So I started the NHS 12 week weight loss plan on Tuesday. I was doing really well: was just under my calories every day and felt really motivated with the achievement. However, Friday I went on a work outing. I ended up drinking in excess of my daily calorie limit, and in fact counteracting all of the calories I had saved during the week - more or less to the exact calorie. So that's really disappointing and I'm not really sure where to go from here.
Im not really a drinker-hate the taste of alcohol - but I do go on the odd night out, maybe once or twice a month, just to be sociable. I'd find it quite hard to go out and not have alcohol as I am quite shy and, to be frank, I do have a lot of fun when I'm drunk which helps with anxiety and stress levels. But I know you can't have you cake and eat it. So is it worth it? What do people think how do you trade off being slim and physically healthy with the social aspect of nights out?
I drink cocktails and try to choose the least calorific ones. The only other alcohol I can bear the taste of is Malibu but the coke affects my sleep (I suffer with occasional insomnia).
Any opinions, thought, advice would be appreciated. To be honest, I feel pretty gutted knowing that after a few week, I've achieved nothing!
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You don't need alcohol to have a good time and if you are serious about wanting to lose weight I would try to do without it. If you hate the taste of alcohol why the heck do you drink it? Is it just to fit in? If so I would suggest that maybe the others in the group you are socialising with may well be doing the same. Take an adult stance, tell those who you are with that you really don't enjoy the taste of alcohol and while you enjoy the company that you can enjoy it without alcohol. If they are real friends they will respect you for it
Whatever you decide to do you just have to accept that if you are going to consume empty calories in excess then you are unlikely to lose weight.
You need to decide what is more important to you and go with it
I don't usually drink alcohol. I always opt for water when I meet up for friends and they are drinking wine etc. It's just the 'proper' nights out I struggle with. I guess it's just because I do genuinely like being a bit tipsy because I can socialise better. As I mentioned, I'm quite shy and used to suffer with social anxiety. So alcohol and losing those inhibitions is a nice release for me.
Yes, you are right. I need to accept what is more important and commit to it. I think it's the weight loss (I'm not actually overweight according to my BMI but I'm getting there and I have a bit of a belly). I just wonder how you see really slim people who still go on nights out.
Hmm.. It is difficult though. The thought of no more nights out seems quite daunting.
Unfortunately there are always 'really skinny ' people around. We are all made differently and some are fortunate enough to have that sort of build. The other thing is you don't know what they normally eat/drink. The one thing that I have learned over my many years is that there is no point in comparing myself with others, they are an individual as am I and we are all different
Enjoy what you are and don't worry about what others are 😜
True. My mum is really skinny yet eats junk food. But what you don't see is that she often skips meals and stuff when working long hours. Not healthy but skinny nonetheless.
I like a drink when I go out (not very often these days) but after reducing sugar in my diet I find many cocktails too sweet 😕 I choose a lower calorie drink (gin/ vodka with low cal tonic) could you maybe try something similar? Vodka with slimline lemonade for example?
The other thing with alcohol is it makes me hungry the following day😕
At the end of the day, if you are careful most of the time, and save extra calories for these nights out, you should be ok. 😊 You will soon learn when you get on the scales 😊 I prefer to lose weight slower but follow a generous and manageable plan 😊 Life is for living, and to follow a plan long term it's important to manage these life events 😊
Yes, I could swap cocktails for Malibu. It's just I don't want coke because of the caffeine (I get insomnia- tired means no energy for cooking nor exercise). Lemonade and fruit juice have lots of calories. No pubs seem to do diet lemonade. Do you think it would be acceptable etiquette to take a bottle of diet lemonade with me?!
True, long term, I don't really want to never drink alcohol again, so I do need to manage it.
I will have to plan ahead for an event, and maybe under eat the previous week (I'm already only on 12000 per day!).
Yes, I checked my BMI on my fitness pal and other websites. It's because I am quite small and as I'm only just approaching the overweight category.
Regular lemonade seems to be about 150 calories per half pint. If I drink that all night, say at a party or at a wedding, it adds up, in addition to the Malibu. I will try slimline bitter lemon. I've never tried it. Thank you for your suggestion. I've never actually heard of it! I hope they serve it at pubs. They only seem to do diet pepsi/coke with caffeine.
You still have achieved changing your eating habits, and getting the ball rolling with your new lifestyle. You dont need to cahnge everything all at once. It sounds to me like if you dont really enjoy alcohol though, it isnt worth the cals. Save your treat cals for something you enjoy! X
Thanks for the encouragement. Yes I guess I have achieved that. And the awareness of just how many calories are in alcohol.
Even though I don't like the taste, I do like the being tipsy and social aspect. I thought a lot of people drank alcohol for that reason but it looks like it's just me! I guess it's because I'm shy. I'll try not drinking so much then.
i think people do drink alcohol for that reason aswell. ☺ im intolerant but i remember when i used to drink i enjoyed being tipsy aswell! Maybe then go for low cal drinks? I used to like tequila cos it gets you tipsy really quickly- i wonder how many cals? ☺ xx
Sorry to hear you are intolerant. Although I guess it dies mean you are a lot healthier as you don't get too tempted by alcohol.
Seems that a tequila shot is about 65 calories, but obviously increases dramatically when you start making it into a cocktail. I may try doing shots. I may look a bit strange with a tequila shot and a glass of water, while the others leisurely sip cocktails, haha.
Thanks for your advice. (I actually lost half a pound after my first week so the night out didn't completely eradicate all my efforts.)
Any loss is good, well done. Yes there are pros and cons of being intolerant to it, but atm I'm desperate to lose weight so it's probably a good thing I'm not drinking wine. Maybe you could have spirits in a slimline mixer to make them last? X
Good luck with your weight loss. I'm finding following the recipies on the SMART app really good, and filling. So they do work, they just take quite a lot of prep.
I've just bought some slimline Bitterlemon to try and home and it's nice. I'll ask for it with Malibu next time I'm on a night out. Thanks for the suggestion. That's really helped!
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