Day 20...Alcohol

[michellekw23]

Hey there,
Just checking in to see what you all think...I completed a 14 day clean induction, and am now on day 20 of this WOE. I've lost 12 lbs, and am thrilled. Here's my question: How does alcohol affect weight loss on this WOE? I know that I shouldn't have alcohol until I'm on that particular rung of OWL, but I'm finding it really difficult. We live in Key West, FL, and it seems like our entire social life revolves around happy hours, and nights out with friends. My husband has lost 20 lbs, and he still drinks vodka with club soda several nights a week. I had 3 vodka sodas on Saturday night (day 1 and I'm wondering if this will halt my weight loss, and for how long. I know everyone's different, but I thought maybe some of you have experienced this and could give me some idea if I'll be off track all week because of it. Also, I've read that the KetoStix will give a false positive from alcohol. Anybody know how long that lasts? If I drank on Saturday and today is Monday, will the KetoStix give the correct info today? or will it still be a false positive from the vodka???

[Carb Addict]

Re: Day 20...Alcohol

I did a quick check on alcohol and atkins. It says that the body will burn the alcohol for energy before burning FAT. It can also cause bloating, gas and sweet cravings. I am not a big drinker but have always stayed cleared because I like to spend my calories on really good nutritional stuff. I saw somewhere that consuming a bottle of wine is equal to eating an entire pizza in calories.

[TheDogAteMyName]

Re: Day 20...Alcohol

By drinking alcohol your body is now burning alcohol instead of fat and you can kick your body out of ketosis.

Um...Key West?!?!?! You lucky girl!

[IrishMom82]

Re: Day 20...Alcohol

When you drink alcohol your body is going to burn that first before the fat (as everyone has said). You will most likely be kicked out of Ketosis, I believe it takes 2 to 3 days to completely burn the alcohol out of your system and then your body will go back into fat burning mode as long as you stay on the wagon! Good luck!

[michellekw23]

Re: Day 20...Alcohol

Hey everyone,
Just an update...I lost one pound over the past week after my original post about having vodka last weekend. So I guess there's our answer, for my body anyway. I can still lose weight, I'm just losing a lot slower if I drink. Although, also hampering my weight loss: I think I really overdid it with cheese this past week. I found that recepie for making the cheese-it kind of snacks and sort of lost my mind.

One pound is still good! I was trying to do a low fat, low calorie diet for a long time, and found it SO difficult to even lose a half pound a week. At least on Atkins, I can eat until I'm satisfied and not think about food all day long.

It's almost been a month since I started Atkins. At first I had a really hard time with the food, my stomach, my moods, and my lifestyle. I just wanted to let anybody out there who's going through the tough part that it does get better. I'm at a point where I have no cravings for off-plan food, can make good choices about atkins friendly food at any restaurant or social gathering, my tummy is better (more stable, if you know what I mean...) and the moodiness I had been experiencing during the first few weeks hasn't gone away, but doesn't happen as often. I feel like I had a really rough time during those first few weeks and often felt like giving up. But sticking with it worked, and I seem to coming out of the rough patch. So, take heart, stick with it, and we'll all go through this journey together...
Happy losing!
Michelle

[Elizellen]

Re: Day 20...Alcohol

Thanks for the update, michelle

I am so glad to hear you are enjoying your Atkins and feeling better!

[SunnySmile501]

Re: Day 20...Alcohol

I lived and worked in Key West for two years, and never drank once! There's lots more to do than drink. Seriously, we need to change habits that got us to where we are weight-wise in the first place. Drinking alcohol usually leads to snacking on junk or making other bad food choices.

My problem would be the deep fried red snapper at the Rusty Anchor on Stock Island or the Cuban sandwiches at that little hole-in-the wall place at Mile Marker 1. I still dream about the Super Frita (Cuban hamburger) that they served. Yum!

Sunny!

Sunny!

[ceceee8935]

Re: Day 20...Alcohol

I drink a few mich ultras once in awhile and it has never affected my weight loss but then everyone is different.

[mariposakisses]

Re: Day 20...Alcohol

I agree with SunnySmile501. Drinking a little too much alcohol impairs our judgement..to say the least.

I went to the Elephant Bar and had 3 Dirty Goose Martini's and was sooo hungry after I had the drinks I ordered their sampler appetizer that included nachos, chicken fingers, fried shrimp, potato skins and garlic bread !!! And then had the audacity to go McDonalds and get some ice cream!!! What the was I thinking..wait, I wasn't thinking.

I felt so bad when I got home. Totally not worth it. I gained 2 pounds the next day

I'll never do that again...ok fine maybe one drink

[Dotultimate]

Re: Day 20...Alcohol

I drank throughout induction and lost a lot of weight. It just stops you burning fat whilst you're burning alcohol but as long as it's carb free alcohol and you don't eat carbs when you're drunk it wont make you gain weight. I personally use to think of it like this: If i go to bed now i wont be burning that much fat because i'll be asleep. If i go out and drink and run around with my friends, i'll be burning off the alcohol instead of fat, but i'll still be running around more than i would have been in bed. Vodka soda. How I love thee.

[Elizellen]

Re: Day 20...Alcohol

But do remember that alcohol is not on the induction-allowed list of foods, so if you want to include it as a regular item why not move to OWL and climb through the rungs to #5 then it will not be a 'cheat' if you decide to drink it.

[losetocruise]

Re: Day 20...Alcohol

I am not on a rung where I can have alcohol yet, but from my past Atkins experience I can tell you this:
for me one or two glasses of wine in the evening would stop weight loss cold. it did not make me gain, but I didn't lose no matter how low carb I was. When I reach that rung, I think I find it worth the slower loss to have one glass of wine per week on the evening of my choice, but I know I will not lose for a couple of days. Just my experience

[Tomorrow_I'll_Be_Perfect]

Re: Day 20...Alcohol

Oh, the alcohol issue. I'm one of those poor souls that can't drink and lose weight at the same time. I say it all the time to anyone within ear shot. So I'm sitting there on card night drinking litres and litres of water while those around me are getting hammered. Then who's the best card player in the room, huh? This guy!

[carbless_in_seattle]

Re: Day 20...Alcohol

it's unrealistic to think that I could stop drinking.

I'm not saying I'm an alcoholic or anything, and of course if i really WANTED to stop i could, but to be perfectly honest my social life would suck.. I'd prefer it if people don't respond with "you dont have to drink to have fun", because maybe some people do, ok?

I like to drink, my boyfriend drinks, all my friends drink, our main social activity is drinking. If we're golfing, we drink&golf, if we're out playing pool, we drink&play pool...etc.

drinking in moderation is fun, and it's terribly punishing to give it up entirely. There were times where I didn't want to ruin my diet, so I'd just drink water...then my friends around me would get buzzed and loosen up, and because I wasnt in the same state as them i felt out of place..i just wanted to go home and go to bed. So yeah, sometimes not drinking CAN keep you from having fun, depending on your social situation and your personality type.

I drink about once a week while on atkins. I generally have whiskey and diet cokes, or gin and sodas, and I usually mix those with a couple of beers. A typical night of me drinking consists of this:

either 3 beers and 3 glasses or wine

OR

2 beers, 3 jack and diets

etc...

Do I gain weight, or stall? of course. Generally I stall for a 1-3 days, then start losing again. If I drink more than once a week, I stay the same weight and don't lose that week. Hence the 3 week stall over the past three weeks from camping/going out/etc. and drinking 2 or more nights/week.

I've learned that I need to keep an atkins friendly snack on me though, because when i get drunk...i get hungry, and i will eat whatever is available. I've gotten a lot better at that though.

Here's the facts, drinking stalls weight loss, obviously, because the body cannot burn off fat while its burning off alcohol. your best bet are drinks with no carbs, or a couple of low carb beers. If you're one of those people like me, whose social life revolves around drinking then you have a choice to make:

a.) go without drinking, and be the sober one with your friends (which im not dissing, some people dont have a problem with it at all)

or

b.) accept that if you want to go out and drink with your friends, you'll just get to your goal weight later.

and for those of you who don't drink, don't hate. Because a lot of times, people being overly strict on themselves, and keeping themselves from drinking when out with friends, makes them grow bitter ofthe diet, or angry which leads to quitting. so sometimes its better just to have a couple of drinks, than hate your WOL.

end rant.

[michellekw23]

Re: Day 20...Alcohol

Wow. Thanks Seattle. From your post, I can tell we have a lot in common. I was kind of nervous posting my first question, cause I KNOW that if I was doing things 100% correctly, I wouldn't even let a drop of alcohol touch my lips until I was on the proper rung. For whatever reason, I'm just not that girl. And I kinda wish I was one of those people who could go to a bar or hang out with my drinking husband and friends all the time without becoming annoyed. However. That's just not my real life. Right now my reality consists of always being the boring wife who stays home from happy hour and gets annoyed with her husband who comes home a little loopy from having drinks because I am perfectly sober. So-I'm with Seattle. I have to find some kind of way to make this WOE fit into my life, not change my life so that it becomes unrecognizable (and no fun) to me in order to match this WOE.

All that being said, I truly appreciate everyone's help and advice. It's important to get lots of different points of view, and I'm grateful this board affords me that opportunity.

Michelle