Two drinks before dinner problematic?

[Anonymous]

I was enjoying 2-3 drinks a day while on vacation this summer. 6 pounds later, I’ve cut back considerably and decided to go cold turkey for September to lose some weight, which I did. However, I’m miserable. I don’t care about having to seriously cut back on sweets too (my weakness) but I really hated giving up my pre dinner cocktail. Is it concerning to have two drinks before dinner (think Negroni or one cocktail and a glass of wine with dinner)? Is it problematic that this makes me happy and the little buzz makes my evening more fun/enjoyable? I’ve never felt like this before so I’m just looking for a sanity check. I’m married, late 40s, 2 tween kids, happy marriage, but definitely a little bored and missing adult time. TIA!

[Anonymous]

You're going to get conflicting opinions, but as someone who can't stop at two (sober now) I think if you can really stop at two then there are worse things.

Yes, it's over the maximum recommended CDC limit and all that but in the big scheme of things I say not a big deal as long as you are being truthful with yourself and it's not bleeding over into a second and third glass of wine - because that is a problem.

[Anonymous]

It’s not healthy but your not an alcoholic.

[Anonymous]

2 drinks before dinner... is a lot on the regular. What if you need to drive your kid to urgent care?

[Anonymous]

I’d love to drink every night, even just 1. I like the taste. But I don’t like the calories or the impact on overall health (including sleep).

I doubt drinking 2 drinks a night is the secret to your happiness.

I make a rule, any day I exceed my calorie burn target on my Fitbit by more than 400 calories I can have a drink, except not 2 days in a row, except for special exceptions and special exceptions can’t happen on weeknights. I can save up one credit during the week by not drinking mon-thurs and then drink fri, sat, and sun evenings.

So in the end this means I’ll usually have a drink 3-4 nights a week.

[Anonymous]

I don't think it is great. Why don't you try to get the adult time you're missing?

[Anonymous]

Eh you just got into a habit. Will take a while to forget the habit. I’d say two drinks is fine except the calories/sugar, which you’ve realized. So maybe just have the drinks twice a week? I always have a drink Friday and Saturday night and I really look forward to it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’d love to drink every night, even just 1. I like the taste. But I don’t like the calories or the impact on overall health (including sleep).

I doubt drinking 2 drinks a night is the secret to your happiness.

I make a rule, any day I exceed my calorie burn target on my Fitbit by more than 400 calories I can have a drink, except not 2 days in a row, except for special exceptions and special exceptions can’t happen on weeknights. I can save up one credit during the week by not drinking mon-thurs and then drink fri, sat, and sun evenings.

So in the end this means I’ll usually have a drink 3-4 nights a week.

This.

[Anonymous]

I think you are an alcoholic if you feel you need the alcohol. You should go to an AA meeting to talk with people there about it. I am very serious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think you are an alcoholic if you feel you need the alcohol. You should go to an AA meeting to talk with people there about it. I am very serious.

Oh stop. So then they can preach that the only way to fix you is to not drink at all.

[Anonymous]

I don’t think you’re an alcoholic if you can stop at two, but it’s not healthy and is a slippery slope. Try cutting back to one glass of wine that you sip slowly.

[Anonymous]

You're bored and need to develop new habits and hobbies. What else could you do with your time before dinner? Find something to takes its place that makes you happy instead of a drink. Reading, games, an online class, talking to someone else.

[Anonymous]

To me the ritual and feeling of a treat matters. Can you sub in something non-alcoholic? Seltzer with a splash of orange juice and maraschino cherry for example, or spiced cider, or a shrub or virgin cocktail if you're really getting fancy.

I feel the same way about a drink after the kids go to bed, and I don't love it, so I try to stick to alcohol on the weekends. It does make me more likely to drink a couple on a weekend night though, whereas when I'm not limiting myself I'm more likely to just split one with my husband and call it quits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To me the ritual and feeling of a treat matters. Can you sub in something non-alcoholic? Seltzer with a splash of orange juice and maraschino cherry for example, or spiced cider, or a shrub or virgin cocktail if you're really getting fancy.

I feel the same way about a drink after the kids go to bed, and I don't love it, so I try to stick to alcohol on the weekends. It does make me more likely to drink a couple on a weekend night though, whereas when I'm not limiting myself I'm more likely to just split one with my husband and call it quits.

This is a good idea, to the extent I’m addicted at all, it’s to drinking something that’s not tap water. I don’t drink soda. So I have substituted San Pellegrino, kombucha, La croix for non drinking days/evenings. Those hit the spot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was enjoying 2-3 drinks a day while on vacation this summer. 6 pounds later, I’ve cut back considerably and decided to go cold turkey for September to lose some weight, which I did. However, I’m miserable. I don’t care about having to seriously cut back on sweets too (my weakness) but I really hated giving up my pre dinner cocktail. Is it concerning to have two drinks before dinner (think Negroni or one cocktail and a glass of wine with dinner)? Is it problematic that this makes me happy and the little buzz makes my evening more fun/enjoyable? I’ve never felt like this before so I’m just looking for a sanity check. I’m married, late 40s, 2 tween kids, happy marriage, but definitely a little bored and missing adult time. TIA!

Have you read any of the recent studies? Its bad. You got a good life, don't go on a slippery slope.