Giving up alcohol...

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lesliev523
lesliev523 Posts: 368 Member
in Motivation and Support
I know I need to give up alcohol... or at least my nightly two glasses of wine. But I really don't want to....

If I don't a glass or two of wine at night, I can't sleep through the night. It is awful. I can fall asleep, but I am constantly waking up.

Then I am dragging butt the next morning....

UGGH!
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Replies

  • macpatti
    macpatti Posts: 4,280 Member
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    Are you wanting to give it up because you're dependent upon it, or because of the calories in it?
  • larkiedeek
    larkiedeek Posts: 203 Member
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    I gave up 6 months ago (except for 2 days).

    It made a huge difference to me. I think after a week the habit of going to get a drink just stops.
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
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    You might consider finding other ways to help you sleep. For example, it's better to not watch tv or spend time on the computer for awhile before bed. Some people find a warm tea before bed is helpful. You'll find a wealth of info online if you look at reputable sources. Here's one, for example: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/sleep/HQ01387

    At the end of the day you'll be better off if you don't need alcohol to sleep well.
  • ronadams52
    ronadams52 Posts: 176 Member
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    Great comments. I gave it up back in 1988. You might want to check your food diary and make sure you are getting enough nutrients. If I do not eat enough calories I wake up around 1 or 2 in the morning and need to eat a bowl of cereal and then I am able to go back to sleep. Cottage cheese is a great source of slow digesting protein for the night time. I will also try to get in some fiber heavy foods like Post Raisin Bran at night. 1 1/2 cups with milk has more than 1/2 of my daily requirement (12) and breaks down fairly slowly also. Also highly recommended is a piece of dark chocolate before bed.
  • RedSkinFox
    RedSkinFox Posts: 23 Member
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    1 word - Marijuana
    If you're angry - Just kidding :D
  • lesliev523
    lesliev523 Posts: 368 Member
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    Not dependent on it. I think I will continue to lose weight at a good rate if I stop. Just seems like wasted calories.


    Thanks for the good ideas! I will do some more research. I used to be meds for insomnia, but I hated how I felt when I took them.

    I will eat more before bed....maybe that will work.
  • knittingbandmom
    knittingbandmom Posts: 190 Member
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    Not dependent on it. I think I will continue to lose weight at a good rate if I stop. Just seems like wasted calories.


    Thanks for the good ideas! I will do some more research. I used to be meds for insomnia, but I hated how I felt when I took them.

    I will eat more before bed....maybe that will work.

    I dated a guy several years ago who did not drink at all so therefore neither did I. What I realized was that after a few days or weeks I felt great. I was like you - 1 or 2 glasses of wine, maybe a little extra on the weekends but I honestly was amazed at how much better I started feeling in the mornings when I got up. I dumped the guy but still don't drink (well, most of the time anyway). Give it a few days to adjust and see how you feel. You might even sleep better.

    Have you ever tried a supplement called Melatonin? It is something your body naturally produces to regulate sleep cycles. It helped me some. Mostly I think they just helped me relax so I could fall asleep. You can get them just about every where (Walgreens, CVS, Wal-Mart, etc.) Working out around 6:00 - 7:00 does the trick for me as well. Good luck to you.
  • LeggyKettleBabe
    LeggyKettleBabe Posts: 300 Member
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    I gave up drinking on Christmas 2011, I dont even miss it.
  • Kenzietea2
    Kenzietea2 Posts: 1,132 Member
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    Try melatonin for sleep. It is natural, safe, and works. Even if you weren't trying to get in shape and lose weight, it is a bad habit to rely on anything to fall asleep.
    Try getting up an hour earlier.
    Try harder and longer work outs.
    If you're not exhausted by the end of the day and ready for sleep, you probably aren't expending enough energy throughout the day or waking up early enough.
    Hope that helps :)
  • RobynMWilson
    RobynMWilson Posts: 1,540 Member
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    You can do it. I don't drink...haven't drank any alcohol in 12 yrs and I sleep just fine. It's just gonna be an adjustment at first...
  • nas24
    nas24 Posts: 880 Member
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    I would never, but i drink 1-3 a week... TOPS! And i make sure i hydrate really well and that i have enough cals to fit it in.
  • ExplorinLauren
    ExplorinLauren Posts: 991 Member
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    I know I need to give up alcohol... or at least my nightly two glasses of wine. But I really don't want to....

    If I don't a glass or two of wine at night, I can't sleep through the night. It is awful. I can fall asleep, but I am constantly waking up.

    Then I am dragging butt the next morning....

    UGGH!


    I feel ya! lol
  • garlic7girl
    garlic7girl Posts: 2,234 Member
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    Slowly decrease amount...add fruit to it like a sangria and it will fill you up faster.
  • ExplorinLauren
    ExplorinLauren Posts: 991 Member
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    I gave up 6 months ago (except for 2 days).

    It made a huge difference to me. I think after a week the habit of going to get a drink just stops.

    I think is true too :)
  • ExplorinLauren
    ExplorinLauren Posts: 991 Member
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    1 word - Marijuana
    If you're angry - Just kidding :D



    :laugh:
  • ndnmomma
    ndnmomma Posts: 466 Member
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    I still drink, just not everyday, but if your depending on it for sleep I'd find another way. There is nothing wrong with having a drink every once in a while there are plenty of people on here who do. Good luck!
  • phatty4dayz
    phatty4dayz Posts: 125 Member
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    There were a lot of good suggestions already posted, but I just thought of one more. What about exercising late at night, taking a shower, and hoping in bed? When I exercise in the evening, which I rarely do, I sleep like a baby.
  • MKloste
    MKloste Posts: 56 Member
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    I am the exact opposite, if I drink I can go to sleep just fine but I am constantly waking up or have restless sleep even if I drink a glass or two of wine or have a bottle or two of beer - and then I wake up feeling unrested etc. I get a lot better sleep if I do not have any caffinee or alcohol. When I first started on MFP and wanted to lose weight I gave up all caffinee and alcohol and after the first week, I had so much more energy and slept better and just felt better overall it was amazing how much of a difference it made. Now I still don't drink caffinee but I will have a beer or two here and there I just can't completely get rid of it from my lifestyle even though it is empty calories and I feel better and sleep better without it - sometimes you just need that drink to calm down or if you are out having fun!
  • tehzephyrsong
    tehzephyrsong Posts: 435 Member
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    If you can't sleep without alcohol, you're developing an addiction. That's more of a reason to give it up than for weight loss. Please take some time to really look at yourself and get some help.
  • GCAsMom
    GCAsMom Posts: 120 Member
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    I don't know how true this is, but when I researched a few years ago to lose weight, I read that if you have alcohol in your body, during that time, you won't burn any calories because all the energy is going toward getting rid of the "toxin". So basically, anything eaten while alcohol is in the system is automatically stored.

    Like I said, I don't know if it's true, but I took it to heart and haven't drank but a handful of times since then.

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