A funny thing happened when I stopped drinking wine for a week...

Posted on January 8, 2016

When I started DietBet this week, I stopped drinking wine. I figured my body would lose weight faster and I'd be more motivated to exercise. I have only exercised a tiny bit this week but I have eaten under 1600 calories a day and consumed at least 64 ounces of water a day. I have lost 3 1/2 - 4 pounds so far and it hasn't been a week yet.

Last night I decided that since I had so many calories left, that I'd allow myself a large glass of wine. Now, I love a nice glass of wine. But last night, I tried a glass from a bottle of wine that I know is one of my favorites and it didn't taste very good to me. I thought, funny.... and drank it any way. Mindlessly. Enjoying the thought of my glass of wine, but not really enjoying the taste of it. Wine, I thought, we've been through a lot. Kids, divorce, breast cancer, kidney surgery, parents aging, sons growing up and leaving, three new jobs, etc. etc. etc. We all could go on and on. Life happens. Wine was part of it for me. My crutch. It has also helped me to pile on all of these pounds. Wine has calories. Wine makes you mindlessly eat a lot of crap you would never have otherwise consumed.

So today, after having only had one large glass of wine... no not a bottle sized glass, really just an 8oz. pour... anyway, I found that it was more difficult to wake up. I had to drag myself out of bed, when earlier this week I was able to pop out of bed. I got on the scale and my weight, though I didn't go over calories, had crept up 1/2 pound. I felt swollen. My joints. My face. Ick. I got to work and felt a slight headache. Ick. It wasn't a crisis. It was just the realization that I'd spent the past 5-6 days detoxing, not realizing that was what I was doing. I missed it. That clean feeling. I felt that I had cheated myself out of feeling 100%. I felt sorry for me. But, I can fix this. It's not weigh in time yet. I haven't gained the 4 pounds I was down. I just had a hiccup, which I will continue to have over my journey to lose 80 pounds.

What I figured out is that I can, if I listen, hear my body talking to me. It is asking me, pleading with me to keep listening. It wants me to feel better.

This weekend I intend to start exercising. I know my body will scream at me because it is a very foreign thing for it. I also remember a time not so very long ago when it thanked me for taking a 2 hour walk or a 20 mile bike ride. I want to get back there. I will, will get back to that place. I miss feeling that way.

TGIF everyone. :-)

Comment Now!

cornnine

04/02/2024 1:57AM

I'm grateful that you shared this, Victoria. How are things going for you right now? I hope you've had a lot of success since writing this! https://happy-wheels.co

Rhonda R.

01/25/2020 7:52AM

Thanks for the inspiration. I struggle with drinking wine and eating way too many calories at night. I've added 20 minute works every morning and have lost only 2 pounds. I have 4 more to go to meet the challenge. Determined to give up the wine!

myrrhmaid

04/13/2018 2:41PM

We all have our downfall! There's worse things! I know that feeling tho! Way to talk thru it! Inspiring!

Janice

07/04/2016 11:11AM

Thank you for sharing this, Victoria. How are you doing now? I hope you're enjoying many victories since this post!

MonaJo likes this comment.

Victoria

Thanks, Janice. I lost 29.5 pounds on my first Transformer. It just ended. It helped me to keep accountable by being in this Diet Bet. I feel that I could have lost more, but this is a step in what needs to be a life long process on the way to improved health. I think I'm going to do a kick start Diet Bet - Marcie has great advice and is actually a professional so I like her diet bets. I hope your journey is going well.

adrienne121

01/09/2016 11:11AM

WOW!!! Victoria, I really enjoyed reading your blog!!! LOVE IT!!! It's amazing how after we detox our bodies, the food/drinks we thought we enjoyed aren't really that enjoyable after all!!! I'm glad drinking wine comforted you during your trying times. It helped you get through your darkest moments. What I'm really happy about is you've realized that you don't need wine anymore as a crutch!!! YAY!!! You're changing your mindset & becoming more in tuned to what your body needs. That's a plus girl, and I'm sooo proud of you!!! Good for you for becoming more aware of what's happening with your body. Keep up the good work!!! :-)

Shari likes this comment.

Victoria

Thanks, Adrienne. I sooo appreciate the support. Have a wonderful Saturday!

adrienne121

You're very welcome Victoria!!! And thank you!!! Have a wonderful Saturday too!!! :-)

Christy G.

01/09/2016 7:31AM

I love this blog! And the good news, is that the changes you have made already are making your old habits become a thing of the past! Awesome job! I went to a birthday party last night and almost felt OBLIGATED to have some cocktails; as if I was a buzzkill to the others around me if I didn't. I did end up having some wine but, like you, it did NOTHING for me. All I kept thinking about was the calories and sugar I was consuming by drinking it. I'm going to remember that and learn to be happy drinking my flavored water instead; regardless of what anyone thinks!Keep up the awesome job Victoria! The results are going to continue if you keep putting one foot in front of the other and not looking back. Ultimately, I need to lose 65-70 lbs myself. One day @ a time...WE GOT THIS! Keep rocking it out! Xo

Kathy D. and adrienne121 like this comment.

Victoria

It is funny Christy how we feel like we are letting people down if we don't indulge in whatever they're offering. Cake, wine, etc.... If you like me, you're going to like me whether I eat 1000 calorie piece of chocolate cake and have less nutritional calories for the day or not. Sometimes I feel like I'm being impolite because someone went to so much expense or effort. It is hard to put your health first. I'm going to try.

adrienne121

I definitely agree with you Chrystal!!! It's almost like we feel we have to do what others are doing to fit in, but let you say something to you: (using the voice from the penguin in the movie HAPPY FEET - LOL!!! - LOVE THAT MOVIE!!!), I've made my mind up that I'm not gonna allow anybody to make me feel pressured to eat or drink if I don't want to. If I do it, it's gonna be because I choOse to, not because I felt pressured to. Ladies, we can do anything we set our minds to do, & WE'RE GONNA DO IT!!! Like I've said before, we're striving for progression, not perfection. Keep up the good work ladies!!! We're still learning, but we can do it!!! :-)

Karen

01/08/2016 4:42PM

My dear high school best friend, Oh, how I've missed you! While our lives have taken very different paths, they are so very parallel. Marriage, divorce, kids growing up, parents aging, cancer, various career choices and life struggles and we're still here! Fluffier, but determined! I wish I drank so I could give up wine ???? but some high school peppermint schnapps pretty much cured my drinking binges! I used to walk 4 miles a day! This week I got on the treadmill and I'm pretty sure it's broken. It was going much too fast and not logging nearly enough distance! I love the blog posts- keep swimming (like Dorey says)! Much love, KB

adrienne121 and Victoria like this comment.

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Victoria

*lost not list.

Victoria

Kathy D. I've come to a place in my 29.5 pound weight loss, where I have to be honest with myself about the wine habit too. It makes me too tired to work out. It makes it harder to get up the next day. One leads to more so I just stopped for a month. The first week my skin broke out horribly. Then I had more energy. Was awake before my alarm in the morning. I still get the itch for a glass or two, but I'm trying to replace the craving with something else to get me past it. I read. I walk or do my elliptical. Call a girlfriend and complain, then it's past. I list weight. I'm halfway through my month. It's easier. I just tell my loved ones no thanks. I'm off of alcohol for a month. No one pushes. It's progress in many ways, another great thing-- I have list 5 pounds! Worth it! It's like any habit. Replace it with something better for you. I love drinking sparkling water from a wine glass. I just miss the glass. Not the wine!