I am giving up beer for 30 days

[Rhumbline]

Just when I think this is easy I walk into the supermarket and I'm faced with a mountain of crispy, salty, wonderful chips just begging me to fill my cart, leaving only enough room for beer.

Came home and had a nice bowl of yoghurt with fruit instead. Man, I resent the hell out of that yoghurt.

 

[Cheesy_Goodness]

Yesterday was a toughie. I spent most of the day in the kitchen doing a few projects (smoking bacon, making spinach pie triangles, infusing liquors, etc) and could really have used a pint of...well anything. My happy place is in the kitchen drinking and doing things like chopping veggies and such. Going with the latter was a toughie.

No alcohol for me either (unless you count a sip of beer for QC purposes and a few bottles of kombucha @ ~.5% alcohol).

Anyone figured out what their first beer/drink back will be? It's still early for some but I've got the rest of today and 5 more days.

 

[Rhumbline]

...

Anyone figured out what their first beer/drink back will be? It's still early for some but I've got the rest of today and 5 more days.

Well, I've got a batch of ginger beer in the fridge, but I'm pretty sure that my re-entry beer will be a Duvel.

I just bottled a beer du garde so it will be a bit too early to drink it in two weeks.

 

[fsr_racer]

Day 15: HUMP DAY! I am trying to stay away from thinking about what my 1st beer back will be, as thinking about it makes it harder to abstain. I know I am going to try a couple batches bottled after I started all this, other than that, who knows?

 

[menotu]

Came home and had a nice bowl of yoghurt with fruit instead. Man, I resent the hell out of that yoghurt.

This made me laugh a bunch, i understand only too well the feeling.

Anyone figured out what their first beer/drink back will be? It's still early for some but I've got the rest of today and 5 more days.

Cant decide if ill have 1 of two beers i bottled at the start of this or go up to a new tap room that opened up a few weeks ago, decisions decisions

either way ive only got 10 days to go and 1 more most likely very hard weekend to get through.

 

[Bowtiebrewery]

Im doing the same thing prior to my wedding. I cut my carbs down quite a bit, and am only allowing myself 1 (albeit large) glass of red wine per week. Im on day 8 and I am down 7.5 lbs... Also i'm keeping myself busy doing projects around the house, helping people and sweating my butt off.

I'll probably start to plateau in a few days, at that point, I'll start switching out different foods and running a bit outside with the dog.

I've done this before and in 1 month I lost around 20# when switching to a High protein low carb diet.

If I can't drink the beer, then I shall brew it!

 

[naturebrew]

Way to go all, you guys have the stamina and commitment to reach your goals, keep up the great work!

 

[brewcat]

Day 15... I wonder how my homebrews are doing? Wanted to enjoy one yesterday after kegging a wheat. Will be fun tomorrow when I check the carb level on the other keg. Might have a beer!

 

[ArizonaGoalie]

Awesome work man. Did you play hockey in AZ? I live in Twin Cities and have a couple guys on my league team that played at ASU. Pretty damn good players!

I did play hockey in AZ, started playing in 1994, hockey was nothing in Phoenix back then. Two rinks, if you would even call them that. Once the Jets moved to the Valley hockey really took off. It was nice to see so many rinks and so many people playing, especially kids.

I moved to San Diego in 2009, played for a couple years out here, but the leagues were messy. So I joined a very, very competitive ball hockey league. Keeps the competitive spirit going. And man, some of those guys can shoot a ball 90+ mph and it moves, unlike a puck.

It's been cool to watch ASU go from a club hockey team with players I played with and against, to a fully funded Division I program. The players there now are light years ahead of where they were 10 years ago, even 5 years ago.

Cheers!

 

[SatanPrinceOfDarkness]

Day 15? Well, I've had a second sort of skip day. By which I mean, I had a beer this weekend. I don't feel bad about it though.

After a tense morning with SWMBO Sunday, I took to my bicycle and fled to the climbing gym. Gym done, I hit the trail. I'm a urban biker, with a fixed gear, single speed bicycle. I hopped on the SRT which goes for just about forever (part of a network from Florida to Maine) and proceeded to bike the farthest I ever have. And then I turned around and headed home.

On the way out I passed Conshohocken Brewery and was sad that I wouldn't be able to stop. On the 26 mile journey out I passed one other food spot, a small cafe not far from the brewery. Having left home around noon, and turning around on the trail around 3, I was seriously ready for some grub. I manage to hold out for the cafe. Which is closed. At 4:30PM. mothereffer!

So with every muscle aching and seriously considering just sleeping on the trail, I stopped at the brewery, ordered quantities of food, and a pint of their lowest alcohol beer, a very tasty Mild Ale at 3.5%. I resisted a second and got on my way again.

Considering the whole point of this (for me) is to lose weight, I don't feel too bad about yesterday. I burned well over 3K calories between the gym and the ride. I was in serious need of nourishment with few other choices (other than wandering off trail in search of game). I might have forgone a beer at the brewery, but it would have felt a bit rude.

Oh well, I'm down 10 pounds since this all started, and I'm really happy about that. I have about 12 pounds to my (start drinking) goal weight, and I think I might keep going after that.

 

[Rhumbline]

Day 15? Well, I've had a second sort of skip day. By which I mean, I had a beer this weekend. I don't feel bad about it though.

...

Great work!

Don't sweat the off day, it's the results that matter.

I keep telling myself that it's a marathon, not a sprint, so if I have to go off my pace there's no harm. I've been able to stay off alcohol but the restrictions of the diet are what are the bigger challenge.

 

[Bowtiebrewery]

Congrats man on a burn like that. Just be careful about over-working yourself. If you start to plateau and you still want to keep losing some weight (depending on how much fat you really have) you can change up your diet and your workout routine dramatically. The body gets used to things after a while and will prioritize how to efficiently metabolize your energy storage. If you are currently in a calorie deficient diet, you will still lose weight with the right amount of energy... But if you are just eating clean (what I'm currently doing) You can easily switch out a few foods to trick your body into burning more fat rather than sugars/carbs.

Take a chance and for a few days (3-5) switch to a high protein high fat very low carb diet (Ketogenic diet, similar to paleo) Basically eat frequently and don't eat anything with carbs or sugar (so no fruit or most colored veggies)

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/keto.htm

I've done this diet several times, and although hard to stick to, can really help you shed weight.

KEEP GOING, STAY STRONG! RESIST THE POTATO CHIPS!

 

[Cheesy_Goodness]

I can already tell that no beer tonight will be an easy decision. Heat index of sunovab!tch degrees F makes me want nothing but ice water.

 

[naturebrew]

So the article on HBT today is how to develop and maintain a healthy lifestyle when brewing, cool.

 

[Rhumbline]

So the article on HBT today is how to develop and maintain a healthy lifestyle when brewing, cool.

I saw that, nice timing.

I look forward to reintroducing beer and wine to my diet in a healthy way.

As I've said before, it's really the snacking that's sabotaging me. The beer is just a co-conspirator.

 

[SatanPrinceOfDarkness]

Congrats man on a burn like that. Just be careful about over-working yourself. If you start to plateau and you still want to keep losing some weight (depending on how much fat you really have) you can change up your diet and your workout routine dramatically. The body gets used to things after a while and will prioritize how to efficiently metabolize your energy storage. If you are currently in a calorie deficient diet, you will still lose weight with the right amount of energy... But if you are just eating clean (what I'm currently doing) You can easily switch out a few foods to trick your body into burning more fat rather than sugars/carbs.

Take a chance and for a few days (3-5) switch to a high protein high fat very low carb diet (Ketogenic diet, similar to paleo) Basically eat frequently and don't eat anything with carbs or sugar (so no fruit or most colored veggies)

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/keto.htm

I've done this diet several times, and although hard to stick to, can really help you shed weight.

KEEP GOING, STAY STRONG! RESIST THE POTATO CHIPS!

my diet is all about quantity of food and exercise. I use myfitnesspal and so far am happy with the results. I'm eating at a significant calorie deficit which is surprisingly easy to do if I exercise moderately each day. If you look at my early posts in this thread, I talk about how alcohol was messing up my caloric intake due to reduced willpower.

If I ever do it stuck though, I suppose I might try keto.

 

[ArizonaGoalie]

21 DAYS TO CREATE A HABIT.....

21 days down, 9 to go. Easy day. Went for a hike in the morning, doc appt late morning, easy afternoon of work. Watched Chicago bring home the Cup. First time I've watched the Stanley Cup be given out without a beer in hand in YEARS.

Single digits left....

 

[MindenMan]

Today is the second day this week I haven't had a beer. The days weren't in a row, but I want to make sure if I don't have a beer today or tomorrow I don't crave one. The Brown Porter I brewed three weeks ago is too green to drink, so that isn't a temptation and I have enough grain to brew at least 7-1/2 gallons waiting for me. Tomorrow I will probably get a new package of 1084 yeast and some DME to make a starter. If I get my act together I may brew on Thursday as Wednesday I have two tickets to "1000 Days of Beer" a local tasting event with 16+ confirmed breweries. If you are anywhere near Reno or Carson City, Nv, Google the "Minden Meat and Deli", Minden, Nv.:rockin:

 

[Rhumbline]

I think lack of beer has affected my ability to count. I was convinced that I was a few days behind but looking again I just finished day 21.

I'm sticking to the 30 day commitment, so we are "single digit midgets".

That's what I should have done, create a "short timer's calendar" with a drawing of a glass where each day you color in part of the glass until the last day when you've got a full pint drawn, that's beer day.

 

[LakeErieMonster]

I have been following this post since the beginning, and was never planning on giving up beer for any amount of time (I probably average a few pints/work week and maybe 5/day on the weekend). Two weekends ago I was very busy at work and with things around the house so I didn't have any beers. After that weekend I figured I would see how long I could go without beer.
I am currently at 12 days and will probably last until I go out to eat. I hate going out to eat and ordering a water...

 

[Firewalker11]

Thanks all for the inspiration to be mindful of my intake. I tasted my 2 hearted clone yesterday and spit it out since I'm staying dry during the week for now on and keeping to ice water and a morning cup of joe.

 

[storytyme]

Once again this is a great thread and one that I check everyday. Congrats to all of you taking a break. I thought the article on problem drinking was a good one. Back in college I got a DUI while riding a little scooter in front of our house. That experienced sucked! After I completed the mandatory course my teacher's final evaluation was that I didn't have a problem, just a mistake in judgement. Since then though I have always been sensitive or worried about having a "problem". What I have learned since then and many years later is that I enjoy having a beer or 2 to relax. Not really to even get drunk. Last night I came home after a 10 hr day and had 2.5 pints of a pale ale, and then drank ice water and hung out until 9:30 and went to bed with the family. This is a normal night except maybe I only have 1-2 pints. Do I have a problem? I then hear of people that drink 8-15 beers a day, everyday! I can't even wrap my mind around this, but I guess that is what a drinking problem looks like. I will continue to brew and enjoy the creations and a cold one after a hard days work, but in the back of my mind is that 14 beers per week number that I feel is a great guideline to follow. Sorry for all the rambling. Off to work and will be checking in on everyone later today. Cheers!

 

[Rhumbline]

... Do I have a problem? I then hear of people that drink 8-15 beers a day, everyday! I can't even wrap my mind around this, but I guess that is what a drinking problem looks like...Off to work and will be checking in on everyone later today. Cheers!

My personal measure is it becomes a problem if it negatively affects your personal, professional, or social life. Two beers a night is within the recommended healthy consumption rate.

it sounds like you have a healthy relationship with beer.

 

[beernutz]

I'm 56 and have never had a heart-related issue in my life though my late father did. At 6 feet, 196, I'm carrying a few extra pounds gained in good part from beer consumption. Out of the blue last week I sit down and measure my blood pressure at the drugstore while waiting to pick up a prescription and it is 136/83. I have a home monitor and every few weeks take a reading and that was the first time in my life I'd ever registered over 120 or 80. Those drugstore blood pressure readers are notoriously inaccurate but I unfortunately confirmed that reading at home on my own monitor.

Yikes, can you say wake up call? According to heart.org one of the best ways to reduce your blood pressure is to lose weight, so I'm giving up all alcohol which was about 95% ingested via beer until I am down below 183 which would take me out of the overweight BMI category into normal range. And so begins my no beer journey which I expect will last at least 30 days.

Thanks for starting this thread and for those who have chimed in with their own experiences.

 

[Homercidal]

Thank you all for being my proxy dry homebrewers. Last night I had a Founders Centennial Ale with dinner, than a half glass of homebrew amber out in the garage as I putzed around. Then another half a glass back inside the house, before finally pouring most of a glass of homebrew Witbier to watch drunk history with my daughter.

Stay strong for me, my brothers!

 

[brewcat]

Well...I had to have a beer last night. Was stressed with work and really wanted to try my kegging system. I didn't feel too bad about it. I had to do something enjoyable and it tasted great. But now I need to fix a leaky beer hose. Seems the barbed picnic tap didn't seal with the hose. So I'll redo that and probably a hose clamp for good measure. Then test it tonight. You know...just to make sure...

 

[beersk]

This thread has definitely been inspiration for controlling the beer intake. I'm not taking any significant time off, but definitely working on learning to moderate my intake for long term health (both physical and mental) purposes. Everything in moderation, including moderation!

Way to go, those of you who have gone without for several weeks.

 

[Scriv]

Day 9: dropping some homebrew off with friends for feedback, but I will not partake. Not as rough as I thought it would be so far, 21 days to go.

 

[ArizonaGoalie]

DAY 22:

Creeping in on a week left. Weekdays are quite easy now. I'm enjoying the extra caloric intake provided by not drinking beer.

Just got my Mega Pot 2.0 yesterday. Excited to start brewing again!

8 days left....

 

[Rhumbline]

DAY 22:

Creeping in on a week left. Weekdays are quite easy now. I'm enjoying the extra caloric intake provided by not drinking beer.

Just got my Mega Pot 2.0 yesterday. Excited to start brewing again!

8 days left....

It's funny, I just ordered a Brew-Boss system even though I'm planning on cutting back on my consumption when this is all over. I'm thinking I'll focus on quality, not quantity.

The finish line is in sight.