Tips on reducing wine consumption?

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  • 5pmsomewherenow
    5pmsomewherenow Posts: 163 Member
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    One of the easiest and less expensive ways to store an opend bottle of wine, from the "air" is to pour the left-overs into those smaller bottles you have, with the scew tops. If you save a couple of those smaller bottles (I save the half-bottle sizes.) and fill them up - they will keep excellently with the screw top in place.

    It's AIR that mellows and then flattens the tannins in the wine. I used to use vac-u-vins, which work pretty well to take the air out of the bottle -- and, still use that device for a "just opened" larger bottle -- but for something half-gone -- the best device is a smaller bottle.

    Saw this tip on "America's Test Kitchen," and they were right!
  • Yogi_Carl
    Yogi_Carl Posts: 1,906 Member
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    .
  • Amcolecchi
    Amcolecchi Posts: 260 Member
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    Just work out more and drink more water..I am Italian and there's no such thing as not drinking wine :)
  • lunglady
    lunglady Posts: 526 Member
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    Right. So because the OP likes to drink wine every night and wants to cut down or cut it out and is looking for advice it immediately means they're an alcoholic and needs to go to AA? SMH.

    I love wine. My husband and I will have a few bottles a couple times a week and maybe even more on the weekend. I don't wake up and immediately grab a bottle of wine and take a swig. If I don't have wine I'm perfectly fine with it because I don't need it. The OP isn't saying they need it they just want to know how to cut down/cut it out. For some people, like my husband and I, it's a part of their social activity. There's nothing like relaxing with a glass or two of wine some nights.

    To the OP: as long as the alcohol calories fits into your overall calorie consumption you should be fine.

    This is my approach....
  • EmilyRanae22
    EmilyRanae22 Posts: 506 Member
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    When opening a bottle of wine, don't throw away the cork

    genious!
  • LoosingMyLast15
    LoosingMyLast15 Posts: 1,457 Member
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    Hi All,
    Just joined, lost weight on every diet going and am now heaviest ever! I love wine and have got into the habit of drinking every night, any tips on cutting this out, cold turkey or cutting down. I don't go overboard but know it is not a great thing for my diet! Been down recently as husband lost job which is probably why I have got into this habit instead of the healthy ones! Jo

    sorry about your hubby - we're in the same boat (my hubby's been out since the day after thanksgiving). i also enjoy my wine and for a while i was drinking it every night (i prefer cabs over anything). what's worked for me is cutting out just a few days and not cold turkey. my body would go into shock if i did that. now i have a glass with dinner beginning on thursday (sometimes wednesday but never monday and tuesday). i also factor it into my calories and i make sure i get a workout in thursday - sunday (i typically workout 4-5 days week). i say cut back don't cut out.

    if you prefer white wine i also suggest a wine spritzer (use a carbonated water) or you can also try sparkling wine. it has a little less calories.
  • hollyk57
    hollyk57 Posts: 520 Member
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    46415.gif

    works every time.
  • annie7hudds
    annie7hudds Posts: 199 Member
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    What the hell kind of wine are you people drinking that you think it's ok to mix it with seltzer or diet soda? Did someone suggest wine in a box!? Is there no one who actually appreciates wine?!

    Agree! No -one, I mean no-one wiill mix wine with soda in my house. What a waste of a decent wine. Much better by far to buy a good quality and have as a special treat. Cheap wine is a waste of calories. Take note local pubs!
  • atamrowski
    atamrowski Posts: 417 Member
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    I am glad she posted this topic because I am in the same shoes! I think it's a far stretch that the assumption could mean she's an alcoholic simply because she asked to CUT down on it, not REMOVE it from her life altogether. I posted a topic the other day about this because I chose to remove it for a couple weeks to help me "kick start" my weight loss and was already getting the AA comments. Come on people...

    The advice of mixing it with other spritzes is a great idea. If you like red, you can mix half with real cranberry juice (the real stuff not the cocktail), mix 1/3 wine with 2/13 juice. You'll still taste the wine, and it's so tart, that you'll sip it. Having it in a pretty glass in your hand for one looks like red wine, so it feels socially comfortable. And it helps you pace. Two, mix it the same way but with ginger ale instead of wine. So tasty.

    Regardless of your approach, as long as it fits into your calories your fine. Cheers!
  • bugaha1
    bugaha1 Posts: 602 Member
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    Please just focus on all the great tips you have gotten, and just disregard all the idiots...they have something out there that they struggle with, I guarantee. Obviously, you are VERY normal with enjoying wine. Good Luck!

    haha
    ^
  • ejwme
    ejwme Posts: 318
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    I read somewhere (likely on the interwebs) that there are two types of people - those who can "cold turkey" and those who can "moderate". When identifying a habit that one would like to change, success is dependent on accurately identifying and accepting one's personal nature.

    Me? I'm a "cold turkey". I don't moderate. I can't have just one serving of ice cream a week. I might be able to buy a little container, but eventually that will become habit and not treat. It's easier for me if I simply don't buy ice cream, ever. If I try to wean myself gently off of things or take "baby steps" towards change, I fail miserably.

    Of course I married a "moderator". He can just cut back... in fact, if he tries to make drastic changes, like I do, he fails just as miserably as when I try his baby step approach.

    So, OP, if you've had best luck kicking or starting a habit by going whole hog and jumping in with both feet - do that. Cut it out completely. If you've had the best luck by making small changes here and there, do that - wean, dilute, skip days, buy small bottles, whatever. There's some really good advice everywhere in this thread for both, no matter what kind of wine drinker you are.

    But if you try one approach and can't make it work, don't give up. Just recognize that you may need to change differently.

    Best of luck to you and your hubby, kudos for keeping after improving your diet in the midst of such stress - it will help!
  • missyfitter
    missyfitter Posts: 11 Member
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    I like pouring POM wonderful in a wine glass. That way i'm getting the antioxidants with less calories and more health benefits. Pouring it into a wine glass also makes it feel 'special'.

    Good luck
  • tessangel7
    tessangel7 Posts: 8
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    I have 1 glass of wine each night. I've started making sure I stick to 5 oz... no more, which I agree some days can be tempting.

    I just cork it back up and put it in my fridge since I prefer it cold. Pour one glass and walk away.
  • LoosingMyLast15
    LoosingMyLast15 Posts: 1,457 Member
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    What the hell kind of wine are you people drinking that you think it's ok to mix it with seltzer or diet soda? Did someone suggest wine in a box!? Is there no one who actually appreciates wine?!

    Agree! No -one, I mean no-one wiill mix wine with soda in my house. What a waste of a decent wine. Much better by far to buy a good quality and have as a special treat. Cheap wine is a waste of calories. Take note local pubs!

    in the summer i love to drink a very nice light white wine with seltzer especially if i'm spending the day on the river. this way i can drink all day long, not get trashed and feel good that i'm not completely ruining my entire day drinking my calories. i would never mix sprite though too sweet and it has just as many calories as a glass of wine.

    i prefer not to drink box wine but many people enjoy it.
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
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    Addiction is much more than the quantity you consume.

    Addiction is the lengths you will go to to get it - the lies you will tell, the rules you will break, the friendships you ruin.

    Wanting to cut down on alcohol intake, but not wanting to give it up altogether, is a very mature response. There's been some really innovative and useful suggestions in this thread - I'll be exploring some of them myself - so thank you OP for starting this thread!
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    This thread could be titled "tips on reducing <cheesecake> consumption" or any other thing that we love to eat/drink. The formula is the same: eat less or move more.

    EXACTLY.
    But when the subject is alcohol, the arm chair AA sponsors come out of the woodwork and declare that everyone who asks about alcohol calories has an addiction.
    I say this as the child of an actual AA sponsor.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    Addiction is much more than the quantity you consume.

    Addiction is the lengths you will go to to get it - the lies you will tell, the rules you will break, the friendships you ruin.

    Wanting to cut down on alcohol intake, but not wanting to give it up altogether, is a very mature response. There's been some really innovative and useful suggestions in this thread - I'll be exploring some of them myself - so thank you OP for starting this thread!
    Excellent post!
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
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    This thread could be titled "tips on reducing <cheesecake> consumption" or any other thing that we love to eat/drink. The formula is the same: eat less or move more.

    EXACTLY.
    But when the subject is alcohol, the arm chair AA sponsors come out of the woodwork and declare that everyone who asks about alcohol calories has an addiction.
    I say this as the child of an actual AA sponsor.

    they are of the all or nothing mentality

    it works for them (usually) and they are taught it is the ONLY way
  • Off_The_Record
    Off_The_Record Posts: 17
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    Maybe you should change up your routine for a few nights so that you are not just at home with wine available. Maybe go to the movies or the mall, anything, to get out at night for a few days. Sitting at home is will just trigger that you will want a glass. Good luck xox
  • fionarama
    fionarama Posts: 788 Member
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    this is definitely the big challenge for me, chocolate, junk food, all that I completely excluded from my diet years ago but I will never entirely give up a lovely glass of wine. And its true in times of stress in my life it becomes a problem.

    I definitely have rules I stick to , (like every night definitely out) and I like buying those little minatures if I am going to have a drink at home, as once I open a bottle it will tend to disappear. So if I want a drink I buy one minature (or two ) and at least I know thats all I'm going to have.

    Volunteering to be the driver when you are out is a great way to avoid alcohol and still socialise.

    having children definite helps!!!!

    if you think its a problem, great start would be to make sure you diarise each and every drink on here once you know how badly you are sabotaging your goals you will feel motivated to change your habits.

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