Alcohol on a diet: calorie content and compatibility of alcoholic beverages

Hello dear reader! Women (and in the age of Instagram and many men) usually follow the figure. And almost everyone at certain points in their lives believes that “you need to lose weight.” And it is so difficult to maintain harmony when there are so many delicious food around, coffee to go, fast food on every corner and … stress. And yes, we are looking for a way to relax and we find it, like the truth, in wine.

So how to combine in your life proper nutrition and a love of “vine” or other alcoholic beverages? What kind of alcohol can you drink on a diet, how to do it right, do you need to “work it out” in the gym? Let’s figure it out.

Description of the alcohol diet

There is no universal alcoholic diet, but there are weight loss systems that allow you to drink wine. It has a low energy value, but at the same time, a tart or semi-sweet taste can moderate appetite.

I will tell you about the comprehensive diet developed by Dr. Gattersen, during which you can drink alcohol. It includes:

• daily use of red wine;
• limited diet, including low-calorie foods;
• ban on eating a few hours before bedtime.

In general, the last two points will work great without alcohol. Why then is wine included in the diet? Then I will tell you about it.

Key Benefits

The fact is that a glass of wine after a meal contributes to its better absorption by the body. After wine, a person has no desire to continue the meal, as he is already relaxed, and the stomach begins to digest what has got into it.

Interesting: a small amount of red wine has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system and normalizes blood glucose levels.

Another important point is human psychology. Rigid restrictions are given to us very hard. Therefore, it is very important to say to yourself: I can drink alcohol on a diet if you really want to drink it.

Allow yourself small joys – and then you will not be drawn to big breakdowns.

Now a little about the duration of the diet on which you can drink alcohol. If you stick to a more or less healthy diet and indulge yourself with wine from time to time, then you can live in this mode from several months to several years. The Italians and the French live like this all their lives! The main thing is to check your health from time to time and make sure that alcohol does not negatively affect it.

But if you decide to “get into that dress” or just lose a few kilograms very quickly and go on a strict diet with alcohol, but with a minimum amount of calories, then you can stick to it for no more than three to five days. And it’s better, to be honest, not to sit on such diets at all – the load on the body will be enormous, and the lost kilograms will most likely return.

How much weight can you lose on alcohol

There is one important point here: not a single diet has a clear number of kilograms that it helps to lose. It all depends on the individual parameters of a person: his height, weight, age.

However, there is one universal rule that works for absolutely everyone during weight loss: there are approximately 1 kcal in 7500 kg of fat. That is, such a deficit must be maintained in order for this fat to go away. With a strict diet, such a lack of calories accumulates in a week (eating a person will eat 1000 kcal less than his body needs), with a healthier and more complete diet – in two weeks. And it’s not a matter of drinking or not drinking alcohol at the same time.

Who is the alcoholic diet for?

A diet that includes alcoholic beverages is suitable for everyone who is not contraindicated in alcohol for health reasons. Also, you can not choose this diet program for people who work with high concentration of attention or drive a car – even slightly drunkenness in these cases can lead to very sad consequences.

What alcohol can you drink on a diet

Any. You can afford to drink any alcohol on a diet, but only in moderation. Glass of wine? You are welcome! Champagne? Why not? Whiskey? Yes, but not more than 50 ml!

If you are on a low-calorie diet with alcohol, then you may well be drinking some on a regular basis. It is very important not to overdo it, and if you choose wine or champagne as a product for losing weight, you should not drink more than two glasses a day, and beer is recommended no more than 0,5 liters per day.

If you drink alcohol too much and often, you may not notice how your body gets used to drinking alcohol regularly. With alcohol addiction, maybe you can lose weight, but she still didn’t bring anyone to good.

Wine

We have already come to the conclusion that alcohol and diet are quite compatible things, if you approach them wisely. Wine is considered the most rational drink for losing weight, since in small quantities it has a beneficial effect on the body, has a pleasant taste and a low alcohol content.

It also allows you to relax. This is very important – especially for those who strain their body with diet and exercise.

red

The tart taste of red wine is a great way to end a meal. Wine has a low calorie content, unlike other types of alcohol, so you can have a glass or two throughout the day to relax and curb your appetite.

White

White wine has a refreshing taste, so it is a pleasure to drink it for lunch or dinner (especially if you eat poultry or fish dishes). It is advisable to choose semi-dry or dry wine – the less liquid sugar you drink, the more effective weight loss will be.

Dry

Dry wine is the alcohol of choice for the diet (and for proper nutrition in general). It has a rich taste that you can enjoy, but at the same time the sugar content, and, accordingly, the calories in it is minimal.

Champagne

I also refer all sparkling wines to the same point, since many in Russia and the CIS countries call them champagnes. You can also drink them during a diet, especially if you have a solemn event, however, you should choose dry brut sparkling wine. Again, this is due to the minimum sugar content, and after all, everyone knows the folk wisdom: “The less sugar you eat, the better your figure.”

Beer

Despite the fact that the people have such a definition as “beer belly”, this drink itself is not very high in calories, and the alcohol content in it is low. People gain weight from the fact that they consume high-calorie and salty snacks along with beer, and they just cause excess weight and swelling. Therefore, you can drink up to 0,5 liters of pure beer per day – there will be no harm to your figure if you do not overeat at the same time.

What not to drink while on a diet

You should also avoid strong alcoholic drinks – vodka, rum, cognac, tequila. A vodka diet is generally something beyond fantasy; it is impossible to lose weight on it without serious harm to the body.

But what if you are persistently offered a glass of vodka or a shot of tequila? Or just wanted – and that’s it? Sip. And at the same time, do not scold yourself, but make sure not to drink too much.

Calorie table of alcoholic beverages

Principles and rules of nutrition

The main principle of a diet with alcohol is to consume fewer calories than the body uses. You can calculate your rate based on height, weight and age using a special formula.

The optimal daily deficit is about 500 kcal. It can be done more, but then it will be difficult to go on a diet, and in the event of a breakdown, all the lost kilograms will definitely return.

Permitted products

The basis of nutrition should be foods rich in protein – lean meat and fish. You should also include fresh vegetables in the diet, and have fiber for breakfast (cereals, cereals, legumes). An important rule is to drink at least 1,5 liters of clean water per day. You can do more, the main thing is that you feel comfortable.

Prohibited products

Many people say that on a diet it is necessary to exclude all sweet, fatty, and, most often, favorite foods. I believe (like many nutritionists and psychologists) that strict prohibitions will hurt much more than high-calorie meals. You can eat and drink whatever you want.

I’m serious. The main point of the diet is moderation. Therefore, you can drink alcohol (if a little), eat a piece of cake (if you really want to), drink tea with chocolate (but not more than 20 grams per day). Learn to limit yourself not in products, but in quantity.

Alcoholic diets for weight loss: menu

There are several diet options where you can drink alcohol and still lose weight. There is, however, at the same time, it is practically impossible. Therefore, you can sit on such strict diets for no more than a few days.

Unloading day on wine

On such a diet, you can sit for no more than three days. On it you can drink daily no more than 0,5 liters of dry wine, white or red. As a snack – a small amount of cheese, nuts or fruits (it is desirable to exclude grapes and bananas).

If you feel intoxicated or nauseated, a boiled egg or a glass of kefir is allowed.

Beer diet

On a beer diet, you can have breakfast with something healthy and satisfying – for example, porridge or scrambled eggs. Then during the day you only need to drink beer, but not more than 1,5 liters in total. You will have to visit the toilet more often, but in the morning you will see minus 1-2 kg on the scales.

For whiskey

One of the controversial options, but nevertheless working. During the day, you can drink 0,3 liters of whiskey with a hearty breakfast. It is advisable to do this before evening, so that there is no swelling in the morning.

I do not recommend this diet. Whiskey on an empty stomach can burn your esophagus, causing heartburn. Yes, and you will not be tasty with a rumbling belly and a bad mood either. Are the few pounds shed worth the stress?

martini for weight loss

Dry vermouth can also be drunk on a diet. On it you can arrange a fasting day. Its essence is to drink a glass three times a day and eat a portion of a vegetable snack. For example, if you eat chopped carrots, berries or an apple along with a martini, then in the morning you will see a plumb line.

On alcoholic cocktails

On the fasting day, you can drink the least calorie cocktails with alcohol – Martini, Bellini or Bloody Mary. A Spritzer or Bucks Fiz is also suitable.

Compatibility of popular diets and alcohol

There are several common diets that people follow to lose weight. For example, this is the Kremlin diet, Maggi or Atkins. Let’s see on which of these systems you can drink alcohol.

Maggi’s power system

On the Maggi diet, you can’t drink alcohol even in small quantities. Its main meaning is to cleanse the body, and alcoholic beverages do not contribute to this in any way.

Protasov Diet

Ducan

The Dukan Diet is based on cutting down on carbohydrate intake as much as possible. The body will draw energy from its own reserves (that is, from fat that has accumulated earlier). The diet is divided into three stages:

1. “Attack” – mainly protein nutrition, excess fluid is excreted from the body. It is desirable to drink only water and teas.
2. “Alternation” – you need to eat alternately protein foods and allowed vegetables.
3. “Fixation” – at this stage, cheese, fruits, bread can be included in the diet. Cheat meals (high-calorie meals that you can’t call dietary in any way) are acceptable twice a week.
4. “Stabilization” – you can return to your usual diet with some amendments. Every day you need to eat bran, once a week arrange a fasting day on protein foods and use the stairs instead of the elevator. This will help keep you from gaining weight again.

At the third stage, you can just drink alcohol. Since most alcoholic beverages are high in calories, they should be placed in cheat meals twice a week. But if suddenly you need to relax with a glass of wine “right here and now” – do not limit yourself. It is better to drink this one glass than to break the diet and decide that you are incapable of losing weight.

At the fourth stage, alcohol can also be drunk. Since this stage is designed for a lifetime, you need to remove all severe restrictions from yourself and do what you want. But know when to stop and take care of your health.

The Kremlin

On the Kremlin diet, you can drink a small amount of alcohol with a minimum sugar content. For example, it can be 150 ml of dry wine or 40 grams of vodka.

Atkins Diet

On this diet, you can drink gin, vodka or scotch. From time to time you can also afford dry wine.

Ketogenic diet

On the Keto diet, you should not drink alcohol for the first week or two. After the body gets used to this diet a little, you can afford a small amount of carbohydrate-free alcoholic beverages – whiskey, rum, cognac, gin.

Recipes for diet alcoholic cocktails

One of the most delicious low-calorie cocktails is the Bellini. It is prepared from a small amount of peach puree, a couple of drops of lemon juice and dry sparkling wine.

Another cocktail that you can drink while losing weight is a Martini (do not confuse it with pure vermouth of the same name). To prepare this cocktail, you need to add 45 ml of dry gin and dry vermouth, as well as one olive.

But in fact, talking about “diet” cocktails is still deceiving yourself. Alcohol is not a low-calorie product at all. But you can still drink it if you want to. The main thing is to find out in advance the energy value of the cocktail and simply enter it into your diet so that there is no calorie surplus.

Rules for drinking alcohol for weight loss

In order for the diet to do no harm and really help to lose weight, several important rules must be observed. Below I will tell you about them – if you ignore them, then the diet simply will not work.

count calories

Losing weight is not possible without a calorie deficit. Therefore, be sure to consider how much you eat during the day. Everything that you will eat and drink during the day, as well as “I’ll just try” should also be included in the total calorie content.

Eat proteins and vegetables

Protein helps to keep muscles, and vegetables contain complex carbohydrates that give satiety and promote good digestion. In fact, if you eat lean meat with vegetables, then you will lose weight without alcohol … But a glass of wine is quite capable of making your diet tastier and more varied. And lift your spirits!

Avoid overeating

Overeating is a calorie surplus. All the energy that the body does not have time to spend, it begins to accumulate in the form of body fat. Therefore, you need to eat within your daily calorie intake and create a deficit so that the body draws energy from previously made reserves.

We remember that alcohol relaxes, and in the state of “beat the dishes – I cry”, each of us can break loose and eat to satiety.

Choose low-calorie drinks

Sweet sodas, liqueurs, coffee with cream and juice also contain calories, and there are a lot of them. However, such drinks do not give satiety. Therefore, you should not drink them during weight loss, so as not to drink extra calories imperceptibly. You can replace them with unsweetened alternatives (cola zero, natural lemonades), including for making cocktails.

Don’t overdo it

Don’t create too much of a calorie deficit. If the body is severely lacking in energy, it will quickly let you know about it with unpleasant symptoms, and then provoke you to a breakdown. And you will immediately eat all the lost kilograms back. You can, of course, hold out for several weeks in this mode, if you have an iron will … But nature will take its toll.

How to lose weight and drink alcohol without counting calories

If you have no time to do calorie counting and are not interested, then you can go the simpler way – choose low-fat foods. For example, include steamed meat, vegetables, cereals and cereals, some nuts in your diet. Then you can drink a glass and not worry about overeating.

Many people who lose weight have a common mistake – they break the diet and think that they can “work out” everything with physical exercises. It is not necessary to do so. First of all, because not so many calories are spent during running or other loads. Two 0,5 beers, for example, will cost you an hour of running on the track. Do you need it?

The second point is, again, psychology. You can drink alcohol simply because you feel like it. You don’t need any detentions, because with such promises you create unnecessary stress for yourself. Exercise for fun and drink for fun too.

Harm and contraindications

Diets that include alcohol are prohibited for anyone who has high blood pressure and other diseases of the cardiovascular system, as well as migraine or liver disease.

Tips and Tricks

The main advice is to work not only with your body, but also with your head. Often, overeating is not just a habit, but a means of dealing with stress or getting positive emotions. You need to learn how to do this without a lot of junk food. Sports, by the way, as an alternative, is quite suitable.

Facts about weight loss and alcohol

Drinking alcohol is not as scary as eating it with calories. It is from the “accompanying” dishes that you get the most calories. Watch what you eat and don’t overeat. If, for example, you drink wine on a diet, but eat each glass of cheese and meat plates, then you will not achieve results.

Expert opinion

Nutritionists say that only people with good health can drink alcohol. For those who have a weakened body, such a diet is strictly contraindicated. Also, when losing weight, it is necessary to take into account the individual characteristics of the body and get enough energy (and this is possible only with food).

Feedback and results

Reviews about diets with alcohol are contradictory. Those people who strictly observed the principles of proper nutrition, and at the same time allowed themselves to drink a little alcohol, really lost weight. However, many note that alcohol greatly inflamed their appetite, and they simply ceased to control themselves, which is why they only gained weight, and did not lose it.

So, my main advice is: you can drink alcohol when you really feel like it. But you need to know the measure and remember that the only reason for excess weight is a calorie surplus. Alcohol by itself will not harm your figure. But a lot of alcohol with high-calorie snacks lead to weight gain and unpleasant swelling.

On this I say goodbye to you and remind you that by subscribing to new articles, you will not miss interesting cocktail recipes and reviews on alcoholic beverages. You can also share our publications on social networks, and, perhaps, you will find like-minded people and partners in the “wine” diet. After all, losing weight and drinking wine is always more fun together, right?

Until next time!