No alcohol for 30 days..

AliceKlaar

I don't like going out sober- I'm just not into the whole bar scene anymore. So I'd rather not even go out at all I just really don't want to piss of my friends. My boyfriend recently stopped drinking (he used to be a huge partier) and he tells me how happy he's been since he's quit.

ALSO- I'm on a medication that I'm not supposed to even drink with- but I don't really want to tell that whole story to my friends

If pissing off ur friends is your worry- then that is silly. If your friends are really your friends then they will not get pissed and realize your priorities are in a different place

^This. True friends will support your decision, and your boyfriend will obviously be supportive. I used to drink a lot, now I've decided it's really not worth the calories - I'm not saying I'll never go on a bender again, but I've found it easier than I thought to limit my drinking to a couple of glasses of wine at weekends. Maybe you've found yourself in a place where it would be beneficial to quit - if your friends don't understand then they're not true friends.

skinnybliss

Skinny Girl Margaritas are low calorie and STRONG. You can have like 2, feel great and work the calories into your day.

seebeachrun

There are four major options here if it were me.

1. Stop drinking forever. Better for you in the long run because alcohol is obviously not good for us for the most part (I know, I know, the one glass of red wine per day blah blah blah.)

2. Stop drinking for a few weeks or months then reincorporate it back in.

3. Continue drinking but cut back to one or two days per week and make sure you exercise on the days you drink.

4. Continue drinking as much as you like whenever you like regardless of exercise or calories.

I chose option 3. I enjoy my nights out too much to give up drinking forever and drinking the amount that I was drinking before I started paying attention was way too much. I try to make better choices about what I drink as well (i.e. I order vodka and water instead of a pina colada.) The upside of paying attention to my caloric intake is that since I am no longer engorging myself it takes less alcohol to give me that good buzzy feeling.

Again, do what is right for you and make sure it is a lifestyle change you can sustain rather than a short term diet that will fall by the wayside when you're tempted.

JoolieW68

I cut waaaaayyy back when I started getting back into shape. The calories weren't worth it, and it made me retain a lot of water. I will still have a drink now and then, but nothing like I used to.

GuruOnAMountain

I don't like going out sober- I'm just not into the whole bar scene anymore. So I'd rather not even go out at all I just really don't want to piss of my friends. My boyfriend recently stopped drinking (he used to be a huge partier) and he tells me how happy he's been since he's quit.

ALSO- I'm on a medication that I'm not supposed to even drink with- but I don't really want to tell that whole story to my friends

I don't drink (never have) but as other people say, you can go out without getting drunk. Like I don't know what your friends are like or what it is like in the USA (I'm guessing that's where you are) but here in the UK, people tend to go to a pub until maybe 12-1am and then go onto a club. Pubs can be manic on the weekends but you can usually at least get a bit of conversation and stuff, whereas the clubs are all about booming music, pulling and dancing. Stone cold sober as I am, clubs don't appeal to me, but I will meet my friends for a drink in the pub before they go clubbing.

And maybe I'm just really open but I'd definately have no probs telling my friends I was on medication that I couldn't drink with. If they are good friends at all, they'd be supportive of that and be happy to try to meet you halfway, either by meeting at a quieter place for a chat before they go out partying or meet you for dinner/cinema etc. another time in the week. If they're only interested in spending time with you when you're drunk, then I'd say they probably aren't really worth hanging onto, anyway.

fittiephd

I gave up alcohol for 3 weeks during a cleanse last summer. It was really difficult since I had just turned 21 finally and am in college and basically picked the worst time to stop drinking haha.

Alcohol has a lot of empty calories so it might help to cut it out, or maybe to lessen the amount you drink. Not being hungover hte next day will keep you from avoiding exercise and eating "hangover food" so that might help too..

good luck!! You could just go down to maybe 1-2 drinks on one weekend night instead of cutting it out all together?

happyjoyousfree1

I know it's not my business, but you asked. it's all empty calories and if you can't cut it out for 30 days you might want to do a little personal inventory.
Good luck either way!

lady_in_weighting

the past week ive been having a glass of pepsi max and a single measure of spirit with my dinner in the evenings. i hate binge drinking but enjoy a drink during the week. this would be a healthy alternative. ive cut down on how much i drink at weekends even though my friends still go wild!

good luck with it, hope you can find a happy medium too (:

lorenzoinlr

I've gone from probably averaging two or more drinks a day to maybe two per week. I just don't want the calories to be wasted but even more important is with a few drinks my discipline is a shadow of what it normally is. Some of my friends haven't been inviting me to stuff as they feel guilty about their influence. It's a trade off that for now I'm willing to make.

However, I don't agree that it's either a permanent lifestyle change or you'll go back to your before state. When I reach my targeted weight, I'll be able to consume another 700-800 calories. Some of that will go to a glass or two of wine a night. Yes, it will be a challenge maintaining discipline, if I can't then back on the wagon.

BruteSquad

If all your friends do is drink. You may find by not drinking you may be more entertained watching them. Just sayin.....

knittnponder

It's funny to see this post this morning because my husband and I just made an agreement not to drink for the next 30 days. Today is day one. For me it's just a need to refocus and be a little more intense about weight loss. I've gotten a bit off track and have just been spinning my wheels for awhile so it's necessary.

ElizabethRoad

I am a huge binge drinker

Have you considered AA? Honestly, you're binge drinking, you don't know what to do without alcohol, you are endangering your health by drinking while on your medication... this sounds like a problem.

Coco_puff901

I've been wanting to try the same thing... I love to have about 2 beer or 2 wine about twice a week, but I also agree it throws everything off, plus I always want Cheese & Crackers if I have wine !
With the exception of 1 event I have to go to, count me in for 30 days ! I'd love to watch everyones progress and check in with a group !
This has been something I've wanted to do for a while !

jstrandquest

I'm not able to commit to 30 days, but will commit to 2 weeks starting today. Final exams loom & I promised my boyfriend a night with champagne and martinis after my exams are over. ;-) I'm a wine drinker -- a glass (or two, or three, or four) -- or a beer or two -- with dinner. But, I'd not really been tracking those calories accurately until discovering this web site last week. So yeah, I just discovered how much I've been drinking.

I used to struggle with the not wanting to piss off my friends thing too and discovered that my social anxiety (masked by drinking) wasn't really about alcohol as much as it was about having something in my hand. So...I'd order one beer, drink that...and then refill the empty bottle with water when no one was looking. It seemed to help me safe face in social situations, save money and calories. And I never got a DUI.

I'll revisit this commitment again in 2 weeks. Thanks for tossing this out as a possibility. It's something I've considered doing, but didn't want to go it alone!

lisalis626

I gave up drinking on January 1st -- until my birthday on April 20th. Now, of course, I've had a few beers here and there but no where near as much i would have drank in the past. By here and there, I'd say in the past 3 months I've had maybe 5 or 6 beers/cocktails. I haven't noticed a difference, but I'm still trying to figure out what's the best method to lose those lbs for this body of mine. I just know that I'd rather eat my calories rather than drink them. Alcohol definitely played a huge part of how I got to my current weight. Good luck! Being the designated DD isn't that bad

pigpentw

I have tried the no alcohol on weekends and have always failed. I am not a big drinker but I am a social drinker. Here is what I do and did. I work out and burn at least 500 calories Saturday and Sunday morning this give me the ability to have a few drinks. I keep those few drinks to ONE Vodka Ceasar and then I have vodka flavored water and a shot of lemon or lime. I just figured why should I give up something I enjoy when this entire diet thing isn't just about losing weight it is also about trying to live the rest of your life with a new healthy you.
Good luck

prism6

I stopped heavy drinking Jan. 3rd..... have obviously lost weight,digestion is better,haven't had a Tums ib 77 days,sleep better with actual dreaming,skin is better,have more energy...other than that I noticed no difference :}

Articeluvsmemphis

it is possible to just not drink alcohol at all. I don't. maybe get new friends who enjoy a healthier lifestyle. IMO

DannyMussels

I usually do a few months of no drinking jan-may.

So far this year I had a solid jan and feb, but have gone out 4-5x in march and haven't really progressed or seen a loss. I'm chalking it up to the partying (which goes hand-in-hand with eating out).

I think I'm cuttin it down to once a month, mostly cause im visiting toronto this weekend, then next month is my birthday.

I think drinking is something I should do on occasions, not just random weekends.

If I was 15lbs less, I feel I could drink more often, but I'm still 2 months from my goal.

1_Happy_Camper

I was curious to see if you were joining the challenge and pleased to see you didn't lol.

Me neither. sorry, but a man has to have some priorities.