Giving up drinking?

MissMissle

I hear ya... I much enjoy grabbing some beers with friends but MAN those calories add up quickly... (See Saturday diary, i was like, 1000 calories over)

Being at University it's even harder because you are right smack in the middle of that going out culture - plus its easier to drink any day of the week because you may not have class or work at 5 am the next day!

Drinking is a social thing... so here's what I do...
- Pick a spirit you like - like bacardi, and get it wil diet soda, or vodka with soda water and a splash of juice. Drink it slowly, and as the ice metls, ask for more ice. The drink still tastes yummy, lasts longer, and doesn't have as many calories as some of those college trendy micro brews that put on my freshman 15 way back when!
- After every drink, order a water....with a lemon wedge, a lime wedge, and a cherry hey why not! Or, jazz it up with a soda water and a splash of cranberry with lime! I mean these are basically cocktails in themselves, just sans booze, they are tasty, you can still hold a drink close to your chest while you chat (you know the drink hold pose) and feel social, plus with all that fruity jazz in your cup you wont have to succumb to the over and over and over question again and again of "why aren't you drinking????" because they will think you are....
- If you want to go the beer route just do a bud select... I think they are like 66 calories, and of course, a water in the other hand...

FraggleRockerFitnessLover

I am a fan of nightcaps and working on limiting them, which to me is hard, because I am just not ready to do that. I like to relax after a long day with a Vodka/Diet Tonic as it's lower calorie. I have for the most part given up my love of red red wine. I believe eat or drink what you want, when you want it, but be mindful of portion control. Life is too short to limit things you like. If you want some motha ****a puffed Cheetos on the side, eat them, just make room in your daily intake. It's really not rocket science, intake+burns+logging=success....

DWBalboa

Well how much are you willing to commit to it, because the best way to stop is to remove yourself from the equation, i.e. the bar scene. The temptation is going to be too great to go there with your friends and not drink; you’ll tell yourself well I’ll have just one, that’ll lead to two and so on. Just find things to do rather than going to the bar’s, movies, show’s, etc. Although, have a few from time to time is not a bad thing either. Perhaps allow yourself a single night out a week, that way you minimize the intake that way. I stopped drinking for the most part after the 1st of the year, and maybe have drunk on 12 occasions and only heavy on 3 or 4 of those times. The others were 1 or two glasses of vino while relaxing in the hot tub.
I can’t say how much my limiting my drinking has aided to my weight lost as I have changed several factors but I’m sure that it has.
Good luck and best wishes.
V/r,
DW

sugarlips1980

I've found myself in the same boat. Though I'm 33 - must be even more tempting when you're a young student! It's good that you've started to notice how calorific alcohol is! It is a shame to work so hard on dietary changes and exercise, only to blow it on boozing at the weekends. Also, if you're really hungover, you have a day or two wasted, stopping you from exercising that day.

But I think you have to be realistic. Whenever I decide I'm giving up booze I never stick to it. There's always someone's birthday, or work drinks etc. And now it's summer!

I've cut down by introducing a few rules.

a) I stick to one drink, usually soda water and a single vodka with a splash of lime (75 cals) or a small dry white wine spritzer (120 cals with soda water). Avoid cocktails.

b) I aim to drink 4 of these on a night out by slowing down and having a break in between. I can end up going over by about two or three glasses on a proper night out but that's still good for me!

c) No mid week drinking in the house, which personally I hardly did anyway.

d) I get in a good exercise session that day to 'earn' my booze cals, say about 500-700 cals. Then I often find I can stay within my calories for the day. Never try to cut back on meals to allow for extra booze cals, been there, that's a disaster!!!

I've realised I feel so much better for having enjoyed a night out, spending less, not losing my phone/keys/purse and not wasting the whole weekend and being on track with my weight loss goals.

biggsterjackster

Are you addicted to alcohol? If not, its easy, just don't order it.

shadowdancer5776

Not only is alcohol high in calories....but it prevents the liver from burning any fat from the food you eat. So you get a double whammy there. That's how I gained 40 pounds without even blinking. Some drinks here and there and viola. It's the worst thing you can do for your looks and waistline. A girlfriend of mine gave it up completely cause she'd rather go nothing rather than try to moderate, and she lost 30 pounds without even changing her diet. She's gorgeous now and just got married!
Alcohol is also a nasty habit that gets worse and uglier the more time goes on. It may be fun now, but when the scale slowly climbs up and the wrinkles on the face get worse and then the things we do when we drink tend to get worse and worse (which they inevitably do over the years), it's time to think about giving it up. Or at least cutting way back. So get ahead of the game now! Only allow yourself a few drinks on special occasions or one day on the weekend and that's it! It's up to you and how serious you are about looking hot and being svelte and sexy. Is the alcohol really worth it?:flowerforyou:

DWBalboa

Well how much are you willing to commit to it, because the best way to stop is to remove yourself from the equation, i.e. the bar scene. The temptation is going to be too great to go there with your friends and not drink; you’ll tell yourself well I’ll have just one, that’ll lead to two and so on. Just find things to do rather than going to the bar’s, movies, show’s, etc. Although, have a few from time to time is not a bad thing either. Perhaps allow yourself a single night out a week, that way you minimize the intake that way. I stopped drinking for the most part after the 1st of the year, and maybe have drunk on 12 occasions and only heavy on 3 or 4 of those times. The others were 1 or two glasses of vino while relaxing in the hot tub.
I can’t say how much my limiting my drinking has aided to my weight lost as I have changed several factors but I’m sure that it has.
Good luck and best wishes.
V/r,
DW

BTW, prior to my commitment to get into better shape I was drinking on average 1-3 bottles of wine a week with several beers and rum’s and whatever’s mixed in there. I’d finish a fifth of rum of at least once a month with the wine and beers. I would have usually 1-2 glasses of wine a night and on the weekends would really mix it up.

V/r,
DW

caseythirteen

I get the draw of having lots of drinks when out partying with your friends during the college years. If you want to cut back though, you could also try getting water in between drinks. It will cut back on the number you end up drinking and keep you hydrated so hopefully reduce the hangover affects of alcohol. A few times of doing this and you will hopefully realize that you can have just a couple and still have a great time.

willrun4bagels

I've gone from higher calorie beers, ciders, sugary mixed cocktails, etc., to a few glasses of wine, chapmagne, or a lighter beer once a week (sometimes once every other week). I've tried vodka or rum with diet soda, and I hate the taste of it. I fit my drinks into my daily calorie allotment. If I don't have enough calories for 3 glasses of wine, then I won't have 3, but if I do have enough calories... I certainly will! :drinker: Losing weight has also made me kind of a lightweight... so now that one glass of wine has more of an effect on me than it used to, and I don't drink as much. I had friends that used to call me "The Hollow Leg" in college because I could drink so much.

velvet_violence

Lately since counting my calories it seems I can't put them away like I used to. Or, you know, have more than one and a half pints/drinks in a sitting. It seems I may have a sensitivity as well. I have been having tonics lately for calorie counts, and having a water in between drinks if it even gets that far. Also trying to orient activities around other things is helpful, too. Personally I don't think I could give it up completely as it is sometimes expected in my social circumstances, but it's nice when it isn't a focal point.

Squamation

When I go out drinking I get low-calories drinks (look them up online and have the recipe handy on your phone to show the bartender).

I always pre-log that day so that even with the drinks I don't go over my calorie limit.

I pace myself- 1 alcohol, 1 glass of water (repeat)

When I drink at home I do the same, but its WAY cheaper.

I've been able to see progress while still drinking. Could I get better progress if I cut it out all together? Probably, but I'm not at that point. I at most 7 alcoholic drinks a week, some weeks as little as none.

Also this really works: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQFmKPA-iAg

I would suggest not doing it around judgmental people as they will give you weird looks. But I've done it and was happily surprised with the results.

Brooke4206

I am also a university student and gained the freshman 15 due to drinking a considerable amount thursday-saturday. I cut it out completely and lost 20.

GBrady43068

My honest advice?:

Do NOT "give it up" unless you have a medical reason. If you're currently drinking 4 cans of cider, going to ZERO will just make you continually crave it and get bitter about your "diet" that's costing you something you love. And when you crave it strongly enough, you'll be heading out to the bar and going crazy on the drinking.

That having been said, yes it's clear that LOTS of alcohol = LOTS of calories. So you'll definely want to cut down the number of calories you take in...there's a couple ways to do that that won't be as painful and might be habits you can keep long-term.

1) If you currently are doing "nights out" several times a week, trim it back to ONE.
2) If you know tonight is "night out" night, PRE-LOG that day...meaning plan out calories in advance for breakfast/lunch and keep them on the lowish side to allow for more calories that night.
3) If at all possible, get in some extra exercise the day you're going out.
4) Substitute some of the cider consumption with either LOWER-cal drinks...wine if you like it (there's also scientiific evidence that MODERATE intake of wine has health effects, I usually see red wines referenced for this)...vodka if you like it...OR
5) Instead of 4 ciders, do cider....glass of water...cider....glass of water (This also has two other advantages..you get more water...and it counteracts the dehydrating effect of alcohol. There's a reason people say alcohol is full of vitamin "P".)
6) You can also volunteer to be the designated driver more often. Some bars will let the designated driver get their (non-alcoholic obviously) drinks for free even if it's not "ladie's night". :drinker:

GretaGirl8

it is great that your are taking action for your health.

PRMinx

Are you addicted to alcohol? If not, its easy, just don't order it.

In to say....WOW...this is so helpful.

GBrady43068

Are you addicted to alcohol? If not, its easy, just don't order it.

In to say....WOW...this is so helpful.

Ditto. I'm not "addicted" to alchohol...in fact, I probably drink a grand total of 5 alchoholic drinks a YEAR. But I'm not a teetotaler either and don't see the need to completely abandon something I enjoy upon occasion.

DavePFJ

I cut down to one day a week, usually Saturday. A few years ago I'd go through 40-50 beers on the weekend. Now I struggle to get through a 6 pack. I'm just not into beer that much anymore. I might switch to hard alcohol soon. I can get drunker for less calories and bloat.


Usually the food decisions people make when drunk are just as bad as the drinking itself.

PRMinx

Are you addicted to alcohol? If not, its easy, just don't order it.

In to say....WOW...this is so helpful.

Ditto. I'm not "addicted" to alchohol...in fact, I probably drink a grand total of 5 alchoholic drinks a YEAR. But I'm not a teetotaler either and don't see the need to completely abandon something I enjoy upon occasion.

Hold. The. Phone.

You mean you can enjoy alcohol and not want to give it up AND not be addicted. I've never heard of such folly.

asciiqwerty

Do you guys have any suggestions on how to cut back on alcohol?

Log it accurately, and make yourself accountable

If you're heading out - why not make sure your diary is up to date and work out how many drink you can have and still meet your calorie deficit goal.

I'm not a fan of cutting out any particular items from what i eat as I intend my weight loss to be a long term sustaineable project, not part of a yoyo cycle.

So I drink when I want to, but I log accurately too.

I often complete my meal log before deciding whether to have a drink or not, and at home i weigh/measure everything including alcohol.

marzajones

I second that I don't drink anymore and have substituted with soda and lime! Its also a long, refreshing and very cheap drink. All the best to you!