Day 30 - NO BEER

[fibesdrummer]

I am on day 30 of no Beer. I have lost 3.5 inches on my waste and 13 pounds while gaining .5 inches on my quads and keeping my biceps the same size. So I know that I have basically lost fat. I "replaced" my beer with A &W Diet Root Beer - for now.
It taste great and is "less filling"

I should say......I drank Sierra Nevada Tor**** Indian Pale Ale. It has 260 calories for each bottle. I drank 30 bottles a week.
So I basically cut 7800 calories a week from my diet. I have not changed my otherwise healthy diet. I am a biker who is training for races in the summer and fall. I also do long walks in the woods (hills) with my two Corgies and lift weights at home.

I biked 32 miles this past week and I am feeling a HUGE difference.

1. I no longer and burning off alcohol the first few miles.
2. I can go faster since I weight less.
3. Going to the bathroom is AMAZING. I pee better. I am guessing this is because my body doesn't have to work at dealing with the beer?
4. I sleep better
5. I am richer since I save $45 a week which means I spent $2340 a year on BEER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SuperZar]

Congrats on the lifestyle change. I'm on day 90+ with no beers (just the odd one here and there now), and it's also made a big difference for me in so many ways.

[mirroroferised]

Congratulations. I gave up 5 1/2 months ago and it was the best decision I've ever made. There are some studies floating around here to the benefits of beer but from my own experience only, I can not see one positive to drinking. I only ever drank in excess though...

Keep it up man. Your body and mind will thank you. Those around you might too.

[timeload]

any withdrawals ? that's a lot of beer IMO, never been a drinker. how do you feel overall, now that you are a non-drinker?

BTW congrats.

[thcalan]

You just described a life not worth living

[lifter629]

I should say......I drank Sierra Nevada Tor**** Indian Pale Ale. It has 260 calories for each bottle. !

That is crazy. I was just listening to Stone Cold Steve Austin's podcast last night and I believe that is the beer he drinks (only time I've ever heard of it.)

He is on funny sum bitch. I highly recommend his podcast when he doesn't have a wrestling guest on. I hate wrestling but like him. He talks a lot about training and his battles with beer. I drink on the weekends and also do whatever i want diet wise. M-F I am very strict so it becomes an acceptable balance for me. Life is too short to give up everything.

[fibesdrummer]

Thanks guys.

One thing I forgot to add was I am NOT giving up drinking completely. I will drink if I go out to eat and they have and IPA.......but I have not gone out to eat in 30 days.

Also, if I am at a party I would drink a beer if they had IPA.

So I guess I would still drink.........but not at home.........

Also, at this point my goal of getting in shape to be a better cyclist is a focus of mine right now and I am not messing around with it.

AND, I will turn 50 on May 7th..........so I have a weight loss/waist size/body-fat goal in mind for that date as well.

[fibesdrummer]

any withdrawals ? that's a lot of beer IMO, never been a drinker. how do you feel overall, now that you are a non-drinker?

BTW congrats.

Yes........going to the bathroom was weird for a while. The first few week was hard because I was always hungry for carbs.

BTW..........it was a lot of beer. But I also drank a ton of water, biked my ass off, and run(and did a sprint triathlon last year)......and my diet otherwise is way above average. So I did burn a lot of those calories off. Its just that this winter I packed them on.

Since I am a teacher I have 10 weeks off in the summer and I often do double workouts and have lots of time to recover.

[JOHN GARGANI]

4 or more beers PER DAY ,on average, is borderline Alcoholic....if you were a TRUE alcoholic ( physiological ), you wouldn't be able to do what you are suggesting, as, even one at a party would bring you right back to where you were.....

but for your overall health, and liver, man, don't even consider going back to that lifestyle..

[WBNATL]

Congrats to you for making that life changing decision. That's great you're already noticing a difference. Drink plenty of water. Shoot for a gallon a day....that would help you continue to make significant progress.

[ovfdfireman]

Excellent move! Has to be the right thing to do for your general health. If you drank beer 5 days a week and took 2 days off that's a 6 pack a night! Yikes.....

I like beer like the next guy, but drinking beer should not BE your hobby

[mxz44]

Thanks guys.

One thing I forgot to add was I am NOT giving up drinking completely. I will drink if I go out to eat and they have and IPA.......but I have not gone out to eat in 30 days.

Also, if I am at a party I would drink a beer if they had IPA.

So I guess I would still drink.........but not at home.........
.

I hope that works for you. For me,I found that making exceptions eventually led to making more exceptions until they became the norm.

[fibesdrummer]

I was using it as a drug I think. I rather not say what my "disorder" is but lets say the drug I am now is like a miracle drug. SO.......it completely 100% took my "craving" for beer.......which was really just something I used to numb my mental pain.

I also LOVE the taste of the IPA.........

I am trying to up my water content......right now I am "transitioning" with the diet root beer....and water....I am not up to a gallon a day yet..........

When I was heavy into bodybuilding I did drink a gallon a day. But now that I am biking.........if I drank that much I would have to stop and pee too much. So I have my sports drinks on the bike, the diet root-beer and as much water as I can get throughout the day. I also use water in my protein/kale shakes so that counts.

[mxz44]

Social anxiety?

[RT1957]

I stopped drinking when I began getting back in shape in 2011. I didn't drink 30 beers a week but I enjoyed beer and wine...the occasional Jack Daniels......I only stopped because of the calories.....after about 3 months I realized I didn't miss it and I haven't had a drink since....I still use beer or wine when cooking if the recipe uses it....but I never crave drinking it anymore....

[elrealronmexico]

Congrats, fibesdrummer. I cannot recall the last time I had a beer. It has been that long. When I did drink alcohol, I was a happy drunk. It was fun.

I gave it all up because the calories are worthless. It was an easy life decision. I'd rather eat food. I hate how alcohol makes me feel. Making the transition...I'd get one to two beers in me and it affects my brain and physiology and metabolism for the worse.

If I am going to do something stupid, I'd rather have a giant steak and greasy eggs and hashbrowns and white toast and really enjoy myself doing it. Now that's intoxicating.

I am on day 30 of no Beer. I have lost 3.5 inches on my waste and 13 pounds while gaining .5 inches on my quads and keeping my biceps the same size. So I know that I have basically lost fat. I "replaced" my beer with A &W Diet Root Beer - for now.
It taste great and is "less filling"

I should say......I drank Sierra Nevada Tor**** Indian Pale Ale. It has 260 calories for each bottle. I drank 30 bottles a week.
So I basically cut 7800 calories a week from my diet. I have not changed my otherwise healthy diet. I am a biker who is training for races in the summer and fall. I also do long walks in the woods (hills) with my two Corgies and lift weights at home.

I biked 32 miles this past week and I am feeling a HUGE difference.

1. I no longer and burning off alcohol the first few miles.
2. I can go faster since I weight less.
3. Going to the bathroom is AMAZING. I pee better. I am guessing this is because my body doesn't have to work at dealing with the beer?
4. I sleep better
5. I am richer since I save $45 a week which means I spent $2340 a year on BEER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[fibesdrummer]

Social anxiety?

Nope. I really rather not share it........doesn't really matter. The point is that I did something positive on the physical and mental level that has HUGE benefits to many aspects of my life.

I am just excited about and want others to know that there are benefits and that I went from drinking A LOT of beer to nothing and it wasn't even hard.

[Brackneyc]

I'm on year 20 with no alcohol. Feels good.

[fibesdrummer]

So I am on day 40 and I think my body is revolting a little.

I lost about 12-13 pounds but now I am retaining water/feel bloated/ feel like my body needs another kick in the pants to start burning more fat.

I have been biking a ton but have really not been lifting. All my energy is going into 25 - 30 mile bikes. I put in about 150 miles recently and all my recovery time is spent in the hot tub and eating carbs....

So I have to find the balance between lifting, biking, and eating a cleaner diet. its tough because I am famished after doing 25 miles with some hills being 900 feet climbs...

I am on a biking forum getting input from competitive cyclers but I am doing it more for my health and I cannot stop lifting (which a lot of bikers do during riding season).

[bodyhard]

I am on day 30 of no Beer.

FLEX just caught a mild heart attack!!

[ISAID69]

Congrats on the lifestyle change, and it seems like it was an easy enough decision to make to curb it a bit, I'm a recovering alcoholic and between gym and AA I've managed for the most part stay away from alcohol except for the odd beer from time to time which is awesome. I guess gym has so many healthy effects on a person it is actually easier to stay away from beer, etc because we don't want to ruin all the hard work we've put in. In the last 6 months I've only drank on 3 occasions and in the next 6 I hope it will be 0. Well done, keep it up.

[magic15]

fibesdrummer keep it up, eye of the tiger

[gavinjenkins12]

had my last alcholic bevrage dec25th 2011 :-) tea is now my poison lol

[fibesdrummer]

Hah. Last night after doing a 30 mile bike I was just beat up. It was 15 miles with the wind to my back and then 15 INTO the wind the whole way back.

So my wife was going to the store and I said...
you know I haven't had a drink in 40 days, get me a six pack

....I had a couple beers.

For some reasons it just didn't taste good and I didn't enjoy it! ? Go figure.

I really think there was some connection to emotional/mental stress and my drinking.....

And I measured my waist and I have lost a solid 4"....I am in size 32 jeans now and have to wear my belt on the second whole. I was wearing size 34 jeans all winter with NO belt.

[Plateauplower]

Congrats that's great. Alcohol is diets worst enemy. I slowed down significantly. I allow myself a few beers once every week or two but thinking about stopping that too because it blows my deficit for the day and I usually feel off the next day. I too like a good pale ale or craft beer damn them for having so many cals. Why can't they make them full of protein and EFAs.

[fibesdrummer]

I probably will have a IPA if I go to the local brew pub/restaurant.......seems to go better with dinner out.

I was actually "happy?" that I didn't enjoy the beer Monday night. Just no enjoyment or fun.....plus I am highly motivated to lose more body fat/weight.

Also, talking about it and posting here helps me stay accountable and motivated as well.

And if I keep getting in better shape maybe it will motivate/inspire someone to do the same?

[Jbizzlechizzle]

I am on day 30 of no Beer. I have lost 3.5 inches on my waste and 13 pounds while gaining .5 inches on my quads and keeping my biceps the same size. So I know that I have basically lost fat. I "replaced" my beer with A &W Diet Root Beer - for now.
It taste great and is "less filling"

I should say......I drank Sierra Nevada Tor**** Indian Pale Ale. It has 260 calories for each bottle. I drank 30 bottles a week.
So I basically cut 7800 calories a week from my diet. I have not changed my otherwise healthy diet. I am a biker who is training for races in the summer and fall. I also do long walks in the woods (hills) with my two Corgies and lift weights at home.

I biked 32 miles this past week and I am feeling a HUGE difference.

1. I no longer and burning off alcohol the first few miles.
2. I can go faster since I weight less.
3. Going to the bathroom is AMAZING. I pee better. I am guessing this is because my body doesn't have to work at dealing with the beer?
4. I sleep better
5. I am richer since I save $45 a week which means I spent $2340 a year on BEER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congrats! I'm a beer drinker too, but I don't see myself quitting altogether. I've cut back significantly in the last couple of weeks and see a huge difference in the way that I sleep, but not so much on the scale (I've been eating like a f***ing boss). That's amazing that you were able to cut beer out cold turkey like that after drinking 30/week. Good job.

[Creakylifter]

Keep it up Bro! I gave it up 10 years ago, developed an allergy.

I kept breaking out in handcuffs..

[fibesdrummer]

Keep it up Bro! I gave it up 10 years ago, developed an allergy.

I kept breaking out in handcuffs..

[suprchgtnt]

Same here gave up last year to get back in shape for the summer. After seeing significant gains and greater fat loss I decided that it was something that I could live without. Though I still get weird looks when I tell folks I don't drink. Its such a huge part of the culture here in KY