hi

i thought the uk forum might be a better place to post this since average american women don't seem to have anywhere near the booze intake of uk and irish girls.

i've put on a lot of weight (like 3-4 stone) over the past 2 or 3 years but my diet isn't *really* all that bad - it's not great - tendency to comfort eat (but often as a result of a hangover) and i've always been overweight but my more recent weight gain isn't really justified by my diet.

i've been a heavy drinker since i started (age 16) and i'd say it's fairly clear (if not screamingly obvious...?) that a large part of my excess weight must be due to alcohol intake. so the main step i'm taking to try to lose weight is to stop drinking (but also moderate exercise and watching my food more carefully).

has anyone else had experience of weight gain as a drinker and more importantly of weight loss after giving up/cutting down on booze?

Hey In the past I've given up booze and yes it did help with the weight loss. Not only did I give up the beer/liquor calories but also the greasy nasty food I'd eat the next day but I realized that it's just not practical given my age and group of friends to give it up completely. I've cut down to one night a week where I can drink whatever I want (after a while of this it doesn't take too much since your body isn't used to it!) BUT I cannot lay on the couch and eat junk food the next day. I normally still make a pretty big breakfast (or lunch as it may be when I awake ) but still count the calories and don't go over my target amounts. The first few are rough but now I find I really enjoy going out more since it's a treat and I don't feel as though I'm cheating myself out of being healthy.

I also drink a conciderable amount of alcohol regularly. I wouldn't say I binge drink, but I do want a drink or two after work on most nights to relax. Heres the thing...I know that for weight loss we are told to completely give up drinking...I cant. Instead I have looked for lower calorie options in favor of my favorites ( beer and wine). I love a small shot of vodka mixed with a glass of crystal lite pink lemonade or fruitpunch( walmarts brand has 0 calories) I also like captain morgan spiced rum and diet coke. If you feel that you really want to cut drinking out, or feel you may have a drinking problem then by all means you should shoot for alcohol-free.
The down side to these low-calorie drinks I make, is that occassionally I drink more than one/two drinks in one night. The calories still aren't record breaking but I do find that I stray off my food plan if I allow myself to get "drunk" and then fight the hangovers the next day. However, that rarely happens to me...instead I just have to one drink and I am satisfied with that.

is funny, as im american and living in england ... and youre right aboutthe drinking.. when i first got here my mouth just hung open all the time at the pub/club scene here... it seems that EVERYTHING is centered around the pubs... i drink, but maybe get drunk once a year or two.. not that im against it.. i just dont think about it lol..
there are some low cal choices out there... rum and diet coke... being one of them..
good luck on cutting down.. i know it will mess with your socializing here some but in the end i think it will be worth it...

also, in the states we have what we call 'designated drivers'... its the one friend that drinks coke/diet coke all night so she can drive everyone else home safely... maybe that would be an option for you sometimes... still go out but not get cals

I also like to have a drink in the evening. In my quest for weight loss, I have cut back. The cutting back has to do the actual calories of the wine or beer but also my diminished power in making healthy food choices after my drink. I am much more apt to nibble, nosh and find the carb-y, sweets in the house after that drink.
But, once, twice (maybe three times) a week I do still have a cocktail. Then I record in in my daily plate. That helps with accountability-- wow does it ever!

I actually used to drink a couple beers a night to on average, and have cut back to once a week or less. I agree with B gone that it makes the activity more enjoyable Also I do notice that I am more well rested and it has helped with eating less!

we've heard of them alright, the idea never really caught on here for some reason... :P
my trouble is i can't resist having one drink and it generally leads to rather a lot more. and loooooooooooooooooooooooads of calories. and i usually drink beer or wine. and even spirits have quite a lot of calories if you drink enough of em..

l00py - definitely a binge-drinking nation, sometimes i think the uk might be even worse than ireland :O

Hi, my first post on here, so hello everyone I started the regulatory post christmas diet, but upto about 6 weeks ago didn't lose a lb, and I was being so good with my food. Was getting really down about it so, as I suppose I drink abit, you know, a couple of glasses (Large) of wine most nights, (full time job and 2 young kids, I need it!) I decided to stop drinking. Since then I have lost 10lbs.

I'm eating the same as I was 6 weeks ago, but it has definitely helped giving up the alcohol. Must admit the first few weeks were hard, but now I'm not really that bothered, can't say I'll ever be tea total, but until I get down to goal I'm going to do my best not to drink. x

it's really hard to give up the afterwork drinks but i just started back dieting this week and so far haven't had a drink i usually have at least 3 drinks a night to what i call winding down , but have to also admit it increases appetite and gives me the i don't care i'll start tomorrow attitude, i really believe alcohol played a part in my extreme weight gain and my inability to succed in getting it off.

Ugh yesterday's happy hour turned into an all evening drink fest. I had far too many beers. Of course apps were ordered and while I did pretty good on not eating too much food I still totally blew my calories for the day with Stella. I should have at least had light beer. Boo!

oh no!
oh well. there's a happy hour here tonight, but i'm going to go home and have a nice (carefully calorie-counted) dinner, do some more work (maybe..) and go for a cycle instead. i never even enjoy happy hour very much, just get plastered and waste the weekend feeling crap or drinking more to get over it.

no drink is great, i always feel brilliant when i stop drinking for a few days. but it's really hard to resist. then again knowing it makes you fat makes it easier to refuse.

I ruin my exercising and eating well by drinking. I try to limit my calorie intake to 1200. If I didn’t drink alcohol I would be way under this number everyday and the weight would drop off I am sure. You can see every day that I drink because in “the daily plate” I go way over my allowance. In the town I live in everything is about drinking and every one is very social, and all socializing takes place in bars or other places that serve alcohol. It’s hard to get away from it. I am trying to give up smoking and it is very difficult when I drink. As of today I am giving up smoking (again) and so I want to stay away from the booze for at least a month. I said this yesterday and two people reminded me about parties coming up where they ‘expect’ me to drink.

I know if I didn't have my daily drink I could lose weight faster but I so look forward to that drink (sometimes 2) I have while I cook supper.

I am trying hard to give up drinking as it makes me feel as tho I'm hungry and need to eat while I'm drinking. its not easy, I also look forward to a few after dinner drinks but the resultant nosh just isn't worth it