For those who quit have quit drinking and started a diet at the same time...

Niki_Fitz

sam72691 wrote: »

So, I'm trying (once again) to get back on track to losing weight after reaching my highest weight ever. I do drink probably between 2-5 cocktails daily when not dieting (bad, I know). When I try to stick to a diet, I say to myself that I'm allowed 1-2 glasses of wine a day but somehow it ends up being 3-4 or more and makes me eat more since alcohol makes me more hungry and less strict about eating. I've now decided it's best for me if I just cut out alcohol if I really hope to lose weight and get healthy, but I'm finding it so hard to quit drinking AND cut calories. After work, I always had a routine of cocktails and eating (usually uhealthy food and too much of it), so I'm finding it really hard to change. Now when I get home, I get really fidgety and antsy and can't stop thinking about the food/drink cravings. I'm hoping it'll get easier with time but I'm hoping to get some advice from those who quit drinking and started dieting at the same time, what worked for you? Did it get easier over time?

It does get easier over time. I challenged myself to alcohol-free months, every few months. It was really, really hard at first. I had become a daily drinker, just one drink a day or on alternate days, but my body was pretty dependent and I drank a lot in the weekends. I wanted to kill someone the first time I stopped drinking completely. It was a horrible month. But each new drying-out period got easier. I am barely drinking these days. Over two years I have had maybe six completely “dry” months, and I set goals to limit my drinking in between. Sometimes I bent the rules but if I felt myself slipping backwards I would set another alcohol-free goal.

Logging calories was helpful during this time because the upside to drinking less is that there are more calories available for delicious food. There are also alcohol-free threads here in the community that you might join. Again, it was really hard, but you can totally do it. Be patient with yourself and realize it will take a while to change.

alicemarshall2

I've also cut down to just special occasions since new years... Thought there seem to be more occasions when I don't want there to be any 😂 I am no longer drinking every night though 👍 though it is pretty disappointing giving up my nightly bourbon after dealing with uni and a three year old all day... and then not even waking up skinny

alicemarshall2

Add me if you like anyone and everyone

SirMxyzptlk

I am not a big drinker and never have been, but I like having a beer with meals. So I just figure it into everything.