Booze

[Turkish]

Could you/would you give it up? Seems very fashionable at the moment to be teetotal. Apparently one in four young adults now don’t drink. 
 

I’ve had spells in my life where I’ve quit short term for a reason. earlier this year whilst training for and competing in the CrossFit open I gave up for 3 months and have to say ive never felt better, lost a stone without trying and fitness levels improved dramatically. However few things nicer than a cold beer on a summers day or a nice bottle of red.

I’ve recently found out a school friend of mine died from alcoholism so certainly raised some questions about if the benefits outweigh the many negatives 

[The Left Back]

Funnily enough I was talking to my 22 year old son about this last night.  More and more of his friends have either given up totally or cut back radically.  Not sure why exactly. They've had a couple of mates suffer a bit with the consequences of binge drinking so perhaps it's a reaction to that.

As for me, I've always been happy with my drinking.  Brought up in a pub with a big drinking culture among mates, that is still there 40 years later, I've had long spells recently of going without.  My Dad, nan and step Dad were all alcoholics, and so I've always been vigilant about my own habit.

Agree with you that I definitely feel better physically and mentally during spells of abstinence. I don't think I'll ever give up fully, but the curve is definitely heading that way. 

[buctootim]

My missus almost never drinks “because it makes her sick”. The only thing she does is once a year get absolutely hammered on shots to the point of throwing up all night and the next day. Which of course convinces her to not drink again. The idea of a couple of glasses of wine to chill never appeals to her 

Edited 14 December, 2022 by buctootim

[farawaysaint]

I don’t have the willpower to tell people no when they constantly offer me drinks.

I could probably manage relatively easily if I gave up having a social life. 

[Lighthouse]

1 hour ago, buctootim said:

My missus almost never drinks “because it makes her sick”. The only thing she does is once a year get absolutely hammered to the pint of throwing up and being wilted out for two days. Which of course convinced her to not drink again. The idea of a couple of glasses of wine to chill never  appeals to her 

She sounds a bit of a lightweight TBH.

[skintsaint]

Have regular periods of not drinking but as you said a nice cold beer or two at the end of a hot day is my deal breaker. Think as I got older the hangovers got worse so that puts me off drinking heavily and even more so now with a 10 month old waking up at 6.30am!

[buctootim]

13 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

She sounds a bit of a lightweight TBH.

She's 50kg and can put away half a bottle of vodka tbf 

Edited 14 December, 2022 by buctootim

[jawillwill]

I've cut down pretty significantly in recent years. Partly due to having a young family so less time to drink (in an enjoyable way...) and an easy way to save money. Hangovers aren't really worth it as I get older too.

Read yesterday about the impeccable behaviour of England fans at the World Cup. Coincidental test there are fewer bell ends about when alcohol isn't quite as free flowing. Almost makes we wish it was the same over here.

[cloggy saint]

I used to be a regular social drinker but over the years I've slowed down to point that I can't remember when my last drink was. I do smoke a lot of crack though.

[badgerx16]

In the last 20 years my total intake of units of alcohol is almost certainly less than 20. Just don't see the point, I would rather have a mug of tea.

[Mosin]

 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

I've never drank much at home, and lockdown took care of social drinking. That lack of alcohol really got in the way of this year's ale festivals, where I was pacing it much earlier than usual.

[Turkish]

6 hours ago, farawaysaint said:

I don’t have the willpower to tell people no when they constantly offer me drinks.

I could probably manage relatively easily if I gave up having a social life. 

That's the thing that makes it tricky. I reckon i could give up quite easily if i didn't have any mates or a job. It's them that are the problem! 

 

[saint1977]

Real ale drinker because I enjoy it but only moderate amounts and only one pint per visit to the pub. Plus it’s costly these days. Beer festivals at national level now serve thirds so you can try a few beers without overdoing it. It’s the dehydration with drinking much more than that, not had a hangover side since my stag do in 2009 and before that 2007. Better to have quality over quantity whatever you drink. Plus the 0 beers are getting better all the time, Guinness 0 I like particularly. 

The Left Back - the key is not to have an alcoholic drink before trying it. All 0 beers have a worty aspect to their palates. As long as you don’t expect the alcohol punch and full complexity, and take it as a beer-like dark drink with a smooth feel you’ll probably enjoy it. 

Edited 14 December, 2022 by saint1977

[The Left Back]

3 minutes ago, saint1977 said:

Real ale drinker because I enjoy it but only moderate amounts and only one pint per visit to the pub. Plus it’s costly these days. Beer festivals at national level now serve thirds so you can try a few beers without overdoing it. It’s the dehydration with drinking much more than that, not had a hangover side since my stag do in 2009 and before that 2007. Better to have quality over quantity whatever you drink. Plus the 0 beers are getting better all the time, Guinness 0 I like particularly. 

I've been meaning to try a Guinness 0 but can't get my head round the concept.  

[Turkish]

6 minutes ago, The Left Back said:

I've been meaning to try a Guinness 0 but can't get my head round the concept.  

Im yet to find a decent alcohol free wine yet, nosecco is okay if you like that sort of thing. Some of the zero lagers are good though, henekien on draft is better than the one with alcohol in it IMO. Peroni, San Miguel and Moretti all decent too. 

[AlexLaw76]

Less/no calories in other social stimulants 🤭

[Kingsland Codger]

There is a time and place for drink every now-and-then as the original poster suggests. Cold beer on a hot summer’s day, a whisky-mac in the winter, a glass of red with a ripe Camembert.

I am reminded of a comment from Ambrose Bierce “An abstainer is a weak person who yields to the temptation of denying himself a pleasure”.

Edited 14 December, 2022 by Kingsland Codger

[Manuel]

Funnily enough I had reason to say "Great Booze up Edmond" to my missus earlier today.  She didn't understand the reference of course so I made her watch the clip.  It's great living with me.

I love beer, too much.  I suspect I'm better off without it but it has a serious draw.  I read today that they have plans to make cigarettes illegal in New Zealand.  I honestly wouldn't mind if they did that here with booze.  I wouldn't seek out booze dealers so that would be that.  

 

Edited 14 December, 2022 by Manuel

[Dark Munster]

4 hours ago, Manuel said:

Funnily enough I had reason to say "Great Booze up Edmond" to my missus earlier today.  She didn't understand the reference of course so I made her watch the clip.  It's great living with me.

I love beer, too much.  I suspect I'm better off without it but it has a serious draw.  I read today that they have plans to make cigarettes illegal in New Zealand.  I honestly wouldn't mind if they did that here with booze.  I wouldn't seek out booze dealers so that would be that.  

 

They tried that here in the USA a long time ago. It was a bit of a disaster apparently.

[badgerx16]

Go to any town centre on a Friday night - best evidence I can think of for not drinking.

[egg]

I haven't drank for years. I was drinking too much, so took a week off, then a month, then liked the lack of hangovers, improved sleep and generally feeling much healthier so haven't drank since. I know some people like having 1 or 2, but I don't see the point of that so gave up completely. Far and away the best decision I've ever made. 

Edited 15 December, 2022 by egg

[Turkish]

49 minutes ago, egg said:

I haven't drank for years. I was drinking too much, so took a week off, then a month, then liked the lack of hangovers, improved sleep and generally feeling much healthier so haven't drank since. I know some people like having 1 or 2, but I don't see the point of that so gave up completely. Far and away the best decision I've ever made. 

Do you ever fancy one? In my 3 months off whenever i did fancy one it was very early and a zero lager nipped the taste in the bud, plus you only need one, a normal beer it's quite easy for one to become four or five. I found the longer it went on the less i fancied one, after about 6 weeks just didn't even fancy it. I started drinking again to celebrate the end of the Crossfit open when we had a few beers in the gym after the final workouts in week 3, once i started again soon slipped back to normal 

[Lord Duckhunter]

I try not to drink in the week or at home and try to limit the number of times I’m totally polluted .  Been told recently that I have slightly elevated liver enzymes, so I suppose I should cut back even more, but it’s not that easy. It’s not that I’m a bar fly, but I love Ale Houses & social drinking. I need a bevy to have a crack. 

[egg]

1 hour ago, Turkish said:

Do you ever fancy one? In my 3 months off whenever i did fancy one it was very early and a zero lager nipped the taste in the bud, plus you only need one, a normal beer it's quite easy for one to become four or five. I found the longer it went on the less i fancied one, after about 6 weeks just didn't even fancy it. I started drinking again to celebrate the end of the Crossfit open when we had a few beers in the gym after the final workouts in week 3, once i started again soon slipped back to normal 

Not any more, and when I drank I always found lemonade more refreshing than beer, so never drank to quench my thirst. Alcohol's job was to get me pissed, and these days I prefer to be sober. 

[egg]

1 hour ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

I try not to drink in the week or at home and try to limit the number of times I’m totally polluted .  Been told recently that I have slightly elevated liver enzymes, so I suppose I should cut back even more, but it’s not that easy. It’s not that I’m a bar fly, but I love Ale Houses & social drinking. I need a bevy to have a crack. 

Wise to cut back then mate. My liver became fatty and that was a trigger to knock it on the head. Also gout and a few other health niggles from the sauce. I had a long and distinguished career, but injuries ended it! 

[Lord Duckhunter]

27 minutes ago, egg said:

Wise to cut back then mate. My liver became fatty and that was a trigger to knock it on the head. Also gout and a few other health niggles from the sauce. I had a long and distinguished career, but injuries ended it! 

Do you still visit the boozer? 
 

To give up I’d have to have a complete lifestyle change, take up a hobby & ditch my mates. 

[egg]

1 minute ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

Do you still visit the boozer? 
 

To give up I’d have to have a complete lifestyle change, take up a hobby & ditch my mates. 

Yeah, but not as much as before - I like pubs and won't ever stay out of them. On your earlier point about needing a drink to have a laugh socially, I'm fortunate that doesn't apply to me but understand that's not the same for everyone. Giving up isn't a necessity - my missus drinks a bit, and I like the effect that alcohol has on her

[Raging Bull]

59 minutes ago, egg said:

Wise to cut back then mate. My liver became fatty and that was a trigger to knock it on the head. Also gout and a few other health niggles from the sauce. I had a long and distinguished career, but injuries ended it! 

This came as a wake up call for me. I’m having an op in a few weeks so needed a few blood tests, which showed elevated levels in my liver which comes from 1 thing…

@Turkish if you’re looking for a good reason to quit and not look back, watch this 

 

[saint1977]

When I was younger I found that the round system drove quite a lot of the heavier sessions. When I went to Scandinavia for work and pleasure, that wasn’t there in bars to the same extent because of the sheer cost of it. The UK has caught up in that regard (cost per unit) so maybe along with health reasons that’s why people are cutting back. People in Scandinavia still enjoy a quality drop but you have to seek it out - you don’t see as many ‘buy 12 cans of Carling for £8’ offers that you get in the supermarkets here. Still a surprising amount of public drunkenness outside of the bars in Copenhagen though!

Now I don’t get into rounds so it means I drink much slower and enjoy it. If friends want to drink 2-3 pints to my one, go for it. Less peer pressure to keep up when you’re all middle aged and older. 

If I needed to stop altogether I’m confident I could. Would still use the pubs where I live.

[Turkish]

9 minutes ago, egg said:

Wise to cut back then mate. My liver became fatty and that was a trigger to knock it on the head. Also gout and a few other health niggles from the sauce. I had a long and distinguished career, but injuries ended it! 

A lot of people I know are getting gout. I’ve had it before but started taking turmeric everyday and not had it in 3 years. Some people are on daily medication for it and I don’t want to go down that route, so that was the start of me cutting back, but for sure am at the point where thinking j don’t need it. I look at the health of people 10-15 years older than me and those that haven’t taken care of themselves are in a right state now, all on medication, overweight,     High blood pressure and cholesterol, it’s frightening.

[Turkish]

12 minutes ago, Raging Bull said:

This came as a wake up call for me. I’m having an op in a few weeks so needed a few blood tests, which showed elevated levels in my liver which comes from 1 thing…

@Turkish if you’re looking for a good reason to quit and not look back, watch this 

 

I actually watched that earlier this week when I heard about my old school friend

 

[egg]

38 minutes ago, Turkish said:

A lot of people I know are getting gout. I’ve had it before but started taking turmeric everyday and not had it in 3 years. Some people are on daily medication for it and I don’t want to go down that route, so that was the start of me cutting back, but for sure am at the point where thinking j don’t need it. I look at the health of people 10-15 years older than me and those that haven’t taken care of themselves are in a right state now, all on medication, overweight,     High blood pressure and cholesterol, it’s frightening.

Yep. Gout ain't fun. I've ditched the medication and hopefully won't need it. The thing is, we can be as fit as fiddles, lean, and have great skin etc at this stage if our life and beyond if we look after ourselves. I had fun for years, fucked myself up a bit, and deciding to not do more damage was the easiest decision I've ever made. 

[Turkish]

27 minutes ago, egg said:

Yep. Gout ain't fun. I've ditched the medication and hopefully won't need it. The thing is, we can be as fit as fiddles, lean, and have great skin etc at this stage if our life and beyond if we look after ourselves. I had fun for years, fucked myself up a bit, and deciding to not do more damage was the easiest decision I've ever made. 

I know a guy who is teetotal and vegetarian, he must be getting on for 60 now and looks years younger, still really lean and fit and plays football a decent standard of football with lads in their 20s on a weekend. 

[whelk]

Booze is fine as long as you don’t soil yourself then you have gone too far

[Jeremy Corbyn]

Considering giving up booze.  Can easily go without for a while but once I start drinking I drink til I drop.  Think I have to stop, but scared that my entire social life and many of my friendships are orientated around "going to the pub/bar" etc.

[Lighthouse]

Got a 24 pack of Desperados in the back of a kitchen cupboard and honestly, it’s been there since summer. I pretty much only drink at home if I’m hosting a BBQ but will quite happily have two to four at the cricket, football, an après-ski bar or such like. Very rarely exceed that though, hate the feeling of being really drunk or hungover.

[LGTL]

There’s no doubt it’s horrendous for you and if created today, would undoubtedly be illegal. I only drink at Saints so gave it up completely during Covid and it was the healthiest and fittest I’ve ever been. 

[Turkish]

On 15/12/2022 at 16:45, Lighthouse said:

Got a 24 pack of Desperados in the back of a kitchen cupboard and honestly, it’s been there since summer. I pretty much only drink at home if I’m hosting a BBQ but will quite happily have two to four at the cricket, football, an après-ski bar or such like. Very rarely exceed that though, hate the feeling of being really drunk or hungover.

I’m not surprised it’s vile 

[Toadhall Saint]

Mainly red wine for me. Last 3 times I’ve been on the beer I’ve not covered myself in glory tbh.

[Turkish]

Short-term abstinence from alcohol leads to "rapid decrease" of cancer-related growth factors | News | News & Media | The Royal Free

Dry January results "staggering" | News | News & Media | The Royal Free

 

Edited 21 December, 2022 by Turkish

[The Left Back]

On 14/12/2022 at 17:07, Turkish said:

Im yet to find a decent alcohol free wine yet, nosecco is okay if you like that sort of thing. Some of the zero lagers are good though, henekien on draft is better than the one with alcohol in it IMO. Peroni, San Miguel and Moretti all decent too. 

Finally had the chance for a couple of cans of Guinness 0 last night. Very pleasantly surprised. Slightly more like the original than the draught/widget. 

[Turkish]

1 hour ago, The Left Back said:

Finally had the chance for a couple of cans of Guinness 0 last night. Very pleasantly surprised. Slightly more like the original than the draught/widget. 

Cheers will give it a try

[Manuel]

6 hours ago, The Left Back said:

Finally had the chance for a couple of cans of Guinness 0 last night. Very pleasantly surprised. Slightly more like the original than the draught/widget. 

Tried Adnams Ghost Ship 0.5% a couple of times when my brother was on the wagon.  Pretty decent if you're into beer and widely available in pubs.  Not quite alcohol free but pretty much...

[badgerx16]

Our SiL went on a corporate do last night in Brum, drank quite a bit, fell over and hurt himself. His mates drove him home this morning and I have spent the afternoon with him in Wigan A&E where they have just found his collar bone is broken in 3 places. 

Zero sympathy emanating from his family.

EDIT:

He has to go back tomorrow morning to have a plate fitted to hold it all in place. He has also fessed to how much he can remember drinking - I'm surprised he was stood up long snough to manage to fall over.

 

Edited 22 December, 2022 by badgerx16

[Turkish]

Just checked the nutritional content of some non alcoholic lagers. Although they’re is normally only about 70 calories a bottle they are full of sugar, a lot of them have as much a a fall fat coke. Not the healthy option we think 🤔 

[Jeremy Corbyn]

36 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Just checked the nutritional content of some non alcoholic lagers. Although they’re is normally only about 70 calories a bottle they are full of sugar, a lot of them have as much a a fall fat coke. Not the healthy option we think 🤔 

I wouldn't look at NA beers as healthy themselves, the biggest upside is the consequences of not drinking - i.e. more energy for fitness the next day/less likely to eat shit

[egg]

39 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Just checked the nutritional content of some non alcoholic lagers. Although they’re is normally only about 70 calories a bottle they are full of sugar, a lot of them have as much a a fall fat coke. Not the healthy option we think 🤔 

I don't get non alcoholic drinks. Alcohol is usually consumed for the effect, and the taste is a secondary thing. When I drank, I never drank a alcoholic drink because it was more refreshing and tastier than a soft drink. Now I don't drink, I choose the drink that I prefer the taste of - a chemically beer with the alcohol taken out has no appeal whatsoever.  

[Turkish]

38 minutes ago, egg said:

I don't get non alcoholic drinks. Alcohol is usually consumed for the effect, and the taste is a secondary thing. When I drank, I never drank a alcoholic drink because it was more refreshing and tastier than a soft drink. Now I don't drink, I choose the drink that I prefer the taste of - a chemically beer with the alcohol taken out has no appeal whatsoever.  

They are good for quenching the craving for one. I'll have a few in the fridge if i'm off the beer so when i fancy one have a can of that instead, it does the trick, plus you only need one or worst case two, job done. Although once it's been a couple of weeks that craving tends to go anyway. I assumed given the signficantly lower calories they'd also be a healthier option, they are but not as much as i thought.

[Turkish]

48 minutes ago, Jeremy Corbyn said:

I wouldn't look at NA beers as healthy themselves, the biggest upside is the consequences of not drinking - i.e. more energy for fitness the next day/less likely to eat shit

This is true, after a week off the booze sleep gets better, more energy, i didn't drink for two weeks before christmas and my resting heart rate dropped by 10bpm. Plus i tend to train early in the morning, it's very easy to skip a session if you've had a few drinks the night before, especially on monday morning session and that then sets the tone for the week.