Alcohol

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marywt8
marywt8 Posts: 6 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I find I can be strict with diet and exercise throughout the week but as soon as the weekend hits I drink enough alcohol and accompany it with enough hangover food to undo all the good work I've done in the week. Does anyone else struggle with this? I've been trying to change my habbits but as I live away from my family for work I find it really hard to restrain from drinking in my down time.
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Replies

  • itsmedosia
    itsmedosia Posts: 20
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    Hi there!
    Do you think it may be just boredom?
  • Blue801
    Blue801 Posts: 442
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    OP I find it difficult to fit alcohol in when I'm trying to moderate, so lately I've only been including it on cheat days. Maybe abstain for a week then try adding it back in moderation. If you can't do that some might say you sound like an alcoholic and may not be able to drink in moderation. But that sounds sad. Even so, if you can't moderate you may be better off abstaining.
  • kero734
    kero734 Posts: 2 Member
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    I struggle with this too- not even necessarily just the weekend. Sometimes I relax after work with my housemates and have a few beverages...if it stopped there, it wouldn't be the end of the world, but after a few drinks I end up mindlessly snacking, and then I tend to skip waking up early for the gym to sleep instead. I'm trying to focus on one week at a time- the goal is not to drink, but if I do, to be thoughtful with my choices. It's so hard!
  • michellewelch2010
    michellewelch2010 Posts: 147 Member
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    I've had to limit myself to one glass of wine on most weekends with a good dinner, and then a once a month cheat night. It's tough, but at least this way I limit myself to one hangover a month. And I need a lot less alcohol to make me get tipsy.
  • cg57076
    cg57076 Posts: 16 Member
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    This is a constant battle with me as well. I enjoy going out on the weekend and having some drinks. Recently I have began taking vitamin b supplements to help curb the hangover effect. The last two weeks it had helped but the urge to purge is still there. You just have to train yourself to stay away from the greasy hangover food and stick to hydrating and staying full on veggies / good protein. .
  • eldamiano
    eldamiano Posts: 2,667 Member
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    Go for a weekend jog
  • medeamama
    medeamama Posts: 47 Member
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    I understand this! I'm like the story "if you give a mouse a cookie."
    If you give me a glass of wine, I will want some cheese. And some crackers. And another glass of wine. And some more cheese. And maybe some of those other crunchy things I had stored away...
    I do much better when I work out in the evening and come home TIRED!
    I also substitute flavored seltzer for beer. I find it just as refreshing, but it is not an appetite stimulant, and I don't get into the eating spiral.

    Also, try alternating having a drink with have a glass of water/seltzer/diet pop when you out.

    Good luck!
  • caramammal
    caramammal Posts: 147 Member
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    this is my demon too....but i lose control and undo all my hard work so ive made a pact with myself...no alcohol unless it's part of a planned cheat meal (my cheat meals are once every 3-4 weeks and take place in a restaurant as a night out).

    I once spent 4 years on the same diet, restricting in the week and binging at the weekend, and getting nowhere (4 YEARS)!! So, no, never again.
  • rlxsn
    rlxsn Posts: 58 Member
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    It comes down to deciding what you really want and how much you're willing to work to get it.
  • laurie04427
    laurie04427 Posts: 421 Member
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    I do have the same problem. My eating is actually pretty healthy aside from the booze. Curious for any advice given in this thread.
  • ironrat79
    ironrat79 Posts: 273 Member
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    I've struggled with this all my life. In order to manage this you need to change the behaviors associated with your alcohol use. Find healthier outlets such hiking, crafts or reading and stick to them. Be aware of your emotions and what triggers your desire to drink, make notes on what helps and what doesn't help to get past that desire. It also helps to keep a steady schedule until you can handle this on your own. Someone tossed the "alcoholic" word out, ignore that unless you feel your drinking is causing serious problems in your personal life (if that's the case, seek professional assistance) not because it's affecting your work out goals. That said, if your personal life is affected, you're still not an "alcoholic", you would have a disease. I am a state certified chemical dependency counselor assistant and a senior honor student at a major university studying addiction. I'm also in recovery myself, so I would say I'm well qualified to answer this post.
  • mrsbehavior
    mrsbehavior Posts: 1
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    I seriously struggle with this too. For awhile, I would require myself to work out to burn the calories prior to what I knew I would drink (e.g. a bottle of chardonnay has 800 calories, so 8 miles of running or so). Sort of planning that I was probably going to drink too much and prepping in advance to have the "calorie budget" I needed. It did work (sort of). I did lose 32 lbs. in that time frame and completed a marathon that year (still overweight, very slow, buy did the full 26.2). However, my belly never really lost any weight, just my legs, arms, and upper torso) Then...back to drinking too much and eating whatever was at hand when I did. Of course, I gained back everything I lost. Fast forward to this year...now I'm sincerely trying to stay away from alcohol for awhile (I haven't set a time here, just a general idea). I quit smoking this way over the last 2 years. I don't beat myself up if I fail, have a cigarette or too much to drink. I just wake up and start over. As an Associate Behavior Analyst, I recognize that it rarely works to say "I'm not going to....". It is impossible to reinforce the lack of a behavior. What is working better for me is to say, "I want to complete this 12K or 1/2 marathon and drinking/smoking is incompatible with training." Then I simply focus every spare moment to getting in more steps, finding different shoes I like, looking at running gear, reading Runner's World, and focusing on what I eat. I know it sounds off, but it worked for smoking, and I hope soon to say it worked for drinking as well. Wish me luck!
  • felixcatbiscuit
    felixcatbiscuit Posts: 3
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    Great tips sir! It is consoling to read your post. It is important to stay positive in order to achieve consistent small improvement. :smile:
  • felixcatbiscuit
    felixcatbiscuit Posts: 3
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    I like your strategy and I am going to give that a try too. If you can give up smoking, you will be able to reduce drinking. I find having a glass of water each time before refilling my wine glass helps. This is my secret self imposed contract.
  • Cre8veLifeR
    Cre8veLifeR Posts: 1,062 Member
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    It sounds really silly, but I made myself a little reminder talisman I keep in my pocket when I am out! I am such a live in the moment person when I am having fun that I was also tending to drink back on my weeks worth of workout and diet calories - I had no going out plan! Now when I am out I feel my little reminder to NOT sacrifice what I really want, for what I want right now (usually another glass of wine!).

    If I know it's going to be a long night (we entertain clients a lot) I monitor my intake to ONE drink per hour, so it's usually a glass of wine followed by water. I limit my intake to NO MORE than 4 glasses of wine per night, made myself a NO LATER than 11 PM curfew, and if I can, I dance so I am burning off the wine calories :) It works for me!

    As for the hangovers...I HATE having a hangover so I really try to avoid hard alcohol and drinking too much.
  • tickylynn
    tickylynn Posts: 3
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    I was drinking everyday and sometimes all day.. I cut mine back little by little and now I only have one every now and then.. Keep your spirits up!!!! If I can do it so can you....
  • felixcatbiscuit
    felixcatbiscuit Posts: 3
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    I like your idea of dancing the calories off while you are drinking. I play video games while I drink and I apply the same principle by standing up and reminding myself the slogan "sitting is the new smoking". Keep it up my friend!:drinker:
  • tickylynn
    tickylynn Posts: 3
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    It is not easy.... Just start cutting down little by little and if nothing else get it out of the house....
  • SWellz
    SWellz Posts: 62 Member
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    I hear you. When I drink, I drink, and then I eat. And it has been glorious, and now I have to keep track of my calories, and it sucks! What I had been doing to curb hangovers is alternating each alcoholic drink with a glass of water. Fewer hangovers, fewer hangover binges. I don't really have any advice on the food end of it; if you're drunk, you really won't be making the wisest decisions.
  • cathipa
    cathipa Posts: 2,991 Member
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    I understand this! I'm like the story "if you give a mouse a cookie."
    If you give me a glass of wine, I will want some cheese. And some crackers. And another glass of wine. And some more cheese. And maybe some of those other crunchy things I had stored away...

    I love this analogy! I can envision the pictures to go along with the words...should write a book. Lol

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