Like my classmate Lauren, I find that warmer weather makes me want to be outside, enjoying sun and a cool drink – preferably sangria or something with coconut rum. Unfortunately, I’ve realized in the last month that while I drank about once every two weeks during the semester, I was finding reasons for social drinking almost every other day. Happy hour! Celebration dinner! Birthday parties! Going away parties! It’s raining! It’s Tuesday!
I tried to find a silly drinking picture, but apparently I have either destroyed or untagged all of those in preparation for my future political career. So here is me with one of my favorite drinkydranks - Vodka Tonic.
Everyone knows too much booze can lead to bad decision making, but in my case, even a little alcohol can make me more prone to inhale a basket of tortilla chips or decide midnight pizza is a reasonable snack. And who hasn’t skipped a work out to nurse a wine headache? Sure, there are health benefits to moderate alcohol consumption, but I think that frequent drinking when you’re trying to lose weight is counter productive.
So, I’ve decided to give myself a break from booze for 30 days to break the “Let’s have a beer because we didn’t win the lottery today!”-pattern. Today marks Day Six of 30 with no alcohol, and even though I’m less than a week in, I think this will be easier than giving up other things. Although I believe in moderation in most things, for this it is easier to have a rule than to have a loosey-goosey-”I can basically mold this to mean whatever I want”- plan.
Maybe this isn’t what you want to hear right before a long holiday weekend, but feel free to bookmark it to read later, like Tuesday after you’ve already had all the margaritas you can handle.
Why I’m giving up Alcohol for 30 Days
- I am poor and alcohol costs money unless you are willing to flirt with freakshows at the bar. And I’m not!
- Even my ZenLizzieSkinnyGirl drink – Vodka & Water – still has calories. And they are empty calories. At least milkshakes have calcium! I googled and found this tool from a college drinking prevention site that estimates your weekly/yearly caloric intake based on your drink of choice.
- Not only that, but drinking can actually make you more hungry.
- Alcohol can interfere with getting restful sleep. Sleep is a crucial part of being healthy and losing weight.
- It makes you wanna eat food you would probably turn down under other circumstances (hello, Big Mac! Something I’ve never wanted sober, but decided I wanted one – actually two – on New Year’s Eve after a night of imbibing. I also really wanted french fries, and for that reason the DD dubbed me the Potato Monster.) And, when is the last time you wanted to snack on fresh veggies with beer? Yeah, never.
- Alcohol slows down the body’s ability to burn fat. More proof that a calorie isn’t always just a calorie.
- While getting drunk might make you shake your booty, the next morning I guarantee you will not be busting a move at the gym. I have no scientific evidence for this, only that I prefer laying in bed watching Netflix to nurse a hangover and so I assume you do too.
Alright, people, I’m done being a Debbie Downer! Have a great holiday weekend, and think of me when you’re uncorking your bottle. To celebrate my 30 day challenge… tell me your favorite thing to drink, either alcoholic or non! I’ve already shared my go-to bar drinks, but my favorite non-alcoholic drinks: Crystal Light with Crack, water with lime and vanilla milkshakes. Yes, if it is liquid you can count it as a drink.
I know you can do this!!! I stopped drinking when I got pregnant with John and never went back … and he turns 5 in 3 weeks! Of course, it was a lot easier for me since Tom stopped, too. After a while I really didn’t even miss it …. much ….
I had two beverages on my cruise, and that was the first I’ve had since October. I know it’s weird, but I don’t drink at all (and yeah, it’s all about the calories). I’ve always been able to hang out when there was drinking going on, just get a soda or something like that. Good luck with your 30 days of non-drinking though, you can definitely do it and see how you feel after 30 days.
You can do it! I stopped drinking last June. We had gone out with some friends and I only had a few drinks, but on my run the next day I realized the alcohol was making me slower. I was already a slow runner so I didn’t need anything else holding me back! So I decided to give it up. I was never a big drinker and it costs too much anyway so I wasn’t missing anything. I didn’t have another drink until we went on vacation in September. I had another on NYE. And recently had a few on a girls weekend last month. It’s just not something I miss. I’m not saying I’ll never have another drink just when the mood strikes. Good luck to you on your 30 days. You may not miss it either!
I used to booze up with the best of ‘em, but those days are long gone and I hardly drink at all now. Not worth the calories (both from the booze itself and the crap food that seems like a great idea when trashed), the compromised inhibitions and the risk of feeling like ass the next morning. I maybe have one drink a week, even then I usually get about halfway through it and question why I bothered in the first place.
My standard alchy drink is also vodka water, but I’ve spent many an epic night with Sailor Jerry and diet, and I really, really enjoy Pinnacle’s whipped cream flavored vodka. It’s truly amazing when paired with diet orange Sunkist or Fanta or whatever. Tastes like a creamsicle.
For non-boozical beverages, I like water (duh), unsweetened iced tea (sorry, I’m from Oregon!), I recently discovered the deliciousness that is Gatorade G2 raspberry melon…and my top favorite drink of all time: coffee. <3
Do yourself a favor today and hit up Starbucks for a venti iced coffee with sugar-free cinnamon dolce and nonfat milk. Amazing, truly. And $3.22 vs the nearly $5 it'd be if you ordered a cinnamon dolce latte.
And that concludes my novella-esque reply. I'm sorry for rambling. I like liquids, if you couldn't tell.
Ha! I just made Brett Farve buy an inflatable pool so we can lounge in it and drink my leftover bottle of Skinnygirl margarita. What a hopeless cause I am.
Also, I prefer the term “FRIEND” to classmate. Classmate sounds so lame.
It’s Favre, isn’t it? Can’t believe I don’t even know how to spell my boyfriend’s last name.
Gosh, this DD sounds like a douchebag!
I love the “It’s raining!” excuse. It made me lol all over myself. Vodka and water? Never had that. Do you just say, “Hey I’d like a vodka and water with a lemon?” Does it get you super wasted? Sorry, but I’m drinking tonight and just want to know how to order this thing.
Seriously though, I need to do this. I’ve been drinking a lot lately. I blame dating. I need liquid courage when I’m with men. I only have one or two drinks though so I don’t get wasted or loaded when I drink. I hate that feeling. I just like to get loosey goosey. Okay, sorry about this comment. I might join you in this, but after next weekend because I’m going to the New Kids concert.
Yes, vodka water is literally just vodka with water, usually paired with both a lemon and lime but either one is good to go. It ends up tasting pretty much like regular water, so it does get you pretty wasted. Boring, perhaps, but it’s worth the spared calories and you can pretend that you’re “hydrating” as you drink, ha.
Just order a “vodka water” and the bartender will know what’s up. Enjoy!
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