Alcohol!!

LauraThirty

Okay - so I know what I have to do really, but I need a kick up the bum and some facts from the wise MFP jury...

I like wine... and vodka... and if it's a hot day - maybe a cider too... I rarely go out but I love to socialise and yes I know I can have fun wthout alcohol but it has become such a big part of my life (not getting drunk, just enjoying drinking) that I can't seem to stop.

My Boyfriend has been off work for the past two weeks and the previous week to that my daughter and I stayed with my oldest friend whom I never see. Then this week I am socialising today and am holding a party for my daughter and her friends and their mums to toast the end of the summer holidays tomorrow - drink will be involved.

It seems like every week I say I won't really drink this week then something comes up and I end up doing so! Don't get me wrong, I'm not a closet alcoholic - If I don't have a social engagement, my boyfriend hasnt already poured me a glass of wine when I get home or if the social engagement isn't a drinky one I'm fine without alcohol. And I only drink what I like (which annoyingly for my wallet too is premium Vodka or fine red wine).

I stay within my calories, and my macros - in fact if I didn't drink I'm not sure how I would eat all of my calories without going over my macros as wine doesn't have many carbs/ fat or protein.

But I can't help thinking that being a drinker isn't condusive to the lifestyle I want to lead. i.e. that of a buff body beautiful.

Tracking the calories has helped me cut down A LOT. Last term I would have thought nothing of picking my daughter up from a friend at 6pm - sharing abottle of wine with the mum, then coming home and sharing a bottle with my partner. Sometimes having had a glass of wine at lunchtime with a client too!

So please look at my diary - kick me up the bum, tell me about how much better I'll look and feel if I can maybe limit to once a week... whatever you think might help...? Please?

jesz124

Your diet looks really good if I'm honest. Not sure how much you weigh, but your protein intake is good. Obviously you know yourself that if you decrease the amount of alcohol you drink you will feel better for it. I personally have found that I don't want to hamper my gym workout's and good food choices with alcohol too much. I still drink at weekends, but only a glass or 2. I just found as I cut down I lost the taste for it. The less you have it the less you want it, and this is coming from someone that used to drink at least half a bottle of wine every night without fail!!

Obviously alcohol is a toxin to your body as well and it will process that before anything else, meaning fat burning is put on a back burner until the alcohol has cleared your system. I think basically it depends on how serious you are to get buff! lol. If you want to be fitness model perfect than yes I'd say drop the booze totally, but if you just want to look good but not are not shooting for perfection (in your eyes) then as long as it fits in with your cals have it? It's a personal choice at the end of the day, you will probably get tonnes of replies of people saying they still drink and have lost weight. Wouldn't work for me, so I had to ditch it pretty much.

jennanmiller

I am right there with you.

My husband and I tried to take a break from drinking last week and we lasted 3 days! It seems so sad, but I just happen to attend social gatherings, meetings with friends, volleyball at a bar type activities frequently!

I'm there with you!

Hoping to still lose though!

Maggie821

Sounds like you already know the answer!!! I go back and forth with it, but I know that it is not helping me win this battle. I have set goals in the past, gone months without it and felt great, then find myself feeling totally stressed and wanting a glass of wine. Well, that seems to set the cycle in motion again : )

Funny you posted this today because yesterday I reset my program (on numerous sites) and had my Day 1 of no alcohol. Just kept myself busy doing other things. My partner loves his evening cocktails, so it is a battle for me not to join him. But I'm going to try to eliminate it once again - I ordered the Beachbody program and it should arrive any day. I want to be focused!

Good luck - again, you know the answer, you just need to listen to yourself! You are a smart lady!!!

kingofcrunk

I think as long as you can fit alcohol into your calorie/macro aims then it isn't a problem. If it is how you want to live your life and an enjoyable part of your life then there is no point stopping it just to be healthier. I have one night out a week where I drink alcohol and it hasn't hindered my weight loss at all. But its what I enjoy doing and I'm not going to stop the things I enjoy doing just to become a super healthy person!

peter236uk

I always enjoy a drink from time to time not in any great quantity so see no need to stop as long as I can fit in to my calorie counting
or just do an extra workout it sorted then. If you abstain from everything you enjoy then you will fail. Thats my opinion anyway.

loztredders

I don't count alcohol calories in my diary and drink once or twice a fortnight, I stick to vodka with diet coke or diet redbull and it hasn't made me gain any weight at all - and when I drink, it's a lot more than the recommeded 2 or 3 units a day ( not good, I know!!)
But when I was drinking cider, I definetly saw an increase in my weight, and since finding out it's 300 calories a pint i've stopped drinking it!

LauraThirty

Thanks everyone for the advice. So maybe I'm punishing myself unnecessarily then. I totally get what you're saying about the body breaking down alcohol first so fat loss is stalled - that makes a lot if sense. I will keep that in mind to put me off the odd glass but for social occasions I will just enjoy myself in moderation. My plan is to lose weight and tone, then go on to the serious buff body plan so maybe giving up alcohol is something I'll look at then.

Thanks again so much for the advice x

peter236uk

I going to allow myself 1 lager tonight not had alcohol since last Sunday so quite happy how much I have cut out. I will pretty strict until the weight starts to shift