I’m 43 and same with alcohol. I’m a teacher and the summer was a waaaaay more relaxed. So I feel I gained weight from indulging in alcohol and treats. I’m much better now when in a routine but I’m feeling some extra weight that hasn’t gone anywhere yet.

I think I need to tighten up in general. Cut the portions at dinner and stick with 1 of whatever, cookie or bread or what not.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not to encourage more drinking, but i find that drinking earlier makes a big difference. If you're going to drink two glasses, do it between 5-7, then it's pretty much out of your system by the time you go to bed.

On the flip side, if I have my one glass of wine at 6, I'm really going to want another one (or a 3rd ) by 9.

So, if I want until 9 to have my first (when the house is finally quiet and everyone is in bed), I can usually stick to just 1

Definitely a risk! Personally I have my drinks early to get through the 5-8 chaos of getting home making dinner putting kids to bed. Once that’s done I’m usually not looking for another drink but looking forward to sitting back down to work or relax. Mentally healthy, maybe not, but trying to get through the day.

I am also 42 and fit. From time to time I cut out wine (mostly to make sure I can). I can get myself worked up about the long-term damage people our age are doing to kidneys and livers and whatnot. My parents did not drink like this until they were well into their 60s.

The bummer is that I honestly don't notice an immediate benefit - no weight loss or better sleep. What I do notice is increased depression. Every day (I mostly still work from home) is a tireless, monotonous, never-ending work day. I basically work all day, do kid stuff all night, and then go to bed. Drinking a glass of wine at least is something sorta fun to break up the ennui.

Remember when your parents were at this stage, saying how they couldn't drink as much any more ... and you pitited them and were shaking your head thinking it would NEVER.HAPPEN.TO.YOU. ? I do .

Anonymous wrote:Not to encourage more drinking, but i find that drinking earlier makes a big difference. If you're going to drink two glasses, do it between 5-7, then it's pretty much out of your system by the time you go to bed.

On the flip side, if I have my one glass of wine at 6, I'm really going to want another one (or a 3rd ) by 9.

So, if I want until 9 to have my first (when the house is finally quiet and everyone is in bed), I can usually stick to just 1

Anonymous wrote:Not to encourage more drinking, but i find that drinking earlier makes a big difference. If you're going to drink two glasses, do it between 5-7, then it's pretty much out of your system by the time you go to bed.

I agree with this. And drinking a lot of water before bed seems to help me feel less bloated/puffy

Not to encourage more drinking, but i find that drinking earlier makes a big difference. If you're going to drink two glasses, do it between 5-7, then it's pretty much out of your system by the time you go to bed.

I’ve been a vegetarian for 20 years so can’t speak to that…but the wine. Yep. I’ve cut it down to just weekends and just feel and look so much better. I’ve lost about 5 lb just from that.

I am early 40s and feel like i just hit a total wall with alcohol- i feel awful the next day even if i only have a little. I like a glass of red wine here and there though! it also makes me crave carby snack food more now and i feel doubly gross the next day.

FWIW OP, I'm 49 and feel like I went through a trough in my 40s where alcohol also really hit me hard and just made me feel like crap. I've never been a big drinker but enjoyed the occasional 2-cocktail or 2-wineglass night out with the girls until about 42 when it really started to leave me feeling so crappy. But, suddenly I'm finding that I can get away with it again in reasonable amounts! So I wonder if there was some hormone shifting going on that is now straightening itself out or something. My mom, who is nearing 80, drinks more now than I've ever seen her do and she is still far more energetic than I am - so maybe that ability comes back to us.

Anonymous wrote:I never noticed how bad being vegetarian made me feel until I started eating meat again. So interesting how everybody is different.

wheat also makes my stomach & head hurt. I can eat a little, but ... it's like a trigger for me and I can't stop at one piece of bread.

And sugar. OMG. Now makes me fart. Stinky farts. When I don't eat sugar, I don't fart.

Sugar makes me smelly, too. And alcohol keeps me up at night. Sleep is too rare and precious for that. I’ve cut it out entirely for the last year, but am considering adding it back in on special occasions (when entertaining, Christmas) and just planning to suffer the next day, even if I only have a little. It sounds dumb when I write that, but even though alcohol is really unhealthy (as all the “heart healthy” stuff has been debunked), wine still tastes delicious to me, and I miss the feeling of a little buzz.

stop drinking alcohol. It does nothing good for you. If you don't feel good eating meat, I would cut it down, but not drop it entirely.

I never noticed how bad being vegetarian made me feel until I started eating meat again. So interesting how everybody is different.

wheat also makes my stomach & head hurt. I can eat a little, but ... it's like a trigger for me and I can't stop at one piece of bread.

And sugar. OMG. Now makes me fart. Stinky farts. When I don't eat sugar, I don't fart.