Liqour and weight gain

[pshreck]

So basically... Im trying to lose weight, and have to figure out a way to handle the alcohol in my diet. I have heard from people that liquor is great. That is backed up by some articles on the internet, but there is no consistency to it.

Generally, I'm reading that the boost to your metabolism from straight liquor negates most of the effects of the high calorie content.

I also know of a few friends of my parents that have dieted, and replaced desserts and beer with any kind of hard liquor, and they claim it works.

In all honesty, I feel like this could be a huge myth and replacing beer with liquor won't make that much a difference.

Anyone have any experience with this?

[daryn]

calories in, calories out.

[pshreck]

[ QUOTE ]
calories in, calories out.

[/ QUOTE ]

True, but the question is how much is your metabolism actually boosted (calorie burning) from drinking the hard stuff.

I refuse to believe that having 6 shots of whiskey is the same as having a quarter pounder in terms of trying to lose weight.

[daryn]

why would it boost your metabolism? if anything i would guess that it would slow it down.

[pshreck]

[ QUOTE ]
why would it boost your metabolism? if anything i would guess that it would slow it down.

[/ QUOTE ]

I would link articles, but they may be bogus. Also, I could find articles that say the exact opposite.

I think it has something to do with liqour increasing the heat in your body, and your bodies response to that. It may sound dumb, but I think that is the jist of it.

And holy crap my puppy is freaking out to the vacuuming above my apartment.

[Edge34]

If anything, it WILL slow it down. Your body doesn't metabolize alcohol in ANY form very quickly - hence the term "beer belly".

I have trained on and off with a former professional bodybuilder, and they told me to avoid any form of alcohol as much as possible. Instead, I was told to focus a lot more on proteins and healthy carbs for my energy, substances my body can actually transform into helpful energy and use for nutrients.

I don't know any of the hard science or statistics on this, but liquor will definitely not BOOST your metabolism. If you aren't a serious trainer and want to drink, moderation is key, or at the very least a regular exercise program.

-Edge

[Mano]

If you drink enough you will throw up.

[ThaSaltCracka]

if anything I would think liquor is worse. why you may ask, I don't remember why, but whomever told me did so convincingly and with some scientific jargon I did not understand.

All I know is Wacki will def be able to answer this question.

[daryn]

notice that daryn was as usual first with the correct answer here. i just figured it was because alcohol is essentially poison, and i remember hearing that while your liver is trying to detox your body, everything else basically shuts down.

[ThaSaltCracka]

it has something to do with how your body breaks down alcohol IIRC>

[nothumb]

I think liquor is in fact worse, especially if you drink mixed drinks. Bottom line, if you want to drink and still lose weight, drink shortly after exercising. First, you will have an easier time getting drunk, and second, your body will be more likely to process the calories/carbs usefully because it has used up its immediate supply.

Another thing to note is that if you eliminate a lot of the starchy foods from your diet that are typical, you will be shocked at how much faster you get drunk.

NT

[daryn]

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it has something to do with how your body breaks down alcohol IIRC&gt;

[/ QUOTE ]


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and i remember hearing that while your liver is trying to detox your body, everything else basically shuts down.



[/ QUOTE ]

[pshreck]

So you guys are all saying the more liquor I drink, the higher my metabolism will be. Thanks.

[jakethebake]

Go get drunk, lard ass.

[ThaSaltCracka]

[ QUOTE ]
So you guys are all saying the more liquor I drink, the higher my metabolism will be. Thanks.

[/ QUOTE ]no.

[ThaSaltCracka]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
it has something to do with how your body breaks down alcohol IIRC&gt;

[/ QUOTE ]


[ QUOTE ]
and i remember hearing that while your liver is trying to detox your body, everything else basically shuts down.



[/ QUOTE ]

[/ QUOTE ]

um yeah basically, but I think alcohol is broken down into carbs or something. [censored], I have no idea, nevermind. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Brainwalter]

[ QUOTE ]
I think liquor is in fact worse, especially if you drink mixed drinks.

[/ QUOTE ]

The OP asked about straight liquor

[nothumb]

Thank you, Capt. Nitpick...

NT

[Michael Davis]

Euros drink that [censored] and they aren't fat.

-Michael

[wacki]

Generally, I'm reading that the boost to your metabolism from straight liquor negates most of the effects of the high calorie content.

Find whoever told you this and grab them by the hair, drag them out into the street and beat the [censored] out of them. People who don't know facts should keep their mouth closed or atleast give you an IIRC. Alcohol increases insulin which increases appetite which is combined with the fact that alcohol has the same caloric value as gasoline. Your body shuts down its normal processes and fat consumption to consume the alcohol. Consuming one or two alcoholic drinks per day was found to increase blood levels of the fat hormone leptin. Elevated leptin is associated with obesity but associatin is different than causation so there are still questions to be answered. End of story.

I also know of a few friends of my parents that have dieted, and replaced desserts and beer with any kind of hard liquor, and they claim it works.

This only works if you replace each beer with one and only one shot of vodka, gin, or rum. Multiply the proof of these liquors by .8 and you get their caloric value. Warning: It is very easy to drink 1/3 of your daily allowance of calories via mix drinks. Don't be misled. Count the calories of what you are drinking + the alcohol.

In all honesty, I feel like this could be a huge myth and replacing beer with liquor won't make that much a difference.

Yes, and no. The answer can very easily be no, but if done carefully the answer is yes. It is possible to reduce your caloric intake to about 1/3 of beer if you take shots and don't use any chasers other than water. There are many other factors in play as well. Different drinks produce different effects causing you to drink different amounts. Also there happens to be other toxins in different kinds of alcohol that can slow the bodies metabolism. (Not going to go that deep into it right now.) My gut feeling is that vodka drinkers are more likely to stay thin/lose weight than beer drinkers but there are no clinical trials that I know of to back this up.

My word of advice?

Try the vodka, but count the calories of your mixer as well as the shots you drink. But more importantly, try some exercise. Seriously, if you just get off your ass and work out/exercise you shouldn't have to worry.

All I know is Wacki will def be able to answer this question.

Salt, what did I tell you about paging me. If you have a question, page the good doctor. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

I'm drunk, so I hope this made sense.

One last thing.

To find the calories in gin/vodka/rum:

Multiply each ounce x it's proof x .8

That will give you the calorie value.

[wacki]

[ QUOTE ]
Euros drink that [censored] and they aren't fat.

-Michael

[/ QUOTE ]

Euros have public transport and walk everywhere. That makes a huge difference.

[ThaSaltCracka]

so basically 96 calories per shot.

Thanks Wacki.

[pshreck]

Really man, that was an awesome response, thanks.

I didn't intend to mix any of the liquor with any drinks, other than ice, and I don't really chase them.

Is whiskey worse than vodka?

[wacki]

What are you drinking that is 120 proof?

[InchoateHand]

Or you can simply multiply the actual weight of the alcohol (you are poker players, figure it out) by 7----7 calories per gram of alcohol.


(Why does alcohol work? Well, because your brain cannot use glucose (the energy for the rest of your body) and your body naturally produces alcoholic compounds to feed your brain. Thus the alcohol you drink easily passes the blood--brain barrier).

[daryn]

probably a selection from his home distillery.

[ThaSaltCracka]

[ QUOTE ]
What are you drinking that is 120 proof?

[/ QUOTE ]you said ounces*proof*.80

1.5oz*80*.80=96.

[daryn]

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</font><blockquote><font class="small">In risposta di:</font><hr />
What are you drinking that is 120 proof?

[/ QUOTE ]you said ounces*proof*.80

1.5oz*80*.80=96.

[/ QUOTE ]

ba-ZING

[wacki]

Calorie chart

http://www.sotallytober.com/guide/calories.php

[wacki]

Well, because your brain cannot use glucose (the energy for the rest of your body) and your body naturally produces alcoholic compounds to feed your brain.

Not true. Your brain uses pure glucose, and it uses a lot of it. It uses enough glucose to power a 600 watt microwave. Glucose is stored in the liver (which has about a 12 hour supply) and when the liver runs out of glucose your liver initiates lipolysis which breaks down fatty acids into ketone bodies. Your brain, since it doesn't have glucose, then runs on the ketone bodies. This is why breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

[daryn]

wow, who would have thought that inchoate would be wrong?


some things are too easy in life.

[ThaSaltCracka]

[ QUOTE ]
wow, who would have thought that inchoate would be wrong?


some things are too easy in life.

[/ QUOTE ]Wacki is a smart man.

[daryn]

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</font><blockquote><font class="small">In risposta di:</font><hr />
wow, who would have thought that inchoate would be wrong?


some things are too easy in life.

[/ QUOTE ]Wacki is a smart man.

[/ QUOTE ]

oh he definitely knows what he is talking about. i was just trying to dump on inchoatehand some more.

[pshreck]

So is Wacki a doctor? I had to ask even if everyone knows.

[daryn]

nah (well maybe he is, who knows if he has a phd in something) but i know he has some kind of degree in bio something.. my guess is MS in biochem.

[pshreck]

[ QUOTE ]
nah (well maybe he is, who knows if he has a phd in something) but i know he has some kind of degree in bio something.. my guess is MS in biochem.

[/ QUOTE ]

Then he's not that smart, thats what Lavarr Arrington majored in.

[Justin A]

[ QUOTE ]
notice that daryn was as usual first with the correct answer here. i just figured it was because alcohol is essentially poison, and i remember hearing that while your liver is trying to detox your body, everything else basically shuts down.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's because you lie in wait for new threads to pop up so you can make the first response.

[ThaSaltCracka]

[ QUOTE ]
So is Wacki a doctor? I had to ask even if everyone knows.

[/ QUOTE ]I believe he is in med school or some sort of post grad school. Science and stuff.

[InchoateHand]

what is "post grad school?"

Just curious.

[wacki]

I've taken enough classes for a Ph.D. but I've don't have a Ph.D. level thesis yet. People are trying to convince me to get a Ph.D. My QLC is should I get a Ph.D. and do research or get an MBA and be rich. Research is cool, the only problem I have with it is that it pays butkiss and while it is very rewarding the lows can last for years. I need my daily scooby snacks, so I'm not sure if I'm cut out for spending 5 years of my life researching something that may not work.

[daryn]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In risposta di:</font><hr />
</font><blockquote><font class="small">In risposta di:</font><hr />
notice that daryn was as usual first with the correct answer here. i just figured it was because alcohol is essentially poison, and i remember hearing that while your liver is trying to detox your body, everything else basically shuts down.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's because you lie in wait for new threads to pop up so you can make the first response.

[/ QUOTE ]

yeah but how am i always right? boom.

[ThaSaltCracka]

[ QUOTE ]
what is "post grad school?"

Just curious.

[/ QUOTE ] er, grad school.

[InchoateHand]

You mean, ABD (all but dissertation?) Its not called a thesis at the Ph.D. level, its called a dissertation. And Ph.D. "class requirements" are easy to meet, sometimes within a year (for most of the hard sciences, for the humanities more like two years).

[Justin A]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
notice that daryn was as usual first with the correct answer here. i just figured it was because alcohol is essentially poison, and i remember hearing that while your liver is trying to detox your body, everything else basically shuts down.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's because you lie in wait for new threads to pop up so you can make the first response.

[/ QUOTE ]

yeah but how am i always right? boom.

[/ QUOTE ]

Common sense?

[InchoateHand]

No worries. Sorry if I was being a nitpicky bastard---I forgot that I am a troll and a moron, and daryn helpfully reminded me, so I had a few more drinks and put on the leather cap. Peace.

[daryn]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In risposta di:</font><hr />
</font><blockquote><font class="small">In risposta di:</font><hr />
</font><blockquote><font class="small">In risposta di:</font><hr />
</font><blockquote><font class="small">In risposta di:</font><hr />
notice that daryn was as usual first with the correct answer here. i just figured it was because alcohol is essentially poison, and i remember hearing that while your liver is trying to detox your body, everything else basically shuts down.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's because you lie in wait for new threads to pop up so you can make the first response.

[/ QUOTE ]

yeah but how am i always right? boom.

[/ QUOTE ]

Common sense?

[/ QUOTE ]


no respect /images/graemlins/frown.gif

[wacki]

[ QUOTE ]
what is "post grad school?"

Just curious.

[/ QUOTE ]

Post grad school is what I am in. Kind of like a post doc. You get a Ph.D. and then you do research for a lab for a few years. I have 2 B.S.'s (Bio and CS) and a Masters in Bioinformatics. Post docs/Post grad students have their degrees but are continuing their education through hands on research. You are officially referred to as "cheap labor". Still, you get to do some cool stuff. Not everyone does a post doc.

[wacki]

[ QUOTE ]
Its not called a thesis at the Ph.D. level, its called a dissertation.

[/ QUOTE ]

dis·ser·ta·tion ( P ) Pronunciation Key (dsr-tshn)
n.

A lengthy, formal treatise, especially one written by a candidate for the doctoral degree at a university; a thesis.

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=dissertation

[pshreck]

You live in Bloomington? You ever see a big Otis factory? I worked for Otis last year while we were basically eliminating all jobs there and moving everything to Nogales, Mexico.

[InchoateHand]

I know what a post doc is, I just didn't know what "post grad" was.

And write your damn dissertation. You will be able to milk more dollars from someone later because you did---better yet, get someone to pay you to work on your "research," I know many a Ph.D. who mixes the two.

[InchoateHand]

I have a friend doing his Ph.D. at Indiana, maybe you two can meet up...and complain about me.

[InchoateHand]

If you don't know the difference between the two in common academic parlance, that reflects poorly on your graduate institution.

[ThaSaltCracka]

[ QUOTE ]
If you don't know the difference between the two in common academic parlance, that reflects poorly on your graduate institution.

[/ QUOTE ]you are annoying.

[pshreck]

In all seriousness, why are you on these forums?

[wacki]

pshreck,

I know Otis is here, but I've never seen it.

InchoateHand,
It's more then just writing a dissertation. I have to figure out where I belong. I can easily get my Ph.D. The problem is I need to know if I am up for that lifestyle. I don't want to spend 50% of my time writing grants and I'm not sure if I can handle the extreme valleys of research. Imagine working on something for 5 years before you see any real progress. With medicine, you see results every week, or even each day. With business, you get to take home a nice paycheck and reward yourself that way. Research is hard. The work you do is amazing and of the utmost importance but there are tons of sacrifices to make. I have to explore the world for a few years and learn what makes me tick. But for the next few years I will be doing research at some of the best labs in the world so I will find my answers.

[InchoateHand]

No worries. I have a friend in physics with that same approach---he is currently working in Los Alamos and loving it. Doesn't know when, or if, he will go back to school. Academic drudgery is certainly not for everyone.