There I've said it. This Sunday will be 11 weeks of lifestyle change and 5 weeks of zero alcohol intake.
Up until now I've qualified my 'not drinking' comments with an 'at the moment'. However, when I was writing a reply to a post just now, I wrote that I'd 'given up alcohol' without qualifying it and only noticed when I reread the reply.
I've alluded in other posts as to how much I used to drink which is why I didn't dare say to myself that I had quit.
ANYWAY... I'm nailing my flag to the post in front of you all.
Eeeek!
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Tiggerr
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Alcohol is wasted calories
Well done you
I am not a big drinker the odd glass of wine at weekends or with friends.
I think when you lose weight you get a high from the fact you feel healthier too.
I have given up wine for lent see how I go when it finishes, a muslim colleague did congratulate me and ask how I was finding it, I watched a play last night and its storyline was around how alcohol had impacted on 2 marriages and family life. A story I know but can be true.....
I gave up hard alcohol to start with because of the 'wasted calories' and wanting to make calorific room for 'real' things. Then I gave up the rest of it because it was leading to poor eating decisions in the evening.
About 15 years ago a friend of mine termed us as 'functioning alcoholics' which I have used to describe myself since (I thought it was really clever). If I'd have given it more thought I would have analysed the word 'functioning' in more detail.
I'm not necessarily doing everything correctly, right now, but I believe I'm doing most things better.
Well done Tiggerr , you should be so very proud of yourself. Half the battle in life is understanding yourself and knowing your own limits. I think you have been really brave in facing up openly to us about your intake of alcohol and now your total abstinence. I am sure you will feel the benefits. You are doing so well. 🎉🎉
Cheers lucigret! At this moment I'm feeling a little bit out on a limb... I guess I felt safer when I felt there was an easy way back but I pretty much knew that would be the case.
If you hadn't noticed already, I'm nearly always more positive and perky in the morning so had to 'strike whilst the iron was hot'!
I'm the same Kathy I did enjoy a drink in the forces. Now I have a small 🍷 wine collection. I enjoy the odd glass or two & if it's a bar b Q a cold beer. Too many other important things to do. Have a great weekend. Good luck for Monday ☺ George 56 ☺
I have come to the same mindset since I joined here last June I like to have a drink with my friends but I rarely drink at home anymore and I feel a lot healthier which is my main goal
That goes back to someone's previous post "are you an abstainer or a moderator?" I'm pretty useless at moderating so I have to abstain. I wish I could moderate like you nteapea but I'm ok with the situation.
Funnily enough Anna it hasn't been nearly as difficult as I would have imagined (and deity knows, that in my head I've been trying to quit for years) and nowhere near as difficult as saying it out loud.
Hi Tiggerr we are all here for you. I have supported people with similar issues. & Can not be with out. So what you are doing is a very brave and strong. You can do this for your future Health. Good luck to you. ☺ George 56
Fab news Tiggerr i am sure your health will benefit, not to mention your weight loss. I drink very little these days but did enjoy a small glass of wine last night after a hectic day. Strangely enough I had a fabulous hralthy smoothie, including nuts and seeds for protein, for my evening meal last night-it did feel strange drinking my wine alongside a smoothie!
And really impressive that you have decided to do that Tiggerr I think your phrase "functioning alcoholics" is a really interesting one. I'm am sure that many people could use it.
Hi Tiggerr hope you can do this . I think most people are addictive to something. The drug culture proves that. All the big cities. You have your garden project & you are a electrical engineer? Your dog's. Put the the cash that would be the beer spondoolies!!!! ( Cash) into the holidays box. Treat yourself to a holiday break. I'm here to Support you. All the best for you. Good luck for the rugby later on!!!! 🏉 Enjoy George 56 🤗
I'm laughing to myself George because I was spending a small fortune but generally it was money I didn't have, ergo there's nothing there to save I'd love to know where the money came from , just glad its not going out anymore.
I did Dry January as my drinking was getting to be a daily habit. Still going strong, although I do still say 'at the moment'. One day at a time. Even after my car broke down on the A14 in rush hour I didn't feel the need for wine once it was all over, just chocolate (justified in the circumstances). If I can get through that without alcohol I don't need it. Will done to you too!
Thanks mayaena, my life has been such a whirlwind turnaround in the last 10 weeks that I'd possibly have to go back a good 25 years to remember feeling so in control and just generally feeling good about life.
Good luck with your continuing journey... I know you're doing really well.
I gave up wine last year. I was drinking red wine and found that i wasn't enjoying it. What I really wanted was a mango and passion fruit smoothie. Yes, I know, smoothies contain a lot of sugar, but I'm not sure if they're empty calories the way alcohol is. Im sure someone will put me right on that one.
Having given up wine I realised that hubby and I are effectively teetotal. We don't go to pubs and we don't drink when we go out for a meal. And we have found that we don't miss it.
That's really good CheerfulDragon (great name) and I also feel great with what I'm doing. It is horses for courses though as I know I couldn't tell myself to have one drink on a Friday, it would be the thin end of the wedge. Whereas others are able to manage moderation.
Good luck tigger I so not wanted to drink this weekend but I did Friday and then last night and this morning feel awful why do I do it? I am so weak willed when family come round which they do every weekend they have a glass then so do I then I have another I had the most terrible sleep last night too. No more for me I am going to abstain like you please keep me up to date and I will you. Here's to the next five weeks cheers!! (Sorry no pun intended) 👍
Hello Kim, I really feel for you and I am in complete sympathy. I sincerely wish I could offer you a coherent answer.
Firstly though I wouldn't call yourself weak willed. I've been consciously battling with alcohol for a decade at least and have despised that aspect of myself for so long. I'm sure if you looked at other aspects of your life you wouldn't call yourself weak and nor do I.
Maybe its just that I reached the end of my mental tether and the calorie requirement was just the trigger (maybe tiggerr) that I needed.
I could type a list of reasons that should have got me to stop but never did.
*** Just keep trying Kim and then try again *** I'm probably one of the worst examples of how to give up and you'll be a lot stronger.
Its funny you mention alcohol, yesterday I had my first drink for 3 weeks, half a bottle of wine I used to drink quite a lot but since January I have cut down a lot. Now I will put the other half a bottle out of sight. Since January ii have cut down sugar and caffeine. I don't miss caffeine or sugar but I do miss alcohol. I am not regretting yesterdays drink but I am so glad I stopped drinking like I used too because I am sure I was dot doing myself any favours . even if I don't loose to much weight atleat I am healthier
Hi Tigger so glad for you and hope life is better for you,I was on the other side of the coin married to a man for 23 years who had a real problem with drink and very violent, it wrecked mine and my children,s lives.Sad for him too as he was a good man when he could have a day without drink but there weren't many of those days.As I have never been a drinker it was hard to understand.I then met and married a man who was the love of my life a kind gentle man who sadly died just over two years ago.So I wish you happiness and good luck with which I know is a hard battle.Take care Maureen
Hi Maureen, those are some bad breaks. I hope you and your children are happy now.
I really appreciate your well wishes. Things 'seem' ok at the moment but I'm not letting my guard down.
Friday afternoon my partner and I were out on the balcony in the sun, and tradition would hold that I should have had a few drinks (there was an inner voice but it wasn't too strong). Instead I drank pints of diet tonic water with a few drops of Angostura bitters. Very refreshing and my taste buds don't rebel after 2 or 3 pints. I dug out the old soda stream, a while back, so that I can make the diet tonic in bulk.
Yes my children are all grown up now 50 years old 49 and 43 left some scars but they are doing well.Glad things are going well and with the support of your partner you will get there.I am 71 now and had 23happy years with my beautiful second husband before he died, also have 9 Grandchildren, I am so lucky.Enjoy your evening both of you.
Hi Tiggerr Weldone you on your brave flag-nailing All I can say is welcome to my side of the table...... THE TOP!! oh yes only when you are a teetotaller can you be dancing on the tables without worrying that you will fall off and hurt the hips and knees. And yes..... I have done a bit of table dancing in my days.... oh what fun!!!
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I'd love to know where the money came from 
All I can say is welcome to my side of the table...... THE TOP!! oh yes only when you are a teetotaller can you be dancing on the tables without worrying that you will fall off and hurt the hips and knees. And yes..... I have done a bit of table dancing in my days.... oh what fun!!! 
I've just been given the yellow card. Don't want the red one.
Need help, feel like giving up
6lb on!!! So close to giving up. 
Why to others get so worked up?
Fed up !!! 
