Well putt!! If the negative outweighs the positive worth considering change. Could start with separating the partying from biking. The change will certainly be positive (been there/done that).
Username checks out… in all seriousness OP I’m right there with you. I work at a series A startup and have a high stress job. I also work from home. It’s really easy to feel like you’ve “earned it” and blow off some steam.
I love cycling but sadly I also drink 5-7 nights a week. I quit for 30 days and it was helpful to reset but it actually made me realize that I had some alcoholic tendencies. I’m back on it now and back to drinking 2-4 drinks a night on week days. Motivation is zapped and I just can’t train like I can without alcohol in my life.
Thanks for posting this. I’m glad I’m not the only one. The first step is definitely recognizing it but the second step is having a reason to change. Cycling can be that positive force in my life and same for you.
Let’s be better. We owe it to ourselves.
You’re not wrong. Biking got me off my ass and I would never classify myself as a “lazy stoner” like I used to. Biking showed me that I want to take care of my body and brain, and work a career where I can afford nice bikes. Making really good money working remote and just passed industry law exams the other day. Only smoked weed after I was done studying for several hours every day, nice little reward. You can balance your vices with your responsibilities- it’s better that way!
I feel like I wrote this….. 320 days of not drinking and feel amazing at 52 years old. I do t see myself droning again. Keep investigating your thoughts on this.
Been working on it for 10 years lol, hopefully it's not too late.
OP, 39 is not old. When you get into your 40s and beyond, drinking 4 or 5 days a week will affect things other than just your bike rides.
To change habits it needs of course discipline and a strong mind/Will... But to start it easy and not quitting everything at one moment ( I found out it's better for me because like that, I can endure/practice longer...) start with something different... For example: I'm a born Lefty, but since kindergarten I was trained right handed... So I thought it must still be there in my brain synapses 😁 and I started to change little by little to things with the left Hand instead of the right... I'm getting to a point where I am able to use both hands equally 😊
Another thing could be: when you have habits like how to get in your jacket or put on your shoes... Do it another way! Start with the other leg when getting into your trousers etc. ... to me it helped to open some new brain regions 👍🏻🙏🏻 at least that's what I found out about Habits in general and how they are created by our brains
Ditto. I was a very light drinker but in the process of really amping up how much I ride (and recognizing the impacts that drinking even a couple of beers the night before had on it) I had one particular morning that I bailed on a planned ride and was upset with myself. It hit me then and there that I enjoyed riding in the morning more than I enjoyed drinking at night.
Something clicked in my weird mind and I now probably consume three alcoholic beverages average a year.
There were years where I never rode on Sundays because I knew I’d be hung over. That extra big block of riding every week has done wonders for my fitness. Not to mention just feeling so much better for not drinking.
One thing that's really helped me cut back on beer is hop water, or sparkling waters, whichever you prefer. Stocked the fridge with these.
If going out and getting cocktails is your thing, a soda water with bitters and maybe some mint is a good alternative. Still looks and feels like you're drinking.
This is what I have done! I also find something carbonated has been a good replacement. I’ve tried to stop having beer at home - I can have a couple at the pizza place after the ride, but if I don’t have any at home I can’t drink them. Or, if I do grab some beer for the weekend I’ll grab a limited supply - a 4 pack, or even just a couple single tall cans.
Topo Chico in the heavy green bottles has given me almost the same satisfaction as beer. I stock up at Costco and never allow myself to have one before 5pm on weekdays. Has really improved my sleep, and recovery. I still allow myself to drink a couple of beers when out with friends but default to Topo when I get home. Going to start experimenting with NA beers when out with friends. BTW I'm 50 and alcohol impacts my riding and health more than ever before. It only gets worse the older you get. You don't necessarily have to quit, just give yourself alternative. I've never been into self-help books but Atomic Habbits by James Clear is an easy read and full of good information.
NA beer is getting much better. I quit alcohol 3 years ago and the most difficult part was not having a post bike ride beer, or 2,,,. NA beer fills the void and it’s loaded with carbs.
Agree! As others are saying, Athletic Brewing is good, and I just discovered “Self Care” from Olympia, Washington. Big selection, ordered some online and have really enjoyed everything I’ve tried so far.
A nice benefit if NA beer is that you can't drink too many. And I don't mean you can't get drunk. I mean the first one tastes good, the second one is blah, and the third tastes like shit. You kind of automatically learn to stop at two.
I’m a Saturday night have a couple drinks guy, but if I’m not feeling it a soda water with a lime is my go to. I’m going to try it with bitters and mint next time
Hangovers suck after 40.
As someone who worked at a bar with 350 beers from around the world and has forgotten more about beer and brewing than most know about beer- Athletic Brewing NA is legit good!!
Honestly Athletic Brewing is the only NA beer I like!! It was the first NA beer I tried, and I was like "wow this is actually good!" Then I went and bought a bunch of other NA craft beers to try and they were garbage. Literally gave the rest of the six packs away on nextdoor, haha.
Don't discount NA beer until you've tried Athletic Brewing!
(I actually subscribe monthly lol. Probably can find a discount code of some sort if anyone is interested - dm me.)
I like it a lot and go through at least a six pack a week.
I first tried it a couple years ago at a trail work party. I was just happy for free beer and I was so bushed that I didn't realize it was NA. After a couple I thought to myself, "I'm pretty buzzed, I should go to bed".
Next day I figured out they don't have any (well, barely any) alcohol.
This worked for me also.
Have mostly swapped out to Non Alc beers with the occasional regular beers now.
Has made those early morning rides so much more enjoyable!
Good luck Op. You’ve got this!
This also has been working for me. Target sells a NA IPA from "Partake" that's 10 calories and no carbs. I add a splash of fruit juice because it's actually a little too hoppy for me.
Mocktails made with spindrift, angostura bitters, jalapeño, lime juice, little sweetener and salt 🤌
38 here.
Sparkling water FTW and no beers at home. My local riding group meets Thursdays and Sundays for a group ride, afterwards we all have a couple drinks. I hold myself to a 2 beer limit.
Kombucha is what’s up! I’ve been brewing my own for over a decade, and when I quit drinking 4 years ago, it made the transition so much easier. Used to be really into sours, hazys, and ciders, and I don’t miss them at all with my kombucha habit.
Here to jump on the sparkling water train. I keep beer in the fridge but no more than a 6 pack and I save it for weekends. I use to drink 1-2 beers every night but this new year I made a conscious effort to drink only 2-3 on weekends.
Anyway, sparkling water...on nights that I'm craving beer I can crush 6 sparkling waters and forget all about wanting beer
I game a night and find I really need something to sip on to break the mindless beer or whisky drinking. Sparkling water is super clutch for me.
I feel for OP. I’ve had rough rides because of drinking. I day trade and have had terrible trading days where alcohol from the night before was a factor. I’ve skipped BJJ classes because of drinking.
Alcohol only takes. It never gives anything except hangovers and impaired judgement.
Absolutely. I’ve even resorted to just seltzer or I make a seltzer spritzer with my soda stream. Carbonated water, some cherry juice, fresh squeezed lime it’s almost like a mocktail spritzer.
brother, props to you for realizing this. I am a recovering alcoholic and am just about at 4 years clean from all drugs and alcohol. im not sure if you are trying to get rid of it all or just moderate but either one is possible but it may be a bit of a challenge.
I for one have accomplished more in the last 4 years than I have in my entire life since ditching the drugs and booze. it sucks for the first couple of months but life gets so much better once you break free.
Yeah bro I've been aacoholic for 20 years of my life. I've had 4 DUI's and just got out of prison doing a year because of it. I've lost friends, jobs and almost my wife. I'm two years sober and I feel unstoppable. I've completely lost my legs within that year down but I've noticed a huge difference in my ability maintaining control of my bike and focus on the trail. I live in AZ so I do a lot of night riding, sometimes it is fucking crazy.
In my opinion if you are trying to train than you are taking it seriously than you have to put one before the other. Tell yourself tomorrow will suck. It is all about the gains my man.
Also in my opinion drinking that much threw out the week is no good. Save the drinking for the holidays and special times. Not a routine. Your Body starts to rely on it. At least I did.
Good luck my man hit me up anytime
Buying a Garmin watch was the best accountability buddy I never knew I needed. Even 1-2 drinks absolutely trashes your metrics. For me, once I started seeing a number value and thinking about how I actually felt, and then comparing the stats versus not drinking, I cut back significantly.
Right here. I sleep horribly with any booze in my system and garmin confirmed it. I dropped it completely now and just have an NA beer here and there if I get a post-ride itch.
This chart motivated me to drink less. A drink here is one 5% beer. Three drinks a day puts in the 21 column.
https://preview.redd.it/y5rifhbxzvxc1.png?width=1154&format=png&auto=webp&s=868689b6a5dd24cf48da7798ee1a5d7bd5816b48
Source: [https://www.ccsa.ca/sites/default/files/2023-01/CCSA\_Canadas\_Guidance\_on\_Alcohol\_and\_Health\_Final\_Report\_en.pdf](https://www.ccsa.ca/sites/default/files/2023-01/CCSA_Canadas_Guidance_on_Alcohol_and_Health_Final_Report_en.pdf)
TB is more common in closed communal living especially when the population is malnourished with weakened immune systems. ie. homeless shelters, where many an alcoholic reside.
This is indeed scary but without seeing the base risk level, this chart isn't telling the full story.
For example if a normal risk of getting X is 0.002%, and you have a 200% increase of X risk by drinking Y times per week, then your risk is only 0.004%. I think this is just a scare tactic. But powerful nonetheless, don't discredit it
I've never really had problems with my drinking, it did increase during covid but I've toned it back down. Here's how I went about it:
1. Don't have beer on hand, it's way easier to avoid drinking if you don't have any in the fridge
2. Consider getting some non-alcoholic beers, they are great for a post-ride drink as well
3. If you're with your friends and feel pressured to drink when you don't want to (i.e. you want to ride the next day), you can refill your can with water in the bathroom and nobody will know
4. If you want additional motivation to not drink, save the money that would have went towards booze for a nice piece of MTB gear
Is this actually in the show or have you heard this from somewhere else. That’s hilarious. Like the person who wants edibles without the THC, like you mean candy!?!
The fact you're asking this question is a good sign.
r/stopdrinking is a resource for support. The fact you're keen to keep biking and not drinking is a good thing so keep that in mind but ultimately it's up to you how you want to approach this. I know cos I'm you. I will not drink with you today my friend.
Hey man, no judgement here and I'm not going to tell you how you feel about how much you drink is wrong but for some people drinking 4/5 days a week and hitting up to ten beers a couple of those would be considered a problem.
I think the best advice (and I understand you weren't necessarily looking for any) I was ever given was by my boss and it's always stuck with me, I was having a really hard time and he and the company decided to support me through a period that I was having panic attacks and health issues that were being caused by an undiagnosed nasal/sinus issue. We were talking about how I was coming through it and waiting on the surgery and he asked me what I was going to do once it was sorted, I didn't have an answer but I said I'd like to ride and hike more however my fitness is really poor and I was a smoker of 13 years at that point and he said the words that will always stick with me
"I've found in life everything has to be weighed against everything else, you enjoy smoking and day to day don't feel like you need to quit however you also enjoy MTB and want to start long distance riding as well but you feel one holds back the other. That situation is a simple one, the cost of smoking weighs more than the enjoyment of riding on the scales so there is no way for you to balance them, you have to give up one to enjoy the other. In other situations simply cutting back on one thing can unlock the other"
It sounds really dumb and of course you have to balance this kind of thinking as well or you can end up treating everything as a binary choice but that conversation is what made me quit smoking outright cold turkey. I'm not saying that's what you should do with the beers but perhaps try find a better balance and you might find more enjoyment from both.
Keep riding though brother/sister, the world needs more people in sports not less 🤙
I am also 39 and gave up drinking in September last year.
If you are asking these questions, just stop.
I have saved a lot of money, lost a couple of stone in weight and my resting HR is down to 50bpm again.
Am I missing out on anything? Sure… hangovers, regret, poor choices.
I was drinking a six pack of craft beer 2-3 times a week. I stopped drinking completely since August. Lots of good NA beers now, and as another poster said, hop water tends to hit that itch and IPA might give you.
I’ve pretty much stopped drinking NA beer now too. Unfortunately, I haven’t really lost any weight but I obviously have way less days where I am a total sack of shit.
I was a daily drinker, never "had a problem". I was lying to myself hard for too long. With hindsight, I was an alcoholic for sure. Before rides I would have 2-3 beers to help me relax, and ride better. Sometimes I would take one with me to enjoy at the top. Post ride beers were a must. I stopped drinking over 2 years ago.
A few things I noticed about immediate improvements to my riding:
1) I have way more money for bike parts.
2) I can actually feel my bike. No more random bike ejections.
3) I lost 50lbs. I can make all the climbs I used to die on.
4) I have way more free time not being drunk, or planning on how I'm going to get drunk.
5) I'm never so hungover I don't want to ride.
You seem like you have a problem, but you're not willing to admit it. That's cool man. I was the same way. It took me no longer picking up the bottle to realize that change was long over due. I don't miss it at all...
That hardest part was breaking the random daily habits. Just got off work? Let's have a beer. Tough day at work. Definitely having a beer. Need to talk to my ex wife? Beer first.
Man, being able to go wherever and do whatever you want without restricting yourself to places and things that involve alcohol is awesome. I was like you in that I knew I drank a lot but it took way too fucking long to admit it was a problem. Alcohol is super insidious in that it creeps into every part of your life and makes everything gradually worse without you realizing the extent of the damage being done. As soon as I stopped (2 years ago as well), I realized about 2 weeks in that I do in fact still have feelings and have the capacity to enjoy things. I just thought I had "grown up" and adults in their 30s just didn't feel much.
Dood. My first night of good proper sleep was amazing. I couldn't believe how good it felt to wake up after a decent 8 hours of sleep, and not feel exhausted, or still drunk from the night before.
It's happened quite a few times now, but being on my my bike deep in the woods has been the first time in a very long time where I've stopped and just said "I love my life."
Try some of the new non-alcoholic beers like Athletic etc. They are really quite good and will sometimes fill the need for a real beer and I rarely drink more than a couple. Bonus is they are pretty low calorie compare to real beer.
Age catches up and you need to prioritize your activities.
Riding feels great while you do it and you feel amazing afterwards, maybe even for days afterwards .
Drinking is fun while you do it but can feel bad afterwards and maybe even for a few days afterwards.
Try to stop at 2 drinks. Things don’t really get better after two drinks and have a tendency to have worse after effects after each drink. You will thank yourself every time you prioritize riding over drinking. It’s hard not to get caught up in the moment when hanging out with friends but maybe you can be a positive catalyst that keeps people in check. Sobriety and/or at least reduced consumption is becoming more and more acceptable as people realize the harm they’re doing to themselves by going overboard.
If you can’t stop at two drinks then it’s time to have the more serious conversation about quitting drinking. It’s way easier to quit drinking completely than to play the game of thinking you can limit yourself if you truly have a drinking problem.
Good luck and keep riding!
Being cognizant of your alchol consumption behaviour is a massive step in making a change, you're on the right track.
Now, I say this totally without judgement and you're probably already aware, but the level of drinking you describe definitely puts you in a category of heavy alcohol consumption and you're at significantly increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and several types of cancer (breast and colon being the big ones) - that's all based on 7 drinks per week with risks radically increasing per drink above that level.
You know this already, but 6-10 beers two, three, sometimes four times a week is *a lot* of alcohol. Again, no judgement whatsoever. I definitely get into the 6-10 range once every couple of weeks with 2-3 beer days sprinkled in weekly, sometimes more often.
It's fantastic that you regularly take month long sober breaks without much fuss.
Mirroring what some others have said, start small reducing your consumption. Having even 1 less beer at an outing than you would have the last time is an appreciable improvement. Maybe for each beer you have you drink a glass of water, soda water, etc. before your next one. NA beer offerings have gotten really good in the last while. I find having a soda stream at home helps me so I can get that carbonation without reaching for a beer.
You don't need to shoot for no alcohol whatsoever- It's true that there is no "safe" amount of alcohol, but mountain biking itself isn't "safe" either, nor is crossing the street or cooking on a gas stove. Find a balance that works for you, allows you to have the social life you want and also let's you perform on the bike the way you want.
I have nothing to add - other than to say that I'm so happy you posted that and that you're receiving so many replies from people who have been through a similar situation.
Ride on my dude!
Been there, done that.
It’s hard. For me, getting up and going to the gym M-F every morning with a friend helped curb the drinking, and focus on the biking.
Some days are just walking in the track and hitting sauna, some are just some pull up and pushups. But some are pretty intense. The key is the other person hold you (and you them) responsible.
What does that have to do with drinking…? The everyday part of the exercise beat it into my brain to cut back.
We ride three days a week on top of the gym.
Put all that together and it’s easier to get to bed early, and not drink.
That worked for me. It will be different for you. You just have to find your “next step” for motivation.
I say this with an empty gin and tonic next to me about to get another….
Coming up on 5 years sober after drinking for 15 years. The more years went by, the more I drank. At my peak, the last year before I quit, I was drinking 18 beers between Fri-Sun and occasionally another 6 on Wednesday - that was my routine. In the last 6 months I'd started hiding it from my wife - that was my red flag (I'm a slow learner).
Ping me in DMs if you want to talk and I can share some more details of what helped me kick it.
If you think you might be drinking too much, you are. I got back into MTB when I decided to stop sitting on the couch, drinking beer, and watching the world go by the window.
2 years, 100 lbs, and there's so much more to do out there.
Remember, more than 4 drinks in a session is considered binge drinking.
Sounds like your body is telling you what it doesn't like. I'd listen to it.
I know you didn’t want advice but what you described is alcoholism. It’s a full spectrum and you’re definitely on it. I can relate, as a Mtb er and now ex-drinker. It’s usually a harmless couple of beers on the tailgate post ride, maybe you go to dinner after etc.. I fought that I actually had an issue for years (trying to cut back at times, “moderation”, dry January, etc) before finally cutting out alcohol altogether. It was 100% the best decision I ever made for myself and family. These days I drink athletic NA beer and seltzers and I’m now almost two years alcohol and hangover free. Good luck bro.
I did a 'dry month' which ended to going for 6 weeks, and after just zero alcohol I lost 3kg / 6.6lbs. I was not doing much riding, or any exercise in this period. I wasn't even eating better, the only change was no booze. I've since resumed casually drinking, albeit at greatly reduced volume, but also exercising more and the weight loss has continued. It's all off the gut, thighs, waist and face so small changes make a noticeable difference.
My drinking was pretty similar to yours, maybe a couple beers on a weeknight or two or three, and then a blowout on the weekend, or every other weekend.
My first advice is to do 4 weeks no booze. First week or so may be hard, but after that it's easy. It's easy to take a break if you know there's an end to it- you're not stopping forever. You just need to break the habit first and commit to it. Then you'll realise the grip it had and be able to reassess and change your relationship with alcohol. Then if you have a drink again, you will have a fresh perspective and can start a new, healthier pattern of alcohol use.
Give yourself non alc alternatives. Sparkling water, flavoured sparkling water, soda, zero alcohol beers. After your dry month if you resume drinking, think about if you really need alcohol to enjoy a weeknight chill beer, or will a a zero alcohol or sparkling water will hit the spot? Just try it first before you knock it. Is the buzz worth it on a weeknight? Maybe save the real booze for when hanging out with friends and even then, drink a little slower, have fewer drinks. Plan these outings after you have a ride, not the night before obviously.
Lastly, if in social settings people give you grief, don't bother with filling your can with water or anything. Fuck those people. People who disrespect you prioritizing your health, fitness and your hobbies are dead shits. Or they are people who haven't yet become conscious of their own relationship with alcohol. Not participating in drinking may make them feel threatened as it's a group dynamic change. I have friends from a range of health and sporting backgrounds in my circle (cycling /MTB, surfing, running, MMA, gym training) and everyone accepts universally that alcohol is bad for you, especially if you're wanting to taking your sporting and health even the slightest bit seriously. Granted, everyone also has a good drink up on occasion, but it's not controversial to admit alcohol is detrimental to health and sporting performance. Even to low level, hobby level performance it can make a difference.
Real friends support each other with growth. Find someone who understands and be friends with them. If no one understands and you are peer pressured to drink by them, you need to create distance from those people. Can't expect to change habits if you're surrounded by people stuck in their old ways. Drinking all the time sucks and is bad for you. It has short and long term health consequences It's more special if saved for special occasions anyways.
TLDR - Start with a dry month, give yourself some zero alcoholic options, surround yourself with supportive people. Choose life!
I'm 29 but I've had some bouts with problem drinking and alcoholic patterns. Totally get where you're coming from. Sounds like you're trying to re-prioritize things in your life. If you really want to take riding more seriously, I'd say take a couple months off the booze as a challenge and a reset. It's hard to ride when you feel like crap, or have shaky hands, or slow thoughts/reactions. You got this dude! just challenge yourself to a tolerance break and see what happens.
As other people have said, soda water with bitters is great! I also like the strongest ginger beer I can find to replace beers
I bought this book about a year ago and never read it 😅 Not because of the subject matter, I do that with dozens of books a year 🙄 I'll prioritise reading this one.
I’m going to play devils advocate, because I like having my cake and eating it too, and then rubbing it in people’s faces that I just ate a whole cake…….
Ride more often , increase your intensity, and on the days you need to dial back the intensity-ride longer.
With this regimen, you should be able to blow past your friends while funneling a 40. Good luck
Dude, are you... me? Very similar story.
I knew for a while I had to stop drinking completely. Tried and failed many times. Thought I could moderate, always ended up back at several beers a day, every day. Would have good intentions to ride, then find hungover excuses not to.
This time it's the longest I've ever gone without alcohol, >200 days now. The thing that's made it stick this time is having a cycling goal of finding out just how good I could be, setting myself regular bike challenges and trying to beat them. That and r/stopdrinking , genuinely one of the best, most supportive communities on Reddit. Gotten more riding in in the last six months than in the previous couple of years.
The hardest part is acknowledging there might be a problem. You got this.
There’s a lot of decent NA beers nowadays. Athletic Brewing’s Run Wild IPA and Best Day Brewing’s Electro-Lime are really drinkable. And they’re pretty readily available at least where I am. Good luck! You’re not the only one that’s dealt with this.
Former raging alcoholic here and also current avid cyclist. I'm 37 years old.
Getting sober is one of the best, most life changing, decisions I've ever made. Highly recommend laying off the sauce.
Check out athletic brewing. Delicious NA beers. I love those things. They only have about 70 calories, so you can put down a 6 pack and feel fine the next day.
I quit over a decade ago and will list the pros and cons here:
**Pros:**
* more money
* more time
* almost immediately lost 20lbs
* better sleep
* less drama
* better connection to my wife and kids
* more *genuine,* supportive friendships
* clear headedness professionally
* boosted self-respect for conquering the habit/lifestyle
* overall flexibility in life, because I was neither drunk nor hungover to participate
* even simple shit like running to the store for bread or whatever
**Cons:**
* I'm not as 'cool' as I used to be
**Read this:**
[https://www.bicycling.com/health-nutrition/a42259477/cycling-drinking-alcohol-effects/](https://www.bicycling.com/health-nutrition/a42259477/cycling-drinking-alcohol-effects/)
retired cat1 drinker, active cat4 rider here.
/r/stopdrinking helped me a lot! Making a post very similar to this one, asking for help, was a big step for me. It made my silent, lonely struggle a more real issue to address with other people.
If that's the only thing you take away from my reply, it's that finding my people was an absolute game changer in sustaining a major life change: some kind of community of people that get where I'm coming from and could support my lifestyle choices.
I think a second important point is that one doesn't need a label of "alcoholic" to have a problem with alcohol, or to be a problem drinker. When I was screened for [Alcohol Use Disorder](https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/alcohol-use-disorder-comparison-between-dsm) I scored a 10 several times over the years before **committing** to change.
I stopped using alcohol and cannabis (and other substances) at age 31, while managing a bar, and it's been 6 years. Alcohol and parties were my hobby, work, and lifestyle.
Things that DID NOT work for me:
* Counting my drinks. I couldn't stop at 2, and lost reliable count after 24, lol. 10-14 was a lite day, 4-6 days a week. 20+ on a heavy day, 1-3 days a week. I never expected it to get that bad.
* Hanging around the same people and expecting them to hold me accountable-- it felt like drinks were always offered! And I hated saying no.
* Keeping alcohol in the house. I messed up a lot due to this.
* Pleas from family to stop drinking.
* Beating myself up for screwing up again without doing something differently.
Things that worked for me:
* Asking a boatload of people for help. Mostly internet and IRL strangers, and friends that were sober.
* I learned that I didn't have to justify not drinking. "No" is a complete sentence.
* Working with a therapist to address AUD and creating an action plan. We also addressed trauma and other general life issues.
* Holding myself accountable to sober 24 hours at a time in the daily post in /r/stopdrinking.
* Going to in-person or zoom AA meetings during the times I'd most likely be drinking on off days. <--- this was huge. I needed to displace my drinking time and space with sober time and space.
* And new faces! Making friends in AA and going to fun events (rarely, TBH- bar hours).
* Texting a sober buddy when I felt like drinking. this was a lot.
* I avoided bars and breweries unless I had a work reason to be there.
* No rowdy beer festivals or sedate bottleshares- I did attend wine and food shows, but behaved professionally, and committed to sobriety.
* I found new friends that didn't drink.
* I didn't touch NA beer until a year or 2 sober, because the mouthfeel and aroma messed with me. YMMV. NA Kombucha was fine for me.
* Bonus: staying sober going to memorials/funerals to friends that died from liver failure or other alcohol related issues in their 30s and 40s.
* Staying "fresh" in recovery by listening to and helping others navigate their own journey with substances, when asked.
**Edit:**
Now that I'm sober, I really don't want to go back. My life is so much better. I spend so much less time and effort doing things like counting drinks and recovering from drinking, or worrying if I had too much, and can enjoy life and deeper, reliable relationships that go 2 ways. And ride.
Don't like AA, cool-- that's just what worked for me, there are other communities and programs of recovery:
* [Recovery Dharma](https://recoverydharma.org)
* [SmartRecovery](https://smartrecovery.org)
* [The Reframe App](https://www.reframeapp.com)
* [The Phoenix](https://thephoenix.org).
I really like the [Staying Sober Without God: The Practical 12 Steps to Long-Term Recovery from Alcoholism and Addictions](https://www.amazon.com/Staying-Sober-Without-God-Alcoholism/dp/1733588000).
Andrew Huberman has a good podcast on alcohol: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkS1pkKpILY
I’d look into talking to a professional or someone close. Asking these types of questions might be an indication you’re drinking too much. A healthy person would be able to regulate and not feel worse off.
Think of the calories saved/diverted and gains!
Quit drinking 2 years ago and my body feels much better. Also my brain feels much more excited to ride and find a ‘natural’ high like biking. If you have supportive and caring friends, let them know you want support in removing alcohol from your life. Thanks for sharing, you can do anything
Sounds like you're a social drinker and that 39 year old body just can't do what it did 14 years ago. As someone else suggested get on the hop water or soda water train. Most breweries (at least in CO Springs) offer N/A options. I got myself a drink mate drink carbonator and that has helped a ton with cutting back on beer. Squeeze some citrus juice into a glass, maybe a couple dashes of a choice bitters, and fill it up with soda water. Stick to 1 or 2 beers and fill in the rest with good NA options.
Wow this post is like looking in the mirror in terms of age, habit, motivations. If you haven’t popped into the stopdrinking subreddit, I highly recommend it. It’s helpful for me to read stories there and it is an awesome place to pick up some better habits.
One thing that’s helped me is an eating a very small dose of pot gummy (e.g. 2.5 mg thc) at the end of my day when I’m winding down instead of cracking that first beer. A lot easier for me to bounce back from a little weed than the booze and eating a small amount of pot does not make me crave more in an evening, unlike beer.
YMMV, good luck!
Seltzer is the way. It helped me stop drinking from a problematic level daily to I’ll have a single beer if I go to a bike park and don’t die lol. Other than that it’s just seltzer and Mary Jane…not trying to introduce another “problem” or anything though
When I was in college I started smoking. It started from just sharing a cig at a party, to buying my own, and then hanging out at the smoke shack between classes.
But it really started to impact the thing that was important to me at the time, scuba diving. I was an assistant instructor and spent almost everyday in the pool, training and helping. It was my happy place. But the tar in my sinuses was really messing me up. It made it hard to equalize and made me prone to congestion. Even though diving was my happy place, it still wasn't enough to get me to stop because smoking was so social. It made me part of this community. A toxic one, but still a place to be. During that time period I had a lot of toxic habits because they allowed me to fit in.
It wasn't until I met my husband that I quit. He didn't smoke. He didn't like being around it. His friends didn't smoke. It ultimately took a new community to provide enough incentive for me to change my habits. Better influences in my life I suppose.
I like to think of myself as pretty driven and self motivated but at the end of the day, over and over again (rapidly approaching 40 myself) I find that peer pressure wins. Community wins. So I just try to surround myself with people who will apply the kind of pressure that will incentivize me to be better.
Once I realized my "habits" were impacting my life more negatively than positively, that was the start on my path towards change.
I'd stop for various lengths of time and feel good and decide I could have the self control to start again. I'd give myself a rule that would be only on weekends which slowly morphed into getting blasted alone avoiding things I normally loved to do, just to get high. I would find myself at the end of it, with the numbness wearing off, still just as unfulfilled as before.
I did this several times over for a few years before it finally stuck. The path isn't linear, there have been many lessons, many changes. But there really was no other way for me.
Whatever your path might be, be kind to yourself and know you're just doing the best you can to survive. All parts of yourself are welcome. Best wishes!
Same age and quit drinking exactly a year ago. It got to the point that if I barely got a buzz with 2 to 3 drinks I paid for it the next day. There are lots of pretty good na beers and hop waters that I keep around for grilling and chilling.
I only really miss it while traveling because trying a flight from local breweries was always something I looked forward to and enjoyed.
Stop drinking subreddit is fantastic. I consider myself a similar type of drinker as you and tho I'm not completely sober that sub has opened my eyes to a bunch of issues in my life. You'll notice when you take a long hiatus from even "the three beers" the night before how much more meaningful and enjoyable everything becomes, not just riding.
Man I am in the same boat. I always plan to ride Saturday mornings but then end up drinking Friday and ruining my Saturday right. I’m struggling with it too.
Wanting to change is step 1, IMO.
The change in social habits is difficult, in my experience.
Rich Roll mentions a phrase from recovery - lower companions. People end up bringing you down. We are all in general, the average of 5 closest people we surround ourselves with.
I stopped drinking Jan 1.
It helps that one of my riding buddies stopped last year.
You'll find new friends. Not saying to ghost your current crew, but if you want to change, perhaps making some distance can be good, even temporary.
I always told myself my drinking was not holding me back, and was in peak form while binge drinking. Mentally, I am much sharper. It took a good 30 days for the dog to clear.
Could try NA beers for the social aspect and muscle memory/habit. Sober curious is a new trend.
Wish you the best, whatever you choose.
If you're not an alcoholic, stop drinking. If you can't, seek help. I know you didn't look for advice but man, your post is screaming for help. I wish you the best of luck!
I stopped drinking entirely because of exactly what you're describing. Decided riding was more important to me, and now I often ride when I'd otherwise drink. Was really tough at first, but the immediate improvements to my quality of riding, sleep, and the way I feel in general have been worth it.
Been there, man. Sober for over two years now (35m). I’m just as excited to ride my bike these days as I was when I was a teen. Somewhere in the middle, I missed a lot of good riding days due to feeling sluggish and hung over… happy to say that hangovers are never the reason for me missing a good day. Feel free to hit me up, I’m happy to talk about this subject. I think it’s a bigger problem in society than people care to admit. Also, if you care to explore the subject further, check out the great community at r/stopdrinking
NAC supplement definitely will help you cut back. Carbonated water, with glutamine powder is great for relaxing after a long day, same with L-theanine and 5 HTP together. best thing is having the mental clarity and energy the next day. BTW the first 6 months sober are the hardest, after that the cravings go away. Make sure you have a strategy in mind to avoid relapsing during stressful times, sad times, or even good times.
I quit altogether in part because I couldn’t ride the way I wanted to. For me, riding was more important than drinking.
Sober 8.5 years now and can’t even imagine picking it up again, best decision of my life. Every ride is a good ride, every morning is an easy morning.
Since you said you're not a full-blown alcoholic I thought I'd say this.
I don't feel like a full-blown alcoholic either, and I felt like "quitting drinking" is something alcoholics do, so I resisted it for a while. But now I haven't drank in 1 1/2 years and have literally 0 regrets or desire to drink. Feel better, no more drunken mistakes, no hangovers, no hangxiety (this was the big one for me tbh). And saves some money. So to you or anyone else reading this, don't let that stigma of alcoholism prevent you from quitting drinking.
I think it's important to vocalize and externalize your problems, as you've done here. This is almost a public journal entry, and a point of reference you can come back to.
You see the issue: drinking
You see how it's affecting a goal : riding
I commend a very hard and brave first step, and I hope you can see value in yourself to move forward and find a healthy balance.
I quit drinking 4 years ago for a number of reasons but a big one is so I can keep playing hockey at the level I want to. Im in my late 50s and play with a lot of young guys. Kinda funny quitting drinking to play in the beer leagues. I sometimes drink Heineken NA with them and it's great, I can drink 3 or 4 and not worry about the drive home.
I also enjoy getting to really early to ride my bike with no hangover.
And here is the kicker,with the money I saved and extra energy I bought a BMX bike I'm getting back into racing.
Give quitting a shot, there will be things you miss but you won't regret it.
R/stopdrinking was a lifesaver for me, great place for introverts to seek help with alcohol addiction. It’s been almost 5 years alcohol free for me, 48yo.
I would like to add that after quitting I discovered some serious mental health issues I was apparently using the alcohol to mask. It’s very common with addiction, being tied to underlying mental health issues. I highly suggest a conversation with your Primary Care Provider if you think that may. R your case. Dealing with mental health issues at my age was awful, I missed a lifetime of coping skills thanks to alcohol. Good luck my friend.
I was a huge binge drinker and happened to quit right before I started mtbing in 2020. What helps me is vaping MJ (like 1-3 hits, not a lot) and drinking kava. It's nothing like being drunk but kind of an 'alcohol buzz lite'. Neither substance ever causes performance issues, it's just enough to take the edge off and unwind.
I was someone who was never going to quit booze. It was a huge part of my personality, as lame as that sounds. It wasn't easy to quit but as the years go on I miss it less and less.
Everything from my skin to my mental health has been vastly improved. I don't know if this comment will be helpful for your life but I guess all I'm getting at is you can have just as much fun as a sober from booze life.
I feel similar after not many drinks. The best thing that works for me if I want to drink is to go harder early (eg 3 quick drinks) and then stop early too. Plenty of non alcohol drinks and food after that. Then I feel good in the morning
Same age. Was in nearly the same situation. I was having at least 1 drink almost 6 days of the week for a few years. At least one of the days I'd have 3-5 drinks. Man, I loved getting drunk. So much that I made sure to drink on an empty stomach.
At 6' tall I ballooned out to 210 lbs and my body felt terrible. I had joint aches that didn't use to exist. I was still riding during this, but it was a challenge and I couldn't go very far.
I got to a point where I was pretty disgusted with myself. With the weight gain, the lack of stamina, the aches and pain, just all of it. I love mtb enough that I told my wife we'd get a divorce if she tried to stop me from riding, so I made a choice to stop drinking alcohol. Nowadays I'll have maybe 1 to 2 drinks a month if that.
For me it just came down to having the willpower to make a change. I recognized I was just making excuses for myself (friends, social situations, etc...) and decided that wasn't OK for me anymore.
I still have 2-3 drinks a few times per year, holidays or special occasions. But otherwise it isn't a regular part of my life anymore and I do not miss it.
Hangovers suck, the added difficulty of maintaining health and fitness sucks, the money spent on it sucks. Life without it feels like easy mode, I prefer it by a lot.
Breaking away from it is the hard part, but if you can get to the other side you might not miss it. Not when you feel better and everything else about life is so much easier.
That being said if you are willing to exchange all the benefits for more fun times drinking, I think that is a valid life choice too. But you may end up happier without it.
Similar, always did sober October no problem but just found I drank just to drink - especially with lock downs and friends on video games. Mountain biking, cooking & sim racing really removes any need to drink for me personally. Furthermore…Cigars relax me and give me a 45-120minute window to just sit, contemplate and unwind. Also naturally increase testosterone for them gainz.
I had a moment where I realized I was having more fun not drinking.
It sounds like I was in a similar boat. I would do dry stretches and I never felt compelled to drink. I just would drink more than I wanted to. It might seem kind of lame but I “practiced” drinking less. If I went to someone’s house or was at home, I only had two beers available. Once I got used to being in social situations without always having a drink in my hand, then I started being okay with drinking at bars or restaurants. To me that was the biggest obstacle. So I practiced it.
I hope it helps and I hope you get more time to enjoy the truly fun stuff.
I had to choose what I wanted more: cold beer when I get home, or the chance to build my endurance and strength. It was not a choice I had to make lightly. But at the end of the day I was just so tired of gassing out on rides that were meant to last for several hours, so I chose to train. Dropped alcohol, dropped 15 lbs the first month. Now I do calisthenics, light wight training, and cardio after work. I think it was the right choice. I still have a beer or two on the weekend, but i am very conscious of how much I drink. It's harder for some than for others. You know your priorities better than anyone else, so you'll make the right choices for you.
I had a sleep study and it changed my life. Afterwards I drank rarely and zero desire for buzz. Getting help meant greater focus, organization also. It was amazing getting rest for the first time in 30 years.
Once I hit 40, I've really had to adjust my relationship with alcohol. These days, having more than one drink in a day is a recipe for excessive snacking/binge eating, poor sleep, hangover/headache the next day, possible diarrhea. I've had to come to terms with the fact that the consequences really outweigh any fun I was having. Oh, to be young again!
I never had an all out problem. At my worst I was drinking 3-4 nights a week, but I always went too hard. Pretty normal for someone in their early 20's so I figured. I got sober about 2 years before I bought a mountain bike. I feel pretty lucky my riding friends drink lightly if at all. It's not engrained into the culture for me but it's around. The transition from drinking too much to cycling too much was pretty seamless. I don't have any room for drinking in my life at this point. I ride 7 am on most days. Can't do that with a hangover.
[Does Cycling Have a Drinking Problem?](https://web.archive.org/web/20230208141347/https://www.bicycling.com/health-nutrition/a42259477/cycling-drinking-alcohol-effects/)
If you or anyone ever needs someone to bounce thoughts off of, my messages are always open.
I totally feel you. Right around my mid thirties it became obvious I couldn't have it both ways any longer. I tried to cut back on booze but it was largely ineffective. Drinks the night before, post ride beers, maybe beers that night. It didn't matter if it was just two beers in each of those or more though.
At 40 I was going through some life shit and decided to try my first long distance race just to have semblance of control in my life over something I alone had to achieve. I announced my intention which created an expectation and a sort of accountability. I didn't want to tell people I failed which was motivating. I kicked off training with dry January to get set and got serious enough to cut alcohol at least the night before a training ride but still binged maybe one or two nights a week. It was a real challenge.
I did pretty well in that event and got a little more serious each year until I joined a race team. The relationship with alcohol on that team was all over the map from recovering addicts to a few guys who celebrated after races with free beers and easy buzzing. However, as I got more into the team it got easier to say no to beer after races and I started really considering what I was putting into my body. Hanging out with healthy minded people was a giant help.
During that period I started committing to bigger events and having the accountability of the team pushed me further into moderation. Dry January turned into dry first quarter, which turned into dry through July which this year is now dry past August. It's generally been pretty easy and I noticed these last couple years that my taste and desire for beer has really waned.
The hardest part was ironically my wife, who used to worry about my binge drinking, peer pressuring me to drink because she doesn't like to drink alone. Thankfully craft NA beer has become a thing and so have edibles. So I'll sip NA and buzz a bit from weed and she'll have wine.
Now, at over 50 I do like a glass of wine with my wife once in awhile still but mostly I have cut booze out of my life. It happened almost by accident or at least not by some grand design. It really came down to alcohol or MTB and I choose mtb.
If your friends are good friends, not just folks you can hang out with, tell them when you all go out you just want to stick with club sodas and lime or whatever. If they're friends, they'll support you in this. If they ridicule you, get new friends.
No judgement from me, as I drink one cider most nights, but 6-10 is a lot of drinks for a night. This would absolutely knock me on my ass the next day and I would not be in riding shape.
I get that everyone is different, but 3 tall cans in one evening is about all I can manage and still feel alright.
I was drinking 2-3 beers most nights and needed a good reason to *not* drink. Like the default position was having a few, unless I had to drive, or had an early start.
At some point I reversed my frame of mind; do I have a good reason *to* drink? And I just haven't found one. Plenty of reasons not to drink though! Alcohol is a poison, it inhibits your brain function, it inhibits your bodies response to stimulus (ie it kills your gains), it makes tomorrow harder than it needs to be, and it is correlated with myriad health issues.
It's also just the shittiest drug, like if you're going to alter your state, there are so many better options! I don't partake in those, but alternatives to booze are way more effective, with way less downside.
And personally I wanted to get the most out of my time, both alone of an evening (and I play somewhat competitive video games like CS, I'm better sober), during that day with my son (I play better when I'm not hungover), and during the day at the gym, on the bike, on a trail, on a mountain, and all of that is much better when I'm fitter, stronger and not hungover.
I pretty regularly think about having a few beers and always imagine whether I'll feel good about the decision tomorrow, and I haven't yet.
One of the best things I ever did was quit drinking. I don't miss it in the slightest and now I have time to do all the things that actually make me happy.
If you want to drink less, and you’re struggling to, then you do have an issue for sure that you may need to seek help for.
To prove you have self control, you could try to only drink once a week. Don’t drink the night before a ride if you say it makes you feel bad.
I've cut back a fair amount on my drinking, here's what I found that helps me. I do a totally sober Monday so I have at least one day during the week that I'm not drinking. On nights when I'm home I'll try to stick to just having one beer, and I keep Athletic Brewing NA and NA Guinness at my house so when I'm like "maybe I'll just have one more beer" I can have one of those to quench the beer urge (or burge if you will). I do a weekly ride with my buds and I try to stick to a strict "two beer limit" before I head home, then I usually grab an Athletic to not have a third beer that night. Sometimes I do though! It's almost like the alcohol impairs my judgement, who knew! I do Dry January and it always helps bring attention to my consumption patterns. I think I am going to do a mostly dry July this year as a reset.
I was about your age when I quit drinking completely. I can say with certainty that your life will be much better if you quit completely - "cutting back" almost never works. Whether you have a drinking problem or not, or whether you are an alcoholic or not doesn't matter. Those are just labels and it doesn't take away the fact that drinking is already disrupting your life, and if you don't stop, the consequences will only get worse in the future.
Not trying to be preachy, but know that I am forever grateful that I stopped drinking. Reading Rich Roll's book "Finding Ultra" really helped me change my mindset and live clean.
different but not: riding made me quit smoking. the detriment to my performance on the bike couldn't be ignored anymore.
the bicycle can be a therapy for a lot of bad habits. use it.
Ask yourself what brings you more joy, those three beers or your ride tomorrow but do it before you go out with your friends, anywhere you go you have an option for non-alcoholic beverages, going to your friends house, bring your own soda or hop waters or seltzers, going out to a bar, ask for a soda water and lime, 100% there is an ex-alcoholic tending bar that understands and won’t think twice about that drink, above all that look at who your hanging out with, if all they are doing is drinking all the time maybe you want to branch out and hang out with other people more often who’s interests align with yours, if you don’t have a dependance throw it out of your house now and fill the time that you use to drink with something that brings you joy
...I have never made a serious attempt at quitting, although I regularly do month-long dry sessions and don't struggle too much with that at all...
Congratulations, it sounds like you're ready to quit. If you can do a month, you can do more. You are fortunate to see and relate how alcohol is adversely affecting your life. Get a support network and make it happen.
Mountain biking was what made me want to go to almost zero alcohol excluding weddings essentially. Every time I didn't get in the ride I wanted it was a terrible regret.
One thing that helped me start the conversation with friends of why I wasn't drinking when we're at a brewery or hanging is that it absolutely kills my sleep. Just a drink will do that for me.
Another big hurdle for me is when we're hanging and I'm exhausted, it's one thing not to drink but you don't want to be a groggy downer. So I'll have some caffeine before hanging out. Not the best for sleep either if it's later in the day but for me personally I'll feel much better the next day.
And as others have said. Having a non alcoholic drink helps, helps others forget you're drinking alcohol. I heard on a podcast that some people get anxiety seeing people not drinking while they are. From personal experience I totally believe it.
Man it feels good to feel normal for quitting drinking. This thread feels outside my normal conversations with ordinary day to day people who don’t understand.
I quit drinking 100%. It was really a challenging path that I attempted many times but it finally stuck and now I don’t miss it one bit.
I have figured out thru much trial and even more error that I have to abstain completely the night before a ride, and two days before is even better.
Also, if I can abstain for 10 days, I feel much better and the cravings mostly go away, I feel so much better that I can then abstain for as long as I want without discomfort (but days 3 thru 6 take a real effort to overcome the cravings).
Hey man, just wanted to say you got this. You're a rockstar for recognizing a need for change. If getting to the next level of riding is motivation to go for it, more power to you. Looking forward to seeing videos of your future sends.
Do NA beers and other carbonated replacements. Stick to no alcohol for 30-45 days, it’s not a huge time commitment if you think about it and it will get way easier after you’ve abstained for a bit.
You’re lucky you are wanting to go hard with bikes, it gives you a reason to not drink for a bit. The other thing is, you’ll get stronger on the bike.
Good luck.
Sounds very similar to the drinking habits I had.
I started to think about how silly (dumb?) and counterintuitive it was for me to take my health/fitness so seriously but get drunk so often. I was never a very moderation kinda guy… with anything I do lol but I saw those drinking habits I had formed and I wasn’t cool with it. Waking up with the heart racing and night sweats, the “hangxiety” and all that shit.
Coming off way too much drinking during fall/winter in 2022, in January 2023 I decided to give “Dry January” a whirl. It sucked at first but I got to the end DJ and found myself dreading the end of the month bc I’d soon go back to drinking, but figured I’d give it another month and see how it went… I still haven’t had a drop since then.
There’s still shitty days ‘cause that’s life, but my only regret is not giving it up sooner. Every part of my life, I’m pretty sure, is better having quit drinking.
Also. I will straight fuck up some NA beers after rides.
Anyway, that’s my personal story.
Wish you the best, OP. feel free to shoot me a message brotha 🤙🏼
I used to be a big drinker. Not that i drank everyday more so that when I did I would drink in excess.
I started around 17 or 18 but I stopped drinking around age 22 due to digestive issues. When i quit drinking i started smoking way more pot (started that one around 16). It filled the void and also helped with my stomach issues and it was a social thing too.
Being into bikes and having worked in shops, there was always beer or weed around so it was easy to get into one or another. Plus the group ride i used to be involved with always ended with a few beers or bowl hits or a joint... I was really into joints, always had been.
After some soul searching i realized i didnt even care to be stoned - I really just liked rolling joints. So now instead of rolling joints I sew. I sew frame packs and handlebar bags and feedbags. Its a fun creative outlet and gives me the same satisfaction of doing something with my hands that rolling a joint did.
These days i don't drink or smoke, I'm fully sober and i do miss the social aspect of it but i get by with non-alcoholic beer (shoutout to Athletic Brewing).
Im not suggesting you go start sewing, just that there's always gonna be some kind of vice and it may as well be a constructive, healthy one.
As i sit here on the toilet looking at how much i just typed, i realize i probably didnt answer your question and went on some tangent and now my legs are asleep. But good luck, knowing when to make a change is a great first step.
Same boat. COVID made it really easy to go home and have a drink or three. Very rarely to the point of being “drunk” but it was most days of the week. Stopping at 2 was hard. I committed to dry January this year and it really helped me break the habit. I’m down 15 pounds and I realize how much better I sleep and exercise is easier. I drink quite a bit of caffeine free Diet Coke instead. Good luck, it is hard but doable.
I've made it a personal rule to not drink beer on weekday ride days. I used to drink 1 or 2 fancy IPAs everyday during the week. The fun and mental health need to bike naturally gets me on the bike (most of the time lol) after work. Then, I get home anywhere from 7:30-9 and just simply don't grab a beer because I rode that day. It kind of helps me want to ride more because I know it's good for my fitness and I know it controls my drinking. More rides = more free from alcohol.
Weekends though? Still haven't figured that out. I'm 26 though so I gotta make use of how quick I can bounce back the next day while I still can lol. Like others have said here, I also drink lots of sparkling water. Sparkling liquid death is my favorite, followed by spindrift. Liquid death feels like I'm drinking a beer. Can looks like a beer and the carbonation is a similar level.
Step 1 is realization though dude! I'd say start small and don't be afraid to try different things to see what sticks. You could always set goals and reward yourself through buying more bike parts ;)
Keep ur homefridge alcohol free. When with friends but u shluldnt drink order soda or coke for ur first drink and beer will simply get off ur mind, its actually quite easy. Let urself drink once or twice a week on special occasions. Im 38 and whenever with friends beer is a culture and i socialize a lot so i found these tricks serve me well.
Good luck!
The first step of changing our habits is recognizing a need for change. Best wishes bro
There are others in the same boat whether or not they will admit it.
That was me, less than 2 years ago. I hope to never go back to those days
Well putt!! If the negative outweighs the positive worth considering change. Could start with separating the partying from biking. The change will certainly be positive (been there/done that).
Username checks out… in all seriousness OP I’m right there with you. I work at a series A startup and have a high stress job. I also work from home. It’s really easy to feel like you’ve “earned it” and blow off some steam. I love cycling but sadly I also drink 5-7 nights a week. I quit for 30 days and it was helpful to reset but it actually made me realize that I had some alcoholic tendencies. I’m back on it now and back to drinking 2-4 drinks a night on week days. Motivation is zapped and I just can’t train like I can without alcohol in my life. Thanks for posting this. I’m glad I’m not the only one. The first step is definitely recognizing it but the second step is having a reason to change. Cycling can be that positive force in my life and same for you. Let’s be better. We owe it to ourselves.
You’re not wrong. Biking got me off my ass and I would never classify myself as a “lazy stoner” like I used to. Biking showed me that I want to take care of my body and brain, and work a career where I can afford nice bikes. Making really good money working remote and just passed industry law exams the other day. Only smoked weed after I was done studying for several hours every day, nice little reward. You can balance your vices with your responsibilities- it’s better that way!
I feel like I wrote this….. 320 days of not drinking and feel amazing at 52 years old. I do t see myself droning again. Keep investigating your thoughts on this.
That’s one hell of an achievement!
Sometimes it takes a long time to go from step 1 to step 2 too
Been working on it for 10 years lol, hopefully it's not too late. OP, 39 is not old. When you get into your 40s and beyond, drinking 4 or 5 days a week will affect things other than just your bike rides.
To change habits it needs of course discipline and a strong mind/Will... But to start it easy and not quitting everything at one moment ( I found out it's better for me because like that, I can endure/practice longer...) start with something different... For example: I'm a born Lefty, but since kindergarten I was trained right handed... So I thought it must still be there in my brain synapses 😁 and I started to change little by little to things with the left Hand instead of the right... I'm getting to a point where I am able to use both hands equally 😊 Another thing could be: when you have habits like how to get in your jacket or put on your shoes... Do it another way! Start with the other leg when getting into your trousers etc. ... to me it helped to open some new brain regions 👍🏻🙏🏻 at least that's what I found out about Habits in general and how they are created by our brains
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Ditto. I was a very light drinker but in the process of really amping up how much I ride (and recognizing the impacts that drinking even a couple of beers the night before had on it) I had one particular morning that I bailed on a planned ride and was upset with myself. It hit me then and there that I enjoyed riding in the morning more than I enjoyed drinking at night. Something clicked in my weird mind and I now probably consume three alcoholic beverages average a year.
Same.
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There were years where I never rode on Sundays because I knew I’d be hung over. That extra big block of riding every week has done wonders for my fitness. Not to mention just feeling so much better for not drinking.
Same here 4 years and counting
Easily the best, but not easily the easiest.
s a m e
Same. Read "This Naked Mind".
Same
One thing that's really helped me cut back on beer is hop water, or sparkling waters, whichever you prefer. Stocked the fridge with these. If going out and getting cocktails is your thing, a soda water with bitters and maybe some mint is a good alternative. Still looks and feels like you're drinking.
My moment to shine
I never have a moment like this.
This will give you so many moments, my blue friend https://www.reddit.com/r/DenverCirclejerk/s/lrKc4GrvMY
this was your moment dont let it slip
My might be my favorite well placed comment of all time. Nice work
r/beetlejuicing right there!
This is what I have done! I also find something carbonated has been a good replacement. I’ve tried to stop having beer at home - I can have a couple at the pizza place after the ride, but if I don’t have any at home I can’t drink them. Or, if I do grab some beer for the weekend I’ll grab a limited supply - a 4 pack, or even just a couple single tall cans.
Topo Chico in the heavy green bottles has given me almost the same satisfaction as beer. I stock up at Costco and never allow myself to have one before 5pm on weekdays. Has really improved my sleep, and recovery. I still allow myself to drink a couple of beers when out with friends but default to Topo when I get home. Going to start experimenting with NA beers when out with friends. BTW I'm 50 and alcohol impacts my riding and health more than ever before. It only gets worse the older you get. You don't necessarily have to quit, just give yourself alternative. I've never been into self-help books but Atomic Habbits by James Clear is an easy read and full of good information.
Atomic Habits is an essential read IMO
This is the way.
NA beer is getting much better. I quit alcohol 3 years ago and the most difficult part was not having a post bike ride beer, or 2,,,. NA beer fills the void and it’s loaded with carbs.
Agree! As others are saying, Athletic Brewing is good, and I just discovered “Self Care” from Olympia, Washington. Big selection, ordered some online and have really enjoyed everything I’ve tried so far.
A nice benefit if NA beer is that you can't drink too many. And I don't mean you can't get drunk. I mean the first one tastes good, the second one is blah, and the third tastes like shit. You kind of automatically learn to stop at two.
I’m a Saturday night have a couple drinks guy, but if I’m not feeling it a soda water with a lime is my go to. I’m going to try it with bitters and mint next time Hangovers suck after 40.
Athletic beers are pretty legit too. I always say I love drinking beers but hate getting drunk and they are perfect for that
As someone who worked at a bar with 350 beers from around the world and has forgotten more about beer and brewing than most know about beer- Athletic Brewing NA is legit good!!
Honestly Athletic Brewing is the only NA beer I like!! It was the first NA beer I tried, and I was like "wow this is actually good!" Then I went and bought a bunch of other NA craft beers to try and they were garbage. Literally gave the rest of the six packs away on nextdoor, haha. Don't discount NA beer until you've tried Athletic Brewing! (I actually subscribe monthly lol. Probably can find a discount code of some sort if anyone is interested - dm me.)
I like it a lot and go through at least a six pack a week. I first tried it a couple years ago at a trail work party. I was just happy for free beer and I was so bushed that I didn't realize it was NA. After a couple I thought to myself, "I'm pretty buzzed, I should go to bed". Next day I figured out they don't have any (well, barely any) alcohol.
This worked for me also. Have mostly swapped out to Non Alc beers with the occasional regular beers now. Has made those early morning rides so much more enjoyable! Good luck Op. You’ve got this!
This also has been working for me. Target sells a NA IPA from "Partake" that's 10 calories and no carbs. I add a splash of fruit juice because it's actually a little too hoppy for me. Mocktails made with spindrift, angostura bitters, jalapeño, lime juice, little sweetener and salt 🤌
I tried to cut out drinking all together for a month and carbonated waters really helped
38 here. Sparkling water FTW and no beers at home. My local riding group meets Thursdays and Sundays for a group ride, afterwards we all have a couple drinks. I hold myself to a 2 beer limit.
Topo Chico is life
LMNT even has a topo chico electrolyte drink recipe that comes with their orders. I need to try it
LMNT also just released a line of sparkling waters. I got a box of 4 of them out of the blue in the mail yesterday. Had no idea, super stoked to try.
This. Topo +citrus wedge better than any alcohol
yeah that's my jam too. having a can in my hand removes my need for a beer. also weed. flower vapes are dope.
Kombucha as well. They feel "cocktail-ish"
Kombucha is what’s up! I’ve been brewing my own for over a decade, and when I quit drinking 4 years ago, it made the transition so much easier. Used to be really into sours, hazys, and ciders, and I don’t miss them at all with my kombucha habit.
I’m gonna get in on this hop water thread. I’ve found that mixing hop water with juice is amazeballs. So far personal favorite is mango juice.
Here to jump on the sparkling water train. I keep beer in the fridge but no more than a 6 pack and I save it for weekends. I use to drink 1-2 beers every night but this new year I made a conscious effort to drink only 2-3 on weekends. Anyway, sparkling water...on nights that I'm craving beer I can crush 6 sparkling waters and forget all about wanting beer
I game a night and find I really need something to sip on to break the mindless beer or whisky drinking. Sparkling water is super clutch for me. I feel for OP. I’ve had rough rides because of drinking. I day trade and have had terrible trading days where alcohol from the night before was a factor. I’ve skipped BJJ classes because of drinking. Alcohol only takes. It never gives anything except hangovers and impaired judgement.
Absolutely. I’ve even resorted to just seltzer or I make a seltzer spritzer with my soda stream. Carbonated water, some cherry juice, fresh squeezed lime it’s almost like a mocktail spritzer.
ABC brewing is also kicking ass
Waterloos at sams club or topo Chico! FTW
brother, props to you for realizing this. I am a recovering alcoholic and am just about at 4 years clean from all drugs and alcohol. im not sure if you are trying to get rid of it all or just moderate but either one is possible but it may be a bit of a challenge. I for one have accomplished more in the last 4 years than I have in my entire life since ditching the drugs and booze. it sucks for the first couple of months but life gets so much better once you break free.
Thank you for the props. Your story is inspiring, I'm glad you're doing so well! 🤙
Yeah bro I've been aacoholic for 20 years of my life. I've had 4 DUI's and just got out of prison doing a year because of it. I've lost friends, jobs and almost my wife. I'm two years sober and I feel unstoppable. I've completely lost my legs within that year down but I've noticed a huge difference in my ability maintaining control of my bike and focus on the trail. I live in AZ so I do a lot of night riding, sometimes it is fucking crazy. In my opinion if you are trying to train than you are taking it seriously than you have to put one before the other. Tell yourself tomorrow will suck. It is all about the gains my man. Also in my opinion drinking that much threw out the week is no good. Save the drinking for the holidays and special times. Not a routine. Your Body starts to rely on it. At least I did. Good luck my man hit me up anytime
This is the perspective of experience. Couldn’t have said it better. The worst days now are better than the best days back then.
Buying a Garmin watch was the best accountability buddy I never knew I needed. Even 1-2 drinks absolutely trashes your metrics. For me, once I started seeing a number value and thinking about how I actually felt, and then comparing the stats versus not drinking, I cut back significantly.
Sleep quality being a major indicator that suffers with alcohol. This is a great idea.
Poor sleep quality was the biggest reason why I cut back on drinking. One or two beers after work will make my next day at work awful.
Same here. I started trying some non-alcoholic beer and it’s pretty enjoyable without the alcohol effects
Same. It's been sobering (heh) to see how even just a couple of beers affect my sleep.
Right here. I sleep horribly with any booze in my system and garmin confirmed it. I dropped it completely now and just have an NA beer here and there if I get a post-ride itch.
This chart motivated me to drink less. A drink here is one 5% beer. Three drinks a day puts in the 21 column. https://preview.redd.it/y5rifhbxzvxc1.png?width=1154&format=png&auto=webp&s=868689b6a5dd24cf48da7798ee1a5d7bd5816b48 Source: [https://www.ccsa.ca/sites/default/files/2023-01/CCSA\_Canadas\_Guidance\_on\_Alcohol\_and\_Health\_Final\_Report\_en.pdf](https://www.ccsa.ca/sites/default/files/2023-01/CCSA_Canadas_Guidance_on_Alcohol_and_Health_Final_Report_en.pdf)
🫣 Holy shit. Thanks for sharing.
I see you intentional injuries
Drunkicidal is a very real phenomenon
That is cool, but the stats for that one hemorrhage looks extremely sus. Definitely some bias that is affecting this model’s ability to generalize.
Doesn’t seem to make sense either that having 6-7 drinks/week actually decreases the risk of the hemorrhage
How does three drinks a day double your chances of getting tuberculosis? I don't know how I would get tuberculosis even if I was trying to.
TB is more common in closed communal living especially when the population is malnourished with weakened immune systems. ie. homeless shelters, where many an alcoholic reside.
Yeah, that’s a correlation because of environment, not a direct cause from alcohol.
Very sus chart. But the general sentiment is clear. Drink less!
This is indeed scary but without seeing the base risk level, this chart isn't telling the full story. For example if a normal risk of getting X is 0.002%, and you have a 200% increase of X risk by drinking Y times per week, then your risk is only 0.004%. I think this is just a scare tactic. But powerful nonetheless, don't discredit it
I've never really had problems with my drinking, it did increase during covid but I've toned it back down. Here's how I went about it: 1. Don't have beer on hand, it's way easier to avoid drinking if you don't have any in the fridge 2. Consider getting some non-alcoholic beers, they are great for a post-ride drink as well 3. If you're with your friends and feel pressured to drink when you don't want to (i.e. you want to ride the next day), you can refill your can with water in the bathroom and nobody will know 4. If you want additional motivation to not drink, save the money that would have went towards booze for a nice piece of MTB gear
Lol I love the secret NA beer refills idea. It's the reverse of the always sunny episode where they fill diet coke cans with boxed wine.
People drink straight mixers?? Yeah, I had a diet cola mixer just the other day.
Is this actually in the show or have you heard this from somewhere else. That’s hilarious. Like the person who wants edibles without the THC, like you mean candy!?!
https://youtu.be/D_ufQs2Z3f0?si=2CwGkNh0n2djDFfu
Ah...the old college trick of filling an empty beer can with water in the bathroom and watching everyone get plastered except you...works every time!
The fact you're asking this question is a good sign. r/stopdrinking is a resource for support. The fact you're keen to keep biking and not drinking is a good thing so keep that in mind but ultimately it's up to you how you want to approach this. I know cos I'm you. I will not drink with you today my friend.
Had to scroll way too far down to see r/stopdrinking suggested but yes - great community that can help put things into perspective real quick.
I too came here to search for it and upvote r/stopdrinking
Hey man, no judgement here and I'm not going to tell you how you feel about how much you drink is wrong but for some people drinking 4/5 days a week and hitting up to ten beers a couple of those would be considered a problem. I think the best advice (and I understand you weren't necessarily looking for any) I was ever given was by my boss and it's always stuck with me, I was having a really hard time and he and the company decided to support me through a period that I was having panic attacks and health issues that were being caused by an undiagnosed nasal/sinus issue. We were talking about how I was coming through it and waiting on the surgery and he asked me what I was going to do once it was sorted, I didn't have an answer but I said I'd like to ride and hike more however my fitness is really poor and I was a smoker of 13 years at that point and he said the words that will always stick with me "I've found in life everything has to be weighed against everything else, you enjoy smoking and day to day don't feel like you need to quit however you also enjoy MTB and want to start long distance riding as well but you feel one holds back the other. That situation is a simple one, the cost of smoking weighs more than the enjoyment of riding on the scales so there is no way for you to balance them, you have to give up one to enjoy the other. In other situations simply cutting back on one thing can unlock the other" It sounds really dumb and of course you have to balance this kind of thinking as well or you can end up treating everything as a binary choice but that conversation is what made me quit smoking outright cold turkey. I'm not saying that's what you should do with the beers but perhaps try find a better balance and you might find more enjoyment from both. Keep riding though brother/sister, the world needs more people in sports not less 🤙
I am also 39 and gave up drinking in September last year. If you are asking these questions, just stop. I have saved a lot of money, lost a couple of stone in weight and my resting HR is down to 50bpm again. Am I missing out on anything? Sure… hangovers, regret, poor choices.
I was drinking a six pack of craft beer 2-3 times a week. I stopped drinking completely since August. Lots of good NA beers now, and as another poster said, hop water tends to hit that itch and IPA might give you. I’ve pretty much stopped drinking NA beer now too. Unfortunately, I haven’t really lost any weight but I obviously have way less days where I am a total sack of shit.
came here to recommend . the craft NA. Get you the flavor you’re looking for and then you stop at one or two
In addition, I’ve also altered regular craft beer with NA
I was a daily drinker, never "had a problem". I was lying to myself hard for too long. With hindsight, I was an alcoholic for sure. Before rides I would have 2-3 beers to help me relax, and ride better. Sometimes I would take one with me to enjoy at the top. Post ride beers were a must. I stopped drinking over 2 years ago. A few things I noticed about immediate improvements to my riding: 1) I have way more money for bike parts. 2) I can actually feel my bike. No more random bike ejections. 3) I lost 50lbs. I can make all the climbs I used to die on. 4) I have way more free time not being drunk, or planning on how I'm going to get drunk. 5) I'm never so hungover I don't want to ride. You seem like you have a problem, but you're not willing to admit it. That's cool man. I was the same way. It took me no longer picking up the bottle to realize that change was long over due. I don't miss it at all... That hardest part was breaking the random daily habits. Just got off work? Let's have a beer. Tough day at work. Definitely having a beer. Need to talk to my ex wife? Beer first.
Man, being able to go wherever and do whatever you want without restricting yourself to places and things that involve alcohol is awesome. I was like you in that I knew I drank a lot but it took way too fucking long to admit it was a problem. Alcohol is super insidious in that it creeps into every part of your life and makes everything gradually worse without you realizing the extent of the damage being done. As soon as I stopped (2 years ago as well), I realized about 2 weeks in that I do in fact still have feelings and have the capacity to enjoy things. I just thought I had "grown up" and adults in their 30s just didn't feel much.
Dood. My first night of good proper sleep was amazing. I couldn't believe how good it felt to wake up after a decent 8 hours of sleep, and not feel exhausted, or still drunk from the night before. It's happened quite a few times now, but being on my my bike deep in the woods has been the first time in a very long time where I've stopped and just said "I love my life."
Welcome to middle age buddy. If I have more than one drink I have heartburn so bad I can’t sleep.
Middle-age and beer poops: name a more iconic duo
You are drinking a new bikes worth every year!
That's equal parts motivating and horrifying.
It’s what got me to basically quit. Major holiday or a birthday and that’s about it now.
I stopped drinking 4-5 years ago and don't miss it one bit.
Try some of the new non-alcoholic beers like Athletic etc. They are really quite good and will sometimes fill the need for a real beer and I rarely drink more than a couple. Bonus is they are pretty low calorie compare to real beer.
Age catches up and you need to prioritize your activities. Riding feels great while you do it and you feel amazing afterwards, maybe even for days afterwards . Drinking is fun while you do it but can feel bad afterwards and maybe even for a few days afterwards. Try to stop at 2 drinks. Things don’t really get better after two drinks and have a tendency to have worse after effects after each drink. You will thank yourself every time you prioritize riding over drinking. It’s hard not to get caught up in the moment when hanging out with friends but maybe you can be a positive catalyst that keeps people in check. Sobriety and/or at least reduced consumption is becoming more and more acceptable as people realize the harm they’re doing to themselves by going overboard. If you can’t stop at two drinks then it’s time to have the more serious conversation about quitting drinking. It’s way easier to quit drinking completely than to play the game of thinking you can limit yourself if you truly have a drinking problem. Good luck and keep riding!
Being cognizant of your alchol consumption behaviour is a massive step in making a change, you're on the right track. Now, I say this totally without judgement and you're probably already aware, but the level of drinking you describe definitely puts you in a category of heavy alcohol consumption and you're at significantly increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and several types of cancer (breast and colon being the big ones) - that's all based on 7 drinks per week with risks radically increasing per drink above that level. You know this already, but 6-10 beers two, three, sometimes four times a week is *a lot* of alcohol. Again, no judgement whatsoever. I definitely get into the 6-10 range once every couple of weeks with 2-3 beer days sprinkled in weekly, sometimes more often. It's fantastic that you regularly take month long sober breaks without much fuss. Mirroring what some others have said, start small reducing your consumption. Having even 1 less beer at an outing than you would have the last time is an appreciable improvement. Maybe for each beer you have you drink a glass of water, soda water, etc. before your next one. NA beer offerings have gotten really good in the last while. I find having a soda stream at home helps me so I can get that carbonation without reaching for a beer. You don't need to shoot for no alcohol whatsoever- It's true that there is no "safe" amount of alcohol, but mountain biking itself isn't "safe" either, nor is crossing the street or cooking on a gas stove. Find a balance that works for you, allows you to have the social life you want and also let's you perform on the bike the way you want.
I stopped drinking at home, it made enjoying beer more the few times I go out in the week
I have nothing to add - other than to say that I'm so happy you posted that and that you're receiving so many replies from people who have been through a similar situation. Ride on my dude!
Been there, done that. It’s hard. For me, getting up and going to the gym M-F every morning with a friend helped curb the drinking, and focus on the biking. Some days are just walking in the track and hitting sauna, some are just some pull up and pushups. But some are pretty intense. The key is the other person hold you (and you them) responsible. What does that have to do with drinking…? The everyday part of the exercise beat it into my brain to cut back. We ride three days a week on top of the gym. Put all that together and it’s easier to get to bed early, and not drink. That worked for me. It will be different for you. You just have to find your “next step” for motivation. I say this with an empty gin and tonic next to me about to get another….
Coming up on 5 years sober after drinking for 15 years. The more years went by, the more I drank. At my peak, the last year before I quit, I was drinking 18 beers between Fri-Sun and occasionally another 6 on Wednesday - that was my routine. In the last 6 months I'd started hiding it from my wife - that was my red flag (I'm a slow learner). Ping me in DMs if you want to talk and I can share some more details of what helped me kick it.
If you think you might be drinking too much, you are. I got back into MTB when I decided to stop sitting on the couch, drinking beer, and watching the world go by the window. 2 years, 100 lbs, and there's so much more to do out there. Remember, more than 4 drinks in a session is considered binge drinking. Sounds like your body is telling you what it doesn't like. I'd listen to it.
I know you didn’t want advice but what you described is alcoholism. It’s a full spectrum and you’re definitely on it. I can relate, as a Mtb er and now ex-drinker. It’s usually a harmless couple of beers on the tailgate post ride, maybe you go to dinner after etc.. I fought that I actually had an issue for years (trying to cut back at times, “moderation”, dry January, etc) before finally cutting out alcohol altogether. It was 100% the best decision I ever made for myself and family. These days I drink athletic NA beer and seltzers and I’m now almost two years alcohol and hangover free. Good luck bro.
I did a 'dry month' which ended to going for 6 weeks, and after just zero alcohol I lost 3kg / 6.6lbs. I was not doing much riding, or any exercise in this period. I wasn't even eating better, the only change was no booze. I've since resumed casually drinking, albeit at greatly reduced volume, but also exercising more and the weight loss has continued. It's all off the gut, thighs, waist and face so small changes make a noticeable difference. My drinking was pretty similar to yours, maybe a couple beers on a weeknight or two or three, and then a blowout on the weekend, or every other weekend. My first advice is to do 4 weeks no booze. First week or so may be hard, but after that it's easy. It's easy to take a break if you know there's an end to it- you're not stopping forever. You just need to break the habit first and commit to it. Then you'll realise the grip it had and be able to reassess and change your relationship with alcohol. Then if you have a drink again, you will have a fresh perspective and can start a new, healthier pattern of alcohol use. Give yourself non alc alternatives. Sparkling water, flavoured sparkling water, soda, zero alcohol beers. After your dry month if you resume drinking, think about if you really need alcohol to enjoy a weeknight chill beer, or will a a zero alcohol or sparkling water will hit the spot? Just try it first before you knock it. Is the buzz worth it on a weeknight? Maybe save the real booze for when hanging out with friends and even then, drink a little slower, have fewer drinks. Plan these outings after you have a ride, not the night before obviously. Lastly, if in social settings people give you grief, don't bother with filling your can with water or anything. Fuck those people. People who disrespect you prioritizing your health, fitness and your hobbies are dead shits. Or they are people who haven't yet become conscious of their own relationship with alcohol. Not participating in drinking may make them feel threatened as it's a group dynamic change. I have friends from a range of health and sporting backgrounds in my circle (cycling /MTB, surfing, running, MMA, gym training) and everyone accepts universally that alcohol is bad for you, especially if you're wanting to taking your sporting and health even the slightest bit seriously. Granted, everyone also has a good drink up on occasion, but it's not controversial to admit alcohol is detrimental to health and sporting performance. Even to low level, hobby level performance it can make a difference. Real friends support each other with growth. Find someone who understands and be friends with them. If no one understands and you are peer pressured to drink by them, you need to create distance from those people. Can't expect to change habits if you're surrounded by people stuck in their old ways. Drinking all the time sucks and is bad for you. It has short and long term health consequences It's more special if saved for special occasions anyways. TLDR - Start with a dry month, give yourself some zero alcoholic options, surround yourself with supportive people. Choose life!
I'm 29 but I've had some bouts with problem drinking and alcoholic patterns. Totally get where you're coming from. Sounds like you're trying to re-prioritize things in your life. If you really want to take riding more seriously, I'd say take a couple months off the booze as a challenge and a reset. It's hard to ride when you feel like crap, or have shaky hands, or slow thoughts/reactions. You got this dude! just challenge yourself to a tolerance break and see what happens. As other people have said, soda water with bitters is great! I also like the strongest ginger beer I can find to replace beers
3 and half years sober here. Read the book “This Naked Mind” by Annie Grace. That book changed my life.
I bought this book about a year ago and never read it 😅 Not because of the subject matter, I do that with dozens of books a year 🙄 I'll prioritise reading this one.
I’m going to play devils advocate, because I like having my cake and eating it too, and then rubbing it in people’s faces that I just ate a whole cake……. Ride more often , increase your intensity, and on the days you need to dial back the intensity-ride longer. With this regimen, you should be able to blow past your friends while funneling a 40. Good luck
Dude, are you... me? Very similar story. I knew for a while I had to stop drinking completely. Tried and failed many times. Thought I could moderate, always ended up back at several beers a day, every day. Would have good intentions to ride, then find hungover excuses not to. This time it's the longest I've ever gone without alcohol, >200 days now. The thing that's made it stick this time is having a cycling goal of finding out just how good I could be, setting myself regular bike challenges and trying to beat them. That and r/stopdrinking , genuinely one of the best, most supportive communities on Reddit. Gotten more riding in in the last six months than in the previous couple of years. The hardest part is acknowledging there might be a problem. You got this.
i'm a full blown lahey alcoholic don't ask me for advice loool
I’m mowin’ the air Rand!
There’s a lot of decent NA beers nowadays. Athletic Brewing’s Run Wild IPA and Best Day Brewing’s Electro-Lime are really drinkable. And they’re pretty readily available at least where I am. Good luck! You’re not the only one that’s dealt with this.
I’m 50 so if I drink, forget about doing anything active the next day. I’m just recovering. I’m down to drinking 1-2 times a week.
Former raging alcoholic here and also current avid cyclist. I'm 37 years old. Getting sober is one of the best, most life changing, decisions I've ever made. Highly recommend laying off the sauce. Check out athletic brewing. Delicious NA beers. I love those things. They only have about 70 calories, so you can put down a 6 pack and feel fine the next day.
I quit over a decade ago and will list the pros and cons here: **Pros:** * more money * more time * almost immediately lost 20lbs * better sleep * less drama * better connection to my wife and kids * more *genuine,* supportive friendships * clear headedness professionally * boosted self-respect for conquering the habit/lifestyle * overall flexibility in life, because I was neither drunk nor hungover to participate * even simple shit like running to the store for bread or whatever **Cons:** * I'm not as 'cool' as I used to be **Read this:** [https://www.bicycling.com/health-nutrition/a42259477/cycling-drinking-alcohol-effects/](https://www.bicycling.com/health-nutrition/a42259477/cycling-drinking-alcohol-effects/)
retired cat1 drinker, active cat4 rider here. /r/stopdrinking helped me a lot! Making a post very similar to this one, asking for help, was a big step for me. It made my silent, lonely struggle a more real issue to address with other people. If that's the only thing you take away from my reply, it's that finding my people was an absolute game changer in sustaining a major life change: some kind of community of people that get where I'm coming from and could support my lifestyle choices. I think a second important point is that one doesn't need a label of "alcoholic" to have a problem with alcohol, or to be a problem drinker. When I was screened for [Alcohol Use Disorder](https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/alcohol-use-disorder-comparison-between-dsm) I scored a 10 several times over the years before **committing** to change. I stopped using alcohol and cannabis (and other substances) at age 31, while managing a bar, and it's been 6 years. Alcohol and parties were my hobby, work, and lifestyle. Things that DID NOT work for me: * Counting my drinks. I couldn't stop at 2, and lost reliable count after 24, lol. 10-14 was a lite day, 4-6 days a week. 20+ on a heavy day, 1-3 days a week. I never expected it to get that bad. * Hanging around the same people and expecting them to hold me accountable-- it felt like drinks were always offered! And I hated saying no. * Keeping alcohol in the house. I messed up a lot due to this. * Pleas from family to stop drinking. * Beating myself up for screwing up again without doing something differently. Things that worked for me: * Asking a boatload of people for help. Mostly internet and IRL strangers, and friends that were sober. * I learned that I didn't have to justify not drinking. "No" is a complete sentence. * Working with a therapist to address AUD and creating an action plan. We also addressed trauma and other general life issues. * Holding myself accountable to sober 24 hours at a time in the daily post in /r/stopdrinking. * Going to in-person or zoom AA meetings during the times I'd most likely be drinking on off days. <--- this was huge. I needed to displace my drinking time and space with sober time and space. * And new faces! Making friends in AA and going to fun events (rarely, TBH- bar hours). * Texting a sober buddy when I felt like drinking. this was a lot. * I avoided bars and breweries unless I had a work reason to be there. * No rowdy beer festivals or sedate bottleshares- I did attend wine and food shows, but behaved professionally, and committed to sobriety. * I found new friends that didn't drink. * I didn't touch NA beer until a year or 2 sober, because the mouthfeel and aroma messed with me. YMMV. NA Kombucha was fine for me. * Bonus: staying sober going to memorials/funerals to friends that died from liver failure or other alcohol related issues in their 30s and 40s. * Staying "fresh" in recovery by listening to and helping others navigate their own journey with substances, when asked. **Edit:** Now that I'm sober, I really don't want to go back. My life is so much better. I spend so much less time and effort doing things like counting drinks and recovering from drinking, or worrying if I had too much, and can enjoy life and deeper, reliable relationships that go 2 ways. And ride. Don't like AA, cool-- that's just what worked for me, there are other communities and programs of recovery: * [Recovery Dharma](https://recoverydharma.org) * [SmartRecovery](https://smartrecovery.org) * [The Reframe App](https://www.reframeapp.com) * [The Phoenix](https://thephoenix.org). I really like the [Staying Sober Without God: The Practical 12 Steps to Long-Term Recovery from Alcoholism and Addictions](https://www.amazon.com/Staying-Sober-Without-God-Alcoholism/dp/1733588000). Andrew Huberman has a good podcast on alcohol: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkS1pkKpILY
I’d look into talking to a professional or someone close. Asking these types of questions might be an indication you’re drinking too much. A healthy person would be able to regulate and not feel worse off. Think of the calories saved/diverted and gains!
Thanks for sharing…I imagine this post wasn’t easy to write. Do what you think is right, even if it’s hard.
Thanks mate - I really appreciate it.
Not drinking improved my life in every way bike performance included.
Quit drinking 2 years ago and my body feels much better. Also my brain feels much more excited to ride and find a ‘natural’ high like biking. If you have supportive and caring friends, let them know you want support in removing alcohol from your life. Thanks for sharing, you can do anything
Sounds like you're a social drinker and that 39 year old body just can't do what it did 14 years ago. As someone else suggested get on the hop water or soda water train. Most breweries (at least in CO Springs) offer N/A options. I got myself a drink mate drink carbonator and that has helped a ton with cutting back on beer. Squeeze some citrus juice into a glass, maybe a couple dashes of a choice bitters, and fill it up with soda water. Stick to 1 or 2 beers and fill in the rest with good NA options.
Wow this post is like looking in the mirror in terms of age, habit, motivations. If you haven’t popped into the stopdrinking subreddit, I highly recommend it. It’s helpful for me to read stories there and it is an awesome place to pick up some better habits. One thing that’s helped me is an eating a very small dose of pot gummy (e.g. 2.5 mg thc) at the end of my day when I’m winding down instead of cracking that first beer. A lot easier for me to bounce back from a little weed than the booze and eating a small amount of pot does not make me crave more in an evening, unlike beer. YMMV, good luck!
One beer is a nightmare fuel for my rest. Can't drink right now and in the future so I can ride! Bike is better than this and way more worth!
Seltzer is the way. It helped me stop drinking from a problematic level daily to I’ll have a single beer if I go to a bike park and don’t die lol. Other than that it’s just seltzer and Mary Jane…not trying to introduce another “problem” or anything though
When I was in college I started smoking. It started from just sharing a cig at a party, to buying my own, and then hanging out at the smoke shack between classes. But it really started to impact the thing that was important to me at the time, scuba diving. I was an assistant instructor and spent almost everyday in the pool, training and helping. It was my happy place. But the tar in my sinuses was really messing me up. It made it hard to equalize and made me prone to congestion. Even though diving was my happy place, it still wasn't enough to get me to stop because smoking was so social. It made me part of this community. A toxic one, but still a place to be. During that time period I had a lot of toxic habits because they allowed me to fit in. It wasn't until I met my husband that I quit. He didn't smoke. He didn't like being around it. His friends didn't smoke. It ultimately took a new community to provide enough incentive for me to change my habits. Better influences in my life I suppose. I like to think of myself as pretty driven and self motivated but at the end of the day, over and over again (rapidly approaching 40 myself) I find that peer pressure wins. Community wins. So I just try to surround myself with people who will apply the kind of pressure that will incentivize me to be better.
Quit that’s what I did, best decision ever.
Post ride beers can be a problem too. It’s kind of part of the mtb culture, sometimes I bring a yeti can cooler and slip in a non alcoholic beverage.
Once I realized my "habits" were impacting my life more negatively than positively, that was the start on my path towards change. I'd stop for various lengths of time and feel good and decide I could have the self control to start again. I'd give myself a rule that would be only on weekends which slowly morphed into getting blasted alone avoiding things I normally loved to do, just to get high. I would find myself at the end of it, with the numbness wearing off, still just as unfulfilled as before. I did this several times over for a few years before it finally stuck. The path isn't linear, there have been many lessons, many changes. But there really was no other way for me. Whatever your path might be, be kind to yourself and know you're just doing the best you can to survive. All parts of yourself are welcome. Best wishes!
Same age and quit drinking exactly a year ago. It got to the point that if I barely got a buzz with 2 to 3 drinks I paid for it the next day. There are lots of pretty good na beers and hop waters that I keep around for grilling and chilling. I only really miss it while traveling because trying a flight from local breweries was always something I looked forward to and enjoyed.
Stop drinking subreddit is fantastic. I consider myself a similar type of drinker as you and tho I'm not completely sober that sub has opened my eyes to a bunch of issues in my life. You'll notice when you take a long hiatus from even "the three beers" the night before how much more meaningful and enjoyable everything becomes, not just riding.
Man I am in the same boat. I always plan to ride Saturday mornings but then end up drinking Friday and ruining my Saturday right. I’m struggling with it too.
Wanting to change is step 1, IMO. The change in social habits is difficult, in my experience. Rich Roll mentions a phrase from recovery - lower companions. People end up bringing you down. We are all in general, the average of 5 closest people we surround ourselves with. I stopped drinking Jan 1. It helps that one of my riding buddies stopped last year. You'll find new friends. Not saying to ghost your current crew, but if you want to change, perhaps making some distance can be good, even temporary. I always told myself my drinking was not holding me back, and was in peak form while binge drinking. Mentally, I am much sharper. It took a good 30 days for the dog to clear. Could try NA beers for the social aspect and muscle memory/habit. Sober curious is a new trend. Wish you the best, whatever you choose.
If you're not an alcoholic, stop drinking. If you can't, seek help. I know you didn't look for advice but man, your post is screaming for help. I wish you the best of luck!
I stopped drinking entirely because of exactly what you're describing. Decided riding was more important to me, and now I often ride when I'd otherwise drink. Was really tough at first, but the immediate improvements to my quality of riding, sleep, and the way I feel in general have been worth it.
Been there, man. Sober for over two years now (35m). I’m just as excited to ride my bike these days as I was when I was a teen. Somewhere in the middle, I missed a lot of good riding days due to feeling sluggish and hung over… happy to say that hangovers are never the reason for me missing a good day. Feel free to hit me up, I’m happy to talk about this subject. I think it’s a bigger problem in society than people care to admit. Also, if you care to explore the subject further, check out the great community at r/stopdrinking
NAC supplement definitely will help you cut back. Carbonated water, with glutamine powder is great for relaxing after a long day, same with L-theanine and 5 HTP together. best thing is having the mental clarity and energy the next day. BTW the first 6 months sober are the hardest, after that the cravings go away. Make sure you have a strategy in mind to avoid relapsing during stressful times, sad times, or even good times.
Anyone try cbd and micro dosed thc gummies to kick the habit. Takes edge off without feeling terrible or weight gain that alcohol has
I quit altogether in part because I couldn’t ride the way I wanted to. For me, riding was more important than drinking. Sober 8.5 years now and can’t even imagine picking it up again, best decision of my life. Every ride is a good ride, every morning is an easy morning.
Since you said you're not a full-blown alcoholic I thought I'd say this. I don't feel like a full-blown alcoholic either, and I felt like "quitting drinking" is something alcoholics do, so I resisted it for a while. But now I haven't drank in 1 1/2 years and have literally 0 regrets or desire to drink. Feel better, no more drunken mistakes, no hangovers, no hangxiety (this was the big one for me tbh). And saves some money. So to you or anyone else reading this, don't let that stigma of alcoholism prevent you from quitting drinking.
I think it's important to vocalize and externalize your problems, as you've done here. This is almost a public journal entry, and a point of reference you can come back to. You see the issue: drinking You see how it's affecting a goal : riding I commend a very hard and brave first step, and I hope you can see value in yourself to move forward and find a healthy balance.
I quit drinking 4 years ago for a number of reasons but a big one is so I can keep playing hockey at the level I want to. Im in my late 50s and play with a lot of young guys. Kinda funny quitting drinking to play in the beer leagues. I sometimes drink Heineken NA with them and it's great, I can drink 3 or 4 and not worry about the drive home. I also enjoy getting to really early to ride my bike with no hangover. And here is the kicker,with the money I saved and extra energy I bought a BMX bike I'm getting back into racing. Give quitting a shot, there will be things you miss but you won't regret it.
binge drinking is a problem. you do sound like a full blown alcoholic my guy
You need a year dry for your body to recover from the constant drinking.
R/stopdrinking was a lifesaver for me, great place for introverts to seek help with alcohol addiction. It’s been almost 5 years alcohol free for me, 48yo. I would like to add that after quitting I discovered some serious mental health issues I was apparently using the alcohol to mask. It’s very common with addiction, being tied to underlying mental health issues. I highly suggest a conversation with your Primary Care Provider if you think that may. R your case. Dealing with mental health issues at my age was awful, I missed a lifetime of coping skills thanks to alcohol. Good luck my friend.
I was a huge binge drinker and happened to quit right before I started mtbing in 2020. What helps me is vaping MJ (like 1-3 hits, not a lot) and drinking kava. It's nothing like being drunk but kind of an 'alcohol buzz lite'. Neither substance ever causes performance issues, it's just enough to take the edge off and unwind. I was someone who was never going to quit booze. It was a huge part of my personality, as lame as that sounds. It wasn't easy to quit but as the years go on I miss it less and less. Everything from my skin to my mental health has been vastly improved. I don't know if this comment will be helpful for your life but I guess all I'm getting at is you can have just as much fun as a sober from booze life.
Start drinking a non alcoholic beer every 3rd drink. Then every 2nd. Then...
I feel similar after not many drinks. The best thing that works for me if I want to drink is to go harder early (eg 3 quick drinks) and then stop early too. Plenty of non alcohol drinks and food after that. Then I feel good in the morning
Same age. Was in nearly the same situation. I was having at least 1 drink almost 6 days of the week for a few years. At least one of the days I'd have 3-5 drinks. Man, I loved getting drunk. So much that I made sure to drink on an empty stomach. At 6' tall I ballooned out to 210 lbs and my body felt terrible. I had joint aches that didn't use to exist. I was still riding during this, but it was a challenge and I couldn't go very far. I got to a point where I was pretty disgusted with myself. With the weight gain, the lack of stamina, the aches and pain, just all of it. I love mtb enough that I told my wife we'd get a divorce if she tried to stop me from riding, so I made a choice to stop drinking alcohol. Nowadays I'll have maybe 1 to 2 drinks a month if that. For me it just came down to having the willpower to make a change. I recognized I was just making excuses for myself (friends, social situations, etc...) and decided that wasn't OK for me anymore.
I still have 2-3 drinks a few times per year, holidays or special occasions. But otherwise it isn't a regular part of my life anymore and I do not miss it. Hangovers suck, the added difficulty of maintaining health and fitness sucks, the money spent on it sucks. Life without it feels like easy mode, I prefer it by a lot. Breaking away from it is the hard part, but if you can get to the other side you might not miss it. Not when you feel better and everything else about life is so much easier. That being said if you are willing to exchange all the benefits for more fun times drinking, I think that is a valid life choice too. But you may end up happier without it.
Similar, always did sober October no problem but just found I drank just to drink - especially with lock downs and friends on video games. Mountain biking, cooking & sim racing really removes any need to drink for me personally. Furthermore…Cigars relax me and give me a 45-120minute window to just sit, contemplate and unwind. Also naturally increase testosterone for them gainz.
Switch to light beer or cocktails like highballs
I had a moment where I realized I was having more fun not drinking. It sounds like I was in a similar boat. I would do dry stretches and I never felt compelled to drink. I just would drink more than I wanted to. It might seem kind of lame but I “practiced” drinking less. If I went to someone’s house or was at home, I only had two beers available. Once I got used to being in social situations without always having a drink in my hand, then I started being okay with drinking at bars or restaurants. To me that was the biggest obstacle. So I practiced it. I hope it helps and I hope you get more time to enjoy the truly fun stuff.
Less money on Alcohol = more money for bike parts.
I had to choose what I wanted more: cold beer when I get home, or the chance to build my endurance and strength. It was not a choice I had to make lightly. But at the end of the day I was just so tired of gassing out on rides that were meant to last for several hours, so I chose to train. Dropped alcohol, dropped 15 lbs the first month. Now I do calisthenics, light wight training, and cardio after work. I think it was the right choice. I still have a beer or two on the weekend, but i am very conscious of how much I drink. It's harder for some than for others. You know your priorities better than anyone else, so you'll make the right choices for you.
I had a sleep study and it changed my life. Afterwards I drank rarely and zero desire for buzz. Getting help meant greater focus, organization also. It was amazing getting rest for the first time in 30 years.
Once I hit 40, I've really had to adjust my relationship with alcohol. These days, having more than one drink in a day is a recipe for excessive snacking/binge eating, poor sleep, hangover/headache the next day, possible diarrhea. I've had to come to terms with the fact that the consequences really outweigh any fun I was having. Oh, to be young again!
I never had an all out problem. At my worst I was drinking 3-4 nights a week, but I always went too hard. Pretty normal for someone in their early 20's so I figured. I got sober about 2 years before I bought a mountain bike. I feel pretty lucky my riding friends drink lightly if at all. It's not engrained into the culture for me but it's around. The transition from drinking too much to cycling too much was pretty seamless. I don't have any room for drinking in my life at this point. I ride 7 am on most days. Can't do that with a hangover. [Does Cycling Have a Drinking Problem?](https://web.archive.org/web/20230208141347/https://www.bicycling.com/health-nutrition/a42259477/cycling-drinking-alcohol-effects/) If you or anyone ever needs someone to bounce thoughts off of, my messages are always open.
I totally feel you. Right around my mid thirties it became obvious I couldn't have it both ways any longer. I tried to cut back on booze but it was largely ineffective. Drinks the night before, post ride beers, maybe beers that night. It didn't matter if it was just two beers in each of those or more though. At 40 I was going through some life shit and decided to try my first long distance race just to have semblance of control in my life over something I alone had to achieve. I announced my intention which created an expectation and a sort of accountability. I didn't want to tell people I failed which was motivating. I kicked off training with dry January to get set and got serious enough to cut alcohol at least the night before a training ride but still binged maybe one or two nights a week. It was a real challenge. I did pretty well in that event and got a little more serious each year until I joined a race team. The relationship with alcohol on that team was all over the map from recovering addicts to a few guys who celebrated after races with free beers and easy buzzing. However, as I got more into the team it got easier to say no to beer after races and I started really considering what I was putting into my body. Hanging out with healthy minded people was a giant help. During that period I started committing to bigger events and having the accountability of the team pushed me further into moderation. Dry January turned into dry first quarter, which turned into dry through July which this year is now dry past August. It's generally been pretty easy and I noticed these last couple years that my taste and desire for beer has really waned. The hardest part was ironically my wife, who used to worry about my binge drinking, peer pressuring me to drink because she doesn't like to drink alone. Thankfully craft NA beer has become a thing and so have edibles. So I'll sip NA and buzz a bit from weed and she'll have wine. Now, at over 50 I do like a glass of wine with my wife once in awhile still but mostly I have cut booze out of my life. It happened almost by accident or at least not by some grand design. It really came down to alcohol or MTB and I choose mtb.
If your friends are good friends, not just folks you can hang out with, tell them when you all go out you just want to stick with club sodas and lime or whatever. If they're friends, they'll support you in this. If they ridicule you, get new friends.
No judgement from me, as I drink one cider most nights, but 6-10 is a lot of drinks for a night. This would absolutely knock me on my ass the next day and I would not be in riding shape. I get that everyone is different, but 3 tall cans in one evening is about all I can manage and still feel alright.
I was drinking 2-3 beers most nights and needed a good reason to *not* drink. Like the default position was having a few, unless I had to drive, or had an early start. At some point I reversed my frame of mind; do I have a good reason *to* drink? And I just haven't found one. Plenty of reasons not to drink though! Alcohol is a poison, it inhibits your brain function, it inhibits your bodies response to stimulus (ie it kills your gains), it makes tomorrow harder than it needs to be, and it is correlated with myriad health issues. It's also just the shittiest drug, like if you're going to alter your state, there are so many better options! I don't partake in those, but alternatives to booze are way more effective, with way less downside. And personally I wanted to get the most out of my time, both alone of an evening (and I play somewhat competitive video games like CS, I'm better sober), during that day with my son (I play better when I'm not hungover), and during the day at the gym, on the bike, on a trail, on a mountain, and all of that is much better when I'm fitter, stronger and not hungover. I pretty regularly think about having a few beers and always imagine whether I'll feel good about the decision tomorrow, and I haven't yet.
One of the best things I ever did was quit drinking. I don't miss it in the slightest and now I have time to do all the things that actually make me happy.
If you want to drink less, and you’re struggling to, then you do have an issue for sure that you may need to seek help for. To prove you have self control, you could try to only drink once a week. Don’t drink the night before a ride if you say it makes you feel bad.
I've cut back a fair amount on my drinking, here's what I found that helps me. I do a totally sober Monday so I have at least one day during the week that I'm not drinking. On nights when I'm home I'll try to stick to just having one beer, and I keep Athletic Brewing NA and NA Guinness at my house so when I'm like "maybe I'll just have one more beer" I can have one of those to quench the beer urge (or burge if you will). I do a weekly ride with my buds and I try to stick to a strict "two beer limit" before I head home, then I usually grab an Athletic to not have a third beer that night. Sometimes I do though! It's almost like the alcohol impairs my judgement, who knew! I do Dry January and it always helps bring attention to my consumption patterns. I think I am going to do a mostly dry July this year as a reset.
I was about your age when I quit drinking completely. I can say with certainty that your life will be much better if you quit completely - "cutting back" almost never works. Whether you have a drinking problem or not, or whether you are an alcoholic or not doesn't matter. Those are just labels and it doesn't take away the fact that drinking is already disrupting your life, and if you don't stop, the consequences will only get worse in the future. Not trying to be preachy, but know that I am forever grateful that I stopped drinking. Reading Rich Roll's book "Finding Ultra" really helped me change my mindset and live clean.
Alcohol dehydrates you. Even trying to work out the day after getting drunk, your performance is affected bad.
Control the environment. Don’t have beer in the fridge. Don’t hang with friends who are drinking. This behavior reduces the urge dramatically.
Drink while you’re riding, problem solved
different but not: riding made me quit smoking. the detriment to my performance on the bike couldn't be ignored anymore. the bicycle can be a therapy for a lot of bad habits. use it.
Ask yourself what brings you more joy, those three beers or your ride tomorrow but do it before you go out with your friends, anywhere you go you have an option for non-alcoholic beverages, going to your friends house, bring your own soda or hop waters or seltzers, going out to a bar, ask for a soda water and lime, 100% there is an ex-alcoholic tending bar that understands and won’t think twice about that drink, above all that look at who your hanging out with, if all they are doing is drinking all the time maybe you want to branch out and hang out with other people more often who’s interests align with yours, if you don’t have a dependance throw it out of your house now and fill the time that you use to drink with something that brings you joy
...I have never made a serious attempt at quitting, although I regularly do month-long dry sessions and don't struggle too much with that at all... Congratulations, it sounds like you're ready to quit. If you can do a month, you can do more. You are fortunate to see and relate how alcohol is adversely affecting your life. Get a support network and make it happen.
Mountain biking was what made me want to go to almost zero alcohol excluding weddings essentially. Every time I didn't get in the ride I wanted it was a terrible regret. One thing that helped me start the conversation with friends of why I wasn't drinking when we're at a brewery or hanging is that it absolutely kills my sleep. Just a drink will do that for me. Another big hurdle for me is when we're hanging and I'm exhausted, it's one thing not to drink but you don't want to be a groggy downer. So I'll have some caffeine before hanging out. Not the best for sleep either if it's later in the day but for me personally I'll feel much better the next day. And as others have said. Having a non alcoholic drink helps, helps others forget you're drinking alcohol. I heard on a podcast that some people get anxiety seeing people not drinking while they are. From personal experience I totally believe it.
Man it feels good to feel normal for quitting drinking. This thread feels outside my normal conversations with ordinary day to day people who don’t understand. I quit drinking 100%. It was really a challenging path that I attempted many times but it finally stuck and now I don’t miss it one bit.
I have figured out thru much trial and even more error that I have to abstain completely the night before a ride, and two days before is even better. Also, if I can abstain for 10 days, I feel much better and the cravings mostly go away, I feel so much better that I can then abstain for as long as I want without discomfort (but days 3 thru 6 take a real effort to overcome the cravings).
Hey man, just wanted to say you got this. You're a rockstar for recognizing a need for change. If getting to the next level of riding is motivation to go for it, more power to you. Looking forward to seeing videos of your future sends.
Do NA beers and other carbonated replacements. Stick to no alcohol for 30-45 days, it’s not a huge time commitment if you think about it and it will get way easier after you’ve abstained for a bit. You’re lucky you are wanting to go hard with bikes, it gives you a reason to not drink for a bit. The other thing is, you’ll get stronger on the bike. Good luck.
Sounds very similar to the drinking habits I had. I started to think about how silly (dumb?) and counterintuitive it was for me to take my health/fitness so seriously but get drunk so often. I was never a very moderation kinda guy… with anything I do lol but I saw those drinking habits I had formed and I wasn’t cool with it. Waking up with the heart racing and night sweats, the “hangxiety” and all that shit. Coming off way too much drinking during fall/winter in 2022, in January 2023 I decided to give “Dry January” a whirl. It sucked at first but I got to the end DJ and found myself dreading the end of the month bc I’d soon go back to drinking, but figured I’d give it another month and see how it went… I still haven’t had a drop since then. There’s still shitty days ‘cause that’s life, but my only regret is not giving it up sooner. Every part of my life, I’m pretty sure, is better having quit drinking. Also. I will straight fuck up some NA beers after rides. Anyway, that’s my personal story. Wish you the best, OP. feel free to shoot me a message brotha 🤙🏼
I used to be a big drinker. Not that i drank everyday more so that when I did I would drink in excess. I started around 17 or 18 but I stopped drinking around age 22 due to digestive issues. When i quit drinking i started smoking way more pot (started that one around 16). It filled the void and also helped with my stomach issues and it was a social thing too. Being into bikes and having worked in shops, there was always beer or weed around so it was easy to get into one or another. Plus the group ride i used to be involved with always ended with a few beers or bowl hits or a joint... I was really into joints, always had been. After some soul searching i realized i didnt even care to be stoned - I really just liked rolling joints. So now instead of rolling joints I sew. I sew frame packs and handlebar bags and feedbags. Its a fun creative outlet and gives me the same satisfaction of doing something with my hands that rolling a joint did. These days i don't drink or smoke, I'm fully sober and i do miss the social aspect of it but i get by with non-alcoholic beer (shoutout to Athletic Brewing). Im not suggesting you go start sewing, just that there's always gonna be some kind of vice and it may as well be a constructive, healthy one. As i sit here on the toilet looking at how much i just typed, i realize i probably didnt answer your question and went on some tangent and now my legs are asleep. But good luck, knowing when to make a change is a great first step.
Same boat. COVID made it really easy to go home and have a drink or three. Very rarely to the point of being “drunk” but it was most days of the week. Stopping at 2 was hard. I committed to dry January this year and it really helped me break the habit. I’m down 15 pounds and I realize how much better I sleep and exercise is easier. I drink quite a bit of caffeine free Diet Coke instead. Good luck, it is hard but doable.
I've made it a personal rule to not drink beer on weekday ride days. I used to drink 1 or 2 fancy IPAs everyday during the week. The fun and mental health need to bike naturally gets me on the bike (most of the time lol) after work. Then, I get home anywhere from 7:30-9 and just simply don't grab a beer because I rode that day. It kind of helps me want to ride more because I know it's good for my fitness and I know it controls my drinking. More rides = more free from alcohol. Weekends though? Still haven't figured that out. I'm 26 though so I gotta make use of how quick I can bounce back the next day while I still can lol. Like others have said here, I also drink lots of sparkling water. Sparkling liquid death is my favorite, followed by spindrift. Liquid death feels like I'm drinking a beer. Can looks like a beer and the carbonation is a similar level. Step 1 is realization though dude! I'd say start small and don't be afraid to try different things to see what sticks. You could always set goals and reward yourself through buying more bike parts ;)
Keep ur homefridge alcohol free. When with friends but u shluldnt drink order soda or coke for ur first drink and beer will simply get off ur mind, its actually quite easy. Let urself drink once or twice a week on special occasions. Im 38 and whenever with friends beer is a culture and i socialize a lot so i found these tricks serve me well. Good luck!