Give up alcohol with me?

13

Replies

  • TurquoisWater
    TurquoisWater Posts: 26 Member
    I LOVE wine. Don't try to stop altogether. Just set a limit like 2 glasses max (or half a bottle max) a night. The when you're used to having that, try to only have it every other day.
    If it's something you love, keep it, but make adjustments so that this habit fits better with your life and goals.
  • norahwynn
    norahwynn Posts: 862 Member
    I love my wine. When I started MFP, I was drinking 1 glass about 3x a week (during the work week) and probably 2 glasses on Sat & Sunday. Starting last week, I decided to forgo my wine during the week and only have a few glasses on the weekend. I was REALLY sick of seeing those calories wasted everyday.

    Now if they come up with a 0 calorie wine...:drinker:
  • Mrsallypants
    Mrsallypants Posts: 887 Member
    About 10 years ago I drink for three months straight every single day, I got plastered every single day. I had maybe one meal a day that was about 700-1,000 calories plus the calories from 15-24 beers a day.

    I lost about 30lbs and for the first time in my life got a six-pack. Don't know why exactly.
  • angelahammon
    angelahammon Posts: 114 Member
    I love wine, and usually drink a bottle of white or Rose on a friday and saturday night, the only problem is when i have a glass i start having the munchies and want to eat,
  • KatLifter
    KatLifter Posts: 1,314 Member
    Yup, I gave it up last January and haven't looked back.
    Good luck with your parties, for me it hasn't been a challenge too often (except on dates - guys seem to have an issue with women who don't drink?) If you have a full glass, most people won't even notice - or care - what you are drinking.
  • Thank you for all the kind words and helpful tips. Thanks also for the pictures of cute puppies though I'd rather have a clip of the penguin from happy feet if you could sort that for next time :o)

    I'm just going to chart my progress on here so it's easy to find. Anyone joining me do the same then we can help each other. So my goal from this is to stop drinking at home. I do go out on a saturday and a Sunday but never drink much when I'm out as I'm too busy talking. If i stick to that i'll never go over the recommended limits.

    So there are 13 potential dry days left in June for me to aim for starting from today #targetdriven

    Good luck everyone too - remember keep the plug in the jug :o)
  • renrutb
    renrutb Posts: 11 Member
    I was drinking 2-3 beers nightly. The weekends were worse. I could easily drink 10 a day. For anyone, but especially a female, that's terrible. I completely quit... for 6 days. Of all people, my dad came to visit and brought a bottle of whiskey. Whiskey and beer are my alcoholic drinks of choice. I had 5 shots that day and felt like absolute crap. The changes in my diet along with no alcohol for several days prior made those 5 shots feel like an entire bottle. I was worried that drinking that day would lead me back to daily drinking; however, it didn't.

    Being sober, I do sleep better and have improved mental clarity at work.

    Personally, I'm not giving it up forever. Right now I'm just focusing on not drinking until July 4th. I'm with you on giving up alcohol... for the next few weeks. :wink:
  • swede160
    swede160 Posts: 24 Member
    Oh yes, I'm right there with you. I will buy a bottle on the way home from work and demolish it before supper is ready. Then, I'll see what my husband might have around.

    I stopped drinking on June 1st. So far I had one slip up (a VERY stressful saturday ended in a wine - a - thon).. But otherwise, I'm doing good and feeling great. Haven't lost any weight from it, but sleep is definitely better and I'm able to get up in the mornings and hit the gym before work.

    I'm sure we'll be imbibing on July 4th, but otherwise I can see abstaining for the forseeable future.
  • swede that's exactly how I want to be, mostly not drinking at all. Got through 6pm now though without wavering so another 3 hours and I will be in bed and that's 2 days alcohol free for me. Woo bloody hoo.
  • MerRock
    MerRock Posts: 56 Member
    Isn't a glass of wine only about 120 calories? Walk an extra 1500 steps during the day and enjoy your glass of wine.

    As far as sleeping peacefully...

    Count sheep jumping over glasses of wine.

    I just keep seeing these sheep jumping, but not clearing the wine glass, and then they fall in and their wool gets dyed from the wine and then there's a big mess, but lots of happy sheep... I guess they'd be jumping over something like Cab or Merlot since that would go well with lamb. :laugh:
  • IowaJen1979
    IowaJen1979 Posts: 406 Member
    I gave it up, too, for many reasons. First, I was a binge drinker and didn't like the pattern I had established. Second, I really wanted to lose weight. I REALLY wanted to be successful, and alcohol is a trigger for me. Not only does it pack on the calories (because I was a binge drinker - I consumed A LOT) but it leads to bad food choices.Third, I don't like how I feel when I drink. It makes me tired, bloated, and gives me a headache. I loved it when I was young but not any more.

    I can't say I miss it. I still have a drink on occasion (once ever 2 or 3 months) but I am more or less alcohol free. I honestly don't think I would be losing weight if I was still drinking.
  • It's brilliant to hear all your stories from when you are alcohol free. I've not drunk for 2 days out of a possible 18 so am happy too. I missed it last night at the usual time but once that passed, it didnt matter at all.
  • siqiniq
    siqiniq Posts: 237 Member
    67 days sober today. You got this~

    Awe! Congrats.
    *hands you a 60 day Chip*

    And here's a bunch of flowers from me too. Well done

    And a million bucks from me!
  • harley1968
    harley1968 Posts: 218 Member
    Hi, I used to drink wine every night and it was usually a bottle. I gave up a few years ago now and only really drink on special occasions. Last serious drink I had was on New Years Eve 2012, and I had a couple of drinks in May for a school reunion.

    I gave up as it was making me fat, and I hated waking up with a hangover for work.

    Also you will find going to a party and being sober is actually pretty good, as
    a. you can always remember who you have spoken to
    b. you can remember getting home and
    c. no nasty hangover the next day.

    I am quite a shy person and I used to find it would help me talk to people, but I have worked out I don't need alcohol to talk to people and to have a good time.

    All the best
  • mazdauk
    mazdauk Posts: 1,380 Member
    I have a glass of whisky (Makers Mark - 3-4 shots) per night - It helps me release the tension of the day and ready myself for another hard day in the morning. I really want to quit; however, I'm not sure that I'm strong enough to quit. I'm not sure how horrible drinking one glass of whisky is for my health. I currently weigh 203 lbs and am 6'3''; however, I have been lifting and run 2.25 miles per day during the week. Healthy to stop (potential liver issues down the road) or healthy to have that amount every day? Help!

    The recommended intake for an adult man is about 20-24 units a week (UK NHS guideline). One PUB measure of Scotch is one unit, but pouring at home, unless you use a food scale, is notoriously inaccurate. (I measured out my wine and 125ml was a LOT less than the "one glass" I would have poured before). However, the science behind this limit is a bit woolly IMHO as people metabolise alcohol differently (not just due to size). My father-in-law used to drink half a bottle of Scotch a day and had no liver problems - he died at the age of 53 weighing over 20 stone (280lb+), but his liver was fine. :ohwell:

    If you want the relaxation of alcohol to unwind (I take it Ovaltine wouldn't cut it for you?) but are concerned about the potential health effects of Scotch, have you thought of switching to something like red wine (with proven health benefits)? One glass of a good red would probably be similar calories to your generous home measure of Scotch.

    A doctor might tell you to give it up. In my view if you're eating a healthy balanced diet and execising I don't think one scotch a day would hurt. But I'm not a health professional.
  • plantboy2
    plantboy2 Posts: 224 Member
    I gave up booze for three months at the beginning of the year as part of wider fitness goals. I set myself a three month target and stuck to and it was actually fairly easy, if not a little boring for me. It really helped with fitness, sleep and weight loss.

    I really used to love drinking and would crave a drink after work or any time there was social gathering, but after not having it, my relationship with alcohol has changed. I rarely ever drink to excess now and just have a couple of drinks here and there to relax or when being sociable. I feel more normal and less 'dependent', so good luck with your challenge.
  • plantboy2
    plantboy2 Posts: 224 Member
    Oh, also, I read a report that showed consumption was very much linked to your partner:

    - Men tended to drink less when in a partnership with a woman, who brought their habit down
    - Women increased their consumption

    So basically, you meet in the middle if the male drinks more than the female to begin with. My wife has been pregnant so far this year, so it made it easy for me to give up :)
  • Interesting - my husband rarely drinks but I drink more than I used to. Maybe it's something else to blame him for (joke) :o)
  • otrlynn
    otrlynn Posts: 273 Member
    I'm in--sort of. For many years, I would have one or 1.5 glasses of wine on weekend evenings (often when we went out to eat). For the past several months this has crept up to a nightly event. I started to have a half glass to relax after work, but then I might also have a glass with dinner. I don't need the calories, and I'm concerned that this is becoming too much of a habit. In fact, earlier in the week I told myself, "no wine tonight", but caved. My problem has never been consuming a lot at one time. However, it is harder to get out of this pattern than I thought it would be. My husband always has a couple of glasses of red wine every night, and I guess this doesn't help my resolve either.

    So here's my new plan--no wine Mon.-Thursday. I'll re-evaluate after a couple of months.

    Anyone who would like to join me in a similar plan, feel free to send a friend request.
  • nj1989
    nj1989 Posts: 13 Member
    sorry im irish
  • Jim_1960
    Jim_1960 Posts: 399
    Well done to you but I am afraid I can't join in.
    I am in training with my Bubba Cup for the next 2 weeks before my summer holiday! LOL
  • Ohnoes
    Ohnoes Posts: 98 Member
    IN. i went from a few drinks a night to a few drinks a month. i sleep better, i eat less, im losing weight, i have more energy, and i have more money in my pocket. im more present. its funny how something that seemed so necessary in my life is now so unimportant to me, i dont miss it at all.
  • sorry im irish

    Sorry about that :o)
  • emibrus1
    emibrus1 Posts: 59
    After growing up with an alcoholic father and putting him through rehab 6 times in the past 2 years (He is financially ruined and without insurance so I pay for it...what choice do I have if he wants to go ya know?) giving up alcohol is absolutely no problem @_@ I can't even smell whiskey without seeing him convulsing and ****ting himself on my living room floor.

    He's a great man but a terrible father.

    Best of luck to you! I've seen first hand how difficult it can be...whether it's a bottle of Jim or a glass of wine!
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
    It's definitely a good idea to take a break from alcohol periodically. If I were you, I would try to go completely booze-free for a month--give your liver and kidneys a chance to recover. You might find that once you start drinking again, it will not take as much alcohol for you to feel a buzz.

    Oh, and I would measure your pours, when you do drink. A restaurant/bar pour is usually bigger than what a standard "serving" is--measuring your wine at home will give you an idea of how much you are getting when you go out.
  • fancynance77
    fancynance77 Posts: 20 Member
    So I'm going to join. Not because I've a problem. I drink very little but every weekend. My problem is this. I can't metabolise it anymore. I feel horrible for days after 2 drinks. I can't sleep and I will vomit the next day and have diahrea. It's just not worth it. The fitter I get and the cleaner my diet the less I can tolerate alcohol.

    Oh and I'm Irish too so I will be like an Alien to all my friends and family!!!
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
    So I'm going to join. Not because I've a problem. I drink very little but every weekend. My problem is this. I can't metabolise it anymore. I feel horrible for days after 2 drinks. I can't sleep and I will vomit the next day and have diahrea. It's just not worth it. The fitter I get and the cleaner my diet the less I can tolerate alcohol.

    Whoa, really? Does this vomiting/sleeplessness happen when you have, say, a single 5 oz glass of white wine?
  • Sorry Em it must have been awful for you to see your father like that. Alcohol is addictive - we all know that and yet are surprised that giving it up is hard!

    And I am lol'ing at Irish people apologising to Wineways for giving up the drink. :o)
  • laurennxmariee
    laurennxmariee Posts: 10 Member
    i'm also doing a 2-3 week alcohol detox! i used to be the same way you are with wine (i never missed a single Wine Down Wednesday (half off all bottles of wine at my favorite cool asian bar/restaurant) since i turned 21, plus saturday nights were my drinking nights as well. In between, i would also have wine with dinner or just because i could and i always felt like such **** (plus it helped me gain back the almost 30 lbs i had lost right before then). i'm back to eating completely clean and healthy (minus a little treat here and there for my sanity lol) and without the alcohol i feel so much better! yes it's definitely hard being 22 and going out to eat/drink with my boyfriend and watching him devour boneless wings with honey bbq sauce on them and fries and a 24 oz beer while i'm eating my black bean burger with a little cheese, lettuce, tomato, and dressing on the side with a side of celery and carrot sticks and drinking a big old glass or 3 of ice cold water. it was hard but once i walked out of there and had fully resisted the temptation, i felt on top of the world knowing that i did have that amount of self control and i could say no to my delicious bahama mamas and mango mojitos and boneless wings and still be satisfied and damn proud! (sorry for such a rant lol)

    anyone feel free to add me! always looking for new friends for support :]
  • bethany41h
    bethany41h Posts: 218
    I've significantly decreased my alcohol intake this year in attempt to lose weight. I love wine (and cheese and chocolate) and I LOVE craft beer. So it is a struggle but a sacrifice I am hoping with be well worth it!