Dry Jan and NO weight loss

[Holdonforsummer]

I’m so annoyed. I’ve done Dry January and just weighed myself and I have lost NO weight. Nada. But of background: I am 46 years old, 5’ 7’’ with a sporty build (big shoulders, bubble butt), and my usual weight is around 11 stone 9 pounds. After Christmas I was alarmed to find out it had risen to 12 stone 1 which is big for me so decided to do Dry January for weight loss, and to be nice to my liver. I usually drink about 2 bottles of red wine a week and as far as I am aware, I did not replace this with anything in January. I walk the dog three times a day, cook from scratch most evenings, do cardio about three times a week (Parkrun, Body Combat etc) and my weight today is STILL 12 stone 1. Is it my age? I feel so deflated that my dry January made no difference to my weight at all.

I've not done dry January but have lost 2.5kg, nearly half a stone. Just saying...
Although I have changed my diet.

That is frustrating but maybe give it another few weeks? Sometimes it just takes a bit longer. Overall it sounds like you are fit and healthy but if you do return to booze, definitely try cut down. 2 bottles of red a week is far too much and definitely considered binge drinking.

Really? Would you consider that binge drinking? It’s typically two medium sized glasses of red wine three to four times a week?

It’s good to cut down on drinking but it doesn’t always equal weight loss. I haven’t drunk anything this month either and didn’t lose lots but I feel amazing - feeling 100% fresh and great sleep is worth it! My skin looks nicer too.

Looking after your body includes sleep and exercise if you are serious about weight loss you need to look at your whole lifestyle including food and movement, cutting just wine out probably would have ended up compensating in another area like additional food - cooking from scratch in evenings is good but you didn’t say what else you eat or portion sizes. Weights and resistance training are the best weight loss tools for women rather than just straight up cardio, most women on the boards have found this gives good results

To me, 2 bottles of wine a week is too much, but I don’t judge as it’s what I used to drink myself. For females, regular alcohol consumption at top end of units per week can have a detrimental impact on their health. We don’t metabolise alcohol as effectively as men and more women end up with poor health on what you think is not much alcohol. Occasional drinking is fine but regular 20 ish units a week isn’t good?

Thanks Jaderz. I am aware my red wine habit was creeping up but I wouldn’t call it binge drinking! I think maybe I have to rethink my exercise routine. The problem is I love cardio and find weights and Pilates really dull. I’ll have a think!

I'm similar & I found this too.

I think I was replacing the sugar in alcohol with other sugars though.

I don’t know what you call it but does it matter? It’s over the excess of the recommended safe weekly amount for females.

Binge drinking is drinking multiple drinks of alcohol in one go and getting intoxicated. So if you drink a whole bottle in one evening that’s binging.

If the booze was causing you to gain weight, then you won't lose weight by cutting it out, you'll just maintain the weight you were when you stopped.

MN is very judgemental about drinking. Sometimes people lose weight and sometimes they don't. I would be considered a binge drinker as I drink on two nights of the week but I don't on the other 5 and it's well spaced. I drink water otherwise.

I'd highly recommend you trying to get into weights. It does change your body a lot. We sound a similar shape. Juice & Toya on YouTube do loads of 20 or 30 minute classes that you can do at home. It's worth trying!

Thank you TheFormidableMrsC. That is helpful nice advice at last!

Can you explain this? I’m a bit confused. If I’m drinking 1500 calories a week less than I used to, why will this maintain? Genuinely interested. I’m pretty sure I haven’t replaced it with snacking.

This.

The extra 1200 calories a week made you gain. Removing just them makes you stay the same. In order to lose, you have to lose more calories.

@Holdonforsummer

Snap! I'm also 5'7, 41, sporty build and have lost to zero pounds up to last Monday.

However, I have had a devilish sweet tooth all month (common side effect of giving up drinking).

I was thinking this morning how good I feel compared to a few weeks ago though, my sleep is so much better quality, I'm having dreams every night, not getting the slumps in the afternoon, making better choices overall with food and I look healthier. I'm not going to restart after dry Jan, I'm hoping that weightloss might show soon!

If you haven't reduced calories anywhere else or increased your exercise to use an additional 300kcals a day, 1500kcals a week less won't result in more than negligible weightloss. 3500kcals deficit a week should shed 1 to 2lbs a week.

If you were gaining by drinking you will just maintain if nothing else changed as PPs said.

2 x bottles of wine a week is is 1200 cals approx. 4 weeks 1200 x 4 is 4800 calories.

3500 calories is 1 pound of fat.

How many pounds did you think you would loose?

Unless you’re also tracking your calories
it’s impossible to know if you’re compensating other ways.

Yeah I mean good point about maintaining I forgot to mention this myself as it’s basic maths (or science). You need less Cals in than out so if the wine was adding calories you are just not going to gain more. To lose you need to know your total daily expenditure of calories that you burn just from being alive and then work back from there. I add in activity to burn calories but I don’t eat them all back when I am in weight loss mode. If I am maintaining my weight then I can eat them. You need to know what your daily calorie expenditure is to work out what a deficit would need to look like. Then you would need to know what you ate.

Weight loss is a science experiment with a good deal of maths

Removing one element is helpful but without knowing what else goes in or your starting baseline you probably will not lose weight.

😴

This is estimated you need a calculator

if you need 1700 calories to stay alive and it’s what you use regardless of activity

then you add in exercise (which really isn’t as much as you think it is - always highly disappointing to see an hour of exercise be 200 calories or a long walk 100 cals)

Your daily calorie expenditure might be 1900-2000 a day combined.

If this is what you eat daily you will not gain weight but also not lose. If you eat or drink more than this you will gain weight

If you ate less than your TDEE every day for a long period you would slowly lose weight

then you add in exercise (which really isn’t as much as you think it is - always highly disappointing to see an hour of exercise be 200 calories or a long walk 100 cals)

I don't count exercise. It's so tiny as to be meaningless. Unless you're doing Iron Man races in freezing water, it's always pretty much negligible. So unfair

I've tried various periods of abstinence or limited drinking over the years and it's never made a difference to my weight, very frustrating. Though there are obviously other health benefits.

Frustrating… but the only way I have found to lose weight is by counting calories. I am also doing Dry January and have apparently saved about 5k calories in doing so. I’ve lost 5lbs. But I am logging everything in My Fitness Pal and asked it to give me a recommended intake for 1lb loss a week which for me is 1700 calories a day. I am definitely eating better and less though than before (not sure what would have happened if I had changed nothing else but dropped the wine - guess maybe a 1lb off?). I find it very difficult to stick to that but I also exercise and my exercise calories I add in.

As an example I have done a spin class today and walked to the shop - otherwise I have been sat at desk. That has given me 437 calories extra to eat (on top of 1700) and still be on track for a 1lb loss. So whilst exercise doesn’t burn a lot it has given me a “free” breakfast and some - so it does matter.

Wasn’t counting calories before dry January but from memory there is a couple of hundred in a glass of wine. When I start introducing booze again next month I’m going to continue to log in MFP and see what happens. Logically I will have to eat less or exercise more to make space for the wine calories wise.

Also ignore the binge drinking comment - binge drinking is anymore than 6units in a day. If you are drinking 2 bottles of wine in a week over 4 days, whilst it’s more than is “recommended” it’s unlikely to be binging unless it is very strong wine!

I think this is a bit wide, although OP didn’t say how she drinks the wine If you drink a whole bottle of wine in a night that’s well over 6 units by this definition

I did say how I drink the wine! Two medium sized glasses three or four times a week depending on social life. As I said before, I was aware this was creeping up (hence Dry Jan) but I have never considered it binge drinking. Crikey, when I think what I used to drink in my 20s!!!!! Interesting point about the exercise making a neglible difference. Sounds like I need to start calorie counting. Thank you!

I don't think OP was asking abouth the UK guidelines on drinking alcohol though. Most adults know this, it's hardly ground breaking news.

OP, I'm finding it harder to lose weight now I'm perimenopausal.