Wine...I can't seem to give it up

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2

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  • maxit
    maxit Posts: 880 Member
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    If you have no off-switch, you either need to not start, or find a way to impose (healthy) limits on yourself.

    Don't have it in the house for a month - after that you can see if you can see if you can drink moderately. Some people can, and some can't.
  • SandyBVTN
    SandyBVTN Posts: 367 Member
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    clairebelle222 wrote: »
    I'm so happy to know that i'm not the only one strugglig...i was also thinking about maybe getting smaller glasses...maybe

    I use small glasses for wine, and usually pre-log and measure. I've also started having as many non-wine days as wine days. The spritzer idea is a great one too that I've found helpful. All the best to you! Feel free to friend me here of you'd like :smile:
  • phill_143
    phill_143 Posts: 64 Member
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    When I started weighing/logging calories, wine was one of the few things I was pleasantly surprised to discover has far fewer calories in than I'd have guessed.
    Imagining daily calorie limit as 'money' to 'buy' food with, that glass of red is worth every penny ;)

    In terms of OP's question, maybe limit purchases to those single serving 175ml bottles? - There's always a temptation to finish off a full-sized bottle just because it's there, or it because it feels wasteful to leave to to oxidise and spoil.
  • crystalflame
    crystalflame Posts: 1,049 Member
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    My husband and I split a bottle several times a week. We make room for it in our calories.

    When we first started dating, we were drinking a bottle each multiple nights a week. We were both trying to escape things (and I feel lucky I didn't develop a physical dependency). Then one day I decided I was sick of hangovers, crappy workouts, my expanding waistline from 700 calories of nothing, and watching my money disappear. I cut back, and he followed suit.

    Some people don't drink at all during the week so they can focus on their calories and workouts. It's sometimes easier to make room on the weekends if you skip breakfast from sleeping in, go for a long run, etc.

    Some people buy themselves one bottle for the week. You have an option of savoring a glass 4 nights. If you finish it all on Monday, you don't get more.

    Some people get smaller wine glasses or measure their wine out so they don't consume as much.

    Some people just stop drinking.

    Find what works for you. And if not stopping at one glass is indicative of a problem for you, seek help. You don't want it to turn into something out of your control.
  • neck2navel
    neck2navel Posts: 3 Member
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    maxit wrote: »
    If you have no off-switch, you either need to not start, or find a way to impose (healthy) limits on yourself.

    Don't have it in the house for a month - after that you can see if you can see if you can drink moderately. Some people can, and some can't.

  • neck2navel
    neck2navel Posts: 3 Member
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    So yeah, I agree with this. I am a wine snob and a food snob. Lots of entertaining with friends all over good food and great bottles of wine. I decided to sacrifice this to take care of myself, for a while. I haven't had a drop of alcohol since the first of the year. I stuck $350.00 dollars in a huge olive jar to remind me of the "bonus" of not drinking because, at the very least, that's what I saved over the last month. It adds up big-time when you're talking about wine.
    I set a goal point for myself: After I lose 25 pounds I will share a bottle of wine with my friend.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    29g (two tablespoons) of wine:

    Calorie Information
    Amounts Per Selected Serving
    Calories 24.5 (103 kJ)
    From Carbohydrate 3.2 (13.4 kJ)
    From Fat 0.0 (0.0 kJ)
    From Protein 0.1 (0.4 kJ)
    From Alcohol 21.3 (89.2 kJ)

    Read More http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/beverages/3846/2#ixzz3QzWWRPcu

    Wine definitely isn't "free".
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
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    You have a few choices if wine is hindering your weight loss.

    1. Eat a filling amount of food and save enough calories for some wine.
    2. Eat a filling amount of food and save up some calories over the week to splurge on a few glasses of wine on the weekends.
    3. Get most of your calories from wine. Drink your wine and then any calories left over go to food.
    4. Keep current habits and stay current weight.

    Obviously, pick option 1 or 2. I highly recommend measuring out 5 oz of liquid and marking your wine glasses with a china marker or dry erase marker.
  • Just_Ceci
    Just_Ceci Posts: 5,926 Member
    edited February 2015
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    I pretty much stopped drinking margaritas when I decided to lose weight. I switched to wine or (good) beer. I just make it fit. I have a glass (or 3) with my dinner several times a week.

    Eta: I've lost 65 lbs and kept it off over a year. Find what works for you and do it!
  • spingirl605
    spingirl605 Posts: 181 Member
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    Check out my diary! There is wine in it every day! I cannot give it up, and if I don't lose the extra 10lbs I'm struggling to lose, then so be it. I will continue to try and fit it in, but when it doesn't fit, I just drink it and move on. I am a Shiraz lover as well!! With 2 small children at my age, it's what keeps me sane.
  • zoober
    zoober Posts: 226 Member
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    What everyone said about fitting it into your calorie cap. I've had some luck buying those little bottles that come in four packs. A regular-size open bottle of wine calls to me until it's empty, but I can track it better in the small bottles. YMMV.
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
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    A lot of people on the site fit wine into the calorie goals. If you like wine, there's no need to give it up.

    If you're having trouble self-limiting, have you considered pre-logging your food for the day? Plan out your meals, and budget your calories to allow yourself enough food to leave yourself satisfied while saving yourself some calories for the wine you love. Have what you've allowed, and then move onto the next day... when you can have more wine.
  • FoxyLifter
    FoxyLifter Posts: 965 Member
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    Like a few have already said, try something bubbly or save up the calories throughout the week and reserve a day to splurge. Weekly total calories I think are more important than daily total calories.
  • animatorswearbras
    animatorswearbras Posts: 1,001 Member
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    Hi hun I just try to work it into my diary, but making sure you have a full glass of water nearby too is always good, then just sip the wine and quench your thirst with the water. It definitely slows me down (because I drink like a fish on a night out) ;P

    When I've had a few too many though I like to think I dance some of the cals off ;D lol
  • clairebelle222
    clairebelle222 Posts: 17 Member
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    Thank you so much for all the tips everyone...I know i can get this under control, now that i'm armed with the knowledge.
  • Kimdbro
    Kimdbro Posts: 922 Member
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    spingirl605 wrote: »
    Check out my diary! There is wine in it every day! I cannot give it up, and if I don't lose the extra 10lbs I'm struggling to lose, then so be it. I will continue to try and fit it in, but when it doesn't fit, I just drink it and move on. I am a Shiraz lover as well!! With 2 small children at my age, it's what keeps me sane.

    This is awesome... I am going to have to follow your lead. I need to burn the calories to make room for the wine!

  • Flookbird
    Flookbird Posts: 81 Member
    edited February 2015
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    Aaah. I love my wine! To begin with (a year ago) I stopped drinking midweek altogether. I was doing Weight Watchers and used all my extra weekly points for wine at the weekend. Sometimes I had a few points left over at the end of the day so would use those to buy one of those mini bottles of wine on my way home from work. I know that I struggle to have a full bottle open and not drink it so this worked well. As I lost weight, my daily points decreased so I no longer had room for wine treats during the week. Now I've lost 82lbs and am maintaining. I find I often have calories left in the day as I do a lot of exercise. So if I fancy some wine midweek I buy 3 mini bottles for £4 at Asda. This a. Saves me £1 on buying a full bottle and b. Saves me 156 cals on a full bottle.

    Because I aim to stay at least 500 cals under my maintenance cals each day in case of errors, this works pretty well as I can have wine and still stay under my calories! Job done. I also run 1000 steps in front of the TV for every half a glass of wine I drink at home to try and offset some of the calories! Then I feel I've earned it!

    Was so annoyed with myself yesterday when it roughed 5 chocolate digestives in the staff room at work and realised I could have had 3 mini bottles of wine for the same calories! Not a good swap at all!
  • ellietill20
    ellietill20 Posts: 18 Member
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    This thread is my saviour. So nice to know it's not just me :) I made it work before when I lost through slimming world by doing the save it up for a the weekend thing. It can work.
    For me it's just about choices - when I'm at home in the evening do I want a glass (or three) of wine? Or do I want to stick to water and save it for a night out with the girls?
  • dougpconnell219
    dougpconnell219 Posts: 566 Member
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    Make yourself pay for it. If you are going to drink 500 calories of wine, make the price 500 extra calories of exercise.

    If it's still worth it, then keep it. If not, lose it.

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