Have you given up alcohol to lose weight?

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  • toutmonpossible
    toutmonpossible Posts: 1,580 Member
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    I could never give it up permanently, but if I'm intent on losing weight, I lose the alcohol, or radically reduce it. I don't need the empty calories, and as you said, it loosens one's inhibitions. I tend to eat much more high-calorie food when I'm drinking.
  • TravelDog14
    TravelDog14 Posts: 317 Member
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    Given it up? No.

    But cut back substantially. I probably used to have a beer or glass of wine 3-4 nights a week and most of the time it was 2 beers or 2 glasses of wine on each of those nights.

    Now I maybe have 3 drinks per month. My current drinking is much more planned, not done out of habit. I already know that tomorrow I'm meeting friends in the afternoon for beers. I'll have no more than 3, and since the pub we're going to doesn't have very good food I won't be tempted to indulge there. Also, since I don't ever drink and drive I will walk to and from the pub which is 1.5 miles from my house so I'll get a brisk walk of 3 miles in as an added bonus.

    It's all about fitting it into my calorie allotment for the day. It sounds weird probably, but I actually enjoy my drinking more now because I know I've worked to "earn" it.

    Nothing better on a hot day than a well-crafted Gin & Tonic that fits within your calorie goal.
  • vikingheart
    vikingheart Posts: 79
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    I'm a recovering alcoholic and started weight loss and counting calories a month into my sobriety. After struggling time and time again, I was finally successful without alcohol as part of the daily equation.

    Like my eating habits, I had an incredibly hard time with moderation management and would end up binge drinking regularly. I've noticed, for me, that the health implications were not just related to calories. It was all a slippery slope...I'd get drunk...eat crappy food at 2am coming back from the bar...not workout the next day or do anything because I was hungover...eat crappy food to get over my hangover...rinse, repeat...
  • Joehenny
    Joehenny Posts: 1,222 Member
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    Not to lose weight, just to live a healthier lifestyle. A lot of negative stuff came along with alcohol consumption for me outside of the fact that it's horrible for someone weight training.
  • MusicInMyHeart
    MusicInMyHeart Posts: 179
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    No way! I drink a glass of wine at least once a day and fit it into my macros :)
  • Laces_0ut
    Laces_0ut Posts: 3,750 Member
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    drinking alcohol whenever i feel like it is the one thing i miss about changing my diet. i miss having 2 or 3 beers with meals and then having 6-8 during happy hour.
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
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    I don't drink that much, or I should say that often. I just calculate it in and compensate somehow.
  • RealMarkD
    RealMarkD Posts: 92 Member
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    Haven't quit drinking beer, just cut WAY back on how often (maybe once or twice a month) and how much I drink when I do (2, maybe 3). I just know that when I do drink, I have to balance it out a couple of days before & after, so I go heavier on the workouts, water & fruits/veggies on those days.

    Personally, I don't believe in depriving myself of anything. If I want a beer, I'll have one. I just won't have that 3rd, 4th, or 5th beer.
  • Paws4Luv
    Paws4Luv Posts: 86 Member
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    I still have my beer and wine... Something that I probably will not give up lol. Keeps me motivated
  • Brenda4105
    Brenda4105 Posts: 117 Member
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    Sort of given it up. I look at how important something is to me. Are the calories really worth it? Right now, no - alcohol calories are not worth it. I like the sweet fruity drinks and they are loaded with calories. If I really wanted the drink, I would have it.

    When I look at what I could have eaten for the same amount of calories it is a no-brainer.
  • bonniecarbs
    bonniecarbs Posts: 446 Member
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    No, but what I did do was stop mixing it with coke and mix it with water. Seems not to have made a difference though, but I feel better in knowing I don't drink coke any more.
  • conniemaxwell5
    conniemaxwell5 Posts: 943 Member
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    Unintentionally I cut down quite a bit but I wasn't a huge drinker before either. My usual was 2-3 glasses of wine a week and at least one cocktail if we went out to eat. When I started eating healthier I just started (not really even consciously) checking myself before I pour or order alcohol and thinking, do I really want this at the risk of going over my calories for the day? About 75% of the time the answer is no and I pass. I haven't missed it at all because when I really want it, I have it.
  • JustPeachy044
    JustPeachy044 Posts: 770 Member
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    I can't say I have given it up, but I do restrict it much more than I used to. Empty calories that aren't often worth the cost. Sometimes, though, I really just want a beer or a glass of wine. Then I just do it!
  • sisa1965
    sisa1965 Posts: 52 Member
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    Funny you ask this question because just this week I made the decision to forgo drinking to try and help myself lose the last 19lbs to my first gaol of 100lbs. I have no intention to stop totally but at least make a significant cut back.. wih me luck!!
  • Mlkmaid
    Mlkmaid Posts: 356 Member
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    Have you met my mother? Hell no! :) But I don't drink every day. I may have a glass of wine twice a week. I'm acutely aware of "drinking your calories" so I stick to water mostly.
  • Boogage
    Boogage Posts: 739 Member
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    I cut back on alcohol mainly because I was trying to get healthier rather than purely to lose weight. I don't eat when I drink but once I started drinking I couldn't stop. I'd developed a pretty serious drinking habit and was going off the rails a lot. I feel better in myself for drinking less and I did notice the weight started to come off much more quickly, also my tummy got flatter :o)

    Tbh because I was dedicated to getting healthy I didn't really find it hard to stop drinking so much and I just stopped buying as much. I was really surprised when I went to a weekend long music festival a couple of weeks ago and initially found myself wondering if I wanted a drink at all. I did have a few drinks throughout each day in the end but I never felt drunk and I'm pleased to say I remember a lot more of the bands than the last time I went.
  • 04hoopsgal73
    04hoopsgal73 Posts: 890 Member
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    I had always enjoyed a nice glass of wine with most dinners and on weekends when we’re just relaxing at home.

    I cut back from 6-8 glasses to 4-6 glasses. Then went down to twice a week.
    Finally, went off it completely, and wow, what a metabolism reboot for my body. I started to lose more weight and had less
    plateaus.

    The alcohol just slows my metabolism down too much. Also, for health reasons I needed to bring it down.

    Do I still enjoy a glass of wine, yes. It’s normal. If I know I want to definitely have it with a special dinner or occasion, I plan my
    nutrition so it doesn’t wreck my goals. I did this on a cruise this winter and recently while in Europe. Lost weight both trips.

    I work too hard at logging, eating well, and exercise and can’t see myself wasting all that investment away.
  • Orfygirl
    Orfygirl Posts: 274 Member
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    Given up alcohol? NO, NEVER! Reduced my alcohol consumption? Yes! Everything in moderation.
  • MsEndomorph
    MsEndomorph Posts: 604 Member
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    I've cut back from 2-3 bottles of wine/week to a few glasses a week. I'm not going to cut it all out because that just isn't what I want to do. :) But it is helping with the weight loss - some days I just can't afford the calories and I can NEVER afford to drink an entire bottle!
  • MsEndomorph
    MsEndomorph Posts: 604 Member
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    Double post

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