What do you ACTUALLY Drink?

What do you ACTUALLY Drink?

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Discussion

marcosgt

Original Poster:

11,011 posts

175 months

Tuesday 21st March 2017
quotequote all
There have been a few threads about drinking and some, to me, rather startling amounts mentioned by people who think they're "Not heavy drinkers" (a bottle of wine a night between a couple and 5 or 6 beers on a Friday/Saturday).

But it got me thinking. I tend to think of myself as a lightweight (both in consumption and capacity) in drinking, but how much do I actually drink?

I've started keeping a log (simple one, pints of beer, glasses of wine and spirits).

Anyone else done the same in the past and, if so, how did your actual consumption relate to your own perception beforehand?

M.

br d

8,388 posts

225 months

Tuesday 21st March 2017
quotequote all
I haven't kept a log but everyones perception of the right amount is going to be different. The thought of a bottle of wine a night fills me with horror but that's because I don't drink during the week, 5 or 6 beers at the weekend however seems a very sedate pace!
I can easily drink 12 cans of something weak like Fosters or 10 bottles of Corona or Heineken just sitting playing a computer game on a Saturday night.
I've slowed as I've aged, I used to drink bottles of Becks, the 275 ones, and I would often get up on a Sunday morning to 17 or 18 empties, and I'm 11 and a half stone.

I realise I need to stop that and I do have weekends off now, had 4 or 5 this year so far but I do enjoy getting drunk to relieve the stress as long as I'm not bothering anybody.

marcosgt

Original Poster:

11,011 posts

175 months

Tuesday 21st March 2017
quotequote all
br d said:
I haven't kept a log but everyones perception of the right amount is going to be different. The thought of a bottle of wine a night fills me with horror but that's because I don't drink during the week, 5 or 6 beers at the weekend however seems a very sedate pace!
I can easily drink 12 cans of something weak like Fosters or 10 bottles of Corona or Heineken just sitting playing a computer game on a Saturday night.
I've slowed as I've aged, I used to drink bottles of Becks, the 275 ones, and I would often get up on a Sunday morning to 17 or 18 empties, and I'm 11 and a half stone.

I realise I need to stop that and I do have weekends off now, had 4 or 5 this year so far but I do enjoy getting drunk to relieve the stress as long as I'm not bothering anybody.
Yes, I wasn't really looking to question what was 'right' as, I agree, everyone will have a different idea.

I once drank 1.5 bottles of red wine and the results weren't pleasant! smile I can only drink 4 or 5 pints of beer before I just feel ill, but I know many people who can drink that and considerably more and seemingly it has little effect on them (I put it down to me not being properly trained at University or in the forces biggrin)

I was really wondering if anyone had actually recorded what they drink and whether it differed much from their perception.

M.

Edited by marcosgt on Tuesday 21st March 15:07

C0ffin D0dger

3,440 posts

144 months

Tuesday 21st March 2017
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Nah, wouldn't want to keep notes and I'd forget to record drinks when I'm drunk laugh

In all seriousness don't tend to drink Monday-Wednesday sometimes hold off on a Thursday too. School night me and the wife will share a bottle of wine and I'll probably have 1-2 pints of ale. Weekends usually more, still share a bottle of wine over dinner but it'll be more like 3-4 beers and if I'm being bad maybe a whisky or two as well (home measures).


anonymous-user

53 months

Tuesday 21st March 2017
quotequote all
marcosgt said:
Yes, I wasn't really looking to question what was 'right' as, I agree, everyone will have a different idea.

I once drank 1.5 bottles of red wine and the results weren't pleasant! smile I can only drink 4 or 5 pints of beer before I just feel ill, but I know many people who can drink that and considerably more and seemingly it has little effect on them (I put it down to me not being properly trained at University or in the forces biggrin)

I was really wondering if anyone had actually recorded what they drink and whether it differed much from their perception.

M.

Edited by marcosgt on Tuesday 21st March 15:07
That does seem an inconsequental amount to drink before being ill. I quite regularly drink two bottles of wine and not be particularly pissed. However, I am in the Army - which as you point out appears to give a fairly good resistance to alcohol just through practice.

As an aside though, those days are numbered. Speacial permission has to be sought to officially keep a bar open past 2359hrs now furious

Timfy

318 posts

118 months

Tuesday 21st March 2017
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Last year I was drinking a lot, at least a bottle of wine or three 6-700ml beers a night (basically because either is about a fiver) before I'd even started drinking. I was going through a tough time and I was creeping up towards 20 stone.

Have barely drunk since Christmas, didn't make a conscious decision to stop just sort of fell out of the habit. Shortly after that got down the gym and now not wanting to undo the hard work there keeps me from bothering with booze.

I'm now just under 16st and much happier. I had a 330ml beer at Nando's the other week and a bottle of wine on Sunday night, that's all so far this month.

DuncanM

6,109 posts

278 months

Tuesday 21st March 2017
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I stopped drinking at home in Jan, but last year, a bottle of wine a day didn't feel like a lot of drink tbh.

I miss it smile

Kenny Powers

2,618 posts

126 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
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Alcohol is dangerous. It can creep up on you over the years and cloud your perception of how much you're consuming, and why. It may seem mostly harmless now, but there is a very real risk later in life that you'll have reason to regret it.

It's also not just the alcohol to consider, it's the beverages that deliver it. Pouring copious amounts of sugar and carbs into your body over a period of years won't seem like such a good idea when you're sat looking at your doctor with a look of horror on your face twenty years later.

Trust me on that last bit smile

Patch1875

4,893 posts

131 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
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I don't drink very much now,was probably classed as a binge drinker through my 20s & part of my 30s nowadays it's a couple of bottle beers on a Friday and Saturday if I'm in the house.

Chocolate is a different matter!

Steviesam

1,242 posts

133 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
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Dangerous indeed.

Gave up 13 years ago, but was doing a litre of vodka a day in secret, plus everything else in the pub.

Bad, very bad.

BoRED S2upid

19,641 posts

239 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
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Having kids has made me a proper lightweight 2 glasses or red is the limit usually 3 times a week. I just can't cope with a 3 year old bouncing on my head at 6:30am after drinking anything more.

Soov330e

35,829 posts

270 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
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Steviesam said:
Dangerous indeed.

Gave up 13 years ago, but was doing a litre of vodka a day in secret, plus everything else in the pub.

Bad, very bad.
yikes

I've cut down a lot in the last six months.


Used to be three cans a night plus wine. Now I drink at weekends and usually have three Guinness and one glass of red.

okgo

37,857 posts

197 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
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Probably quite a lot, but I don't feel bad for it particularly - probably about 60 units a week, which is about 20 pints of 5% lager, though its not all 5% lager of course.

I don't record it as I don't really care, but I suppose when I think back to last week, drinking 7 pints on Wednesday lunch was rather excessive.

Edited by okgo on Wednesday 22 March 10:47

Northbloke

643 posts

218 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
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Hmmm, I reckon all the propaganda about 20 units (wasn't that just made up?) has massively worked over the years and from my experience people drink a lot less these days than when I were a lad (what do the figures say?). Which is probably a good thing.

I can't even get my early twenties nephews to drink free beer when they visit, they're just not bothered (it seems ipad/phone addiction has taken over instead).

The amounts discussed here as "heavy drinking" would hardly scratch the surface when I was younger (and come across as Blackadder puritanical to me now) and I was fairly lightweight in a "normal" group of lads. Out Monday, Thursday (say 5/6 pints), Friday, Saturday (8/9 pints) most weeks with maybe a few lunchtimes as well. (Played loads of sport and skinny). Other pals, often rugby lads, would have a lot more regularly and are all fine now to my knowledge.

As mentioned having kids changes things as you need a clear head (progressively more difficult with age, need more sleep to get over it). So now I typically drink 5/6 pints out on a Thursday, 7 cans on a night in and that's it (counted this for last week). If I have wine, one bottle is not enough and 2 is too much. I bought 6 bottles in January and have only just finished them. Never touch spirits (which are the killer IMHO). Happy to "binge drink" if at a party and love it (used to just be called "drinking"!) but will always have a few days off to recover afterwards. Don't routinely drink alcohol with meals or getting home.

With that routine I feel positively abstemious these days but would still be full quota with the "made up" guidelines.


MrBarry123

6,025 posts

120 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
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Nothing on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Probably 3/4 pints of something on Friday and the same again on Saturday.

I enjoy a drink so wouldn't mind having a few beers each night however I'm perfectly aware of the health consequences of doing so and therefore refrain from it.

DuncanM

6,109 posts

278 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
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I'm always quite candid with my doctor, and he really didn't seem fussed about me drinking ~a bottle a day of red wine.

If I wasn't fat, I would be straight back on it tomorrow hehe

Steviesam

1,242 posts

133 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
quotequote all
Soov330e said:
yikes

I've cut down a lot in the last six months.


Used to be three cans a night plus wine. Now I drink at weekends and usually have three Guinness and one glass of red.
Indeed. Ended up in hospital with liver failure (followed by kidney failure etc).


kingston12

5,473 posts

156 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
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MrBarry123 said:
Nothing on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Probably 3/4 pints of something on Friday and the same again on Saturday.

I enjoy a drink so wouldn't mind having a few beers each night however I'm perfectly aware of the health consequences of doing so and therefore refrain from it.
That's my (planned) intake as well, and it goes like that quite a lot of the time. Monday-Wednesday is always totally alcohol-free, but Thursday and Sunday can occasionally creep in, as can some nights of 5-6 pints in a night rather than 3-4!

I don't tend to actually count drinks, but I have a general idea. I prefer to try and keep it to less than 10 pints a week, and am a bit disappointed with myself if I have more than 12.

GroundEffect

13,819 posts

155 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
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Haven't had any alcohol since January. Not by decision. Just don't want it.


marcosgt

Original Poster:

11,011 posts

175 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
quotequote all
bmw535i said:
That does seem an inconsequental amount to drink before being ill.
I'm not ACTUALLY ill, I just feel like I'm not enjoying it any more and know that's my limit (usually! smile )

My social life doesn't revolve around pubs or clubs any more. I might go out on a Sunday to the local pub quiz with friends and have 3 pints and I might have dinner out and drink a couple then, but that would be a pretty 'big' weekend for me.

I rarely drink during the day (sometimes meet friends for a Nandos and have a beer with that), although I'm not puritanical about drinking on any particular day (Tonight is pizza night and I have a nice bottle of Erdinger in the fridge to enjoy with it!).

Most of the time, I'm driving somewhere to meet people if I'm out (for one reason or another), so one beer's the limit then. My licence is too valuable to me to risk it for a second pint.

M


Edited by marcosgt on Wednesday 22 March 13:39