Any one else nix the booze to lose weight?

Anyone else stop drinking to aid their weight loss efforts? What were your results...would love to hear positive stories to keep me inspired hehe.

have carried on my college booze weight for a good nearly 10yrs now. After eating well and exercising well...it's clear that my 2-3x/week party binges are not helping...and seem to be hurting my weight loss efforts.

I recall a few years ago, I stopped drinking for a month or so while working out and eating right...and lost 15lbs! Now days, I'm lucky if I lose 2-5lbs a month. (Started at 215, am at 190 now).

Basically this 180/190 marker is where I usually start climbing back up the scale, but I'm determined to break thru this time once and for all. Plus I think I'm just *over* partying like that (I live in L.A.) and am intent on finding other amazing stuff to do in L.A., after all...I am turning 28 next week ;)

I have been "sober" for 7days now, my first weekend without drinking in almost 10yrs and already feel amazing...would love to hear from you!

 

There's a direct correlation between my drinking any my weight.  The first time I quit, I lost probably 30 lbs.  Then I started again and gained 45 (along with other factors).  Then I quit again, lost another 30.

It's too hard to work off those empty calories, not to mention I think alcohol does funny things to your metabolism.

I think instead of being totally dry this time, I'm only going to have drinks on SPECIAL occasions, and make sure it is included in my calories.  But, don't hold me to that.  :)

Of all my vices, drinking, I thank God, is not one of them.

I haven't totally cut out the drinking- I still have a glass or two of wine on Saturdays (or whenever) BUT I put them in my calories and I'm not drinking a whole, large bottle anymore on the weekends.  Oh yeah, I like wine :)

I'm only 19 and have never drank before; however, I use to be a junkie when it came to soda. I drank soda ALL THE TIME, morning, afternoon, and especially at night right before bed. When I was in sixth grade and started trying to lose weight when I was fat, pretty much the only thing I did from the start was switch from regular soda to diet soda, and then from diet soda to water. Without exercising, counting my calories, or eating healthy foods (I still remember eating lunchables, chicken nuggets, hot pockets, mcdonald's, etc) I lost a lot of weight in addition to getting taller, which means that I lost even more weight than the scale indicated. I think that simply cutting out soda did that, so I for one would think that cutting out the booze would be a good thing. 

kaffwynn...yeah???? that's inspiring! my plan is to stop till i get down to my ideal weight and then will give in to my love for red wine on "special occasions" and/or factor it into my maintenance plan...kinda like you susieq76!

wow--i could see losing at least 30lbs given the results i saw that one time

lucky for you mortalmonkey!!! sometimes i feel like i'm living the Lohan/Spears/Hilton lifestyle and i just woke up one day and realized that, and realized that there IS another way to live life, so i'm going to discover that :)

any one else notice results when they stopped drinkin?

Since I have had my kids I really do not drink a whole lot. If I do drink and go over board I pay for it for a long time. It takes me a while to burn those calories off. Now like susieq76 I try to only have one glass of wine on the weekends if I have any at all. It really does help with the weight loss.

I drank a lot in college and by the time I graduated, I weighed 230 pounds.  I am getting married in a few months and wanted to shape up.  I still love going out to eat and do this almost every weekend.  However, I only go to places where I can get fresh, healthy options that don't mess up my diet.  I also rarely drink anymore and only have drinks once in a while when I am out with friends and really having a good time.  Now I weigh 159!  It has been TOTALLY worth it.

I'm one of those freaky people that actually losesweight when they drink, don't ask me how, it just acts as an appetite suppressant for me.  That can be a very bad thing for me not to mention extremely unhealthy.  

I only drink every now and then, martinis are my weakness when I'm out with the girls or a glass or two of wine-as long as I make sure that I count it on CC and remember to EAT.

Heck NO

I love beer too much to quit.  (Light beer of course!)

~H~

I've definitely cut back but haven't gone cold turkey. I'm 23 and well, I still like the lifestyle.lol But now its more of a once per week going out and partying. And I choose to stick with stuff thats less cals. I think its very difficult in the beginning but it gets easier over time. I was also in the same 2-3x/week partying hard so i can tell you I defintiely notice a difference. it's been nearly four weeks and I just notice an overall change in my behavior and attitude. Physically I feel better and just more "healthy"

Good luck! I'm sure you can do it =)

"Of all my vices, drinking, I thank God, is not one of them."

 

Me too, but I no longer eat after drinking which is really what factored into my fatness.  I also used to eat really fatty food before drinking to cushion the intoxicating effects.  No longer.  And I count my beer calories. 

I aimed to cut drinking out for a full 30 days. I am on day 16, but I did have 2 beers Memorial Day weekend and then I went to a winery yesterday so I obviously had to have 1 glass of wine. From here until June 18 though don't see any other slip ups! I am 23 though and, like many others, drinking, and the party scene is a big part of my life. I think it will affect my weight by 5-7lbs.

My good friend who is into fitness does the no drinking for a month plan a couple times a year and she said it really does make a difference for her.

Original Post by thejabronisayz:

I use to be a junkie when it came to soda. I drank soda ALL THE TIME, morning, afternoon, and especially at night right before bed. 

When I quit drinking soda, I lost 10 pounds effortlessly, and I think that quitting drinking will have a similar affect. I'm in college right now, and now that it's summer, I drink more alcohol (more time for parties). I eat better and exercise more, but that darn alcohol!

I am a lot like you gals and guys - always out socially, always fluttering around, and end up drinking way too much. I'm certain that it is affecting my weight. The problem is, I'm 25, and that is what the majority of my friends do socially - go out, have  few bottles of wine or some cocktails, go dancing, etc. There is some pretty serious alcoholism in my family, however, and I'm starting to feel 'cravings' for it. I now feel like I have 2 good reasons to try and give it up, or at least minimize it to a glass or two of wine a week. (1) my weight, and (2) my long-term mental health. Not just that - but hangovers make you lazy the next day, and leads to falling off the diet wagon.

I used to be the same way with soda, but was able to kick that habit. I rarely if ever drink pop - once and a while for a treat maybe - and actually find that I no longer crave it AT ALL. In fact, the opposite - I find the fizz makes me feel weird!

I'd love to hear how you all make out..... I truly think that alcohol is one of the biggest obstacles I have to overcome to make this healthier lifestyle work.  

Original Post by susieq76:

I haven't totally cut out the drinking- I still have a glass or two of wine on Saturdays (or whenever) BUT I put them in my calories and I'm not drinking a whole, large bottle anymore on the weekends.  Oh yeah, I like wine :)

Can totally relate, I’m now consuming two glasses on Friday and Saturday night not a bottle each night. I cut out the daily two glasses. I count them at about 100 calories and try hard not to snack with them. Wine is great but it is calories and when your body is burning alcohol it is not burning fat. Also drinking alcohol prompts snacking. My understanding anyway.

I lost 7lbs when I was unable to go out in January and February.

Drinking again as I did, but now exercising to maintain a 200-500 deficit each day.

i decided to cut back on my drinking in january. i was indulging almost every day...some days more than others, but i felt like booze was starting to control me, instead of the other way around. -not to mention the fact i would eat 'bad' foods after drinking, and very little food the rest of the time. (stupid of me, i know, and i'm sure i messed up my metabolism!)

i started eating healthier at the same time as cutting down on alcohol, and have lost 21 lbs & reached my goal weight. yay! -not to mention i feel a whole lot healthier!

i attribute a large portion of my weight loss success to 'abstaining'...however, i do have drinks every couple of weeks with friends.  now i simply plan my calories for that day/evening..i usually go over what i 'should', but i call it a cheat day, as i'm well behaved the rest of the time...oh, and i drink lots of water the day after.     

i moved from Korea back to the states in December and every since then i can count on one hand how many drinks i've had. i also lost 15 lbs since being back in the US and i attribute my success to cutting back on alcohol and the excessive partying and drinking that i did while over there. i also started eating healthier and going to the gym on a regular basis.

my lifestyle now vs then is completely different. in Korea we all worked hard but we partied harder and everything was celebrated with liquor and food. now i go to work, gym, and home...i go out occasionally but am no where near as crazy as i used to get, lol. but basically i started making healthier lifestyle changes and it has and is paying off for me

We used to do that in college all the time.  It's absolutely amazing how many calories are in just one beer.

Dump all that and of course you loose weight.  Another thing is making smarter choices about what you drink when you drink. 

 

2 cents,

M.

Drinking is absolutely, no doubt whatsoever, THE BIGGEST OBSTACLE in my weight loss. I haven't been a big drinker for awhile now, but when I do let loose, I let loose. It's amazing how many calories you can guzzle in a night out. That ALONE can throw someone off course. But for me, it's not just the booze calories (and I can easily easily easily down a days worth of calories just in booze)..it's the food I eat. One drink and I'm like, "Ah, screw it, bring on the burgers!" then there's late night greasy diners before bed...and if I'm hungover the next day? Forget it! It's carb city all day long. and exercise?PSH! If I can do it from my bed with the TV on! Man, seriously. ANd it's so hard to avoid! My high school reunion is this weekend! There's no way I can just NOT DRINK. How would I make it out alive? Jeez...okay, venting a little here...thanks for lettin' me...

Anyway!!! I am trying my absolute best to nix the booze. Losing weight is hard enough without all that nasty business. I have faith that I can make it through. It's like AA, ya know? One day at a time...