Lokidixon's Journal, 10 February 2014

This has been the best challenge I've ever done. For years, I've basically drunk a few beers each night. I'm not much of binge drinker, and I rarely even catch a buzz, but I also wasn't giving myself a break. Whenever I'd try to slow down and create that break, I'd last a few days, loosen up for the weekend, and alcohol would creep back in. But not this time... I actually started the challenge a week early by accident. I'd stepped on the scales, seen the highest number ever -- 226 -- and knew it was time to make some changes, so I signed up for four challenges simultaneously: this one, lose 12 pounds in x weeks, lose 24 pounds by Easter, and no carbs after 5 for x weeks. Little did I know, the alcohol challenge didn't start until a week after the others. I realized this maybe three or four days after starting. I'm not going to lie. Those first few days were rough. I really wanted a beer (or three) bad. I even had trouble sleeping. But I'd committed, and I didn't give in. When I realized that the challenge wasn't actually starting for another few days, I thought, Oh great! I can have beer! But thankfully common sense stepped in and said, Do you really want to go through these last three days again? I didn't. So I inadvertently tacked an extra week onto the challenge. Oops. End result: I'm three weeks in, haven't had a single beer, and feel a lot better. I've lost twelve pounds, and everyone -- wife, family, neighbor -- is remarking on how much healthier I look... and most of them had no idea I'd changed anything. But it's true. My face had taken on a puffy, tired look. Not so much anymore. And I FEEL a lot better. This just pumps me up to stick with this (and the other challenges) and to never let myself slide like this again. I'm 45 years old and really don't want to ever have to fight this kind of weight and bad habits again. Anyway, just wanted to say thanks for having this challenge and to share my overwhelmingly positive results so far. Good luck to all of you! 

I am doing the same thing!! My "happy hour" habit was ruining all my other efforts! Whether wine or beer, it was sugar or carbs...too many every day! Now if I just have to have something I will have some rum or something like that in flavored water. ALOT less calories!!! 

Great idea -- and yeah, happy hour ushers in more calories than just the ones you drink, too. At least it does for me. If I have a few beers, I'm far more likely to eat food just for the heck of it.