How much do you drink, honestly?
Discussion
ambuletz said:
I wonder.. is there anyone here that's moved away from drinking beer (lager) to something else such as wine or spirits? how have you found the change?
My reasoning is while I do like everything I tend to just drink beer as my go t0 as it's relatively cheap/easy to get and pop down the shops. However my main gripe with beer is the amount you end up drinking + how bloated it makes you feel (and sometimes gassy the day after). There have been many occasions on a night out drinking that i've optted for wine or spirits because you feel less bloated and you en dup having to make fewer trips to the loo.
So for that reason i'm contemplating having wine instead (or maybe spirits with ice/water).
So has anyone here done a switch and how has it made you feel overall in the long term?
If you don’t think that your drinking is already excessive than it’s worth exploring. I had a dieting phase and switched to vodka and devinitely ended up consuming more alcohol however. Home measures can tend to be very large and as a beer drinker you may drink them at a similar (fast) speed resulting in half a bottle disappearing across 4 or 5 large vodka and tonics. Basically, if you think your drinking is already on the higher side based upon beer, don’t crank it up a notch or two with wine or spirits. I tend to keep Greene king ipa in the house as (imo) it tastes half decent but at 3.6% you would have to really try hard to get drunk off of it. Keep the big drinking for social occasions. My reasoning is while I do like everything I tend to just drink beer as my go t0 as it's relatively cheap/easy to get and pop down the shops. However my main gripe with beer is the amount you end up drinking + how bloated it makes you feel (and sometimes gassy the day after). There have been many occasions on a night out drinking that i've optted for wine or spirits because you feel less bloated and you en dup having to make fewer trips to the loo.
So for that reason i'm contemplating having wine instead (or maybe spirits with ice/water).
So has anyone here done a switch and how has it made you feel overall in the long term?
quite often go through a "beer'ed out" phase and switch to wine, tend to do white wine with a 60/40 split of wine / soda (a Spritzer dhaaaling), keeps the booze content down to around beer levels and i actually seem to consume less as i still think of it as "a glass of wine" rather than a 6 pack of beer.
still always gravitate back to the beers though.
still always gravitate back to the beers though.
ambuletz said:
I wonder.. is there anyone here that's moved away from drinking beer (lager) to something else such as wine or spirits? how have you found the change?
My reasoning is while I do like everything I tend to just drink beer as my go t0 as it's relatively cheap/easy to get and pop down the shops. However my main gripe with beer is the amount you end up drinking + how bloated it makes you feel (and sometimes gassy the day after). There have been many occasions on a night out drinking that i've optted for wine or spirits because you feel less bloated and you en dup having to make fewer trips to the loo.
So for that reason i'm contemplating having wine instead (or maybe spirits with ice/water).
So has anyone here done a switch and how has it made you feel overall in the long term?
Never been a big beer drinker at home, simply because I'm constantly at the toilet. There is a risk you'll drink more alcohol though certainly.My reasoning is while I do like everything I tend to just drink beer as my go t0 as it's relatively cheap/easy to get and pop down the shops. However my main gripe with beer is the amount you end up drinking + how bloated it makes you feel (and sometimes gassy the day after). There have been many occasions on a night out drinking that i've optted for wine or spirits because you feel less bloated and you en dup having to make fewer trips to the loo.
So for that reason i'm contemplating having wine instead (or maybe spirits with ice/water).
So has anyone here done a switch and how has it made you feel overall in the long term?
If you're taking spirits, get a shot glass so that you know exactly what you're drinking and can stick to pub measures.
olly22n said:
Kenny Powers said:
In my opinion switching to wine and spirits, for any reason other than preferring the flavours of the beverages, is the first step on a slippery slope. To me, it’s not too dissimilar with cigarette smokers switching to cigars in an attempt to cut down.
This, like x1000Sitting at home of an evening a bottle of wine would be no problem. But 2 beers & that's it.
GT03ROB said:
olly22n said:
Kenny Powers said:
In my opinion switching to wine and spirits, for any reason other than preferring the flavours of the beverages, is the first step on a slippery slope. To me, it’s not too dissimilar with cigarette smokers switching to cigars in an attempt to cut down.
This, like x1000Sitting at home of an evening a bottle of wine would be no problem. But 2 beers & that's it.
We moved from buying bottles of wine to 5 litre boxes and don't drink any more just because the box is 'open'.
TameRacingDriver said:
I switched from wine to beer, because I felt wine was too strong, so it was too easy to get trashed and the resulting hangovers were pretty appalling. You have to try a lot harder to get drunk on beer, it’s not practical. I don’t really get anything like the hangovers I used to get.
It depends what beer you're drinking. There is some tasty stouts with a higher ABV than wine. Sorry to give a s
tty message to the forum.
Have briefly mentioned much earlier in the thread concerning a relative, a functioning alcoholic, who has been abusing alcohol long term, and we have been spending hours and years counselling and trying to support and get her to act on her own statement that really needed to give up drinking. Got her to stop for two years. Clearly, despite saying that we're the best counsellors she ever had, Mrs FiF and I were clearly not good enough counsellors.
Well, she's gone, alcohol abuse liver failure, kidney failure, ascites. "It's only a drop of Prosecco." FFS. Annoyed, frankly, probably not helpful, but yes, annoyed. Leaves a husband and son.
tty message to the forum. Have briefly mentioned much earlier in the thread concerning a relative, a functioning alcoholic, who has been abusing alcohol long term, and we have been spending hours and years counselling and trying to support and get her to act on her own statement that really needed to give up drinking. Got her to stop for two years. Clearly, despite saying that we're the best counsellors she ever had, Mrs FiF and I were clearly not good enough counsellors.
Well, she's gone, alcohol abuse liver failure, kidney failure, ascites. "It's only a drop of Prosecco." FFS. Annoyed, frankly, probably not helpful, but yes, annoyed. Leaves a husband and son.
Guess it's been a while since I posted on here.
Like many I had a boozy Xmas which was difficult to avoid really!
Since then though I've cut right down and am doing Monday to Thursday dry. This will be the end of my third week and I'm enjoying not feeling like I have jet lag, the weight is falling off and I've done my weight lifting religiously 3x a week whereas I couldn't be bothered before. My belly is already about half the size it was at Xmas and it'll be virtually gone by the end of next month I reckon. I'm also better at work although my motivation still isn't all there - probably more to do with the job than out else...
I have zero intention of going back to daily drinking and even at a weekend my consumption I have cut by about a third to half due to reduced tolerance.
This time last year I was drinking on average a bottle and a half red wine a night and more on the weekend, and over 100 units / week consistently. Now I'm down to about 30-40.
Even the Mrs has joined me on the mission.
I decided it was now or never and hopefully at 39 it's the right time to make that change.
Like many I had a boozy Xmas which was difficult to avoid really!
Since then though I've cut right down and am doing Monday to Thursday dry. This will be the end of my third week and I'm enjoying not feeling like I have jet lag, the weight is falling off and I've done my weight lifting religiously 3x a week whereas I couldn't be bothered before. My belly is already about half the size it was at Xmas and it'll be virtually gone by the end of next month I reckon. I'm also better at work although my motivation still isn't all there - probably more to do with the job than out else...
I have zero intention of going back to daily drinking and even at a weekend my consumption I have cut by about a third to half due to reduced tolerance.
This time last year I was drinking on average a bottle and a half red wine a night and more on the weekend, and over 100 units / week consistently. Now I'm down to about 30-40.
Even the Mrs has joined me on the mission.
I decided it was now or never and hopefully at 39 it's the right time to make that change.
TameRacingDriver said:
Guess it's been a while since I posted on here.
Like many I had a boozy Xmas which was difficult to avoid really!
Since then though I've cut right down and am doing Monday to Thursday dry. This will be the end of my third week and I'm enjoying not feeling like I have jet lag, the weight is falling off and I've done my weight lifting religiously 3x a week whereas I couldn't be bothered before. My belly is already about half the size it was at Xmas and it'll be virtually gone by the end of next month I reckon. I'm also better at work although my motivation still isn't all there - probably more to do with the job than out else...
I have zero intention of going back to daily drinking and even at a weekend my consumption I have cut by about a third to half due to reduced tolerance.
This time last year I was drinking on average a bottle and a half red wine a night and more on the weekend, and over 100 units / week consistently. Now I'm down to about 30-40.
Even the Mrs has joined me on the mission.
I decided it was now or never and hopefully at 39 it's the right time to make that change.
Great, I think you deserve a round of applause for that achievement.Like many I had a boozy Xmas which was difficult to avoid really!
Since then though I've cut right down and am doing Monday to Thursday dry. This will be the end of my third week and I'm enjoying not feeling like I have jet lag, the weight is falling off and I've done my weight lifting religiously 3x a week whereas I couldn't be bothered before. My belly is already about half the size it was at Xmas and it'll be virtually gone by the end of next month I reckon. I'm also better at work although my motivation still isn't all there - probably more to do with the job than out else...
I have zero intention of going back to daily drinking and even at a weekend my consumption I have cut by about a third to half due to reduced tolerance.
This time last year I was drinking on average a bottle and a half red wine a night and more on the weekend, and over 100 units / week consistently. Now I'm down to about 30-40.
Even the Mrs has joined me on the mission.
I decided it was now or never and hopefully at 39 it's the right time to make that change.
Robertj21a said:
TameRacingDriver said:
Guess it's been a while since I posted on here.
Like many I had a boozy Xmas which was difficult to avoid really!
Since then though I've cut right down and am doing Monday to Thursday dry. This will be the end of my third week and I'm enjoying not feeling like I have jet lag, the weight is falling off and I've done my weight lifting religiously 3x a week whereas I couldn't be bothered before. My belly is already about half the size it was at Xmas and it'll be virtually gone by the end of next month I reckon. I'm also better at work although my motivation still isn't all there - probably more to do with the job than out else...
I have zero intention of going back to daily drinking and even at a weekend my consumption I have cut by about a third to half due to reduced tolerance.
This time last year I was drinking on average a bottle and a half red wine a night and more on the weekend, and over 100 units / week consistently. Now I'm down to about 30-40.
Even the Mrs has joined me on the mission.
I decided it was now or never and hopefully at 39 it's the right time to make that change.
Great, I think you deserve a round of applause for that achievement.Like many I had a boozy Xmas which was difficult to avoid really!
Since then though I've cut right down and am doing Monday to Thursday dry. This will be the end of my third week and I'm enjoying not feeling like I have jet lag, the weight is falling off and I've done my weight lifting religiously 3x a week whereas I couldn't be bothered before. My belly is already about half the size it was at Xmas and it'll be virtually gone by the end of next month I reckon. I'm also better at work although my motivation still isn't all there - probably more to do with the job than out else...
I have zero intention of going back to daily drinking and even at a weekend my consumption I have cut by about a third to half due to reduced tolerance.
This time last year I was drinking on average a bottle and a half red wine a night and more on the weekend, and over 100 units / week consistently. Now I'm down to about 30-40.
Even the Mrs has joined me on the mission.
I decided it was now or never and hopefully at 39 it's the right time to make that change.
Had my first voluntary (i.e. not because I'm ill) evening without alcohol for 5 years last night! Aiming to cut down from 55 a week to closer to 40. 2 days a week with nothing would just about do it. 30 would be ideal, but it's highly unlikely to happen, as that would be 4 days a week without.
Robertj21a said:
Great, I think you deserve a round of applause for that achievement.
I'm doing the same having slipped back from my planned 2 days of. FiF: Sorry to hear that, it's s
tty indeed. Try not to blame yourself. I still (stupidly, he wouldn't have thanked me.) have what if moments about my dad who died 25 years ago aged 52. He was dry for ten years at one point but came off the meds as he wasn't beating it himself. He was dead less than five years later despite two more goes at rehab.Thanks guys appreciate it.
I am more sincere than ever before that I am cutting down AND sticking to it.
It's quite addictive watching the (positive) changes with my body / weight taking place and that's definitely helping me keep going. I've always had a complex about the way I looked so if I can get into shape I'll surely feel much better about myself and won't want to ever go back to old habits.
I'm also sleeping a lot better now and don't look as red in the face.
My bank account is also looking a lot healthier. I've been in a lot of debt over the years and it's going down rapidly now.
Even when I do drink I'm buying nice beer and savouring the taste rather than a few years ago where I just drank to get wrecked.
Friday is approaching and even though I'll probably have a beer or two, I may decide not even to bother. I really want to be in the best shape I can be by my 40th this year and put the years of daily drinking due to depression and self loathing behind me once and for all.
I am more sincere than ever before that I am cutting down AND sticking to it.
It's quite addictive watching the (positive) changes with my body / weight taking place and that's definitely helping me keep going. I've always had a complex about the way I looked so if I can get into shape I'll surely feel much better about myself and won't want to ever go back to old habits.
I'm also sleeping a lot better now and don't look as red in the face.
My bank account is also looking a lot healthier. I've been in a lot of debt over the years and it's going down rapidly now.
Even when I do drink I'm buying nice beer and savouring the taste rather than a few years ago where I just drank to get wrecked.
Friday is approaching and even though I'll probably have a beer or two, I may decide not even to bother. I really want to be in the best shape I can be by my 40th this year and put the years of daily drinking due to depression and self loathing behind me once and for all.
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