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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To ask if this drink level is okay?

33 replies

makingitin2012 · 20/09/2013 16:50

So for the last couple of years (well, since having kids and turning into a total worrier about staying healthy for their sake!), I've realised that I was drinking far too much. My honest consumption was 3 bottles of wine a week (gulp).

The good news is I've really got a grip on this, and for more than a year now don't drink at all through the week. I do however drink on a weekend. (But obviously not 3 bottles of wine!)

Anyhow, now that I'm happy to drink just at the weekend, I've decided to address the issue of wine on Fridays and Saturdays. My problem is if I open a bottle of wine I find it difficult not to finish it! And I don't want to be drinking 2 bottles of wine a week as I think that's still too much?

So I'm thinking of having 1 can of cider on a Friday night, then opening a bottle of wine on Saturdays only. Does that sound okay, or still excessive? Can you tell I'm a worrier?!!!

Thank you!

OP posts:

Floralnomad · 20/09/2013 19:17

Why do you feel the need to drink indoors at all ,if self control is an issue just drink when you go out .

MoaningMingeWhingesAgain · 20/09/2013 19:19

Splitting a bottle of wine over Friday night and Saturday night wouldn't be ideal but not too bad? But it sounds like you are worried about it.

SofaKing · 20/09/2013 19:20

You need one of those wee novelty corks that go in the bottle to keep wine fresh.

A glass or two on Friday, then stick in the stopper ans finish it off on Saturday. And if you drink it all on Friday then there will be none for Saturday, so that should be an incentive to leave plenty.

Thepowerof3 · 20/09/2013 19:22

Get a small wine glass too

Grunzlewheek · 20/09/2013 19:23

Bu@@er ! 3 bottles a week is too much ?

HeadsDownThumbsUp · 20/09/2013 19:25

My honest consumption was 3 bottles of wine a week (gulp).

I really don't think that's too much.

If you want to drink very sparingly for health or personal reasons, then that's up to you, but I'd find it very, very hard to describe three bottles of wine as 'excessive'.

Bowlersarm · 20/09/2013 19:26

Doesn't sound excessive to me.

Nancy66 · 20/09/2013 19:28

you're prob better off eeking it out over the week than trying to cram it all in at a weekend.

kitsilano · 20/09/2013 19:31

Well 3 bottles of wine a week is around 27 units which is TWICE the recommended weekly limit. So it IS excessive. (Speaking as one who was until fairly recently drinking at least that if not a bit more).

A bottle of wine over Friday and Sat nights though would surely be fine - around 9 units total.

HeadsDownThumbsUp · 20/09/2013 19:34

"you're prob better off eeking it out over the week than trying to cram it all in at a weekend"

Healthwise, that's not actually true. We're hit heavy and hard with the message that moderate daily drinking is fine, but binge-drinking = bad. And bingeing is bad if you're downing 15 pints a night...

But it's really important for our livers to have (many) booze free days in order to recover from damage. If anything, it's like sugar and dental care. A lot of sweets in one go will be bad for your teeth, but many little sweets throughout the day is worse.

Drinking a moderate amount over a week, balanced with alcohol free days is better for your liver than spreading that moderate amount over every day.

HeadsDownThumbsUp · 20/09/2013 19:35

The government limits are plucked out of the sky. There's no rational for them at all.

If you feel like you ought to cut down on your drinking, then that's an indication that you should cut down.

HeadsDownThumbsUp · 20/09/2013 19:38

Anyway, the upper recommended limit for women is actually 21 units.

honeybunny14 · 20/09/2013 19:40

Id say mabey just drink 1 night at the weekend i have a drink every 2nd weekend sometime it will be less and i just have the 1 bottle of wine but if i have a rare night out i go for it but the rest of the time im a bit of a health freak

carabos · 20/09/2013 19:41

Headsdown if the government recommendations are in fact "plucked out of the air" then what amount would you pluck out of the air as being excessive yourself?

Donki · 20/09/2013 19:41

A bottle of wine (13% ABV) is around 10 units, Bowler. So three bottles is 30 units which is somewhat more than is advisable, especially as the advice is not to drink everyday. Over three nights two bottles works out at over twice the recommended daily limit.

There is a reason that doctors are seeing a huge increase in liver disease in younger people.

DrDance · 20/09/2013 19:42

There are people who drink far more and nothing ever bad happens.

There are people who drink less and have problems

If you feel you feel you are drinking too much than listen to yourself

Do you drink because you enjoy it or is it a habit?

Bowlersarm · 20/09/2013 19:44

Donki the OP says she will have a can of cider (3 units absolutely max) plus a bottle of wine - 9 units at 12% bottle.

That makes 12 units per week.

namechangesforthehardstuff · 20/09/2013 19:45

If you're asking people on t'interweb if it's too much it probably is. You think you've got an issue don't you?

Minnieisthedevilmouse · 20/09/2013 19:47

Christ on a bike.

I can do half bottle a night. I do wonder how honest people are. I really don't feel anyone is educated about booze so much as harrangued on a regular basis according to whomever fancies a go that week.

Do you feel educated? And if so whose opinion do you trust? And why? I find it very conflicting and ultimately skin to reading the telephone directory. I can't be alone......can I...?

Minnieisthedevilmouse · 20/09/2013 19:48

Akin not skin.....sigh.....

Bowlersarm · 20/09/2013 19:48

Agree Minnie

KittensoftPuppydog · 20/09/2013 19:51

Minnie, you're not alone.

pooka · 20/09/2013 19:51

I probably sound a bit puritannical, but my gut reaction is if you are finding ways to cut down by substituting one drink for another, I.e. cider for wine, then it does sound like your servicing a need for alchonol rate than a fancy IYSWIM.

I got into a bit of a habit post dcs of having a glass of wine a night or a vodka and tonic, once dh got home. It became a ritual. I am instinctively wary of ritual/habit and so I cut down and now only drink if I go out, and even then, not very much at all. No tolerance for it any more.

How about the small bottles, rather than opening a whole one?

Cat98 · 20/09/2013 19:52

I think a can of cider on a Friday and half a bottle of wine on a Saturday would be fine. You could also have a can of cider on a weeknight then too and still be under daily and weekly limits!

cardibach · 20/09/2013 19:53

I agree Minnie.

Nobody actually knows how much is too much. Listening to your body is a good plan.

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