very informative. A little bit of common sense would have allowed you to figure this **** out on your own. At 26 years old, I would have expected you to have at least a shred of common sense.

You are consuming a ****load of extra calories each week in beer. Yet, you can't seem to lose weight. WHAT IS THE ****ING MYSTERY?

[Angelkc22]

Don't get a ****ing attitude if you want any goddamn help. My post was very informative. A little bit of common sense would have allowed you to figure this **** out on your own. At 26 years old, I would have expected you to have at least a shred of common sense.

You are consuming a ****load of extra calories each week in beer. Yet, you can't seem to lose weight. WHAT IS THE ****ING MYSTERY?

Thank you. You're an effing genius. I appologize for asking a question that you could have simply avoided if it annoyed you. I'm really sorry I forced you to give me your awesome advice.

[jwright715]

You remind me of a female friend i have, always complaining she cant lose weight. She gains..she loses..she gains etc. It never ends. Her problem was that she would hardcore diet for weeks, undereat, not get all her nutrients and then lose about 4-8 lbs and would be happy with her appearance momentarily. Then she figured since she lost the weight what she was doing MUST be right so she would continue doing so, however her body just adapted to that reduced caloric intake and put the weight right back on superfast.

You said you've been struggling for years, does this sound like your diet protocol? Also drop the beer, theres no nutritional positives to it. If you have to drink, drink sugarfree redbull and vodka or something.

[youngandfree]

So what about the exercise part? You didn't say yet what you do for that. You said you would like to lose 30lbs. Exercise HAS to be a part of the equation. You should get on a workout program if you aren't already. Strive for 1gram of protein/lb of lean body weight, baseline. Find out what your maintenance calorie requirements are subtract 300 for total daily intake. Divide that number by 5 to have 5 meals evenly spaced throughout the day. Your exercise will burn the additional calories needed to get under maintenance.

Look at what you have done in the past. Evaluate it objectively. What didn't work, mark it off and don't repeat it. It's really not rocket science, so don't make it out to be. If you take time to cook your meals, then that's part of the battle already won. Post up what it is that you eat on a daily basis, and how you cook it. What kind of exercise you do and we can go from there.

If you are sincere about this, we can help you with good advice. You just have to follow it. If you just like to party too much and don't really care that you are 30lbs over what you want, then quit stressing about it.

[VoxExMachina]

I know a lot of people are struggling with this same issue - and the same thought process.

The answer is not quite as simple as total caloric intake, though you have to start there. If you REALLY want to get a better body, you need to stop the "diet" mentality. That is what holds so many people back.

It's not enough to just "eat less", or try to "trade" your meal calories for beer calories. It would be nice if that worked, but it usually doesn't. In fact, I only started losing the love handles when I actually started eating MORE. It seems counter-intuitive, but sometimes that's the key.

Some constructive suggestions for you:

1. You have to exercise, not just mindless hours on the treadmill (you probably don't need that many), but weight training too. When you build more muscle, your body burns more calories. Do some pushups, situps, pullups, or actually go to a gym and lift weights.

2. Do some reasonable amount of cardio. Say 30-40 minutes for 4-5 times a week.

3. Don't Diet. There is no such thing as a "diet" - convince yourself of that. A "diet" implies that whatever you are doing is temporary - and so will your results be. Just start eating right. That means that you have to start tracking what you eat, and learn about macronutrients. Every day you should eat about 40% protein, 40% carbs "good" carbohydrates, and 20% fat (good fat). If you eat too much or too little of anything, it can work against you. Here's the calorie tracker I use: http://spreadsheetcreations.com/calorie_counter1.htm

4. Use a BMR calculator to decide how many calories you need per day and then divide that up into your protein, carbs, and fat. If it tells you that you need MORE calories than you eat now, then up your calories by 400/day for the next week and see if that helps. If you eat too few calories, your metabolism may slow down and store fat. Now, divide that into 5-6 meals a day. You can't just eat 3 meals. Your body takes in too many calories at one time that way and it stores more as fat.

5. Get most of your carbs earlier in the day and after working out. Except in the 45 minutes following your workout only eat complex carbs such as brown rice, whole grain bread, etc. Stay away from sugars (and frankly, alcohol).

6. Get 1gram of protein per pound of body weight. You need the protein to support your muscle growth (so you can burn more calories!)

7. Track your progress week-week by taking photos of yourself and measuring your "fat parts". I worry about love handles, so I measure my "gut". You can't go by the scale, because you will be building muscle while losing fat and the scale might not change - or may even go up if you are doing things right. Go by how you look, how you feel, and by whether your fat areas are shrinking.

8. If you don't lose FAT (not weight) after one week, then reduce the calories you eat by around 200-400 per day for the next week. And/or add an extra session of cardio or weight training. Re-assess each week and adjust your plan.

That's about it. There is more I could day, but you can do more research. The thing you have to realize is that to REALLY make a true change you have to commit to more than just limiting your calories. Otherwise, you'll keep fluctuating between those same 5-7 pounds forever.

Good luck

[Angelkc22]

You remind me of a female friend i have, always complaining she cant lose weight. She gains..she loses..she gains etc. It never ends. Her problem was that she would hardcore diet for weeks, undereat, not get all her nutrients and then lose about 4-8 lbs and would be happy with her appearance momentarily. Then she figured since she lost the weight what she was doing MUST be right so she would continue doing so, however her body just adapted to that reduced caloric intake and put the weight right back on superfast.

You said you've been struggling for years, does this sound like your diet protocol? Also drop the beer, theres no nutritional positives to it. If you have to drink, drink sugarfree redbull and vodka or something.

Yeah, I lose a little, then I get a little confidence boost... but I've tried adjusting my calories when I stall, either up or down according to which website I've read that day My problem in the past was just eating crap though. Adjusting calories from a #2 at McDonalds down to a McChicken doesn't work unfortunately. I thought I could cheat like that and still lose weight. NEEEEOOOPE! But even eating healthier like I am now and adjusting calories doesn't seem to help the plateau. Like I said, I thought by adjusting my caloric intake the days I knew I would be consuming beer would even things out. I wasn't sure if the beer affected anything other than just caloric intake for the day.

[knox07]

dear god you remind me of my sister.

[knox07]

Yeah, I lose a little, then I get a little confidence boost... but I've tried adjusting my calories when I stall, either up or down according to which website I've read that day My problem in the past was just eating crap though. Adjusting calories from a #2 at McDonalds down to a McChicken doesn't work unfortunately. I thought I could cheat like that and still lose weight. NEEEEOOOPE! But even eating healthier like I am now and adjusting calories doesn't seem to help the plateau. Like I said, I thought by adjusting my caloric intake the days I knew I would be consuming beer would even things out. I wasn't sure if the beer affected anything other than just caloric intake for the day.

you seem to avoid giving us details about your exercise habits. what kind of cardio do you do? have you tried a HIIT program? do you make sure to get enough protein to maintain muscle tissue? do you lift weights?

[NDame616]

There was this insanely fat chic in my dorm who I was friends with who would get plastered every Thursday night through Saturday night....but always drink diet coke with lunch at the dining hall.

Strange choices, people make......

[Angelkc22]

you seem to avoid giving us details about your exercise habits. what kind of cardio do you do? have you tried a HIIT program? do you make sure to get enough protein to maintain muscle tissue? do you lift weights?

I'm not avoiding. Jeebus Cripes. I can only type so fast. Yes, I go to the gym 3-5 times a week, 30 mins of cardio, usually HIIT or some form of interval training. I do weight training at least twice a week.

[VoxExMachina]

I'm not avoiding. Jeebus Cripes. I can only type so fast. Yes, I go to the gym 3-5 times a week, 30 mins of cardio, usually HIIT or some form of interval training. I do weight training at least twice a week.

That sounds reasonable. So I would start focusing on the nutrition picture. Really, that's about 60% of the battle.

[Angelkc22]

There was this insanely fat chic in my dorm who I was friends with who would get plastered every Thursday night through Saturday night....but always drink diet coke with lunch at the dining hall.

Strange choices, people make......

Well, I'm not "insanely fat" as you so sensitively put it. I'm not one of those people that orders a double bacon and lard cheeseburger, super-giganto fries, and a diet coke. People do make strange choices, I agree, but I was just wondering if I ate healthy, home-cooked meals and had a good workout program, if the beers two days a week would greatly stall my progress... or hinder ANY progress in my case.

[NDame616]

Well, I'm not "insanely fat" as you so sensitively put it. I'm not one of those people that orders a double bacon and lard cheeseburger, super-giganto fries, and a diet coke. People do make strange choices, I agree, but I was just wondering if I ate healthy, home-cooked meals and had a good workout program, if the beers two days a week would greatly stall my progress... or hinder ANY progress in my case.

I didn't realize I was talking about you? Did you go to UMass three years ago and live in my dorm? I don't think so, so take a deep breath because I obviously wasn't talking about you.

Your question is like saying "I eat two pizzas a week, and I'm trying to lose weight...will that hurt my results?"

...although the pizzas will probably be healthier for you

[daYDreAmErX]

I used to drink a lot (not every weekend, but that nights/days I'd drink would compensate a lot) and it was fine. Then I turned 20 and I don't know what happened to my metabolism I started to gain weight, I cut out the booze and I was fine loll

Damn I wish I could go back and drink until I pass out

[Angelkc22]

I didn't realize I was talking about you? Did you go to UMass three years ago and live in my dorm? I don't think so, so take a deep breath because I obviously wasn't talking about you.

Your question is like saying "I eat two pizzas a week, and I'm trying to lose weight...will that hurt my results?"

...although the pizzas will probably be healthier for you

It just seemed pretty mean that you would say that about a "friend" of yours. I'm not "insanely fat" but I am chubby and it sucks to hear people refer to others in that manner.