I think lots of people can lose while drinking moderately. Remember the "drinking man's diet?" just keep the total carbs very low. Also dr bernstein says its ok on his diet to have a low-carb beer or a mixed (sugarless) drink. That's the theory. In practice, for me, it doesn't work. A lifetime of wrestling with depression, currently on prozac, I find that I have iron will power for the diet part - I did Ornish when they said I had to, for a year or more, I do Atkins/Bernstein now, with no cheating, but once I start the social drinking, pretty soon I'm drinking myself to sleep at night, which can't be good.