I'll be 66 next June and I've decided it's time for me to quit fooling around and get serious about cycling. It's not that I want to race or do centuries or log 200 mi. a week. But, I do want to cycle more and be more fit so I have to address my "consumption" habits. And that means a serious reduction in alcohol. I rarely drink to get drunk but in the European tradition I'm always good for a beer or two with dinner and perhaps a visit to my local watering hole for some brandy or Irish Whiskey and conversation. As a result, although I should be about 175 lbs in season I always hover between 185-190 lbs. Time to change habits. Now it's off to the gym.

How may we help you?

I'll be pulling for you Bruce. Prayer and positive thoughts for your success and making the personal change you want to accomplish.

Bill

About 2 years ago my wife and I decided no more alcohol in the house and since we don't go to bars or dine out more than a couple of times a month that means we've pretty much cut it out completely...like I might have 4 drinks a month and my wife maybe two. Can't say it's made a huge difference or anything but it's a lot fewer empty calories to count and a not inconsequential amount of money saved.

The first thing you have to do is to decide not to do it. Then you need the strength to not do it. As a cyclist, you have it, you just have to use it.
It's a road I've traveled. And I am better for it.
To start, don't buy any. If it's not in the house, you can't drink it. And it's just too much of a PIA to go out every time you want one.
Good Luck.
Enjoy the ride.

I drink very little now. MY old friends that didn't drink much when I was are now drinking more. We're going in opposite directions. But they do have some influence from some Europeans(Germans at that!), that as you say have that built in to their culture. Every time I drink I can feel my brain being abuse now. Just not something I want. Plus I notice a couple days later I get very irritated, very easily. But a drink here or there isn't gonna kill anyone. I'm surrounding myself with people that don't drink(much) and that helps a lot.
I have liquor bottles in my house that are 10 years old or more. And still have a few beers in the fridge from this summer left over. Now, don't get me wrong, every now and then I enjoy sitting and having a few with friends. But that is much less now than ever.
I posted at the MTBR site(mountain bike site) about riding in to a campsite with the mountain bike, carrying my sleeping bag, pad and a few essentials(and named them). None of which was alcohol. It didn't take long for the thread to go in the direction of how they carry their alcohol in.

I think I misread your post. I apologize.

I'm thinking the first part is environmental. You don't have to throw the stuff out, but you might entrust your supply to a friend.

A lot of times habits are easier to break than it would seem. We have a world class marathoner who goes to our church (yes, he's a Kenyan). Someone asked him what his single bit of self advice is.

He said, "Remember, the finish line is never as far off as you think it is".

It makes sense to me.

At the moment I am limiting myself to no more than 300 alcohol calories in any day. If I drink less or none all the better but not more. Been doing it for a week so far and I've been really consistent about going to the gym just about every day. I am confident that there will be success and I'm looking forward to cycling season. Can't wait to make those punk 40 year old kids suffer.

Take Bruce down the Pub so you can discuss strategy.

I can see cutting back on alcohol over a concern with drinking too much becoming a problem, but there are a whole lot of other places I'd look to reduce calories before giving up my beer. But that's just me.

Bruce, I think a lot of us here have goals we're working towards and issues to deal with.... from health to personal.....and we all share cycling as a wonderfully useful assist to making changes, adjusting to things, or just distracting us in a healthy way. Without sounding glib, lots of people do understand, support, and encourage you. Not to mention offer lots of success stories.

Another here with this outlook. Not a beer guy, but I can't see foregoing my after-work/with dinner 1/2 bottle of Malbec any time soon.

I did not quite see it coming. The kids moved out, we live within our means so I can buy decent wine anytime and I slowly ended up with wine almost every day. Usually around half a bottle a day. I have gained some pounds I do not like this winter as well so this is my second week of alcohol only Friday through Sunday. Feels real good, I have seen enough disasters with booze in my family and felt I was slowly sliding in the wrong direction. If it makes me a better cyclist....I can only hope.

Oh, great! I'm avoiding posting just fine until I find another Malbec fan!!
I've pretty much given up beer...don't get me wrong! I still LIKE beer but the carbs and such aren't good for my weight or diabetes. I switched to red wine a couple of years ago and really enjoy it. I do the wine tastings and such when on cruises or visiting a winery, but I'm a Two Buck Chuck kind of guy most of the time.
Good luck with the fitness plans and all. Don't change anything YOU don't want to change. Changes for others don't usually stick.

Last few years and I have almost cut out wine. Haven't been to France for a couple of years and the Wine on sale in the UK is not that good.

But I do enjoy a Cognac--Has to be a good one and It is only for medicinal Use--Why do I feel rough most nights.

But Beer and I never used to be a great drinker. However we have a fantastic Brewery in Sussex called Harveys- and it is local to me. Most pubs carry their beers but one I go to has a "Special" of the month and is always worth sampling. Problem is it takes about 3 pints to get the full flavour.

We all should have goals, as we all need improving in some area. Mine is just plain and simple to cut calories period. Believe me it just as hard for me to cut out to much food as for you to cut out alcohol. I never liked the stuff but good food is another story.

My goal is just to get enough rides in this summer but Son-in-Law has put on about 30lbs in the last year. A few problems kept him off the bike. But since he had his eyes sorted last year he has been riding- down the gym- commuting on the bike and a bit of Eating the right type of food. He still has a gut but following him on the bike he is no longer "FAT". Buttocks and legs have toned up and 10 of the 30 have gone.

His wife that has just partaken of the right food has lost 7 lbs in the same time. My Daughter does not do exercise. She doesn't have time with the running about she has to do with the grandchildren.

Heh heh! Sorry about that! Not to hijack the OP's thread, but the great thing about Malbec (Argentinian) is that as a preferred plonk it can be had at a good range of price while still being drinkable. Hijack over.

I can resist anything but temptation.

There are a few things I know about myself. I do not have the alcoholism gene. I do not want to give up alcohol totally. And, I have a strange relationship with alcohol. At least I think it's strange. I can go a month or months without wanting wine. But, if I do want some I have no problem drinking a bottle of Pinot Noir during an evening. If I go out it's almost always beer and I love the different beers I encounter. But, at home it's uncommon to want a beer. OTOH, cognac or Irish Whiskey I will have almost anytime....mostly the cognac. From dawn to dinner I almost never have a taste for alcohol. Unless I have lunch at the local tavern. My "solution" is the 300 calories rule.

Every alcoholic in the world felt this way at one time. The question to ask yourself is,... "Is drinking a problem." If the answer is yes, there are proven solutions. If the question is, "How do I modify my diet because of too many calories", that's a different deal.

Most of the people I've known who have had issues with alcohol never asked that question.

For me it's an issue of calories and wanting to get back to being the best I can be at this point in life. Having been a college scholarship athlete (football & baseball) I know what being in shape feels like. I want that feeling back before it's too late.

Yeah, we can hammer this out over a few brewskis.

I apologize for apologizing for my question because it really is the most important thing raised in the discussion so far.

No one in my family has ever had colon cancer, or even colon polyps, so far as I know.

They found some polyps at my last colonoscopy. That knocks me into a higher risk category.

But I don't have the colon cancer gene.

Just sayin'.

Maybe I'm reacting to folklore but I'm thinking that some people have a problem with alcohol that is related to their genetic makeup. Particularly the native Americans we call "Indians" and some others I've known. Maybe that's wrong. I don't know. But what I do know is that I don't have that problem. That's all I was trying to say.

FWIW, I grew up in NJ with Italian grand-parents and wine was a staple of dinner and shared with friends under the grape arbor in our backyard regardless of the time of day. No one in my family has ever been an alcoholic. Seriously...no one. It's just a cultural thing.

I have never had a Major weight problem but I do keep a careful eye on my weight. I have found the best "Diet" to lose weight is to weigh myself regularly. Keeping an eye on it I can see when the 1 or 2 lbs fluctuation has turned into 4 and do something about it.

But my problem is on those bike rides. Get to the cafe and Pie and a coffee. I sometimes don't have the energy to work off the calories caused by the extra slice.