I hope CS is the place to post this, since it involves the absence of intoxicating beverages.
Not exactly a New Year’s Resolution-- it’s just good timing after all the overindulgence of the holidays. I did a dry January last year, so it’s the beginning (I hope) of a tradition. So far so good-- my last drink of alcohol was during the countdown on New Year’s Eve. So still early yet, but I made it through my first weekend (the weekdays are easy). Unfortunately it’s during the playoffs, but I’ll be able to have a couple beers for the Super Bowl.
Cutting out the empty alcohol calories plus eating less/better in general, I’ve already lost between 5 and 10 lbs.
I won’t go so far as totally dry, but I am going to severely cut back on my consumption for awhile, for many of the reasons posted already. Plus my choice of alcohol is pricey and I need to save a few bucks. December was expensive.
A glass or two of wine with dinner once a week is still on the table.
I do it every year, from the last college football game (Monday) until the Super Bowl. The last few years it has been extending well past the Super Bowl, though. Last year it went through the end of Lent.
It’s great that you’re making a change, but I think it’s only fair to point out that if you make any substantive change to your diet, you’ll lose five pounds the first week as your body says “WTF??” and dumps a lot of water weight to make you thirsty so you’ll eat more. This is why all diet plans say “Lose 5 pounds the first week!”
Be careful just stopping alcohol if you’ve been drinking heavy for awhile. Our morning DJ had a seizure on air after abstaining a few days. He’d been a heavy drinker for years. He eventually went to Betty Ford and seems on the road to recovery now.
Casual drinkers shouldn’t have problems just stopping. I often wait several days or even a week or so to buy more beer. I don’t miss it that much and theres no need to rush to the store.
I’ve been careful with alcohol since I left college. Rum and coke was a favorite then. I haven’t bought a bottle of Bacardi in 15 years. Don’t need it and there’s no reason to have it around. Maybe a couple times a year I’ll order a rum and coke at a club. We go sometimes if a good band is playing.
A beer in the evening is fine. Maybe two. But not every night. Those calories can add up.
That was the easiest way to cut back for me. In August I decided to get back in shape and loose some weight. I’m proud to say that today i’m in much better shape and 30 pounds lighter. The key was tracking my exercise and my calories religiously. It is amazing how quick alcohol adds up. It isn’t my first choice of beer, but if I want something that tastes kind of like beer but doesn’t have the calories I’ve started drinking Bud 55. 2.8 alcohol (not even near beer) but only 55 calories. I could have 4 or 5 of these for any “good” beer. Works for watching football with friends (plus I don’t have to worry much about driving home).
Nope. I don’t drink enough to care about it. I go through a liter of bourbon every 3-4 months and maybe a couple 6-packs of cider/craft brew pick-your-own. A bottle of wine here and there when friends come over.
Ethilrist, yeah, I’m planning on a long slog of losing no more than 2 lbs. a week until I hit my goal weight in late spring. But I’ll take the initial quick 7-10 lb. loss, water weight or not
But not every night. Those calories can add up.
