Cutting Back Alcohol

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  • wildkat318
    wildkat318 Posts: 326 Member
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    The radio station I work for subscribes to a "show prep" service (basically, it's topical info & stories - cheat sheets for us stupid radio-type folks...you didn't think we were actually THAT smart did you? Ha ha!) and this story about Booze & Calories really hit home:
    THE AVERAGE BEER DRINKER CONSUMES 44,200 EXTRA CALORIES A YEAR . . . AND PUTS ON 12 EXTRA POUNDS:

    If you're trying to lose some weight . . . (--and who isn't?) . . . then the first thing you might want to cut out of your diet is . . . ALCOHOL. Why?

    Because, according to Britain's Department of Health, the average wine drinker takes in 2,000 extra calories a month . . . or 24,000 extra calories a year . . . just from alcohol. Over the course of a year, those extra calories add up to SEVEN extra pounds of FAT.

    And drinking just FIVE BEERS a week adds an extra 44,200 calories a year from alcohol . . . which is the equivalent of eating 221 doughnuts. Overall, that adds up to 12 extra pounds of fat a year . . . or one pound a month. And listen to this . . .

    If you drink an average of two glasses of wine every day . . . which is about one bottle every two days . . . then by the end of the year you'll have packed on an additional 28 POUNDS in fat just from alcohol.

    I've never been much of a drinker, but if you are THIS should be enough motivation for you to cut back (or even cut it out)!

    Thanks for posting that. I'm going to print that out for myself and post in on my fridge as well as send it to some of my friends. This weight I'm carrying has really snuck up on me very slowly and I have no doubt in my mind that MOST of it came from wine! :angry:
  • renayeb
    renayeb Posts: 79 Member
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    NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, Not the alcohol!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:laugh: :laugh: MUST______HAVE______ALCOHOL :noway:
  • keshia_v03
    keshia_v03 Posts: 13
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    It surely can be done. I'm a social drinker (pretty much a weekend drinker), but I made up in my mind that I wasn't going to have any alcohol for 5 weeks. Before I knew my 5 weeks were up and I didn't miss it. Now when I want to have a drink, I calculate it into my calorie intake or I go to the gym and work it off. It you have some idea of how many calories are in what you're going to drink, you'll be able to decide whether or not it's worth it. GOOD LUCK!!!! YOU CAN DO IT.
  • wildkat318
    wildkat318 Posts: 326 Member
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    It surely can be done. I'm a social drinker (pretty much a weekend drinker), but I made up in my mind that I wasn't going to have any alcohol for 5 weeks. Before I knew my 5 weeks were up and I didn't miss it. Now when I want to have a drink, I calculate it into my calorie intake or I go to the gym and work it off. It you have some idea of how many calories are in what you're going to drink, you'll be able to decide whether or not it's worth it. GOOD LUCK!!!! YOU CAN DO IT.

    That's great, that is where I want to be. Only having it when it's figured into my calories AND most importantly, it's a special occasion and by that I don't mean TGIF, let's have drinks! :drinker:
  • wildkat318
    wildkat318 Posts: 326 Member
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    Good morning! Just wanted to report no wine for me last night, didn't even miss it. Day one! Yippee me. :bigsmile: I hope everyone else is meeting their goals where alcohol is concerned!

    Congrats!!! Keep at it.

    Thanks, I feel GREAT today!
  • mnichol
    mnichol Posts: 642
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    I've cut back, mostly to limit the calories. i was drinking 2-3 glasses of red wine about 3-4 nights a week. Now i have one small glass at night mostly to relax and it helps me sleep. :drinker:
  • mnichol
    mnichol Posts: 642
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    I'm totally in this !

    I loved the article about the weight loss gain.. why .. because that was me.. except mine was turning into a bottle of nice red wine a night.. over the course of say 5 pm to 11 pm... still... I added those calories up.. not to mention the money and :noway:

    so lastnight I thought no more... I've always used it to unwind... I will admit I had one beer with my husband lastnight ( we are home brewers so it's something we share as a hobby ) but one beer vs my bottle of wine... first step.. my plan is to cut it out except on the weekends.. Not only for cost, mood but for my health !!!!

    We can do this !!! We should make an official topic... Maybe the No Whiners ! LOL

    :flowerforyou:




    We make our own wine!!! we're been at it for about 3-4 years. how about you??
  • laurenjill
    laurenjill Posts: 94 Member
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    I thought I could, but tonight kicked my butt! I still have calories to spare, but I've put about 400 of those into my beloved Jim Beam!
    It's a classic catch 22 for me.
    I could quit drinking if I was happy about my weight, but I wouldn't have to drink if I was happy!
  • heather93277
    heather93277 Posts: 171
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    A friend came over last night and we had a few drinks but I had calories left over and had capt. morgan in crystal light so not like I went crazy on the carbs from beer or calories from soda... right? :huh: not making excuses for myself, just saying it could have been worse LOL :wink:
  • lyla29
    lyla29 Posts: 3,549 Member
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    I did good last night, no wine for me. :smile: We'll have to see how tonight goes.
  • wildkat318
    wildkat318 Posts: 326 Member
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    I did good last night, no wine for me. :smile: We'll have to see how tonight goes.

    Me too! Congrats! Good luck tonight! :drinker:
  • mbmempireranch
    mbmempireranch Posts: 145
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    We make our own wine!!! we're been at it for about 3-4 years. how about you??
    [/quote]

    Have not started making wine yet :) although I LOVE LOVE LOVE my wine ;) LOL... probably just as well HAHA....I would love to try it sometime though ( making it )

    We have been making beer for just the last 6 months or so and I have to say we are pretty darn good at it LOL !!!
  • wildkat318
    wildkat318 Posts: 326 Member
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    Wine making....now there's a hobby I need NOT take up! :bigsmile:
  • keshia_v03
    keshia_v03 Posts: 13
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    I thought I could, but tonight kicked my butt! I still have calories to spare, but I've put about 400 of those into my beloved Jim Beam!
    It's a classic catch 22 for me.
    I could quit drinking if I was happy about my weight, but I wouldn't have to drink if I was happy!

    Believe me I've been there! But, when you wake up the next day and think about how many calories you've consumed with alcohol alone, you're devasated and the cycle begins again. When you get down on yourself about your weight, it's ok to have a little to drink, but don't over do it. Then think where you were at the beginning of your weight loss journey, how far you've come, and where you want to go. Stay Motivated and shrug it off as a bad day and keep going.:happy:
  • heather93277
    heather93277 Posts: 171
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    Wine making....now there's a hobby I need NOT take up! :bigsmile:

    LMAO ditto :bigsmile:
  • lyla29
    lyla29 Posts: 3,549 Member
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    Wine making....now there's a hobby I need NOT take up! :bigsmile:

    LMAO ditto :bigsmile:

    Same here. There would be too many taste tests:laugh:
  • wildkat318
    wildkat318 Posts: 326 Member
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    Wine making....now there's a hobby I need NOT take up! :bigsmile:

    LMAO ditto :bigsmile:

    Same here. There would be too many taste tests:laugh:

    EXACTLY! :blushing:
  • July
    July Posts: 239
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    Just found out that alcohol has 7 calories per gram, compared to 4 for protein and carbs and 9 for fat - I thought alcohol was a carb!

    We're planning a trip next week to the Phillipines - rum in a coconut is definitely on the agenda with my friends - who are guys and, I've finally learned, can drink a lot more than me and always keep my glass full. My husband's a good supporter, but I need a plan to make sure I don't blow all my hard work from this week.
  • wildkat318
    wildkat318 Posts: 326 Member
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    Evening number three without alcohol...how's everyone doing? :huh:
  • lyla29
    lyla29 Posts: 3,549 Member
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    Evening number three without alcohol...how's everyone doing? :huh:

    That's great.:smile: I ended up having a glass of wine last night, but I only had one, so that's not too bad. I will try again tonight.:ohwell:

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