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Low carb alcoholic beverages

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In my experience, unless you're drinking alcoholically and therefore not eating much or at all, it's pretty difficult to both get drunk - even once or twice a week - and lose weight.

As for drinking at all, I'd guess it might be possible to lose weight while consuming *some* alcohol, but I don't really have experience with that. I have one speed when it comes to booze: full speed ahead.

I've actually maintained a pretty low BF for a time while actively being alcoholic, but I wasn't fit or healthy. I was just lean because I rarely ate and still worked out.
 
The thing is alcohol is about 9 calories per gram...the same as fat. Also alcohol retains fat which binds to it to isolate it.

It's hard to remain ripped on more than a few beers a week. you can remain in decent shape drinking more often, but it definitely softens your look.
 
alkemyst said:
The thing is alcohol is about 9 calories per gram...the same as fat. Also alcohol retains fat which binds to it to isolate it.

It's hard to remain ripped on more than a few beers a week. you can remain in decent shape drinking more often, but it definitely softens your look.
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Actually, as I already said, it's 7kcal/g, a fair amount less than fat, but I agree with the overall point.
 
SociallyChallenged said:
Actually, as I already said, it's 7kcal/g, a fair amount less than fat, but I agree with the overall point.
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Not disagreeing with the generalization but I normally look leaner after a night of drinking because I'm dehydrated. Granted I rarely go out drinking and having more than 1 or 2 a night might happen every 4-6 months.
 
Pantlegz1 said:
Not disagreeing with the generalization but I normally look leaner after a night of drinking because I'm dehydrated. Granted I rarely go out drinking and having more than 1 or 2 a night might happen every 4-6 months.
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Beer or spirits?

Beer tends to bloat many the next day...not everyone is the same.

Alcohol does dehydrate though and some nights after drinking I noticed myself 'tighter'.
 
Pantlegz1 said:
Not disagreeing with the generalization but I normally look leaner after a night of drinking because I'm dehydrated. Granted I rarely go out drinking and having more than 1 or 2 a night might happen every 4-6 months.
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On average though, if you consume beer or alcohol regularly, you will look puffier overall. I'm not talking about drinking to dehydration once in a while. If you did that every day, I can guarantee you'd start to look puffier rather than leaner.
 
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SociallyChallenged said:
On average though, if you consume beer or alcohol regularly, you will look puffier overall. I'm not talking about drinking to dehydration once in a while. If you did that every day, I can guarantee you'd start to look puffier rather than leaner.
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Thats true, take it from me. I was in the Navy for over 6 years. Drinking A LOT was the norm. No matter how much I worked out, how much I ran. Drinking 4 cases a week on a slow week will yeild beer belly no matter what.
I could bench 220+, run 5 miles flat out. But when I pulled off my shirt, I did not have a 6 pack. But damn those were so good times.. 😀
 
wheresmybacon said:
In my experience, unless you're drinking alcoholically and therefore not eating much or at all, it's pretty difficult to both get drunk - even once or twice a week - and lose weight.

As for drinking at all, I'd guess it might be possible to lose weight while consuming *some* alcohol, but I don't really have experience with that. I have one speed when it comes to booze: full speed ahead.

I've actually maintained a pretty low BF for a time while actively being alcoholic, but I wasn't fit or healthy. I was just lean because I rarely ate and still worked out.
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I completely disagree with this. I lost about 30 pounds during my senior year of college at a solid 1.0-1.5 lb/week pace, and continued to drink like a college kid one night a week.
 
Some observations from my drinking ... when it happens.

"Light" beers and hte such are typcially in the 7range of -10 grams of carbs per can. I can put a 6 pack of these things down and feel sober.

Then take a Palo Santo Maron by Dogfishhead. That's 12% abv. I figure that these are inteh 20-30g of carbs per bottle.

So, as for beer, I'm just going to drink what i wnat ot drink when I do drink beer. I typically buy better beers with abv above 8%.

Best path is probably mixed drinks. Maybe a morgan and coke w/ diet coke instead of regular coke.

Yes, best path is no alcohol. But if you do drink one might as well be aware of what they are drinking.
 
I remember I used to drink excesively while in the Navy and didnt have a problem with being overweight or a beer belly. I also used to run a hour a day. So the old saying goes, you work hard, you get to play hard. Drink what you want.
 
IIRC your body processes alcohol into energy at a fairly high priority. The problem is that people tend to eat absolute garbage while they're drinking.

I drink several times a week, say 10-15 drinks in a week, I'm 6'2" and 185lbs. I do Insanity (or other cardio\plyo workout) every morning, go to the gym between 1pm and 4pm every afternoon and run 2-5 miles with my dog every evening after work.

For those of you saying to cut out drinking entirely.... yikes. I work out to live, I don't live to work out.
 
Nebor said:
IIRC your body processes alcohol into energy at a fairly high priority. The problem is that people tend to eat absolute garbage while they're drinking.

I drink several times a week, say 10-15 drinks in a week, I'm 6'2" and 185lbs. I do Insanity (or other cardio\plyo workout) every morning, go to the gym between 1pm and 4pm every afternoon and run 2-5 miles with my dog every evening after work.

For those of you saying to cut out drinking entirely.... yikes. I work out to live, I don't live to work out.
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pics?

but seriously that level of fitness most cannot do. When I was working out 2 hours a day and running, I could drink every day and remain cut.
 
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