How much do you drink, honestly?

[Jonny TVR]

2 nights during the week I have 1/2 a bottle of red wine

Alternate weekends with partner/ kids.

Kids weekend usually nothing until Sunday night which will be 1/2 bottle of red wine.
Partner weekend Friday, Saturday and Sunday total of 2 bottles of red wine.

Summary:

So average is 2.25 bottles of red wine a week ... actually that seem quite a bit. So thats 22.5 units a week which is 60% too much!

so basically if I didn't drink during the week I would be within the limits which is a bit depressing.

Edited by Jonny TVR on Thursday 2nd May 14:32

[AB]

Once you find yourself on a bit of a roll, more productive at work, enjoying weekends off and doing things with the family etc then the desire to not even bother kicks in (in my experience). I have actually found myself annoyed at the thought that I have a 'lads get together' coming up, I'd rather not go partly because I'll be moaned at for not drinking but also because I enjoy getting an early night ready for the next day.

Waking up fresh and wanting to take the dog out is great. Maybe I'm just getting old.

Keep going people.

[WinstonWolf]

J4CKO said:

johnwilliams77 said:

J4CKO said:

Have done a couple of weeks with no booze, I did dry January as well but this is me wanting to lose some weight before going away at the end of July.

Am aiming for 2000 cals a day and no booze until we go as I struggle to lose weight if I still have alcohol, I dont drink vat amounts and not every day but can put it away, once I have decided on a no booze policy I find it easy to adhere to.

I look forward to that Friday night, end of the week beer and normally can be pissed off, if for some reason I cant have any but I just accept it and dont really think about it when I have said I am not drinking at all.

Weight isnt dropping off but feel slimmer, doing a lot of weight training so I think that makes it a bit more difficult to lose weight, pants are definitely looser and getting some definition coming back.

I will go back to having a drink, I love alcohol but I am happy that I can just take or leave it, its a good check to see if you can do without.

Got 80 odd days before we go, want to drop 2 stone by then.

Measure bf%, not weight.

Scales say 29.8 % Body Fat as of this morning but not sure how accurate that is, i dont use the Athlete setting despite doing a fair a bit of gym stuff.

After a couple of weeks of limiting calories, no booze and stepping up the exercise a bit, definitely feel better, down by 5 pounds or so 16.7 this morning, was 16.12, so on my way, pissed off at myself for letting it get there.

231 pounds, if I lose 2 stone, should put me under 20 percent BF, probably a tall order in 84 days but will give it a go, previous best was 14.8 and I felt pretty slim at that weight, also fairly sure since then I have gained muscle, which sounds like a bloke excuse but I don't think you can lift weights three or four times a week with any intensity and not gain at least some muscle, can tell as I can lift more.

I am better with a goal other than just lose weight, drink less beer. Main aim is to get in the clothes I bought two years back to go away

Just use my patented pants test. If the top of your boxers rolls down you're fat, if they don't you're not

[TameRacingDriver]

Jonny TVR said:

2 nights during the week I have 1/2 a bottle of red wine

Alternate weekends with partner/ kids.

Kids weekend usually nothing until Sunday night which will be 1/2 bottle of red wine.
Partner weekend Friday, Saturday and Sunday total of 2 bottles of red wine.

Summary:

So average is 2.25 bottles of red wine a week ... actually that seem quite a bit. So thats 22.5 units a week which is 60% too much!

so basically if I didn't drink during the week I would be within the limits which is a bit depressing.

Not sure that level would concern me in the slightest personally, but this is a very personal thing too, but in all honesty i doubt that's really doing you much harm. I was doing nearly that amount every night a couple of years ago.

This 'limit' is always going to be a bit contentious in my mind. Every country has a different limit, even this one, if you look back far enough, but in reality, what they should be saying if they really believe in the 'no safe limit' then it should be none, not a made up number that is nearly impossible for anyone more than a casual drinker to adhere to.

[stuno1]

This is an interesting thread. My drinking habits have certainly changed over the years. In my uni days it was binge drinking as I didn’t really enjoy it and not drinking unless I was getting drunk on a night out.

Then I started to like wine and drank a bit of that but we are talking very infrequently almost never drinking at home and only when out for dinner with friends.

In more recent years (starting from 30 and I am now 35) I have got a taste for the occasional whisky, micro brewery beers, IPA etc and Gin. The biggest change seems to be I now drink little but for pleasure and not really ever to get drunk. The goal is now to enjoy the drink I have and part of the enjoyment is trying a wide variety of wines, beers etc. I do now drink at home, on evenings with friends and when friends come over. I probably have 2-3 pints per week and/or half a bottle of wine. That’s over 2 days. I enjoy the flavor and I find it relaxing.

My wife can go a week or two and not care so she sees my drinking as a bit excessive. I drink pretty much every week but as above not excessively at all. Recently speaking with friends she released what a lot of drinking is when a couple friend said they drink every night and the bloke will tuck away 15-20 pints per week!

My view is that it is not impacting my health, I am not dependent on it and could give it up but I enjoy it so why would I and my drinking is far from excessive.

Stu

[J4CKO]

WinstonWolf said:

J4CKO said:

johnwilliams77 said:

J4CKO said:

Have done a couple of weeks with no booze, I did dry January as well but this is me wanting to lose some weight before going away at the end of July.

Am aiming for 2000 cals a day and no booze until we go as I struggle to lose weight if I still have alcohol, I dont drink vat amounts and not every day but can put it away, once I have decided on a no booze policy I find it easy to adhere to.

I look forward to that Friday night, end of the week beer and normally can be pissed off, if for some reason I cant have any but I just accept it and dont really think about it when I have said I am not drinking at all.

Weight isnt dropping off but feel slimmer, doing a lot of weight training so I think that makes it a bit more difficult to lose weight, pants are definitely looser and getting some definition coming back.

I will go back to having a drink, I love alcohol but I am happy that I can just take or leave it, its a good check to see if you can do without.

Got 80 odd days before we go, want to drop 2 stone by then.

Measure bf%, not weight.

Scales say 29.8 % Body Fat as of this morning but not sure how accurate that is, i dont use the Athlete setting despite doing a fair a bit of gym stuff.

After a couple of weeks of limiting calories, no booze and stepping up the exercise a bit, definitely feel better, down by 5 pounds or so 16.7 this morning, was 16.12, so on my way, pissed off at myself for letting it get there.

231 pounds, if I lose 2 stone, should put me under 20 percent BF, probably a tall order in 84 days but will give it a go, previous best was 14.8 and I felt pretty slim at that weight, also fairly sure since then I have gained muscle, which sounds like a bloke excuse but I don't think you can lift weights three or four times a week with any intensity and not gain at least some muscle, can tell as I can lift more.

I am better with a goal other than just lose weight, drink less beer. Main aim is to get in the clothes I bought two years back to go away

Just use my patented pants test. If the top of your boxers rolls down you're fat, if they don't you're not

Boxers ?

My gym pants do a bit, am a bit fat

Did just have a small piece of Cheesecake as well !

[xx99xx]

WinstonWolf said:

Just use my patented pants test. If the top of your boxers rolls down you're fat, if they don't you're not

Excellent point. I've often thought this about myself. However, some of my pants roll and some don't so I concluded it was an issue with those particular pants and not my belly.

[Jonny TVR]

I work out around 4.5 hours a week in the gym and I know the only thing stopping me looking really trim is the red wine i drink. I eat very healthy food, excercise, don't smoke etc but its the booze that stops me getting to the next level. Problem is I really enjoy my red wine and not sure I would enjoy a meal out without it.

[funinhounslow]

Jonny TVR said:

Problem is I really enjoy my red wine and not sure I would enjoy a meal out without it.

As someone who gave up 7 years ago, I suspect you would.

What I've learned that it is easy to muddle up what makes an occasion pleasurable, and attribute it to alcohol - when in fact the event would be fun anyway.

Without the "distraction" of wine, you may enjoy your meal out even more - you would be able to pay more attention to the company you're with, your food and surroundings. Plus you'd get a pleasant surprise when the bill came, and no messing around with taxis to get home....

[TheJimi]

WinstonWolf said:

Just use my patented pants test. If the top of your boxers rolls down you're fat, if they don't you're not

Can you still fit into the pink leathers?

[LordGrover]

funinhounslow said:

As someone who gave up 7 years ago, I suspect you would.

What I've learned that it is easy to muddle up what makes an occasion pleasurable, and attribute it to alcohol - when in fact the event would be fun anyway.

Without the "distraction" of wine, you may enjoy your meal out even more - you would be able to pay more attention to the company you're with, your food and surroundings. Plus you'd get a pleasant surprise when the bill came, and no messing around with taxis to get home....

Wise words.

[Jonny TVR]

funinhounslow said:

As someone who gave up 7 years ago, I suspect you would.

What I've learned that it is easy to muddle up what makes an occasion pleasurable, and attribute it to alcohol - when in fact the event would be fun anyway.

Without the "distraction" of wine, you may enjoy your meal out even more - you would be able to pay more attention to the company you're with, your food and surroundings. Plus you'd get a pleasant surprise when the bill came, and no messing around with taxis to get home....

Yes good points. I'm coming around to not drinking during the week at least. Recently purchased half bottles of wine to share rather than full bottles.

[WinstonWolf]

TheJimi said:

WinstonWolf said:

Just use my patented pants test. If the top of your boxers rolls down you're fat, if they don't you're not

Can you still fit into the pink leathers?

I can! Not that I'd want to these days

[LordGrover]

BliarOut/HRG returns?

[WinstonWolf]

LordGrover said:

BliarOut returns?

I could do an election special

[LordGrover]

[TameRacingDriver]

xx99xx said:

WinstonWolf said:

Just use my patented pants test. If the top of your boxers rolls down you're fat, if they don't you're not

Excellent point. I've often thought this about myself. However, some of my pants roll and some don't so I concluded it was an issue with those particular pants and not my belly.

If you want to rule out the clothing element, then my test is simply can I see my pecker in the shower without bending down. If you can you're not fat or you are but you have an erection

[J4CKO]

funinhounslow said:

Jonny TVR said:

Problem is I really enjoy my red wine and not sure I would enjoy a meal out without it.

As someone who gave up 7 years ago, I suspect you would.

What I've learned that it is easy to muddle up what makes an occasion pleasurable, and attribute it to alcohol - when in fact the event would be fun anyway.

Without the "distraction" of wine, you may enjoy your meal out even more - you would be able to pay more attention to the company you're with, your food and surroundings. Plus you'd get a pleasant surprise when the bill came, and no messing around with taxis to get home....

Yeah, drinking does involve some logistics doesn't it, and its so easy to think you cant enjoy stuff without it, we went out last night and the missus had a small glass of wine and I had a diet coke, went to the cinema and they had large bottles of Corona, might have been tempted but wasn't bothered.

I am not a massive boozer by any stretch, but I can put it away but I find not having any brings some clarity and you feel a bit brighter.

I do love alcohol but I think its good to prove to myself I can take or leave it, I did dry January easily and am aiming to go until 26th July when we go on holiday, so just over 11 weeks, done 3 so far. Going out for the wifes birthday this week, she was thinking I would drink but I am not going to and she is fine with that.