Red wine

[Justinerose]

I am a little too fond of a glass or two of wine in the evening, however I also want to be as fit and healthy as I can be. Are the two compatible. I don't find any difference in my running in the morning if I have had a couple of drinks,but all the advice I get is to stop drinking completely. Any runners out there who still enjoy a wee red wine?

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Who advised total abstinence??? Let me at them!

Hydration can be an issue for a morning runner... but a glass or two wouldn’t be a big issue. I run evenings and that grape juice tastes sooo good after a run. Call it grape juice and the alcohol police don’t notice!

[Justinerose in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Cheers I love it

[donttrustaskinnycook Graduate]

I am just about to have one myself

[Oggy2401]

I myself enjoy an odd glass of wine or the odd gin without much effect the morning after. However it's good to have some nights off so now I tend to avoid alcohol the night before my runs and give myself a reward the evening after. Hope this helps x

[Dexy5 Graduate in reply to Oggy2401]

Ditto

[Justinerose in reply to Oggy2401]

Helps hugely

[Empem Graduate in reply to Oggy2401]

Ditto!

[BarbieW Graduate]

I love my wine but I try to restrict myself to just one 250 ml glass the evening before my scheduled early morning run. I was finding running difficult if I drank my usual quantity!

I found cutting down hard at first, but is now as natural as anything. And I so enjoy my wine when I am not running the next day.

PS and I have lost some weight cutting that down, which I never expected!!!!

[GoGo_JoJo Graduate]

"A little too fond" sounds like more than a glass with dinner 🤔

I very, very rarely drink. I managed a whole 5 drinks (2 of which were only 2%) on a weeks holiday recently. My reasons are more to do with watching my mother destroy herself with her "couple of glasses" a day.

Try to be frank with yourself. Do you really want or need it? Why not have every other night off?

Dunno sorry. I'm probably too anti-alcohol for this question!! 🤣

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

Under 5% classes as a soft drink in Russia... that’s gotta be a bad message to send!

I had the same need vs want question a while back and tested it... that’s a good question for everyone to ask themselves on a regular basis IMO.

[GoGo_JoJo Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

I agree. I hate to feel "ruled" by anything. Definately a result of others addictions around me.

🤣🤣 it was really nice, a lemon and beer thing, like a very lemony shandy Bass!! That was pretty much my quota for the year too 🤣🤣 the single glass of proper Sangria I had on another day had me properly tipsy!! I'm a very cheap date 🤣🤣

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

Well... us lads do love a cheap date 😂

I lost my friend to addiction, I’ve spoken on here about it, and it’s the worst thing... much better to allow yourself to be addicted to something healthy for sure.

You went through a lot with your mum, that sucks... but look at you, you’re amazing and you inspire a lot of us... so she also did a lot right. Enjoy a glass or two a year, and just be awesome Jo Jo.

[GoGo_JoJo Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Thank you. I'll try 👍😄

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

I don’t think you can be anyone else, no need to try at all.

[Justinerose in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

Absolutely

[Jell6 Graduate in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

I don't think that was too anti alcohol, I managed a gastro enterology ward for many years, and have seen the devastation excess can cause. I don't drink at all on holiday, mainly because my husband does not drink at all ( just a life choice)

I expect that at some point, not too far away, I will become a hardly ever drinker. I'm trying to convince myself that I enjoy a mug of tea just as much, certainly I prefer the calorie count.

[GoGo_JoJo Graduate in reply to Jell6]

Don't get me wrong, I used to and I've had times in my life I've indulged far too much. Unfortunately all the women in my family can't really handle booze that well and all like it too much. In my most difficult times I rationed myself to either a small glass of wine with dinner or a whisky before bed but no more.

Latterly, my job means drinking is a no go pre work days plus since my Dad died and dealing with Mum... it put me right off, especially her fave; red wine.

I feel better for it not really being part of my life. My tolerence is greatly reduced so I get more of a buzz from the very occasional one which can be fun. 🤣🤣🤣

[Justinerose in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

So you enjoy a drink as long as there is a space between , and you 'ration' it.

[GoGo_JoJo Graduate in reply to Justinerose]

Yea... I guess you could say that. I have maybe 14 units or less in a year 👍😁

[Justinerose in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

Thanks for your opinion

[GoGo_JoJo Graduate in reply to Justinerose]

Sorry it is rather coloured by watching my mother drink and smoke herself to an early grave 👎

[Shakywakey Graduate]

We all need a little treat in our lives, so I don’t think there’s anything wrong with a few glasses of 🍷 . If you are running regularly, a few 🍷now and then will be fine. Right, where’s that bottle..........

[Jell6 Graduate]

I have had alcohol the night before I run, a gin and tonic, or 1 glass of wine , and didn't notice any difference, but I now ensure that I don't have any alcohol the night before a run, that way I get a minimum of 3 alcohol free nights every week.

[ArthurJG Graduate]

If you aspire to be an Olympic athlete complete abstinence from alcohol is the way to go but then you'd be on the wrong forum here. But like JoJo says it depends on what you mean by a glass or two. Drinking MORE than a glass or two on a regular basis is a very bad idea but then it's not a great idea for non-runers either. A good compromise is not to drink the night before a run because that will help with hydration and will give you three alcohol free days in a week - a non-runner should be having two alcohol free days per week anyway. But it does matter how much you drink each time. If it's really no more than one or two standard glasses and you have at least couple of alcohol free nights per week you'll be OK (that's the same advice a non-runnner would get of course). But if 'a little too fond' has the meaning JoJo reads into it then that's another matter. Like a lot of other things, a little is good, too much is bad.

[Snuffy_T Graduate]

I try not to drink before a run day, just because I'm getting old and I think my body can't take it. But I have had a few hangover runs.....with plenty of water to prevent dehydration.

[ItstheMarchHare Graduate]

17 replies. Looks like you hit a chord with people. Annie Grace writes good books, emails and a good podcast about living without alcohol.

[Justinerose in reply to ItstheMarchHare]

Looked up Annie Grace. Thanks

[Irish-John Graduate]

If it worries you - its not good. If it doesn't - it won't. Figure the 'reward/punishment' ratio and decide then

I quit almost 26 years ago - was causing more hardship than fun...though the fun was FUN! However - the hardship lasted a lot longer and was more intense...

Only you can decide when or if 'enough is enough' - and most of us don't change our ways anyhow until the pain of changing becomes less than the pain of continuing as we are

Best wishes whichever road you take - and wishing you many happy miles on it

[Justinerose in reply to Irish-John]

Thanks

[Amandana]

I have a few reactions reading your post:

1) Drinking a glass of wine a day is compatible with pretty much everything, unless you’re someone who can’t have just one.

2) Are you asking because you want to hear that you should stop drinking altogether? Do you want to stop? Who is the advice to stop coming from?

3) A book I’d recommend on habit change is Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin. There are practical tips and strategies on how to build/change habits. She also has a podcast called Happier with Gretchen Rubin and talked about drinking less in episode 191.

[Razouski]

I ran my first half marathon today. I didn’t drink this week, but made up for it tonight with a few glasses of Prosecco 🥂. 😀

[Realfoodieclub Graduate]

I can’t run on a hangover, so after 5 years of running the amount of hangovers I get has dropped dramatically to nearly non existence. I have wine measures at home. I can run after a 125ml or a 175ml but am not happy after a 250ml. I have one day off a week and don’t go over 14 units a week. Some of my friends say I’m too strict but I love to run but I enjoy a nice glass of red in the evening. I find my personal compromise suits me.

[Tbae]

Hi Justinerose,

One hour of running gives you 7 hours of life.Medical research reported on here.🤔

What’s not to like.🤔

If only the same were true for alcohol.🤔🙈

Alcohol is not compatible with good health.

Your choice.

💥🏃‍♀️💥

[Irishprincess Graduate]

My very first post here five years ago was about red wine!

In those days I drank a couple of glasses every night but then it started to interfere with my running, my sleep, my mood and I switched to white wine which was better! However, this running programme has changed my attitude to my body and fitness and I struggled for years with the conflict of working hard to be fit and healthy and yet drinking beyond what I should.

I eventually cut down to two alcohol-free nights and 18 months ago have cut that down to four nights so I only drink at weekends now. My running has benefitted from it as I just feel fresher and stronger and wish I'd done it before.

However, I still love my wine 😋 and the odd G&T and can't imagine giving them up totally.

Everyone is different. At my running club, many members drink normally and they're running marathons and ultras and it doesn't seem to get in the way but it's also maybe an age thing as most of them are much younger than me and can get away with it. I found I couldn't drink red wine anyway after the menopause ☹️

But as with everything, it's your choice.

[GabeC]

Surely it depends on why you’re really running!

Some folk run to lose weight, some to compete, some to keep fit, some for company and some to compete etc etc. There’s no right or wrong reason why one runs.

Personally I run so as I can go out for a few beers a couple of times a week and not feel guilty. Just Friday past I had an extended lunch which ran on into the evening resulting in at least 8 pints of lager before moving onto the large merlots whilst all the time knowing that I would have to run it off Saturday morning. Yes I suffered yesterday but no pain no gain!

Enjoy your drink as there’s thousands if not more just like you - you’re so not alone!

[Lapsedyogi Graduate]

I think if you really want to be healthy officially you need to stick to under 14 units a week. Anything over that is a personal trade off. You need to be happy too. I do various things like Dry January etc to regularly “reboot” but I lived in Spain where wine isn’t really drinking and I know ultra marathon runners there who drink plenty red wine. You’ll know yourself what’s good for you. What I would recommend is to try a month off - then you can make an informed decision.

[Jundal Graduate]

It's all about choice. Weighing up the pros and cons and replacing bad habits with good ones. If you do decide to completely stop drinking, a trip to the go might be in order, if only for advice. If you need a support group to help, then a group called 'turning point' is excellent. The thing is, when you stop drinking you realise a lot of things, why you drink being the first one usually! Either way, good luck with whatever you decide.

[Lordi Graduate]

I've found that drinking the night before a run makes it a lot harder to perform and I definately pay for it in increased pain/hurt. I now try to avoid it the night before a scheduled run and I do now avoid it altogether before a race. I like a bit of red most evenings far too much to stop drinking altogether and also drink beer socially once a week. Am I over the recommended units/week? Yes. Am I fit and healthy? Yes. Could I suffer an alcohol related illness? Possibly. Am I worried about my alcohol intake? Not unduely, since I'm too old to be breaking any world records! One way to look at it might be to only drink the running calories? I have to run about 5 km to enjoy 2 large glasses of red wine.