Anyone else give up drinking?

localgrr
localgrr Posts: 99 Member
in Motivation and Support
Hey there, I gave up drinking (for emotional more than dietary reasons) - and I thought - yay! Well at least I'll save all those calories and I've just been eating them ! Can anyone else relate ?
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Replies

  • ObsidianMist
    ObsidianMist Posts: 519 Member
    yep I have the occasional glass of wine with dinner at my boyfriend's mom's house and that's about it. like you, I made the decision for non-weight-lose-related reasons, but I do like that it's easier for me to decide to avoid the empty calories since I don't want to be drinking for pretty serious reasons. I'd much rather have an extra hundred calories of actual food at dinner than waste them on wine.
  • localgrr
    localgrr Posts: 99 Member
    Yeah I suppose so, I think I'd rather have -100 calories though ! I don't *need* this big bowl of strawberries I'm eating so in a sense they are empty calories too.
  • debants
    debants Posts: 38 Member
    Yes I did it for a month. Didn't change anything in relation to weight loss - felt great and was nice to have a clear mind at all times - however, I have no intention of cutting my red wine out of my life 4ever so I have to learn how to make it fit in and be reasonable with it.
  • pwoodroof
    pwoodroof Posts: 26 Member
    I found that moderation became more of a challenge due to the effects of alcohol on the mind. Even a small amount can lead to the temptation to eat and/or drink more. It seems so much easier to stick to targets now that I don't drink.
  • BelleCakes2018
    BelleCakes2018 Posts: 568 Member
    I've had to cut alchohol completely due to my new way of eating. But gosh do I miss it.. I would have several each and every day. I don't know how much longer I will be able to resist, I guess I am a drinker (ouch! lol) I told myself 15 more lbs before I allow myself another drink - then i'll count it in my calories and eat less... not healthy I know, but necessary for me!
  • Pam_Shebamm
    Pam_Shebamm Posts: 167 Member
    I've basically stopped drinking, mostly due to embarrassment over my actions at a work party in 2014. I still have a drink now and again, but I prefer to be functional the next morning (I don't have a lot of self control - if I have two, I have twelve). I don't really miss it all that much.
  • caughtredhandd83
    caughtredhandd83 Posts: 28 Member
    Yes, I would generally rather eat my calories then drink them. Also when I drink, I get the munchies in a big way. So basically a recipe for overeating and poor choices.
  • Shana67
    Shana67 Posts: 680 Member
    Sort of? When I began losing weight, I calculated the calories in wine that I was drinking per week and it came in at 4,000!!!!! FOUR THOUSAND PER WEEK.

    Seeing that it was pretty easy to cut back. I'm down to one 2-3 oz mixed drink every other day, and it has made a huuuuuuge difference in my weight loss. I'm not a really big "food" person, but I AM an alcohol person. It's going good, though. I am somewhat proud of me :)
  • Shana67
    Shana67 Posts: 680 Member
    I just finished a 2oz Knob Creek (whiskey) on the rocks. It was lovely, and just 92 calories. Everything in moderation.
  • capaul42
    capaul42 Posts: 1,390 Member
    I rarely drink due to my low blood pressure and even then can usually only have 1 or 2 without any effects. So I often just don't.
  • Alpha12
    Alpha12 Posts: 251 Member
    I am giving up wine for the month of May and will see what happens. I drink too much for sure, and wine is my choice of alcohol. Losing some weight will be a bonus. I have about 30 lbs to lose.
  • robboughton
    robboughton Posts: 62 Member
    Shana67 wrote: »
    I just finished a 2oz Knob Creek (whiskey) on the rocks. It was lovely, and just 92 calories. Everything in moderation.

    I love the fact you are in the USA and I see a UK time on the post so it looks like you are drinking Whiskey at 5.16am haha.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    Shana67 wrote: »
    Sort of? When I began losing weight, I calculated the calories in wine that I was drinking per week and it came in at 4,000!!!!! FOUR THOUSAND PER WEEK.

    Seeing that it was pretty easy to cut back. I'm down to one 2-3 oz mixed drink every other day, and it has made a huuuuuuge difference in my weight loss. I'm not a really big "food" person, but I AM an alcohol person. It's going good, though. I am somewhat proud of me :)

    That's actually a really good idea: see, in the cold light of day, how many calories you're going to be wasting in a given week.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    I never managed to get into the habit of drinking so it's been exceptionally easy to say that I gave it up 20+ years ago. That's the last time I had any.
  • celadontea
    celadontea Posts: 335 Member
    Good for you! I gave it up for my diet. It's not just in the calories, but alcohol stops your body from oxidizing fat. I realize some of the weight I gained in the past year was from indulging a bit too much in drinking with my friends, because it was an experience I did not let myself have at 21. I'm a big foodie so learning about all the new flavors and mixes was amazing to me. Then I became somewhat emotionally dependent while suffering through a family tragedy and that alone scares me since my mother, father, and many other immediate family members were addicts (who have ruined their life with addiction). I will let myself have it maybe at the very most once every couple of months now knowing the impact it has on my body and metabolism. You can read more about the metabolic influence it has here: http://www.leangains.com/2010/07/truth-about-alcohol-fat-loss-and-muscle.html
  • pearce8888
    pearce8888 Posts: 32 Member
    Good on you mate I was a heavy drinker for
    Five years and one day I said to myself I'm sick of getting drunk and feeling bloated. That was over a year and a half a go now and I wouldn't touch a drink at all anymore
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    JeromeBarry1 wrote: »
    I never managed to get into the habit of drinking so it's been exceptionally easy to say that I gave it up 20+ years ago. That's the last time I had any.

    I've never understood these posts. :)
  • shrcpr
    shrcpr Posts: 885 Member
    Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
    JeromeBarry1 wrote: »
    I never managed to get into the habit of drinking so it's been exceptionally easy to say that I gave it up 20+ years ago. That's the last time I had any.

    I've never understood these posts. :)

    LOL. Me, either! I'm currently on a 12 week hiatus from drinking while I do the Body Beast workout program. I just finished week 2 and it sucks (the not drinking part; love the program). But I'm close to goal and feel like I need to tighten everything up to reach it. Did I mention it sucks?
  • shrcpr
    shrcpr Posts: 885 Member
    Oh and I'd much rather spend 288 calories on 4 oz of Fireball than any type of food in existence.
  • phyllis731
    phyllis731 Posts: 58 Member
    I'm not eating sugar, flour, or drinking alcohol until Memorial Day (end of May).
  • LTGPSA
    LTGPSA Posts: 633 Member
    Hello. October 2016 will be 9 years dry for me. It wasn't easy in the beginning, but I have 0 regrets. :)
  • katharmonic
    katharmonic Posts: 5,720 Member
    I stopped buying any alcohol to have at home last summer/early fall and it's been helpful for my weight loss. I still get a glass of wine or a mixed drink when I go out but that's fairly infrequent.
  • 6pkdreamer
    6pkdreamer Posts: 180 Member
    edited May 2016
    Gave up drinking about decade ago after drinking 1/2 bottle of wine a day or so. Affected my personality and health. Don't miss it a all. You have to ask yourself- do you drink for the effect, taste, social acceptance or all 3?
  • aprilkorn
    aprilkorn Posts: 26 Member
    I am too. I was drinking two bottles 1.5 litres total myself at least 3 evening per week for the last six months or so. I knew I was consuming a lot of calories but was in denial. I have 12 days in now and feeling much better.
  • rosecropper
    rosecropper Posts: 340 Member
    My pancreas made me give up alcohol against my will :'(
    And i definitely eat more calories now. Used to be satisfied with a bowl of steamed veggies for dinner if paired with a nice wine! Now I actually want food if I can't have drinks.
    Also drinking makes me want to exercise more. Love a buzzed run!
  • kbmnurse
    kbmnurse Posts: 2,484 Member
    I should give it up. I got so wasted on Friday I fell and bruised my butt. What did I do last night? I drank 3 beers. UGGGGGGGGGG. I would love to give up alcohol 4 ever but, I love that buzz I get. LOL
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    nah. some of the fittest people i know indulge in an occasional drink.
  • doccnm
    doccnm Posts: 21 Member
    Shana67 wrote: »
    Sort of? When I began losing weight, I calculated the calories in wine that I was drinking per week and it came in at 4,000!!!!! FOUR THOUSAND PER WEEK.

    Seeing that it was pretty easy to cut back. I'm down to one 2-3 oz mixed drink every other day, and it has made a huuuuuuge difference in my weight loss. I'm not a really big "food" person, but I AM an alcohol person. It's going good, though. I am somewhat proud of me :)

    I haven't stopped drinking totally but I rarely drink. In the past month I've had 2 glasses of wine. I've had periods where I drank daily and felt no side effects and other periods where I've had 2 glasses or wine or beer & felt terrible the next day (headache, nauseous). I'd rather get to the gym at 6 am then have a drink the night before. I noticed that my skin looks better, my stomach got flatter (no weight loss though) and I sleep much better. It is a good experiment to see how abstinence or minimal intake makes one feel.
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  • tamaraworrall
    tamaraworrall Posts: 166 Member
    Whilst losing weight I gave up drinking alcohol completely. People kept saying I should have a treat every so often but for me I had to give it up as I couldn't trust myself to overindulge. The same with chocolate and junk food.i occasionally have it now but not often and only when I want to

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