WAYY too much alcohol

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cnadiger
cnadiger Posts: 168 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Full disclosure here, I've never told anyone that this is a problem for me, not even family. I come from a family where a cocktail every night after dinner for my parents was the norm and drinking at ALL social occasions was expected. I was a light social drinker for most of the time my kids were growing up, with occasional binges that I always regretted (hangovers suck!). Around the time my youngest was 16-17, I began to be more of a drink or two every night before bed. Over the next 5 years that gradually increased to this point where I'm having 5-6 drinks (Jack Daniels is my poison of choice) every night. Sometimes I don't know how I make myself get up and get to work every morning because my head hurts. But I do. I have a great job and would never think of drinking during the work day.

I've gained 30lbs over those 5 years, from eating bad and all the booze. After coming to MFP about 3 weeks ago I've been aggressively tracking my calories in, and am getting exercise 4-5 time a week. I can plainly see now (and this was easy to ignore when not tracking) that every night I drink as many calories as I'm eating in 2 meals.

I know that to stop, I just have to stop. I don't think when you get this far down the road that moderation is an option, at least not at first. Almost all my friends and family have beer or wine or alcohol whenever we're together so I usually lose all willpower at social functions.

Have any of you MFP's seen alcohol as being a barrier to your weight loss? What did you do? When did you have to admit to family that it's a problem for you?
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Replies

  • CrunchyDad
    CrunchyDad Posts: 66 Member
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    There have been times in the past when this was definitely getting in the way of reaching my weight goals, even after I first started MFP 5-6 years ago. I found I would eat too little during the day, because I knew that I wanted to save 500 or more calories to have some drinks that night. Needless to say, it didn't work out so well.

    I still enjoy the occasional drink, but now I try to keep it to the weekends, and limit consumption even then. If I do give in to temptation on a weeknight, it's only if I have the extra calories available.

    It's like any other indulgence in a healthy lifestyle, enjoy it in moderation. If that just doesn't work for you, and you still can't keep yourself away despite seeing the problem and knowing what you are doing, then you may need a different kind of help.
  • AskTracyAnnK28
    AskTracyAnnK28 Posts: 2,817 Member
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    When I realized how many calories I was consuming with my weekend cocktails I was shocked. I decided that, for the time being, I'd completely cut out the alchohol until I'm 1/2 way to my goal, and after that limit it to just special occasions.

    Funny how I'm perfectly ok with it, but some people in my life are completely undone. Coming from a big Irish drinking family, saying 'no thanks' to a drink is the equivalent to telling them I'm dating a convicted felon or something.

    I don't miss at all. And I especially don't miss the hangovers!
  • Wookinpanub
    Wookinpanub Posts: 635 Member
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    My wife and I used to drink 3-4 times a week and usually the days I don't drink she is having anywhere from 2 glasses of wine to finishing a bottle plus a couple beers. She drinks more than I. I was able to cut back once I started my diet. It was easy for me but we are still social and I usually find myself hanging out with friends one weekend day and drinking. I try to watch how much though. I am a beer drinker and have switched to drinking 3-4 high alcohol beers vs 10+ lite beers which I think is fewer calories.

    It seems that you may need some additional help if you need 5-6 drinks every night and are having hangovers before work. You want to fix any issue before it gets bigger. My wife's family has been down that ugly road. Good luck.
  • tabicatinthehat
    tabicatinthehat Posts: 329 Member
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    I have this problem. I've cut way back to just weekends and I'm trying to cut back completely because of alcohol/medicine interactions.
  • WickedPineapple
    WickedPineapple Posts: 698 Member
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    It seems that you may need some additional help if you need 5-6 drinks every night and are having hangovers before work. You want to fix any issue before it gets bigger. My wife's family has been down that ugly road. Good luck.

    Agreed. If you're drinking that much, this isn't just a weight problem.
  • squirrelzzrule22
    squirrelzzrule22 Posts: 640 Member
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    I disagree with those claiming it is alcoholism necessarily. Its worth talking to someone if you are concerned, but for many people 5-6 drinks wouldn't get them hammered or alter their behavior in any kind of damaging way, and if it is only affecting your weight and not your work or personal life than I really don't think there is cause for such alarmist concern.

    That being said, alcohol is a HUGE barrier to my weight loss. Over the years my naturally high tolerance got higher, and instead of one glass of wine being able to totally mellow me out at the end of the day, it would take almost a whole bottle! And just like you said that is WAY too many calories and can make you feel crappy the next day.

    Furthermore, in my case my boyfriend and I are big socializers and love hitting up happy hour or drinks with dinner. We don't get "drunk" in the sense that we're not silly or slurring or feeling the effects of the alcohol any more than just a nice buzz before walking home. IT MAKES IT SO MUCH HARDER TO LOSE WEIGHT.

    The solution? I only drink for certain special events now. Its the only way. People will tell you that you can just fit it into your calories....maybe you can but I definitely CAN'T. At least, not if I want to also EAT that day. I simply do not have enough calories in the budget.

    This Saturday is my farewell bottomless brunch before I move. I'm not drinking this week (had one beer at happy hour last night but didn't even finish it) and tomorrow I am waking up early to hit the gym before brunch. Then I will have a good time because it is a special occasion. After that, back to low to no alcohol. The social pressures are the hardest part, but just hang tough. Skinny people drink too, and when you drink less and lose weight your tolerance will go down and having just one small drink will give the same relaxing effect that several used to and it will be easier to maintain.
  • cubiclecurmudgeon
    cubiclecurmudgeon Posts: 5 Member
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    I love drinking. We have a cocktail bar and a dedicated beer refrigerator at home. We have a local pub where we are welcome regulars.

    But, I would never drink 5 drinks on a weeknight. It would be very strange for me to have 5 over the course of an entire Saturday out.

    Frankly, you're lucky you've only put on thirty pounds at this rate of consumption. (I've cut my drinking to at most 1 drink on 2 weekend days.)

    It's good that weight loss is motivating you to examine your drinking. It would be in your best interest to talk to someone - a doctor, a counselor, or a friend who is in a 12 step program to get some further self-reflection while the getting is good. Best of luck.
  • keefmac
    keefmac Posts: 313 Member
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    I used to drink 5 pints or more most nights, dropped down to 2 pints a night and now I have a drink once a week or when friends come round.

    Alcohol was my main excess calorie intake..
  • Springfield1970
    Springfield1970 Posts: 1,945 Member
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    It's a habit that can be changed. I love my drink, and after 21 years sober because of a wrong AA call I find I'm a sensible drinker with the occasional blow out.

    I just don't like trading nutrients for alcohol though. It's a sucky thing to do. I push my body hard fir triathlon and I'm just not happy to pour alcohol into it. I decided to follow the government guidelines which ended up being this plan that I follow.

    No alcohol in the house, easy, just don't buy it!
    No everyday drinking ,ie the odd glass of wine with dinner (1 always turns into 2). I don't get the whole dilemma of deciding whether to drink a third or a half of a bottle of wine and not feeling like a massive alky. Easy habit to break. Forgotten about drinking at home.
    Drink on special occasions, 3 drinks 2-4 times a month.

    So far, so good. My tolerance is way down, and I've saved ££££s
    I don't have to abstain, can still be proud of being in control, and still enjoy the odd party night!
  • onefortyone
    onefortyone Posts: 531 Member
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    You sound like a "functioning alcoholic", if you feel you have to drink that much daily and you are suffering the next day, but still going to work. I have close relatives who have this problem - alcoholics don't just get blackout drunk and sleep it off, that is a misconception. Some of them are 'tolerating' their alcohol and going to work the next day with a blood alcohol content you would not believe. It is a serious problem, and does affect the children emotionally, even if they are the age of majority.

    But the label of 'alcoholic' is for people who cannot quit or moderate themselves - so if you, like a lot of others, can cut out alcohol entirely until you reach your weight loss goals, then slowly introduce it back so it fits into your life/social situations, then you may not have a problem at all.

    However, if you find that you are suffering withdrawal symptoms, detoxing, or just badly in need of a drink simply to take the edge off, you might want to look into getting help, or visiting AA.

    Either way, I am rooting for you :)
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    It seems that you may need some additional help if you need 5-6 drinks every night and are having hangovers before work. You want to fix any issue before it gets bigger.

    This. Or at least the weight isn't the only reason it would be good to try to stop and see how it goes.

    I used to drink like that and it wasn't so much a problem for my weight because I was eating quite a bit less (unhealthily, now that I look back), but since you are seeing it as a weight issue, it's good incentive to cut it out. Maybe it's just a bad habit and not a real drinking problem, but since it is causing you at least that problem can you just stop, at least for a while? How you react to that will affect whether you conclude it needs to be permanent or can be moderated, I expect. (Also, whether when you think about it honestly if you can imagine being happy just having a glass a few times a week and leaving it at that.)
  • cnadiger
    cnadiger Posts: 168 Member
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    Thanks everyone. It's so great to see the kind of support people with all kinds of questionable habits can get on MFP! I like the no alcohol in the house rule. It think that, at least, will help me see if cutting way back or quitting completely is an option for me, or if I find myself going crazy for a drink. At that point, I will know I need more help.

    But as far as the weight loss part is concerned, I know that drinking that many calories has to mean I'm not eating enough to meet macro goals. OK--cold turkey until I'm at least half way there, then special occasions only! That's my new mini-goal......:wink:
  • ValGogo
    ValGogo Posts: 2,168 Member
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    Hmmm, you're one year younger than me. It's never to late to surrender to the "poison."

    If you think you are going to spiral, I'd look into the anonymous meetings. No pressure, nothing to pay, free coffee and kindred spirits with different yet same stories. And about family, well, they may never be on board with you wanting to cut down so that will take time to find a happy medium.

    You can friend me if you need support. I'm in another fellowship and althougth booze was not my problem, I still don't drink anymore.

    Only YOU know if it's impeding your life. Hey, maybe you DO only need to cut down. But at least cutting down is a start..
  • lavaughan69
    lavaughan69 Posts: 459 Member
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    We built a bar in our backyard...uhm...so yes, drinking and dieting has definitely been an issue for me! I actively avoid drinks during the week and try to keep it to only one day on the weekend, but sometimes it slips into two. I leave room in my calories for them whenever possible and if I go over then I cut from my calories during the week before the next weigh-in. I stick to rum and diet...or any other hard liquor and diet pop. I LOVE wine, but I can't seem to open a bottle without drinking the whole thing and calories are higher in wine.

    I always use a shot glass now, I used to four finger count...not good. Also, if I'm at someones house I will mix myself one drink and then keep topping it up with pop through-out the night. Everyone thinks I'm drinking with them, but it's mostly diet pop.
  • fitwithin
    fitwithin Posts: 210 Member
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    Best of luck. I can say that since I stopped drinking wine during the week and limit it to the weekends, I feel much better and finally starting to lose weight. I also had to stop keeping it at home and only buy it on the weekends. Even drinking a couple of nights, I still manage to put on 3-5 pounds over the weekend and have to work it off for a few days. I end up maintaining the 10 pounds I lost rather than losing more.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
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    Have any of you MFP's seen alcohol as being a barrier to your weight loss? What did you do? When did you have to admit to family that it's a problem for you?

    I think you might want to see a specialist about your intake. Just a thought.

    Personally, I know my love of beer and bourbon is a negative to both my performance and weight goals. To adjust to that, I've greatly reduced my drinking.

    I was of the type to have a few beers at a go (craft, good stuff.) a couple times a week, or a couple fingers of a nice bourbon in the evening to unwind. I actually hate hangovers, so I avoid the hell out of that. So, I don't think it's been a "problem" but I did tell my wife I needed to drink less if I wanted to be less of a fatass. I also am trying to increase my natural testosterone, and I've not researched it, but I wouldn't be surprised if ethanol has a negative effect on t production. (because Whisky ****.) So, that's another reason for me to minimize intake.

    So I drink less. For what you're talking about though, I think you might want to explore some resourceful professionals.
  • ksy1969
    ksy1969 Posts: 700 Member
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    I keep going back and forth on drinking. I know it has a negative effect on my weight loss. Not so much for the calories from the alcohol, but because just one or two drinks is enough for me to lose my will power with food. Funny thing is I can say no to anymore drink but if someone brings out food to snack on, all bets are off. This just happened last Friday. Had a spur of the moment phone call from a neighbor after I just finished supper. They asked if we wanted to come over for a drink or two on the deck. Sure, no problem, I still had enough calories left over for a couple drinks. What I didn't count on was the bowl of barbecue chips she had on the table. Then she brought out the chocolate covered pomegranate. So needless to say, I over ate that night. I had entered the alcohol in the tracker but by the time the evening was done I didn't have a clue how much I ate. She kept bringing stuff out. Oops, just remembered the fresh zucchini brownies. They were melt in your mouth :love:

    Good news is I still lost 2 pounds this week because the rest of the week was below my caloric goal. I didn't let that one night of poor choices pull me into a downward spiral like it would have in the past.

    So I decided a few weeks ago because of my food will power going away when drinking that I am going to limit my drinking for awhile. It used to be my wife and I had a drink or two just about every night. For the last few weeks now it has been only the weekends and usually only one night. We are both noticing a huge difference on the scale. FYI, we still have alcohol in the house, we just choose to let it sit until the weekend.
  • AsaThorsWoman
    AsaThorsWoman Posts: 2,303 Member
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    Yes. And no. But yes about alcohol effecting weight loss.

    I'm not an alcoholic but I do support heavy drinking socially.

    I consider it to be fine to have 5-6 beers with your buddies on the weekend.

    The problem is, I love fancy German beer, at 250-300 kcal a pop, six of those can trash a weeks deficit.

    So my new goal is heavy drinking only once EVERY OTHER week.

    I'll still have 1-2 social beers at my social book thing, I'll still have cheese and wine tonight, and Sunday again, but seriously, the "Last Friday Night" nights have to stop occurring every weekend, although, because they are SUCH a blast (oh my god I love my girlfriends and we have so much fun) I need to allow them sometimes, so the current goal is 2x a month instead of 4x.

    I'm doing it for my sexy pants.
  • joshuadillard
    joshuadillard Posts: 2
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    All I do is factor the alcohol into my daily calories. I realize this can be hard to do. You pretty much have to make a choice between eating or drinking. Also you should switch to vodka it has the least amount of calories per ounce. :)
  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,306 Member
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    First, thanks for being honest about this topic. Just cut back and make it a goal to only have drinks on the weekend and fit them into your calorie goals. You con' thave to go cold turkey…only if you want to do that. I hope people on here don't pass judgment and call you an alcoholic. Sounds like you have developed a routine or habit… and that can be changed. you can do it.

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