Alcohol?
slimbyjune18
Posts: 101 Member
Hi does anyone have any good tips for cutting down on alcohol? I love a glass or three of wine but this is my downfall. I don’t want to stop completely but realise it’s empty calories. Any nice alcohol free light calorie drinks you’ve found? I drink 2l of water a day, wine is my treat but I need to replace it! Thanks.
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Replies
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Make your wine a once a week treat. I measure out 5 ounces . Some things just aren't worth in comparison to the goal.0
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Diet ginger ale, meo flavor in water, and hot tea with Splenda are my favorites.0
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Don't buy bottles. Go to a restaurant or bar and get one glass. Make it a treat. That way you'll be less likely to drink the whole bottle.4
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Club soda, ginger ale, and hot tea are what I have been subbing for alcohol in general.2
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Depends on what type of wine you enjoy, but I found that a wine spritzer was satisfying with fewer calories: Lighter pour, say 3oz wine, ice, fill glass with sparking water. Only good with limited types of wine, though. Not a solution if dry reds are your only enthusiasm, probably.
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Thanks! I like these tips. I think I might need to do a few weeks off completely (maybe in January life is far too social in December!) and then reintroduce as more of a treat. Has anyone done that? I imagine it’s quite tough?0
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I'm slavishly sticking to a diet of 2,000 calories per day. I eat whatever I want, but it has to add up to 2k calories. It's amazing how many "bad" things for me to eat don't fit anymore. Anyway, I've found myself looking at everything and saying "is this worth it?". That one glass of wine is worth two eggs, 1.5 pieces of Sees candy, or a cup of broccoli florets with 2 Tbsp reduced fat ranch to dip them in. Skipping it entirely is worth 1/4 lb. per week, if you subscribe to the "cut 500 calories per day to lose 1 lb. per week" rule of thumb.
TL;DR: Is there any way you could drop 120 calories from your diet (but still get proper nutrition) and cut back to one glass of wine each day? If dropping the wine completely is not an option you either gotta cut something else out or accept the extra calories.
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Thank you zugmeister. I like the vizualization of what the wine means in food. I think I need to do a mixture of cutting down wine, occasionally cutting something else out & more exercise for the days I do want some. Thanks0
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I think it can be smart of you to figure out if wine is a genuine must-have, or a compulsion. I think that if you feel that you can't cut down in December, then you're not going to be able to cut it out completely in January. Remember that "tomorrow" is the perfect day for all the things we don't want to do.
I'm not a wine drinker, so I have to I imagine and compare it to how I handle my own "must-haves" and compulsions. Some of the big hurdles for me, was the feeling if not being in charge/control, that I "should" eat or avoid this and that, and that made me try desperately to restrict everything I enjoyed, only to overconsume anything later. Logging without judgement, but with a deeper awareness, helped me discover what was important to me, and what I could happily live without, and what actually just stressed me out. Now I eat more varied and balanced than ever, and enjoy food more than ever; I am more relaxed than ever, and I effortlessly maintain a healthy weight.3 -
I also like a drink and went for a long spell where I would have a couple every day. Middle of this year, traveling got me off schedule and I hadn't felt like drinking so I extended it for a full month of no booze once I got home. I do a week here and there now just to remind myself I am in control, and overall drink much less. I intersperse sometimes with La Croix more now, as often it's a situational habit - when I'm on the Playstation or something.1
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Every time I read people that have wine daily, I always assume they have an addiction or are close to it. If you feel like you can't cut out wine for a month, maybe you should look closer at your drinking habits. I rarely drink (1-3 times a year), but multiple times a week seems excessive to me.12
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Dry January. Spouse and I did this last year...after having a bottle every night in December...and wow, did it make a difference. We slept better, felt better, looked better. It was HARD, and we did have to avoid some social situations because we lack willpower, but it's a great way to reduce alcohol consumption, and then return to drinking more mindful of the amount you're consuming.
P.S. We also saved money...4 -
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brittneyalley wrote: »Every time I read people that have wine daily, I always assume they have an addiction or are close to it. If you feel like you can't cut out wine for a month, maybe you should look closer at your drinking habits. I rarely drink (1-3 times a year), but multiple times a week seems excessive to me.
Just because someone has wine daily does not mean they have an addiction or it is excessive for them. It is very normal in many cultures to enjoy it with dinner.7 -
brittneyalley wrote: »Every time I read people that have wine daily, I always assume they have an addiction or are close to it. If you feel like you can't cut out wine for a month, maybe you should look closer at your drinking habits. I rarely drink (1-3 times a year), but multiple times a week seems excessive to me.
Just because someone has wine daily does not mean they have an addiction or it is excessive for them. It is very normal in many cultures to enjoy it with dinner.
I realize that. I said it seems excessive to me. I said I assume they have an addiction or are close to it.
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brittneyalley wrote: »Every time I read people that have wine daily, I always assume they have an addiction or are close to it. If you feel like you can't cut out wine for a month, maybe you should look closer at your drinking habits. I rarely drink (1-3 times a year), but multiple times a week seems excessive to me.
Many doctors suggest wine daily. Are they suggesting folks develop an addiction?3 -
Moderation and count the calories. Stay within your calorie goal for the day. Other than that, no problem. General health recommendation are no more than 6 to 8 ounces per day for a women and 12 to 16 ounces for men per day.2
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Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »brittneyalley wrote: »Every time I read people that have wine daily, I always assume they have an addiction or are close to it. If you feel like you can't cut out wine for a month, maybe you should look closer at your drinking habits. I rarely drink (1-3 times a year), but multiple times a week seems excessive to me.
Many doctors suggest wine daily. Are they suggesting folks develop an addiction?
Many doctors suggest 1 glass of wine. Most people do not drink only 1 glass. Anything over 14 drinks/week gives you an elevated risk of developing dependency. If someone can't go a month without something, I'd say they are well on their way.
I don't really care how many drinks someone has a week.4 -
brittneyalley wrote: »Every time I read people that have wine daily, I always assume they have an addiction or are close to it. If you feel like you can't cut out wine for a month, maybe you should look closer at your drinking habits. I rarely drink (1-3 times a year), but multiple times a week seems excessive to me.
I drink 5 oz. wine most evenings. Trust me it's not an addiction. I dislike feeling buzzed, and even when sharing an occasional bottle over a nice dinner I don't drink more than two glasses. I would never feel the need to cut it out for a month just to prove I can. Different people are different.2 -
brittneyalley wrote: »Every time I read people that have wine daily, I always assume they have an addiction or are close to it. If you feel like you can't cut out wine for a month, maybe you should look closer at your drinking habits. I rarely drink (1-3 times a year), but multiple times a week seems excessive to me.
I drink 5 oz. wine most evenings. Trust me it's not an addiction. I dislike feeling buzzed, and even when sharing an occasional bottle over a nice dinner I don't drink more than two glasses. I would never feel the need to cut it out for a month just to prove I can. Different people are different.
Good for you.
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brittneyalley wrote: »brittneyalley wrote: »Every time I read people that have wine daily, I always assume they have an addiction or are close to it. If you feel like you can't cut out wine for a month, maybe you should look closer at your drinking habits. I rarely drink (1-3 times a year), but multiple times a week seems excessive to me.
Just because someone has wine daily does not mean they have an addiction or it is excessive for them. It is very normal in many cultures to enjoy it with dinner.
I realize that. I said it seems excessive to me. I said I assume they have an addiction or are close to it.
That's quite the assumption.3 -
brittneyalley wrote: »brittneyalley wrote: »Every time I read people that have wine daily, I always assume they have an addiction or are close to it. If you feel like you can't cut out wine for a month, maybe you should look closer at your drinking habits. I rarely drink (1-3 times a year), but multiple times a week seems excessive to me.
Just because someone has wine daily does not mean they have an addiction or it is excessive for them. It is very normal in many cultures to enjoy it with dinner.
I realize that. I said it seems excessive to me. I said I assume they have an addiction or are close to it.
That's quite the assumption.
Sure is.
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I am trying to quit completely. I found that I would use up calories that could be spent on nourishing food and saving them for empty ones in wine. Then I would have a couple more because hey, I had saved the calories and I deserved it and it would only be a little over goal, and still under maintenance, then I finished the bottle and ate 3 grilled cheeses because I was starving because I saved my food points for wine.
anyhoo...I'm sure that's not the case with you, except if it is you may consider quitting totally 0 -
I drink a lot, mostly beer. In a week, I probably drink about 3 six packs. I make room for it in my diet and if that means no dinner so I can drink more, so be it. I actually consider it to be carb loading for some heavy lifting sessions or longer runs.
Bottom line- plan it into your day and if you have to take something else out, then see what you can skip. Or, burn extra calories at the gym.0 -
Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »brittneyalley wrote: »Every time I read people that have wine daily, I always assume they have an addiction or are close to it. If you feel like you can't cut out wine for a month, maybe you should look closer at your drinking habits. I rarely drink (1-3 times a year), but multiple times a week seems excessive to me.
Many doctors suggest wine daily. Are they suggesting folks develop an addiction?
I am definitely not saying that a glass of wine a day is an addiction though it might be...if you NEED that glass of wine. But a lot of doctors are also alcoholics and every bit as good at justifying as anybody else. Studies are increasingly showing no benefits to drinking alcohol and that even the famous heart benefits from red wine are the same as drinking a glass of grape juice without the cancer causing effects of alcohol. just sayin.1 -
I don’t drink daily, generally have 3/4 days clear a week. It’s more cutting it back on the 3/4 days I do. I enjoy it like others would candy or crisps. I realize it’s empty calories & do a lot of running to compensate. I will probably do a dry January to boost the weight loss & prep for a half marathon. Was after advice from others as to how you’ve achieved it & some nice other drinks.1
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I also am trying to get a grip on this, and it would probably be better if I cut it out altogether, but I kinda love my nightly wine. What I'm doing lately, and this seems to work, it to have two glasses, each with 1/4 cup of wine, very carefully measured out. I find winging the measuring doesn't work. This makes me feel like I'm having more than I am. I've also stopped drinking any wine a couple of days a week, usually Mon and Tues., and may expand that to more days or start limiting the wine to just weekends. Have substituted Celestial Seasonings herbal tea after dinner on the nonwine days, and it's pretty satisfying. I also love diet gingerale and diet tonic and lime.1
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I also am trying to get a grip on this, and it would probably be better if I cut it out altogether, but I kinda love my nightly wine. What I'm doing lately, and this seems to work, it to have two glasses, each with 1/4 cup of wine, very carefully measured out. I find winging the measuring doesn't work. This makes me feel like I'm having more than I am. I've also stopped drinking any wine a couple of days a week, usually Mon and Tues., and may expand that to more days or start limiting the wine to just weekends. Have substituted Celestial Seasonings herbal tea after dinner on the nonwine days, and it's pretty satisfying. I also love diet gingerale and diet tonic and lime.
Well done you! I think it’s about getting the balance. I will get measuring as well.0 -
I'm with you !!! Wine is a Great thing ! And as long as it fits in your plan were good !2
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