WAYY too much alcohol

tbresina

Absolutely, Im absolutely convinced the only reason I can't shake the last 10-15 is due to my red wine consumption......working on it

VaporeonSugar

Not myself, but my roommate is an alcoholic and gained lots of weight. He says he doesn't have a problem and I honestly feel scared for his health. I've tried helping him in the past but he ended up breaking up with me because of it. I care about him a lot and have no idea how to help someone who doesn't want help.

It's really great that you admit you have an issue. I hope you can figure out how to cut back.

bugaboo_sue

I'm also not into the AA thing. I won't define myself as an eternal alcohol and start every day with "Hi I'm an alcoholic." I believe in positive thinking, not negative thinking. With an attitude like that I would be doomed to failure.

But, I am starting my 30 day no alcohol challenge today.

It's obvious that you don't know what AA is or what it's about. You don't start every day stating "Hi! I'm an alcoholic!" and it's not something that you go to forever. Admitting you have a problem isn't a negative attitude nor does it mean you're doomed to failure. There are plenty of recovered alcoholics who have gotten that way through the help of AA.

Sure you can wake up every morning and state "I'm not an alcoholic!" but then it's just a question of whether or not you're trying to convince yourself of that.

Good for you on your 30 day no alcohol challenge but what happens if you fail? What happens after the 30 days? Do you say "Woah! I made it 30 days. Time to celebrate with a 6 pack!" or do you say "You know, I really don't need alcohol and I like not drinking." Not saying you have a problem but there is no shame in admitting that you do and seeking help for it.

bugaboo_sue

I care about him a lot and have no idea how to help someone who doesn't want help.

Honestly you can't. Step one to recovery -- any recovery -- is to admit you have a problem. If he can't do that then the only help you really can't help him.

cnadiger

Update time!!

Since I first posted this, I have only drank on two occasions. I don't keep alcohol in the house and have made a commitment to not drink at home. I have more energy during the day and the scale has finally started to move. More importantly, I feel better about myself for breaking the cycle of what had become a really bad habit. I still have to keep myself busy or I find my mind wandering over to "a drink would be great right now...", but it's getting easier to ignore that thought.

I can't get over the support I've gotten from MFP's and the number of people that FR'd me saying they were in the same boat. I didn't feel so alone and I think we are all on a better path.

Thanks everyone!!!!!!! :smooched:

castlerobber

Update time!!

Since I first posted this, I have only drank on two occasions. I don't keep alcohol in the house and have made a commitment to not drink at home. I have more energy during the day and the scale has finally started to move. More importantly, I feel better about myself for breaking the cycle of what had become a really bad habit.

Wonderful! Glad to hear it.

MinnieInMaine

I'm glad to hear it's going well for you!!

Early on I decided drinking my calories just didn't cut it, whether it was orange juice, a smoothie or an adult beverage. So I've mostly cut alcohol out of my diet. I rarely drink these days.

As for social occassions, I'll either obstain or just have one drink and then call it good. If going to happy hour, I can usually just get away with having a soda and no one balks because I have a long commute - no drinking and driving! If going to a BBQ, I'll bring my own mixed drink in a sports bottle and then drink water or diet soda once that's gone. The only time I totally let loose is when I'm with my girlfriends and we're doing an overnight - thankfully that's only once or twice a year.

lemurcat12

Great news, cnadiger. Keep it up!

Not myself, but my roommate is an alcoholic and gained lots of weight. He says he doesn't have a problem and I honestly feel scared for his health. I've tried helping him in the past but he ended up breaking up with me because of it. I care about him a lot and have no idea how to help someone who doesn't want help.

Sadly, you can't.

SabrinaLily

While I didn't get to read every post in this thread, the ones I did were SO supportive and nonjudgmental. I am very proud of the MFP community here. I also find it very comforting to know that there's a lot of us in this boat. Without going into every last detail, I can say I definitely consume WAY too much alcohol too. After the birth of my daughter (who didn't sleep for more than 15 minutes at a time till she was 2 years, 9 months old) my husband and I both started drinking a lot more than we ever had. The drinks were high in calories, high in quantity, and we packed on pounds like mad. I am the same weight now as I was four years ago when I was 9 months pregnant. Like so many people, we lead high stressed lives. Kids, full time jobs, a business, not enough money, not enough time, major health issues, etc... There's few ways to relax and cracking a beer or six open a night is the only way I can figure. There's kids to take care of, dinner to cook, after work I should be studying for a test I keep failing (can't pass the Bar exam) so to say I'm going to leave and go exercise for an hour or two to relieve stress the healthy way- not possible! That said, I am going to do what I can even though it's not what I WANT. I quit work at 4:30 and I need to get my daughter from daycare by 6:00 pm, not a minute later. After work I'm going to hit the gym for an hour, get my daughter from daycare and THEN go home. If I go home straight from work, I'm going to want a beer. But, if I go to the gym before going home, odds are I'm going to crave water after a work out. The stressors are still going to be there and I'm not sure I can cure all my problems (I'm still not going to have time to study or clean), but right now I'm not effectively tackling any of them. I hope that by exercising right after work (which means sacrificing the only minutes of calm I have before all the kids are home), I will drink less, lose more weight and begin to find my way back to better mental and physical health. It's going to be a long journey but you have to find and do whatever you can from taking that first sip. While I still plan on enjoying a drink 2 days a week when my mom watches the baby till 8-9 at night (our "date" nights), I need to break the habit of relaxing with a beer after work all the other days. I wish us all the very best of luck in our journeys to mental and physical health and happiness.

Lesa_Sass

I'm also not into the AA thing. I won't define myself as an eternal alcohol and start every day with "Hi I'm an alcoholic." I believe in positive thinking, not negative thinking. With an attitude like that I would be doomed to failure.

But, I am starting my 30 day no alcohol challenge today.

It's obvious that you don't know what AA is or what it's about. You don't start every day stating "Hi! I'm an alcoholic!" and it's not something that you go to forever. Admitting you have a problem isn't a negative attitude nor does it mean you're doomed to failure. There are plenty of recovered alcoholics who have gotten that way through the help of AA.

Sure you can wake up every morning and state "I'm not an alcoholic!" but then it's just a question of whether or not you're trying to convince yourself of that.

Good for you on your 30 day no alcohol challenge but what happens if you fail? What happens after the 30 days? Do you say "Woah! I made it 30 days. Time to celebrate with a 6 pack!" or do you say "You know, I really don't need alcohol and I like not drinking." Not saying you have a problem but there is no shame in admitting that you do and seeking help for it.

:flowerforyou:

Thank you! There is so much wrong information out there about AA it really is sad.

AA is for people that can not stop drinking with out AA. If someone can stop drinking and enjoy life with out AA, that is great, but if not, then AA is a life saver.

If anyone out there is at this very moment reading this thread, know they have a problem but do not really want to go to AA just yet, I urge you to buy the big book of Alcoholics Anonymous and read the first 164 pages. Make any other decisions after that.

Hi, I am Lesa, I am an alcoholic and I am here if anyone wants to talk

lisawinning4losing

Well, I quit alcohol last week and lost five pounds in one week.