Whiskey consumption and weight loss.

[Not A Nice Person]

I vote for "smoke a cigar with it" and the extra metabolism boost and appetite depression of the nicotine will make up for the extra scotch calories

This.

When I first went on the South Beach Diet a few years back, one thing the book said was "If you're going to drink, drink Scotch." I took them at their word and have never been happier!

Haven't lost any weight, but that's a separate issue.

NANP™

 

[barneyb]

One thing to remember is that a healthy eating and exercise plan is not just a finite program. It is a lifestyle change. If it is a program that has an end, then your progress will end. In fact, you will regress. So your plan must be a sustainable one. Small "cheats" like your evening shot are not necessarily to be cut out entirely. You need something to enjoy, and to look forward to. I would think that completely eliminating processed starches and sugars would be more sustainable and have a FAR greater benefit than depriving yourself of a couple fingers of whiskey at the end of the day. YMMV. JM2C.

+2 to this. One additional piece would be to "cycle" in Your diet/routine. If needed go for three to four weeks max where you are ultra strict, perhaps before summer and/or after the holidays, where You go with out the extra indulgences. Once You adopt the healthy lifestyle You need to have things that are rewards. I even bargain with Myself, "If I go without the roll or bun then I can have the .... beer tonight."

 

[Snurgblat]

There are so many diets that work by eliminate a certain food part (be it fat, protein or carbs). For example Atkins eliminates the carbs. What about a Scotch diet, where everything solid is eliminated....the only solid allowed would be a tiny piece of ice in your drink...

Rudy's idea has some solid merit to it.

 

[blary54]

My advice is track your macros/calories on my fitness pal app. If you can fit a drink or two into your diet and still stay under your calories then go for it. Alcohol is metabolized in the body pretty much just like sugar. If you are serious about losing weight I would try to cut down.

 

[61fatboy]

You can treat youself to a couple of small pieces of dark chocolate. I switched from milk chocolate to dark years ago and now milk chocolate tastes disgusting to me because I can't taste the cocoa. Get a high percent one; try 80% and you will get health benefits from it.

I don't really drink that much but these guys are right...I'm sure the odd scotch won't kill you. If you cut everything out permanently than your diet may not be sustainable. Good luck.

 

[August West]

Infantry liver.

 

[vacman]

You don't have to give up everything you like in order to lose weight. You just have to be selective and give up some (or most) of them. The more you give up, the quicker the lbs will come off. You can always add some exercise to rid the extra calories from an ounce or two of scotch. Besides, I thought the calories were in the ice cubes! LOL I didn't worry about weight until I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. We're controlling it with diet and exercise, but you want to get your weight down before diabetes sets in.

 

[Joakim]

Guys,

I've recently become flat-out obsessed with getting into shape. I've started running, watching what I eat, and cutting things from my diet that don't benefit me in some way. Beer and chocolate (two of my favorite things in life) have been eliminated from my diet completely. Since beginning this new routine two weeks ago, I've already lost 5 pounds.

Here's the thing, though... I love bourbon and scotch. God, especially scotch. I'm in a fairly new love affair with smoky Islay whiskys, and I would not be a happy man if I had to cut them from my diet. I drink a glass per night, tops, and it consists of two fingers of whisky with a few drops of water. Do you think this is okay? Am I sabotaging my efforts by doing this?

Thanks very much in advance.

Hi, dont quit with everything you enjoy just because they are somewhat unhealty, if you quit everything its gonna be Harder to maintain a healty diet, you can drink beer, bourbon and eat chocolate in moderat portions IMHO

 

[jjking54]

Not sure what's going on ... or why this thread was resurrected from 2011, but it's the second necro thread I've seen today (the other was in the Mess Hall).

Anywho, 2017 is my year of bourbon, but after seeing a picture of myself a few months back, I also decided it's time to lose weight and get back in shape. So, I've cut back, WAY back, on drinking (it kind of opened my eyes to how much I had been drinking too). Anyway, between that, and tracking my calories religiously and getting back on my bike, I've lost 15 pounds over the past two to three months. I feel so much better. Now when I drink I limit myself to only no or low-calorie mixers, and usually just two drinks (though on Saturday the wife and I were celebrating a bit and I had more than that -- but I rode 29 miles the next day as penance). I've also pretty much completely cut out beer, though I had one the other night.

For me, it's always fewer calories in, more calories expended = weight loss success. And there are calories in booze, so they must be consumed in moderation or not at all.

 

[martym]

I saw this thread and it's awesome.
6 years old and out of the clear blue it is brought back from the dead.
See what happens when you add a bit of alcohol when you read and surf?
That's why I love this forum---You just never know what's gonna pop up when you Speakeasy!!!
Keep having fun!!!

 

[Mucker]

long time no drinker,lost 30 lbs when I Quit,is not just the coloric intake,your entire metabolism changes.

Amen to that. I try to stick to a few fingers of bourbon once a week and it has helped. But some weeks are more difficult than others to stick to.

 

[ackvil]

Actually, if you look it up you will find something called the Whiskey Man's Diet. This diet, as I recall, followed the Atkin's or Stillman Diet. You eliminated all carbs. The only two changes were you took some kind of oil and you could drink as much as you want. The individual who came up with this diet passed away in his 90s!

 

[MntnMan62]

I'm also trying to lose weight. I've definitely cut back my alcohol consumption while upping my cardio exercise. I'm also watching my entire caloric intake. If you really want to lose weight, you have to watch what goes into your body. Exercise alone won't do it. My wife is doing Weight Watchers, which I don't want to do right now. What I am doing is loosely tracking calories. I'm not fanatical about it but just trying to be generally aware of what I am eating. I lost about 14 pounds doing this (High of 215 down to 201). I put a few back on since I hit 201 because I stopped doing the above. But I'm hovering around 203 and 204. I'm going to make a push over the next couple of weeks to get myself below 200 for the first time in years. If I hit that goal I think it will spur me to keep going and get myself down to around 185. I should probably be around 175 to 180 but I want to do this progressively and figure the more I lose, the more I'll be motivated to keep going. We'll see.

 

[Mucker]

I'm also trying to lose weight. I've definitely cut back my alcohol consumption while upping my cardio exercise. I'm also watching my entire caloric intake. If you really want to lose weight, you have to watch what goes into your body. Exercise alone won't do it. My wife is doing Weight Watchers, which I don't want to do right now. What I am doing is loosely tracking calories. I'm not fanatical about it but just trying to be generally aware of what I am eating. I lost about 14 pounds doing this (High of 215 down to 201). I put a few back on since I hit 201 because I stopped doing the above. But I'm hovering around 203 and 204. I'm going to make a push over the next couple of weeks to get myself below 200 for the first time in years. If I hit that goal I think it will spur me to keep going and get myself down to around 185. I should probably be around 175 to 180 but I want to do this progressively and figure the more I lose, the more I'll be motivated to keep going. We'll see.

Mntnman62,
I thought I was reading my own post when I read yours. That's exactly my approach. I put less than you burn off and do it continuously. Add in heavy cardio and a bit of weights. I really like the MyFitnessPal app for counting calories. After a while you learn what you should and shouldn't be eating.
I'm down to about 205 and my target is 195. Bourbon is down to once a week for the most part.
Best of luck in your quest.

 

[MntnMan62]

Mntnman62,
I thought I was reading my own post when I read yours. That's exactly my approach. I put less than you burn off and do it continuously. Add in heavy cardio and a bit of weights. I really like the MyFitnessPal app for counting calories. After a while you learn what you should and shouldn't be eating.
I'm down to about 205 and my target is 195. Bourbon is down to once a week for the most part.
Best of luck in your quest.

And good luck to you as well. I have to say it sucks getting old. I just turned 55 last month and the weight doesn't just melt off like it used to. And I'm one of those people who hates the gym. I prefer doing things outside. My current cardio routine is bicycle riding on the road. I started out mountain biking many moons ago and got pretty good. I have a 2,000 acre park about 1/4 mile away that has some of the best single track in the state of NJ. Sadly it is off limits to mountain bikers but I rode there anyway. Then when our son was born I got out less and less until I wasn't getting out at all. Bought a road bike and just started riding again 2 1/2 months ago. I'd ride the mountain bike but its probably 20 to 25 years old by now and the fork (Marzocchi Bomber) isn't holding compression. It's not made anymore and not sure if it can be serviced because parts like seals may not be available. I don't have the money to buy a new bike and a new fork for this bike probably isn't worth it. I also used to do some trail running but I now have a bunion on my left foot and presume that won't do well running on it. I'm going to need to find something to do in the winter. Biking in the cold is not all that fun. And downright stupid when the snow arrives. Unless its mountain biking. That can be fun with the fat tire bikes. I'm going to have to figure out something and fast if I'm going to keep losing weight and keep it off.