No Alcohol?

I cut out all alcohol for 4 months earlier this year & the weight fell off. It's a good goal & will help your progress!

I used to be the "party girl". At first I just downgraded to "light" beverages. And then my boyfriend (now my husband) told me that I might have a problem. And that was it. No more drinking for me. But just like anything, if you are used to doing something, it's better to have a little than none at all. I have one maybe two drinks a month. But I would really focus on cutting back moreso before you cut out. You'll probably be more successful that way.

Alcohol, to me, is not even worth taken calories away during the day. Which is why I will have a drink rarely. Usually on a cheat day.

I used to drink a lot but pretty much gave it up a few years ago and just have the occasional drink now. The biggest problem I had was people trying to force alcohol on me when out. The whole "oh it's just one drink, it won't kill you" "Come on, you gotta have one, it's a party" and stuff like that can be difficult.

it is hard at first. I do it once in a while, am single and go out a lot, and live in a city there booze is involved in everything (even going to the movies).
I find that people don't even notice if you are or are not drinking. if you are at a club then drinking water or soda water is totally ok, and I find that you can last dancing way longer.
at dinner i usually order some kinda awesome fancy alcohol free drink so that I still feel like i am having a treat (for example ginger mint lemonades with pomegranate- yum).

when you start drinking again i find that you approach it differently. For example I will have one glass of wine instead of 7.
good luck!
and if you fall off the wagon don't beat yourself up. just have a green tea, a banana and lots of water and get at it again.

I am in exactly the same position as you - I love my wine and have wanted to lose weight and for general health as well and I have been a very heavy drinker for quite some time now, although I have started to make a few changes which surprisingly I have found haven't been too difficult for me.

I pour myself a large glass of wine each night and make it last - (it still equates to about a half bottle) but i take small sips. I clock watch too just to make sure I pace myself and I I also down a small glass of water over the course of the evening as well. I'm also a smoker too and when I go outside for a ciggerrette I don't take my glass of wine wihth me. i have found this helps and i do feel better for it. Best of luck!

If you check the facts, you will find that one glass of red wine a day does have a healthy effect. Problem with most people is, they can't just stick with one glass a day.

With all things in life, moderation is the key to being healthy.

Alcohol also slows your metabolism temporarily, so whatever you ate (usually high fat crap) while out drinking isn't burned as fast as normal, leaving more of it to be turned into fat.

I have always been a typical 'binge drinker'. I've never drunk during the week, but I'd hit Friday and sometimes also Saturday and 'go out drinking'. I cut back last January, for calorie as well as other reasons, and I feel it's made a difference. If not, it's certainly easier. I would always 'need' chips and cheese (french fries and cheese for you guys across the pond) on my way, home but most damagingly would be the quantities of food I'd feel I needed the following day. And it wasn't brocolli!

So now I rarely drink, but refuse to say that I no longer do (though realistically my last night 'drinking' was a few on August 28th and several with my best friend in Amsterdam at the end of July. I do enjoy it, and admittedly I enjoy it to excess, but now rarely, rather than every weekend.

I hear ya. I have a boyfriend who LOVES beer and his best friend comes over most weekends and drinks a whole bottle of vodka during one sitting (a night). I have fallen into the pattern and had two bottles of wine over the weekend! Seriously?! So this is going to be something that is not only a personal issue but I don't have any support from the person I live with in that area. He loves his beer and it will be up to me to not drink when him and his best friend party. This seriously will be a big goal to obtain. I do go to a social club on Saturdays regarding people effected by drinking so this may aid in this but I am just a beginner. I applaud that you are thining about it and that is the first step:flowerforyou:

When I was diagnosed with diabetes, I did a bit of reading on alcohol and found that it can have an effect on your blood sugar. Not enough to stop completely, but enough to limit your intake. So I just gave it up and haven't touched a drop since.

Sure, it's been hard - I didn't drink more than once or twice a week, but when I did drink it would usually be excessive so it definitely had a big impact on me. But I've gotten used to it over the months now, and am happy enough with my decision. I get the odd temptation, but the fact it's been so long for me now is a big enough spur - just to keep it going.

I used to drink a lot but pretty much gave it up a few years ago and just have the occasional drink now. The biggest problem I had was people trying to force alcohol on me when out. The whole "oh it's just one drink, it won't kill you" "Come on, you gotta have one, it's a party" and stuff like that can be difficult.

This is the hardest thing! Especially when people do not understanding why you say no to booze! They will ask like 100 times, and even though you keep saying no - it's like you've just killed someone.

Be ready to have the "peer pressure" and be stern with your decision... After a while they will recognize that you are strong and courrageous to keep with your goals. I think that's probably why they want you to drink - it causes them to look at their behaviour...

Anyway, I chose not to drink because of how I would feel 2-3 days after... It didn't have to be a binge drinking evening, just because of the sugar in the splendid red wine, it would make me feel like crap. So, if I have one glass per weekend, that's the max! Most weekend I skip because I'm tired from my week, and love to sleep well... Drinking hinders sleep - that's another reason why I cut it out... You need to sleep well to have your liver function at it's full capacity (it has 500 functions you know?!). Good luck. I am sure if you stick with it for 3 weeks, you won't miss it... But when you'll take a sip, you'll see the contrast the next day!

I gave up all alcohol until my friend's wedding last weekend (about 6 weeks) and hubby also gave up to encourage me. He has lost 4kgs just by not drinking alcohol - he hasn't changed his eating habits at all.
I have had 3 drinking nights in the last week (I had LOADS of champagne for my birthday yesterday), but I will not have another drink till our Christmas party. It just makes me feel bloated, unresponsive and sluggish.

I'm pregnant so obviously not drinking. I don't plan to start once I have baby though. Not worth the extra calories to me. If you want to cut it out, you can do it!!

I cut out all alcohol about 3 years ago. Acutually BEFORE I started losing weight. The only time I have a drink now is at say... a wedding- I've been to 3 in the past 3 years and one was my own. And even then I'm taking about a few sips of wine. I really don't even miss alcohol, I never much cared for the taste anyway and since alcoholism runs in my family, I figure I'm better of without it.