Staying off booze for a month

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Replies

  • St_Paul
    St_Paul Posts: 32 Member
    I'm not following any of this.... If I have a beer or 2 or a glass of wine or two in the evening and it fits into my calories for the day, how is that inhibiting my weight loss? I'm not trying to be a wise *kitten*, I'm genuinely interested. Thanks

    To give a completely straight, non wise *kitten* reply, look at the days calories w/o the beer or wine added in.
    Everyone has to do things the way that works best for them. I love scotch ale ... but loving it everynight doesn't work for me. I've essentially lost the weight I have not by changing my diet much or increasing exercise, but by dropping just the beers.
  • HIITMe
    HIITMe Posts: 921 Member
    I have lost 120 pounds in the last year and I drink 1 glass of wine EVERY Friday because, well I just need to unwind after a long crazy work week.... I sometimes also have a cocktail on Saturday as well....

    I have chips too...

    and then I get my *kitten* on the treadmill or lift weights or do something to move and chalk it up as EVEN...

    I do drink a effton of water regularly and try to do extra water when Ive had alcohol, as alcohol can lead to water retention/dehydration...
  • amwood89
    amwood89 Posts: 165 Member
    yeah, I feel like a new person when I do it. Not often I have though, I usually give into temptation & end up drinking!

    I'm at a gig on the 1st Oct which I've waited my whole life for, so as of the 2nd Oct I'll be on a break for a month!!
  • kimtab
    kimtab Posts: 64 Member
    My hubby and I love craft brewed beers and would have 1 or 2 every evening. I stopped when I made the commitment to lose weight since that's quite a few calories right there! But I found that I feel better and sleep better too. Now I have one beer when we go out for sushi every Friday. It tastes really good and one is all I need because 2 is waaaay to much for me now.
  • husseycd
    husseycd Posts: 814 Member
    I can't speak for others but for me personally once I have two glasses of wine I crave (and eat) way over my calories for the day. It's not the alcohol calories it's all the ones that the alcohol drives me to eat.

    I've heard this before. I'm actually the opposite. A glass of wine in the evening keeps me from craving baked goods.
  • LauraElectric
    LauraElectric Posts: 51 Member
    I've cut down on alcohol for a while just because of calories, I also find it hard to have just one and also chips go so well with beer....

    But I am cutting it out completely for a month for the Macmillan Cancer Research "Go Sober for October" campaign. I doubt it will impact my weight loss too much as I was usually within my target calories even with the booze, but I am hoping it will improve my general health and well being.

    If anyone wants to participate (I think it's open internationally) in the campaign or sponsor me...
    https://www.gosober.org.uk/profile/lauramccarthy
  • I'm almost ready to try this. I wouldn't call what I do boozing by any means. I do like really hoppy IPA craft beers though and will have a six pack a week (assuming they fit into my calories), but I've got a stubborn ~10 lbs and no abs, and want to see if it really does make a difference.
  • SuperAmie
    SuperAmie Posts: 307 Member
    Deffnitly helps!! I was a heavy beer drinker... I switched to wine and with that I drank WAYYYY less. (i know its not giving it up compeltely) but I still saw major changes in my body and I felt incredible!!!!

    Sorry Im frozen I cant spell/type today.<3 Goodluck!!
  • ExcelWithMel
    ExcelWithMel Posts: 192 Member
    YES!

    After a month of too many beers here and a few too many glasses of wine there, I did it and lost 8 lbs. in a month. You have nothing to lose and you will be a cheap date when you do decide to drink again.
  • robbree98
    robbree98 Posts: 3 Member
    I'm doing the same and am definitely feeling the benefits (physically, mentally and monetarily). I feel a lot less bloated and am actually sleeping a lot better as well. It wasn't a conscious decision but I kind of *fell into it* and thought I'd run with it! Good luck!
  • I cut out beer (cry) ; this is the ONLY temporary measure I allowed myself while I'm losing weight. I could easily just macro my beer, but beer is a huge trigger for me. Once i get down to 275 (there's some motivation for you) I will add it back in for a 2 weeks and see if I'm able to manage it as part of my diet. I will do this every 25 lbs until I reach goal weight where I'm adding it back in fo sho or I can manage to handle the beer without any of the stupid that tends to follow it for me.

    Huge kudos for the OP for trying this change, and also completely agree with everyone that has mentioned the monetary benefits.
  • darimarie
    darimarie Posts: 1 Member
    I think I'm ready to quit for a while, also. Last night I went out with some friends and had two drinks (I'm a 5'0" female who doesn't drink a lot... so that's PLENTY for me), and while the alcohol itself has never really been a problem for me, it's what I do AFTERWARD. The drinks fit in my calories, but I'm sure the french fries, mozzarella sticks, and chicken fingers I split with my friends at 3am probably didn't. So I'm ready to go sober for a month too! Let's do it :)
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    Deffnitly helps!! I was a heavy beer drinker... I switched to wine and with that I drank WAYYYY less. (i know its not giving it up compeltely) but I still saw major changes in my body and I felt incredible!!!!

    Sorry Im frozen I cant spell/type today.<3 Goodluck!!
    And for me with my vanity 5LBs I stopped having wine for a month, and lost .5lbs. :-)
    I have it on weekends and special occasions. As with most things: what's sustainable for you is what will work.
  • eileen0515
    eileen0515 Posts: 408 Member
    You can either drink, or eat in a caloric deficit, tough to do both. I chose food and feel so much better for it. I do enjoy a little vodka. club soda with lime, while camping. it's not often we camp, so no problem.
  • SpookyElectric
    SpookyElectric Posts: 56 Member
    I've been off the booze for about a month now (apart from last night - ooops...). I wanted to throw everything at a new effort to shape up and lose weight. To be honest, I am disappointed that there wasn't a noticable difference as I enjoy drinking with friends and it was a significant change to my lifestyle!

    So I think I'm going to add it back in - but as others say, trying as much as possible to keep within my calorie count and not go mental.
  • k1o2r3i4
    k1o2r3i4 Posts: 33 Member
    I've cut back on booze a lot. I now only have a few drinks on Friday and Sat nights. No beer or hard liquor - mostly red wine. I'm not worried about the calories because I count them into my daily calories, but my problem is that if I drink too much, I make bad choices like eating a ton late at night and then end up feeling hung over and depressed the next day and not able to do workouts. I like to have a few drink so I set a realistic limits for myself- so far so good.
  • babyj0
    babyj0 Posts: 531 Member
    Yes, I have, and no, it didn't. As long as the net amount stayed the same it made no difference. I don't really buy into the can't enjoy a night out unless you're wasted ethos so I'm not a serial weekend binger, but giving up an occasional nice wine or a social single malt tasting session forever for no perceivable benefit didn't really seem worth it.

    This.
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