I need help NOT drinking! Need ACCOUNTABILITY friends!
IronDogJourney
Posts: 117 Member
So I've read all of the stuff I could find online about alcohol and its effects on your work out progress. I started drinking a lot more after an injury a year plus ago and basically have a few vodka drinks every night. Its helped me stop working out, get lazy, gain weight and feel like I failed.
I want to stop drinking all together because it doesn't serve me. Every time I do, I find an excuse to have another. I want to challenge myself, but I need some accountability.
I started going to the gym again this last Monday and have been every day except today, but I have been drinking still and it seem so counter productive. I really want to get back on top.
Feel free to share info, stories of overcoming, or just just join me on this personal challenge!
I want to stop drinking all together because it doesn't serve me. Every time I do, I find an excuse to have another. I want to challenge myself, but I need some accountability.
I started going to the gym again this last Monday and have been every day except today, but I have been drinking still and it seem so counter productive. I really want to get back on top.
Feel free to share info, stories of overcoming, or just just join me on this personal challenge!
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Replies
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Dude just quit....stop makin excuses....if i could quit any1 can11
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I allow myself one day. I drank a lot after a breakup and it caused fighting with my son and almost destroying another relationship. I now am back in the gym several days a week and allow Saturday to have a few drinks and thats it. Baby steps is what I suggest.1
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I got rid of the alcohol in my house and removed myself from social settings where I might be tempted for awhile. After 2 or 3 weeks, my desire to have a drink seemed to dwindle and I had more restraint once I saw and felt the benefits of quitting. It's hard, but worth it.8
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PS. Read your on profile:
About Me:
I like people with a sense of humor and I hate excuses.
Focus on what you hate
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http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10610475/less-alcohol-nov-2017-one-day-at-a-time/p1
Thread for accountability and support! Come join us!
Some of us moderate our intake, some abstain altogether.2 -
^^^ Agree. Re-read your inspirations. You can do this!1
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cassirae03 wrote: »I got rid of the alcohol in my house and removed myself from social settings where I might be tempted for awhile. After 2 or 3 weeks, my desire to have a drink seemed to dwindle and I had more restraint once I saw and felt the benefits of quitting. It's hard, but worth it.
Great advice2 -
The first day is hard. But if you can just focus on just one day, don't worry about the next one. Just do it today. You will wake up feeling a little like your old self, and that may inspire you to try to do it one more day. Change whatever routine it is that allows you to drink alcohol. Can you drink at work? Probably not. Do you drink at home? Probably so. Find a way to keep yourself busy before you come home. Don't have liquor in the house. That way it won't be easy to grab a drink. I stock fizzy drinks like flavored soda water to delight the senses in my mouth. Also, myself, if I can't get to sleep, I take melatonin (a naturally occurring hormone in your body). I also read, journal, and do a few chores to keep my mind busy.
Just do it one day at a time.5 -
Some friends and I are doing a NoDrinkNovember! You could do it with us. I plan on keeping it going after November, mostly because there’s so much sugar in alcohol and I feel more productive when I don’t drink. I’ll hold you accountable if you need it!1
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I am struggling with the same thing- get stressed/have a drink. I do best if I have nothing in the house. If I am going out (which I do a couple times a month) I allow myself a drink or two so I don't feel completely deprived. Tracking each and every ounce of alcohol helps too. It's a good motivator to stop when you're hungry at the end of the day because you've drank your calories.3
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You can do this if you put your mind to it! I haven’t had a drink in one year and four month and I have loved every sober minute of it! Make a list of reasons why it doesn’t align with your goals and who you want to be as a person. For me after reading research that showed that even as little as one beverage a day is shown to increase risk of cancer I quit cold turkey. If I think smoking cigarettes is socially and healthfully unacceptable then why show alcohol be too? Good luck in your journey!3
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Oh and I forgot to mention! At first it’s awkward and hard to say no at social events or be sober, but after a little time all of that goes away, I still have just as much fun as everyone else, plus I get make sure my loved ones get home safe by being a designated driver. I do get tired earlier than those that are drinking, it’s the only real difference I have noticed as far as enjoyment goes 6
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If stress is a factor in your drinking, finding an alternative way to relieve stress can greatly help with reducing your alcohol intake. I used to drink quite a bit to cope with stress (though I was also attempting to perfect the old-fashioned). In my case, punching something for half an hour straight turned out to be a great stress reliever.2
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I really appreciate all of the feedback! Feel free to add me as a friend anyone who likes.0
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I quit back in March of this year when I found out that my drinking was starting to damage the muscles in my heart. I too, would come home from a stressful commute and a stressful job and "relax" every night with a few glasses of wine. Even with the diagnosis from my doctor, it was still hard to deal with the cravings at night because it had become such a habit. An accountability partner helps, but what also helped was to have a talk with myself about the fact that I was hurting myself by drinking and if I continued to drink, knowing that I was harming myself, then I had a drinking problem. I quit cold turkey and got on MFP and started logging all of my calories. Since March, I have lost 38 pounds and my heart function has improved back into the normal range. Even then, I am tortured by the random thought that I could "just have one drink" or "it's a special occasion", etc. and I tell myself "Is one drink worth heart damage?" You'd have to ask yourself if that drink is worth completely derailing all of the work you did in the gym that day.
I have developed some strategies to combat the cravings and they are much reduced over time. I have a tart, fizzy drink with a twist of lime in the evenings and when I go out for the evening with friends, I'll have tonic water with a twist or sparkling water or if I really feel like a treat, I'll have the bartender make me a "virgin" frozen daiquiri or Bloody Mary. I feel so much better now and yes, sometimes it sucks to be sitting there with my sparkling water while my husband has a beer with his lunch or my friends are toasting each other with cocktails, but I have reached my lifetime limit of alcohol and I have to deal with that and be accountable to myself. I'll be retired soon and I don't want to be pushing a walker with an oxygen tank strapped to it when I finally get to stop working and have time to travel. Set a long-term goal for yourself and stop with the excuses. There is always an excuse to drink and if there isn't one, you can make one up. Understand that and reject the excuses and you will be successful.5 -
I've had 1 heart surgery and am going to have one in less than a year. I guess I should take it seriously.0
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I've stopped buying it so I can't be tempted, and I feel much better, I get around the social element by driving everywhere - nobody questions you if you're the nominated driver.2
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Hi, this has been my struggle too. Alcohol is a slippery slope for me and it always messes up my fitness goals because I tend to eat a lot when inebriated. Horrible combo. I'm 12 days sober and have a mini-goal of going the rest of the year without a drink. I've found this site incredibly helpful. I read the posts there daily. It's worth a browse
https://www.reddit.com/r/stopdrinking/2 -
On the same track as you. It's so hard! I'm a massive binge drinker and at 40, I think its time to grow up. It's messing with the hard work I put in at Crossfit. Will add you as a friend if you like and we can be accountable 1
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As with all goals you need to make them achievable or they will never happen. Removing all the alcohol from the house and stop buying it is very good advice, but remember alcohol is addictive so you might need to replace the drinking with something else, be it going to the gym, running, swimming or just going for a walk.
Some people might gain weight after giving up alcohol, as they will replace the drinking with eating which why it a good idea to think about what you want to replace the alcohol with rather than just going cold turkey.
It is good that you have realised that you have a problem and want to stop it before it becomes a bigger problem.
It does sound a cliche, but you really need to take it one day at a time.1 -
Hi there. I quit drinking two years ago. I drank every day and it just became incompatible with my life goals, including my health and fitness goals (I am a figure skater. A 41 year old figure skater). What ended up getting me to quit was going to AA. Every time I tried on my own I just started drinking again and every time I started drinking I went right back to doing it every day. I needed to be around people who knew what I was going through. Quitting drinking honestly was a lot harder than I thought it would be for a lot longer than I thought it would be. I don't say that to scare you, only to encourage you to play the long game. Getting through that, my life has improved like 1000%, but it's also very different. Like others who have commented, I had to remove myself from situations where I would drink, which meant not only not going to bars but also not making dinner at home for a long time! I filled my life with other activities. Like, I learned how to play the violin, so now I play the violin in a community orchestra and other pick-up ensembles. Feel free to add me. You can do it and you will so glad you did. One day at a time.3
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So I successfully did NOT drink last night! Got up this morning and began day 2 of week 2 working out at the gym!!! Slept like the dead and feel so proud of myself!! Woot, go me!....... and I appreciate that there are groups like this. You people are amazing!9
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hannahsmithmd wrote: »As with all goals you need to make them achievable or they will never happen. Removing all the alcohol from the house and stop buying it is very good advice, but remember alcohol is addictive so you might need to replace the drinking with something else, be it going to the gym, running, swimming or just going for a walk.
Some people might gain weight after giving up alcohol, as they will replace the drinking with eating which why it a good idea to think about what you want to replace the alcohol with rather than just going cold turkey.
It is good that you have realised that you have a problem and want to stop it before it becomes a bigger problem.
It does sound a cliche, but you really need to take it one day at a time.
It's not addictive, it's a crutch people use to deal with problems. It slows the heart down, therefore, reducing anxiety and making you feel better at the TIME of use.hannahsmithmd wrote: »As with all goals you need to make them achievable or they will never happen. Removing all the alcohol from the house and stop buying it is very good advice, but remember alcohol is addictive so you might need to replace the drinking with something else, be it going to the gym, running, swimming or just going for a walk.
Some people might gain weight after giving up alcohol, as they will replace the drinking with eating which why it a good idea to think about what you want to replace the alcohol with rather than just going cold turkey.
It is good that you have realised that you have a problem and want to stop it before it becomes a bigger problem.
It does sound a cliche, but you really need to take it one day at a time.
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Congrats on the win! I know this is a public group, but if you feel comfortable can you write out why you feel the urge to drink? What thoughts and emotions do you feel that make you want to grab a drink?
All this encouragement is great, but it will only take you so far. You need to tackle the underlying issue.0 -
Keeping it out of the house helped me. I tend to drink more because it's there. So when it's not there it's easier to be good.2
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I decided the other day enough was enough, I have been feeling crappy from drinking way too much (for way too long), eating even worse, and lack of sleep.
Last night was the first night in I can't remember how long, I didn't have a glass of wine. Oh, I wanted to about 9, but just started puttering around the house, and went to bed early.
It is definitely baby steps, it helps that my other half is away (he is definitely my enabler), so I will take the next week and get myself into new habits not involving alcohol, and hubs and I will be having a serious conversation about it when he gets home!0 -
I work my wine into my calorie count...sure does make me drink a lot less.1
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I've been sober for almost 9 months now. It's been hard, but quitting both smoking and drinking have kick started a much healthier life for me (physically and mentally). My biggest tips early on: get yourself a few cases of sugar free sparkling water, avoid temptation, and make the choice every morning when you wake up "I will not drink today". And check out r/stopdrinking on Reddit. It's a great community.1
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I totally understand. I drink every couple of days (6 cans of bourbon) and it's been hard not to. Take each day at a time and don't think ahead, every drink less is a victory!! Good luck!!0
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