How bad does alcohol affects hcg p3?

[Mar5905]

I have been doing so well on my diet as long as I was keeping to myself. Now that I started my p3 my friends have been inviting me out only to sabotage my diet. For the last four days I have been drinking. The first and second day it was just one vodka with club soda, the third day it was one glass of cabernet wine which was not too bad however, last night I went out with other friends that drink ALOT and I have 4 glasses of cabernet. They do not know how to take no for an answer and just order the drinks for me. They really put a lot of pressure on me and make fun when I tell them that this phase is crucial to stabiliziing my weight. Tonight I have plans with them and already they are taking about going for dinner and drinks. When I mention that I can not keep drinking while on p3 they just tell me it's not going to hurt me to drink a few days that I can stop drinking after the weekend it's over. This morning I agained 2 lbs. and not feeling good about myself. I don't have many friends and that is way I put up with them.

[2bfitb440]

I know it's hard to miss out on the social stuff, but I guess you have to decide if you would rather be overweight and cave to their pressure, or down to a weight that makes you comfortable without caving to them. P3 is all about stabilzation. I'm not sure how much you lost in P2 (and I'm no expert) but you are gioing down the path of that all being for nothing. That would be so sad to lose any progess you made. I know it's not easy...

[LaraSuzz]

Originally Posted by Mar5905

I have been doing so well on my diet as long as I was keeping to myself. Now that I started my p3 my friends have been inviting me out only to sabotage my diet. For the last four days I have been drinking. The first and second day it was just one vodka with club soda, the third day it was one glass of cabernet wine which was not too bad however, last night I went out with other friends that drink ALOT and I have 4 glasses of cabernet. They do not know how to take no for an answer and just order the drinks for me. They really put a lot of pressure on me and make fun when I tell them that this phase is crucial to stabiliziing my weight. Tonight I have plans with them and already they are taking about going for dinner and drinks. When I mention that I can not keep drinking while on p3 they just tell me it's not going to hurt me to drink a few days that I can stop drinking after the weekend it's over. This morning I agained 2 lbs. and not feeling good about myself. I don't have many friends and that is way I put up with them.

You can make good choices, its really up to you. I would steer clear of wine but you can do Rum or Vodka or something like that with a diet coke thats the safest. Or a shot and an iced tea.... I would order my own drinks and make them drink it if they cant take no. I would rather be alone than have a friend who acts like a buffoon. Maybe theyre jealous as they see you getting beautiful. You need to win this one my dear. Ditch your jealous "friends" and be your best friend you will feel a lot better honey. You deserve to be happy. I think you know what to do and part of it is standing up for yourself. Love yourself.

[Reddy]

I waited until I was in P3 for at least a week before even trying the first time around.

I've learned that Alcohol causes me gains on the scale, especially when I'm doing low carb. I also know that too much Alcohol gives me the munchies and my impaired judgement leads to bad eating choices.

It's about moderation though. If you're going to have wine, I think red is a better choice than white while in P3.

Lara is right that liquor with a diet mixer is probably your best bet.

I do think everyone's body is different with the way it processes alcohol so if you do try it, just watch the scale. For me, the scale always climbs up 2 days after I drink. So the next day I think oh I'm fine and then the following day It's up a lb or so. Which is why weekends always give me trouble. If you're going to drink, try not do do it both Friday and Saturday night or you're going to be up on Monday morning for sure. (At least I always was)

So yeah, you can go out with your friends and have a good time, but if you string 3 or 4 nights of drinking together, it's going to cause you to gain no doubt about it. I get not wanting to give up your social life but remember it's only 3 more weeks of P3. And you can still go out just don't do it every night is all.

Remember P3 is only 3 weeks ... once you've gotten through that and into P4 and are stable you'll be able to drink with much less consequence. (but will always need to watch how it affects your eating choices) Just watch the scale (and watch what you put in your mouth while drinking) and correct if you must and don't make it an every day thing and you'll be fine!

[Mar5905]

I would like to thank you all for your support. I have to agree with Lara, real friends do not try and ruin what took me so long and hard to accomplish. I lost 15 while on P2 and I am proud of that. I have been very upset with myself all day for allowing them to place me in that situation. I was very unhappy with the way I looked before I lost the weight and that is why I decided to go on the hcg diet. I still have another 5 to 7 lbs to reach my goal. All I heard from my friends were negative comments not to mention made fun of until they decided to shut me out because I could not eat and drink with them while on P2. Now that I am on P3 they think it's a pass to eat and drink galore. I have plans with them for tonight that I can't get out of because we got tickets to a show however, I did let them know this morning after i wrote my post that what happened last night will not happen again. Told them I worked to hard to get to this point and I was not going to allow them to sabotage it for me. I get the feeling after tonight they will keep their distance which is fine by me, I dont need the pressure. And I was feeling pretty good without them.

[buttah]

Mar5905, I agree that with friends like that who needs enemies and all that jazz, but if you believe their hearts are at least in the right place (and perhaps they just don't "get it") and you want to give them more chances... remember... no matter what anyone orders for you or puts in front of you... nobody else but you can actually consume it!

Perhaps their jokes (which are horrible, I agree, but perhaps just ignorance and immaturity - only you know for sure) and egging on will stop once they see and respect your resolve not to bullied.

That said, if they're really mean-spirited and dead set on trying to help you fail, lose em.

[buttah]

Here it is. Granted, mostly from a "calorie" and "carb" perspective, but helpful to know. I'm lucky in that I'm a half-a-glass-of-wine kind of drinker, if that. But I found this while searching for answers as to what the most diet friendly booze was:


A key to any successful lifestyle change is moderation. While you may be sticking to a healthier eating plan on most days, certain occasions call for a bit of relaxation, oftentimes in the form of an alcoholic drink. While alcohol is fat-free and low in carbs, it's important to remember that it's the calories that count when it comes to weight management. As you know, alcohol and dieting don’t mix well—your body processes alcohol first, leaving carbohydrates and fats to get stored as fat instead of getting used as fuel.

Even if you are careful about your alcohol consumption, all drinks are not created equal on the dieting scale and some choices are better than others. Here's a short guide to the calorie contents of different types of alcohol. Use it as a quick resource so you can make the best alcohol choices while sticking to your dietary goals.

Wine: The Most Diet-Friendly Choice
If you’re going to drink, wine is the most calorie-friendly selection with a typical 20 calories per ounce. Each 5-ounce glass would then be 100 calories with no cholesterol, sodium or fat. This is true for both red and white wine, from merlot to chardonnay. Sherry, a sweet, fortified wine runs a bit higher with 32 calories per ounce but it is usually served in smaller portions as an after-dinner drink.

Here is the nutritional information for some popular wines per ounce:


Wine Calories Carbs Per 5-oz Serving
Chardonnay 20 0.4 g 100 calories, 2 g carbs
Pinot Grigio 20 0.4 g 100 calories, 2 g carbs
Zinfandel® White Wine 20 0.4 g 100 calories, 2 g carbs
Cabernet Sauvignon 20 0.8 g 100 calories, 4 g carbs
Merlot Red Wine 20 0.8 g 100 calories, 4 g carbs

Hard Liquor: Easy on Your Diet
Hard liquor is higher in calories per ounce than wine, and is often mixed with soda, which increases the calorie count. If you’re going to drink liquor, use calorie-free mixers like diet soda or diet tonic water. One shot glass or mixed drink will contain about 1.5 ounces of hard liquor.

Here is the nutritional information for some favorites, based on one ounce:


Hard Liquor Calories Carbs Per 1.5-oz Serving
Vermouth 32 0.2 g 64 calories, 0.4 g carbs
Coconut Rum 51 5.3 g 77 calories, 8 g carbs
Beefeater® Gin 65 0 g 98 calories, 0 g carbs
Rye Whiskey 69 0 g 104 calories, 0 g carbs
Scotch Whiskey 69 0 g 104 calories, 0 g carbs
White Rum 69 0 g 104 calories, 0 g carbs
Vodka 69 0 g 104 calories, 0 g carbs
Cognac 69 2 g 104 calories, 3 g carbs
Tequila 69 5.3 g 104 calories, 8 g carbs
Gilbey’s® Gin 79 0 g 119 calories, 0 g carbs

Beer: Raise Your Glass with Care
Beer is the next best choice for dieters with, about 150 calories per 12-ounce serving. Choosing light beers will drop your caloric intake without sacrificing much flavor, but keep in mind that it can be hard to estimate your intake when pouring from a pitcher or into an oversized beer mug.

Here is the nutritional information for different types of beer, based on a single ounce:


Beer Calories Carbs Per 12-oz Serving
"Light" Beer 9 0.5 g 108 calories, 6 g carbs
Draft Beer 12 1.1 g 144 calories, 13.2 g carbs
Lager 14 1.1 g 168 calories, 13.2 g carbs
Ale 18 1.1 g 216 calories, 13.2 g carbs

Liqueur: Small but Potent
Sometimes the words "cordial" and "liqueur" are used interchangeably since both drinks are flavored, very sweet and often served as (or with) dessert. Liqueurs can be served alone, over ice, with coffee, or mixed with cream or other mixers. Adding mixers will increase the calorie and fat content of your drink. Whether served alone or in a cocktail, one liqueur serving is about 1.5 ounces. While tasty, liqueurs pack the most calories per ounce, so enjoy them sparingly.

Here is the nutritional information for common liqueurs, per one-ounce serving:


Liqueur Calories Carbs Per 1.5-oz Serving
Chocolate Liqueur 103 11 g 155 calories, 17 g carbs
Mint Liqueur 103 11 g 155 calories, 17 g carbs
Peppermint Liqueur 103 11 g 155 calories, 17 g carbs
Strawberry Liqueur 103 11 g 155 calories, 17 g carbs

If you budget your calories carefully, you can safely afford to have a drink or two on a special occasion. But beware—drinking loosens your inhibitions and may make you eat without thinking. From a health standpoint, calories aren't the only thing to consider. Practice moderation (no more than one drink daily for women and no more than two drinks daily for men) and consider other potential health benefits of different types of alcohol. Most health experts recommend the following hierarchy when choosing alcohol based on potential health benefits (such as antioxidant content): choose red wine over white wine; choose wine over beer; choose darker-colored beers over lighter-colored beers; and choose beer over liquor and liqueur.

[Mar5905]

I can't express how much I appreciate all the information you have provided for me. I thank you for your help and your support. It is so wonderful that they're people like you that care enough to be supportive. I survive this evening with no alcohol whatsoever! I felt so good not having the pressure of drinking with my friends, I think they realized how upset I was last night and this morning. Not only did they not pressure me in drinking, they had only one glass of wine with their dinner and we all ate healthy meals. I was concerned all day about how the evening was going to unfold and to my surprise we had a great time without drinking alcohol. Again, Thank you so much!

[klyttle]

hey guys
i just drink my hard liquor on the rocks and i have no gains at alll but its like one or two for a night

[fiveninepointfive]

Originally Posted by Mar5905

I can't express how much I appreciate all the information you have provided for me. I thank you for your help and your support. It is so wonderful that they're people like you that care enough to be supportive. I survive this evening with no alcohol whatsoever! I felt so good not having the pressure of drinking with my friends, I think they realized how upset I was last night and this morning. Not only did they not pressure me in drinking, they had only one glass of wine with their dinner and we all ate healthy meals. I was concerned all day about how the evening was going to unfold and to my surprise we had a great time without drinking alcohol. Again, Thank you so much!

My heart goes out to you bc your friends aren't supportive. I have a couple friends that I have had to let go bc they only wanted to be miserable and/or drunk...lifers. I am still proud of myself. It is a little easier for me bc i am older and have a family so my social life has its limitations.
I don't know what your situation is, but you should be able to redefine your relationships with your quality friends. I'd take the advice of the experienced women on the forum, like, doing without the friends that want to sabotage you.
Drinking in P3 will give you a struggle to stabilize. Not to mention the fact that I've had drinks hit me way harder, like, "the Hangover" type of scenario. Lol! One night, my husband had to seriously take care of me! That's just a little embarrassing!