so it’s been 4 nights in a row going to bed without a drop of alcohol (won’t count the one iced/watered down small glass of “low carb” white wine i had from a bottle my wife bought last night).
I know I am stating the obvious here, but what a friggin difference it is waking up with a clear head!
Got the mt washington hill climb in a couple of weeks and using that as excuse to drop a couple of more pounds before the ride, all those empty calories in booze and what not.
it’s funny (or maybe not) that I can exhibit the self-discipline to train 15+ hours a week, but when it comes to having a glass of wine after work, the glass turns into a bottle. every night of the week. not getting rip-roaring drunk here every night, but a bottle of wine a night every night of the week probablly isn’t too good for the 'ol liver, eh?
i seem to justify the drinking as a reward for my training.
and then, i justify the training cuz i drank the night before so I gotta work it off.
Definitely round and round. I appreciate the taste and the feel of the first beer/drink, but after that, I know for a fact that I will feel like shit in about 2 hours. That’s another round and round circle, in that I am a lightweight, so if I drink a lot, I feel like shit, so I drink very little…
I quit drinking completely from 1991 to 1995 – thanks to a divorce - I started drinking again (and doing triathlons). I had to balance out the drinking was my theory.
I quit again in 2000 for a whole 9 months. Again in 2003 for 6 months.
I am trying something new this time - I can only drink on Friday and Saturday – this seems to be working because I train big on Saturday and Sunday so it is easy to limit myself to two or three drinks. I also go to bed early - like 10 pm.
I am not a get drunk alcoholic - I am a drink everyday alcoholic - but the friday/saturday thing seems to be working and keeping it under control.
Oh Yeah – No more alcohol from Costco in huge volumes – only one bottle of wine or one six pack of beer - when it is gone - I have to wait till next Friday to buy more.
I think I am in the same boat as you sparticus. almost. I have never gone past a week without a drink, despite telling myself the morning after a 2-bottle night that drinking is no good, i am gonna stop blah blah blah. 2-3 days later (when hangover is worn off), i make a deal with myself-open the bottle and drink just one glass. that works for a night or two. then the weekend comes and hey, what the heck, it’s friday night, you worked/trained hard all week, have a bottle. then, i figger, if i start with the wine earlier in the night, i can squeeze in two bottles. and again, round and round it goes. I find myself making alot of deals with myself. if only i could hold up my end of the bargain. i just really really love a nice bottle of red wine.
brian, how would you define that? (not asking in a snide way)
I know a guy who went thru AA. His explanation is that you’re not an alcoholic until it interferes with regular life. He was in sales and would often show up to work drunk or get drunk over a saleman’s lunch with a client. It got to the point where booze was more impotant than anything else nad it was interfering with all other aspects of his life. This seems like he’s giving a lot of leeway, but some can drink five or six drinks daily and it has no negative effect on their business or personal lives. Others can’t drink that much without consequences. Apparently the AA is now getting away placing an actual number of drinks as a yardstick to determine if somebody is an alcoholic or not.
I have a couple of glasses of wine or beers almost every day. This amount does not impair my life in any way. If I drank a big bottle of wine or drank a 12 pack daily it most certainly would.
This seems like he’s giving a lot of leeway, but some can drink five or six drinks daily and it has no negative effect on their business or personal lives.
The only amendment I would make to that is that the focus can’t be just on YOUR life; it is also about the lives of those around you. A husband/father may not think he has a drinking problem, but ask his wife/kids what they think…
Drinking 1 or 2 bottles of wine a night is definitely going to cause some harm to your liver and brain. Why go through all the trouble of working hard to maintain your body and then destroy it with the excessive booze. I’m not being judgmental, I face the same issue. I tried swimming at night instead of drinking. It occupied the evening and reduces the urge to drink.
If you drink more than you want, I believe you have a problem. You should think about an AA meeting or talk to someone who has more experience (pastor, threapist, etc.). I thought I had a drinking problem so I stopped drinking altogether. What I learned was that I needed something to consume while I relaxed … club soda with lime worked just as well as beer or wine. If I could make myself start with club soda or some other non-alcoholic drink, then I could avoid the alcohol. I have gone over a month without an alcoholic drink. Now I know I can control my consumption and I will have some when I want it … not when I need it. Good Luck. Paul
I stopped buying wine a couple of weeks ago. It was getting really expensive and messing up my morning training. I still have a glass or two here and there if I’m out, but any kind of nightly ritual is gone. I also started going to bed around 10:30 (instead of midnight or later). These two changes have made a world of difference.
my husband and I definitely struggle with not drinking too much. it’s just so hard not to drink good wine. or good beer.
we don’t have children and are pretty fun people in personality–for a long time alot of our activities were centered around drinking. we’ve both worked hard to change this and it’s been successful.
i too have developed evening activities so that I don’t drink out of boredom. otherwise i find it too easy to start cooking, pop a bottle of pinot and make a celebration out of it…meaning, before long, my husand and I have the music on, we’re dancing, laughing and drinking 2 bottles of wine together. not exactly a healthy practice for a regular Tuesday night.
overall I’d say that we’re improving, and drinking much less. but I still consider it a work in progress (in that we don’t drink lightly consistently).
that’s a good call, a substitute for wine. i should find a nice decaf green tea or something to help me relax. it’s been amazing though, really noticing how alcohol affects sleep patterns. you think you slept good (semi-passed out), but wake up friggin exhausted.
Kittykat, two very excellent points-
“it’s just so hard not to drink good wine. or good beer.
i too have developed evening activities so that I don’t drink out of boredom. otherwise i find it too easy to start cooking, pop a bottle of pinot and make a celebration out of it.”
