Have you given up alcohol to lose weight?

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AmIhealthyyet
AmIhealthyyet Posts: 361 Member
in Motivation and Support
If you did, or tried to how is it working for you? I have found, for me personally, most of my success disappears as soon as I crack open a beer. Sets off more beer binges and food binges. If you quit, do you miss it? Thanks for the input!
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  • baconandcandy
    baconandcandy Posts: 8
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    I'm with you, one drink turns into a few drinks, which then turns into "lets order an XL extra cheese pizza". I'm just cutting it out completely. MAYBE i'll have a TALL glass of wine now and then but as for getting "**** faced" I'll have to hold off for a few years.
  • AmIhealthyyet
    AmIhealthyyet Posts: 361 Member
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    I'm with you, one drink turns into a few drinks, which then turns into "lets order an XL extra cheese pizza". I'm just cutting it out completely. MAYBE i'll have a TALL glass of wine now and then but as for getting "**** faced" I'll have to hold off for a few years.

    This is me, add a bag of chips and a gyro to the pizza order too! Moderation and having 'anything within my calories' totally falls to the wayside once I open that first beer. Love the idea of ALL food and drink being OK in moderation however for me beer and moderation have never gone together.
  • coderedjulia
    coderedjulia Posts: 43
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    Yes, I did cut back on my drinking. That was one of my biggest issues anyways, Its never one beer for me, then I will want more beer, and maybe some chips and pizza, just like you said. Even if I did have one beer or a glass fo wine, it makes me hungry. So i only drink on special occasions and treat myself to coffee instead.
  • kinsellae
    kinsellae Posts: 167 Member
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    I haven't necessarily quit. Some where along the line I realized it just wasn't as important anymore. I enjoy having the energy to workout. I'll still enjoy having a few drinks but it's maybe once a month or every other month.
  • artsycella
    artsycella Posts: 121 Member
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    I definitely haven't given up alcohol. I've never been much of a beer person, but I do enjoy a glass or two of wine a few times a week and I haven't stopped that. I'll also sometimes have a bottle of hard cider, or a glass of port or scotch or a champagne cocktail. I fit it into my daily calories and macros, but I'm not about giving up things that I enjoy on this journey.

    I should also add that wine is a hobby for my husband and I... we go on wine tastings, belong to wine clubs, subscribe to wine magazines and have a small (<200 bottle) cellar. Giving that up would have been more than just giving up a drink or two, but a hobby that we share and enjoy together and have spent years cultivating.
  • lsmsrbls
    lsmsrbls Posts: 232 Member
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    I haven't given up alcohol. I try to have a drink every day.
  • lavaughan69
    lavaughan69 Posts: 459 Member
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    I definitely reduced my alcohol consumption. I don't binge eat when I drink, I binge drink when I drink :-) I always leave plenty of calories for the end of the day on weekends so I can have a few rum and diet sprite drinks. What I don't do anymore is free pour. And if I'm at someones house that is a "pusher" I will top my drink up with pop a lot so I'm using less rum. I've lost 25 lbs since the end of March and I still have 17lbs to go. I love to drink, but I love losing weight more, so as they say...all things in moderation!
  • chem32
    chem32 Posts: 1
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    For me to lose, I have to not be drinking. If I'm maintaining, then I can have a few drinks a week. But yeah, if I have more than a couple drinks in one night, I start craving pizza and chips/cheese and whatever else I can find in the pantry. It's no good.
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
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    :drinker: Hail no!
  • grrrlface
    grrrlface Posts: 1,204 Member
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    I did at first but now I generally eat/drink what I like in moderation, won't lie, still have the occasional drink binge but I find it easier to moderate now I'm closer to goal. I think it's learning to fit it in with the lifestyle change, that's why it was easier to go withoyt at first but now I'm near goal weight I've had to just learn that I won't go without it forever and need to enjoy it within my goals!
  • schnarfo
    schnarfo Posts: 764 Member
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    ive not given it up but i find if im hitting the gym in the evening i dont want that glass of wine i used to have with my dinner! im sure its helping me lose if only because im consuming less calories and burning more
  • rosemaryhon
    rosemaryhon Posts: 507 Member
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    If you did, or tried to how is it working for you? I have found, for me personally, most of my success disappears as soon as I crack open a beer. Sets off more beer binges and food binges. If you quit, do you miss it? Thanks for the input!

    I mostly gave it up, yes. My reasons were partly I didn't want to waste calories, but moreso I had been unhappy with unpleasant hangovers anyway. I had been drinking a couple/few glasses of wine most nights while cooking/eating. Afterwards my evenings would be sluggish, sometimes I'd even get cranky. Than I'd have a poor nights sleep and suspect I'd heavily snore LOL. Next day I'd be so tired, crabby, and would find myself ravenously HUNGRY! I'd attempt to 'cure' my hangover by eating crap ;)

    So it was a vicious cycle and I consider myself 'allergic' to booze :)

    But, I have had an occasional cocktail, wine, or beer since (yesterday for example ;) ).

    Honestly I assumed I'd miss it, but I really haven't. I stopped buying it to avoid temptation and now look forward to going out for the occasional restaurant dinner or to friends/family houses and having a drink :)
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,706 Member
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    I do massive cardio workouts to fit in the alcohol. Sixty five minutes on the elliptical buys a bottle of wine.
  • TonicSapphire
    TonicSapphire Posts: 24
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    :drinker: Hail no!

    X2 :laugh:
  • OLeoLionessO
    OLeoLionessO Posts: 152
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    What sucks about alcohol is that it has a ****load of calories in it (especially beer and mixed drinks) I drink mike's harder cranberry lemonade and its 500 calories for just one! Now I normally drink 3-4 so do the math. It's a ****load of bad stuff for your body and no workout afterwards either. My boyfriend has a huge stomach just because of how many beers he drinks at one sitting. If you are going to get drunk just stay away from beer and mixed drinks. Go for shots with a chaser drink. I will get 5 shots of whiskey and one restaurant sized dr. pepper and only drink about 300-400 calories....and 5 shots is pretty tipsy for me.
  • missybct
    missybct Posts: 321 Member
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    I have drank around 30 units in total, this year. Compared to last year, when I would drink 30 units a WEEK.

    I actually stopped drinking alcohol before I started losing weight - I was addicted to it, and would chase it down at every opportunity. My weight started to drop when I stopped drinking 3-4 bottles of wine a week. I also felt a lot less crappy physically, but a lot lot worse mentally - alcohol was my diversion to ignore my illness.

    Has it helped with my weight loss? Probably. Since I've been committed to MFP, I think I've had 3 small glasses of wine in 80 days. I'm not a teetotaller - I wouldn't put that pressure on myself because the moment I do, I will buckle. It definitely eliminates that burning desire to grab junk food which was very common with me when I drank lots.

    Obviously, this is quite different to the original question and I'm rambling. I think it boils down entirely to how much alcohol you would "choose" to drink given the chance. A year ago I would have said "x bottles of wine a week" - now I am more content to say "on social occasions/events" - if you are spending a good portion of your calorie allowance on alcohol regularly, I would suggest cutting down a bit. BUT - I agree with everyone who states that if you want something, you should have it and make it work into your plan. That is why I don't profess to being abstinent from drink - the moment I try and eliminate it completely, I will probably end up craving it again!
  • Elsie_Brownraisin
    Elsie_Brownraisin Posts: 786 Member
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    I've cut back my alcohol intake for reasons other than weight loss and I have to say the weight has come off a bit more easily.

    Like a lot of other commenters have said above, my resolve not to eat c**p disappears if I have a drink.

    If I'm drinking with my friends at home in particular, it just doesn't feel right to drink without shoveling a load of crisps or olives down the hatch.

    Or pork scratchings in the pub :noway: which I no longer eat!

    I don't drink a bottle of wine with my tea anymore, so that has helped, I suppose.

    I like wine, lager and ale - I'd rather not drink than have vodka and a diet soft drink. Bleugh.
  • sussexbythesea
    sussexbythesea Posts: 1,335 Member
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    Yes my OH and I have cut down loads with the result that I have lost 23 lbs and he is no longer type 2 diabetic though only lost 10lbs so far. We both drank at least half a bottle of wine every evening and that led to cheese, biscuits and nuts in the evenings.

    He went virtually cold turkey but I cut down more slowly. Now I have one bottle to last all weekend and he may have just a couple of beers or nothing. We are recently returned from a 5 week overseas trip where we drank every night again and gained several pounds in process but no problems going back to our regime and losing again now.

    It really makes a difference and as we are both over 60 it has given us a wake up call healthwise and our blood test results are better
  • 5pmsomewherenow
    5pmsomewherenow Posts: 163 Member
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    I gave up wine (and hard liquor) originally because of the calorie bomb, but kept it "mostly" out of my daily diet because of the added health benefits and better sleep I'm getting now. I occasionally have a glass of wine or a beer, but now it's limited to once or twice a week, instead of a mindless half-a-bottle every night. I don't miss it, and ultimately know it's better for an overall healthy lifestyle. I had to admit to myself that I was drinking way too much, before.
  • tjthegreatone
    tjthegreatone Posts: 324
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    Yeah I was never much of a drinker (a real lightweight) but when I realised how many empty calories were in alcohol it was a no-brainer.
    Anyway I think drinkers tend to fall into two categories: the overweight ones with beer bellies etc (eat a lot, drink a lot); and the skinny university girls who eat nothing and get all their calories from alcohol...I'd rather eat.

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