Cutting Back Alcohol

July
July Posts: 239
edited September 19 in Motivation and Support
Is any out there trying to cut back on alcohol? Interested in starting a group? I'm having a hard time and could use some support!
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Replies

  • July
    July Posts: 239
    Is any out there trying to cut back on alcohol? Interested in starting a group? I'm having a hard time and could use some support!
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
    sure- I have been cutting back because it is so high in calories. If I drink, I know I'm gonna have to give up some (more filling) food. But I'd be happy to lend support! :flowerforyou:
  • tammietifanie
    tammietifanie Posts: 1,496 Member
    sure- I have been cutting back because it is so high in calories. If I drink, I know I'm gonna have to give up some (more filling) food. But I'd be happy to lend support! :flowerforyou:

    IM IN!!! i drink daily!! i have either wine or beer every evening to wind down from my day! and i know that's why my butt won't lose weight!!!! SO IM IN BIG TIME!!!!
  • tayner
    tayner Posts: 372
    before my lifestyle change I would drink a beer a night. I have not had one in nearly 5 weeks although I still have a ton laying around my house. I am not giving it up for good, but I am giving it up until I am at least half way to my goal, then I will allow myself 1 a week until i reach my goal.
  • AwMyLoLo
    AwMyLoLo Posts: 1,571 Member
    I am trying to cut back. No alcohol thru the week and less on the weekends. No need to see how many beers I can drink on a Friday and Saturday night! Sunday drinks are hard to stay away from too! :blushing:
  • hulfordca
    hulfordca Posts: 9
    I can stay away from candy, cookies, and ice cream but when it comes to the booze. No way. It's not that I crave it, but it's a social thing. When I'm hanging with friends, that's what we do. Have a few beers. I'm not drinking during the week, but the weekends kill me. I really try to make an honest effort to cut back but it's hard when everyone else is having a good time.

    I'm in...
  • July
    July Posts: 239
    Great! Any tips to share on cutting back on alcohol?
    Here are some I have:

    1. Alternate with diet soda, water, or seltzer every other drink
    2. Make a weaker drink - a wine cooler with flavored seltzer water, or more diet soda in a mixed drink

    My goal for this week is to make sure that I count the drinks!
  • laurenjill
    laurenjill Posts: 94 Member
    This is my biggest problem with weight gain! I've realized that I don't eat enough calories, but DRINK them all up! Heck, a while back, I even considered a low-carb diet just so I could still consume hard liquor! I hate to admit it, but I'm still budgeting my calories for booze.
    I am so in. I'm going through this cycle, when I drop enough weight, I'm going to quit smoking, but that's gonna be really hard to go unless I cut back on the drinking!
  • mgibson0063
    mgibson0063 Posts: 3
    Im also a social drinker. When Im out having drinks, dancing is usually also involved at some point so I was hoping that would burn the calories that I drank.
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
    probably not gibson- you have to run a mile to lose 100 calories, so dancing will do some good, but probably not balance it out completely- sorry:embarassed:
  • mbmempireranch
    mbmempireranch Posts: 145
    Count Me in on this one too.. In fact I just spent the last hour searching this very topic On MFP ! And then I sign back on and here you are ! I'm in !

    I drink wine nightly ( hence my 30 lbs now I have to re-lose ) I'm not so sure for me if actually saving those calories is a good thing. I'm not sure how it all works but I am thinking of doing the no drinking during the weekdays and only on the weekends... Crazy isnt it !

    On that note I'll start Monday :drinker:

    LOL !!!!

    Honestly, I know its why I have gained weight ! I still have a TON of calories left to eat today and I've been eating all day it seems !
  • laurenjill
    laurenjill Posts: 94 Member
    On that note I'll start Monday :drinker:
    Haha, that's exactly what I said to myself after reading this post.
  • AwMyLoLo
    AwMyLoLo Posts: 1,571 Member
    OK, so here it is Monday morning, and did I cut back at all this weekend - not exactly.

    Friday I think I had 4 beers and a shot of tequila. Saturday, I had 2 while working in the yard, then had friends over. I know I had 2 mixed drinks (Beam and Diet Coke) and probably ummmm 6 beers (at least). Not to mention the ribs, mac n cheese, and baked beans for dinner! AHHH weekends!!!!
  • AwMyLoLo
    AwMyLoLo Posts: 1,571 Member
    OH! I also forgot Friday we went to lunch for a coworker's b-day and we split a bottle of wine which was 2 glasses for me!
  • hulfordca
    hulfordca Posts: 9
    I was also terrible. Saturday was a Bar Golf Tournament in Boston. Needless to say you are supposed to wonder from bar to bar and have a drink. I was drinking from 1pm to midnight. I easily could have had 20 beers. At least it was light beer. :)
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
    DH and I killed a bottle of tequila yesterday. I had an awful headache, and went to bed early. Woke up dehydrated, feeling like crap.

    UGH.

    What a waste of calories:frown:
  • skinnymel
    skinnymel Posts: 85 Member
    i am IN! i also realized when i signed on to mfp that between starbucks and red wine, almost all my calories are liquid! argh!!!
  • wildkat318
    wildkat318 Posts: 326 Member
    I'm in too! I'm a nightly drinker of wine. :bigsmile: My first goal is to keep it to Friday and Saturday so I will start tonight! :sad: Good thread, thanks for posting it. Good luck to everyone, we can do it! :drinker:
  • erlehmkuhle
    erlehmkuhle Posts: 58
    I'm in too even though I quit drinking totally 5 years ago. I used to be an alcoholic and used it to drown my sorrows. But after legal issues and my community respect destroyed, I decided to give up the booze. I substitute my negative alcohol problem with my positive family. It has worked out a lot. It suprised everyone in my family since I'm the dark horse of the family. Now, I'm the only sober one. Cutting back is definately good. I encourage all of you to do so. A clear head makes clear decisions.
  • wildkat318
    wildkat318 Posts: 326 Member
    A clear head makes clear decisions.

    True words!

    After a glass of wine or two my decisions are certainly not the best or in line with what I'm trying to do. When struggling with a decision/choice I ask myself "What is it I want, What am I doing to get it? Is it working?" and it always helps. BUT...after wine I can't remember the questions. :blushing:
  • erlehmkuhle
    erlehmkuhle Posts: 58
    A clear head makes clear decisions.

    True words!

    After a glass of wine or two my decisions are certainly not the best or in line with what I'm trying to do. When struggling with a decision/choice I ask myself "What is it I want, What am I doing to get it? Is it working?" and it always helps. BUT...after wine I can't remember the questions. :blushing:

    Please do cut back and see what a huge difference it makes. I had a very hard time cutting back but after finally putting my foot down, I have had the time of my life. My kids like me more and my marriage is not falling apart. Do it for yourself and your future. And that glazed look that everyday drinkers have will go away.
  • chellebelle315
    chellebelle315 Posts: 298
    I'm in...i have given up wine or beer during the week, and have way cut back my intake on the weekends. I don't deny myself a good beer if I'm out with friends, or a couple of drinks if I want, but I always plan for the calories, and decide before the night starts how much I can drink, and STOP when I get to my limit. That's easier than trying to make the decision after that second drink.

    i also volunteer to be DD pretty regularly, then i'm automatically limited to one drink, or don't drink at all.
  • lyla29
    lyla29 Posts: 3,549 Member
    I'm in. I enjoy a glass or two of wine at night, but am trying to only have it occasionally on the weekends, and not overindulge. I'm going to start tonight. Good luck everyone. :smile:
  • WantToBeMoreActive
    WantToBeMoreActive Posts: 331

    Please do cut back and see what a huge difference it makes. I had a very hard time cutting back but after finally putting my foot down, I have had the time of my life. My kids like me more and my marriage is not falling apart. Do it for yourself and your future. And that glazed look that everyday drinkers have will go away.

    I find when I drink alcohol I want to eat and I'm not talking fruit and veg :laugh: chocolate, chips, nachos, burgers, fries, pizza...I think you get the idea. I decided when I joined MFP to give up alcohol until I got closer to my goal weight. Today is day 105 for me without drinking alcohol. My weight loss has been slow because I hurt my knee in February trying to learn how to downhill ski :noway: and was sidelined from exercising for awhile. That alone was enough to make me give up on my fitness goals & throw in the towel.
    People have to find what works for them & sometimes it takes a long time to figure that out.
    I gotta say I like me more now that I'm not drinking like I used to and it is better for my marriage.
    I will drink again but I'm very proud of me for doing what I did and I'm hoping that I will be better able to drink in moderation from now on. Kind of like how I'm changing my eating habits for life, I'm hoping that my drinking habits will be changed for life too!
  • heather93277
    heather93277 Posts: 171
    I'm in... not sure how successful I'll be but I'll sure try!! :laugh:

    I have chronic pain, and as much as it sounds bad to say I use alcohol as a crutch... can't help it, I do.. and if you've ever had chronic pain, you understand LOL. But at least I don't pop pills and do other hurtful things to my body.

    Then there's the social aspect. All my friends are drinkers. :drinker:

    I will say that since I've started here on MFP, I have cut back on the beer/drinks A LOT. So I am headed in the right direction. We'll see if I can continue on this road and cut back even more.
  • malmom
    malmom Posts: 6
    So, I'm wondering - if you still have a 5 ounce glass of red wine at night and it fits in your calorie count for the day, what's the harm? I'm new at this, so I'm asking seriously. I found myself at work the other day debating between 2 Hershey Bliss milk chocolates (45 cal each) for an afternoon treat or saving the calories for a 5 ounce glass of wine when I got home. The wine won.
  • blackchick38
    blackchick38 Posts: 135
    good thread,i need help in this department also.i can drink 12beers and a pint of vodka and milk a day with ease,alcohol always interfer with my weight ,i cant exercise with a hangover and exercise helps me a whole lot when it comes to losing weight.but im doing much better now,it use to be everyday that i drink,now its every other 3 or four days.well today is mon and im starting fresh,hope i can make it to thur
  • skinnymel
    skinnymel Posts: 85 Member
    So, I'm wondering - if you still have a 5 ounce glass of red wine at night and it fits in your calorie count for the day, what's the harm? I'm new at this, so I'm asking seriously. I found myself at work the other day debating between 2 Hershey Bliss milk chocolates (45 cal each) for an afternoon treat or saving the calories for a 5 ounce glass of wine when I got home. The wine won.

    nobody said there's anything wrong with your scenario. I think most of us are NOT just having a puny little 5 oz glass of wine within our calorie range, at least not me! if i did, i wouldn't need to cut back!
    only you know when you need to cut back or try harder in anything.
  • July
    July Posts: 239
    There isn't any harm! I'm just looking on cutting back. Because 1 glass will lead to another ... or will lead to also eating those Hershey kisses...
  • jeffwyeg
    jeffwyeg Posts: 105
    The radio station I work for subscribes to a "show prep" service (basically, it's topical info & stories - cheat sheets for us stupid radio-type folks...you didn't think we were actually THAT smart did you? Ha ha!) and this story about Booze & Calories really hit home:
    THE AVERAGE BEER DRINKER CONSUMES 44,200 EXTRA CALORIES A YEAR . . . AND PUTS ON 12 EXTRA POUNDS:

    If you're trying to lose some weight . . . (--and who isn't?) . . . then the first thing you might want to cut out of your diet is . . . ALCOHOL. Why?

    Because, according to Britain's Department of Health, the average wine drinker takes in 2,000 extra calories a month . . . or 24,000 extra calories a year . . . just from alcohol. Over the course of a year, those extra calories add up to SEVEN extra pounds of FAT.

    And drinking just FIVE BEERS a week adds an extra 44,200 calories a year from alcohol . . . which is the equivalent of eating 221 doughnuts. Overall, that adds up to 12 extra pounds of fat a year . . . or one pound a month. And listen to this . . .

    If you drink an average of two glasses of wine every day . . . which is about one bottle every two days . . . then by the end of the year you'll have packed on an additional 28 POUNDS in fat just from alcohol.

    I've never been much of a drinker, but if you are THIS should be enough motivation for you to cut back (or even cut it out)!
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