can i drink vodka

[neutronnorman]

I don't know. Personally, I'm pretty convinced alcohol can screw with your hormonal balance. Also, you'll probably disinhibit and eat like a mad man. But, I'm no stranger to the grape in its liquid form. Nor the potato, for that matter. I would seriously consider drinking in moderation only when you are close to your goal. I mean, it sounds like fun but think how you will feel the following morning. You'll want to eat everything in sight, even the pet cat, you'll be dehydrated and craving pop, juice and what not to quench your thirst. You'll have a splitting headache and your esophagus / stomach will feel raw and basically burned by excess stomach acid reflux. You'll probably hit the sodium bicarbonate, further bloating your tissues that are trying to over-compensate because of dehydration. A couple of aspirins will make your burping, gaging or vomiting feel like the lava spewn from Mt. Vesuvius.

If you must drink, the only advise I'll give you, and how awful this may sound, is to drink your Vodka mixed with a sport electrolyte drink like America's Gatorade. Use the fruit punch flavored drink to avoid projectile vomitting while drinking. Vodka mixed with diet coke sounds far more hideous. If you start replenishing the electrolyte imbalance and dehydration before your hangover starts, you should be relatively okay the following morning. Yes, you'll be blown out of ketosis for about two days or so. You'll body will be burning the alcohol and its metabolites preferentially before fat. But by drinking the sport drink, you might lessen the effects of the hangover and prevent stuffing yourself silly the day after. Hit the B-12, that may help a bit. Afterward your mini-binge, before sleeping, drink about a liter of water, and don't worry about pee-ing in your pants. Chances are, if you got sloshed, you already have done it somewhat.

So, enjoy your weekend.

[Slidesdownmountains]

Love it, NeutronNorman - well said!!

[ShannonK]

I have to agree with Slidesdownmountain. A couple of these posts are a bit harsh. The question is simple. Someone needs assistance getting through what could be a difficult (albeit fun) stag week-end. I think he should definitely go and I also think that it is possible to stay "mostly" on plan and have a vodka and diet coke. Yes, when you drink your inhibitions tend to go down. It will be better to have plenty of atkins friendly foods around, of course.

Also, follow some of the other advice... drink a ton of water. Much more than you usually would.

No, it is not the best thing to do, but I have had vodka (no carbs) and not even been kicked out of ketosis. We have all made mistakes on this plan. At least he is making a plan for his mistake.

[SunnySmile501]

Originally Posted by Slidesdownmountains

With all due respect to the last 2 posters, there is a world of difference between the normal happenings of a young British lad on a stag weekend, and two married (?) women, one of whom already admits that she doesn't have any problem not drinking!

Though I absolutely agree that staying off the drink is the best solution, I sympathise, and know it will be difficult.
(And just because someone admits that they will have problems not drinking on what is essentially a weekend designed almost solely for getting drunk and debauched, it does not mean that they have a problem in general with alcohol!)

I haven't been married in over 25 years--what's that got to do with it anyway? I wasn't harsh at all--just have five years experience with what happens when you want to have your carby eating habits and lose the weight, too. It doesn't work! Just the facts. 1. He can not drink alcohol if he chooses to. 2. He can still have fun if he decides not to drink alcohol. Happiness and having fun is a choice. 3. Drinking alcohol will mess with his weight loss so far. That's a fact. If alcohol didn't mess with weight loss, Dr. Atkins would have made it a part of the plan.

I've been around these boards long enough to predict what will happen to this guy when he breaks all the rules a few weeks into the program. He has not been on the plan long enough to have cravings under control, so when he drinks, all the cravings for carbs will come back with a vengeance. If he can't control the urge to drink at a stag party, what makes you think he can resist pizza and junk food? His buddies will all be telling him just one weekend off the diet won't hurt.

We are not here to enable a person to defy the rules and say whatever they want to do is okay, and that they should make themselves feel better by having their way, even if it messes up their hard work and weight loss. If stating the facts is harsh, so be it. Don't ask the question if you can't deal with the truth.

[SunnySmile501]

Originally Posted by ShannonK

I have to agree with Slidesdownmountain. A couple of these posts are a bit harsh. The question is simple. Someone needs assistance getting through what could be a difficult (albeit fun) stag week-end. I think he should definitely go and I also think that it is possible to stay "mostly" on plan and have a vodka and diet coke. Yes, when you drink your inhibitions tend to go down. It will be better to have plenty of atkins friendly foods around, of course.

Also, follow some of the other advice... drink a ton of water. Much more than you usually would.

No, it is not the best thing to do, but I have had vodka (no carbs) and not even been kicked out of ketosis. We have all made mistakes on this plan. At least he is making a plan for his mistake.

No, you were not in ketosis. You were registering a false positive from the alcohol. You will register a false positive for ketones for up to three days after drinking alcohol. True ketosis means you are burning fat. When you drink alcohol, you do not burn fat until all the alcohol has burned off.

[neutronnorman]

Originally Posted by SunnySmile501

No, you were not in ketosis. You were registering a false positive from the alcohol. You will register a false positive for ketones for up to three days after drinking alcohol. True ketosis means you are burning fat. When you drink alcohol, you do not burn fat until all the alcohol has burned off.

I whole totally agree with SunnySmile501 last few posts. My hat's off to you, SunnySmile501..

Furthermore: 1. He can _not_ drink alcohol if he chooses to. 2. He can still have fun if he decides not to drink alcohol. Happiness and having fun is a choice. If only many younger people would heed this advise, it would save so much suffering in the long run.

[neilson30]

thanks everyone,im on my third week now and next week when i go it will be four

[ShannonK]

"No, you were not in ketosis. You were registering a false positive from the alcohol. You will register a false positive for ketones for up to three days after drinking alcohol. True ketosis means you are burning fat. When you drink alcohol, you do not burn fat until all the alcohol has burned off."


This does not stop weight loss; it simply postpones it. Since the alcohol does not get stored as glycogen, you immediately get back into lipolysis after the alcohol is used up. Dr. Atkins, p. 181

He goes on to say, "If it does not slow your weight loss, an occasional glass of wine is acceptable once your are out of induction so long as you count the carb count in your daily tally. Spirits such as scotch, rye, vodka and gin are acceptable, but do not mix with juice, tonic water, or non diet soda, all of which contain sugar." also, Dr. Atkins, p. 181

[neilson30]

thats wot i thought thanks

[Sherri]

He goes on to say, "If it does not slow your weight loss, an occasional glass of wine is acceptable once your are out of induction so long as you count the carb count in your daily tally.

Just so other members don't get confused on this issue.
For those of you on strict Atkins, it is important to wait untill OWL Rung 5 Wine and other spirits low in carbs.
Meaning, don't start drinking alcohol as soon as you leave Induction. Very important to move up the carbohydrate ladder the way Dr. Atkins intended you to. If you're not going to eat off of Rung 1,2,3 and 4 (ever), and plan on skipping those rungs, then by all means drink alcohol.
Ya gotta wait untill you get to Rung 5 if you're going to do Atkins correctly.
Sherri