Alcohol and Weight Loss: Can You Drink and Lose Weight?

Alcohol and weight loss are linked, as alcohol often hinders weight loss. But can you drink and lose weight at the same time?

You can if you do so as part of a reduced-calorie meal plan and drink in moderation.

If you choose alcohol and weight loss, knowing what to drink (and how much to drink) is the key to long-term success!

The bottom line with alcohol and weight loss is the less alcohol you drink the better to maximize your overall health and wellness.

But you don't have to nix alcohol entirely to reach your goal weight.

Simply limit it as much as possible, get regular exercise and plenty of sleep, eat nutritious foods, and keep your stress levels low.

Here's what you need to know about alcohol and weight loss.

Considering a detox cleanse diet? Read this first!

Alcohol and Weight Loss: What's the Link?

Generally speaking, drinking alcohol (especially in large amounts) can make weight loss difficult.

There are many reasons for this, including:

• Alcohol and many of its mixers are loaded with empty calories
• Alcohol calories don't help meet your body's nutritional needs
• Alcohol can cause you to make unhealthy food choices or overeat
• Alcohol interferes with your body's fat-burning mechanisms
• Drinking too much alcohol can make you tired and less likely to exercise

Furthermore, drinking alcohol is a risk factor for developing certain types of cancers.

This is what healthy alcohol consumption looks like and what you should be eating while you are drinking alcohol.

Can I Drink Alcohol and Still Lose Weight?

If you're a social drinker, you might wonder if you can drink alcohol (in moderation) and still lose weight.

The answer is yes, depending on your total calorie intake and daily calorie expenditure (how many calories your burn off).

Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram vs. 9 calories per gram in fat and 4 calories per gram in protein and carbohydrates.

Many alcoholic mixers are high in sugar, which adds additional empty calories.

The calorie content of popular alcoholic beverages includes:

• 4 ounces mimosa: 75 calories
• 4 ounces champagne: 90 calories
• 1.5 ounces hard liquor (gin, vodka, rum, whisky, etc.): 97 calories
• 8 ounces vodka club soda or vodka water: 97 calories
• 8 ounces rum and diet coke: 100 calories
• 12 ounces hard seltzer: 100 calories
• 12 ounces light beer: 103 calories
• 4.6 ounces bloody Mary: 120 calories
• 5 ounces wine: 122-129 calories
• 3 ounces whisky sour: 125 calories
• 2.7 ounces daiquiri: 137 calories
• 6 ounces mojito: 143 calories
• 2.75 ounces cosmopolitan: 146 calories
• 12 ounces regular beer: 153 calories
• 1.5 ounces coffee liquor: 154-160 calories
• 3.5 ounces dessert wine: 157-165 calories
• 4 ounces margarita: 168 calories
• 12 ounces craft beer: 170-350 calories
• 8 ounces rum and coke: 185 calories
• 7 ounces vodka tonic: 189 calories
• 4.9 ounces mai tai: 306 calories
• 2.5 ounces chocolate martini: 418 calories
• 6.8 ounces pina colada: 526 calories
• 8 ounces white Russian: 568 calories

As you can see, certain alcoholic drinks are much higher in calories than others. Some are healthier than others too.

For example, vodka water, vodka club soda, light beer, hard seltzer, red wine, or a Bloody Mary is a better choice than higher-calorie options.

Some of the healthier alcoholic drinks even contain antioxidants (red wine) or nutrient-dense vegetable juice (Bloody Mary).

However, many alcoholic beverages contribute little, if any, beneficial nutrients to your body.

To effectively lose weight, you must burn more calories than you consume from foods and drinks.

You can lose weight when drinking alcohol in moderation, especially if you follow a reduced-calorie meal plan and get regular exercise.

Drinking alcohol in moderation for women means consuming 1 drink or less per day. For men, it means consuming 2 drinks or less daily.

If you choose one alcoholic drink per day during weight loss, pick one containing 150 calories or less when possible.

Components of Effective Weight Loss Plans

Regardless of whether or not you drink alcohol, effective weight loss plans include the following:

Create a Calorie Deficit

A calorie deficit that's considered safe and effective for weight loss is 500-1,000 calories per day.

That means your body burns 500-1,000 more calories than you eat in a day.

This type of calorie deficit often leads to a safe weight loss rate of 1-2 pounds per week.

To create this type of calorie deficit, you can:

• Exercise more
• Keep your body moving throughout the day
• Reduce alcohol
• Eliminate soda and other sugar-sweetened drinks
• Nix sweets, fried foods, fast foods, processed meats, baked goods, white bread, and other refined grains
• Eat more fruits and vegetables, specifically non-starchy veggies
• Drink more water, especially before meals

You don't have to track your calorie intake to ensure a calorie deficit, as making simple changes to your diet and exercise regimen should do the trick!

Exercise 20-30 Minutes More

Even if you currently exercise, increasing the duration of workouts by 20-30 minutes is an excellent way to create an energy deficit of 500 calories.

Below are common exercises and the number of calories you can burn in 30 minutes if you weigh 155 pounds:

• Weightlifting: 108-216 calories
• Walking 4 miles per hour: 189 calories
• Water aerobics: 144 calories
• Yoga: 144 calories
• Aerobics: 198-360 calories
• Stair stepping: 216 calories
• Rowing: 252-369 calories
• Cycling: 252-432 calories
• Rope jumping: 281-421 calories
• Calisthenics: 306 calories
• Elliptical machine: 324 calories
• Ski machine: 342 calories
• Swimming laps: 360 calories
• Running 6 miles per hour: 360 calories
• Kickboxing: 360 calories
• Running 7.5 miles per hour: 450 calories

Change up your workout routine often to avoid boredom and working the same muscle groups every day.

Doing so can enhance fat-burning, keep energy levels high, sculpt your muscles, and speed up weight loss.

Add 45 Minutes of Fun Family Activities

In addition to planned exercise, participate in fun family activities to increase your total calorie expenditure, regardless of whether or not you drink alcohol.

Fun activities to consider to expend more calories throughout the day (in 30 minutes for a 155-pound person) and lose weight include:

• Horseback riding: 70 calories
• Playing frisbee: 105 calories
• Bowling: 108 calories
• Dancing: 108-216 calories
• Playing volleyball: 108-281 calories
• Golfing with a cart: 126 calories
• Badminton: 141 calories
• Tai chi: 144 calories
• Kayaking: 180 calories
• Playing softball: 180 calories
• Golfing without a cart: 198 calories
• Hiking: 216 calories
• Downhill skiing: 216 calories
• Water skiing: 216 calories
• Cross country skiing: 246 calories
• Sledding: 247 calories
• Ice skating: 252 calories
• Racquetball: 252 calories
• Playing soccer: 252 calories
• Playing tennis: 252 calories
• Scuba diving: 252 calories
• Rock climbing: 281-282 calories
• Snowshoeing: 288 calories
• Playing beach volleyball: 288 calories
• Mountain biking: 306 calories
• Rollerblading: 386-421 calories
• Playing handball: 432 calories

Work these activities into your daily routine with friends or family to increase your chance of weight loss success!

Struggling to keep everyone active? Try this family workout in the backyard!

Do Outdoor and Indoor Chores Daily

Completing outside yard work or indoor chores daily is an excellent way to create a calorie deficit for effective weight loss.

Examples of chores and corresponding calorie expenditures for a 155-pound person after 30 minutes include:

• Cooking: 70 calories
• Shopping with a cart: 106 calories
• Playing outside with your kids: 141 calories
• Raking the yard: 144 calories
• Gardening: 162 calories
• Using a snowblower: 162 calories
• Heavy house cleaning: 162-176 calories
• Mowing the yard with push mower: 162-198 calories
• Carrying and stacking wood: 176 calories
• Moving furniture or carrying boxes: 211-252 calories
• Chopping and splitting wood: 216 calories
• Shoveling snow: 216 calories

Doing active chores helps compensate for the extra calories you consume from alcohol if you do decide to drink during your weight loss journey.

How to Include Alcohol in a Weight Loss Plan

If you include alcohol in a weight loss plan, consider the following tips to increase your chance of success:

Choose Lower Calorie Alcoholic Drinks

Avoid alcohol altogether or choose lower-calorie options to reach your goal weight. Pick from the following:

• 4-ounce Mimosa: 75 calories
• 4-ounce champagne: 90 calories
• 1.5-ounce gin, vodka, rum, or whisky (on the rocks): 97 calories
• 8 ounces vodka club soda or vodka water: 97 calories
• 12-ounce hard seltzer: 100 calories
• 12-ounce light beer: 103 calories
• 4.6-ounce bloody Mary: 120 calories
• 5-ounce wine: 122-129 calories

Avoid sugar-sweetened mixers or adding sugar to alcoholic drinks.

Instead, choose ice, water, club soda, or a small amount of fruit or vegetable juice to flavor alcohol and minimize calories.

Limit Alcohol to 1 Drink Per Day

Drinking alcohol in moderation for women is 1 drink per day (or less), and for men, it's 2 drinks or less daily.

Limiting alcoholic drinks is an excellent way to reduce your risk of cancer and other health problems while controlling your calorie intake.

You might save drinking occasions just for weekends, but avoid alcohol during the week.

Stay on top of your nutrition with these 5 weekend diet tips!

Water Down Alcoholic Drinks

To reduce the calorie content of your favorite mixed drinks, water down alcohol with ice, water, a tiny bit of fruit juice, calorie-free club soda, or seltzer water instead of soda, lemonade, syrup, or other sugar-sweetened mixers.

Doing so keeps your calorie intake from alcohol as low as possible to make weight loss easier.

Drink More Water

Drink more water throughout the day to stay full with fewer calories and enhance weight loss.

Aim to drink at least 12 cups of water and other low-calorie fluids daily.

Drink 2 cups of water before meals, and before and after consuming alcohol (if you drink alcoholic beverages during your weight loss journey).

Find out the easiest way to drink more water every day!

Eat More Fruits, Vegetables, and Protein

Many fruits, veggies, and high-protein foods are low-calorie foods, which is why increasing your intake of them can enhance weight loss.

After drinking water before meals, eat non-starchy veggies like cucumbers, tomatoes, spinach, other greens, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, asparagus, zucchini, and mushrooms.

Add in a variety of fruits and some starchy vegetables, such as corn, peas, sweet potatoes, lentils, and black beans.

Don't forget to increase your intake of nutritious, protein-rich foods.

Examples include grilled chicken, fish, seafood, eggs, tofu, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, nuts, and seeds.

Protein helps you feel full from fewer calories, keeps your metabolism high, and helps you maintain muscle mass.

Avoid Alcohol Before Bed

Getting enough sleep is one of the best things you can do for your body.

Sleep reduces your risk of overeating, as sleep deprivation alters hormones in your body and can increase hunger.

Sleep also gives you energy, which can maximize workouts.

If you drink alcohol during weight loss, avoid drinking it right before you go to bed.

While alcohol might make you feel tired, studies show that alcohol is linked with poor sleep duration and quality, insomnia, and sleep apnea symptoms.

You may fall asleep after drinking alcohol, but you might sleep poorly or wake up in the middle of the night.

If you choose to drink alcohol, do so in the evening but avoid consuming alcoholic drinks right before bed.

Eliminate Junk Foods

Eating junk food is a top reason dieters fail at weight loss.

Aim to reduce (or better yet eliminate) the following types of foods:

• Breaded and fried foods
• White bread, white rice, and other refined grains
• Baked goods
• Fast foods
• Sweets
• Soda, sweet tea, lemonade, and other sugar-sweetened drinks
• Diet drinks
• Potato chips
• Other highly processed snack foods
• Ham, hot dogs, deli meats, regular bacon, and other processed meats

Studies show that cooking your own food vs. dining out at restaurants significantly reduces your risk of obesity.

Therefore, cook healthy meals at home instead of eating at fast-food or sit-down restaurants whenever possible.

Learn how to reduce sugar addiction and recognize sugar addiction symptoms!

Balance Your Plate

Eating the right foods in recommended amounts is one of the best ways to lose weight, regardless of whether or not you drink alcohol.

Consider the following guidelines when filling your plate at mealtime:

• Fill half of your plate with non-starchy vegetables
• Fill one-fourth of your plate with protein foods
• Fill one-fourth of your plate with fiber-rich starches
• Consume dairy foods (or plant milk) three times daily
• Eat two servings of fruit daily
• Serve healthy fats at each meal

Aim to eat three small meals daily plus snacks in between as needed to avoid hunger and overeating.

Keep Stress Levels Low

Stress can negatively affect alcohol and weight loss in several ways.

It alters hormone levels in your body, which can lead to overeating.

Stress might also cause you to drink more alcohol than you typically would.

To reduce stress in your life as much as possible, lighten up an overly busy schedule.

Spend time outside, work out regularly, take vacations, and consider meditation, massage, yoga, or tai chi.

Get in touch with your spirituality too!

Find out how stress is killing us!

Join a Women's Weight Loss Program

Whether or not you drink alcohol, joining an organized weight loss program designed for busy moms is one of the best ways to reach your goal weight and maintain it for a lifetime.

The Fit Mother Project has helped hundreds of thousands of members lose weight, get fit, increase energy levels, reduce chronic disease risks, and gain self-confidence!

To begin a journey toward a healthier lifestyle, try the free Fit Mom Jumpstart today!

*Please know that weight loss results & health changes/improvements vary from individual to individual; you may not achieve similar results. Always consult with your doctor before making health decisions. This is not medical advice – simply very well-researched info on alcohol and weight loss.