I am giving up beer for 30 days

[DurtyChemist]

DAY 7 - NO BEER:

Day started out great. Doctor's appointment.....I'm down 10lbs and my blood pressure went from 140/92 a week a go and today it was 118/68. Fantastico!

Bad news tho - doc says no coffee for the next 30 days too. Man o' man.

Anyway, easy day for no beer. Not even tempted.

23 days left....

I would have killed my doctor. Beer is one thing but beer AND coffee I might have some problems. I drink 32 ounces of black coffee daily.

I'm assuming no coffee = no caffeine and not just eliminate coffee but take up drinking tea.

 

[1977Brewer]

I would have killed my doctor. Beer is one thing but beer AND coffee I might have some problems. I drink 32 ounces of black coffee daily.



I'm assuming no coffee = no caffeine and not just eliminate coffee but take up drinking tea.

Take my beer and we fight, take my coffee and I'll plot your destruction.

 

[Rhumbline]

DAY 7 - NO BEER:

Day started out great. Doctor's appointment.....I'm down 10lbs and my blood pressure went from 140/92 a week a go and today it was 118/68. Fantastico!

Bad news tho - doc says no coffee for the next 30 days too. Man o' man.

Anyway, easy day for no beer. Not even tempted.

23 days left....

Excellent results!

I'm not sure how, but I regained a pound yesterday. No big deal, I'm in this for the long haul.

Giving up coffee would be hard on me but would probably prove fatal to a few of my coworkers.

Down 5.

 

[Homercidal]

Just an FYI, but you really need to take several BP measurements a day to get a nice average. Your BP can bounce up and down quite a bit over the course of a few hours, or jump up or down quite a bit in a moment.

 

[beersk]

Just an FYI, but you really need to take several BP measurements a day to get a nice average. Your BP can bounce up and down quite a bit over the course of a few hours, or jump up or down quite a bit in a moment.

Yeah, but the fact that his read that low in the doctor's office is saying something I think. I think the changes he's made has definitely made a difference in his health.

I don't understand people's deal is with coffee. It's like crack. They can't live or function with out...that's just f*cked. I like coffee, but jesus, I don't need to drink it everyday.

 

[bondra76]

your weight can bounce up and down too depending on how many slices of pepperoni you've had that day. But I'd say anything below your "average" BP or weight is a win.

encouragement!

 

[SnakeRidge]

Take my beer and we fight, take my coffee and I'll plot your destruction.

Take my coffee and I'm pretty sure I would self destruct and take out several city blocks.

 

[storytyme]

This is a great thread. It seems like most of us are all in the same boat as homebrewers. Here is my story. About 4 years ago I was always feeling sluggish and not real happy with the way I looked. After Thanksgiving I hit 205 (I'm 5'11"). That might not seem like a lot to some but for me it did. So I started working out and running like crazy and I counted calories like no other.....even down to gum. Obviously cutting back on the beer helped. I would drink the lightest low calorie beer I could, but then used some other calories for a craft beer and damn it tasted great. Weight came off and now it is all about maintaining (172-177 lbs). Shortly after the 30+ lb weight loss I started homebrewing. I have been brewing now for 3 years and today I weighed 174. It can be done, but the hardest part is to get the weight down by making the commitment, and then maintaining it. I don't usually have dessert and I am an active person (PE teacher and farmer). Plus my wife is on a restricted diet and does not drink. I will have 2 homebrews a night and be great. Sometimes a 3rd (a bit more tired in the morning). On Fri/Sat maybe a 4th, but that is about it. I enjoy reading everybody's personal stories, so thank you.

Cheers everyone.

 

[menotu]

Curious if any of you have done any bottling/kegging since starting? Was a little behind and had 2 5gal batches ready for bottles so figured i would get them done yesterday. I got everything done and went well but will admit smelling all that tasty beer and not having one was a little bit of a bummer. Wondering how its been for the rest of you?

 

[naturebrew]

DAY 7 - NO BEER:

Day started out great. Doctor's appointment.....I'm down 10lbs and my blood pressure went from 140/92 a week a go and today it was 118/68. Fantastico!

Bad news tho - doc says no coffee for the next 30 days too. Man o' man.

Anyway, easy day for no beer. Not even tempted.

23 days left....

Wow, your doc is a hard ass! Lol, great that you BP dropped like that, I have to get mine down a bit as well, not sure I want to drop coffee at the moment, perhaps when I have retired and can get out of the work routine I am in now. Keep it up everyone!

 

[locolorenzo22]

B/p average needs to be taken with a home machine at about the same time everyday and about 1.5-2 hours post any b/p medications to get a good idea of where the b/p consistantly is. Trust me, I'm a nurse.
OP, sounds like you've made great strides in your journey, and keep up the good work!

 

[ArizonaGoalie]

Curious if any of you have done any bottling/kegging since starting? Was a little behind and had 2 5gal batches ready for bottles so figured i would get them done yesterday. I got everything done and went well but will admit smelling all that tasty beer and not having one was a little bit of a bummer. Wondering how its been for the rest of you?

I will be bottling this weekend. I'll let you know!

 

[ArizonaGoalie]

DAY 8 - NO BEER:

Thought about beer a little as I planned out two upcoming trips in late June and early July. Will be hitting breweries/brewpubs in Phoenix, Flagstaff, and Salt Lake.

The posts on this thread have been a big help. Feel like we have a real community of people in the same boat. Thanks to all for sharing your stories and encouragement.

22 days left....

 

[brewcat]

Honestly cutting my coffee consumption down has been quite helpful. I'm down to one 6 ounce cup a day. I don't really miss the extra ounces and tend to enjoy my cup more.

I might join in on this 30 day journey. I may have to check homebrew in two or three weeks, but I'm thinking none of it will be ready until July. My maibock is ready but could use more aging so not a big deal.

 

[Rhumbline]

DAY 8 - NO BEER:

Thought about beer a little as I planned out two upcoming trips in late June and early July. Will be hitting breweries/brewpubs in Phoenix, Flagstaff, and Salt Lake.

The posts on this thread have been a big help. Feel like we have a real community of people in the same boat. Thanks to all for sharing your stories and encouragement.

22 days left....

I gotta agree that your doc is a ball buster, what more does a guy have to do over a week?

I'm back to being minus six pounds. Brewed last night and will do another batch tonight.

Im also traveling later this year, I'll be spending December in Rome and I know that will be a challenge to my diet. I've already scheduled a beer tour.

Thanks again for leading the charge on this, and congrats to everyone who is taking the challenge.

 

[SatanPrinceOfDarkness]

Day 8. The last few days have been okay. I was hangover tempted on Sunday after the wedding to try a brand new brew pub in my fiancee's tiny hometown, but we ended up ordering in.

Tonight is a new challenge. I've agreed to meet friends at a bar. I'm planning to get dinner there just so I'm not eating a barstool. They have good food... But they also have good beer. Wish me luck!

 

[fsr_racer]

Honestly cutting my coffee consumption down has been quite helpful. I'm down to one 6 ounce cup a day. I don't really miss the extra ounces and tend to enjoy my cup more.

I might join in on this 30 day journey. I may have to check homebrew in two or three weeks, but I'm thinking none of it will be ready until July. My maibock is ready but could use more aging so not a big deal.

Day 2: I also tried to wean myself off coffee slowly, but have a nice headache today as a result. I knew it was coming, but the loud mouth in the office isn't making it easy. Off to the Thinks My Co-Worker Do That Annoy Me thread...

 

[Rhumbline]

Hang in there satan,

It would be too much of a challenge for me to give up caffeine and beer simultaneously. I have cut out all sugar, and I substitute green tea for coffee occasionally.

Today could have broke me. I just sat through 90 minutes of a presentation from two nimrods trying to sell my university a half mil $ software package. You could have snatched two people at random off the street and they would have a good chance of being more knowledgeable about the product. There's a 100% chance that they would be more engaging speakers. The presentation was supposed to last four hours but I bailed.

I'm tempted to contact the company and tell them to check their reps to see if they have any sh!ts left before sending them over, because these two guys were fresh out.

It's a shame, I know the product is decent but I can't recommend it based on what they presented.

 

[passedpawn]

Hang in there satan,

It would be too much of a challenge for me to give up caffeine and beer simultaneously. I have cut out all sugar, and I substitute green tea for coffee occasionally.

Today could have broke me. I just sat through 90 minutes of a presentation from two nimrods trying to sell my university a half mil $ software package. You could have snatched two people at random off the street and they would have a good chance of being more knowledgeable about the product. There's a 100% chance that they would be more engaging speakers. The presentation was supposed to last four hours but I bailed.

I'm tempted to contact the company and tell them to check their reps to see if they have any sh!ts left before sending them over, because these two guys were fresh out.

It's a shame, I know the product is decent but I can't recommend it based on what they presented.

Are you at Palmer College?

 

[Cheesy_Goodness]

Wouldn't mind doing one of these myself soon. There's a triathlon in September I would like to train for...

But we're headed to the beach in a few weeks.
With the inlaws.
I'll be drinking that week.

 

[storytyme]

I love this thread. I thought about it when I got home last night. I was literally walking out to the garage to pour a tasty pint and I turned around and drank ice water instead. I went to bed early due to a long day and woke up with a ton of energy. Not doing the 30 day thing, but support all you that do. Cheers (with ice water!!)

 

[beersk]

I love this thread. I thought about it when I got home last night. I was literally walking out to the garage to pour a tasty pint and I turned around and drank ice water instead. I went to bed early due to a long day and woke up with a ton of energy. Not doing the 30 day thing, but support all you that do. Cheers (with ice water!!)

I have cut back, myself, lately and it's really helping with energy and ambition. I was on a steady increase for several years and got to the point where I was drinking 3-5 pints a night with more on the weekends. Now I'm trying to only have 1-2 during weeknights and not really going crazy on weekends. It's really helping. And I think it's good to change one's lifestyle to just not drink as much in general. It helps you appreciate the beer more while being healthier at the same time.
And I agree, this is a cool thread. Lots of support here.

 

[MindenMan]

I used to regularly have two home brews every night, and I have made a conscious decision to have one or none for a while. I am waiting on a brown porter to finish bottle conditioning (05-22-2015), and I am not planning to try one until 6-12-2015 with some friends at a party at their house. I will also be bringing over a bottle of blended and aged berry applejack for all to taste; 12 oz won't go very far unfortunately...

 

[Rhumbline]

Are you at Palmer College?

No, ERAU in Daytona Beach.

 

[fuzzy2133]

Ever have one of those nights where a beer sounds really good but higher priorities have to be handled first, then when you have the chance you are so tired you say **** it and head for bed? 8 months ago I would have grabbed the pint now it is not that big of a deal. Keep it guys and gals it is for the good of human kind.

 

[Charles1968]

A great way to make sure you control your drink and not vice versa is simply to log how much you consume. I've been doing this with an Android phone app called Alcodroid for two years. I'm used to logging all the measurements from brews, so logging what I drink is no different. When I started, without any particular intention to cut down, my consumption halved pretty quickly. I had my eye on the graph every day and ended up competing with myself to have less each week. I quickly switched to bottling only in 12 ounce bottles and now only have one of those a night. I don't brew anything over 5%, but I brew for strong flavour: lots of hops, characterful yeast, strong carbonation.

Current medical thinking is that 1-2 UK units (8-16 grams) of alcohol a day is good for middle aged males as it protects against atherosclerosis (cause of stroke & heart disease). Going above this quickly reverses the benefit, and bingeing is a fast-track to heart disease and all sorts of other problems. Chronic moderately heavy drinking obviously bad for you in all sorts of ways.

Using alcodroid & changing the way I brew has made it much easier for me to steadily lower my consumption to a level that is pretty much harmless but still enjoyable. I still get the brief craving to have another after that one beer, but it passes after half an hour or so, and disappears immediately if you eat.

Other benefits of consuming in moderation: great sleep, waking up feeling great, and being full of energy at work.

I couldn't give up coffee. Did try to cut down to one a day, but I like it too much and I like the energy. 2-3 a day seems about right to me.

very strongly recommend alcodroid to anyone on here. It's fascinating seeing how much you've consumed and great to be honest with yourself about it.

 

[Mismost]

I was 32 years old before I realized you could put the cork back in a bottle of Wild Turkey and it wouldn't go flat.....drinking that way had what you might call a negative impact on my life and first two marriages!

So, 28 years ago, I decided to seldom have more than two drinks and seldom drink two days In a row. No hangovers, bourbon bottle stays full a good while, have stayed married for 30 years now, and I get myself into much less trouble.

As a side note, I find the bourbon better, the beer colder, and the wife more loving! BUT.....you ain't getting my coffee pot!

I think what you are doing is great and you will find great rewards for your efforts! You can do this!

 

[ArizonaGoalie]

DAY 9 - NO BEER:

As I drove to my Dr. appointment this morning in La Jolla, I realized a couple seeks ago I would have planned my trip home to stop for a pint or two at a local brewery. Wow. I was literally planning my life around beer. Not so today...

Watching game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals, full belly of salad and chicken. Enjoying my ability to watch hockey without a beer. Loving the group on this thread.

REGARDING COFFEE: I've switched to Teeccino caffeine free, acid free, herbal coffee substitute. I really like it. It's not coffee, but it's good.

21 days left.....

 

[moreb33rplz]

I know and am related to a few friends of Bill W. I have had to endure all talk about "abuse & addiction" during many family gatherings, sober holiday parities and any time I stop in to see certain family members. I know I dont have a problem. I have spoken to people who have problems. Go to any 12 step meeting and listen. If you can relate or top their store, maybe you should attend more frequently.

https://ncadd.org/learn-about-alcohol/alcohol-abuse-self-test

I took the test and score a 4- so according to "them" I have an issue.
Like I said, I have 1 with dinner. Maybe 1 or 2 more on weekends. Some of of the people I know drank what ever they found and lost entire weeks to it.

"They say as soon you have to cut down on your drinking, you have a drinking problem"- Don Draper



my problem is not the beer, but the bag of chips I inhale after having the beer!
I have thought of going on the wagon for a while, but summer is the worst time. Too much outside time, and event that call for a cold one.

I may join you but belatedly (not sure if that is a word) in the winter!
But then again who am I kidding, I am already playing my winter brews!

This test is stupid. Has anyone ever had a drink who wouldn't qualify as an alcoholic according to that?

 

[hunter_le five]

"This test is stupid."

...said the alcoholic. ipe: