Drinking beer and staying fit

The “how much do you drink” thread got me to thinking. How do you enjoy this hobby and
still saty reasonably fit ? Personally. I can lose weight when I stop or cut down on my beer
consumption, but that’s no fun !

I refuse to drink the crappy commercial lite beers. I love my homebrews, but at 225 calories (est),
they do tend to put the weight on.

Do I need to just resign myself to the fact that I’ll need to workout more ?

What, if anything, do you do to keep fit ?

Weight gain is simply calories in exceeding calories out (for most people) - I drink a fair amount but workout 5-6 days a week, plus stay active all the time, so my weight doesn’t change much. Even little things like taking the stairs and parking in a shady spot and walking across the lot help burn the calories and 20 minutes on the stair machine = one beer!

Darn , you mean I need to spend 3 hours on a stair machine to eeven out my 6 pack ?

When would I find time to drink ?

do what I do: get a tapeworm! mine’s so tough, it chews Days Work.

Tape worm is definately one way to go Mr Teach.

I tend to gravitate to sports like softball where you do get active, but just not too active. Or if I hit the bike or weights, allow myself a few extra beers as incentive.

Tried playing basketball a few months ago for the first time in years. My skills were still there to some degree, but I felt absolutely horible out there and later it was as if someone had cleared out my lungs with a steel brush.

Maybe I should have taken up darts instead.

Find another hobby you enjoy, preferably ones that pays to keep you active.

I love officiating soccer games, that keeps me running around for 90 minutes 3-5 times a week, plus the extra cash is always nice!

I’ve always thought that drinking beer does not make you fat…It’s usually the greasy fatty foods people eat when drinking beer that makes you fat. Beer slows down the digestion of food so if you maintain a healthy diet and exercise regularly the extra calories from beer should balance out. Don’t get me wrong if your trying to lose weight then you may want to cut back on the brews , but if someone is just looking to maintain a weight …no worries. !! Trunks up

6’ 3’’ 195 when I started homebrewing (May 2012) my consumption has gone up but I am down to about 185.

I saw my consumption started to go up after I was making beer and decided I had to “earn” my drinks. Started running in June, could barely run a mile without gasping for air (sad I know). I setup a schedule to run 2 days, take a day off. No excuses, if I miss a day no drinks for me. I’m up to 20-25 miles per week @ 5 miles per run.

Kicker is, I have ALWAYS hated running. Listening to music never worked. Found out listening to a Podcast makes it less miserable and allows me to focus on (& learn) something besides how much I hate running. Specifically the Jamil Show and Brew Strong with an occasional Sunday Session. I am running for my beer and learning how to be a better home-brewer at the same time. Don’t get me wrong, running still sucks but I can literally do a miles without even realizing it now. Give it a shot.

I know a guy if anyone’s interested. He’ll even mail it to you.

Seriously though, I run a lot. And have a killer metabolism because I eat a ton as well and no matter what I do I’m always sitting at 175lbs.

5’7" & 124. get some.

I make a game out of it. First, I follow the slogan on a t-shirt I recently saw at a 5K run (sponsored by my local beer garden) which said “I run so that I can drink”. Beer-themed races are great, like our upcoming Oktoberfest run.

Earn that beer. My treadmill makes a guesstimate of calories burned - so I drink no more than I’ve burnt off. On strength training days, I pour myself a “recovery drink” afterwards. Oh so satisfying.

Let’s just say there isn’t much chance of me blowing away in a wind storm.

That’s probably cheaper than my method. With the help of a “good” friend, I had my jaw wired shut.
Lost 30 lbs., and had to drink everything.

Now I maintain my weight with 9-10 hr workouts, 6 days a week. They pay me to do this! :cheers:

Hash clubs. Officially the motto is “A drinking team with a running problem.” Check it out.

I am thinking about switching to kegging and putting the kegs in the basement so I have to do stairs for a refill. Think that will help?

5’7" & 124. get some.[/quote]

Dang Ed, you need to eat more! I’m 5’7 and 175 on a good day :slight_smile: . Certainly wouldn’t call myself fat but I could shed a few pounds. I walk on the treadmill a few times a week but that’s about it.

5’7" & 124. get some.[/quote]

Dang Ed, you need to eat more! I’m 5’7 and 175 on a good day :slight_smile: . Certainly wouldn’t call myself fat but I could shed a few pounds. I walk on the treadmill a few times a week but that’s about it.[/quote]
it’s a family curse. my dad & 3 of his brothers can’t gain weight if they tried. my metabolism is in ultra overdrive with no end in sight.

You could always get a dog too. Preferable adopt one from a shelter. :wink:

3 dog walks a day, plus playing hockey on weekends and since my wife came around I eat much healthier than I did in my pasta/processed food/going out bachelor days. These things have all helped me slowly lose weight and maintain a lower weight. I still have a little bit of a gut I need to work on but at 33 I am probably healthier now than I was at 21.

I found that little changes over time help out a lot. And the high intensity hobby of hockey is good too, not so much the locker room beers though!

My problem is I am a bad snacker at work.

Beer refers in the basement, 1 flight from the main floor, 2 from our bedroom. 50’ from my garage, where I brew.
5’9" and 150 for the past 20 yrs (after the broken jaw).