Alcohol has been a major issue for me with this weight loss thing; I don't do it THAT much and I'm not an alcoholic or anything, but I'm always surrounded by alcohol, it seems. All of my friends are drinkers; every time they get together, they want to drink. My boyfriend likes to drink -- every time we go out, we always get a drink.

And the problem is... I like to drink, too. I hate being the sober one around a bunch of drunks -- that's never any fun and it's always awkward for me. My friends are throwing a big St. Patty's Day party this weekend, and I want to partake, but I always wonder if the alcohol is eventually gonna catch up. So far it hasn't, but I'm still worried.

So what do y'all do? I know a lot of you just gave up alcohol all together, but that's something I don't really want to do -- I want to be able to participate in the fun with my friends. I know I shouldn't need alcohol to have fun and blah blah blah, but it's what I do and it's something I really enjoy. I want to have my cake and eat it, too! Lol

Fit the calories from the alcohol into your daily calorie total and try your best not to drink to the point where you ignore it and go overboard.

Plan to have 1 or 2 drinks? And stick to that?

That's what I do.

A.

Just make room in your plan for 1-2 drinks. If you want to have more than 1-2 drinks then you have to think more about your relationship with alcohol.

I like to eat ice cream and cheesecake and chips and dip and french fries and cheeseburgers. I like to drive fast and I like to NOT pay bills. lol (all my friends eat junk, so why shouldn't I??)

I've been alcohol free for 4 years now. My husband drinks, and most people we associate with like to drink. I just don't. I am usually designated driver but that is okay with me. Every weightloss attempt I have ever made, (and some were wildly successful) as soon as I added alcohol back into my plan...it was pretty much over. It went kind of like this...

I'd start some plan and do really great. I'd follow it perfectly and lose a good amount of weight. I'd get to a point of being comfortable with myself and decide I can start adding back certain things. I'd eat very light to save calories/points/or whatever all day because I knew we were going out. I would make a plan to limit myself to 3 lite beers. I'd end up drinking 6 beers, be drunk as a skunk because I hadn't eaten much all day, lose all self control and so I'd eat a big greasy breakfast at 1:00am and do the same thing in the morning nursing the hangover. Sure once a month wouldn't hurt much, but letting it back in opened the floodgate FOR ME to once a week and then Friday AND Saturday...then before you know it I was a happy fat drinker again. Oh, I'm so glad I don't depend on it anymore. Life can be pretty great without alcohol.

By the way, On my anniversary, (March 4th) I figured out roughly how much money I saved over the course of 4 years NOT drinking and I figured it at the price alcohol cost when I actually stopped and I've saved over $6000 in booze alone. If you add in the cigarettes I also smoked I have saved over $15,000.00 in 4 years. Enough for a tummy tuck...(but I'm using it for a trip to NYC instead!)

Most people will give it up b/c it's either no drinks or smashed. You have to know your own boundaries. I can actually plan and have 1 or 2 drinks if I've eaten and it's a good tummy day. I've never had to quit drinking to lose weight but everyone is different.

For now, I've turned alcohol into a special occasion drink. I did a lot of "mindless drinking" - a glass of wine with dinner 2-3 times a week, a beer with my friends at trivia every week. I've mostly stopped drinking at home, and only drink once or twice a month, always planned out and for a reason.

Tonight is a reason, for sure! But I'm driving, so no more than 2.

sometimes I pick a drink I hate (like cheap bourbon on the rocks) and sip on that all evening. It is not a whole lot of fun, but at least you won't ahve other people bothering you about why you aren't drinking.

And, uh, maybe there is something other than alcohol that could put you in a party mood? hate to say it, but I *hear* it works.

When I started counting calories I realized how many empty calories of alcohol I was drinking on a random night here or there. The fact that I don't want to waste food calories on drinking has made it easier to cut way back. I just make sure to plan for what I will drink if I'm going to drink. It's nice to not wake up with a headache and knowing that I was in control.

I totally get this - my boyfriend and most of my friends are drinkers and yes it does suck to be left out! I actually am generally ok to drink 2 light beers on a good sized glass or red wine and factor that into my calories for the day (about 200). You kinda of have to sacrifice a snack if you're going to do that, but I'm ok with that. Like someone else said it also depends on if you're an all or nothing type, I used to be but I figured out how to cut my self off at 1-2 drinks even if everyone else has more. I drink water or diet coke when I'm done for the night and usually go home early. It's great not to feel hungover on Saturdays and Sundays I love going to the gym early because its empty!

What I have to be super careful of is bar food! I kind of use the same principle though and eat 2 chicken wings instead of 8!
Good luck with Saint Patty's Day!

Lori Bell, I like your comments.
I find that if I go out with a bunch of drinkers I order a plain tonic or 7Up or a coke and nobody ever questions what I am drinking and I don't go out at 2AM and order steak and eggs, that and the booze can put a serious crimp in my diet efforts.
PS I have found I can actually have a good time sober.

Usually once a week I have 2 or 3 drinks and sometimes I have some wine in the evening...hasn't affected my weight loss so far. I do agree that if I go out and get drunk I make bad food choices which is why I don't do that anymore.

Yeah, I think the killer is the bad food choices we're more prone to make when we're smashed! I'm ok if I limit it to one or 2 light drinks and save a lot of calories for a post booze snack. Just don't go overboard!

in the vein of what Lori Bell and others are saying: round hole, square peg.
And I'm far from saying I'm perfect with this stuff, since my big downfall is chocolate. My bf is not a drinker, but he's a chocoholic (and he is not overweight). Chocolate fiends know that having one small piece can sometimes lead to .... more chocolate.

I like to drink too, but my tolerance has dropped dramatically, one beer or glass of wine does it for me, and I don't do that every day, more like once a week or every couple of weeks. Drinking also makes me eat more.

One thing you might consider is increasing the non drinking activities you do, and maybe cultivate other friendships that evolve more around non-drinking activities. activities that fit your other goals/interests.

PS: Lori Bell, if you want any tips about a New York trip, feel free to PM me, I live in the area.