alcohol revisited

okay, i know this has been discussed ad nauseum, but i'm looking for people who are on the same page as i am.

i just charted my monthly weight highs and lows for the past two years.  i've lost about 24 pounds over that time; obviously my weight loss has been very gradual.  but last january i quit drinking for 7 weeks and lost 9 pounds.  in the ten months since i started drinking again, i've lost...well, none, really.  i lost about three more, but have gained two of them back.  so i'm going off the booze again tomorrow (first i have to polish off the wine that's in my cupboard;-))

the good new is, i've been able to maintain my weight loss just by moderating my drinking: gain a pound or two, quit for a week - simple.  my eating and activity level fluctuate, but haven't changed in any significant way.

so...anyone want to kick the booze in the interest of a ten-pound loss? 

well, let's be honest: i'm capable of having one glass of wine of an evening, but generally, if i'm going to have one, i'm going to have three or four. 

i also think that because i don't drink anything else that's high in calories, it makes a big difference for me.  if i don't drink alcohol, i'm drinking water.  i drink my coffee black.  if you're going to substitute your wine for pop (sorry - soda), you're not going to lose weight.

okay, i'll try again to revive this thread, but if no one picks it up, i guess i'm on my own.

three days without alcohol.  it's a psychological shift more than anything: i'm eating better, moving more, paying more attention.  and i'm down a pound and a half :-)

anyone?

OK, silly question?

I'm always posting about weight and beer, and i'd like to join in, but.......

Can I have beer on a saturday? I know that sounds silly, but often I have beer sometimes three times a week. I would be cutting my beer by a third. I can't give it up, it's my only vice!

elttiks

hey - you don't need my permission ;) 

of course you can - we're not rigid here.  are we?

Great, i'm in :o)

elttiks

I Love my margaritas and wine - I used to have at least one margarita or two or three a night for the past 6 months and realized that I gained way to much weight.  Since the first of the year, I have cut down ALOT.  Once a week I have my margaritas and tonight I just needed a glass of wine for my sanity!

Ok, what happens now?

elttiks

elttiks, just keep coming back here and posting! 

I like having fellow drinkers to chat with. I used to have a few beers or a few glasses of wine and an occassional margarita.  I think if you cut back to just on Saturday's you'll be fine. 

I've been alcohol free for five days (granted they have all been weekdays and now I'm going into a VERY challenging weekend). I have lost about 5 pounds already!  I know that part of the weight loss is because of cutting out my beverages, but I've also been walking a lot for exercise and changing my eating pattern.

pgeorgian, I'll keep coming back.  Thanks for keeping this thread alive. Congratulations on the weight loss! BTW, why do Sunday's suck?

Wish me luck this weekend, I have to go to my mother-in-laws for her husbands birthday party. I don't like either one of them and I usually deal with it by drinking and eating too much.

Good luck Skye :o) Yup, Sundays do it for me too! I havent had a drink sinse sunday, but i'm like you too. The weekends are the hardest, i'm sure it must all be in the mind. I'm looking foreward to haveing a drink tomorrow, but hoping to restrain on sunday. If I can do that, then i'll be a happy bunny.

elttiks

Ok the not drinking thing didn't last long. I came back to my flat on Wednesday (I live in student accomo during term time) and I had an exam so when I finished my mates took me out for drinks and I ended up drinking loads...I stuck to gin and tonic but I also had some shots and that pushed my calories up a bit. It's so difficult when people keep buying you drinks!

Edit: oops double post

hey skye and elttiks - thanks for stoking the fire!

i'm on day five now - not really missing it yet, although i've turned down an invitation to go out with friends tonight. 

why do sunday's suck?  is that a question?  if i said that, i can't remember why...

skye, i have a suggestion for the in-laws evening: can you have a "prior commitment" that requires you to leave earlier than usual?  i sometimes plan an exit strategy. 

or plan an alternate reward for getting through the evening. 

elttiks, tip one for me tomorrow, okay?

lozibeth, don't sweat it.  if i had flatmates wanting to celebrate with me, i'd be in trouble too.  next time, you might want to substitute club soda for tonic - no extra calories.  and with a twist, it's pretty tasty!

Count me in!  I have lost 30+ pounds before and continued to drink heavily (went through a divorce and hit a party streak).  I was 32 at the time.  Now, at 38, I still like to drink more than a few beers (my weakness) and have decided to abstain (have not had a beer in 2 weeks, when I usually drink 3-4 times a week) so I will be interested to see if it makes a major difference.  I have a serious beer belly, does not help that I am apple shaped!

All of this will change tomorrow as I am going to a Mardi Gras ball and plan to have a good time!  Will let you know Monday if this impacts my 5 pd. weight loss.

cool, cnj.  glad to have you!

have fun tomorrow! (mardi gras on saturday?  isn't that a misnomer?)

It is my Krewe's ball.  A major party.  Our parade is on the 26th, and Mardi Gras is on the Feb. 5.  I asked in another thread, whether it would be smarter to drink wine (white) instead of beer, and I got mixed responses...what would YOU do???

what would I do?  if i wanted to pretend i was still trying to be good, i'd drink vodka and soda or white wine.  if i wanted to forget about being good for a night, i'd drink beer or red wine.  if i wanted to be baaaad, i'd drink tequila =0

are you in NO?

edited to clarify: that's club soda, not soda pop.  i'm a canuck.  and i see that you're from LA, not new orleans.

Hi. I have just joined this fantastic website today (and started the diet today). My biggest problem will be not drinking wine but I do feel that it's more or less completely the alcohol that makes me the weight I am because apart from that, I eat reasonably healthily (apart from the crisps that have to be consumed with the wine !). SO ... I am going to stop drinking completely and see what happens with the weight loss. Will keep you posted ...

LA is our state abbreviation...I am from Lafayette, which is about 2 hours from NO!!!  I guess I will get the wine...

ah, cool.  i might have to visit you!

welcome, wendy!  i think i'm in the same boat as you: i eat reasonably well most of the time, and don't overeat at all, but the wine and beer have taken their toll.  it's not just the calories they add, but the choices i make while indulging (is there anything yummier than dark chocolate with red wine?), and the fact that the day after even two or three drinks, i don't want to do anything but sit.

be prepared - it will take a week or so to see results.

Hi Wendy!  Forgive my ignorance...but what in the world are "crisps"?