I'm fat because I homebrew

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Benny Blanco

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Here I am...... 6 months into homebrewing and 5 pounds heavier from a usually very consistent weight.

I know this is a touchy subject and I don't mean to put down homebrewing in any way.

Be honest, how many of you have put on weight since you started homebrewing?
 
I also haven't been doing this long enough to tell, but I do know one fact about weight: More caloric intake with no change in exercise will result in weight gain. Same is true for the opposite. So, if you have started drinking more now that you homebrew but haven't started exercising more...you'll be getting fatter for sure!
 
I figure if I weren't drinking my homebrew, I'd just be drinking stuff I bought from the store. On the whole, I'd actually say that my beer consumption overall has actually gone down since I really got into all grain brewing. I'm trying to build up a surplus and age all of my beer, so it's actually been good for me in that way. Besides, some of the lifting and work involved with all grain brewing on a larger scale could almost count a little bit as exercise. :D
 
Besides, some of the lifting and work involved with all grain brewing on a larger scale could almost count a little bit as exercise

*facepalm*

Way to reach for the stars......
 
I run a fair amount, and am continually saddened by the realization that the 500 calories just burned are erased by that one pint of homebrew.

It would be a whole lot less effort to skip the pint to avoid the 5 mile run, but hey no complaints.

Beer is good. And while running sucks, it is good for me.
 
500 calories just burned are erased by that one pint of homebrew

Um what the hell are you drinking? Most have 250ish.

Barley wines only range about 360.

Besides- after exercise you continue to burn until your body reaches back to norm.
 
I'm definitely about 10 pounds heavier- and I realize that 3 pints a day over two years or so is the reason! I eat healthy meals, (and not a whole lot, to be honest) and exercise. In the winter, I play hockey several days a week and in the summer, I walk, hike, bike and paddle in addition to some weights. I think it's not just the extra calories, but my age, too. After I turned 40, my metabolism slowed way down, and it's getting worse every year!

I'm just perfectly happy to be a little heavier that I was before homebrew came along! I didn't drink nearly as much before I started brewing- the beer just wasn't as good. I do have a weight stuck in my mind, though, that I can't exceed. If I ever get up to 140 pounds, then I'll go on a real weight loss regime. Until then, I drink on! :rockin:
 
There was an article in the paper or on the net that said there really isn't anything like a beer belly. It's just weak stomach muscles.;)

I've stayed almost a constant for 10 years or more. Just eliminate other lesser evils...:D

I find drinking while on the treadmill is not the best of ideas...
 
I was consistantly 190 in college, I am now 200. Is it all from homebrew, probably not, but I do notice if I go 2 weeks without a beer, I can drop 5+ pounds pretty easy.

Oh and I swim about 2 miles 3-4 times a week.
 
I've gained about 5 lbs over the past year, partially thanks to homebrewing. Now that I've been drinking the good stuff I hardly ever order light beer at a bar, I'm spoiled. I've also got ~ 80 bottles of my homebrew ready to drink and that's certainly not helping. I've kind of been slacking as far as the gym goes too, I used to go 4 nights a week, but now I'm lucky if I go 3.
 
How about this... for every pound of extra muscle you put on your body, it chews up around 50 calories a day more. More muscle means more beer!! YAY!
 
I definitely put on 15 pounds over the last year but it's a combo of beer and general poor eating/exercise habits. At least that's what I tell my wife. I think those huge sourdough pretzels every night I've eaten recently doesn't help either.
I also have a hard time eating right when I travel for business because I want to spend every dime of my company's money that they'll give me for food.
 
I posted an article last summer about a study that found beer drinkers aren't really any more overweight than people who drink other forms of alcohol. Well actually I think it said their hip/waist ratio was higher but in the grand tradition of scientific research was able to say 'but that doesn't count because ___.'

I gained a lot of weight last summer from an increased beer intake, but I also stopped exercising. For the past few months I've limited myself to a bottle a day, which combined with exercise has me on a nice roller coaster ride back to a decent weight.

As someone said in response to my post about the study, 'calories in, calories out.' If you started posting at nachomakingtalk.com and didn't change your diet/exercise at all, you'd gain weight as well.

(side note: nachomakingtalk.com is available and begging for someone to register it)
 
sirsloop said:
How about this... for every pound of extra muscle you put on your body, it chews up around 50 calories a day more. More muscle means more beer!! YAY!

haha what a jersey comment :)
 
I'm up a bit from last summer.

Much of it due to good homebrew, but just as much due from the dark, cold winter months and no yard work to be done. Nothing says home-sweet-home like getting your jammies on at 5:30 and settling back with a few oatmeal stouts in front of the fireplace.

I hit the gym 4-5 times a week and pack my own food to eat at work (4-5 small meals) and always forgo the sweets.

It's the price I'm willing to pay in order to enjoy what few beers I consume... ;)
 
sirsloop said:
How about this... for every pound of extra muscle you put on your body, it chews up around 50 calories a day more. More muscle means more beer!! YAY!

Unfortunately that number is from old studies. I read the same thing when I started lifting weights, but it's more like 5 cals/lb
 
I've definitely gained weight since I started brewing. Of course, I started brewing when I was 21, and I'm now 36. :)

I maintain a fairly healthy weight, but I have to work my ever-lovin' ass off to do so. When barbeque and beer are my hobbies, that is the price I pay for the life I choose.


TL
 
BierMuncher said:
Much of it due to good homebrew, but just as much due from the dark, cold winter months and no yard work to be done. Nothing says home-sweet-home like getting your jammies on at 5:30 and settling back with a few oatmeal stouts in front of the fireplace.


I find my weight is completely seasonal. Get fat for the cold winter, once gardening season hits, weekends and weeknights give me more exercise than a gym ever could. My weight always goes way down in the summer. We are also eating all the fresh greens, salads and low cal veggies from the garden then. When November/December roll around, we start eating the storage veggies which are mostly calorie crops. That and heavier homebrew.
 
I find that running is the cure for beer and weight troubles. I started running early last year and have kept a constant weight ever since. 20-25 miles a week reduces me to skin and bones physique even at 2-4 beer a day drinking rate. There's nothing better than cracking open some cold ones after a 10 mile run or after a half marathon race.
 
Benny Blanco said:
Here I am...... 6 months into homebrewing and 5 pounds heavier from a usually very consistent weight.

I know this is a touchy subject and I don't mean to put down homebrewing in any way.

Be honest, how many of you have put on weight since you started homebrewing?
I exercise regular because I like to drink craft beers and enjoy eating. I didn't used to exercise at all but had to start because of high blood pressure and cholesterol. Since then I maintain a very consistent weight with in about 5 lbs from year to year.

A plus for homebrew is that it has actually helped my cholesterol. I quit brewing for about 8 years and started again in Jan. My last blood test for cholesterol was the best it has ever been. My HDL's were 78 and I never had a reading that high even with agressive exercise and diet. Did a little research and found brewers yeast really helps the good HDL levels. Most beer you buy does not have this benefit because the yeast is usually filtered out. I started back brewing making hefe weiss, of couse it has a lot of yeast in the bottle. My vote is for homebrew and I'll continue to exercise!
 
I’m in the calories in, calories out group. That combined with lots of running to keeping the metabolism up works for me.

kenche wrote:
Beer is good. And while running sucks, it is good for me.

You need a change in running regime. Trail running is the way to go. Nothing sucky about a few hours in the woods on a Sunday. Walk, run, enjoy. It’s all about attitude.

(I have to admit that most of my weekday runs are on the treadmill, but I’m an endorphin junky, so I may be I don’t count.)

DrewsBrew wrote:
There's nothing better than cracking open some cold ones after a 10 mile run or after a half marathon race.

Add to that, sharing your homebrews with friends after that long run.
 
I've lost weight, but I don't drink much and was overweight when I stared brewing. Most of my beers are on the small side, as well, and homebrewing lets me make flavorful, low-ABV beers.

On the other hand, the guy I was brewing with in CA put on 25 pounds in a year.
 
You need a change in running regime. Trail running is the way to go. Nothing sucky about a few hours in the woods on a Sunday. Walk, run, enjoy. It’s all about attitude

Nothing can make running fun.

Ok well maybe not when your 237lbs anyway
 
I've gained a little weight (like, 4 pounds, which is noticeable when you barely clear 5 ft), but (you're gonna hate me) it's a good thing because I have trouble keeping weight on. So, yay for beer because it keeps me from becoming twig-like!
 
kenche said:
I run a fair amount, and am continually saddened by the realization that the 500 calories just burned are erased by that one pint of homebrew.

It would be a whole lot less effort to skip the pint to avoid the 5 mile run, but hey no complaints.

Beer is good. And while running sucks, it is good for me.
500 calories in one pint! What are you drinking, an Eisbock that finished with a 1.041 gravity???
 
MikeFlynn74 said:
Nothing can make running fun.

Ok well maybe not when your 237lbs anyway

No doubt! Gotta start somewhere though. I'm only about probably 180ish right now. Way up from the 140 I used to be when young and running a machine all day. Since I got a sit-down job (and got into my 30s) I gained some pounds.

The funny thing is, now that I'm drinking more beer (usually a 12oz in the evening, but not always, and sometimes 2-3 on weekend) my doctor says my blood pressure and cholesterol have gone down. Still need to get on a regular exercise program though.

My problem is not enjoying my exercise. I need something other than running, and I think trail running would be good. Migh thave to start looking around here for a trail. I like basketball, but dnot' have a hoop, and don't know anyone to play with. Also badmiton (seriously, a good badmiton game can knock you out!). I can't stand to do exercise just to do exercise. I need a goal or competition.

Need more suggestions from people to help us drinkers lower our body weight! :rockin:
 
Need more suggestions from people to help us drinkers lower our body weight!

Nto trying to lower my body weight- I do plenty of Cardio. Just that running is severly detrimental to your joints and building muscle. Im probably sitting 11% bf at the moment.

Running will never be my thing, short legs, heavy bone structure and decent mass. I can swim like a fish but thats size 13.5 fins I got. Im only 5'9".
 
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