The FastDay Forum

I'm interested in hearing how other 5:2ers are treating alcohol. Drink on fast days, calorie count it on non fast days, cutting down as a result of doing 5:2 etc?

I don't drink on fast days and don't intend to start, but I drink a lot (I'm Irish so I mean a lot) at the weekend. I haven't cut down on booze from doing 5:2 the same way I've cut down on food. I'm losing weight, but would I lose more if I cut down on the booze? I drink red wine and spirits with diet mixers.

I've read that the body doesn't turn alcohol into fat, but it makes us make poor food choices. Is it nonsense that alcohol doesn't make us fat?

And as usual, I'll just take this chance to thank everyone on here for the amazing support. Such a brilliant forum!

redhead x

I think the alcohol doesn't make us fat but because it is used as a fuel in preference to anything else, the food we eat goes straight to the fat stores! And we know it increases hunger, so a lose-lose situation!

I drink a glass or two of wine at weekends so 3 days a week. I certainly include it in my estimate of calories. If I'm going out for a social occasion, of course it will be more, but that's not every week.

Hi Redhead,
Alcohol has definitely played a big part in making me overweight.
I do love my red wine and used to have 2-3 glasses most evenings, but now I avoid it altogether on fast days and try to just enjoy it at the weekend. The problem I have is the food association when I drink wine. My favourite accompaniment used to be a family size bag of Red Sky West Country Bacon & Cheese crisps. If you haven't tried these, then don't! They are absolutely gorgeous and totally addictive!!
I now try to plan my mini binges to have with my wine, by buying just 1 or 2 small packs of savoury snacks or nuts. Crisps are the things I just can't have in the house at all I'm afraid, as I can't stop until the last crumb has gone.
Evie

I'm with you both on wine leading to overeating crisps and snacks! Have been through many a block of cheese (Wensleydale and Cranberry mmm) with a bottle of wine!

Maybe I am getting greedy now for more results from 5:2 (suppose its better than greedy for food!). I had hoped that I would change my approach to drinking alcohol and become more sensible the same way I notice I'm becoming less hung up on food. But where I live, alcohol, in large quantities, is a big part of the social life and pretty ingrained. Obviously I know it's unhealthy, but it's much more difficult for me to cut down on than food!

Maybe Dr Mosley can come up with a diet to reduce alcohol intake that is as ingenious as 5:2 is for food!!

Redhead,

Alcoholic drinks are loaded with calories. It's like sugar and they drive up insulin levels, which then go down and make us want to eat more. I love my wine and Guinness, too, as I go to the pubs all the time now. (I live in Boston.)

But the real problem with alcohol is that when you drink, that little switch in your brain that says, "Okay, you have had enough to eat now, so stop putting food into your face," stops working. Thus, people who drink a lot often end up overeating.

My binge yesterday (read my earlier post) was fueled by white wine.

I've found that I drink less alcohol on this regime (I see that as a good thing in my case). I don't drink on fast days as I count every calorie and it won't satisfy my hunger. Interestingly, it seems that if I have more than a drink or two the night before a fast, it makes me hungrier throughout the day. And I don't know about anyone else, but my tolerance is much lower now - so have to keep that in mind when imbibing.

Hiya.
I never gain weight from alcohol. I don't mean wine or beer but I never gain weight from vodka with cranberry or orange juice.
I don't drink less than I did but I don't drink on my fast days.

redhead wrote: I'm interested in hearing how other 5:2ers are treating alcohol. Drink on fast days, calorie count it on non fast days, cutting down as a result of doing 5:2 etc?

I don't drink on fast days and don't intend to start, but I drink a lot (I'm Irish so I mean a lot) at the weekend. I haven't cut down on booze from doing 5:2 the same way I've cut down on food. I'm losing weight, but would I lose more if I cut down on the booze? I drink red wine and spirits with diet mixers.

I've read that the body doesn't turn alcohol into fat, but it makes us make poor food choices. Is it nonsense that alcohol doesn't make us fat?

And as usual, I'll just take this chance to thank everyone on here for the amazing support. Such a brilliant forum!

redhead x

OMG redhead, I see you have had a good and steady weight loss, have an enviably low bmi and are apparently quaffing loads of booze and eating junk. I'm soooooo jealous!!!! Great advert for 5:2 though!!
In answer to your question though- I limit the red wine to the weekend, and not having lost much and planning to cut back there too....

Very interesting everyone! I love this forum for hearing about diverse experiences! Rufus, I think the odd binge is to be expected in this 'food world' we live in. I've done it too, but Mrs H-R to say I eat a lot of junk isn't true I'm afraid. I've really cut down on junk food, mainly because I water fast so I need to eat pretty healthy food on non fast days or I'd get no nutrition! But I have had a great experience of 5:2, I've cut down on junk food, but I don't miss it. My body is definitely adapting. I have noticed a lower tolerance to the hard stuff, partly because I'm getting older - used to drink Bacardi and vodka mixed together with a splash of coke when I was 20. That would put me in hospital these days! But I think alcohol must not be converting to fat for me - I've had a right skinful this week with being off work (and a lot of my friends are too) And still lost weight. However, I do stuff from the dreaded 'vodka belly' - a rather flabby pot belly which most people I know put down to overindulging in alcohol. Still, the thing that keeps me on 5:2 is not having to force compromises.

Heading out to the pub right now, y'all.

After my binge yesterday, I have decided to forgo the Guinness and chips this evening. Let's see if my plan works.

Cheers,
Rufus

Have a good one!!!

TML13 wrote: Have a good one!!!

I caved. Drank a pinot grigio. Just one.

At least it wasn't a beer.

I started my current weight loss effort in January, by limiting alcohol to weekends and cutting back (hard) on carbs - because I know this is a stragey that works for me.
When I discovered 5:2 in early Feb I found that fasting on 2 weekdays meant that I did less damage at weekends. It also meant I could relax a bit on the carb restriction
I am really happy with my weight loss, and feel that 5:2 has allowed me more freedom with what I eat and drink on non-fast days. So roll on Fast #17 this week.
Oh and Cheers btw

Hi Redhead,
As a fellow Irishwoman I know exactly what you're talking about.
And it would seem our choice of tipple is the same, red wine and for me barcardi and diet coke.
Since starting on 5:2 I've reduced my alcohol intake.
Monday, Tues and Wed would always have been alcohol free for me but Thursday was always a possibility!!!
As i don't work on Fridays there was always the risk of, "ah sure go on" It's Friday tomorrow.
But now as I fast on Thursdays alcohol would be out of the question.
So drinking is strictly a weekend thing, and boy do I enjoy my glasss of wine on Fridays.

You seem to be doing really well, so I'd say just stick with what you're doing.
I think the beauty of 5:2 is that you don't have to give up all the things you love.
Be your own scientist and see what works for you.
If if stops working, make small changes,
It's when we tell ourselves we have to completely give up our hearts desires, be it alcohol, chocolate, bread....(fill in the gaps)that we set ourselves up for disaster and our bodies / brains rebel and before we know it we've drank 2 bottles of wine and are surrouded my an empty 6 pack of King Crisps!!!

Good Luck on your journey

I've cut alcohol down to one or two glasses of red wine once a week. I dread to think the amount of empty calories I was drinking before.