Cutting Back

I had to quit all alcohol for about 4 weeks pre and post surgery. I substituted some perfectly adequate NA beers in that time. The first several full ABV beers after that hiatus tasted great...but bourbon tasted weird because I was no longer acclimated to it. Yes, it was easy to keep weight off and my wife and I debate whether I was sleeping better or not. I'm back to my regular drinking schedule and enjoy every can/bottle while still substituting some low cal/no buzz NA beers a couple days a week. Increased exercise keeps the pounds off.

 

I haven’t recently cut back but I’ve been drinking the way you just described for at least twenty years for the exact reasons you mentioned. There’s no question that I sleep better, feel better and keep the weight off by keeping the drinking to weekends (exceptions being holidays, vacations and the occasional grill beer). And I agree it makes that first beer on Friday that much more enjoyable. I have no issues with people who do it differently but that’s what works best for me.

 

The joy of quitting is nothing compared to the joy of starting back up.

 

Squire: The Will Rogers of BA.

 

Oddly enough I was about to post a thread like this one. I have never felt more amazing now than I have been in over 7 years prior to 2020. Used to be heavy daily drinking. Now I do twice a week or so. And only a few at that.

I extracted my credit card info in Mint from the year before I moved to Ohio and now, and it showed that I spent $12.8K in packaged beer at multiple stores and tavour. After last years fuck of a year I got an enlightenment and asked myself why I was wasting so much time reviewing and ticking these beers. It takes a lot of time. Now me and my girlfriend go to breweries and meaderies. We had our 21st one last night. How much have I spent at breweries since October 2020? Only around $1k not including if my parents gave me cash for the dates we had over 8 months. And I'll review a beer once in a blue moon now lol. Everything is so much better, barring the lack of an engineering job of course.

 

I have cut back in the last month to only weekends. Since I work weekends and sometimes I’m in at 6 am I do have a few if I’m off the next day. I don’t work M-F, anymore. Overall I only drink 2-3 days each week and mostly 2 , sometimes more if I get together with friends. It’s cheaper but I still sleep like crap due to my work schedule being all over the place.

Enjoy

 

Beer is my reward for doing/completing tasks and I dig having a beer or 2 when I know it won't interrupt anything. In these pandemic days I can have beers at times of the day that I usually wouldn't. But that is changing. I'm a drummer and music work is returning. It is a challenge to play music in bars and big venues because your surrounded by drink. It's in the green rooms, on stage and all over the shop. I don't drink alcohol when I play drums for $. Sometimes this involves hours upon hrs of driving. Night driving. Also good weather is here and I enjoy running so low cal light beers are in my fridge. I'm on extension ladders a few times per week... I also find power tools, chainsaws and such in my hands. No beer involved.
Sometimes I turn off the beer tap for a couple of weeks at a time. Mrs. Dewitt appreciates that. When other people are counting on me to be somewhere to do a task together I must be 100%. Sometimes I'll switch to dry cider for a while. I always go back to brewskies. Do what makes you happy! Cheers!

 

I applaud anyone who has cut back or is trying to. I’ve cut back since I met my girlfriend and I’ve noticed on those occasions when I do have more than my new “maximum” I wake up with a hang over (which I didn’t use to get when I drank a lot more).

 

I've been drinking like this for a minute. I learned 20 years ago not to party on school nights.

 

I am with BillAfromSoCal on this one. The world of non alcoholic beers has really blossomed over the last couple years. There are so many more players beyond the old school O'Douls brands and the big market players like Athletic. There are several styles I prefer non-alcoholic, like lagers. I used to have a beer or so a night and then weekends I let loose. Now I will let loose Friday nights with my imperials, Saturday is more relaxing with lager--lucky to be in between Tree House and Jack's Abby, the rest of the week is a NA beer a night. I do enjoy the extra energy and appreciate my Fridays more.

 

Same-ish.
I have been trying (starting in February) to cut back on the daily 2-3-4 beers a day I was averaging during this past year+ of the pandemic. Not gonna lie, it's led to a little middle-aged mammatus bacon belt on my belly (there's an image!), even with my running.
So, trying to alternate days, mix in the N/A options, and cut back as summer comes roaring in.
Cheers, and good luck to all trying to moderate...

 

I've cut way back over the course of the year. I got a cluster headache cycle starting in April which helped (beers will make you pay during that) but I avoided beer almost entirely for about a month and have whittled down to about 4 beers a week and started shifting back to a majority 5-6% lagers versus high gravity IPAs and the like. I was averaging 2 beers every night for about 3 months to start the year which definitely isn't the highest amount but it was definitely a problem to me so the change has been beneficial.

The improved sleep and easier weight loss are the best things to come along with it for me. I'm very slightly overweight by about 10 pounds so it's been a boon to shaving off weight and also feeling energized enough to have consistent physical activity each day.