The FastDay Forum

[Debs]

I like my plonk, but quality not quantity these days! Red at the weekends, but lovely whites on a warm day. We only drink at weekends and special occasions these days as our tolerance isn't what it used to be. I don't drink at work which saves quite a lot of calories, and looking at some of the beer bellies on site, I am glad I don't as it becomes too much of a habit. One of life's great pleasures in my book!!

I have a tendency to overdo it when stressed or a bit down. Occasionally, even before I started IF, I would have a month off. I'm having one now, partly because of the calories, partly because I've been overindulging too often.

I don't think I'll ever quit completely. A glass of nice wine with a meal is a good thing, I think.

I am such a wine-o and I drink far too much.
I probably have one day during the week where I'll have a couple of glasses with dinner or just relaxing at home.
At the weekends I can easily drink 2 bottles of the stuff. My tolerance is very high! On Sunday we were having a bed day and had 2 bottles of wine between the two of us and honestly didn't feel a thing! Slightly worrying.
Lil

I had this conversation with my buddy@spanner recently.

I saw the Lent thread about chocolate give up (never eat it). So I'm only having one glass of red on a Saturday. But I have realised it does not work like that for me - chuck out the normal drink (red) and move to a new - so my new one drink a week is white wine spritzer. Takes you out of the normal routine and memories.

Akin to calories, carbs, sweet, alcohol - I think we need to move from normal routines to new ones - whatever they be.

I have found 52 has really help changed my approach to alcohol. Has anyone else found that? I'll obviously celebrate as one does but I have set myself a home limit of 2-3 spritzers a week.

Lizbean x

I enjoy drinking, and I'm afraid I can't say I'm satisfied with one or two glasses for a nice dinner just for the taste of it. It's usually at least one, two or three bottles for the weekend, and sure, I want to get a bit drunk, not just "tipsy" or whatever you anglosaxians might call it.

I drink mostly Fridays, Saturdays, sometimes on Sundays, and usually a little on Wednesdays.

We all have different responses and relations to alcohol, some love it more, some less, moralizing about it is quite pointless. I'm probably slightly more on the "wino" side of the spectrum than most, and will probably always have try to keep it under control.

I obviously drink more than what is healthy, but less since 5:2, a glass of carbonated water between each glass of wine keeps the consumption down, and the fact that you have the routine of checking your weight every day makes a difference.

When I have quit wine in the past the weight has simply DROPPED off without really needing to diet at all, but then I always went back to my old ways. Eventually I'll have a big night out and then I'll just say "well, I went and ruined the week with that, I might as well have a few more days drinking" and well, you know how that goes. So I have to be really strict with myself and cut down my drinking to two nights a week I'd say. A bottle of wine can contain up to 700 or 800 calories and it's dead easy to get through a bottle if you start with an aperitif before dinner and finish at 1 am (I go to bed late)... and of course wine calls for a nice dinner, something more than grilled meat and salad... it's a no win situation.

I'm perfectly happy with a glass of white and a salad for dinner in the summer. That's a regular occurrence around Chez MaryAnn.

LilSmiler, if you have 4 days off a week, you're probably fine. I used to be able to down a bottle without feeling it, but now (since losing weight and drinking fewer days a week with IF) I tend to get a bit tipsy after just a glass!

I'm an all or nothing girl. Can go for weeks and have gone for years teetotal and not missed it, but when I drink I go for it. Can manage most of a bottle but not all. I'm blaming learning about Californian pinot and chardonnay for my recent lack of progress

@Lizbean I am amused that you have tagged me a thread with "Wino" in the title!!!

I am finding too that this WOl is affecting my attitude and needs around alcohol. Having said that I will not be giving it up any time soon!

Before 5:2 I had an alcoholic drink pretty much every day. When I first began the diet, giving up wine on 2 days was almost harder than giving up food. Eventually though I noticed that I almost felt relieved about not drinking some nights and it became less of a hardship if I had to drive on a night out. Plus sometimes on a weekdend I will start early and hit the wine hard only to find that after a couple of glasses I am not that bothered. All of these things are good

In regards to weight loss, mine is definitely accelerated when I cut down on alcohol but I think the key thing to remember is that we all found 5:2 as we were looking for a sustainable way of being healthy and losing those pounds. This week I have been exceptionally good, tonight is my 4th alcohol free night in a row. I don't remember the last time I did four nights off the booze but boy I am feeling better for it!! Next week I can't promise to do the same, work may be very stressful, social occasions may interject, my willpower may wane....

I say take your two days and make them count. The weight will come off, it may take longer, but is that a bad thing? If you have days/weeks when you are in a good place and feel strong then abstain.

Remember people to leave yourself a little enjoyment in life or this will become another unsustainable "diet" and not the re-educating health altering way of life that can benefit so many of us.

Stay well people

Spanner x

I haven't found IF has made any difference to my tolerance or enthusiasm for alcohol. I usually drink every day except Monday, my zero-cal fast day. The percentage of calories I spend on alcohol has probably gone up, as I'm definitely having less calories overall now.

I'm sure I'd lose faster if I cut back, but this is very sustainable.

Yep, I love my wine too… and though I don't drink on 2 fast days, I do on the 3rd because it's Friday, and I love it. I am still losing weight, though slowly, and it's coming up on a year for me. For me it's all about being sustainable. I need this diet to work with me. Wine is just so delicious. We had a lovely bottle of red the other night. My DH and I sat by a window, looked out a the world and enjoyed it with wine! It was lovely.

I used to be a big drinker...in fact i was taken to court and fined £ 2 for underage drinking when i was 15!
Then drank everyone under the table right thru my twenties...drank til i saw double
These days,don"t drink much ( i spill most of it hehehe!)
...can only manage a glass or two of wine or a few gin and tonics before my head starts swimming and i want to go to sleep..glad i had my misspent drunken youth tho..it was good fun while it lasted!

[Debs]

You and me both candicemarie!!
My idea of a drunken night was a g&t followed by a couple of glasses of good red, and that was me done and under the table!!