healthy living and social living

all_smilz

Conflicted.....

I used to LOVE me nights out but since i started trying to get healthy and lose weight I have had to cut it out...
Even a glass of wine will leave me feeling like a wet sh!t the next day.... i get weepy and emotional and wanna eat junk...

If i go out on a serious party night (once in 3months these days) I will do the dog on the chips/burgers on way home and the next few days I feel miserable and totally lose track of my eating and exercise goes out the window.

In fairness I DO NOT go out lately but I often find myself in social situations where a glass of wine or two would enhance the experience and relax me... but i know i cant afford to go there.

I miss socialising and cutting loose cos i can be quite shy at times.... does anyone else find prioritising being healthy over being social REALLY difficult?

*this is coming from yesterday when i drove home from a hen where everyone was getting pissed and i was on fizzy water and lemonade (and just really really tired) so i made my excuses and drove over 2hours home.... and now i am allergic cos i have another hen, my birthday, my friends wedding, my brothers wedding all in the next 6weeks.... :mad:

brianthebard

What I find is that eating healthy is often more expensive than eating badly. But anyways I don't think you have to avoid booze altogether, but wine spritzers instead of full glasses, a glass of water after each drink, etc, should help. I don't want to be mean but I think you should still have enough will power after a glass of wine or two to say no to the chipper. If just one glass of wine affects you that much then it might be in your own interests to cut it out altogether, it doesn't really sound like a positive experience.

jimmay

OP it seems to me that your issue is not so much with alcohol ie. you enjoy it in moderation but moreso the after effects ie. knock on results of eating crap.

I too am beginning to consider this now that I am becoming more serious and focused on my training. This happens with me plus the added problem of then not having enough energy to train the following day so the consequences are even worse. Although if I know I'm having a few I will try to organise it to coincide as a rest day from thee gym.

Maybe instead of trying to focus on the alcohol as the problem try to change your response to alcohol the next day in terms of what food you have. Maybe plan in advance what you might eat. I like having a chinese or something a bit "unhealthy" after I've drunk, supposedly it helps absorb the alcohol and if it is a choice of a takeaway or nothing then it's certainly better to have something in you no matter how "unhealthy" you would normally consider it. Like the other poster said a glass of water between drinks etc., I really want to try to get into that habit.

all_smilz

brianthebard wrote: »

What I find is that eating healthy is often more expensive than eating badly. But anyways I don't think you have to avoid booze altogether, but wine spritzers instead of full glasses, a glass of water after each drink, etc, should help. I don't want to be mean but I think you should still have enough will power after a glass of wine or two to say no to the chipper. If just one glass of wine affects you that much then it might be in your own interests to cut it out altogether, it doesn't really sound like a positive experience.

oh i can totally stay away from the chipper after just a glass or two of wine.... but its after 6 or7 pints of cider or a few jd and cokes that i lose will to reject junk....

i'd like to be able to have a glass of wine at home and not feel a bit bleh the next day.... that is what makes the difference with eating/exercising for me.

oh and with the drinking water WITH my wine/etc I do that ALOT only after a certain point everyones pissed and i sorta say feck it and play catch up..... i know its dumb.
Its a hard line sometimes to stay sober while having a few tasty beverages and having one too many!

I guess i just have to keep saying no.....:(

Hanley

I dunno... I've been out a lot more in the past month or so than I have ever really, always had the opinion that it would kill my training, but I've realised that if you plan around it and try to reduce the effects the next day it's not going to kill you. Or even negatively effect weightloss that much either... so I've chilled out and enjoyed myself!!!

My approach is....

If I've nothing planned for the next two days, green light to have a big night.
Training within 48 hours, take it easy - 3-4 drinks MAX
Training the next day - 1-2 drinks MAX (probably better with 1 max tbh, if even)
If I'm drinking beer, I try to avoid staying on it the whole night if it'll be a long one.

The absolute golden rule IMO is just get as much water as humanly possible into you from about 1/2 way thru the night til the time you go to bed. Like 3+ litres. More if you can. I've got into the habit of leaving a 2l bottle of water beside my bed before I go out which I drink 1/2 - 3/4 of before bed and the rest during the night when I wake up for the inevitable bathroom break.

Like I said, I'm by no means an expert on this, and it's a relatively recent move but it seems to be working (ie I'm dropping weight and not dropping strength, still able to train as hard as I like too!).

brianthebard

all_smilz wrote: »

oh i can totally stay away from the chipper after just a glass or two of wine.... but its after 6 or7 pints of cider or a few jd and cokes that i lose will to reject junk....

i'd like to be able to have a glass of wine at home and not feel a bit bleh the next day.... that is what makes the difference with eating/exercising for me.

oh and with the drinking water WITH my wine/etc I do that ALOT only after a certain point everyones pissed and i sorta say feck it and play catch up..... i know its dumb.
Its a hard line sometimes to stay sober while having a few tasty beverages and having one too many!

I guess i just have to keep saying no.....:(

I see, from the looks of the op it sounded like as soon as you started drinking you wanted a takeaway. Tbh you can see from the above what it is you need to change, there's not a lot else people can tell you that you don't already know.

all_smilz

yeah Bard, i am sorry for the poor posting, i know i have to keep away from it and i generally do.... i've gone from mad binges fortnightly to not even 2 monthly nights out where i try to be good... i was mostly just wondering does anyone else struggle with the after effects of drink (not just hangovers btw).

i am LOADS better off mentally to stay away from mad constant boozing of my student days cos it used to make me feel quite down but sometimes i wish i could have a few and not be so thrown off track by it.:p

brianthebard

I see, well regards after effects I found the best thing to do was to just try and have a normal day. The easy thing to do for me is to drink a load of fizzy drinks and eat pringles, but you just have to go back to normal food, drink plenty of water and be active. I've found a good sweat cures a hangover better than anything else. The temptation when you're feeling sluggish after a nights drinking is to continue that way but you really should just try and go in the opposite direction imo. And more long term a b vitamin supplement will give you more energy and is especially good for those who smoke or drink. It takes about two weeks from starting to them to really feel the difference ime, but you shouldn't feel as bad the next day as you would otherwise.

rubadub

Hanley wrote: »

The absolute golden rule IMO is just get as much water as humanly possible into you from about 1/2 way thru the night til the time you go to bed. Like 3+ litres. More if you can. I've got into the habit of leaving a 2l bottle of water beside my bed before I go out which I drink 1/2 - 3/4 of before bed and the rest during the night when I wake up for the inevitable bathroom break.

Yep, water is number 1 on the list. It amuses me at the likes of xmas parties I see people who do not drink much with these little "hangover tablets" paying a fortune for crap when a pint of water would have done more. I also keep water by the bed, in hot weather I would stick a 2L in the freezer and take it out when I got home, then it is nice & cold in the morning. Though luke warm water seems to be taken up easier.

A lot will not want water for fear of slagging from mates, feck em' drink it, I would often go up to the bar and get a pint & a pint of water and down the water in one and leave it. Having water while drinking keeps you very alert you can extend that feeling on being on your 2nd or 3rd pint for the entire night if you have lots of water. Try and keep out of the whole rounds thing too.

I used to go to my local and lash down 4 pints and then stop around 10 and drink water the rest of the night, would wake up totally fine. So many I see do the opposite and start lashing into vodka when last orders are coming around. The beer from 30mins ago has not even hit home and they are hitting vodkas when on the verge of going home, then wake up in bits wondering why.

Do not keep crap in your house and it will not be eaten, there are more 24hr shops these days so you do have other options than burgers, would could even always bring stuff out with you.

floggg

OP, ease up on yourself for god's sakes! Everybody is allowed a cheat day once a week - why not incorporate that into you're going out rather than trying desparately to hold out only to cave and then feel guilty.

Say to yourself that if you work hard all week, you are allowed to go out and enjoy yourself. If that includes a takeaway, so be it.

As for the day after, plan for it as best you can. Give yourself a good healthy breakfast. If you need comfort food for the hangover, buy it in advance, something moderate and then indulge in it knowing you have earned it. The after give it hell in training and you will return to normal.

Personally, i find that the best way to cope is to get up the morning after, down a couple of pints of water and hit the gym. It might not be your best workout of the week, but it sweats the hangover outta you, and its a lot easier to resist temptation after working hard in the gym as you will not want to undo the good work. Even if you do give into temptation, you will havev earned it by getting up and working out.

PS - water is key, before, during and after!

itsallaboutheL

floggg wrote: »

OP, ease up on yourself for god's sakes! Everybody is allowed a cheat day once a week - why not incorporate that into you're going out rather than trying desparately to hold out only to cave and then feel guilty.

Say to yourself that if you work hard all week, you are allowed to go out and enjoy yourself. If that includes a takeaway, so be it.

As for the day after, plan for it as best you can. Give yourself a good healthy breakfast. If you need comfort food for the hangover, buy it in advance, something moderate and then indulge in it knowing you have earned it. The after give it hell in training and you will return to normal.

Personally, i find that the best way to cope is to get up the morning after, down a couple of pints of water and hit the gym. It might not be your best workout of the week, but it sweats the hangover outta you, and its a lot easier to resist temptation after working hard in the gym as you will not want to undo the good work. Even if you do give into temptation, you will havev earned it by getting up and working out.

PS - water is key, before, during and after!

+1 OP ease up on yourself!!

However it hink going to the gym the morning after a big night is a terrible idea Flogg, and is asking for trouble

unreggd

OP, you need to be more positive

You put yourself down after 1/2 bad days, without crediting the other 5 good days

How is your weekly diet? If you dont enjoy that, you'll never stick with it

I like my meal plans, so have no NEED for a cheat meal, but if Im in the modd / situation, it'll be irrelevant

Also, my gym days are planned around the time I'd want off

You should do the same

all_smilz

eeeks ok!!

i am all grumpy the last few days for which i am blaming horriblemones and lack of sleep.

I think my being out of work is really NOT helping cos i have too much time off and no routine and yeah i know a cheat meal is a good idea but somehow i feel i've gone and ruined a week of effort and then cheat a bit more.... I keep thinking i SHOULD be going to the gym 5-6 days a week and sometimes i do, plus yoga, plus walking or outdoors stuff. I am missing to balance of being working and then working out on my days off.
My job (nursing) was pretty physical too so its like i'm more sedentary and thats not helping weightloss and i am just cranky.... wahwahwah!:p

i did look up a personal trainer today.... i emailed him asking him about costs and am waiting a reply.... i wonder if it would be a good idea....

floggg

itsallaboutheL wrote: »

+1 OP ease up on yourself!!

However it hink going to the gym the morning after a big night is a terrible idea Flogg, and is asking for trouble

Why, never done me any harm! no need to go stupid with it, but it sure beats sitting on your arse telling yourself how hung over you are!

ragg

i know a cheat meal is a good idea but somehow i feel i've gone and ruined a week of effort and then cheat a bit more....

One cheat meal after a drinking session isn't a disaster, far from it. you wont have taken in enough cals to put on weight. It will raise your leptin levels - which is great for people who are dieting heavily, As raised leptin levens means your body burns fat more efficiently, so doing bad sometimes is good! In my opinion, its best to get back on the horse when you wake up in the morning. Sometimes its hard to eat healthy after a session, but stick with it - If you can do that, then you will be able to enjoy your nights more and not get caught up in the whole drink depression thing.

rubadub

itsallaboutheL wrote: »

However it hink going to the gym the morning after a big night is a terrible idea Flogg, and is asking for trouble

If I did nothing after a "big night" I would never get off my arse

I would not be trapping my self under a bench press going for a 1RM or anything, but a good hard cycle sweats the booze out of me very well. I would not be inside though, go down to the beach or something.