The alcohol debate

[VampireChick]

Kia ora ladies

Figured the 'ladies forum' was lacking some action so I thought I'd add a new topic.

I've noticed in a few workout journals lately, that we've all had to endure the wrath of friends when it came to saying no to the drink. I'd be quite interested to know your experiences? When did you lay off the booze? How have you dealt with it and what do you do in social situations?

Personally I've found this the hardest factor to deal with (seriously, I loved my booze) but it has definitely gotten much easier over the last couple of months. I wont lie, I might have a couple of glasses every month or 6 weeks (and do some extra cardio that day) but it is certainly not a huge factor in my life anymore.

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[Chillicat]

I wouldn't say I'm entirely alcohol free just yet, but I did start making drastic changes in my level of drinking from the beginning of this year. I'd hit my highest ever weight (66kg), and had been unhappy about being that weight for the last year and decided that once the Christmas silliness was over that I'd cut it down.

Initially that meant only drinking on Fri/Sat nights if just at home (it had stretched out to Thurs-Sun during the early summer and Christmas period). I thought that was just stupid, given that most of the time I was just at home with my husband, and not out socialising. So that was my first step - cutting down to one bottle of wine a week and making it last Fri and Sat (not having a drink til 9pm helped).

Well, the weight just fell off, and I felt a whole lot better, physically and mentally. At the same time I was starting to focus more on lifting weights rather than just fannying about in pump classes, so that made it easier to want to think about what I put into my body.

I've pretty much stuck with that attitude up until this month, which isn't even 2 weeks in yet, so admitedly I'm a newbie at going alcohol free(ish). From July until mid-August I don't intend to drink anything, as I'm having a 7 week dedicated clean(ish) eating period (leading up to my birthday and snowboard holiday when I plan to loosen up a wee bit) just to see how it goes.

I'm not exactly a 20 something year old anymore, so I'm not out every Friday/Saturday night down Courtenay Place, so I don't have enormous pressures to drink. Most of my socialising involves hanging out with friends, but not in a party party kind of way.

Having said that, I am the social club organiser at work, and people have noticed that Friday night drinks have only happened twice so far this year, rather than about 3-4 weekly as before We're actually having drinks tomorrow night and I thought I'd just have a Coke Zero or something (yes, I know all about the aspartame debate). It's not a big enough deal for me to want to break my eating plan for.

I did mention to a colleague last week that I wasn't drinking. He's around my age and his comments were interesting, semi-sabotage-ish: 'oh you have to be careful about not drinking as it's such a social thing and you'll find yourself not being able to do as much'. I thought that was pretty lame and the very first time I went out for drinks last week and didn't drink it wasn't a problem at all, in fact there was someone else there not drinking.

I've got a couple of things coming up where drinking is normally involved, but I honestly don't think it'll be a biggie. One is with old friends from way back, and there's normally someone there who's either pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or breastfeeding so not drinking anyway, so it's not a problem to join them, and my husband won't be drinking either since he's stuck driving (since I can't).

The other thing is my cousin's 40th, but again I don't think it'll be a big deal as I probably won't stay long. I'll just pop along, have a soda water (which looks like you're drinking a voddy or gin anyway), say hi to everyone and then leave.

I'll let you know how this month or so goes though, before I get all 'oh it's so easy'

[biggurl27]

A couple of glasses of wine every now and then is fine "off season" as it won't interrupt with your training/growth/recovery etc... however a huge night on the piss does :? I wouldn't touch any alcohol 3-6months out from competition (more like 3 for me :oops: )

[VampireChick]

That's good to hear - as I'll need a couple this Sat (A cousins 30th so the entire whanau will be there - it'll be enough to drive me to the drink!).

[runveerun]

It is really difficult not drinking when it's such a drinking society. I ended up giving up drinking begining of last year as a last ditch attempt to stop smoking totally! I wouldn't smoke when sober but after a few drinks.....

I've found I don't go out so much or if I do I go home early!! Drunk people are difficult to relate to!

I prefer it though, the next day I feel good and go to the gym or a run while everybody else is suffering at home in bed!

I have the 'odd' drink with a meal maybe if I'm out but I can't take it anymore, it doesn't have that warm fuzzy-good feeling it used to-shame!

If I have a couple I just feel like crap the next day and always regret it!

Some friends get really upset with me and insist on buying or pouring me drinks I don't want, some are supportive and drink less or none with me!

Life is better without a hangover and it helps with the weight issues!

[VampireChick]

Yeah its strange, a glass of Pinot (or 4) used to give me that nice buzzy feeling but now one glass just makes me tired and sick. Talk about light weight. But you're right, it's better in the long run.

[Chillicat]

I ended up giving up drinking begining of last year as a last ditch attempt to stop smoking totally! I wouldn't smoke when sober but after a few drinks.....

I had that problem too when I first gave up smoking. Could go months without a cigarette as long as I didn't drink, but as soon as I would go out - forget about it - I'd smoke an entire pack in a night, gross!

I've found I don't go out so much or if I do I go home early!! Drunk people are difficult to relate to!

Again, so true. I have had phases of not drinking in the last decade or so, and that's always the thing you notice - what dickheads people (me included!) turn into when they've been drinking, and what sh*t they speak!

I prefer it though, the next day I feel good and go to the gym or a run while everybody else is suffering at home in bed! !

Yeah, I decided that I was sick of wasting my weekends feeling like crap. Even though Saturdays and sometimes Sundays are rest days for me (since I can't be arsed making the commute to town to my gym, which is near work but not home), I really appreciate how much more I get out of my weekends if I don't feel like crap the whole time.

[Chillicat]

I survived my first alcohol free work drinks tonight, which was amusing because one of my colleagues actually rolled her eyes at me when I kept turning down drinks and nibbles

I'm not bothered by it though, as I know I was just as unsupportive a few years ago when I was at uni and a friend was heavily into her sport and was always picky about her food, never had a drink and always went home by about 8.30 so she could be in bed by 9.30 - it seemed sad to me that a 22 year old didn't seem to be having any fun! I was older than her and spent most of my 20s partying, and just couldn't see why others weren't exactly like me :roll:

So having been on both sides of things I get where they're coming from when they're unsupportive, and that's cool. It's just lucky that I'm big enough and ugly enough to do what I damn well please and not be swayed by what they think :wink:

[VampireChick]

I survived my first alcohol free work drinks tonight, which was amusing because one of my colleagues actually rolled her eyes at me when I kept turning down drinks and nibbles

:roll: People like that are a waste of time.

I had half a glass if pinot with my dinner tonight - it was so average I didn't bother finishing it.

[Chillicat]

I like a nice pinot. I reckon it's worth not having a drink last week, tonight and at the next couple of things I have on - I'd rather save having a drink for a time when I either really want one, or when it's a genuine celebration where a drink will be enjoyed and savoured - not just swilled for the sake of drinking because everyone else is.

[biggurl27]

ooh all this talk of wine =P~ I'm off to pour myself a cab sav :pfft:

[Chillicat]

[Mrbig]

im not a chick but i havent drunk for over 2 years because of my training and it also helped me to quit my 8 year smoking habit

[VampireChick]

I like a nice pinot. I reckon it's worth not having a drink last week, tonight and at the next couple of things I have on - I'd rather save having a drink for a time when I either really want one, or when it's a genuine celebration where a drink will be enjoyed and savoured - not just swilled for the sake of drinking because everyone else is.

Agreed. Nothing wrong with having a couple if the occasion calls for it, but a waste if you drink just because everyone else is.

I'll be having a couple tonight, just trying to decide my weapon of choice. Prob just a couple of savs.

[poos_n_wees]

Drunk people are difficult to relate to!

Indeed.

Its quite different being on the other side and seeing how people are when they're drunk.. good times lol.

I consider myself a social drinker - I won't deny myself if I feel like a drink, but I won't have as many as I used to back when I was at uni. Don't really remember my friends being unsupportive when I stopped drinking for comp prep.. I think as long as you're happy and you're holding a drink (whether its water or diet coke or whatever), people generally leave you alone.

The people who annoy me are the ones that feel sorry for themselves and do that, "Ooohh I wish I could drink but I can't.." bizzo.

[runveerun]

I had a glass of red last night- it was my wedding anniversary! It was dissapointing (the wine not the anniversary!)

It's funny how we feel we must celebrate 'good times' with booze just to mark the occassion.

[Ginyuu3]

Captain Ginyuu is back! 8)

I have to say I am pretty disappointed with you Mods. Go ahead! Try to ban this account too.

I'll just come back with another one. If you try IP blocking, I'll just change my IP. Heck, if

you push me too far, I might even make 20 different accounts and bombard this place till the

forum shuts down.

Listen Andrew (Pseudonym), in relation to your comments:

Liu Kang is a flat mate of mine. He used my pc to create an account. He made a few posts and got

banned without question. As I did mention earlier in post it's common to have the same IPs for

accounts if their flatmates, siblings, husbands/wives etc. Nothing wrong with that is there??

You know yourself why i had to creat superduperman, your system emails bounced back, there was

no other way to contact you about YOUR wrongful decision. Yet you thanked me for pointing

that out then banned my account.

You couldn't get yourself to ban either Ginyuu of Blackhulk before, but you do it in think that

they are the same person which you later found out to be not the case. The right decision to

make in those curcumstances would be to undo your mistakes. You did the exact opposite!

Inflammatory comments?? You Fool! Where have you been looking all this time. Every comment that

I made were in respnse / retaliation to the attacks made by others. You know who they are, and

they continue to do so repeatedly. Wait and see how many vultures will start flaming this very

post. I don't see you banning them!

If flaming is an issue to you (as it is for many members), start banning those continually blaab

meaningless garbage. Don't blame the ones that are willing to make a stand for it.

What do you have to say about that MODS?

Any decent people out there who agrees with me??

[luv.me.oats]

Yes I love getting on the turps, but it is simply no good for training

So unfortunately thats the sacrifice I have had to make, I only indulge during the festive season (off-season) otherwise my gains go to shit, nothing worse then getting on it then training the next day - you'll notice your performance at the gym is half assed.