so i like to drink

probably the reason iv gained so much wieght over the last couple years is due to beer. i like to drink and dont see that changing really.

what are some tips on maintaining my social life but also watching my calories?

Stop drinking.  Become a stoner!

*sorry, couldn't resist.  This is the Lounge!*

Then you'd just get the munchies.

Drink wine.  Less calories but it's harder to drink a ton of it.  Red wine will turn your mouth a purple-ish color so you don't want to drink a ton of it for that reason too.

MGD Light is 64 calories per beer, but nasty.

Or you could switch to the hard stuff.  A shot of scotch will set you back about 65 calories.  Couple of them and you're feeling pretty good.

Prepare to exercise harder/more to compensate. Also drink more water to try to get rid of any water weight that the alcohol may cause (it dehydrates).

It's my curse, too. Beer's the only thing I enjoy drinking... So I still drink. But only once a week, now, out with friends and/or family so it's even more of a treat.

I just work it into my lifestyle. It can be done.

_____ 

*Snick* at the stoner comment. But I have to say that my younger wild and crazy doping days (ah, life before kids...) are prolly a big contributing factor to why I'm so damn heavy, now....

In my house munchies were always synonymous with, "Let's go order one of everything off the Taco Bell menu..."

Munchies can kill. ;)

True about working it into your lifestyle and finding lower calorie options. Light beers, shots and drinks mixed with diet soda are good examples. What works for me is alternating water and alcoholic drinks. That way you're still drinking something, so you won't look out of place, but you consume less calories and spend less money and get less of a hangover.

The stoner comment made me laugh too. Part of why smoke so rarely is the fact that it makes me able to rationalize eating things I don't even want when I'm sober. Like Strawberry Cheesecake DQ Blizzards. Or Taco Bell.

Either change what you drink, vodka with diet coke instead of beer or something, or look up calorie counts of beer and choose the lightest one.

Also, agree with drinking water too, I order my drink and a pint of water and drink them  both at the same time.

i have the same problem. i drink less beer and more wine. but more RED wine to be specific b/c white wine has more sugar and that's a no good either.

amen misscherryjane! i drink vodka/gin (low cal booze) w/ low cal mixers. i prefer a sugar free redbull / diet soda.

Rum and diet coke is extremely tasty, also I have heard that diet sodas as mixers increase the alcoholic effect.  I'm not entirely convinced that it's true but if it is, win-win!

I quit drinking but I plan too have a drink this weekend to celebrate another year older...and because I saved a ton of money on my car insurance by switching to GEICO.....my drink will be rum with coke zero...low calorie, no carbs tastes great!

beer was my downfall, too.

i rarely drink beer now: my summer drink of choice is vodka soda; winter it's red wine. 

i don't deprive myself of beer, and will have a pint (or two) on a patio when i feel like it, but i don't ever want to drink more than two anymore.  it's just too filling!

i will tell you, though, that i quit drinking for seven weeks a couple of years ago and lost nine pounds (that's fast for me).  that, more than anything, made me realize that alcohol was my biggest barrier to losing.  it was a good experiment.

i like to drink and i love beer. i drink quite a lot of it! i've been able to maintain for a few years, and have even lost a few pounds recently still drinking the same amount.

basically, i just eat as cleanly and lightly as possible during the week (not undereating or anything, just trying to keep around 1500 calories or so), and then only drink and eat badly on the weekends. it tends to balance out for me, and i'm able to resist the junk during the week knowing i can have it on the weekends.

Man I hear ya, drinking beer is sooo my downfall.  And I only really like the good stuff, like IPA's and Ambers.  Also my husband started homebrewing delicious scotch ales and pale ales.... At 150-200 calories per 12 oz, I can only have one or two only once a week, they are so addicting though! 

I have no solution on how to lose weight and drink beer, if I did I don't think I would be trying to lose weight  ;)

Try limiting yourself to a few drinks a week if possible. I'm not much of a beer drinker, but I do love my hard liquor!! I try to be somewhat good, though, and maybe do a diet coke with vodka, or something similar.

also, i do stick to light beers. mmmmm budlight.

woohoo, it's friday!

Hmmm, a bud light does sound good right about now....back on track, have you guys seen that Bud Select has a new 55cal beer out. I haven't tried it yet, but that's half the cals of a bud light...now if they just had it with lime

Beck's Light isn't bad, but ohhh do I love my favorites like Corona, Stella Artois and Peroni!  I usually do like Jules.  I limit my calories to about 1500 or so all week and then allow myself to have a few beers on the week-end.  Jury's out as to whether or not this can continue because I'm working on a plateau right now.  We've got vacation and several parties to get through before I make any major changes though, so I might have to settle for maintaining at least for the next few weeks.

I'm with Jules on this one.

Bud Light..mmm!

Original Post by judowolf:

Hmmm, a bud light does sound good right about now....back on track, have you guys seen that Bud Select has a new 55cal beer out. I haven't tried it yet, but that's half the cals of a bud light...now if they just had it with lime

55 cal beer you say?? wonder what the alcohol percentage is! could be pointless if i end up having to drink twice as many...

:p

I'm sure it's 5%, but I can do a little research and find out for sure..maybe tonight at the bar, who knows! I have to agree with the queen above, I love the hard liquor too. I used to be on a huge bloody bull kick (vodka, red bull and a splash of cranberry for color), gets you buzzed and hyped, nice for a long night...If you subout the regular red bull for a sugar free one, like a No Fear or Sobe, it's even better and less than 60 cals depending on the bartender of course!