Need help.

[a128blo 0]

Sleeved February 2013.

Lost about 80 lbs in about 7 months. Everything was going well.

Since then, my weight has stayed the same.

I know the problem....drinking too much alcohol. I'm not an alcoholic, but am doing too many social things with friends that involve drinking. Probably drinking 4-5 days a week. Some nights will have 2-3 drinks, and some nights will have 7-8 over 5 or 6 hours.

I'm also drinking some soda (diet)---some say that's ok, & some don't.

I'm also drinking 3-4 cups of coffee each day. Some say that's ok,

& some don't.

Part of my problem is that my self image isn't bad----what I mean here is that I was WAAAY too fat at 331lbs, but at 250, I look ok & can fit into an XL shirt. I look ok. Not slim, but good enough.

I'd like to find some courage & motivation and lose another 40 lbs.

I'm 40 years old and a man

[Chele H 427]

Drinking 4-5 days per week, 2-3 drinks sometimes 7 or 8.......certainly sounds like an alcohol problem to me.

[BLERDgirl 6,417]

Not sure what type of motivation we can give you. You've identified your issues: you're socializing and making poor food & drink choices, and you're okay with how you look. I've not heard of any plans to cut back on the alcohol. Perhaps nursing a drink or doing without or any plans to change eating habits or exercise more.

You know by now that this is just a tool, you have to put in the work. What's you plan to do that?

[Big_Mama 511]

I say cut back on your social outings, and the weight will start falling off again. How about you stick to hanging out only on the weekends?

Edited January 1, 2015 by Big_Mama

[Jill7768 46]

Is there any way you can see a counselor? Maybe some of the issues that caused your weight gain in the first place, are resurfacing? It sounds like you are slipping back in to the bad habits. Maybe talking with a professional will help you. New Year....New Start!

[Miss Mac 6,261]

Find some friends who go to the gym and spend your evenings with them instead of the drinkers. Then drink Water. Alcohol and socializing with people who have nothing better to do is not doing you any favors. You need better friends who care about your success, not aquaintances who bring you down. They will never come up to your level. They will always drag you down to theirs.

[katcycler 95]

Try using my fitness pal to track how much calorie intake you are doing. Then start modifying it using baby steps to get back on track. Set your goals and use the fitness pal app and hopefully you will be back losing again

[Elode 8,093]

Well dang it looks like you already answered your own question! You know everything your doing wrong.

[SuperDave 1,115]

There is a calorie-free "social lubricant" that you could use in place of alcohol. Of course, it is not exactly legal in every state, but it isn't hard to find. I have probably said too much...

[playlikeworldchamps 595]

You have already identified the issue. Now you need to address it by cutting back on the alcohol and the situations were it is tempting. Can you do social events that are not about drinking? And if drinking is going on cut the consumption. I drink coffee daily and have wine on occasion. I do not use carbonated beverages. It is possible to lose weight with coffee and very limited alcohol but you need to plan it in to the overall calorie consumption. 2-7 drinks 4-5 times a week is probably 600 to 5000 calories a week at least. It also usually lowers resistant to the bad Snacks usually available at social occasions. It will make weight loss slower and impede progress. Are you ok with slow or almost non existent weight loss? Alcohol will be used as fuel in your body and so real food may get stored if you consume too many alcohol calories. Also alcohol goes to the liver so you will get the abdominal fat there. And of course it is empty calories with no nutrition in it so you will still be hungry for nutritional food.

You also have to decide how much do you want to lose the 40 more pounds? More than you want to drink or go to those social occasions? It's up to you to decide.

When I do drink socially I have to choose if I want a drink or 2 of if I want to eat my calories. I say to myself "I can eat or I can drink and I choose to drink" I also learned the hard way to drink a glass of Water between each drink.

I am a woman and in maintenance so I have a little more flexibility than you do right now. I still drink less than once per month and always plan the calories in. I did that in Weight loss mode too but I had to eat less in those days.

You have to ask yourself - what is more important, keeping off the 80 pounds or gaining it back? Losing 40 more or choosing the status quo and hopefully keep the 80 off.

It's all up to you.

[Pepper123 320]

You hit the issue right on the head...now all u need to do is to tweek it... sip on one glass of wine all night...I'm a diet coke fein but i don't indulged anymore....Eighty lbs congrats!!!!!! Go back where u started and i know u can do this again...good luck....

[mikekallison 9]

I'm 15 days after surgery. All I can say is that I give you kuddos for asking for help. Try to remember why you did this in the first place. Remind yourself of the reasons and your goals. I do that everyday as I suffer heartburn and diarrhea daily. There's light at the end of the tunnel. I'm 42, married with a son. I want to be here for a while. What do you want to do? Hope this helps.

[tart 21]

I was told there are 2 ways to defeat WLS either drinking too many calories or to graze on high calorie foods. don't undo the work you have done. that is a lot of alcohol and you may want to do some research on consuming that much on a regular basis

[Lucky Dog 32]

Ive been sleeved. 11/16/2014.. took the plunge knowing id have to curtail drinking... and have been bone dry... head is SO clear... going to the gym.. feel great... wish I did this 5 years ago... when I had the opportunity.... take care of yourself

[OKCPirate 5,323]

I can relate to this. I knew when the surgery was coming I needed to quit drinking. I did self assessment and realized I had been drinking regularly for a long time. That meant there was the risk of sudden alcohol withdrawal symptoms. This article was helpful on tapering off without a problem: https://hamsnetwork.wordpress.com/2010/10/09/more-on-tapering-off-alcohol/

If you are going to drink, but still want to lose weight, you need to have a plan. I like this site, it is a middle ground between the AA model and "who cares." http://www.hamsnetwork.org/

• a128blo drinking this much may mean you are like me and can't relax. That is an area you might want to explore. Figure that out and see where you are.