Quitting drinking

[Morrigainz]

I noticed that I had been drinking a lot lately...every day. 2-3 beers a night. A bottle of wine once a week or so. Maybe not a lot for some, but for a small female...it was a lot. I also had a lot of stress with work and school...and I began to worry that maybe I was alcoholic (although it never interfered with life stuff, e.g. going to work, etc). Plus I was getting this huge non-baby bump AND spending a lot of money on beer/wine. So, I sort-of gave up alcohol for Lent even though I'm not a practicing Catholic. I had a couple of cheats (we went to NYC over Presidents' Day, went out with a friend who was in from out of town) but I've been drinking MUCH less than before.

 

I'm with what Joey said - just not having it in the fridge.I don't know that I feel any better, except not as bloated.

 

Kudos to you people that go out without drinking..I'm not sure I have that in me.

[MasterOfCows]

We are also in the cutting down camp.  The Buddy and I have always been rather fond of our booze.  It got to the point where we were going through at least one and sometimes two 40's (1.14 L) of hard liquor every week.  Which is too much - that's like 5-10 oz/day!  The last challenge, I cut myself down to 2 days a week, but had a couple issues with "drinking day" overcompensation.  Now, I'm trying a certain number of drinks per week, whenever I want.  Friends know that I'm trying to not be a fat kid anymore, and are cool with it.  Not having it in the house is big, being DD helps, but I think it's also useful to set a limit (kind of like gambling!), if you're not willing to cut it out entirely.  There's also the feeling of getting too old to be blackout drunk on the weekend anymore.

[Vector]

I quit about 5 years ago. No issues, I was never a heavy drinker. It's just a decision. I absolutely LOVE never having even the slightest hangover. 

[sumdawgtwigg]

My story is pretty embarrasing and it's a time I don't like to think about but I like to share it when I think it's important. I has a serious drinking problem for a good few years during a really rough time of my life. I gained over fifty pounds because all I did was sit, drink, and eat. To make a long story short I got really tired of wasting my whole life on booze. I couldn't do anything when i was drinking, because i was drunk, and I couldn't do anything the next day because I was hungover. I started getting terrible depression problems, etc, etc. It was hard to quit at first because it was something I was so used to doing but as with everything else it got easier over time. None of my friends really drink so it wasn't like I was missing out on the social part of it or anything. I guess that really helped me to stay away from it. I'm glad you don't have a problem with it though because it's an entirely different beast. Best of luck with quitting, you can do it

[BarefootViking]

Not drinking is statistically not good for you.  Look it up!  I am firmly in the camp of "moderation in all things".  Since I am really working hard to get in shape I usually limit it to no more than one beer a day unless there is an even going on and then it is more like 3.

 

Quitting entirely I don't see the point of unless you have an actual problem with it.

[ScrabbleGirl]

Birthday weekend! I let myself have a few, but I wasn't drunk and still enjoyed myself

[cracked_belle]

ScrabbleGirl, on 04 Mar 2013 - 04:22, said:

Birthday weekend! I let myself have a few, but I wasn't drunk and still enjoyed myself

firstly, HAPPY (albeit belated?) BIRTHDAY!!

secondly, good for you! that's the perfect way to drink. how do you feel? no hangover or anything?

[I-Jo]

I didn't stop drinking- but I moved in with a friend who is a booze hound (former navy sailor) and he can put away a case of Yuengling in two days with no issues.    Shortly after I moved in (2-3 weeks) I realized I was going to pack on the pounds with my drinking if I kept up- I was having one a night with dinner or one or two every other day.

 

So I went for Sunday- Thursday = no drinking.  Friday/Saturday drinking allowed but not mandatory.  So I can drink as much as I want- with no guilt... but if I don't drink no love lost either.  More often than not I find myself not drinking- but I really do enjoy my beer when I have it- and I really do enjoy my wine when I go to dinner with friends. 

 

I couldn't cut it out entirely.  Well. No. I COULD.  I just chose not to. I LOVE beer. and WINE. and I have fun having it- but I'm definitely a 2 beer.... yeah. one of those.  So 2 or 3 with water's between and I'm good to go.

 

I don't have any issue ordering a seilzer water- I tell them to put it in a wiskey shot glass and make it look like a vodka drink of some sort- tends to keep people I don't know off my back- and avoids random strangers from buying me drinks since I have something in hand- plus you don't drink it as fast (if it's just flat water you'll drink it- then it's obvious. 

 

 

 

And did someone change alcoholism to a chronic sickness?  I know it's an addiction- but I wasn't aware it was labelled a disease at this point?

[ScrabbleGirl]

firstly, HAPPY (albeit belated?) BIRTHDAY!!

secondly, good for you! that's the perfect way to drink. how do you feel? no hangover or anything?

Nope, no hangover! I was pretty sleepy on Saturday morning, but no sickness. I'm pretty happy with myself. 

[cracked_belle]

I kinda of wish I got hangovers. maybe it would disuade me from drinking so much, lol.

I normally have great self-control and will-power. but seriously, not when it comes to alcohol. that's my Kyrptonite.

[KillerGriller]

I kinda of wish I got hangovers. maybe it would disuade me from drinking so much, lol.

I normally have great self-control and will-power. but seriously, not when it comes to alcohol. that's my Kyrptonite.

D.I.T.T.O.

[ScrabbleGirl]

The problem is that alcohol dissolves will power. So couple that with a social environment and it's... a pain in the bum

[Nanashi]

The problem is that alcohol dissolves will power. So couple that with a social environment and it's... a pain in the bum

 

Thats an absolute truth, and when you stop drinking alcohol you will start to receive prejudice from other people, for example, everyone will ask you "why you dont drink alcohol?" or "come on, its not that bad, taste this drink" and so goes on. Then, have in mind that being a person that dont drinks alcohol and staying that way will make your determination and will power stronger.

Besides that, alcohol is not necessary in a social environment, its just something that the majority of the people thinks that is needed, a addiction that aflicts almost everyone, thats why its called sometimes a "Social Drug".

And besides that too, theres more drinks that dont have alcohol in it than the ones that have, you can name a hundred alcolholic beverages, but think about the insane amount of fruits in the world and the combinations that you can make to produce juice, or tea, or even a mix of this two. You can use that to substitute alcohol.

Finnaly, when you start to see your friends being crazy and you being as crazy as the same but in control, you will see that you dont need alcohol to have fun in a party, you just need happiness.

I wish you strenght in your walk.