When can I have a DRINK?

[CindyMarie]

some of you may know me already.. anyway, been lowcarbing for a month, progress has been very slow.

Im ready to have a cocktail. I want a Gin & Tonic with Diet tonic ( no carbs of course) and alcohol typically is a no-no during induction but i deserve one.

will 1 drink screw me up even if its gin and diet tonic? or will i be okay if i allow a lil somethin' to enjoy? just not fun to be strict all the time and ive been very good, I wanna DRINK!!! :help:

how long did you go until you allowed a cocktail? when you had one did it cause a stall?

[lausie]

Hi Cindy,

If you are following the Atkins WOL then you shouldn't introduce alcohol until you are well into OWL I'm afraid (I can't remember the exact rung but you'll find it on the OWL guidance thread).

Your body will burn alcohol before fat so if you have a drink now you're likely to see a change in progress...only you can decide if thats a risk you wish to take.

I'm on extended induction, just finshed week 4, and have to confess to having had a cheeky Gin & Slim a few weeks back. It took me a few days to start losing again and it made me feel quite awful. I wont be doing that again until the right time!

[Firefly428]

I drink a bit.

key for me when drinking is eat very light and very low carb.

alcohol will stall a bit depending on how much you drink.


so what I do is have a few drinks but my menu is planned very carefully. Also be sure that one drink doesn't make your willpower faulter. it might for some, for me it takes a bunch of drinks to get me to eat way off low carb :)


so if you want a drink just realize you might stall.
you be careful on the foods you eat for the day.
be sure to drink plenty of water.


life is about living. I go by the fact that while I love being 'by the book' there are days I will sway. just be sure to make the sway days as good as you can and know what you are doing to yourself.

works for me :)

[Kirsteen]

It was months before I had a drink, and I seldom have one now. I never drank an awful lot before, but I definitely gave up drink for the diet - I didn't even drink for my birthday or the festive season the first year I was on Atkins. If your metabolism is anything like mine, then you just need to weigh up doing the diet for a week for nothing against the drink. If the drink is worth not losing for a week, then go for it. If it's not worth the work involved in a week's low-carbing, then don't drink. Remember that once you've had this drink, you'll probably go for a week or two, then want another drink.. So drinking now is probably not going to help satisfy the urge.. It's just a temporary fix. I only drink on really special occasions when champagne is flowing.. For me, it's worth drinking on those occasions.

[LilyB]

Atkinsers tend to be cheap dates, drink wise.
If you do drink, be careful.
After low carbing, it hit me twice as hard.

[Liz53]

I think Atkins technically allows, though does not necessarily encourage, alcohol once you complete induction. There are two big problems with alcohol: 1) it is burned preferentially before food and 2) it lowers inhibitions, which may lead to off plan eating. Honestly, though, if you are going to follow low carb as a lifestyle, and it is that important to you to drink, then try it and see what happens.

[CindyMarie]

thanks all i agree on all points... I ended up having one! my girlfriend i havent seen in a while came over and i made us gin & tonics, it was good girl time. i had one glass (3 capfuls of gin) and im good so it wasnt that much but enough to relax.

ive been low carb for a month. yes life is about living and i worked out really hard today so i felt a little wouldnt hurt. if i stall then i stall :( but i'll deal with those consequences if i have to. i have never been a big drinker at all.

[WereBear]

There's nothing wrong with planning for the long term; we should all be in it for the long term!

Sounds like you did great.

[lterry913]

Why do you want a drink? Just curious...is it just because you can't have one? Will one lead to another?
Why not focus on what you can have instead of what you can't or shouldn't.

edited...Oh I just saw the why...girls night...good control just one.