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Freed Roger wrote:

AWvsCBsteeeerike3 wrote:I'm at about 200 and would like to get down to ~175 or so. It's by no means a drop weigh fast goal, but one I'd like to maintain that involves losing some flab and getting more cut. So, about 5 weeks ago I dropped alcohol completely thinking that would help shed pounds. I even started finding extra ways to get steps in by taking the family to parks and hiking, going on extra runs, etc etc etc. None of that mattered because, well, it just made me more hungry. Dropping alcohol led to, in general, being more lethargic even though I was/am sleeping a lot better. With no time to modify an exercise routine that's already pretty packed, I'm not looking forward to modifying a diet that I rarely worried about but it's come to that. So, over the next couple months I'll probably start playing around with it with the goal of being able to have a plan come 2020 so a realistic resolution can be set to get down to 175 by 2021.

All that said, agree with Freed this is a really tough time. Lot's of people wanting to drink and eat to excess.

Kind of amazed that dropping alcohol didn't show weight loss results.
Though, for a while of abstaining, I craved sugars.

I honestly believe a beer or 2 a day is good for my health. Relax, less cortisol etc. But more than that, no.

Morning aerobic workout (running slow). That is money for weight loss. You set yourself for success. (I don't run mornings though, lol)

Keep at it man. Once you get some success, you'll feel empowered and know what works for you

AWvsCBsteeeerike3 wrote:Thanks, it's all kind of about finding what works at this point, I guess.

Regarding sugar, being diabetic, it's pretty easy to track how much sugar is getting into the body's cells. Not to go too deep into it, but essentially I take insulin to replace insulin the pancreas doesn't produce. Insulin gets sugar from the bloodstream into the cells and the cells use it for energy to do...whatever it is they're supposed to do. There's two ways sugar gets into the bloodstream: food and the liver constantly secretes it. It's not this cut and dried, but after a week or two of cutting out alcohol, I reduced the amount of insulin needed to cover the sugar produced by the liver by about 10%. But, there were definitely cravings to eat more sugar, and it was Halloween time. If I cut 5 units of insulin out as it wasn't needed to cover sugar from the liver, I easily made up for it with insulin to cover candy. I know that has to stop, and with the candy recently running out, it will. Regardless, it's probably a net neutral for amount of insulin required over the last month. So, it makes sense the weight hasn't changed that much.

Still, take, let's say 30 drinks out a week and that's easily 3000 calories a week that are missing. I'd have thought that alone would lead to a weight loss. But, as mentioned, I've been pretty lethargic. There's not that need to prevent being sedentary that alcohol created. For instance, if I wanted to drink, I'd make sure that there was beer to drink, a cooler to pack, something to smoke on the grill, and more than likely multiple trips to the store for, well, more beer as well as odds and ends I'd forget (apple juice, a certain spice, a certain type of wood, lighters, fire starters, etc etc etc). It created a lot of steps. And, then the clean up created steps. And, I'd eat less because I was full of booze. I smoked a little pork butt last weekend and 1. remembered everything at the store in one trip, and 2. ate a [expletive] more than I typically would have because I was starving. Plus, when the grill was fine, I just watched football. Didn't feel the need to do any odds and ends around the house to keep moving/burning calories.

In short, now that I've stopped, I realized how much extra effort went into drinking and maintaining weight that I never really thought about. You could probably argue I had a problem, or at the very minimum had an unhealthy relationship with alcohol. And, I wouldn't necessarily disagree. So, even without losing weight, it's been a postive thing to step back. And, like I said, the weight loss thing is a long term goal not one that I'm super focused on right now. Getting the booze out of the way is undoubtedly going to help over that longer time period.

Freed Roger wrote:I didn't know/forgot you are diabetic.

When I quit alcohol for a month, it didnt do much for my weight either. You got a week extra. Similar but different-instead of chilling with a beer, I'd have ice cream or something. Also, oddly I was lethargic. I'd lounge around reading and go to bed earlier. Then again, i was dry in January- a naturally lethargic month.

No booze for a short term, inevitably something fills the void, either diet or lifestyle wise. I bet 10 weeks, then you'd see weight drop.

Had some positives to no alcohol. Better sleep quality
A bit better in the AM

But Yeah. you got this.

AWvsCBsteeeerike3 wrote:Yeah the lethargy is extremely odd. I told Mrs aw it’s like a car trying to climb a hill in 5th gear when it should be in 3rd.

I feel good. Feel strong. Can notice in the weight room that I’m a little stronger. So that’s good. But there were times when, like last thanksgiving for instance, my neighbor had a party the night before. I go over there. We stay up til like 4 am. Took probably 10 shots. Drank probably 10 beers. Woke up at 6:30 am and ran a couple miles. Then cook for the next 5-6 hours. Smoke the turkey, help with some inside stuff. Carve the turkey. Make a stock. Played football with the kids. All on 2 hours sleep and drinking all day. I was exhausted but had so much energy I couldn’t even sit down. Back to the car analogy it was like being in first gear. Didn’t have much power but no problem getting up that hill.

Freed Roger wrote:https://www.verywellmind.com/is-this-no ... last-80197

article on withdrawal from alcohol.

Reactions vary, obviously because everyone is different, and had/have different alcohol baselines.

AW - I think the lack of energy when abstaining is related to some dopamine Pavlovian type thing we get from alcohol. Has to be, because as we know, alcohol itself is ultimately a depressant. Or even from the routine and construct of looking forward to it. Socializing, grilling, watching sports, raking leaves, or whatever you associate with drinking beer - it will be different and maybe even gloomy, something you don't relish, (produce energy), as much without. Which is kind of pathetic.

For example, I love/loathe running the gnarly trails up at Pere Marquette SP. My routine there usually includes a stop in Grafton or Alton for a beer and some food. When I am short on time, and unable to stop for a beer - I feel a little depressed about it. a void. lol.

Your example of drinking and having some gusto the next AM. The effect from the booze is you have to wake up to take leaks, and a dump - so you are up anyway, and sitting still or looking at your phone in a groggy state isn't that great - so fresh air and doing something is the cure. Recently, on a trip to Moab got up around 5AM for3 consecutive sunrises- this was after a lot of hiking, running and drinking the day/evening prior-The advantage/curse of having to piss. Since I wasn't at home, I had to wake up, and I couldn't sleepwalk to the can, and then back to bed.

JCShutout wrote:I know I don't drink much, and this isn't meant as judgy, I'm honestly surprised: 30 drinks a week? Is that normal for most people? I literally might have had 30 drinks in the last 3-4 years. I figured those who did drink regularly might be closer to 5-10/week. I had no idea folks approached that much.

AWvsCBsteeeerike3 wrote: Dude, reading some of those withdrawal stories was crazy. I went through none of that. Maybe a little irritability and this lethargy thing. But, sheeeit. Cold sweats, seizures? That's rough.

I also talked to a guy that I work with who is in AA and that [expletive] sounds intense. Like admitting that you're powerless? Turning over to a higher power? No thanks. I asked him about like, if he really felt that way, like he couldn't control drinking even with the help of medines that would make him sick if he drank or hypnosis or simply re-wiring his brain and he said, more or less, his wife made him do it and that he did have to admit that he was drinking way too much and having a difficult time controlling it. I believe that, I had to talk to him about smelling like alcohol at the office. So, I know he was struggling. And, all the more power to those that go that route. It certainly wasn't a path I wanted to go down or felt necessary to do though.

JCShutout wrote:I know I don't drink much, and this isn't meant as judgy, I'm honestly surprised: 30 drinks a week? Is that normal for most people? I literally might have had 30 drinks in the last 3-4 years. I figured those who did drink regularly might be closer to 5-10/week. I had no idea folks approached that much.