Alcohol

[Ozzie65]

Good Evening. I've been on a weight loss journey for a little over a year. I am fairly new to Fitbit, but have been a loyal MyFitnessPal user. I am a runner and also try to lift weights at least 1-2 times per week. When I started , I was at my heaviest, around 202 pounds. I am currently 164, give or take. So, here's the question, I have completely changed the way I eat. I have cut out most fast food and am very strict about logging my food into MyFitnessPal. What I have not done is cut out my 1 to 2 drinks/glasses of wine per night. Like I said, I am currently in the 164 range. My goal weight is 155. I am really stuck. Although I am very active and sticking to my calorie intake, I am having trouble with these last few pounds. Could it be the alcohol? Thanks in advance
~Ozzie

[CynC]

@rfc1995, I am with you on that!  I love my occasional glass of bourbon. Would love your recommendations!  

[CynC]

@SunsetRunner, Oooh, yes, Pimm's is a good recommendation. It is delish in lemon-lime sparkling water. 

[USAF-Larry]

This Wine Cellars article provides a lot of information about the number of carbs and calories in various wines, beers, and liquors.

Article  is here: The Calories in a Glass of Wine vs. a Shot of Whiskey

[divedragon]

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@rfc1995 wrote:

@divedragon thanks a ton.  you've educated me on bourbon AND fasting.  So the bourbon is basically a clear alcohol?  Interesting.  Good news for me.  About the fasting:  Does it just generally make you feel better all around?  And is it drastic, or subtle?  sorry for all the questions, but thanks again

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I don't mind the question at all as I'm somewhat evangelical about fasting.  Sorry for the slow response, wasn't on line much over the weekend.

Fasting seems to affect different people a little differnetly in the conversion.  For me, the first afternoon where I had been fasting for 18 hours, I felt a surge of energy.  I like to pace when I'm on the phone and had a conference call that first afternoon.  I paced for the full hour on the call and when it was over, I didn't feel like I could or even wanted to stop.  To this day, I get that same feeling the first afternoon I am fasting.

For longer term fasts, you can go through some different feelings.  I get what I refer to as 'mouth hungry' where I just feel like I need to be chewing on something.  It's not real hunger, but it can be powerful.  On a multi-day fast, by day 3 any fogginess clears and your thining becomes extremely focused.  Hunger comes in waves, but I never feel weak or lethargic.  The key to this; however, is to train your body to convert to ketones as quickly as possible.  If I am not already in ketosis when I start, I am generally in that state by the first afternoon (about the time I get that initial surge of energy).

My advice is to start slowly and build to longer fast.  Do the 16:8 and work from there.

[divedragon]

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@SunsetRunner wrote:
Thanks for all the good information. I became educated. Since I have
enjoyed my glass of cabernet for several years now, it sounds like I should
do a switch to a clear liquid. I enjoy my wine because it's enjoyable at
room temperature and warming on those cold winter nights. I know I would
not like any whiskey's, bourbons. Something lighter that maybe a little
better than the wine.

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If you keep it at only 1 glass, you can be ok, even staying in ketosis in doing so.

[divedragon]

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@rfc1995 wrote:

@SunsetRunner give it a try.....it's impossible to not like bourbon!

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A scotch man myself, but a good sub for me is Jameson.

[rfc1995]

@CynC Basil Hayden.  Blanton's.  Jefferson Reserve.  All super tasty.  Elijah Craig isn't bad.  Booker's and Baker's good as well -- depends on how high a proof you want to go to, and how you drink it (on the rocks or neat or with something else).  I prefer on the rocks in summer, neat in winter.  All personal preference obviously.  

Pappy's is also great but really hard to find, other than at some hotels, depending on where you are.  

There are also some very good ryes and wheats out there -- Bernheim's is a pretty good and reasonable wheat.

Happy to provide more info if you need it.  There are also some good bourbon twitter follows, actually, which are pretty helpful, as well as some even better bourbon blogs. (say that five times fast, especially after a few glasses..)

enjoy!

[rfc1995]

thanks again.  sorry, but this is fascinating, so I have one follow up question.  say I go to sleep at ten, and am on a 16:8 fast.  I break fast, I guess, at 2 pm.   In the 8 hours not fasting, up until bedtime, do I have one good meal -- say egg and cheese or some fish, or divide up into two meals, spaced evenly apart?

thanks again

[rfc1995]

Thanks again.  I also found this article, which seems helpful and reinforces what @divedragon says:

http://www.ruled.me/ketogenic-diet-and-alcohol/

[rfc1995]

Thanks again.  I also found this article, which seems helpful and reinforces what @divedragon says:

http://www.ruled.me/ketogenic-diet-and-alcohol/

Hope it's helpful

[divedragon]

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@rfc1995 wrote:

thanks again.  sorry, but this is fascinating, so I have one follow up question.  say I go to sleep at ten, and am on a 16:8 fast.  I break fast, I guess, at 2 pm.   In the 8 hours not fasting, up until bedtime, do I have one good meal -- say egg and cheese or some fish, or divide up into two meals, spaced evenly apart?

thanks again

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Totally up to you, just be sure not to exceed your daily calorie needs.  That 8 hours is yours to use how best suits your lifestyle.  The key is not in the feeding window, but in the fasting window.

[rfc1995]

one more question @divedragon and sorry to bother-- how do you know when you're "in" ketosis?  Were you referring to a feeling or just knowing because of your fasting schedule?  again, sorry to bother -- this just kinda fascinates me.

[divedragon]

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@rfc1995 wrote:

one more question @divedragon and sorry to bother-- how do you know when you're "in" ketosis?  Were you referring to a feeling or just knowing because of your fasting schedule?  again, sorry to bother -- this just kinda fascinates me.

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Well, I purchased a ketone and blood sugar test meter.  Primarily used by diabetics.  **ahem** a finger and use the appropriate test strip.  0.6 is the lower threshold of ketosis and 1.5-3.0 is the optimal range.  You can also use a less expensive alternative known as ketostix which test the amount of ketones being eliminate through urine.  Not as accurate and can be affected by things such as how much water you drink, but they can at least let you know if you are in the ballpark.

The test meter itself is fairly inexpensive.  You can find them on Amazon.  Mine is Percision Xtra brand.  The test strips themselves; however, are very expensive.  Ketostixs you can get at most pharmacies.

[Dominique]

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@rfc1995 wrote:

one more question @divedragon and sorry to bother-- how do you know when you're "in" ketosis?

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For more details about the device mentioned by @divedragon, (Abbott Precision Xtra, note the spelling), check this blog post by Peter Attia, a well-known proponent of keto.

[rfc1995]

thank you very much @Dominique and @divedragon , I'll check it out!

[Leau]

Switch to a hard alcohol for a week, only one shot whiskey. You should see a change.

[36swan]

Finding a replacement for wine or soda was hard for me.  I use ice, a dash of lime cordial, a slice of lime, slice of  ginger, splash of tabasco and top up with soda water.  Its nicer than wine, actually.  I don't like sweet drinks, but if I did, I'd just ad a bit more cordial. I don't drink at all unless I am on holiday, when I also have a holiday from the diet.

[Leau]

Soda was hard, but I drink Harney Hot Cinnamon Tea to replace that, and
Grape Aloe Gloe. Both seem to give me the "sugar" fix without any sugar or
chemicals.

I enjoy wine, especially Riesling, but sparsely. If I get into a drinking
mood, I now favor straight Moonshine, or another form of whiskey because it
has no calories.

[36swan]

My sugar fix is sorted by half an apple chopped for breakfast and a few grapes or sugar free jelly for supper. Sweetness both ends of the day is definitely a treat on a diet. And I take a day off completely from calorie counting every week - that's when I indulge any cravings eg for fish and chips, chocolate or a glass of wine.

Sent from my iPhone

[mackmiller]

@divedragon...I've been doing the 16:8 for several weeks now and love it! However, I combine that with the bulletproof coffee with MCT oil that Dave Asprey talks about. So can I call that a complete fast? Not sure--Probably not. I feel awesome in the morning and since I cut out almost all sugars (except wine), my "sugar belly" has gone down and I just feel better. I even ran 4 miles today on just 1 cup of butter coffee this morning and felt great.

I am looking to lose only a couple of pounds, but that's just for me. I'm not sure anyone would say that I need to lose weight. However, I was looking to get rid of the bloat I felt (and saw) after eating any sugary foods and the feeling I get when I ate too much sugar. I always craved more! 

I run, walk and do kettlebell workouts. That seems to do it for me in addition to the intermittent fasting and butter coffee in the a.m. I eat my first meal around 11:30 or 12...it depends when I think I'm going to eat dinner in order to eat all my meals and snacks within 8 hours. I don't crave sugar anymore...I only eat a piece or two of dark chocolate (85% cacao) as a treat, BUT I do like my wine and have not given that up (that's the only real sugar I have). I usually drink a nice cabernet--a glass or two--however recently I switched to white because for some reason I don't get tired when I drink white.

I'm interested to hear stories from others if they too are doing the butter coffee in the a.m.