Beer drinking and fitness?

[bdub2283]

I'm sure stuff like this is an often discussed topic but its one that should be discussed. I'm from a small town in Texas and I grew up drinking beer and almost everyone I know drinks beer pretty frequently especially on weekends during football games/fishing trips etc..

Personally I work hard all week at my job, at the gym/diet and of course spending time with my wife and kids so when the weekend gets here I can't wait to do some 12oz curls and just relax watch football or bs with friends but how does this fit into my fitness goals?

Honestly it doesn't because I for one can drink a lot of beer in true hillbilly fashion which of course really packs on the calories and makes you very hungry on top of it. Last weekend I drank 12 coronas (1,776 calories) and 7 coors lights (714 calories) and then ate something ****ty before bed as usual because when your drunk you really just don't care.

I tell myself it's only 1 day a week your doing this so it can't be that bad right? Not really sure what impacts this has on my fitness goals but I know the scale isn't dropping and this routine must be playing a factor. I don't wanna stop my beer drinking habits cause I like to have fun too and this is fun for me I really enjoy it but at the same time I want the fat to keep coming off.

I'll keep working hard and probably keep the beer flowing on the weekends and we will see what happens!! If you guys have any issues with beer or advice you can give on this, maybe your habits and fitness results I would love to hear them thanks.

[acrawlingchaos]

There is room for beer in a healthy/fit lifestyle, and even the occasional splurge is acceptable. You are right though, beer makes it exceptionally difficult to lose weight, so cutting out drinking in a deficit is wise.

Drinking because "you're with the boys" and "blaming alcohol" for your poor diet is just self enabling. I have no moral compunction against alcohol, but if you are failing to meet your goals while drinking, you need to own it.

[truushot]

I'm sure stuff like this is an often discussed topic but its one that should be discussed. I'm from a small town in Texas and I grew up drinking beer and almost everyone I know drinks beer pretty frequently especially on weekends during football games/fishing trips etc.. Personally I work hard all week at my job, at the gym/diet and of course spending time with my wife and kids so when the weekend gets here I can't wait to do some 12oz curls and just relax watch football or bs with friends but how does this fit into my fitness goals? Honestly it doesn't because I for one can drink a lot of beer in true hillbilly fashion which of course really packs on the calories and makes you very hungry on top of it. Last weekend I drank 12 coronas (1,776 calories) and 7 coors lights (714 calories) and then ate something ****ty before bed as usual because when your drunk you really just don't care. I tell myself it's only 1 day a week your doing this so it can't be that bad right? Not really sure what impacts this has on my fitness goals but I know the scale isn't dropping and this routine must be playing a factor. I don't wanna stop my beer drinking habits cause I like to have fun too and this is fun for me I really enjoy it but at the same time I want the fat to keep coming off. I'll keep working hard and probably keep the beer flowing on the weekends and we will see what happens!! If you guys have any issues with beer or advice you can give on this, maybe your habits and fitness results I would love to hear them thanks.

Stop drinking Dat Dere Beer. Occasionally is fine, but it is going to really hard for you to lose weight/fat while drinking...

[Retoaded]

work it into your calories and macros.

personally I ended up drinking Bud 55s a good bit lol.

I've dropped from 270 (about your size) to where I am now, still drinking just as often...but drinking 55s for the most part.

Drinking regular beer like Coronas is going to make it VERY hard. a 12 pack of 55s only has 600 calories though!

[drewams]

work it into your calories and macros.

personally I ended up drinking Bud 55s a good bit lol.

I've dropped from 270 (about your size) to where I am now, still drinking just as often...but drinking 55s for the most part.

Drinking regular beer like Coronas is going to make it VERY hard. a 12 pack of 55s only has 600 calories though!

How is the taste of those compared to say Bud Light? I have been drinking Coors Light at 95 calories each. I allow myself 1-3 at a time to keep from overdoing it.

I have read about the hormonal affects of alcohol on the body in many places. Think there is much to that? I enjoy me a few beers and would hate to know I am sacrificing progress to do so.

[Retoaded]

How is the taste of those compared to say Bud Light? I have been drinking Coors Light at 95 calories each. I allow myself 1-3 at a time to keep from overdoing it.

I have read about the hormonal affects of alcohol on the body in many places. Think there is much to that? I enjoy me a few beers and would hate to know I am sacrificing progress to do so.

honestly they taste like water but once you make yourself do it for a couple weeks then they are fine. its just whatever you decide.

I definitely think there are some hormonal affects but I like to drink beer, so I am going to compromise. If you read Martin Berkhans opinion though, which I agree with, in moderation you are fine. I think a few beers every night is fine also. I've still managed to lose 80 pounds in one year while working up to a 260 bench, 300 squat, and 370 dead. Those numbers aren't crap to most people but they are pretty good while losing 80 pounds!

I also drink a couple pints of guinness stout or arrogant bastard on Friday nights to fix my taste needs.

[NitrogenWidget]

I like the 55's also.
I had some lime juice to them & I think it makes them taste a little better.

[jimsmith9999]

One day can make a difference though, when the additional calories are high enough. You are adding nearly 2500 calories in on day from beer. You say you are also binging as well without saying on what, so lets just guess another 500 to 1500 calories depending on what it is. So you binge is is somewhere on the order of 3000-4000 calories.

You know your maintenance calories? Multiply that by 7 and see what your maintenance is for the week. Now look at how many calories you are taking in a given week, including you binge and you will get a pretty solid idea of just how much that is affecting your progress.

The best advice I have for you is to decide what is more important to you, fat loss or binge drinking with your friends, and pick one. If you continually try losing fat while self sabotaging every weekend you will drive your self insane.

[byates5637]

From my experience, I can lift and diet hard all week, and then I drink 20 beers over the weekend, and I end up nowhere. I usually lose 2-3 pounds Monday to Friday. And then I gain it all back over the weekend. Sucks cause I'm like you OP...been drinking my whole life and all my friends do.

[MikeMarcano]

Everything in moderation.

[MikeMarcano]

With that said if you are truly concerned with your health and aesthetics I'd make it more on a rare occasion though as opposed to a normal weekly ritual.

[MikeMarcano]

I'm more of a hard alcohol fan anyway....does the job quicker and you aren't taking in as many calories!

[Retoaded]

From my experience, I can lift and diet hard all week, and then I drink 20 beers over the weekend, and I end up nowhere. I usually lose 2-3 pounds Monday to Friday. And then I gain it all back over the weekend. Sucks cause I'm like you OP...been drinking my whole life and all my friends do.

if you make it fit your calories you will lose weight period. you are not in an overall calorie deficit obviously!

[bdub2283]

Yeah it sucks liking the brew and wanting to be fit and trying to do both!!

Some good advice here though I can still drink certain lower calorie beers and cut out a ton of calories which I'm going to try. Moderation is definetely key in most aspects of life but we all have our little vices. I can definetely make sacrifices and better choices when I drink.

[joefreas]

I drank every day for years. When I got serious about losing weight I made drinking an "occasion only" event. Simply by cutting out the routine of drinking I eliminated 700+ empty cals per day. It made losing the fat easy. I dropped 60lbs in about 8 months. One thing I noticed about drinking only on occasions is it makes you appreciate the times more. So when I do I just figure its a cheat day.

[Retoaded]

Yeah it sucks liking the brew and wanting to be fit and trying to do both!!

Some good advice here though I can still drink certain lower calorie beers and cut out a ton of calories which I'm going to try. Moderation is definetely key in most aspects of life but we all have our little vices. I can definetely make sacrifices and better choices when I drink.

yeah thats really it in a nutshell!

[acrawlingchaos]

I'm more of a hard alcohol fan anyway....does the job quicker and you aren't taking in as many calories!

A single shot (1.5 oz) of liqueur can be between 80 and 120 calories (depending on type). If you factor in the calories of a mixed drink, cordial or chaser, the calories can easily surpass beer.

I have read about the hormonal affects of alcohol on the body in many places. Think there is much to that? I enjoy me a few beers and would hate to know I am sacrificing progress to do so.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15706799

Plants used to produce alcoholic beverages contain estrogenlike substances (i.e., phytoestrogens). Observations that men with alcoholic cirrhosis often show testicular failure and symptoms of feminization have suggested that alcoholic beverages may contain biologically active phytoestrogens as congeners.

Moderation.

[kneecapsbrah]

Beer gut or aesthetics... pick one.

[ama828]

Beer doesn't make you fat, a large, consistent calorie surplus makes you fat.

Just have to realize how many calories you consume when drinking.

[NitrogenWidget]

From my experience, I can lift and diet hard all week, and then I drink 20 beers over the weekend, and I end up nowhere. I usually lose 2-3 pounds Monday to Friday. And then I gain it all back over the weekend. Sucks cause I'm like you OP...been drinking my whole life and all my friends do.

sounds like water weight to me.

Not 100% sure but I recall reading excess alcohol cals do not turn into fat.
However, the liver can only process alcohol or fat & not both so it stops weight loss while it is in your system.

I think the biggest danger from drinking too much beer is the calorie dense food that is usually consumed with it.


As long as I keep my deficit in check for most of the week I can drink one or two nights a week & still end up losing fat for that week as long as I keep my food macro's in check.

However, since i'm "old" and don't drink often I have a really low tolerance so I just don't drink a lot unless it is the low cal 55 stuff.

[Serpentarius]

Last weekend I drank 12 coronas (1,776 calories) and 7 coors lights (714 calories) and then ate something ****ty before bed as usual because when your drunk you really just don't care.

wow.....

I don't wanna stop my beer drinking habits cause I like to have fun too and this is fun for me I really enjoy it but at the same time I want the fat to keep coming off.

Sounds like my alcoholic brother with 4 DUIs who "can quit when he wants" but doesnt want to.
You dont have to drink to have fun, you are around 100 pounds overweight, and you have to find your priorities. having a few beers is a reward, only earned after you have put in hard work at the gym and consistent calorie deficit.

[Retoaded]

wow.....



Sounds like my alcoholic brother with 4 DUIs who "can quit when he wants" but doesnt want to.
You dont have to drink to have fun, you are around 100 pounds overweight, and you have to find your priorities. having a few beers is a reward, only earned after you have put in hard work at the gym and consistent calorie deficit.

yeah I absolutely SAVOR those couple guinnesses I drink every friday night now. used to put down a 12-pack of guinness all the time lol.

[bdub2283]

wow.....



Sounds like my alcoholic brother with 4 DUIs who "can quit when he wants" but doesnt want to.
You dont have to drink to have fun, you are around 100 pounds overweight, and you have to find your priorities. having a few beers is a reward, only earned after you have put in hard work at the gym and consistent calorie deficit.

First of all don't be such a tool!!

Second, I do not drink irresponsibly and don't have any DUI's.

Third, I have plenty of fun when I'm not drinking so yes I understand this concept and I do work hard at the gym and I have a great diet. I like to drink beer and will continue to do so, do I overdue it? Yes. Could I make better choices of how much and what I drink? Yes.

Thanks for the input and I understand if my goal is to get absolutely shredded up then I will definetely have to cut down the beer a significant amount. By the way I'm only about 70lbs overweight and know I would look damn good at 195!!

Boom!!! Championship!!

[WHITEMASK]

Beer will slow down your gains and slow down your cut. But it sure makes everything a whole lot damn better.

[nhclone]

Plan for it and you'll be fine. For example, if you know you'll have 2000 cals worth of beer on Saturday, add that to your defecit for the rest of the week (335 extra for the rest of the 6 days). As long as you don't sacrifice your ability to hit protien/fat macros those other days, you should be ok (also assuming a small level of self-control towards binge eating after those beers).

[jimsmith9999]

From my experience, I can lift and diet hard all week, and then I drink 20 beers over the weekend, and I end up nowhere. I usually lose 2-3 pounds Monday to Friday. And then I gain it all back over the weekend. Sucks cause I'm like you OP...been drinking my whole life and all my friends do.

Used to me as well a number of years ago. Once I cut the weekend binge drinking out if favor of enjoying a drink or two I was finally able to drop all the excess weight I had carried around for years.

[Clint18Robin]

What drives me crazy is I work out so hard and drink a little here and there and I see guys that I know while im at the beach on the weekends or at the river killing beer and still have 6 packs! WTF?

[Serpentarius]

First of all don't be such a tool!!

Second, I do not drink irresponsibly and don't have any DUI's.

Third, I have plenty of fun when I'm not drinking so yes I understand this concept and I do work hard at the gym and I have a great diet. I like to drink beer and will continue to do so, do I overdue it? Yes. Could I make better choices of how much and what I drink? Yes.

Thanks for the input and I understand if my goal is to get absolutely shredded up then I will definetely have to cut down the beer a significant amount. By the way I'm only about 70lbs overweight and know I would look damn good at 195!!

Boom!!! Championship!!

Im not, but that many beers is really ridiculous and doing stuff like that is the reason you got fat in the first place, over indulging.
You can absolutely destroy a week's worth of deficit in one day of drinking as well. Its about letting go of what you want now, so you can have something you want tomorrow (being healthy and making better decisions). Not only that but destroying liver and kidneys from an abundance of poison/alcohol.
It is not necessary to have more than 2-3 a week tops, any more and someone just plain isnt serious about their body and should just give up before they start.

If you needed 2500 calories to just maintain your weight, and you want to be 500 cals below maintenance for the day so you are in a deficit, all the beer you listed as an example is around 1200 calories, so that leaves you with 800 for actual food.

Its not even about being "shredded" but making lifestyle changes that are permanent. For a 5'10" guy you should have to be around 165 lbs roughly. Its never about "moderation" but making smart decisions.

Good luck on your fat loss goals.

What drives me crazy is I work out so hard and drink a little here and there and I see guys that I know while im at the beach on the weekends or at the river killing beer and still have 6 packs! WTF?

they arent eating much outside of doing that, you can have the appearance of eating whenever you want if you dont each much all the other times.

[jimsmith9999]

sounds like water weight to me.

Not 100% sure but I recall reading excess alcohol cals do not turn into fat.
However, the liver can only process alcohol or fat & not both so it stops weight loss while it is in your system.

I think the biggest danger from drinking too much beer is the calorie dense food that is usually consumed with it.


As long as I keep my deficit in check for most of the week I can drink one or two nights a week & still end up losing fat for that week as long as I keep my food macro's in check.

However, since i'm "old" and don't drink often I have a really low tolerance so I just don't drink a lot unless it is the low cal 55 stuff.

Fluctuations are probable due to water weight while dieting hard during the week vs letting go on the weekend. But the overall damage is probably negating the effect of the diet.

Calories in vs calories out over time is what matters. If you drink 20 beers on the weekend (say, 20 bottles of Bud) you are looking at an extra 2640 calories. That's the equivalent of negating 377 calories worth of deficit per day over 7 days. Throw in a 1000 calories of food on top of that (could be more, could be less - just throwing it out there) there goes 500 calories per day worth of a deficit, or 3500 calories a week. You'll need to have a very steep deficit to see any weight loss. Using the age old 3500 calories to a pound (for what it's worth), you are losing a pound of fat loss a week with this.

[jimsmith9999]

First of all don't be such a tool!!

Second, I do not drink irresponsibly and don't have any DUI's.

Third, I have plenty of fun when I'm not drinking so yes I understand this concept and I do work hard at the gym and I have a great diet. I like to drink beer and will continue to do so, do I overdue it? Yes. Could I make better choices of how much and what I drink? Yes.

Thanks for the input and I understand if my goal is to get absolutely shredded up then I will definetely have to cut down the beer a significant amount. By the way I'm only about 70lbs overweight and know I would look damn good at 195!!

Boom!!! Championship!!

Read and re-read the caloric break estimates I have posted twice now, and you will see exactly why you are not going to drop 70 pounds with your current habits.