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

aliceclutz90
aliceclutz90 Posts: 151 Member
in Motivation and Support
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 :)
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Replies

  • ms_leanne
    ms_leanne Posts: 523 Member
    My bf seems to drop weight easily when he stops drinking for a week. Me, I'm not much of a drinker anyway so doesn't really count for me.
  • marycmeadows
    marycmeadows Posts: 1,691 Member
    dropping alcohol will keep a ridiculous amount of sugar from going into your system, so yes, It will probably help. I don't drink much at all (I've probably had a drink four - five days out of the past year) so I don't see why it's so hard to not drink. BUT if your success is important to you you will try it. it's 4 weeks. Not that hard.
  • nykdem
    nykdem Posts: 119 Member
    I enjoy a glass of wine, a lager and vodka (I'm not an alcoholic ............ Honest!!) but I have cut right back and now only have a drink at a social event or on an occasional Saturday night. I don't believe that denying yourself something completely is a very healthy way of dealing with weight loss (unless it is something that is completely destroying your chances of living a healthier lifestyle) but that is just my opinion and I'm sure there are others who would insist that abstinence is the only way forward. I want to be leaner, stronger and fitter ................. I don't want to be a monk!! I can't say that I miss it on the times I go without and the only benefit I have found is that because I've abstained completely from lager, I don't get so bloated. Obviously, I can now use my daily calorie allowance for food rather than foregoing that fuel for alcofuel which, in the long run, has to be a healthier option.
  • selfantigen
    selfantigen Posts: 18 Member
    I stopped drinking my red wine last year for five months and I lost forty pounds! Then, I gained twenty back when I started again. I decided last night to cut out the red wine again. I think a big glass of pomegrante juice would help me if I was in a social setting. It is so much a habit for me, it is hard to readjust the mind. But you can do it! Once you notice changes it will be easier. I started substituting iced tea in the evenings. Good Luck!!
  • moby_chick
    moby_chick Posts: 86 Member
    Hi. I can emphasise with you as I like a drink too. I used to drink a lot heavier than I do now (a bottle of wine to myself every second night) but because I need to lose weight because of a fatty liver, I've cut down. Despite what some people might assume, for those of us in the habit of taking a drink, it can be a difficult habit to break but not impossible. I used to drink wine, but I've switched to cider now and only drink about once a week.

    I'd advise you to start logging what you drink and how much, how often, etc. Drinkaware is a really good website for this. Here's their web address.
    http://www.drinkaware.co.uk/
    I log in daily, as you mark off the days/nights when you don't have a drink as well. Looking back to when I first began logging, it makes me feel good to see my progress.

    Cutting down, or giving up completely, will cause you to lose weight. I'm of the opinion that I won't deny myself altogether, but I keep an accurate account of what I do drink in case it gets out of hand again.

    I wish you all the best with this.
  • baileysmom4
    baileysmom4 Posts: 242 Member
    Alcohol absolutely deters weight loss! I even notice if I only have a couple drinks,my weekly loss takes longer than usual. Your body burns alcohol before it will burn anything else you've eaten with it, resulting in added fat to your body. There is lots of info on the internet on this.
  • Morningstar93
    Morningstar93 Posts: 161
    Drinking is my weakness, but it definitely does help to stop drinking in order to lose weight. I stopped drinking for months and that was when i lost the most weight, however when i had a drink again I found i was a total lightweight, a cheap night out!! :drinker:
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    Assuming that you don't just replace the calories you used to spend on alcohol with something else, it will help. Weight loss is about calorie deficit. Cutting out alcohol is one way to get a deficit. There's nothing magic about alcohol though. If you burn more calories than you consume you will lose weight.
  • victorialkay
    victorialkay Posts: 70
    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 :)

    I have done it and now I hardly ever drink? I don't really miss it either!

    Just please stick with it and after a while saying no gets easier. I know this sounds crap but at first when I had to give it up, I stayed away from social gaverings then I knew I wouldn't give in. Stay strong, if u want it you will do it and believe in yourself!
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
    I think it would be easier to find a new personal trainer
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    I think it would be easier to find a new personal trainer

    :laugh:
  • aliceclutz90
    aliceclutz90 Posts: 151 Member
    Haha, thanks everyone.

    I agree, it definitely is a HABIT. it is just the "done thing" everywhere that I go and I enjoy being a part of that, apart from now I realise how much it affects my waistline. I'm determined to stick to this not as a fad diet but more of an experiment to see what happens. It is always the weekends that I fall down when I drink alcohol - one glass leads to another, leads to bad food etc.

    I'm HOPING in the future it won't have to be an all or nothing approach and that I can learn to enjoy alcohol in moderation but we shall see. Thanks for the advice everybody and thanks to those that added me - it's good to talk :)
  • JessiBelleW
    JessiBelleW Posts: 836 Member
    I haven't given up alcohol on purpose (its just hard/ very expensive to get a hold of here) and I've lost a pant size. There are lots of sugars in alcohol that you don't realise about. Also alcohol would encourage me to eat 2 bad meals/ lots more carbs then I usually would. A cheeseburger or some fries on the way home and then something potato based for breakfast!

    You just have to really commit the idea that you don't drink for the next month. Also take a replacement to any parties you go too, something fancy/ unusual that you have always wanted to try or sparking grape juice. If you have a drink it will make you less likely to accidentally reach for the booze!
  • Cr01502
    Cr01502 Posts: 3,614 Member
    If this isn't something you're planning on doing long term I wouldn't bother.

    I think your efforts would better be spent learning how to enjoy a drink in moderation and staying within a calorie deficit.
  • dfonte
    dfonte Posts: 263 Member
    I did quit for a month (almost a full month) just for personal reasons. I now have a few beers on a Saturday if I'm by the pool, but I've been doing good not going overboard. I most likely will go overboard on vacation, and a few days here and there but anyways here is what I learned.

    You can let alcohol limit your active lifestyle.
    Or you can let your active lifestyle limit your drinking (I can't drink all day because I'm out being active, and even at night I don't want to get wrecked because I need to be on point the next day).
  • aliceclutz90
    aliceclutz90 Posts: 151 Member
    I haven't given up alcohol on purpose (its just hard/ very expensive to get a hold of here) and I've lost a pant size. There are lots of sugars in alcohol that you don't realise about. Also alcohol would encourage me to eat 2 bad meals/ lots more carbs then I usually would. A cheeseburger or some fries on the way home and then something potato based for breakfast!

    You just have to really commit the idea that you don't drink for the next month. Also take a replacement to any parties you go too, something fancy/ unusual that you have always wanted to try or sparking grape juice. If you have a drink it will make you less likely to accidentally reach for the booze!

    great advice thanks! I'm going to a social gathering next week at my friend's house so I will have a look for something non fattening to take :)
  • aliceclutz90
    aliceclutz90 Posts: 151 Member
    If this isn't something you're planning on doing long term I wouldn't bother.

    I think your efforts would better be spent learning how to enjoy a drink in moderation and staying within a calorie deficit.

    I see your point completely, but as I've been asked by somebody I am paying to do this I feel I should obey.

    My worry really is going overboard the minute I get my hands on any when the 4 weeks are over.

    I suppose the main thing I am learning here is (as obvious as it probably seems to you all) - on days I am drinking (aka normally each Saturday) , eat less to allow for those calories. It's just becase for a while now I've stopped calorie counting and focussed on nutritional content and that has worked but I think I will alter that for each day that I do decide to drink.
  • aliceclutz90
    aliceclutz90 Posts: 151 Member
    I did quit for a month (almost a full month) just for personal reasons. I now have a few beers on a Saturday if I'm by the pool, but I've been doing good not going overboard. I most likely will go overboard on vacation, and a few days here and there but anyways here is what I learned.

    You can let alcohol limit your active lifestyle.
    Or you can let your active lifestyle limit your drinking (I can't drink all day because I'm out being active, and even at night I don't want to get wrecked because I need to be on point the next day).

    Absolutely. Most days it isn't a problem because I work out every day except Sunday, and the only time I normally drink is Saturday night,. But on some weeks that Saturday night can have the ability to wipe out days of hard work due to the amount I drnk and subsequently eat. Basically, I just need to control myself, and I wish there was an easy way of figuring out how to do that! Lol
  • TimeForMe99
    TimeForMe99 Posts: 309
    I once quit for 9 months :wink:

    If anyone presses a drink on you just say "No thanks, doctor's orders". No need to go into details. If it's a guy whisper something about "female troubles"; shuts them right up. Definitely keep something in your hand - flavored seltzer or another soft drink. If your friends (or their friends) are of the moronic variety don't set down your cup or let anyone else fill it.
  • Guamybear
    Guamybear Posts: 1,061 Member
    I quit back in October while I try to lose weight.. Last nite was my first 2 beers.. I would stop for awhile.. why drink those calories when you can eat them?
  • kmdowd1
    kmdowd1 Posts: 7 Member
    I gave up drinking for lent one year and it definitely contributed to my weight loss efforts. When lent was over, I was so used to eating my daily calories I didn't want to give up food for booze. However, When I am craving a beer or at a party, i drink Miller 64. It helps me feel not deprived. I have a beer in my hand like everyone else but it's half the calories. :)
  • Cr01502
    Cr01502 Posts: 3,614 Member
    I see your point completely, but as I've been asked by somebody I am paying to do this I feel I should obey.

    My worry really is going overboard the minute I get my hands on any when the 4 weeks are over.

    I suppose the main thing I am learning here is (as obvious as it probably seems to you all) - on days I am drinking (aka normally each Saturday) , eat less to allow for those calories. It's just becase for a while now I've stopped calorie counting and focussed on nutritional content and that has worked but I think I will alter that for each day that I do decide to drink.

    To be honest if you feel like it will help you improve your diet than go for it. I quit booze for six months and I found that it allowed me to be more productive and focus alot more on training. I'm only making the point that the overconsumption of calories will prevent your weight loss not the booze itself. As long as you're getting adequate micro and macronutrients there's no need to cut alcohol out of your diet if you enjoy it. In fact some studies actually show that drinking in moderation may actually be more beneficial to your health than abstinence.
  • lilxocrush
    lilxocrush Posts: 20
    I'm in my early 20's and drinking on the weekends or a mid-week happy hour is what all of my friends do. I thought it would be impossible for me to cut back on my drinking especially since me and my bf are beer snobs and love a good draft. I wanted to cut back on drinking because for the last 3 months I have hit a plateau and really wanted to get back on track. In the past month I have only had 3 beers and 1 shot and have noticed a big difference. I don't see that much of a difference when I look in the mirror but I feel way better. I feel a lot less bloated and think my stomach looks less bloated too. I also have more energy and do not feel guilty logging in all of those calories from alcohol. Also it is comforting stepping on the scale the next morning and noticing the scale staying the same or going down instead of going up like it would after a night of heavy drinking.

    Socially, i find that it isn't that hard declining a drink. I get a water with a splash of cranberry juice or water with a lime and am perfectly satisfied. Some of my friends didn't even realize I wasn't drinking. I know it is not sustainable for me to give up on alcohol completely but my drastically cutting back I can now continue on my weight loss journey. For the future, I plan on saving most of my drinking for big events ( i have a lot of summer weddings) and the occasional happy hour but it was not too hard to break my 3/4 night a week drinking. Good luck on your journey!
  • aliceclutz90
    aliceclutz90 Posts: 151 Member
    thank you all, sensible suggestions! I will see hwo the 4 weeks go - towards the end of the last week I will start thinking about where to go from there :) really appreciate everyone's help though, great to know I am not alone in this
  • paige_eloise
    paige_eloise Posts: 170 Member
    I have up alcohol for lent, and it honestly wasn't that bad - and I'm a student!! It's almost against my nature to NOT drink.
    It really isn't that challenging, it's fun - you get to watch others drink and make fools of themselves!!!!!
  • sunyhuny
    sunyhuny Posts: 1
    The only way I've ever lost weight is if I stopped drinking. OR if I chose between eating and drinking ( um duh NOT HEALTHY)???

    Also now that I'm not drinking, I also don't wake up hungover and want to eat 400 pounds of french fries and Indian food. Also I never accidentally eat pizza when I'm wasted.

    I highly recommend.

    I mean, also I'm an alcoholic so??? Weight loss isn't the only reason I try to cut down on drinking, but it's the most consistently compelling one.
  • CristinaL1983
    CristinaL1983 Posts: 1,119 Member
    I quit drinking for a while and definitely noticed that I lost weight more easily. I occasionally have a drink but much less often now.

    It's also pretty easy to just not tell anyone that you are drinking. Soda water with lime and people assume you are drinking. Soda with a splash of cranberry is pretty tasty. Most of my friends didn't even know I wasn't drinking when I wasn't.

    I would say try it for a month and see how it goes.
  • Ely82010
    Ely82010 Posts: 1,998 Member
    I am not a drinker and I don't drink mixed drinks or beer, but I do enjoy a glass of wine a couple of times a week, or when I go out for dinner. I didn't stop my occasional drinking when I was trying to lose few lbs, and I saw no difference in my achieving my goals.

    Now that am on maintenance, I drink much less because wine is upsetting my stomach. But I am not losing anymore weight either. So go figure!
  • RobynMWilson
    RobynMWilson Posts: 1,540 Member
    I stopped drinking alcohol almost 13 years ago for reasons other than fitness and there's NO looking back for me! It has been much easier to get results and step up my fitness without all that beer in the equation. I used to drink like a fish lol
  • JUDDDing
    JUDDDing Posts: 1,367 Member
    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.

    Get a water, ask that it be in a glass glass and decorate it with some fruit - maybe a dash of grenadine. (tip your bartender - this will not be a problem) Drink it through a straw.

    No one will notice or care.

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