Can we talk about al..al..alcohol???

**JulieB** · August 25, 2009, 05:53 PM

Re: Can we talk about al..al..alcohol???

Alcohol is not allowed until OWL Rung 5 (even the stuff with no carbs). There is a good reason for this: Your body stops burning fat and burns alcohol instead - until all of the alcohol is burned off, then it goes back to burning fat. The consumption of alcohol essentially 'pauses' fat burning.

**eissakha** · August 25, 2009, 05:57 PM

Re: Can we talk about al..al..alcohol???

Thanks Julie. Oh well, I guess now my motivation would be to get to OWL Rung 5.

**JulieB** · August 25, 2009, 06:04 PM

Re: Can we talk about al..al..alcohol???

Originally posted by eissakha View Post

Thanks Julie. Oh well, I guess now my motivation would be to get to OWL Rung 5.

Sounds good to me! You don't have that much to lose...so OWL is the way to go...sorry to burst your booze bubble tho

**CaseyB** · August 25, 2009, 10:49 PM

Re: Can we talk about al..al..alcohol???

My three favorite drinks (in this order) are margaritas, chardonnay, and beer (and then Diet Coke). When I first started Atkins, I never thought I could go without my Friday margarita. But I've been fine! The couple times I've had a glass of wine or a margarita, it just hasn't been worth it. Even as I was drinking, I thought, "Wow, this is good, but it kind of sucks that I'm not going to be down a pound tomorrow." As you really start to lose, I think you'll make a similar discovery.

**Georgiana** · August 25, 2009, 10:54 PM

Re: Can we talk about al..al..alcohol???

Can we talk about al..al..alcohol???
Nope. Sorry.

**lisa1** · August 26, 2009, 06:43 AM

Re: Can we talk about al..al..alcohol???

hi i have done atkins many times on and off and found that white rum stops me burning fat just until its out of my system then i return back to fat burning.so as long as you dont mind a slower weight loss then i dont see the problem.

**dcketcham** · August 26, 2009, 07:30 AM

Re: Can we talk about al..al..alcohol???

i go against the grain a little and cannot live my life by a book, so i found what works for me.. now, I DID wait until I broke induction off, but I have allowed myself a mixed drink once or twice a week...

I recommend waiting until after induction at least

push yourself really hard and you can make it happen!

**EmDee** · August 26, 2009, 08:58 AM

Re: Can we talk about al..al..alcohol???

Originally posted by Georgiana View Post

Can we talk about al..al..alcohol???
Nope. Sorry.

really? not even TALK about it?? LOL I thought we could at least talk about it....reminisce....LOL

**BigSouthernBoy** · August 26, 2009, 09:07 AM

Re: Can we talk about al..al..alcohol???

I'm a bit like dcketcham. I can't do anything perfectly by the book. I get crazy and just say screw it in no time at all. Thusly, I haven't done Atkins perfectly either. I eat a lot more veggies than I should. And I drink diet sodas. And Crystal Light. And I probably don't consume near the amount of fat that we should. But I'm still trucking along. That's what's important.

I plan on having (a lot of) vodka this weekend. If that means I don't lose a pound or two for a couple of days, so be it.

Oh yeah, tomorrow will be 1 week on induction and I'm already down 14 pounds.

**pinkfusion** · August 26, 2009, 09:10 AM

Re: Can we talk about al..al..alcohol???

even if i wanted to i dont think i would drink on induction. i think a clean induction is really important

**chadcs** · August 26, 2009, 09:46 AM

Re: Can we talk about al..al..alcohol???

I would think if you absolutely had to have something (ie one single serving) to drink and nothing is going to stop you, you would have to avoid anything but the lowest carb beer or straight spirit. Regular beer and many mixed drinks are loaded with carbs/added sugar. An item that "pauses" ketosis for me is different than an item that puts back the sugar/carbs you worked so hard to remove.

I am curious how long it takes your body to actually burn off the alcohol in say one serving of alcohol. I am seeing a few references to about 3 hours, but I think most references are to the amount of alcohol in the blood.

**not2late** · August 26, 2009, 12:57 PM

Re: Can we talk about al..al..alcohol???

Originally posted by chadcs View Post

I am curious how long it takes your body to actually burn off the alcohol in say one serving of alcohol. I am seeing a few references to about 3 hours, but I think most references are to the amount of alcohol in the blood.

Depends on how healthy your liver is. If you have any type of liver damage (which chronic alcohol consumption causes), your liver won't get rid of the alcohol as fast as someone with a healthy liver.

**Georgiana** · August 26, 2009, 01:03 PM

Re: Can we talk about al..al..alcohol???

I think Edwin was very clear when he said he is going to wait until OWL Rung 5 to try alcohol. I don't understand how this thread went from a simple question that had a simple answer (thanks, Julie) and an OP committed to stick to the correct way to do Atkins, into a thread where members are sharing their excuses and means to cheat with alcohol on Induction. If someone cannot stay away from the bottle for two weeks, then that person either needs to reevaluate their commitment to Atkins or their drinking problem.

And it's not only about weight loss, "oh, I won't lose weight for two days, I don't mind". Losing weight is not the only principle behind Atkins, or otherwise Slim Fast would have been just as good. Dr. Atkins listed the four principles on which Atkins is built several times throughout the book:

weight loss (everybody knows this one)
weight maintenance
good health
disease prevention

To achieve the last three, one needs to learn to choose nutritious foods. This takes time and practice, and it starts in Induction. Alcohol is not nutritious. And it's not me saying that, but Dr. Atkins himself. In Atkins for Life, the last book Dr. Atkins wrote, he took out alcohol from the Carbohydrate Ladder, because he realized some Atkineers will choose alcohol above healthy, nutritious foods like veggies, nuts, berries, beans, etc. He said alcohol is okay occasionally. By "occasionally", I'm sure he didn't mean three times a week --- otherwise he would have done no change to the Carb Ladder. And I'm sure he meant something like drinking a glass of wine, not a lot of vodka.

I've been on the Board long enough to see members who were doing amazingly well go off Atkins for months/years because of one sip. Members who believed they are strong enough to have a drink and get back on Induction.

On the other hand, I've also been on the Board long enough to know that, if someone plans to drink alcohol during Induction, he/she will, regardless of our advice. But if you plan to cheat, don't try to fool anyone that is okay to do it. It isn't.

**keriann_forgoodthistime** · August 26, 2009, 01:31 PM

Re: Can we talk about al..al..alcohol???

once you're on rung 5 - you reallllllllly appreciate a good low-carb beer that much more!

vodka & rum are good - but I love my mich ultras!!

but seriously though - i can not tell you how much I was looking forward to rung 5!

BUT I waited...I did not allow myself any alcohol until I had lost at least 20 pounds...I think it was honestly May or June when I got up to rung 5 - that was 5 whole months without alcohol! which was really hard because my husband is a beer drinker - and it was very hard to go out with our friends and not drink...but I did it - and again it was SO worth it when I finally introduced it back in. :P

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