# How fattenning is alcohol? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 4, 2008, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fattenning-is-alcohol/455310 "2008-07-04T17:27:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2008, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fattenning-is-alcohol/455310/1 "2008-07-04T17:27:38Z")
Or, why aren’t I losing weght? For the past couple of months, I’ve drastically cut the amount of alcohol I drink. I used to drink about 3 bottles of wine a week, though that includes what went in the cooking. Call it 2.5 bottles or 15 units. Now it’s about 0 - 6 units. Basically I’m now only drinking alcohol when I go out (and obviously, not always then). But my weight hasn’t changed. I thought alcohol was fattenning, yet I’ve not lost weight. I’m not exercising any more or less than I was. I’m resolutely static at 110 Kg. Should I be seeing weight loss? Or wasn’t I drinking enough to cause a weight increase in the first place? ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2008, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fattenning-is-alcohol/455310/2 "2008-07-04T18:41:18Z")
I have a somewhat similar problem…I started eating smaller portions and doing some walking, etc., but the weight wasn’t coming off because I like beer (well, that and having no thyroid and being middle-aged). I’m starting to cut back on the drinking, much to my annoyance, and feel a bit lighter on my feet, but sickeningly clear-headed. 3 bottles of wine a week is what, a couple of glasses a day, maybe 3 or 4 on the weekend? That’s not that bad, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2008, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fattenning-is-alcohol/455310/3 "2008-07-04T18:41:57Z")
With regard to the wine you cut out that was used in cooking, you aren’t avoiding a lot of calories by cutting back. Most of the calories in wine are in the alcohol, which evaporates during cooking. You weren’t consuming them in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2008, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fattenning-is-alcohol/455310/4 "2008-07-04T18:46:07Z")
You were drinking 2 glasses a day, which is not all that much, especially since you are still drinking about 1/4 of that. What are you drinking instead? FYI, one glass of wine is about 100 calories. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2008, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fattenning-is-alcohol/455310/5 "2008-07-04T19:30:16Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace] What are you drinking instead? [/quote] Water > [@](#): > > FYI, one glass of wine is about 100 calories. Ah, so it wasn’t really affecting my weight in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Shamozzle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shamozzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shamozzle)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2008, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fattenning-is-alcohol/455310/6 "2008-07-04T19:53:10Z")
It’s of interest that there are seven calories in a gram of ethanol, only to be edged out by fat, which has nine. Proteins and carbs each contribute four calories per gram.