Quitting alcohol for a month (and does this work?)

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  • Lesa_Sass
    Lesa_Sass Posts: 2,213 Member
    Giving up alcohol was my very first step in my healthy lifestyle change. I only stopped drinking and dropped 20 lbs in about 9 months (I gained a little bit at first because when I wanted a drink I hate brownies).

    I had a hard time at first because I did not think it was possible to have a good time and not drink. I was wrong, it is not only possible, it is better with out alcohol in it. It is funny when people that are three drinks in try to get me to "drink one". I also found that NO was fine when someone offered me a drink. It was usually the alcoholic that gave me a hard time and wanted me to drink.

    I did not realize I would think about not drinking as often as I did at first, but then again, I had a problem with alcohol. I soon realized that people that did not have a problem with alcohol, well, they did not put any thought into drinking, not drinking or how they were going to go on with out it. It took about 90 days for me to get over the obsession of alcohol. After that, I was about 18 months sober when I was able to go to parties and such and have a great time. Then a few years in I was walking the streets of Paris, having a magnificent time, arm in arm with my husband watching the Eiffel tower blink on the hour. I walked past bars and saw the drunk people in there, missing it. I would have not only missed it, but not remembered it had I saw it in the first place had I been drinking.

    So, long story short, if you do not have a problem with alcohol, this will not be an issue BUT, if this 30 days makes you miserable then you may want to think about what is important in your life.
  • rosemaryhon
    rosemaryhon Posts: 507 Member
    Hi

    I love my booze and my PT has requested that I abstain from alcohol (amongst other delightful things) for 4 weeks. I am on day 3...lol. And this weekend hasn't been too bad because I've just been at home but in upcoming weekends I have social events where alcohol will be all around me and no doubt there will be certain characters trying to get me to drink it.

    Has anybody else done anything like this? Was it easier than it sounds? And what sort of results did you get from it (I'm looking for fat loss, of course!).

    Thanks :)


    Before starting my new healthy lifestyle (7 weeks ago) I had been drinking a couple/few glasses of wine a few nites a week. I got in the habit of pouring a glass or 2 while I cooked dinner, than a glass with dinner. I stopped when I started being serious about losing weight because I realized they were empty calories and too I was concerned about sugar/diabetes. So I just don't keep it in the house (for now anyway, not saying I'll never have a glass again ~ in fact when I eat at my parents I have a glass with dinner still. It's easier to have just one when at someone else's dinnertable IME).

    For me an incentive that has kept me strong was I remembering that I really hated how I felt the next 24 hours ~ I felt dog tired the entire next day and for some reason I'd end up seriously over eating that next day too. Hangovers happen to kill any willpower I have ;). I don't know if your drinking causes hangovers, but if so maybe keep in mind what a drag that can be.

    Good luck! :)

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