Tips on alcohol consumption and weight loss

Okay, I know this topic has been discussed to death here, but I guess I'm just looking for some "handy tips" to deal with the fact that I'm what some would call a "weekend warrior."

Any other warriors out there who have managed to either count their calories over their crazy weekends, or who were able to successfully navigate their attention to some other activities that are equally as satisfying as cutting loose after a long week of hard work?

Tips, tricks-of-the-trade, or plain ole' pep talks are welcomed!

Thanks!!

I honestly don't think you can combine the two succesfully.  You can drink heavily or you can lose weight but not both.   Some people eat a lot less all day so they can drink a lot more all night but that tends to be counter-productive.  Starting a night out on an empty stomach is just asking for a trip to the nearest takeaway or the police cells later on in the evening.  :-)  I think the 'secret' is to learn how to have a good time without quite so much alcohol.  (I'll warn you now that when you start to do that you discover just how horribly boring a lot of your friends are but that's a chance you have to take!). 

It all boils down to whether being a macho 'weekend warrior' is more or less important than being slimmer, healthier and so on.   Best of luck

you might want to unleash the weekend warrior...every other weekend or one weekend a month. Not only is alcohol HIGH in sugar, all empty calories, but it does a number on your metabolism. I notice now that I am watching what i eat, and as a result eating less, I can get away with a great buzz on 3 drinks or less. But if you insist on drinking every weekend..avoid beers...my favorite is either a grapefruit martini (2.5 oz 100% grapefruit juice, 1.5 oz Absolut Grapefruit, and a dash of diet sprite) or the traditional Rum and diet coke aka skinny bitch. I also drink a glass of water for every drink that I have to avoid too much dehydration. OH! and i dont know about you, but after drinking i tend to get a little hungry..so to avoid poor snacking choices...i always keep a little bag of almonds, or air popped popcorn , or one of those 100 cal packs with me.

If one decides to indulge:

*straight shots, aviod the sugary additives, hard liquor has enough caloreis as it is

*mix or chase with diet cola if you drink it or dont want a plain shot

*hit up the gym before hand

* treat it as a maintenance day calorie wise. Ya know, drinking enough to fill your calorie deficit while still being able to eat normally so you dont completely ruin your metabolism.

*enjoy responsibly :D

For me it helped changed the types of drinks i was consuming. No more blended ones like margaritas! (only in mexico ;p)

I changed to clear spirits like vodka with a diet drink, wine also isn't too bad.

If I know I'm going to be bad I try to do extra at the gym beforehand...

Well...I don't know that there's any kind of art to drinking and still losing weight, but in moderation, I think it can be done.  I usually just try to save my calories for that night if I know I'm going to be drinking (usually 1-2 nights a week).  I've measured my drinks and counted my calories and gotten it pretty much down to a science, actually (is that bad?? :)).  I'm a pretty cheap drunk, so it doesn't take too much.  My game plan:  I always drink liquor - never beer.  My night usually consists of one Long Island iced tea and maybe three shots of clear liquor (rum, tequila, gin or vodka - all 80-100 proof) and I'm feelin' fine.   Made the way I make it, a pretty big Long Island iced tea (10 oz drink not counting the ice) plus the four shots (approx 1 oz each) equals 790 calories.  If I don't want to take shots, two Long Islands will run me around 1068 calories, but that's still equal to 8-1 oz. shots of liquor -- more than enough to do the job for me.  (If you're a beer drinker, 10 Coors lights will run around that same calorie range.)  That calorie cost is still plenty low enough so that I can eat breakfast and lunch and still afford a good after-drinking snack (I usually eat protein after I drink...don't know why...that's just what I crave).  Given, my calories for that day will usually end up closer to my maintenance level (2000) than my losing level (1300-1500), but as long as I don't gain, I think it's a good trade e're now and then.  Like the others said, hitting the gym earlier in the day wouldn't be a bad idea -- and would also allow for more calories if you're so inclined.

At the risk of sounding like your mom, just enjoy it responsibly, girlfriend -- and take your vitamins. 

(We sound similar in our goals -- mine has been to lose 15 pounds and I've gotten rid of 11 of it as of today - I started at 145.)

Same boat as you!! I managed to get down to my goal weight by not drinking much and/or rarely. If I stuck to my diet all week I'd allow a few 100 cals for it on the weekend. That worked for me then because my tolerance was so low that I got waisted off of 4-5 drinks.

Now that I'm eating maintainance cals, I obviously think I can drink like I used to and have a higher tolerance now too. It sucks bad because I am slowly watching the weight creep back on.

I'm back on hard core dieting cal counting this week though with a mission to NOT have a drink.

I do agree there is no right or wrong way to do it when we both know it's interfering with the ultimate goal of weight loss. However, if your like me and just need that 2-300 drinks per week you'll need to find something you won't/can't guzzle like beer and switch to more of a sipper like Martini's and wine. I still crave a good beer every now and then. 

Who really wants to chose between thin and having "fun"? Lol.

Best wishes!

I bid a very sad goodbye to beer last month. It was like getting a divorce and the beer got the house and retirement fund. God I cry thinking about it.

Without beer, I realized that hey, I really don't drink much at all. Like a fraction as much.

Raspberry Stoli and soda (NOT tonic), tall. About 60 calories. You can thank me later.

Since getting serious with my diet I recently gave up alcohol altogether. It's a lot easier over the summer since I'm not around all my friends (college student). So we'll see if it sticks when the new semester starts come early September.

I've never been a beer drinker, always vodka shots (or occasionally rum or even whiskey) which I'd chase with a 0 calorie drink. However even so, most shots have about 90 calories in them. Given that I'd easily have about 8 in a night (not an alcoholic, I swear, just really high tolerance :-P) that would add up WAY too quickly. 

Also, not to be holier than thou or what not, but it really started to seem pointless to me to be taking care of my body by eating all the right things and exercising daily, yet binge drinking. :-)

Yummy, Ras Stoli w/ soda, count me in. But I agree with msteadman. You reach a point to where you ask yourself "why did I just spend 10-15 hours in the gym this week to blow it all on alcohol?"

But I do miss my beer and can totally relate to the whole divorce with the house and car senario. Lol.

"Miller Lite, stop calling me... I'm done with you!!"

flavored vodka and diet sprite is oh so yummy to indulge in once in a blue moon :)

I have lost 22lbs so far since being here on CC (since May) and I count my calories daily and always stay within where I am supposed to be...  EXCEPT for when Friday night comes around.  I go out every Friday to the local bar and watch the bands and usually drink myself quite stupid  lol.  I think its fine to let loose as long as your doing well the rest of the time...  once night isnt going to kill all of your efforts from the week I dont think.  The only thing I have changed about my weekend fun night is instead of drinking TONS of redbull and vodka I have switched to cranberry juice and vodka...  or I will drink brandy and diet coke (saves me a lil bit anyway)

Original Post by gi-jane:

I honestly don't think you can combine the two succesfully.  You can drink heavily or you can lose weight but not both.    

Sure you can--at least do both.  Successfully?  If you don't count the...

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If by "weekend warrior" you mean you only drink when you hit the clubs on the weekend and proceed to get absolutely smashed, you will not be able to successfully reconcile your goals with your habits.  If what you really mean is you go have a couple drinks on the weekend, but don't really drink otherwise-then you can drink just about anything and be fine.  This is especially true if you are out dancing at these clubs. 

My favorite bartender makes me a drink with blueberry stoli, lemonade (well, muddled lemons-no sugar) and soda water.  I think it's a modified lemon drop.  There are 'skinny' margaritas that don't use sweet & sour-that's where the bulk of the calories come from- but use lemon and lime juice instead. 

I usually go out on Friday nights and have 4-5 rum and diets. That's it for the week. I'm not an alcoholic, I just like to relax on a Friday night. Just wanted to clarify that :)