What is the problem with Vodka/Alcohol while on the diet?

I am having trouble understanding why vodka/ whiskey etc.. are bad while trying to lose weight? Can i use these calories and cut elsewhere to not go over the limit?

They're just bad because they're "empty" calories (i.e. no nutritional value). All they do is provide you with excess carbs which you probably don't need, and could be getting elsewhere from better sources (fruit/veggies/whole grains).

Don't get me wrong, I like my alcohol as much as the next person, but I try to limit myself to just have a few drinks on the weekends.

From what I've read, it is because alcohol is nothing but empty, nutritionless calories. And your body burns alcohol calories before it will burn stored fat supplies, so it slows down weight loss.

But if you are going to imbibe occassionally, liquors can have less calories than sugary liquors juicy cocktails or a beer. If hubby and I are going out, I'll order a diet coke with Cap'n Morgan's Spiced Rum. One ounce of rum has 69 calories and the diet coke is free.

Humm Vodka lol    I am a vodka drinker myself :) If I do drink I mix with diet coke or diet tonic. If I am not mistaken there is no carbs in this type of drink? Correct me if I am wrong.  I try not to drink too much as I get the munchies! So every so often I will tip a few. Now on my diet I will be careful and add them in. I dont know how I would manage this as I am feeling deprived already on the  amount of calories I can have a day.   I am sure I will cheat every so often:)

I am going to say, from experience that it kills willpower!! :)

bettyjean - there's carbs in that drink, but just from the vodka, not from the diet coke.

According to this website: http://www.drinksmixer.com/desc28.html there are no carbs in vodka. Is it wrong?

My bad! I was thinking of beer, which does have carbs. Thanks for catching that.

I would like to share what a friend of mine told me that her trainer said to her about alcohol.  I, however, do not have proof if this is true or not. But it is enough for me to stay away from alcohol or limit it severely.

Her trainer said that alcohol does not metabolise the same as food does.  It is like having 7x that amount in food.  For example if a beer is say 100 calories, for your body to burn it off it would be like burning off 700 calories of food.

Just for thought as I said I do not know how accurate this is, but when I'm serious about dieting I seriously limit my alcohol to very little.  In everything I've ever read about dieting they always say to loose weight one must avoid alcohol.

 I allow myself alcohol on saturdays .. sometimes its shots and a few beers and sometimes its vodka drinks ...and i'm not a very good girl... :O(... Sometimes I have like 4 or 5 drinks over the course of a long evening.  Pretty much I give myself a "free" or a Maintanaince night on Saturdays if i am home I really focus on staying with healthy foods.  If I am out and I'm hungry i might allow myself something I don't normally eat.  I have been losing approx. 2 lbs weekly.  I know everyone is different but I thought I would share... Then usually on Sundays I eat between 1400 -1500 calories then monday thru friday its  1200 -1300 calories.   I finally decided after struggling for several weeks with feeling deprived.. If I am changing my lifestyle I need to stick with something i can live with.

Alcohol production involves sugar. Sugar is bad for dieting.

Personally, I do not use any sugar at all, in anything, all day...but I have a double shot of Vodka, xtraight, at bedtime to help me sleep.

Apparently there are 90 calories per shot...so, I have to include 180 calories in my daily count.

I would think it is bad for the same reason it is bad for people who are trying to quit smoking, it tends to weaken the resolve for some people. There are probably other factors too, but that would be my reason for steering clear or doing it in extreme moderation.

When I was in college I was on a diet all summer and didn't drink even once. I lost 25 lbs in about 3 and a half months. Then I went back to college and despite the fact that I drank twice a week I somehow lost 20 lbs in six weeks. To this day I have no idea how that happened and it wasn't just water weight because I went down more than a size. But...in the long run it caught up with me, especially since I have NO WILLPOWER against food when I'm drunk. I feel like that more than anything else makes alcohol bad for diets.

bret- sorry if this sounds really mean but you sound like an alcoholic by saying that. not trying to preach or anything but its really bad for you...the burning sensation it gives you when it goes down is because its literally burning your insides, making them deterierate...not to mention liver damages and extra calories. its a lot easier and HEALTHIER to cut that out and eat real food that will keep you healthy. good luck, and i didn't mean to sound like a B****

HUH? bebe we are not here to judge, but to offer support. I found nothing bret said that gave any clue that he was an alcoholic. Perhaps you misread something?

Wow, a lot of great feedback. First, I ma not an alcoholic, just curious as to why this was such a big no no, beer I can understand but some of the spirits I was having trouble with. Second, I will take advice from this and limit the intake due to the empty calories, plus, sometimes it does make me more hungry.

This will be interesting, I will let you know how it works out.

Thanks

Agreed Melody. By no means are you an alcoholic Bret - especially based on this post. I in fact LOVE to drink every Friday, and because I'm an "experienced" drinker, know what's good and bad for you with alcohol. I've been bartending - and drinking - for several years ;)

While yes, the carbs are not great for you, a few beers will not put much of a damper on your weight loss. One Miller Lite bottle for example has only [off the top of my head] 96 calories and 2.6g Carbs.

Not to mention that while a glass of red wine may have around 70 calories, it's actually GOOD FOR YOU. Minded, it should be only one glass.
Just like pregnant women are "alotted" one glass of wine.

Of course binge drinking isn't good for you on a number of levels, but if you do adjust your calories necessarily, and burn more calories than you do eat, it shouldn't be a set back. I binge drank last Friday (Seriously had about 10 captain morgans and 3 red bull/vodkas... told you I'm a drinker) and I did not gain anything from it.

And it should be mentioned that this - of course - depends on the person.

Ok I'll shut up now :)

Hmmmm... my weakness at last as a post...LOL!

Me... I love my drink...and beer..mmmmmm... maybe the Canadian in me. I do count my cocktails... some wine is good for you in moderation of course and yes... I do log it as calories. If I plan to imbibe... i plan that in my daily allotment as well.

Beer is empty calories but hey Guiness is good for you... right?

Seriously though as long as it's not a 6pack or more a day then I think it's OK to have a drink. Vodka is the best with some soda or even a martini... with Gin and some olives too! It's a good way to unwind after a long stressful day.

Oh... and I don't know about the states but here in Canada all bars MUST have a posted sign that any alcohol can affect your unborn child... NO pregnant woman should drink... I certainly don't know about an alloted glass of wine... a 5oz glass of wine has the equivalant alcohol as a 12oz bottle of beer or 1oz of spirits so really... don't drink if you're pregnant.

I dieted a few years back and was able to lose 20 pounds in three months even though I was drinking. This time around, I limit myself to one night a week, but on that one night I will admit I drink a lot. I'd say around 5 drinks. What I wanna know is how many ounces are in a typical drink you get at a club/bar? I've always estimated about 3 ounces.

The problem with alcohol is that it reduces your body's ability to burn calories for a period of time.  As below:

"...drinking too much has a far more damaging effect than you can predict simply by looking at the number of alcohol calories in a drink.  Not only does it reduce the number of fat calories you burn, alcohol can increase your appetite and lower your testosterone levels for up to 24 hours after you finish drinking."

http://www.thefactsaboutfitness.com/research/ alcohol.htm

Most drinks are going to cost about the same as another serving of starch.  So if I plan to have a few, I cut my other starches for the day to make room for a drink or 2.   I'm more of a beer drinker myself, but I do appreciate a good whiskey.   =)    As far as beer goes, many 'regular' beers have upwards of 160+ calories/bottle.  Get into some of those other sweeter drinks like Mike's Lemonade and now you're talking 200+ empty calories.  So 'regular' beers I count as a Starch AND a fruit for the day.  'Light' beers generally have 100-125 calories/ bottle.   This includes your typical Bud Lite and such, but also includes GUINNESS!  So yes, 125 calories/bottle Guinness is good for you! (and in my opinion MUCH better than any Bud or Miller!)

Also, not so much the drinks themselves that can be so hurtful to your diet, it can be the munchies they tend to bring with them.  So don't let yourself get into a situation of a drink in one hand and a bowl of naughty Doritos much too close to the other!   Don't let the drinks all go to your head and allow the junk food go to your stomach!

Then also there's the dehydration factor.   Drink extra water!  You'll feel better in the morning! 

So in short, if I know the office is going out for a happy hour after work, or what ever the situation, I cut out a starch and maybe a fruit serving to allow room for beer, drink extra water (on top of my 70oz/day minimum), and don't partake in the appetiser order!