Looking to change my choice of alcohol drink

The Wild Bunch · 17-07-2014 9:50am #1

Hi guys

In an attempt to get rid of the slight mini beer gut that has seemed to develop, (M, 29), I'm looking to get off beer completely.

I'm predominately a Heineken drinker, though recently I've been drinking Bulmers cider.

Would go out maybe 1 night a week and have 6 or 7 pints, and maybe another night at home with about 8 cans.

Any suggestions on a lower calorie alcohol drink?

I eat quite healthily, zero take aways, a lot of fish, chicken and fruit, maybe eat too much bread and chocolate which I have attempted to cut out.

Any help greatly appreciated

17-07-2014 9:54am

If you absolutely have to have one. Have one that you like. (Have a Heineken in that case).

If you're going out to get wrecked on a skinful, and are genuinely worried about kcals, then it's Gin & Slimline Tonic for me (or other spirit and diet mixers).

Tidy up the other parts of your diet (ditch the bread and chocolate if you're not working them off) and try get into some form of resistance / high intensity training and you will accelerate the gut loss too.

Alf Veedersane · 17-07-2014 9:57am

In terms of beers/lagers: a pint of Heineken has 239 kcals and 17g of carbs. The best switch would be to Coors Light which is 162 kcals a pint and 7g of carbs.

Naturally, the better choice would be to not drink as much. 15 pints of Coors Light is a little over 1,100 kcals less than 15 pints of Heineken.

But drop it to 10 pints of Heineken and you do better again.

And so on...

homemadecider · 17-07-2014 12:38pm

I tend to stick with a good quality vodka and a sugarfree mixer. Whack in loads of ice and fresh lime, it's lovely, and only about 70 calories.

mickman · 17-07-2014 1:54pm

homemadecider wrote: »

I tend to stick with a good quality vodka and a sugarfree mixer. Whack in loads of ice and fresh lime, it's lovely, and only about 70 calories.

sounds nice actually

Blingy · 17-07-2014 2:03pm

homemadecider wrote: »

I tend to stick with a good quality vodka and a sugarfree mixer. Whack in loads of ice and fresh lime, it's lovely, and only about 70 calories.

What sugar free mixer do you use if you don't mind me asking.

The Wild Bunch · 17-07-2014 2:18pm

Was not aware there was such a substantial Calorie difference between Coors Light and Heineken - is that actually legit?

Cheers for the heads up, will definitely be sticking to that in future!

Alf Veedersane · 17-07-2014 2:21pm

Most beers or lagers would be somewhere in the 200-250 mark.

Coors Light is the one with the lowest calories I've come across but I haven't delved to odeeply into it, to be fair.

riffmongous · 17-07-2014 2:29pm

Gin and tonic if you like it, white wine spritzers are common over here but I guess men wouldn't drink them in Ireland

ford2600 · 17-07-2014 2:46pm

Drink less and drink nice beer, not mass produced muck that has to be super cold so you don't taste it.

Lots of really nice home produced stuff out there now

veetwin · 17-07-2014 5:35pm

ford2600 wrote: »

Drink less and drink nice beer, not mass produced muck that has to be super cold so you don't taste it.

Lots of really nice home produced stuff out there now

Couldn't agree more with this. If your going to have a few pints at least make them something decent. Heineken is dull mass produced tasteless stuff. Bulmers is just sugar in a bottle/can.

Check out stuff like O'Haras (IPA is my favourite) or Galway Bay or numerous others widely available. You certainly wouldn't be having 8 bottles in one sitting.

Couple of glasses of red wine could also be an alternative esp for home if you don't want to be drinking it in a pub.

ford2600 · 17-07-2014 6:17pm

Worrying about anything, not to mind counting calories, while having a beer is kind of missing the point.

Had a pint of Tom Creans lager on Day3 of MF1200. Now that was a nice drink.

Dungarvan brewery do some lovely ones.

O'Haras porter is real nice to

homemadecider · 17-07-2014 6:46pm

Blingy wrote: »

What sugar free mixer do you use if you don't mind me asking.

I use diet 7up or diet coke.

Also if you like cider then look out for Stonewells cider from Cork; a large bottle is only 85 calories (it actually gives the calorie content on the label which is nice). It's delicious but expensive - about €4 in O'Briens or €6.50 in the pub.

Alf Veedersane · 17-07-2014 7:00pm

homemadecider wrote: »

I use diet 7up or diet coke.

Also if you like cider then look out for Stonewells cider from Cork; a large bottle is only 85 calories (it actually gives the calorie content on the label which is nice). It's delicious but expensive - about €4 in O'Briens or €6.50 in the pub.

Stonewell. Is. Delicious.

Greenmachine · 17-07-2014 7:06pm

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

In terms of beers/lagers: a pint of Heineken has 239 kcals and 17g of carbs. The best switch would be to Coors Light which is 162 kcals a pint and 7g of carbs.

Naturally, the better choice would be to not drink as much. 15 pints of Coors Light is a little over 1,100 kcals less than 15 pints of Heineken.

But drop it to 10 pints of Heineken and you do better again.

And so on...

50 pints later and he will have lost 1 lb. Best switch to vodka and a sugar free mixer.

Alf Veedersane · 17-07-2014 7:19pm

Greenmachine wrote: »

50 pints later and he will have lost 1 lb. Best switch to vodka and a sugar free mixer.

Not if he doesn't drink vodka. Only gave beers/lagers because that's what he's most likely to drink anyway.

And I would expect other changes will be made to eating/drinking.

zweton · 17-07-2014 9:17pm

out of curiosity where would a pint of guinness sit amongst these drinks.

Alf Veedersane · 17-07-2014 9:20pm

zweton wrote: »

out of curiosity where would a pint of guinness sit amongst these drinks.

Pint is about 200 kcals and 16g of carbs.

omb0wyn5ehpij9 · 18-07-2014 11:12am

homemadecider wrote: »

I use diet 7up or diet coke.

Also if you like cider then look out for Stonewells cider from Cork; a large bottle is only 85 calories (it actually gives the calorie content on the label which is nice). It's delicious but expensive - about €4 in O'Briens or €6.50 in the pub.

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Stonewell. Is. Delicious.

I agree with the above. Started drinking it recently. Hadn't even realised the calorie count, I have just been drinking it as it's so tasty

Alf Veedersane · 18-07-2014 11:23am

BDJW wrote: »

I agree with the above. Started drinking it recently. Hadn't even realised the calorie count, I have just been drinking it as it's so tasty

Same as that.

I was surprised and sceptical but it turns out that the Medium Dry (the orange label and most common I've seen) is 31 kcals per 100ml.

Works out at 155 kcals per 500ml bottle.

The Wild Bunch · 18-07-2014 12:53pm

I don't really care for the taste if I'm honest - I enjoy getting rat-arsed from time to time - as has been mentioned, love having a skinful but I'd rather be a skinful of something less calorific.

My old man works for Heineken and he'd see it as treason if I switched to something else, but as Heineken also make Coors Lite, I think I'll go with that so!

flynny50 · 18-07-2014 1:37pm

What would whiskey like Jd & diet coke be like calorie wise?

Alf Veedersane · 18-07-2014 1:44pm

flynny50 wrote: »

What would whiskey like Jd & diet coke be like calorie wise?

'Bout a hunnit.

diarmuid05 · 18-07-2014 1:47pm

Since i started clean eating, whiskey and water is my choice - especially when i'm at home where measures are generous

The Wild Bunch · 18-07-2014 2:28pm

My missus would box the head off me if I started drinking Whiskey at home - love JD and coke after 4 or 5 pints but if i started the whole whiskey buzz at home, I dread to think what would happen!

Alf Veedersane · 18-07-2014 2:31pm

The Wild Bunch wrote: »

My missus would box the head off me if I started drinking Whiskey at home - love JD and coke after 4 or 5 pints but if i started the whole whiskey buzz at home, I dread to think what would happed!

The weight would fall off and she'd be grateful for the effort you made and thank you.

Or you'd be fitter and able to take up a combat sport to defend yourself.

Win-win.

rubadub · 18-07-2014 2:46pm

The Wild Bunch wrote: »

Calorie difference between Coors Light and Heineken - is that actually legit?

It is very hard ot find correct info about alcohol since its exempt from revealing such information.

In the beer forum I was recently told this is down to the wine lobby, wanting to perpetuate the myth that they are selling a pure & natural product.

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

In terms of beers/lagers: a pint of Heineken has 239 kcals and 17g of carbs. The best switch would be to Coors Light which is 162 kcals a pint and 7g of carbs.

Where did you get this heineken figure? I have seen several before and never one that high.

Recpies change around the world, and can change from time to time anyway. Heineken intended for the Irish market is only 4.3%, it is 5% in most other countries. Your "carb" figure would suggest its from a US site. You also have to bear in mind differences in volume, e.g. US pint sizes, or when they talk about spirits in "measures"

I think I recall Bulmers own site listed calories and 2 of them conflicted by a fairly large amount, e.g. their 330ml bottle and 568ml bottles might have had different kcal per 100ml listed.

flynny50 · 18-07-2014 3:03pm

Myself & the misses both drink whiskey at home,love it!!
Pretty much stopped the beer & wine in favour of it at this stage!

diarmuid05 · 18-07-2014 3:07pm

Guess who just popped out to Lidl.... Bushmills 19.99

Alf Veedersane · 18-07-2014 3:13pm

rubadub wrote: »

Recpies change around the world, and can change from time to time anyway. Heineken intended for the Irish market is only 4.3%, it is 5% in most other countries. Your "carb" figure would suggest its from a US site. You also have to bear in mind differences in volume, e.g. US pint sizes, or when they talk about spirits in "measures"

I think I recall Bulmers own site listed calories and 2 of them conflicted by a fairly large amount, e.g. their 330ml bottle and 568ml bottles might have had different kcal per 100ml listed.

I did check the Heineken and Heineken Export values. I'll dig out the link. And I was careful in conversions in US measurements.

To be honest, I think it's a largely pointless discussion. If you like drinking something you're less inclined to switch. So lessening the impact will usually mean just drinking less.

Very few people that drink stout/beer/cider aren't going to switch to whiskey/vodka/gin just because of the calorie count.

ch750536 · 19-07-2014 11:17am

I had issues with calories from beer. I went from 2000+ down to 400, details here.

Basically don't try to get lashed on beer and have a control on calories. Remove a few pints a week and convert to coors light (which is not a bad pint most of the time) for a big impact.

Tarzana · 20-07-2014 12:38am

Deleted User wrote: »

If you're going out to get wrecked on a skinful, and are genuinely worried about kcals, then it's Gin & Slimline Tonic for me (or other spirit and diet mixers).

Yup, gin & slimline tonic is just the thing. It's lovely! With loads of lemon or lime juice.

rubadub · 21-07-2014 11:18am

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

I did check the Heineken and Heineken Export values.

If I log onto heineken.com telling them I am in Ireland I get a page saying it is 5% and 40kcal per 100ml

So 227kcal per pint, not that you ever get a full pint in a pub as there is usually head room.

I would not trust values on any other site, unless its a trustworty supermarket site with a clear photo/image of declared manufacturers figures.

So the irish 4.3% would be less. Many breweries brew to say 7% and dilute back down, guinness do this. I had thought maybe heineken 4.3% was just 5% diluted but I think I did see both figures and it did not work out like that. It was definitely less than the 5% version though.

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

To be honest, I think it's a largely pointless discussion.

As a heavy drinker I pay attention to sugar content. Apparently the alcohol has little effect on weight if you are a heavy drinker. I have always known this to be true for myself & friends. I have 2 beanpole friends who used to drink like fish, if the "excess 3500kcal = 1lb fat gain" estimate was true they would both not be able to leave the house.

http://www.nytimes.com/1992/02/04/health/why-the-body-may-waste-the-calories-from-alcohol.html

For example, weight gain was negligible in alcoholics who were given 2,000 calories of alcohol daily on top of the 2,500 calories from foods they consumed to maintain their weight. But when the same number of additional calories were fed as chocolate, a steady weight gain resulted.

Heineken contains 3.5g of sugar per 100ml.

(from their site about 5%)
This is a lot of sugar, ~1/3rd the amount of coke or orange/apple juice. So if drinking 9 pints in a night thats like 3 pints of coke.

Bulmers light is fermented out and has sweeteners added. Coors light and some other light beers have enzymes added to make unfermentable carbohydrates/sugars fermentable -this is how they can get the calories down even though they might be the same % as others.

Alf Veedersane · 21-07-2014 11:27am

rubadub wrote: »

As a heavy drinker I pay attention to sugar content. Apparently the alcohol has little effect on weight if you are a heavy drinker. I have always known this to be true for myself & friends. I have 2 beanpole friends who used to drink like fish, if the "excess 3500kcal = 1lb fat gain" estimate was true they would both not be able to leave the house.

Maybe it's just me...I wouldn't switch to something else because it has fewer calories or less sugar. If I like something and want to drink it, I will. If I don't like how it affects my weight or bodyfat, I'll cut it down/out.

another question · 21-07-2014 11:30am

I stopped drinking completely 4 months ago, major vino head. As much better as a feel and I don't think I will ever go back to drinking ever again, I have developed a seriously sweet tooth. Haven't put any of the weight back on but do I crave tea and cake and chocolate.

Tombo2001 · 21-07-2014 11:34am

The Wild Bunch wrote: »

Hi guys

Would go out maybe 1 night a week and have 6 or 7 pints, and maybe another night at home with about 8 cans.

OP, just my two cents......

That is a lot of booze. I would certainly consider it a lot. Thats fifteen pints in a week, consumed over two nights.

And you are asking about lower calorie drinks?

How about just less drinks.

I know everyone is different, and different strokes for different folks etc.

rubadub · 21-07-2014 12:03pm

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Maybe it's just me...I wouldn't switch to something else because it has fewer calories or less sugar.

depends on how much of the substance you are ingesting. He is on ~15 pints a week.

This was on bulmers site before

Calorie Content of Bulmers / Magners
KCAL VOLUME
37 100ML
122 330 ML
210 PINT

Calorie Content of Bulmers Light
KCAL VOLUME
28 100ML
86 330 ML
130 PINT
____________

This was the one where I said the light figures are incorrect (28x5.68 is not 130). THe regular figures add up but seemed low to me for such a sweet cider.

I found an archived version
http://www.inarchive.com/page/2011-07-30/http://www.bulmers.ie/about-us/faqs.asp

KCAL VOLUME
41 100ML
135 330 ML
233 PINT (568 ML)
Calorie Content of Bulmers Light
KCAL VOLUME
28 100ML
92 330 ML
160 PINT

This looks a bit better. This marketing sheet also says 92 per 330ml
http://bulmers.ie/BulmersMarketingCaseStudy.pdf

These are both 4.5%, so 15 pints would be 1095kcal difference. And this 1095kcal is going to be mainly sugar.

Alf Veedersane · 21-07-2014 12:05pm

rubadub wrote: »

depends on how much of the substance you are ingesting. He is on ~15 pints a week.

This was on bulmers site before

This was the one where I said the light figures are incorrect (28x5.68 is not 130). THe regular figures add up but seemed low to me for such a sweet cider.

I found an archived version
http://www.inarchive.com/page/2011-07-30/http://www.bulmers.ie/about-us/faqs.asp

This looks a bit better. This marketing sheet also says 92 per 330ml
http://bulmers.ie/BulmersMarketingCaseStudy.pdf

These are both 4.5%, so 15 pints would be 1095kcal difference. And this 1095kcal is going to be mainly sugar.

That's great but I wouldn't drink Bulmers Light if my life depended on it.

Diz-CUST-ing.

rubadub · 21-07-2014 12:08pm

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

That's great but I wouldn't drink Bulmers Light if my life depended on it.

Diz-CUST-ing.

Most dry ciders will have similar calories per unit alcohol (most are a bit stronger than bulmers so higher in calories per ml). (dry meaning almost fully fermented out and not sweet)

I was glad to hear bulmers were bringing one out, but then found it was artifically sweetened, rather than just left dry. I hate it too, just pointing out that it is certainly significant.

1095kcal of sugar is about 300g

Alf Veedersane · 21-07-2014 12:19pm

I would rather have to down that pint glass than one of Bulmers Light.

Just drink Aspalls....the fact it's 7% you won't be conscious for long enough to drink 15 pints

rubadub · 21-07-2014 12:25pm

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Just drink Aspalls....the fact it's 7% you won't be conscious for long enough to drink 15 pints

Trouble is that most pubs here have terrible choice, you're lucky if there is more than 2 ciders or stouts.

I would take tesco own brand cider over regular bulmers, let alone light.

It is stated as 37kcal per 100ml, so the same as bulmers light, but its 5% and bulmers is 4.5%. 0.8% sugar

http://www.tesco.ie/groceries/Product/Details/?id=275881969

Probably more apple juice in it than bulmers too.

Guinness used to state 170kcal per 500ml on their cans. Guinness is pretty dry and quite low in calories, lots of people think it is high.

The Wild Bunch · 21-07-2014 1:49pm

Tombo2001 wrote: »

OP, just my two cents......

That is a lot of booze. I would certainly consider it a lot. Thats fifteen pints in a week, consumed over two nights.

And you are asking about lower calorie drinks?

How about just less drinks.

I know everyone is different, and different strokes for different folks etc.

No, you're spot on, I'm gonna cut it down to 1 night a week.

Picking up a weight bench too this week so I'll hit that hard, and along with 1 night a week less drinking, hopefully the reults will show!

Tombo2001 · 21-07-2014 2:30pm

The Wild Bunch wrote: »

No, you're spot on, I'm gonna cut it down to 1 night a week.

Picking up a weight bench too this week so I'll hit that hard, and along with 1 night a week less drinking, hopefully the reults will show!

Sport, especially as you get older, is a good way of cutting back on booze.

If you are competitive, you want to do well at the sport. And you cant train with a hangover (even 2 or 3 pints) once you are in your 30s.

drumswan · 21-07-2014 2:34pm

The Wild Bunch wrote: »

No, you're spot on, I'm gonna cut it down to 1 night a week.

Picking up a weight bench too this week so I'll hit that hard, and along with 1 night a week less drinking, hopefully the reults will show!

I think you'd be better off having your seven pints over the course of the week, one per night.

The Wild Bunch · 21-07-2014 2:40pm

I was gonna take up golf - probably not the most physically demanding of sports but it'll keep me off the sauce and i'll do quite a bit of walking?

Don't think I could have 1 pint a night, I'd be only teasing myself. I'd rather do without completely

Tombo2001 · 21-07-2014 2:48pm

The Wild Bunch wrote: »

I was gonna take up golf - probably not the most physically demanding of sports but it'll keep me off the sauce and i'll do quite a bit of walking?

Don't think I could have 1 pint a night, I'd be only teasing myself. I'd rather do without completely

Thats not a sport. Not one that keeps you fit anyway. Its light exercise at best. And every course has a bar in the clubhouse serving pints and pork chops at the end of it.

Alf Veedersane · 21-07-2014 2:52pm

If you think you'll enjoy it, do it.

It might mean you drink less but you won't burn off too many calories.

rubadub · 21-07-2014 2:56pm

If you are in a pub stay out of rounds, and have a pint or glass of water with every pint or second pint. Not only does it make your cut in drinking less apparent to you but it keeps you hydrated and feeling much better the next day.

conzy · 21-07-2014 3:03pm

I've gone cold turkey the last few months. For me anyway most nights outs would be a typical "irish" slobbery night out. It took a whole day and sometimes two to shake the hangover and training and diet adherence went to the dogs.

I don't plan on staying off the drink long term. I'll drink on holidays in a few weeks for example and at a stag in November but in general I've decided I care way more about my training.

Sounds very dry I know but this is from a typical lad that was stimulating the economy ~€500 / month :pac:

drumswan · 21-07-2014 3:04pm

The Wild Bunch wrote: »

Don't think I could have 1 pint a night, I'd be only teasing myself. I'd rather do without completely

I was speaking generally really.

The way I lost the few kilos while continuing to drink beer was by changing my attitude to it. Instead of lashing six pints of bland lager into me, I started to get into the craft beer. That way each beer is a bit of an 'occasion' and the idea having one or two over the course of an evening is much more palatable. I learned to savour the flavour of a beer over the course of a longer time, rather than drinking a watery lager in ten minutes.

You can use something like myfitnesspal.com to track the calories in beer consumed just like any other calories. Keep the calories consumed under the energy used and you'll lose weight.

I did the couch-to-5k as well, you may be interested in looking it up. This allowed me to have the odd session of 4-5 beers while still losing weight.

OldMrBrennan83 · 21-07-2014 3:05pm

This post has been deleted.

Looking to change my choice of alcohol drink

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