Getting fat

[Dronfieldbrewer]

I too popped a few pounds on when I started brewing, probably about a stone, this has started to drop as I no longer sample every night for quality control purposes. I make sure that I have 3 days off the bevvy in the week and I get the bike out at least once a week.

Before I turned 40 I was always a bit podgy but really noticed it trying to tie shoelaces. Now turning 44 in a few weeks and time is now to shift a few pounds.

 

[eggman]

Not been brewing for that long but tend to drink 4 or 5 pints every night and usually more on the weekends and i've stayed the same weight but i'm lucky enough to do an active job :

 

[keith1664]

Seems like we're all in the same boat!

Personally I've gone down the eat less and make the beer less strong route, I've managed to lose half a stone in the last 2 weeks and find my 3.8% BOB (Baileys Ordinary Bitter) seriously quaffable.

I'm starting to find making the salads interesting to eat quite difficult though!

 

[BarnsleyBrewer]

I've gone from 12.5 to 13.5 stone, need to lose a stone.

How many calories would I burn off during sex?? I normally last around 30 seconds inc foreplay

BB :whistle:

 

[aneray]

I normally last around 30 seconds inc foreplay

What a stud :clap: . I'm not even halfway there compared to you BB.

 

[Vossy1]

I've only been brewing for 5 months ad I've gained about a stone in weight gone up from 34 waist to 36 and feel big and heavy .
Sadly im starting to edge towards leaving home brew behind again.
I love beer and have always drank about 6 pints a night but never got fat before I'm assuming my homebrew contains more calories than pub brought beer
Have you had this problem ?
How can I make lower calorie beer ?

Without deliberately trying to be the bringer of 'doom and gloom' , 6 pints a night is a death wish...literally :shock:
Home brewing allows you to make, IMO, superior quality beer to those available OTC, however it also brings the temptation to drink more than you normally would, as it's more readily available.
The 'key' to all 'indulgences' is moderation, and if you feel you can't moderate, give the hobby up....seriously, it's not worth it, to you, or those who care for you.

Weight is a menial issue regards long term alcohol intake , unless morbidly obese, the social and dependency issues are far more serious.
Diabetes is a real concern for those who partake in regular intake of sugary liquids, be them beer or 'other'
As a starter, regulate your intake to weekends only :thumb:

 

[Wolverine]

If you are drinking 6 pints a night then weight gain is the least of your worries. Surely you aren't drinking that much. :nono:

If I'm totally honest it's proberbly alot more some nights I still visit the pub and weekends the 6 pint figure would be well out. I know it's too much but over the last 10 years it's just been a way off life. I rarely feel drunk and just enjoy the social side. the homebrew is a hobby and unfortunately has just meant a few more beers in the disguise of "tasting" and justified totally under the it's ok ive made it myself how cool is that argument.

Although I know that amount is bad I've been drinking that much for years and not gained weight so I belive it's the extra callories in the home brew messing up the Ballance

low carb diet sounds interesting but I'm a plumber and it's quite an active job and would not be a good idea as I'd proberbly pass out.

There is a new gym opened round the corner and it's 16 quid a month I think that is gonna be the best option for me.

 

[bigred]

If I'm totally honest it's proberbly alot more some nights I still visit the pub and weekends the 6 pint figure would be well out. I know it's too much but over the last 10 years it's just been a way off life. I rarely feel drunk and just enjoy the social side. the homebrew is a hobby and unfortunately has just meant a few more beers in the disguise of "tasting" and justified totally under the it's ok ive made it myself how cool is that argument.

Although I know that amount is bad I've been drinking that much for years and not gained weight so I belive it's the extra callories in the home brew messing up the Ballance

low carb diet sounds interesting but I'm a plumber and it's quite an active job and would not be a good idea as I'd proberbly pass out.

There is a new gym opened round the corner and it's 16 quid a month I think that is gonna be the best option for me.

Same with me, but for nearly 40 years. I shudder to think how much money I could have saved.

why would you pass out? It suggests you are on the yo-yo effect of a high carb diet and prone to insulin spikes, this is believed by some to lead to type 2 diabetes. I find that lots of protein with out the carbs allows me to eat breakfast then nothing else until the evening without feeling hungry.

If you are already have an active job, why do you want to spend time at the Gym? I know everyone has been indoctrinated into believing exercise is the answer, but it makes very little difference. Some studies even advise that you stop exercising while on a weight loss diet.

try this link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/ ... lic-health

 

[Smokey.]

Have a good look at your diet. I am currently trying to get my cholesterol down from 8 after being told it was this high a couple of weeks ago. Everything else is fine, blood pressure etc..... I have come to realise this last week or 2 just how much **** I actually eat especially after having a drink. My diet has changed and I have lost half a stone in 2 weeks but I still have a drink every night.

 

[EskiBrew]

I'm in agreement with Vossy - You are obviously concerned so you should perhaps step back and consider what you are drinking. The temptation of a keg of home brew ready to drink is a serious test of our will power and you may even be drinking more than you think.

<nanny state hat one for a minute>
There should be no more Calories in a pint of home brew than a pint of pub beer so just giving up home brew is not the answer - although the additional excercise of walking to and from the pub would help.

Apparently there are about 182 Calories in a pint of "standard" strength beer. Therefore at 6 pints consumption per day that equals 1092 Calories. The UK Department of Health Estimated Average Requirements (EAR) are a daily calorie intake of 2550 for men. You are therefore heading towards half your daily Calorie intake through beer :shock:

If you were keen on guidelines then apparently Men should drink no more than 21 units of alcohol per week (and no more than four units in any one day). There are approximately 2.5 units per pint so 8 and half pints a week (with a maximum of 1 and a half pints on any one day). You are nearly consuming your weekly guideline amount each and every day of the week with more on the weekend as you freely admit.
<nanny state hat removed>

Most of us like brewing ourselves for the hobby aspect and the fact that we can brew better beer than we can get in most generic pubs. It would be a shame to sacrifice that. Why not limit yourself to brewing one batch (40 pints) per month as a starting point. That would certainly cut down your average monthly home brew intake considerably. You can then concentrate on brewing great beer and savouring it :thumb:

 

[Greg]

6 pints a night is quite a lot and as others have said your weight is probably the least of your worries.

If I was you I would cut booze out for at least 2 weeks, more if you can then start a more healthy lifestyle including looking at your nutrition and exercise.

In my opinion diets are a waste of time as although you will lose weight you will feel deprived and probably end up putting more weight back on once the diet is finished.

For me the key is exercise. If you exercise regularily then you will feel less inclined to drink afterwards and also probably want to eat more healthy foods. That way you won't feel like you are missing anything and the weight will not only drop off but you will also build muscle which will increase your metabolic rate causing you to burn calories when even when you are not exercising.

I've been a keen runner for a few years and find that a great way to exercise. You only need a pair of trainer so its pretty cheap and also you can maintain it when you are away on holiday etc. Its a great way to explore your surroundings. I have also taken up Kung Fu since Jan which has taken my fitness to a new level and really encouraged me to get training. Its fun, challenging and always different so perhaps have a look at a martial art although its not for everyone.

I still love a beer or three but I'm more than happy to have a fews days off. I just do some exercise.

You will feel better physically, mentally and will hopefully live longer.

 

[phettebs]

I became a distance runner specifically because of my homebrew intake. I was sitting around all winter drinking and getting a belly. I certainly didn't start out to run long distances. I just wanted to lose some weight. I struggled through a mile on the treadmill and was ready to give up. I just kept at it and eventually the weight started to fall.

I still probably drink more than I should but I've kept the weight at bay. I just don't know what I will do if I ever quit running!

Baz

 

[bigred]

In my opinion diets are a waste of time as although you will lose weight you will feel deprived and probably end up putting more weight back on once the diet is finished.

:clap: :clap: :clap:

For me the key is exercise. If you exercise regularily then you will feel less inclined to drink afterwards and also probably want to eat more healthy foods. That way you won't feel like you are missing anything and the weight will not only drop off but you will also build muscle which will increase your metabolic rate causing you to burn calories when even when you are not exercising.

Just joking, but there have been several scientific studies which say that exercise is not the route to weight loss, I've provided information earlier. That's not to say exercise is bad for you, it has many benefits, but I'm sure it's the other changes in your life which make the real difference to weight. Also, calorie counting doesn't work for me. If I stop drinking 6 pints a day for a month and substitute water but see no change in weight there is obviously something wrong with the theory. :hmm:

I'm surprised there are so many sensible drinkers on here btw.

 

[pjbiker]

most are around 380 or so per pint

20 minutes exercise burns:

ACTIVITY CALORIES
Leisurely walk (2mph) 59
Dancing 105
Cycling (10mph) 140
Running (5mph) 187
Aerobics 140
Weights 140
Cleaning 82
Driving 35
Swimming (leisurely) 140
Tennis 187
Rowing 200
Golf 93
Circuit Training 187
Skipping 100
Gardening 118
Skiing 160

so 40mins running will almost burn off a pint. 6 pints a night needs a 4hr (20 mile) run. Easy isn't it :shock:

Point is, exercise plays a big part in keeping you fit, looking good, healthy etc. but very little towards weight loss.

The calories per pint posted earlier was way too high, it's more like 170-200 kcal/pint

 

[Swift Pint]

I think the trick is to find a way of exercising that you can enjoy. To me the idea of going to a gym for the sake of exercising sounds like a nightmare.

I go climbing once a week (usually), which burns heaps of calories, but is also very enjoyable as I'm always looking to push myself & climb new more complicated routes, outclimb my climbing buddies etc etc. I've considered going jogging as well, but i think it would be a bit boring :

All in all it means that I don't feel guilty going to the pub to sink a few beers after a climbing session.

 

[BigYin]

There's good evidence that the right kind of exercise - short, sharp, vigorous - is much more beneficial than aerobic excercise, but without arguing over that, the basic truth is that the VAST majority of people do nothing like enough exercise, of ANY kind, eat far too many carbs, too much fat, salt etc, so it's no wonder it's easy to gain weight and tough to shift it.

When you add beer into that, and the snacking that often accompanies it, it's little wonder drinking habits get blamed, but they are an easy kicking boy, but apart from the eroding of willpower that alcohol often brings, it's only ONE of MANY factors in a lifestyle that will lead to weight gain.

Reduce your portion size, cut down on simple carbs (sugar, white bread etc), cut back, but don't eliminate fat, and cut back generally on portion sizes.

If you must snack, avoid the typical high fat, high calory foods, like crisps and biscuits, and go for something much healthier.

And critically, increase your exercise - just a 30 minute fast walk around the houses every day may be enough to tip the balance without being hard to get into or maintain.

 

[klaus]

I've only been brewing for 5 months ad I've gained about a stone in weight gone up from 34 waist to 36 and feel big and heavy .
Sadly im starting to edge towards leaving home brew behind again.
I love beer and have always drank about 6 pints a night but never got fat before I'm assuming my homebrew contains more calories than pub brought beer
Have you had this problem ?
How can I make lower calorie beer ?

I think you should look at your circumstances generally, which will include drinking.
Suggest you take up cycling. We always cycled as kids but then the car came along. At 53 I have started cycling again - not racing but nevertheless at a vigorous pace including hills, now some of my size 36 stuff fits loosely again ....

 

[MikeB]

I drink about four pints a night, except on squash nights (three times per week) when I have either nothing, one, or two.

I have read the arguments for and against exercise as a form of weight loss and I reckon that there is no conclusive answer, which is generally the case when you are talking of individual's physiology. As the most excellent Ben Goldacre would put it: "It's a bit more complicated than that"

For my part, I play squash up to six times a week but it never really helped with weight loss. I always had a bit of a paunch. Then I got back on the bike in a proper way three years ago, cycling to work 12 miles each way, and I lost a stone in three weeks. So in my case, the specific exercise that is my commute (plus a few weekend rides of about 40 miles) absolutely sorts out the weight issue, but it is also backed up by the very intense squash exercise.

Six pints per night (or more as the OP states) is dangerous territory. Addiction in all its forms is something that has always fascinated me, including analysing my own undoubted mild addiction to alcohol. I don't mind admitting it, it is a part of my life that I find deeply pleasant and as long as it can be kept under some sort of control it is life enhancing enough to warrant its continuation. But I know enough about addiction, and particularly the way that alcohol works, to realise how easy it is to go from something that satisfies you to a living hell.

There may be a chance that the OP is at a pretty big crossroads. If you can bring it back to sensible levels, and live happily with it, great. If you can't, you'd be better off giving up completely.

If it is any compensation, I understand how easy it is to get fat when you have an unlimited supply of gorgeous beer. I injured my knee in February to the point where I couldn't play squash or ride my bike, and this happened to coincide with a new found hobby... AG brewing. And I LOVE the ales I make. I have developed a pretty massive stomach in the intervening months, and am only now in the process of riding it off... it's going to be a long slog but I can feel the fitness returning and the stomach slowly subsiding

 

[TheMumbler]

MikeB - I find that trying to walk/cycle rather than use a bus or train (I don't run a car) is helpful. I do think that you are exercising a good deal more than most with 24 miles per day on the bike plus 6 games of squash a week. I wish I could cycle to work but it is much too far to be practical.

BigRed - thanks for the link, I don't have time to hit the journals so I'll take your word for it. Do those figures take into account energy costs of tissue repair and effects on how your body uses food as a result? I wasn't trying to suggest that excercise is a magic bullet, it is a complex picture as has already been said. There are psychological effects too as I recall but I am not up to date on that research either. I make a 5% increase in BMR which may be possible to achieve with the right kind of exercise according to your article to be worth about 31,000 calories per year on top of the calories consumed in excercise to get there, or 81.5 pints in real terms (using your 380 calorie/pint figure). That isn't nothing, but it certainly isn't going allow to eat whatever you want, as you said.

BigYin - do you have a link for that, remember hearing about a study to that effect. IIRC you need to be woking like crazy for that short period.

 

[Hawks]

Calories used is also impacted by your weight.. So the figures from bigred maybe accurate, but for running they are assuming you are somewhere around 150 lbs, as most of us are saying we are getting fat I imagine we come in a tad over that ( I know I certainly do )

Here are the calories used by running for 10 mins at 5mph ( or 12 min miles ) adjusted by weight

Speed (min/mile) 12
Weight
(lb)
110 66
120 72
130 78
140 85
150 90
160 97
170 102
180 109
190 115
200 121

or you can use a calculation to give you a good idea of calories per mile:
Your Total Calorie Burn/Mile
Running
.75 x your weight (in lbs.)

On top of this you also have the calories your body uses after your exercise to 'repair' itself as The Mumbler has mentioned.

Again, I agree it's no magic bullet and it's still not going to make drinking that muck OK, but it's certainly a step in the right direction to reduce weight.