I need to quit drinking to get healthy!

BarbaraCarr1981

I've come to finally realize that I totally need to quit drinking in order to reach my fitness goals. Even though I only drink 3-4 times a year, each one a is a gooder and too much alcohol is involved which leads me to do/feel the following: Smoke cigarettes. Eat junk during drinking. Eat junk the next day and lay in bed. Feel fat the next day. Feel like a loser the next day. Im even pretty sure that if certain drugs were present while im drinking, that I would do them.
These are all good reasons not to drink. Now here is one VERY important reason I should not drink. D I A B E T E S - I have it! Type 1. Other very good reasons are: sabotaging my healthy eating all week by bombarding with junk food from drinking, not exercising due to hangover and feeling like lazy loser. Alcohol is BAD on both my mental and physical health! It is not worth it to feel good for a few hours at the bar dancing and stuff. I need to learn to dance sober and that's it!
Anyways, Im looking for people's thoughts and advice on how I can make this happen! I don't consider myself an alcoholic but sure enough, it does run in my family. I just think that drinking isn't for me because it's ruining my fitness goals and messing up my diabetes.

kimosabe1

I drink once a year-or twice.... New year & my birthday... Last year I wound up in the ER because I had New Years punch loaded with alcohol & sugar. In the Emergency Room I would up over 500 on my blood glucose....

cosmonew

Give it up. Honestly, noone should really care whether you drink alcohol or not... Most will be pleased that you can be the designated driver. I have not drank for almost 6 years.. though difficult at first (because I am an alcoholic) it is second nature to not have it now. Spend those calories on Good food and drinks.

Roe333

Hi there....
After joining Hello Sunday Morning in 2011 I've since been completely clean of alcohol....coming from an alcoholic family and starting to head that way myself- this is a massive achievement!!!!
It is VERY VERY EASY.
Just google HSM (Hello Sunday Morning) and it will change your life!!!!

SummerLovesPhil

Make a decision not to drink, and then don't. You don't go too far into what's getting between you and that step, though. If you need to learn to dance sober, sign up for some dancing lessons--they double as exercise. If it's social anxiety, you can see a counselor about that. If you find you really do have a drinking problem, like you can't stop once you've started, then you might consider a program or counseling just for that.

BarbaraCarr1981

I drink once a year-or twice.... New year & my birthday... Last year I wound up in the ER because I had New Years punch loaded with alcohol & sugar. In the Emergency Room I would up over 500 on my blood glucose....

OMG not good! Not please to say that that has happened to me a few times. Sucks and it's stupid....

BarbaraCarr1981

Make a decision not to drink, and then don't. You don't go too far into what's getting between you and that step, though. If you need to learn to dance sober, sign up for some dancing lessons--they double as exercise. If it's social anxiety, you can see a counselor about that. If you find you really do have a drinking problem, like you can't stop once you've started, then you might consider a program or counseling just for that.

Probably social anxiety more so...cause when i try to dance sober i'm thinking "do people think I look weird? I can't do this? They prob do think i dance weird" lol. But if im drunk. I don't care what-so-ever. It's like a drink is a drink of confidence and courage to me.

BarbaraCarr1981

Hi there....
After joining Hello Sunday Morning in 2011 I've since been completely clean of alcohol....coming from an alcoholic family and starting to head that way myself- this is a massive achievement!!!!
It is VERY VERY EASY.
Just google HSM (Hello Sunday Morning) and it will change your life!!!!

Looks like that program is designed to go a period of time with out drinking. That's easy! Been there, done that. I got pregnant so obviously i didn't drink and then after having the baby is hard to find the time and a babysitter to go out and drink SO going a period of time without drinking is simple for me. It's just wen i do decide to go out, i get drunk and eat like a pig and feel like a fat loser the next day. I don't want that anymore. Im thinking of completely cutting it out. Maybe with that, I will **** up 3-4 times less per year with my diet and exercise. Do you follow?

kw1452

I support your reasoning. I too tend to go overboard with my drinking. But I am working on finding a healthy balance, like telling myself that if I have one more drink Ill have to walk home which is no fun. Over time I am finding myself drinking less and less often, except for wine at home (I enjoy that pretty often).

It may be that you need to change your drinking situation so you dont go so overboard. My best friend used to be a bartender. That made for loads of smashed nights. Now I spend time with friends who drink very little when they go out, so my getting hammered would be embarrasing. I also just dont go out much anymore, I prefer hiking and eating dinner rather than ordering shots at a crowded bar.

But if you feel you should just quit, then do so. Especially if you drink that infrequently - its not like quitting is going to change your life. It might even improve your life. And if you feel socially awkward, find other ways to overcome it - like dont bother getting on the dance floor if it makes you uncomfortable sober.

trudijoy

Alcohol isn't the devil. I still have a drink most nights. It's the fact that many people don't understand the difference between having a drink and drinking. Enjoying a glass of wine or a beer or something at night is not the same as getting drunk frequently.

If you want to stop drinking alcohol then great, but I don't believe it's necessary to give up alcohol altogether in order to be healthy.

DebbieLyn63

Hi there....
After joining Hello Sunday Morning in 2011 I've since been completely clean of alcohol....coming from an alcoholic family and starting to head that way myself- this is a massive achievement!!!!
It is VERY VERY EASY.
Just google HSM (Hello Sunday Morning) and it will change your life!!!!

Looks like that program is designed to go a period of time with out drinking. That's easy! Been there, done that. I got pregnant so obviously i didn't drink and then after having the baby is hard to find the time and a babysitter to go out and drink SO going a period of time without drinking is simple for me. It's just wen i do decide to go out, i get drunk and eat like a pig and feel like a fat loser the next day. I don't want that anymore. Im thinking of completely cutting it out. Maybe with that, I will **** up 3-4 times less per year with my diet and exercise. Do you follow?

I completely get this. I was never addicted to alcohol, and never drank at home. But when I would go out dancing, I would inevitably have too much to drink and make many bad decisions. I finally just had to stop going out at all for awhile, then try going out with the intent to not drink anything, and brought an accountability partner along to make sure I stuck to the plan. I figured out that I had just as good a time sober, but didn't have the regrets in the morning.

Looking back, I WAS on my way to becoming an alcoholic, and had some close calls with the law, that could have really screwed up my future. I was lucky to have dodged that bullet, and to have cut out the booze before it cost me dearly.
With the Diabetes, you have an even greater risk to your health and to your life.
So just make the decision to cut it out, and do it. You can have a great time, and be yourself, without the booze.

DebbieLyn63

Alcohol isn't the devil. I still have a drink most nights. It's the fact that many people don't understand the difference between having a drink and drinking. Enjoying a glass of wine or a beer or something at night is not the same as getting drunk frequently.

If you want to stop drinking alcohol then great, but I don't believe it's necessary to give up alcohol altogether in order to be healthy.

Did you miss the part about her having Type 1 Diabetes? Every doctor will agree that alcohol and diabetes do not mix well. In her case, she DOES need to cut it out to be healthy.

SummerLovesPhil

Probably social anxiety more so...cause when i try to dance sober i'm thinking "do people think I look weird? I can't do this? They prob do think i dance weird" lol. But if im drunk. I don't care what-so-ever. It's like a drink is a drink of confidence and courage to me.

I think that's true for a lot of people. I totally support your decision to give up alcohol too and wish you the best of luck.

trudijoy

Alcohol isn't the devil. I still have a drink most nights. It's the fact that many people don't understand the difference between having a drink and drinking. Enjoying a glass of wine or a beer or something at night is not the same as getting drunk frequently.

If you want to stop drinking alcohol then great, but I don't believe it's necessary to give up alcohol altogether in order to be healthy.

Did you miss the part about her having Type 1 Diabetes? Every doctor will agree that alcohol and diabetes do not mix well. In her case, she DOES need to cut it out to be healthy.

Yes I did... Oops. Totally agree that if she has diabetes she needs to cut it out. However, this isn't the case for everyone.

Gkfrkv

I'm lucky since the social circle I'm in now isn't really big on alcohol. I got over the binge drinking before I was 19. Getting blackout drunk just doesn't seem like a good time after the first dozen times. I do enjoy a glass of sherry or desert wine every now and then, but I stick to 1 unit of alcohol.

DebbieLyn63

I drink once a year-or twice.... New year & my birthday... Last year I wound up in the ER because I had New Years punch loaded with alcohol & sugar. In the Emergency Room I would up over 500 on my blood glucose....

OMG not good! Not please to say that that has happened to me a few times. Sucks and it's stupid....

Is that your little boy in your profile pic? If so, then take care of your health for him. Don't take chances that could leave him growing up without you.
He needs you.

BarbaraCarr1981

I drink once a year-or twice.... New year & my birthday... Last year I wound up in the ER because I had New Years punch loaded with alcohol & sugar. In the Emergency Room I would up over 500 on my blood glucose....

OMG not good! Not please to say that that has happened to me a few times. Sucks and it's stupid....

Is that your little boy in your profile pic? If so, then take care of your health for him. Don't take chances that could leave him growing up without you.
He needs you.

I know!!!! And my incidences happened long before i gave birth to him......

lambchoplewis

I am a functioning alcoholic. I was drinking about 1.5L of wine every evening - yes that much. I gave up alcohol for over a year and got to my goal weight. Then came summer and I started with just one glass on the patio. This led to two etc until I started drinking at 3pm and drank until I needed to go to bed. I gained back some of the weight and got pissed at myself. Did not like feeling sick and tired all the time. I am off the wine and feel much better. I know the lbs will come back off.

I wish I could have just one or two glasses every now and then. Not sure this will ever happen.

BarbaraCarr1981

Yep! I know what needs to be done. Just gotta stick with the plan and not until after next weekend. lol. Staff party this weekend and i wanna drink for it. One last gooder.......

gogozinn

You definitely have a wealth of good advice/encouragement already, but let me reiterate.

If you have a problem with drinking, then you know the obvious solution is to run from it and never look back. I can support that decision, as most of your friends/family/whomever would. I enjoy drinking, but I have come a long way to where now I drink mostly at home, by myself, maybe once or twice a week, and in prude moderation.

Since August and I've been working on my weight, managing my diabetes (type 2 with 9.7 A1C), I haven't had the desire to drink, to improve on my results. I actually have planned that on Friday evenings I would have a drink while I watch TV, and only on ONE of those occasions did I do it, and I just had a Seagram's cooler. Part of my work-related health plan gives us steps to follow for improvement, and my nutrition plan said "limit alcohol consumption" So to be able to click that button off each week, I just didn't drink. Anyway, November 1, with my exercise gradually building and major changes in food choices, my A1C is now 7.5. And of course, last night I wanted to have a drink to celebrate finding this out, but I couldn't decide, or bring myself to, on a healthy combination (gotta have juice/soda/etc to mix), so I didn't have a drink.

If you want to make the choice, you will. And with most things, if you want to be successful, you will do it in a way that's reasonable for you. And don't forget to count your victories to make it worthwhile to YOU.
Take baby steps...
Tiny leaps...
Weeks at a time....
A PLUNGE....
Make wise decisions, and it doesn't mean deprivation, unless that's the healthiest, wisest choice for you to make!

janer4jc

Kudos to you (except for the one last gooder). Not drinking is a good healthy move for your diabetes.