What’s your relationship with alcohol?

@seekerofknowledge I also have the same problem where once I start I won't stop usually. At least, that was the case at home. I would put down 15 beers in a night like nothing and still get up to go to the gym and I'd make it to work fine. But what made a huge difference for me was sitting down and looking at home much I spent drinking by myself and how I could use that time and money for more productive things. I still drink but only when I go out with other people. It makes me drink less and I'm more cautious of his much I spend since it's more expensive to drink when going out.
 
@facundo100 This sounds very familiar to me as well - Friday would roll around and I'd just casually have a dozen beers as the afternoon and evening came and went. This was Covid times and I convinced myself it was something I deserved, and like you - no problems getting up the next morning to do whatever I needed to do so it wasn't something I was all that concerned about.

Also like you, it's when I took a step back and looked at some of the finer details and decided that I needed to make a change. Money spent and slower progress on physical gains being the big details of course!
 
@cdlara381 I listened to an episode of The Proof podcast recently, and the two cancer doctors he had on said that there is now no “safe” limit or “safe” number of drinks like there used to be (it was like 2 drinks per week before). So basically any amount of alcohol above zero is considered harmful.
 
@cdlara381 I stopped drinking after Dec 31, 2023. I thought I'd feel like I needed one in social situations, but I've found that I just like to have something in my hand. I'll get sparkling water with lime or ginger beer in a mojito cup so I feel fancy. It really does the trick for me! It makes me feel like I'm a part of the social group, but without the toxins, headaches, drunk feeling, driving unsafely, poor sleep, etc.
 
And to add, I'm not an alcoholic or had substance abuse problems. I just used to love to drink to be social and feel tipsy, but I did have a hard time stopping at tipsy I'd have 3-4 instead of 1-2 drinks and then I'd sleep horribly and feel hungover and drive when I shouldn't. It just wasn't worth it. And I learned how to have fun without alcohol and I FEEL much better physically which affirmed me mentally in my choice to abstain.
 
@cdlara381 I never was a big drinker. Play about 2 gigs a month. Free alcohol, but I don't drink. Stopped years ago. You need to figure out what's important to you. I know what the recent studies suggest, but an occasional beer or glass of wine isn't bad unless you have underlying issues. My wife was the one who suggested no alcohol. I'm 70 and don't miss it. What I've found out is the drinkers at our gigs are the best tippers. lol
 
@cdlara381 I strongly dislike zero tolerance policies with people and alcohol/cheat meals/weed.

I don't drink often, but I don't "not drink." I drink when the moments right. If you're scared to break a zero tolerance, there is more of a chance of overdoing it.
 
@faulkomond And I’m sitting here with 3 drinks today (home from work, one with dinner, and then one with some games before my night time tea). Blah.

Should cut back even if I only do this a couple of times a week.
 
@cdlara381 1708 days since my last drink. I quit because I had issues, but I have noticed better gains since. I enjoy non alcoholic beers the odd time. The shit is poison but our body is quite resilient.
 
@cdlara381 yeesh, some of the comments in here are pretty sanctimonious.

I'm in my early 30s and drink 8-10 drinks across ~4 nights a week, and it has had essentially zero negative consequences in my life, plus I'm still more fit than most of the people I see on this subreddit (about to go do some track laps because I'm trying to run a 5 minute mile this summer).

if you don't want to drink then that's absolutely your prerogative, and I agree that there's no "healthy" amount (I just don't care, since I don't have a family history of liver disease and I don't want to live like that weird Bryan Johnson longevity guy anyways), but unless you're worried about having an addictive personality or family health issues, then drinking (especially in the amount s you mentioned) is not going to be an issue.
 
@liac I was like you in my 20s and early 30s, nearly identical mindset, drink 10 drinks 4-5 nights a week. I didn't really notice the difference in life at the time, because I didn't have anything to compare against, but Id probably be retired years ago if I didn't eat up so much time drinking and being hungover.

It will hit you at some point. You can be sure of it. The human body is just not capable of taking in large amounts of alcohol for decades without impact, and also it just isn't able to process it the same as you get older. I'm now 49, and since maybe 40, even 2 drinks is enough to leave me with a hangover. If I had 10 drinks now, I'd be laid out for 5 days.

Of course if you keep drinking heavy into older age you can maintain your tolerance, and I have friends my age that still do, but there's absolutely no way you aren't impacting your intelligence and acuity, awareness and presence, and physical strength and recovery.
 
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