No booze?

crittergirl222
crittergirl222 Posts: 120 Member
edited November 14 in Motivation and Support
Thinking of going booze free for a time. Anyone else thinking the same? Maybe a week? Maybe more?
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Replies

  • jkwolly
    jkwolly Posts: 3,049 Member
    Reason why?

    Usually I don't like cutting stuff out, unless I find I have a terrible time moderating the amounts I consume of it.


    I actually am sans alcohol right now, but for lent.
  • rhileyschubbygranny
    rhileyschubbygranny Posts: 145 Member
    I only have it 2-3 times per year, usually just a couple in the summer. I personally don't really need/want alcohol so it is no problem for me.
  • crittergirl222
    crittergirl222 Posts: 120 Member
    I just hate how many empty calories it has. I do great all week, but then only break even because of social outings/calories on weekends. I think it will be easier with some buddies to do it with.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    edited March 2015
    It will probably depend on what is 'normal' for you now. Personally I drink 2-3 times a month. And I still do. If I want easy - as in open bottle and drink - I buy Mike's Hard Lemonade/light versions. Sometimes in the stores I can only find Lemonade, and I don't care for it. So I'll add a little Mio type flavor. Other easy options, fairly light on calories, is alcohol in diet soda. Thursday night we're having a few friends over, and I'll be drinking caramel flavored vodka in diet cream soda. Yum!

    I think key points to remember is to stay hydrated, and eat before or during. A 'light' dinner of baked/grilled chicken or salmon with some veggies can be quite filling and enjoyable for under 300-400 calories.

    If its a social thing, alternate between mixed drinks & diet soda. You can socialize and cut the calories in half. Or socialize by having friends come to your home, its cheaper to make your own drinks, and you can control what goes in them.
    crittergirl222 wrote: »
    Thinking of going booze free for a time. Anyone else thinking the same? Maybe a week? Maybe more?

  • tbullucks2006
    tbullucks2006 Posts: 105 Member
    If I drink I will over eat. No doubt about it. So I had to cut out drinking. I can't have one beer or one drink. It's always several and then I run to get fast food and order enough for 3 people.
  • inchwormbyinchworm
    inchwormbyinchworm Posts: 180 Member
    I used to have a beer with my husband for supper. Now, "we" have a beer for supper. I have 4 oz, he has 8 oz.
  • ryanhorn
    ryanhorn Posts: 355 Member
    jkwolly wrote: »
    Reason why?

    Usually I don't like cutting stuff out, unless I find I have a terrible time moderating the amounts I consume of it.


    I actually am sans alcohol right now, but for lent.

    I'm the same way. I never encourage cutting anything completely out of your diet unless you have a hard time moderating. I feel like alcohol though is the one thing that many people struggle with when it comes to moderation/decision making. May I ask how much you drink currently OP?
  • 50452
    50452 Posts: 170 Member
    tbullucks2006 wrote: »
    If I drink I will over eat. No doubt about it. So I had to cut out drinking. I can't have one beer or one drink. It's always several and then I run to get fast food and order enough for 3 people.

    I'm exactly the same way. I love a glass or two of wine once in a while, but I am cutting it out completely for the time being.
  • mcgra263
    mcgra263 Posts: 23 Member
    I tried this. I'm pretty young and frankly, it was impossible. My plan for dealing is at the beginning of the month I look at my social calendar, and plan out which nights I know aren't going to be aligned with my goals, plan my workouts and my diet more detailed around that, and just enjoy the night. In terms of binge eating when going out drinking, prepare something better for you when you get home. When I had a few too many last time, I prepped a "flat out" with some PB2 and dark chocolate chips, fried it up, and it was so delicious it felt like I was cheating more. In terms of alchohol, I think it's hard to cut it completely out, but there are ways to make it so it doesn't ruin your diet for the whole week. And the next day, no better cure than sweating out a hangover in the gym or going for a run.

    My big thing that's helped in social situations that are unplanned night out is volunteering to be the designated driver. I still get to hang out with my friends, no social pressure because I am their safe and sober ride home, and usually on those nights I'll treat myself with some sort of diet soda or something of the sorts that I normally wouldn't. I also then have no temptation to drink because drinking and driving is a no go whatsoever in my book. It's all about how you plan around it and I've realized that's my biggest success.
  • beamer0821
    beamer0821 Posts: 488 Member
    i do it from time to time because of the same reasons it just eats so much of my deficit up.
  • mcgra263
    mcgra263 Posts: 23 Member
    But it's okay to do that now and again! As long as it's not a weekly thing, usually you should be okay! Everyday doesn't have to be perfect. I usually like to go for a long run or workout for an extra hour during the day before drinking so I don't have that guilty lingering feeling.
  • LazyFoodie
    LazyFoodie Posts: 217 Member
    I used to drink almost every Friday night with the hubs and could down a bottle of champagne by myself. We'd drink on Saturdays too if we go out with friends etc. I didn't purposefully cut out drinking but I don't think I've had a drink in about a month. When I do drink I usually only have one now. I'd just almost always rather eat my calories. The hubs on the other hand likes to drink so he will save calories for 2-3 drinks every weekend and he is losing weight just fine. I think it just depends on your preference.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,593 Member
    rhileyschubbygranny wrote: »
    I only have it 2-3 times per year, usually just a couple in the summer. I personally don't really need/want alcohol so it is no problem for me.

    Me too ...

    And I don't see the point of drinking my calories. If I have a few spare calories at the end of the day, I'd rather eat something yummy than drink it.

  • nic_ci
    nic_ci Posts: 110 Member
    I cut out all alcohol about 4 months ago...it was hard at first...but now I don't miss it...just empty calories...I use restrict my calories all week long for alcohol binges on the weekends with friends...so unhealthy...feel free to add me for support!
  • SuperSonique1
    SuperSonique1 Posts: 4 Member
    I cut out alcohol for a month after Christmas just to cleanse after a gluttonous holiday season. Now I will just plan ahead and set a limit.

    Usually I will say a glass of wine and I will drive so that I stick to only one beverage. Also that way I will splurge on a 10 dollar glass and enjoy it for an hour!

    I also prefer food over booze. :-)

    Good luck!
  • V2Win1000
    V2Win1000 Posts: 14 Member
    I went from 6 to 12 beers on one weekend night a week or once every other weekend with a super clean diet to cutting it out completely about a month ago. Pretty substantial change for me! Im gaining strength and cutting simultaneously, so it was hard to see my rusults on the scale since i was loosing fat and gaining muscle at to close of a pace. Laying the beers aside until i have my 8 pack was the right choice since now i can see my fat dropping off at a faster rate. -2lb a week while gaining substantial strength and muscle gains.
  • IAmTheGlue
    IAmTheGlue Posts: 701 Member
    Feel free to add me for support, too... all of you. I love to drink and I am abstaining entirely right now. I don't *have* to drink, I just like to. My husband bought me a bottle of whiskey a week ago and it sits unopened. He said that I must have insane willpower because I usually at least open it the day of purchase. Lol.

    I just want to be able to eat my calories not drink them. The whole thing is if I start drinking, even if I add it in my daily budget and plan for it all day, I will be like "ah what the hell, let's get some nachos." And it snowballs from there. *sigh*

  • Larissa_NY
    Larissa_NY Posts: 495 Member
    I'm off the alcohol for Lent too. Now I have the worst craving for coffee in the evenings. It's like the wine was just covering up the depth and severity of my coffee addiction.
  • fionalew
    fionalew Posts: 18 Member
    I can really identify with this - I can be perfect all week and then boom along comes Friday & Saturday beers and come Monday I am so frustrated with myself as the scale hasn't moved!
  • crittergirl222
    crittergirl222 Posts: 120 Member
    OK-so I am going to do this. No booze for a week to start (so since Saturday for me). We'll see if it helps move the scale a little. Who's in?
  • lili61
    lili61 Posts: 231 Member
    I cut it out for all of February because it's the one thing I have trouble moderating. It was challenging at first but I got used to it. Just drank a lot of seltzer while out with friends and saved a lot of money (and calories!).

    I did find that once I started back up again, my tolerance was wayyy lowered and I won't really drink more than two drinks now. For me, it was a win-win.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,973 Member
    crittergirl222 wrote: »
    Thinking of going booze free for a time. Anyone else thinking the same? Maybe a week? Maybe more?
    Personally I stopped drinking alcohol in my late 20's. Why? Because I figured out at that time that I didn't need to get smashed or even buzzed to have a good time.
    Alcohol is fine in moderation. The problem is lots of people get drunk to the point that they don't make cognizant decisions to stop drinking once they start.
    So really it's a personal decision. Is it helping your or hindering you?

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  • lockeshop
    lockeshop Posts: 2
    I'm in. I have not had a drink since Feb. 23rd. My goal is to make it St. Patty's Day for green beer.:) When I found out that my your body immediately stops burning fat and kicks into detox mode when it sees alcohol coming down the pipe, it was easy for my to stay grounded. I love gin but, I'm not willing to put 115 calories PER oz!!! in my food diary for every drink I suck down...At least not now that I am working out all the time and working hard to stay on track. I'd be so mad at myself if drinking would erase all my hard work. Saturday will be hard for me. ...sooo crossing fingers. Till the 17th! Cheers:)
  • crittergirl222
    crittergirl222 Posts: 120 Member
    Pertaining to a lot of feedback-I didn't start this as a cry for help or to discuss the perils of overindulgence. I get it. I'm just working too hard to blow it on a couple of drinks on weekends. To those that are in, here's to no booze until at least St Patty's day (and to be honest I hardly ever go out to drink on that day-everyone gets too wasted!). Message me if you are in. :D
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    I cut it out for a time because I decided that I would rather eat my calories than drink them, and I do have a hard time controlling my decision making if I am a little tipsy. A couple of glasses of wine frequently led to mindless eating. I did this for over a year, allowing myself a drink at holiday dinners or special dinners out like my birthday, but none otherwise.

    Recently I have added more exercise in and have a lot of extra calories to eat back. I have started adding one glass of wine or one beer with dinner on workout days and that seems to work well for me. I can do without, but it is a nice treat and I have not seen the mindless eating tendency.
  • Lizard4280
    Lizard4280 Posts: 3
    I haven't had a drink since Christmas Day when I drank some wine. Not only is it empty calories, but I work with two groups of youth, so I want to set an example.

  • mzjenn2u
    mzjenn2u Posts: 78 Member
    I'm not really a big drinker BUT when I would drink I would drink a lot and it does have a lot of empty cals and carbs, even some fats and a ton of sugar for some. I stopped drinking for like 6-8mos and noticed a huge change in my body for the better. I stopped drinking about 4wks ago again and am also seeing less bloating in my stomach area which is a plus for me.
    my advice is to do what is best for you and your body, we are all different so you will have to play around and see what works best for you.....no matter what you decide good luck
  • crittergirl222
    crittergirl222 Posts: 120 Member
    mzjenn2u wrote: »
    I'm not really a big drinker BUT when I would drink I would drink a lot and it does have a lot of empty cals and carbs, even some fats and a ton of sugar for some. I stopped drinking for like 6-8mos and noticed a huge change in my body for the better. I stopped drinking about 4wks ago again and am also seeing less bloating in my stomach area which is a plus for me.
    my advice is to do what is best for you and your body, we are all different so you will have to play around and see what works best for you.....no matter what you decide good luck

    Thank you! Great feedback.
  • hermann341
    hermann341 Posts: 443 Member
    I am currently trying for alcohol free for Lent, plus it helps to cut down on snacking if I do without.
  • serenity1097
    serenity1097 Posts: 135 Member
    I am a regular red wine drinker, always have been. I cut back substantially when I first started my weight loss journey, from a bottle of wine a night to 1-2 glasses a night. I'm now at the point where I can go without all week & allow myself a couple glasses on Friday night without regret. I don't think I will ever quit drinking completely so I just practice moderation & restraint for now (*)
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