Healthy amount of beer?

[Antagony]

I've finally decided to watch my diet and exercise. (Not for weight problems, just to be healthy.)

I drink beer. What I need to know is how much beer I can healthily drink. My staple brew is that of the stout persuasion, although I also have some lagers and ales.

Also, I exercise almost daily now. Is it the calories that makes beer bad for you? If so, does that mean I should drink beer before my exercising?

[Sparhawk]

Good for you!

There's a couple of things in alcoholic beverages that make them 'bad for you', but if we're talking weight-wise, calories top the list. A regular (non-lite) beer has about 250 calories, and we're not talking pints here, think 8-12 ounces.

As long as it's in moderation, you'll be able to work off the calories from the beer with an almost-daily routine.

Also, please NEVER drink before working out. Do you really want to be holding that 25 lb dumbbell above your head while you're under the influence? The best time to exercise is in the mornings before you actually ingest anything... Hope this helps.

[rogue49]

I'd say a glass a day is cool, maybe two (no more)

alternate every other day on your exercise, give your body time to rest.

don't drink before working out, it's not safe.
besides alcohol is a depressant, you want to be invigorated for a workout.
if you are going to drink, it should be in the evening when you are relaxing.

and the calories don't immediate go on and come off,
they accumulate & burn off over TIME.

[Peetster]

No more than four beverages a day, with at least two non-drinking days a week. That's the most lenient advice I was able to find. I think it was an Irish source, so there you go.

I would submit that it is the carbs in beer, not the calories. I think Doc Aitkins was on the right track.

[MacGnG]

a beer or 2 at dinner, as long as u are eating with it, it's not as bad

[Antagony]

Hmmm, with the given advice, this is what I'm thinking . . .

No more than 2 pints a day, and I'll generally avoid drinking two days in a row.

This will be hard for me to do, but I think I can manage. It'll be good for me financially, too

[Destructicon]

your liver can process ONE "drink" (I forget the ethanol amount, but it's 1 shot, 5 ounces wine, or 12 ounces of beer) per HOUR safely, short term.

[Leviathan[NCV]]

Originally posted by Destructicon
your liver can process ONE "drink" (I forget the ethanol amount, but it's 1 shot, 5 ounces wine, or 12 ounces of beer) per HOUR safely, short term.

One ounce, but it varies greatly per person. Also, the amount of alchohol your body can process per hour goes down with each ounce processed.

Nothing wrong with a couple beers a day, and, as long as your not having a six pack a day, consecutive drinking days won't harm you. Just drink plenty of water, and don't take it with pain killers.

[RemyLebeau97]

A beer a day keeps the doctor away !

[Bobaphat]

Beer is empty calories no matter how you deal the cards and it will impact your ability to lose weight. There have been studies as of late that show that drinking one beer a day can actually improve your health, especially the darker beers, so stouts are the way to go. As a beer lover myself, I couldn't give it up completely, but I have cut back significantly and it has really helped to slow my growth rate...

[HiThereDear]

Turns out "a beer a day keeps the doctor away" was right:

http://www.applesforhealth.com/alcoholgood1.html

brought to you by the "apple a day" people.

[sportsrule101]

a couple a day, with lots of water to help off set the water the alcohol is takeing out

[alec]

fuck that pussy bull shit. no beer a day crap. drink once a week, and drink like you mean it.

[mrquackers]

Sportsrule101 is right. Drinking a lot of water is a good way to lose the weight. When I was losing weight, I forced myself to drinking only one night a week - and then, only two beers. Wasn't fun - but it ws a big help in me dropping 25 lbs in three months - which I managed to keep off. Now, I drink more often, but not as much as I did before.

[lemz]

i think it also very much depends on your lifestyle... a friend of mine drinks beer quite a lot... on a friday night easy 5-7 pints... the guy is as fit as one gets thou... BMXer...

[stinkynutz]

that carbs in beer are the ones that are really bad for you. i'm a follower of low-carb diets such as Atkins ( but that's another subject).

have anyone tried Michelob Ultra. It only has appx. 2 grams of carbs per bottle. I know it's not "real" beer and not as good as Fat Tire or Corona Extra (something that i prefer). But when you try to minimize your carb intake, i think it's good enough if you really want some beer.

[tikki]

Originally posted by stinkynutz
have anyone tried Michelob Ultra

My dad bought a 6 pack of it and hated it. I think he threw it out.

I am not a beer drinker (or any type of alcohol for that matter), so I am inclined to say that no alcohol is a healthy amount. Not just the whole liver destruction thing, but just for the fact that it turns straight to fat. definitely empty calories.

[Antagony]

Yeah, I'm not willing to drink shitty beer.

I don't drink for the effects, I drink for taste. Thanks for the input, though.

[yoshi]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by tikki
[B]My dad bought a 6 pack of it and hated it. I think he threw it out.

I tasted it, thought it was good. I'm not the biggest beer drinker, but tend to like the lighter beers and this one was definitely light.

[TonySpilotro]

Miller Lite is almost identical to Michelob Ultra, except that they don't market it as a "low-carb" beer. Miller Lite has about .2 grams more carbs than Ultra, and the same exact calorie content. Buy that and save yourself some cabbage...

[bobw]

a heavy stout, probably 1

[druhim]

Antagony, you don't have to give up your beer but it is a question of what else you're willing to give up/do to compensate. I drink beer (good beer, not MGD or Bud Light crap) 2 or 3 times a week, usually 2-3 beers at a sitting. I'm also going to run my second 50k in October. I'm getting into ultra running (as in greater than marathon distance) and plan to run my first 50 mile race next year and eventually I'd like to finish a 100 mile race. I know several ultra runners that already have several 100 mile ultras under their belt and still drink pretty regularly. You need to look at the total picture. As long as you're eating a healthy, balanced diet and getting in enough exercise then a few beers aren't going to matter much unless competing at professional/olympic level in some sport. I'm never going to win any races, but that's not why I run. I just enjoy getting out on the trails and running for hours and I also happen to really like good beer. Beer and fitness are not incompatible.

[sonikeko]

In my opinion, drinking beer is a two-way street. A little research has show me that based on much larger researches, beer can actually be very benificial in a diet. I helps keep your colon and prostate clean when consumed in moderation, much like wine, but without the heart-healthy benifits. My father was an alcoholic though, and anyone who regularlly "binges" needs some help. It's not just something people do in College, although I do. Especially if you habe a family history, you need to watch what you drink.