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MyFitnessPal Community

Dry January! No Alcohol!

SallyLuvsFitness

I will be partaking in dry January, no alcohol. Those of you that quit drinking to lose weight, when did you notice weight loss with not drinking empty calories? Second week?

Replies

SallyLuvsFitness

Also, I am new and looking forward to support and motivate others! Add me.

Ducks47

While not drinking calories is probably good place to start as it eliminates some empty calories, i can’t say how quickly you will lose weight as it depends on the rest of your diet and how much of your calories came from drinks. If your maintenance is 2000 (I don’t know what it really is) and you consume 2200 of food typically and continue to do this you won’t lose weight. You’ll just gain less than you had been if you had been consuming alcohol on top of this because it’s above maintenance. If you consume 1500 of food and 500 of alcohol on a typical day and cut the alcohol then you’ll be below your maintenance. You could try it and weigh yourself after a week or two to see. Good luck!

kshama2001

Congrats! I stopped being a heavy drinker in the 90s, and definitely lost weight, but it was too long ago for me to remember any details.

When I drank, I ate more that night, and also didn't sleep well, which led me to make bad food choices the next day, as well as being less active.

LaurelRedCock

I quit drinking when I first started cal I roe counting. It REALLY helped. I think you will notice the effect immediately. After 6 months I've gone back to the dark side. I'm going to do dry January (maybe 90 days) as well. Good luck : )

SallyLuvsFitness

I eat for the most part really healthy; however, my downfall is drinking wine or martinis. We have cut out as much processed foods as possible, while eating our vegetables and fruits. I maintain around 1,300-1,500 food calories based on my workout for the day. I have added alcohol calories to it and weight has crept on over the last few years. I am ready to have a dry January! I have already started the last few days, but being realistic with Christmas coming up that I will indulge. Here comes January!

Sabine_Stroehm

I'm in.

pdxwine

I have been in the wine business for many years. In 2014, I decided that I had to make drastic changes in my lifestyle, as I had gained a lot of weight.

Not only did I cut calories on my food intake, I decided to not have any alcohol. Again. I am in the wine business, which means that I taste wines almost every day. I chose to not drink wine. I still tasted (and spit), but did not ingest. I did that for eight months (even with a company trip to Walla Walla to visit wineries.)

Did it help me lose weight? Yes. Both food and alcohol intake helped. Once I reached eight months (and was close to goal) I added in two drinks per day (be that wine or other beverage). That has worked well for me.

Alpha12

Fitness327wk wrote: »

I eat for the most part really healthy; however, my downfall is drinking wine

That's me! I eat a healthy diet but wine is my nemesis. I've gained quite a bit of weight because of overindulging in wine. Time to take action. I've got about 30-35lbs to lose. I'm in for January!

youngmomtaz

I’m in! Trip in feb is booked and I don’t expect to lose more than 2-3lbs with minor diet changes but cutting out a few drinks will do me good and cut some bloat for the first few days on the beach.

Enos1981

Count me in! I’ve done this in the past. It definitely helped me get down to a healthy weight for my age and height, though it did take a few months. I don’t remember how fast I noticed a difference, but there definitely was one.

Alpha12

crazyravr wrote: »

Fitness327wk wrote: »

I will be partaking in dry January, no alcohol. Those of you that quit drinking to lose weight, when did you notice weight loss with not drinking empty calories? Second week?

3500cal of alcohol will equal 1lbs of loss.
So if you were drinking 30 glasses of wine a week, you will notice a pound of weight loss during that one week of not drinking.

Provided nothing else changes, like needing to replace sugar from wine, with candy. Many people (myself included) have reported developing a sweet tooth and devouring a lot more sweets when abstaining from wine.

mholl15

I would say about three weeks in, I could see clear results from the mirror, add a little exercise in and excessive water to your liquid intake and you should see the same

Alpha12

mholl15 wrote: »

I would say about three weeks in, I could see clear results from the mirror, add a little exercise in and excessive water to your liquid intake and you should see the same

This sounds really good to me. I'm looking forward to some results, even if it's just feeling better.

tarun_yadavA

Fitness327wk wrote: »

I eat for the most part really healthy; however, my downfall is drinking wine or martinis. We have cut out as much processed foods as possible, while eating our vegetables and fruits. I maintain around 1,300-1,500 food calories based on my workout for the day. I have added alcohol calories to it and weight has crept on over the last few years. I am ready to have a dry January! I have already started the last few days, but being realistic with Christmas coming up that I will indulge. Here comes January!

Its the side effects of alcohol for me. You can keep it low cal by having vodka-tonic or vodka-diet coke, but, 4 or 5 in, you start nibbling at things/getting hungry. And lets be honest, a salad wont cut it. You crave something salty/fatty. Then lastly, next day. Hard to motivate for a gym session while hungover.

Eileen_Fiona

I'm going to be doing dryanuary too, with the hopes of keeping it up throughout the year (taking it one month at a time though...)

mw1551

I was considering trying to go dry this next year, but I feel that month-to-month might be a more attainable goal. I'm in as well!

Safari_Gal

I’m doing the same here! I’ve given up spirits in the past and the biggest difference I see is in my skin. Cheers! (Water lol!)

sillybee74

I started yesterday with no alcohol. My plan is to give it up until my skyrocketing weight is under control, i'm guessing a month. Reading everyone's responses has been a much needed inspiration, thanks y'all 😁

acb117

Congrats to anyone who can do no alcohol.
I personally can attribute 50+ pounds to amazing Washington beer. I am still working to get rid of that weight.

For the future if you are only dry for January...I have worked in the industry of alcohol for about 10 years, and one of the best ways I have noticed helps me is look into all the nutrition in the types of alcohol you are consuming. If it is wine or beer, you can always contact the wine or beer makers to find out the amounts of sugars and other nutrients that are in the beverages. If it is a large alcohol production company they often have their information online.

Good luck in January

angelamarieboyd

I use diet tonic & gin OR vodka. I've read there are 0 calories in this. However, MFP counts otherwise.

Thoughts?

Safari_Gal

angelamarieboyd wrote: »

I use diet tonic & gin OR vodka. I've read there are 0 calories in this. However, MFP counts otherwise.

Thoughts?

@angelamarieboyd
The idea behind DRY January isn’t calorie counting - it’s cutting out all alcohol COMPLETELY. For each individual’s own reasons.

welshyeats

I did dry January two years ago and kept going, just about to celebrate 2 years off the booze. I swapped beer for biscuits, it’s the hand to mouth routine I haven’t broken, same with giving up smoking four years ago made me drink and eat more. and haven’t lost weight as a consequence, but I’m hoping to really start calorie counting by joining here and seeing progress. I used to be a heavy drinker so it’s a huge amount of calories saved by not having booze! Wish me luck!

foxtrot1965

I'm in. I actually like who I am better when I'm not drinking. And I have a few big events in January where I'd love to not drink through them.

cmriverside

I'm in for a Dry January. This will be my fifth consecutive one. Of course, all the other months of the year I've been "dry" too.

No good comes to me from alcohol. I'm a better person, healthier in general, and weight is much easier to maintain without alcohol.

I literally cannot think of one good reason to drink alcohol. Not one.

Safari_Gal

cmriverside wrote: »

I'm in for a Dry January. This will be my fifth consecutive one. Of course, all the other months of the year I've been "dry" too.

No good comes to me from alcohol. I'm a better person, healthier in general, and weight is much easier to maintain without alcohol.

I literally cannot think of one good reason to drink alcohol. Not one.

Same here!

Wingsont84

Gonna try, I have been drinking hard core for years

JLatham325

I'm so in! After all of the wine from Christmas Eve to now, have never felt more bloated, sluggish, and overall just crappy and not proud of myself. My biggest downfall is wanting wine at night when I'm watching movies with my husband. I'm going to try to swap it out for different flavored sparkling waters. Wish me luck! Let's all do this together!

cwolfman13

angelamarieboyd wrote: »

I use diet tonic & gin OR vodka. I've read there are 0 calories in this. However, MFP counts otherwise.

Thoughts?

Gin and Vodka have calories. around 65 or so for a one ounce shot...most people use 2 ounces or more in a drink...so yeah, it has calories.

Safari_Gal

JLatham325 wrote: »

I'm so in! After all of the wine from Christmas Eve to now, have never felt more bloated, sluggish, and overall just crappy and not proud of myself. My biggest downfall is wanting wine at night when I'm watching movies with my husband. I'm going to try to swap it out for different flavored sparkling waters. Wish me luck! Let's all do this together!

@JLatham325
Vino / esp red vino is my biggest weakness. My family owns bars, my friends own bars - I get free drinks next to my work place—- it was really adding up. It’s around me socially all the time. Luck needed here too! Happy to see so much positivity in these posts though for a healthy change in January

Sabine_Stroehm

January 1!