I just got accepted into a two year enology and viticulture program (winemaking and related stuff) and will be beginning that whole new part of my life in September. I'm currently 3 months post op, I've lost a total of 85lbs and have 45 more to reach my goal.

During my schooling I'll be tasting 1500+ wines in class as well as whatever else I drink in the course of life as a wine student. I'll spit out many of the tastes, and try to limit calories that way, and keep from getting too drunk as well since my tolerance has plummeted.

I expect that by the time school begins I'll be at, or close to my goal weight, so I'll mainly be in maintenance mode. But I must admit, I'm nervous about so much of my life rotating around something that can impact my weight so easily. Right now I feel very confident in my weight loss and I'm biking a couple hundred miles a week to keep me healthy and happy. Anyway, I welcome any thoughts on the subject.

At first I noticed my tolerance had changed, but then after a very short time, it returned to the way it was before...

So I drink alcohol, and not just wine.

Unless you are a calorie counter...(which I am not)...that would make a big difference to some.

Both my wife and I like to have one glass of red wine a day.

Hi there,

I am an event planner and caterer - and you hit the nail on the head for me as well! My surgery date is May 26th and I can't imagine how I will maneuver my career around my new sleeve. Especially in the first 6 months. I sit in client tastings sometimes 2-3 times a week with multiple courses of fabulous food. I am 100% confident in my choice to no longer eat at these tastings - but colleagues and clients and brides are going to wonder and ask why am I not eating? How do I do wine tastings with clients for selecting the wines at their event if I'm not drinking for a while.

I am also known for my love of Chardonnay, so I have 2 weeks to say goodbye to my nightly glass (or 2)....my drinking buddy Moms in the neighborhood are going to wonder what the heck has happened to me this Summer!

There is an awesome member on this forum (user name: Bob . He is a restaurant owner and chef who had WLS in December. It was great to talk with him on his experience. You might want to reach out to him.

Sorry I don't have any insight with tips for you yet - but I'll be watching this great topic closely!

S

I sincerely hope you have a better experience than I did. I'm a bander. I was an occasional social drinker before WLS. Like one drink every couple of months. After about 7 months post op, I started socializing with friends on the weekends and began enjoying wine a few times a week.

My weight loss came to a grinding halt.

The relaxation of the wine or cocktails enabled me to throw my food plan out the window and eat foods that are not conducive to weight loss. Plus the calories in the drinks themselves.

After no meaningful weight loss over five months, and then a gain of eleven pounds following three weeks of holiday/birthday/you name it, I decided I needed to say goodbye to my Olivia Pope diet of red wine and popcorn.

I've lost five pounds this week and feel back on track. Which is good, because I have fifty pounds left to get to goal. And I WILL get to goal, dammit!

My experience is probably not the usual. As I said, I only occasionally drank before WLS. People who have wine as part of their regular routine may be able to adjust to it better and account for the calories better than I did.

I just have to chalk alcohol up to "not working for me" and move on.

Plus side is that my friends like having a permanent designated driver now, and they insist on paying my cover charge in clubs and springing for my one glass of cranberry juice. So I've got that going for me.

Wow u gonna have to report back here and give us some good idea...I am a total wine noob

First, congrats on your acceptance to that oenology / vitaculture program. It sounds terrific!

I started drinking 4 ounces of wine 5-6 days a week after I was 5 months post-op. Looking back, I don't think it stopped my weight loss. Yes, my weight loss started slowing down after 6 months post-op, but I think that was because I was smaller then and was ramping up my daily calories (on purpose) to make sure my metabolism didn't get used to a starvation diet.

One thought ... there's a huge variance in how much wine "people who drink wine" drink. On the days I drink I really do drink only 4 ounces/day. But I know from observation that some people who drink wine daily drink several BIG glasses of wine (16-20 ounces/day). That's a big difference. And that can make a world of difference in how well we continue to lose weight.

With wines, as with all foods, it's about portion control. So spit, baby, spit.

Thanks for all the input.

I'm real excited about this program and will find a way to make my two dreams work together. For the past 7 years I've worked in a research laboratory which had its moments, but you end up so separated both physically and mentally from everyone else. In winemaking, I'll be by myself often, but I won't have barriers up keeping me at bay. In a way, it's a parallel to weightloss. When I was at my largest I felt separate and physically apart from others. But as I lose weight, those barriers vanish and I'm turning into a more social creature.

I need to make sure in school and as a winemaker I cherish connectivity but don't use that as a reason to over-indulge. I've timed the program to begin once I should be at or near my goal weight, so at that point I'll have to adjust being a moderate drinker and stay thin. It's most likely going to mean great adherence to the Protein first rule and to maintain all the exercising I've grown accustomed too.

Edited April 24, 201511 yr by Eli Alexander

I recommend logging each sip and each cracker between sips. That way you can really gauge the calories and make sure to make up for it the rest of the day or week.

I run a restaurant and have a similar situation. We can do it.