Amazing difference (booze / weight loss related)

[pbirkett]

Well, I weighed myself this morning, and am so pleased with what I saw that I have really found more motivation than I ever have in years to get myself back into shape.

To give a bit of background, I am a 31 year old bloke, who would probably be known as a piss head by most. I am about 5'10" and average build. I drank almost every single day until about 2 or 3 weeks ago when I got really depressed about how out of shape I felt and how unfit I was.

Throughout my 20s, after being quite a skinny teenager, I struggled with my weight. The main culprits were the dreaded booze - ironically I wasn't much of a drinker in my teens, but it slowly became a habit. Eventually, about 5 years ago, I decided I would do something about it, I started eating healthily and started walking every day, and I did cut down my boozing. I got down to 11.5 stone which I was chuffed with.

I celebrated that by joining a gym, but I slowly started drinking again, and even though I was gyming every day, the weight crept back on. I was also taken in by this thought of need to eat loads of protein / calories to put muscle on. All I ended up doing was getting fatter - although muscle DID go on as well, but I think I over did it.

Eventually when I met my current girlfriend, things have spiralled out of control for me, I stopped going to the gym and eventually quit the gym (partly for financial reasons though, I admit). My girlfriend also is a piss head, and we started drinking together every night - drinking up to 2 bottles of wine a night (each).

I've got to admit now, that it did bad things to my body and mind, I went a bit mental with her (for encouraging me) and threatened to leave her unless she too changed her ways - without my help, she would definitely continue in this way IMO. I also told her I don't find her attractive when she is overweight (as she now is), so we decided we would embark on eating healthy and no more booze through the week...

Which brings me to today - in 2 weeks I've lost half a stone by not drinking through the week, and no more takeaways. I always try and eat healthy at all times now. In terms of exercise, I've gone back to basics - walking and body weight exercises. I am REALLY pleased with the results, and just wanted to say that I think it will be the beginning of me really cutting down drinking now - I never thought i had it in me to do this. I will still go out with my mates on a friday but will now drink bottles of lager instead of pints of stella. For 3 reasons. Less calories. Also I should get the bus home on a night out rather than taxis as they cost me a fortune, but I get so drunk I just dont. Finally because I dont like being this drunk. I go on autopilot and its only a matter of time before I do myself an injury or worse! I often dont remember nights out.

So, this has given me the motivation to turn over a new leaf. I now want to look good, both for myself, and my lass. She too is doing well (despite having an under-active thyroid for which she is on medication) and hope she can get into shape too.

Also, part of the reason I want to share this on here, is to let people know they don't have to spend a fortune on gym memberships or pound treadmills day in, day out to lose weight.

[Ordinary_Chap]

Good work chap on making the healthy change!

As for the gym, it all comes down to what you're hoping to achieve. If you want to look like a cover model or a ripped dude then you'll need the gym and/or equipment but if you just want to be healthy and lose a few pounds then maybe you don't although I think thats dependent on the person since change comes easier for some people than it does for others.

You should keep adding to this thread to let us know how you're doing! So what is the ultimate goal? Just to be healthy or to get into great shape?

[JFReturns]

2 bottles of wine EACH! Wow, that is a lot, and makes me feel better about the anount I drink.

Good luck though, and well done.

[pbirkett]

Ordinary_Chap said:

Good work chap on making the healthy change!

As for the gym, it all comes down to what you're hoping to achieve. If you want to look like a cover model or a ripped dude then you'll need the gym and/or equipment but if you just want to be healthy and lose a few pounds then maybe you don't although I think thats dependent on the person since change comes easier for some people than it does for others.

You should keep adding to this thread to let us know how you're doing! So what is the ultimate goal? Just to be healthy or to get into great shape?

Thanks mate, I will do. I'm taking it one step at a time, so for now the aim is just to lose the weight and not lose muscle mass, so for now I don't think I need the gym... however, I am not ever aiming to be mega ripped - I simply haven't got the discipline to go that far - I just want to look and feel decent.

At the mo I'm reading just under the 14st mark on my scales (which overread by a factor of about 6%), so am currently about 13 and a third stone. I did get down to 11.5 a few years back so that would be perfect.

I did an in-body test when I did go to the gym when I was lighter than now - I was 12 stone then, but still had 22% body fat which surprised me. I guess that means in reality, 11.5 stone is about the maximum weight I should be, assuming I'm not carrying a load of muscle (which I'm not to be fair).

At the moment I am reluctant re-join a gym as I quit not long ago, and I also want to help my girlfriend in the process and she hates gyms. I do have a pair of dumb-bells which I can use, and buy more weights for if neccesary... but unfortunately we live in a small flat so I doubt I could ever have a bench unless there was one that could take up very little space when not in use, any ideas?

JFReturns said:

2 bottles of wine EACH! Wow, that is a lot, and makes me feel better about the anount I drink.

Good luck though, and well done.

Yes, I come from a family of plonkeys unfortunately. Nevertheless, my dad recently had a scare about his liver, turns out he was OK (but he does have diabetes), and he has cut down drinking along with my mum and they've both lost a hell of a lot of weight in a short amount of time. It just goes to show how much it can put on you when drank daily. I think I'll always like a drink now and then, but the desire to drink like I used to is long since gone now. Getting too old for these hangovers!

When I met my girlfriend we met in a pub, funnily enough, and certainly in the early part of the relationship it kind of defined the relationship from that point on - we would regularly get very drunk, and take advantage of 3 bottles of wine for a tenner most school nights. Except I've now started to realise that it was making my health suffer, and that it was really making me quite depressed as well. I figured it was time to do something about it before its too late. I've drank heavily throughout my twenties, and have regularly smoked cannabis and in my early twenties, took a lot of amphetamines, LSD and ecstasy, so I feel like I need to make amends now. Looking back, I dont regret the times I had, but I kind of regret what it must have done to my body. Yet I am lucky - I am rarely ever ill and although not fit, and probably will never be as fit as I would have been had I not done all that, I do hope its not too late to reverse some of the damage

[JFReturns]

Well, you have certainly enjoyed life!

Reading back through your post, it doesn't sound like your are that overweight.. I'm 5' 11" and around 14 and a half stone. Yeah, got some beer podge, but muscle weighs quite a bit.

[pbirkett]

I dont look hugely overweight in fairness, but I still think I could do with losing some. Its mainly my beer tits which are annoying, closely followed by the gut. I've barely got any fat anywhere else! I'd like to be able to fit into nice clothes again, such as trendy shirts, and actually be able to sit down without the buttons flying across the room

[JFReturns]

Yeah, no one needs beer tits

[HereBeMonsters]

I hate threads like this. I keep trying exercise, eating healthy etc. but I know at the end of the day I just have to cut down on the ale. I did this summer for a month - just drank wine and whisky - and lost almost a stone. Now the winter's here though it's a bit harder.

[Ordinary_Chap]

Could something like this work or is it still too big?

http://www.sweatband.com/XLMultiMediaImage.aspx?u=...

Otherwise anything you can lie on that will allow you to do dumbell presses and/or flies.

I don't get caught up in the numbers to be honest, I'm 13st 8 and 5'11 so I'm sure on any scale I'd be classed as obese yet my bodyfat in reality is less than 15%.

[pbirkett]

Nah I'd be struggling even with that unfortunately - its a pretty pokey little place.

That said, this guy seems to get by doing chest presses on the floor...
http://fitness.scoobysworkshop.com/chest.htm

[gareth h]

Well done on getting off the booze, I did a similar thing a while back (wasn't drinking to your level but wife and I were drinking a bottle a night). When I totted it up my share equated to an extra 2000 ish calories a week, what's the point eating healthy if you are then drinking all those calories.
I've always been pretty active so weight wasn't too much of an issue but dropped 1/2 stone, more importantly felt so much better.
In terms of trainng from home you don't need much kit, press ups are a substitute for chest bench work. I've started taking a circuit training session to raise some cash for our local village hall, we haven't got much kit but a circuit of press ups / tricep dips (try using 2 chairs)/shoulder press/bicep curl/crunches/plank/step ups/lunges/squats/calf raises (use a 2" block) 1 minute work / 1 minute rest, you can get round twice in an hour with a bit of a warm up, take it easy to start with it's harder than it looks, but very do able from home.

[JFReturns]

Shame you are the other end of the country as you could have had all my weights and benches. I prefer going to a gym and SWMBO is moaning about the space!

[pbirkett]

JFReturns said:

Shame you are the other end of the country as you could have had all my weights and benches. I prefer going to a gym and SWMBO is moaning about the space!

Thanks for the offer (assuming it was directed at me ) but even if I wanted to I wouldn't have room

[Scraggles]

friend is an ex landlord, he was always a rather round chap, he retired and has minimal money, lost at least 3 stone and now needs new trousers

think the most have drunk is 3 bottles of wine, 2 is now my max, but went to hospital for check up and have been convinced enough to drop the drinking at least the 3-6 pints on friday, saturday and less on sunday, usually around 16 and a bit stone, 100kg spot on at the hospital

my scales not as accurate, but seem to have lost weight

also make my own wine and have 10+ gallons fermenting, with 10-15 gallons that can be drunk

trying not to drink in the week and have maybe half a bottle a night at weekends

I did manage to bruise my ribs a few weeks back on an alcohol induced sleep walking session, not sure what I hit, but the lounge table seems a bit wonky

[pbirkett]

Paddy_N_Murphy said:

Must. Do. The. Same.



But I like having a drink......

Yep you and me both, but I think the having hangovers every other day seems to wear you down after a while...

Just been for another long walk, nice to put some tunes on and get into the fresh air. Makes it more of a challenge when you have git big back of shopping to carry on the way back as well

So am happy with the way things are going, but a little concerned about my chest which seems to be giving me some grief lately - I'm suspecting asthma - started a thread on here, but the walking seems to help, at least temporarily. Might have to get that checked out soon though if it doesn't improve

[ClintonB]

pbirkett said:

I will still go out with my mates on a friday but will now drink bottles of lager instead of pints of stella. For 3 reasons. Less calories. Also I should get the bus home on a night out rather than taxis as they cost me a fortune, but I get so drunk I just dont. Finally because I dont like being this drunk. I go on autopilot and its only a matter of time before I do myself an injury or worse! I often dont remember nights out.

It might be worth switching from lager to vodka & diet coke (or similar). I pretty much gave up the beer about 6 months ago - I still drink at the weekends but these days it is spirits & diet coke & I can probably count on one hand the number of times this year I've had a pint. Don't really miss it either TBH.
I'm certain it has helped me in trying to lose weight and have seen others do the same & it's had an impact on all of them. Reduced carb intake, presumably.

pbirkett said:

Also, part of the reason I want to share this on here, is to let people know they don't have to spend a fortune on gym memberships or pound treadmills day in, day out to lose weight.

True but it only works up to a point. I've lost about 3 stone from my heaviest point over the last 12 months or so, the vast majority of that in the last 6. I still drink (as above) & last went in a gym when I was something like 18. Quantity & what I eat/don't eat has got me there (and I'm sure ditching the carbs has had a fair impact since I was never a massive eater). However, I think I'm now getting to the stage where it will be very slow going indeed if I don't start doing some exercise (and I still have a fair way to go yet ).