No Alcohol?

tal202

I am giving up the booze for a mixture of reasons (partially because of the unnecessary calories but also because it can can prove to be bad for your emotional and physical health) but as a girl who enjoys a glass of wine in the evening, and a few more at the weekend, I am kind of nervous of having this goal.

So I was wondering whether anyone out there is either considering this too, or has already tried successfully (or unsuccessfully) and has any advice or words of support? Cheers!

ErinMarie25

I was never a big drinker much, but once in a while I like a glass of wine, but I have pretty much taken it out of my diet. On a rare occasion I will have a glass or I will have a drink at a restaurant.

aehenson

I cut out all alcohol for 4 months earlier this year & the weight fell off. It's a good goal & will help your progress!

danmullen

I used to drink red wine at home regularly, as well as a few beers or G&Ts on nights out. I've now practically cut out drinking at home, although I have had the odd glass of red wine as a treat, (staying within my daily calorie goal though). Also, when I go on a night out I now have single gin and slimline tonics. I've only been a member for seven weeks but I seem to be doing really well so far. I think it really makes it difficult if you completely deprive yourself of anything.

Chipperoo23

I used to be the "party girl". At first I just downgraded to "light" beverages. And then my boyfriend (now my husband) told me that I might have a problem. And that was it. No more drinking for me. But just like anything, if you are used to doing something, it's better to have a little than none at all. I have one maybe two drinks a month. But I would really focus on cutting back moreso before you cut out. You'll probably be more successful that way.

maryrshstattoo

I'm struggling with this myself. I enjoy a drink after along day and I alot the calories just don't know if that makes a difference. I'm losing just very slowly.

ErinMarie25

Alcohol, to me, is not even worth taken calories away during the day. Which is why I will have a drink rarely. Usually on a cheat day.

canbecanbe

I am giving up the booze for a mixture of reasons (partially because of the unnecessary calories but also because it can can prove to be bad for your emotional and physical health) but as a girl who enjoys a glass of wine in the evening, and a few more at the weekend, I am kind of nervous of having this goal.

So I was wondering whether anyone out there is either considering this too, or has already tried successfully (or unsuccessfully) and has any advice or words of support? Cheers!

I was a bartender before children so i use to drink not a lot but i always had a full bar 2 years ago i just stopped for my health i dident find it too hard but i did get very attached to my ipod in the arvo to drown out the children for a short while

Sezmo83

I used to drink a lot but pretty much gave it up a few years ago and just have the occasional drink now. The biggest problem I had was people trying to force alcohol on me when out. The whole "oh it's just one drink, it won't kill you" "Come on, you gotta have one, it's a party" and stuff like that can be difficult.

rhallett

I still have a drink once and a while, but I plan for it based on my calorie limits for the day. I simply find that I don'w want it as much as I did before. No conscious decision, just an outcome of the plan. Good luck!

fitbot

it is hard at first. I do it once in a while, am single and go out a lot, and live in a city there booze is involved in everything (even going to the movies).
I find that people don't even notice if you are or are not drinking. if you are at a club then drinking water or soda water is totally ok, and I find that you can last dancing way longer.
at dinner i usually order some kinda awesome fancy alcohol free drink so that I still feel like i am having a treat (for example ginger mint lemonades with pomegranate- yum).

when you start drinking again i find that you approach it differently. For example I will have one glass of wine instead of 7.
good luck!
and if you fall off the wagon don't beat yourself up. just have a green tea, a banana and lots of water and get at it again.

andy13

I had the same problem when I first started, and I slipped up in the second week when went out drinking with my friends, I had 8 pints and a great night, But when I added up my totals the next day I had gone over my calories by 1000, oops. Now whenever I get tempted to go out I always look back to that page and it puts me off. If I have to go out I will have a few vodka tonics as there are far less calories in them than there are in wine or beer. I actually read somewhere that alcohol has the second highest calorie content of all foods at 7 calories per gram, second only to fat.

judelyon

I am in exactly the same position as you - I love my wine and have wanted to lose weight and for general health as well and I have been a very heavy drinker for quite some time now, although I have started to make a few changes which surprisingly I have found haven't been too difficult for me.

I pour myself a large glass of wine each night and make it last - (it still equates to about a half bottle) but i take small sips. I clock watch too just to make sure I pace myself and I I also down a small glass of water over the course of the evening as well. I'm also a smoker too and when I go outside for a ciggerrette I don't take my glass of wine wihth me. i have found this helps and i do feel better for it. Best of luck!

Rappla88

I tried to give it up completely just for a month to see what happens with my weight loss....however, that has proved to be difficult (I really like having a glass or two of wine!). However I have made some great changes as far as my drinking habits... I did give up drinking during the workweek... that for me is a must!! And to be honest.... I actually haven't really missed it!! I'm doing p90x and the workouts take a lot out of me and I don't even want to have anything to drink after. When I do want to have a drink I limit myself to just 1 day on the weekend... and I do my best to be sure to account for it in my calories, and most of the time I can squeeze it in so that I'm not over (or only over a little bit) So far for the entire 4 weeks I've been doing p90x, I have had a total of 8 glasses of wine... which for me is REALLY good!!! Good luck and hope it works out for you!!!

Amarillo_NDN

If you check the facts, you will find that one glass of red wine a day does have a healthy effect. Problem with most people is, they can't just stick with one glass a day.

With all things in life, moderation is the key to being healthy.

ANNIET2006

I cut this out two months ago!! Never really thought about all the calories until I started trying to lost the weight

stormieweather

Alcohol also slows your metabolism temporarily, so whatever you ate (usually high fat crap) while out drinking isn't burned as fast as normal, leaving more of it to be turned into fat.

SweetPandora

I have wine with dinner every night 1 to 2 glasses. I enjoy it and I log it. I don't drink any other alcohol.

I have given it up a couple of times for two weeks during a detox. I must admit I did miss it. I kept using my wine glass and filled it with water at dinner.

Karen

glypta

I have always been a typical 'binge drinker'. I've never drunk during the week, but I'd hit Friday and sometimes also Saturday and 'go out drinking'. I cut back last January, for calorie as well as other reasons, and I feel it's made a difference. If not, it's certainly easier. I would always 'need' chips and cheese (french fries and cheese for you guys across the pond) on my way, home but most damagingly would be the quantities of food I'd feel I needed the following day. And it wasn't brocolli!

So now I rarely drink, but refuse to say that I no longer do (though realistically my last night 'drinking' was a few on August 28th and several with my best friend in Amsterdam at the end of July. I do enjoy it, and admittedly I enjoy it to excess, but now rarely, rather than every weekend.

tgh1914

If you check the facts, you will find that one glass of red wine a day does have a healthy effect. Problem with most people is, they can't just stick with one glass a day.

With all things in life, moderation is the key to being healthy.

You can get the same benefits from grape juice. Better yet, eat whole grapes and get all the above plus the fiber.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/food-and-nutrition/AN00576

springbreeze72

I hear ya. I have a boyfriend who LOVES beer and his best friend comes over most weekends and drinks a whole bottle of vodka during one sitting (a night). I have fallen into the pattern and had two bottles of wine over the weekend! Seriously?! So this is going to be something that is not only a personal issue but I don't have any support from the person I live with in that area. He loves his beer and it will be up to me to not drink when him and his best friend party. This seriously will be a big goal to obtain. I do go to a social club on Saturdays regarding people effected by drinking so this may aid in this but I am just a beginner. I applaud that you are thining about it and that is the first step:flowerforyou:

OMGG

I drink far to much when i meet up with my girlfriends SO do they... Once a month, Hardley touch it in between, but i'm sure my one night is worse than a couple a week!

TMLS

When I was diagnosed with diabetes, I did a bit of reading on alcohol and found that it can have an effect on your blood sugar. Not enough to stop completely, but enough to limit your intake. So I just gave it up and haven't touched a drop since.

Sure, it's been hard - I didn't drink more than once or twice a week, but when I did drink it would usually be excessive so it definitely had a big impact on me. But I've gotten used to it over the months now, and am happy enough with my decision. I get the odd temptation, but the fact it's been so long for me now is a big enough spur - just to keep it going.

Muchloveerica

Alcohol, to me, is not even worth taken calories away during the day. Which is why I will have a drink rarely. Usually on a cheat day.

I've been told a lot by others... you don't want to drink your calories. I agree on not being worth the calories during the day. So far so good BUT I've been craving a glass (or three) of white wine. How often to you take a cheat day?? Do you let loose or still keep a count?

FemininGuns

I used to drink a lot but pretty much gave it up a few years ago and just have the occasional drink now. The biggest problem I had was people trying to force alcohol on me when out. The whole "oh it's just one drink, it won't kill you" "Come on, you gotta have one, it's a party" and stuff like that can be difficult.

This is the hardest thing! Especially when people do not understanding why you say no to booze! They will ask like 100 times, and even though you keep saying no - it's like you've just killed someone.

Be ready to have the "peer pressure" and be stern with your decision... After a while they will recognize that you are strong and courrageous to keep with your goals. I think that's probably why they want you to drink - it causes them to look at their behaviour...

Anyway, I chose not to drink because of how I would feel 2-3 days after... It didn't have to be a binge drinking evening, just because of the sugar in the splendid red wine, it would make me feel like crap. So, if I have one glass per weekend, that's the max! Most weekend I skip because I'm tired from my week, and love to sleep well... Drinking hinders sleep - that's another reason why I cut it out... You need to sleep well to have your liver function at it's full capacity (it has 500 functions you know?!). Good luck. I am sure if you stick with it for 3 weeks, you won't miss it... But when you'll take a sip, you'll see the contrast the next day!

mam734

After 20+ years of 'social' drinking, I quit drinking about 2 months ago to support my daughter who had to also quit (for her medical reasons). Quiting has really not been that hard and I believe it has contributed to me losing 2-4 lbs/week since then. Good eating and consistant exercise also contributed to the steady weight loss.

BigGail

I gave up all alcohol until my friend's wedding last weekend (about 6 weeks) and hubby also gave up to encourage me. He has lost 4kgs just by not drinking alcohol - he hasn't changed his eating habits at all.
I have had 3 drinking nights in the last week (I had LOADS of champagne for my birthday yesterday), but I will not have another drink till our Christmas party. It just makes me feel bloated, unresponsive and sluggish.

halzuzu

It's been really hard for me to give up the alcohol. Like most people on this thread I enjoy a drink after a long day. But I prefer liquor to wine and some days I can't just stop at one. I don't drink everyday, but about 3-4 days a week. I account for everything I drink and I've amped up my workouts to make sure I am burning off whatever I drink and then some. I also make sure to stick to healthy food choices even when hungover. I tell myself "being hungover is not an excuse to binge". I find that making healthier choices makes me feel better anyway. Having a smoothie with Bananas and honey makes me feel far better than say an Egg McMuffin which sounds good at the time but would only make me feel horrible afterwards. I was maintaining but with the amp up in my workouts i've started losing again..but slowly. I am sure the alcohol has something to do with that. Good luck. You all have far more will power than I.

AmandaR910

I'm pregnant so obviously not drinking. I don't plan to start once I have baby though. Not worth the extra calories to me. If you want to cut it out, you can do it!!

fitbot

I read in Oxygen Magazine that one should cut out ALL alcohol when trying to slim down. Apparently alcohol sugar is processed differently than other sugars and slows down your entire system. Amping your work outs it just like having a regular workout without the drinking.

kerrilucko

I cut out all alcohol about 3 years ago. Acutually BEFORE I started losing weight. The only time I have a drink now is at say... a wedding- I've been to 3 in the past 3 years and one was my own. And even then I'm taking about a few sips of wine. I really don't even miss alcohol, I never much cared for the taste anyway and since alcoholism runs in my family, I figure I'm better of without it.