Any other moms out there having trouble breaking the evening cocktail/treat habit?

eehoffman242
eehoffman242 Posts: 15 Member
edited November 10 in Motivation and Support
I could really use some support from someone else out there who needs help with this. Two years ago I lost about 15 pounds, and felt great, but over the past year or so, I've slowly put most of it back on. I'm good all day, eating very healthy and counting my calories, but by the time the evening comes, I'm tired and a little cranky and just want to relax.
I work while my kids are at school, and of course, take care of all of the kids after school as well. I'm basically always busy, like every other mom. I feel ready for the challenge every morning, and ready to quit every night. There have Got to be other moms dealing with this or a similar challenge. I am 36, which also means that my metabolism is starting to slow a bit. It would be really wonderful if I could connect with someone else who needs help with this.
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Replies

  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    How much are you talking here? A glass of wine?
  • NoelFigart1
    NoelFigart1 Posts: 1,276 Member
    I am having no trouble at all, because I am not making an attempt to do so. I have one drink (usually in a 2oz cocktail glass) almost every night, and I enjoy it immensely.
  • eehoffman242
    eehoffman242 Posts: 15 Member
    Wish I could stop at one. But it ussually ends up being 2 and then deserts look pretty awesome. :(
  • eehoffman242
    eehoffman242 Posts: 15 Member
    Usually vodka and sparkling water with a splash of juice. I cant possibly be alone here.
  • rosesdiebeautifly
    rosesdiebeautifly Posts: 3
    I'm right there with you! I LOVE having a late night bloody Mary. I tend to stay up late so that i can have me time Which always ends up in me having a snack and or a cocktail. And i don't get off until 7 so dinner time ends up being around 8 Which is horrible. So losing weight is more so of a journey now. Oh but as far as your metabolism goes do you take any b12? It had really helped me build a good metabolism . I've been big all my life and have always gained weight in a flash. And now taking b12 and a women vitamin i feel like i have a fighting chance.
  • laconrad2013
    laconrad2013 Posts: 41 Member
    I'm glad to see I'm not the only one with a cocktail in hand too many nights per week. It's sad when I look at my 'snacks'. It's all wine and gin and tonic with lime. I usually just do one. Occasionally two. This happens about 5 times a week and I know it's a lot of bad calories!
  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
    Is it really that important that you cut out you nightly treat? Sometimes what keeps me going is the promise of a few chocolate covered toffees at the end of the night. It keeps me on track throughout the day. As long as you can fit that cocktail or treat into your daily calorie goal, there is no reason in the world why you should not have it and enjoy it.
  • rosesdiebeautifly
    rosesdiebeautifly Posts: 3
    I think maybe we just need to find low cal drinks. Maybe that's our answer and shoot for one. Put the calories in my fitness pal before we even make it. As soon as its a thought. I know that helps me with my snacks. Kinda like a "is it worth it?" factor.
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    AllOutof_Bubblegum wrote: »
    Is it really that important that you cut out you nightly treat? Sometimes what keeps me going is the promise of a few chocolate covered toffees at the end of the night. It keeps me on track throughout the day. As long as you can fit that cocktail or treat into your daily calorie goal, there is no reason in the world why you should not have it and enjoy it.

    This... I make sure when I want it I make room for a margarita :drinker:
  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
    laconrad2013 wrote: »
    I'm glad to see I'm not the only one with a cocktail in hand too many nights per week. It's sad when I look at my 'snacks'. It's all wine and gin and tonic with lime. I usually just do one. Occasionally two. This happens about 5 times a week and I know it's a lot of bad calories!

    There's no such thing as bad calories, as long as your body is getting all the nutrients it needs!

    Meaning, if you meet all of your dietary needs for the day, all the protein, fat, carbs and vitamins for you height and weight, and you find you have some calories left over, there is no reason why you couldn't use those calories to have a little wine at the end of your day.

    It's all about small treats, sustainable habits, and moderation!
  • jmauerhan
    jmauerhan Posts: 82 Member
    The best way to get rid of a habit is to replace it with something new, completely unrelated.

    Pick up a new hobby.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    eehoffman242 wrote: »
    Wish I could stop at one. But it ussually ends up being 2 and then deserts look pretty awesome. :(

    Pre-log your day and make room for it.
  • liznotyet
    liznotyet Posts: 402 Member
    sometimes a week or two of no alcohol helps a lot. Drink water out of the glass you would normally use for cocktails and ask yourself, is it the booze I enjoy or the ritual? And make sure that when you do have any it is absolutely your favorite.
  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
    edited January 2015
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    eehoffman242 wrote: »
    Wish I could stop at one. But it ussually ends up being 2 and then deserts look pretty awesome. :(

    Pre-log your day and make room for it.

    Yep.

    Sit down at the end of the day with your drink with the kitchen "closed". Meaning everything cleaned and food put away, no temptations easily accessible. Relax with a distraction like a book or your favorite tv show, and slowly enjoy the drink. Have a glass of water ready next to you and start sipping that when you're done with the drink, it will help curb that knee-jerk thought of "must have another!"
  • als13071
    als13071 Posts: 33 Member
    It takes about 28 days to break a habit... maybe put less in each glass? I used to have a hlass of winr each night and sometimes two or three... i dont miss it now. I used to sit in silencr and drink.wine and sometimes do a little yoga (what a combo!) But now i read a bood or play a game with my other half for time to ourselves with out the kiddo. Have to relacr with something you really enjoy!
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    Hire someone to come in once or twice a week to do cleaning so that you have less of a load on your shoulders. Start teaching the children to do more -- takes effort in the beginning but it will be worth it.
  • eehoffman242
    eehoffman242 Posts: 15 Member
    Usually vodka and sparkling water with a splash of juice. I cant possibly be alone here.
    rosesdiebeautifly wrote: »
    I'm right there with you! I LOVE having a late night bloody Mary. I tend to stay up late so that i can have me time Which always ends up in me having a snack and or a cocktail. And i don't get off until 7 so dinner time ends up being around 8 Which is horrible. So losing weight is more so of a journey now. Oh but as far as your metabolism goes do you take any b12? It had really helped me build a good metabolism . I've been big all my life and have always gained weight in a flash. And now taking b12 and a women vitamin i feel like i have a fighting chance.

    I will try the b13. Thanks!
  • eehoffman242
    eehoffman242 Posts: 15 Member
    AllOutof_Bubblegum wrote: »
    Is it really that important that you cut out you nightly treat? Sometimes what keeps me going is the promise of a few chocolate covered toffees at the end of the night. It keeps me on track throughout the day. As long as you can fit that cocktail or treat into your daily calorie goal, there is no reason in the world why you should not have it and enjoy it.

    Its def a Big part of what keeps me going. I plan for the drink, (not the second or sometimes the third) I dont make room for deserts. Its always hard to break the sweet habbit after the holidays.
  • emmoen
    emmoen Posts: 218 Member
    have you tried brushing your teeth after dinner. It tells your brain that you are done eating/drinking for the night?
  • eehoffman242
    eehoffman242 Posts: 15 Member
    I'll try that. Lots of great ideas here! Thank you for the advice! :)
  • Kittens08
    Kittens08 Posts: 51 Member
    I drink a hot mint tea.
  • blgerig
    blgerig Posts: 174 Member
    My occasional glass of wine and treat had turned into a near nightly habit and my weight was creeping up over the last 6 months. I am not drinking in January (except for a ski trip weekend with friends) to sort of break the habit. I have been substituting herbal tea or sparkling water with fruit in its place. I will definitely go back to having my wine etc. but this feels good, that I don't feel like I have to have it so often.
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
    At first, I ate less so that i could have 3-4 glasses of wine. As my calories dropped and I got closer to my goal, I chose to eat more food and cut a lot of the wine. I still drink on weekends, but 1 day, not 3.
  • mtnstar
    mtnstar Posts: 125 Member
    I was just thinking about this, as I really love having a glass of wine while I am cooking dinner, but sometimes it would turn into two or three. I decided to go alcohol free for a few months and started Jan 1st. I don't miss it as much as I thought I would, but I do find I need some kind of "reward" so I switched to a cup of tea. This is not nearly as rewarding as wine or a cocktail, but the whole thing has raised my awareness as to why I drink. I guess time will tell if the calories made a big difference, but I have to say I feel a lot more energetic in the morning and can put more into my workouts.
  • chryssea1791
    chryssea1791 Posts: 4
    Have you considered taking on a daily exercise to counteract those calories. I do this specifically for those treats i just MUST have! Lol
  • scraver2003
    scraver2003 Posts: 526 Member
    Yeah... my local liquor store knows me and my hubby pretty well at this point. No good. I know some people "save" for their treat at the end of the day. I know that each rum and coke I have is 220 calories. A bottle of Arrogant B*stard is 348 calories. And while I feel that my "treats" are worth every darn calorie... It was just becoming to big of a habit.

    My hubs was drinking too much. One would turn into two, then three. And by cutting back on food, I was finding my self more effected by the alcohol. Then my moods were getting bad.

    The problem is that alcohol is so darn effective. It is quick, easy, and yummy! I am aiming for drinks on two nights a week (which turns into three, but - hey! - it's an improvement). The more I drink, the more I want. When I cut back, I find I crave it less.

    Most nights, I "treat" myself to selzter with a splash of cranberry juice (I love the bubbles). I have re-arranged my meals, so I have my "dinner" at lunch time (with the meat and the veggies) and then I have my egg and cheese sammich for dinner. The hot, cheesy comfort of it in the evening has worked well for me.

    (also - I am a 36 year old mom, too!)
  • tolkat
    tolkat Posts: 11 Member
    For relaxation have your glass of wine, soak in a tub of hot water, if you must snack, try munching on raw veg. (avoid cheese and chocolate etc...) read a book or something
  • stephe1987
    stephe1987 Posts: 406 Member
    You could eat/drink less or switch to a lower-calorie alternative. If you really like your evening cocktails and treats, it will need to fit into your daily calorie allotment by either having less calories during the day or less in the evening.

    Another option would be to drink a certain number of glasses of water before allowing yourself to have something else. Then you'll know if you really want it or not, because you'll have to drink all that water first. You'll probably feel too full on most days.
  • husseycd
    husseycd Posts: 814 Member
    There's really no reason not to have it if you fit the calories in. I found my evening wine/cocktail was more habit than anything. I do sleep better without it though, so I've been working to change the habit.

    I'd also like to add that age is a common excuse for slower metabolisms but it really is just an excuse. You can lose muscle as you age which will slow down the metabolism, and hormonal changes after menopause can change the way we store fat, but really people just tend to be less active. I will be 39 in less than a month and am in the best shape if my life. I did gain a little weight in my 30s but that corresponded with an office job.
  • Val_from_OH
    Val_from_OH Posts: 447 Member
    Do you like beer? I love beer, but generally find that it doesn't go so well with dessert, so I'm likely to lay off the sweets after having one. Also with the carbonation, I can usually only drink one, so my nightcap tops off at about 150 calories :smile:
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