Dramatically cutting back on booze - physical improvements?

[Nancery]

I have been drinking steadily more and more (think at least half a bottle a night, mixed with soda, and more at weekends and often a lunchtime pint or two) and have bought the Allen Carr book to now read as my previous efforts to cut back have ended up being quite pathetic. I am now trying to re think why I want to drink so I don't feel like I am missing it, but am instead gaining by not drinking. I rarely get drunk per se, and I think mixing it with soda makes me feel as if it's no big deal, but it clearly is! Scouring MN it seems many people are in a similar habit as it's so easy to do.

I also realise I may, hopefully, lose weight / sleep better / be less bloated / not eat rubbish the next day but would love to hear actual accounts from people to gear up my enthusiasm! I know there are 100's of reasons to do this that aren't noticeably visible but, in a semi shallow way, tell me the benefits they had on you!

Thanks!

Yes it's a bit shallow... but cutting back made a huge difference to my face - I now do not drink at all during the week and by Friday night my face is noticeably less puffy and bloated than it would be if I was having wine on weeknights. We often meet friends for drinks on Friday night and I love being told I'm looking really good/have I lost weight etc. By Sunday night - if I've overindulged at all - I feel my face is looking noticeably puffier.

Also I wasn't particularly bloated before but it really makes a difference to your midriff. If I stop for a month I feel my waist gets a lot slimmer, but as these virtuous spells usually coincide with cutting out carbs it's hard to say whether that's because of not drinking or not eating carbs. Probably both.

Don't apologise for looking for 'shallow' reasons - often vanity is a better motivator than just saying 'oh it's better for your health' which doesn't really inspire me :)

Thanks for replying! Yes, it's shallow but I do have other more important reasons behind it too! I was hoping as much re the puffy and bloated thing. If I'm hungover I always feel as if I look horribly bloated too, and I probably do. It's nice to see the effects of not drinking on the outside as well as hoping they are going on on the inside too

I only drink at weekends anyway but have given up almost completely over the last six months. The one big thing that I've noticed is that my sinus problems are much better. If I've had just one or two glasses of wine I feel like I've been punched in the nose the next day.

Until recently I was drinking a bottle of red every single night without fail. I wouldn't be drunk as I'd drink it over the course of 5 hours or so. (Great for the teeth!)
In the morning even though I felt ok I just looked AWFUL. Blotchy skin, pink eyes...
I'm not drinking as little as I'd like at the moment but red wine is almost entirely off the menu. The difference to my face is huge. And when I've had a couple of booze free nights I wake up feeling so...healthy!
Need to be more determined if I'm going to lose weight though.

I've lost a lot of weight and my eyes are brighter too

This is great, please keep 'em coming!

I too am trying to cut back on booze. I have half halfheartedly tried it several times too and not done very well. However I am starting to get so I am relying on it to relax and that I am drinking almost every single night-1/2 to a full bottle. Also on some nights I have been replacing my tea with a bottle of wine.

I just want to put a stop to it now before it gets out of control totally and to get back into the situation where I can take it or leave it.

Its like starting a diet-I think if I can do it long enough to see some benefits I will stick to it.

I am hoping along with giving up drinking to eat healthier too. I don't usually consume too much food in terms of calories but I eat all the wrong things-tiny meals and then loads of snacks of chocolate and crisps.
Hopefully this thread will provide some motivation.

What types of things do you do to replace evening drinking ?

SunflowerFi - come over to the Brave Babes Battle Bus thread in Relationships. You sound remarkably similar to me, and it may prove very helpful!
I am also reading the Allen Carr Easy Way to Control Alcohol book. It's dull but it is starting to change my mindset slightly already. Reviews on Amazon are full of praise about how they no longer want to drink or care about it any more - that, to me, sounds great!
Good luck

Ive downloaded Allen Carr as an audio book so that I can multi task and listen to it whilst doing things like housework lol. xx

Or while drinking wine

Re my last comment, you are actually meant to. Not get plastered but not stop. The point of the book is that it makes you not want to d.rink by the end, rather than gives you willpower to stop.

I have listened to chapter one and noted that point about not stopping until you have read the book. I've not had a drink tonight but I didn't particularly want one by the time I got in from my night class. I will listen to another chapter when I go to bed.
Sounds great from the first chapter-if it can really make me so I don't even want a drink that would be great.
I'm starting to try and think about the positives of not being controlled by alcohol. From practical like the money I would save on nights out and taxi fares as I could drive and stick to soft drinks, to cosmetic to physical like more energy and psychological like getting stressed at the thought of having to hide my drinking habbits at get togethers with non drinking friends and family.

I can't say it's the most interesting of books, but I'm hoping it will be the most helpful!