going out and binge drinking.

I'm not a big drinker - I've learned that it's perfectly ok to choose not to drink alcohol (or to limit how much you're drinking) even if your friends are letting the alchol flow freely. My biggest tip is to keep your water glass (or tea) full - people are less likely to offer you something if you're drinking something else. Honestly, if your friends make a big deal out of it and pressure you to drink more than you want to, then you deserve better friends. They should ve supportive of your healthy choices. Being drunk or tipsy is NOT a requirement to have fun while socializing.

Well said!

I used to be a heavy beer and champagne drinker. Two bottles of champagne per night during the week then like 10 beers/night at a bar on the weekends. Plus shots! I have since switched to vodka and diet coke/diet tonic water/flavored carbonated water/sprite zero when I go out and have given up most week night drinking. Vodka is much lower in calories AND you drink less cuz it's liquor.

I usually have one drink and then drink water the rest of the night. No one has ever pressured me to drink more. I have a girlfriend who will have "mixed drinks" put in a styrofoam cup...she's really drinking tea or water but it still appears that she is social drinking. We live in a small town that has just recently gotten liquor by the drink. So she just says that because of her job she doesn't want people to see her drinking. it works for her.

I was actually wondering about the same thing I have a work christmas party friday. I think I've planned out the food part enough so im not concerned about that. What I don't know is about the alcohol. No one cares if I eat less but if I don't drink at all everyone will make rude comments to me I am trying to plan on 1 drink with a water at the same time so I can make it last the whole night..but its About a 4 hour party and afterwards we are going out with friends. Im just worried this one night will be a set back. Then in another week its a christmas party with my husbands family and they are big into wine they will never let my glass get empty I've tried to nicely ask for them to stop and they won't listen but I don't dare be rude since they don't seem to care much for me as it is.....I would appreciate everyones thoughts!

I haven't been drinking since I started trying to eat better, but I did the other night for the first time. I had told myself I would only drink vodka and it would be limited to only 2 or 3 drinks. I ended up drinking at least 7 or 8 drinks and had quite a good time. Heh. The calories fit well within my daily limit, though, so it seemed to work out fine for me.

I was actually wondering about the same thing I have a work christmas party friday. I think I've planned out the food part enough so im not concerned about that. What I don't know is about the alcohol. No one cares if I eat less but if I don't drink at all everyone will make rude comments to me I am trying to plan on 1 drink with a water at the same time so I can make it last the whole night..but its About a 4 hour party and afterwards we are going out with friends. Im just worried this one night will be a set back. Then in another week its a christmas party with my husbands family and they are big into wine they will never let my glass get empty I've tried to nicely ask for them to stop and they won't listen but I don't dare be rude since they don't seem to care much for me as it is.....I would appreciate everyones thoughts!

This may seem harsh, but you don't have to keep drinking what they put in your cup (with the wine example you gave). If you can, try to put the cup in the sink/dishwasher after you finish your one glass, so that they CAN'T refill it (if you're at their house). We're adults - we can choose what we do/don't put in our bodies. Make sure you've got a cup of water or tea or whatever no/low calorie drink you prefer and keep that full yourself. Talk to your husband before you go, and tell him that you would really appreciate his support in keeping his family from bugging you about drinking, especially if your relationship with his family isn't the best.

If the wine glass is always full they won't try to refill it......if you aren't drinking it, it will be full. His parents are (misguidedly) being polite by refilling your glass. It would be polite for you to say "No" if you don't want to drink it. Then they aren't wasting the wine they bought, right? You have to learn to say no to behaviors that you don't want to do.