Your progress without alcohol

DizzyLinds

So I decided to cut out alcohol for at least 4 weeks. I'm a massive social drinker and its really getting to me physically and financially. It'll be hard as I love to have wine at dinner or drinks outin bars and clubs. I know it'll do me good though as its become a weekly indulgence and I def think its holding my training and diet back despite being so clean most of the week and training hard.

Just wondering what to possibly expect in 4 weeks? Is this enough time to see any changes? I don't want to stop totally but just have this break.

thankyou4thevenom

For me there's been no difference. No weight loss. I don't feel better. There has been no upside to me not drinking but I committed to it for a month, so I shall finish out the month.

In case you're wondering I was drinking two pints a day on work days and half or a whole bottle of wine on my days off.

Nicola0000

http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/fitness/weight-loss/how-alcohol-affects-metabolism.html

DizzyLinds

My drinking is typically binge drinking, generally none the rest of the week.

ahmadfahmy

If theyre few and far between you should be alright (like once a month maybe)

DizzyLinds

Bump

jennifershoo

http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/fitness/weight-loss/how-alcohol-affects-metabolism.html

It's a bad article. Not a peer reviewed study.

DizzyLinds

Any other thoughts?

laurabini

I used to drink quite a lot, but now I have 1/2 glasses of wine on Saturday night.
I must admit that cutting down alcohol hasn't had any effect on my weight loss.
It does have benefits though: less bloating, less stomachache, less indulging on unhealthy food...

TheVimFuego

Wouldn't know, sorry

I had 14 years sober ... Mostly occupied with schoolwork though.

darkguardian419

Nothing has changed, except I feel a little better on the weekends.

I used to drink HEAVY (a bottle a day) every weekend, now I do more housework. Even the bump in N.E.A.T. hasn't made a change.

nikilis

it improved my drunk driving heaps!

DizzyLinds

I think it's because I'm concerned that its not helping the progress I'm trying to make at the gym.

dakitten2

I was only a vacation drinker. LOL However, I was a Diet Mt. Dew Code Red addict and it was difficult to give it up. But drinking nothing but water has had a very positive effect for me.

icmuse

I completely understand where are you coming from. I love my wine with food a LOT! And the occasional cocktail or two as well :-)

From a personal experience - everytime I cut out wine for longer periods of time I lose weight - mostly all in my belly.
I have experienced it over and over again in my many weight loss attempts.

Last time I lost all my fluff was in 2009, and I cut out alcohol completely for over 4 months, worked out and ate clean and got to 115 lbs of muscle, felt amazing.

This time around I am having hard time with it, because we have too much socializing with friends to do :-)
But since I have been pretty much "stuck" at the same weight since February I dug my heels in this week and I am laying off the boooze for few months completely, because I am sick and tired of being so close to the goal and not getting there.

This is what happens when I have even 1 glass of wine daily (eventhough it fits in my calorie ,limit) - I am bloated, my tummy is bigger, I am tired in the morning = less effective workout!

When I do not drink wine - sleep better, wake up refreshed, workout harder, ... within few weeks the bloat is gone and slowly pounds of fat melt off as well.

I hope this helped. Good luck!!!:flowerforyou:

patentguru

I have also cut out alcohol for a while. I have been through many dry and drinking phases. During the alcohol free phases I do notice that I can gain muscle faster and I recover better. However, I noticed no effect on cardio. Not sure about the weight loss. Cutting out the alcohol is hard on the mind. I use it to clean the slate (no judging please).

bonelessskinless

you can expect to feel lonely on friday and saturday night and a little bit angry and irritable. It's very hard to stop weekend drinking if you have always done it. Life without alcohol is a better life though.

breezylee75

I have seriously cut back on my drinking, just have a few beers now and then when we go out with other parents. I am a binge drinker also-go all week without and then once I start drinking on the weekends it's hard to stop.
I know that for me, when I binge drink-it affects me for more than just that day. When I am hungover, the last thing I want to do is workout-and I don't make good food choices the next day due to feeling like such crap.
But I am not a wine drinker either...used to be mostly whiskey or tequilla drinks. I'm sure it's different for everyone, my boss drinks every day, and he still manages to do weights at the gym every day and eats well.
I all around feel better when I'm not drinking very much-and the pounds come off a lot easier also.

DizzyLinds

Thanks for the above replies. I doubt I'll feel lonely...alcohol isn't my friend! I do have other things in my life to do apart from booze!

I am mainly focusing on weight training so I just want to try and drop body fat and have successful workouts. I only have about 6lbs to drop so I suppose any thing will affect that. 4 months seems like a very long time for me though...I'm aiming for a month at the moment!

DizzyLinds

I agree, it does disrupt my sleep and obviously rest and sleep is vital in recovery and fat loss.

SDkitty

It all depends on how often and how much you are really drinking. If you are binging every once in a while it's not really going to damage your goals but if you are getting smashed a few times a week then it can definitely hinder your health. It sounds like you aren't drinking all that much though so I wouldn't worry too much.

(sober 1.5 years :flowerforyou: )

tedrickp

Life without alcohol is a better life though.

Like anything else it comes down to calories in and calories out imo. Alcohol can easily put you over cals of course, but I don't think once in awhile is a huge issue. Especially if you are still in a sustained caloric deficit.

For example - I went out on Friday because a close friend was moving across the country next day. We got white-girl wasted. I still lost weight last week because even with the night of debauchery I had a caloric deficit for the week. I probably won't drink for awhile now either so I don't see an issue.

Our night of drinking was probably more harmful to her drive the next day than my diet :laugh:

Also obligatory LeanGains alcohol post (great read):
http://www.leangains.com/2010/07/truth-about-alcohol-fat-loss-and-muscle.html

Jerrypeoples

I dont think i have had a drink in probably 6 months or so. I normally am not a huge drinker, and i normally only have 1 beer if i go out (i have no use for a DUI in my life).

plus im big enough a goofball without the addition of alcohol

Lesa_Sass

Giving up alcohol was the first big step in changing my lifestyle. I lost 20 lbs just by not drinking over a period of a year. Then I added in eating healthier then incorporated exercise. I have gone from 144 and 33% body fat to 108 and 19% body fat.

Alcohol, in moderation, is not unhealthy, BUT moderation is a lot less than what people think it is. I am not capable of moderation. I would start out thinking, just one glass. Then I would think, well, they say that 2 glasses a day is okay. By the time I am done with the second, I am thinking, okay, I am 2 in, a third will not hurt. After my third I come to the brilliant conclusion there is no reason to leave one glass of wine left in the bottle, may as well finish it off. THEN, I make bad food choices before I go to bed then I would justify bad choices the next day because I swore that was going to be the lasts time I did that.:laugh:

There is really nothing but good that will come out of not drinking for a month. But if you find that you are obsessing on the fact that you are not drinking, or think about alcohol a great deal during this time. You may want to consider why that is.

Good luck. If you need help with motivation during these next 4 weeks, feel free to reach out to me.

DizzyLinds

I just hear so much that alcohol hinders the process of fat burning regardless of being in a deficit. For me binge drinking once a week is a lot.

Lesa_Sass

I just hear so much that alcohol hinders the process of fat burning regardless of being in a deficit. For me binge drinking once a week is a lot.

It has been my experience that 6 weeks is how long it takes to start noticing a change. If you can do it for 2 months, you may be able to see a difference, especially in your face. All it takes is wrapping your head around the fact that fun can be had with out alcohol. Which is easier said than done. I will promise you this, you will NEVER EVER regret waking up after a night of not binge drinking and regret it, ever.

apothecarist

I used to drink a light beer or glass of wine every night with my dinner, but after counting calories and seeing how many calories this takes up, I decided to stop. It's been about 4months and I personally don't miss not having alcohol and would rather reserve those cals for something good to eat.

bcattoes

I drank wine with dinner every day while losing and while maintaining the loss. I've just started trying to lose some more and now I'm only drinking on weekends, but I haven't noticed any change in weight loss. The change was for personal reasons not weight related.

lisamarie1780

I just hear so much that alcohol hinders the process of fat burning regardless of being in a deficit. For me binge drinking once a week is a lot.

Yeah I am a social drinker as well and find that it effects how much exercise I can do the next day etc. I have decided to cut it out completely for June but that's because I know for me personally, it will help me train better, harder, longer ... it doesn't effect everyone the same way though. I just know it hinders me exercise wise :frown:

DesireeAshley90

I've been losing on average 8lbs a month with maybe one beer a month. I drank this passed two weekends in a row and didn't lose crap. All I know is it shouldn't be done in excess and frequently.

curtdfw

I've haven't noticed a difference minus alcohol unless it gets in the way of dragging my butt out of bed to get the the gym. The key to my 31 lb. drop has been cutting sugar out of my diet.