Hi Bobby,
This is a struggling point for me too. I am envious of those of you who have posted that you've had just as good a night, or even better as there is no hangover to contend with after but this is never the case for me. :jelous:
If it's just a chatting night out with couple of friends I can manage it but when it's big night out or a party and there will be lots of mingling to do I just don't have the confidence to go it alone! I feel self concious and get tongue tied and as a result just don't come home feeling that I've had a great night.
My usual tipple is brandy and diet coke, my CDC said that if I switched to vodka and diet coke instead I wouldn't come out of ketosis (or at least it wouldn't be so hard to get back in). So for special occasions I do indulge - this is on the understanding that I draw a line under and don't let it spill into the next day.I think biggest cause of damage to me in the past has been the result of feeding my hangover the day after (and beleive me it was always VERY HUNGRY!).
I don't do it very often - and make sure I space out by a minimum 3 or 4 weeks so that I don't let it become a habit.
I do eat a meal before I go out if I am going to drink (as scared of passing out and making a fool of self!) chicken and veg type of thing - but confess that my reslove has cracked on a couple of occasions and some chips or a bit of buffet food may have jumped into my mouth while my willpower was busy taking a swim in vodka!
I have stayed the same, put on half a pound and lost 2lb on the weeks I have drank but always got back on track the following week when the inevitable post alcohol water retention died down.
I know this wouldn't work for everyone as some people find it impossible to get back on track once they have cheated. And beleive me I know how that feels (although these were not alcohol related falling off the wagons!) it feels like some kind of spell has been broken.
This method has worked ok for me so far but I think only because I have strict rules in place for it..
* NO last minute decisions to drink allowed like "oh stuff the water get me a double vodka I've had a bad day" only when planned in advance so that I have made grown up decision and am still in control!
* NO macdonalds breakfast the next day! (or anything else for that matter!)
* NO eating while I am out (ok so this one hasn't always been a complete success!)
It does make me feel a bit ashamed to admit that I am dependant on booze to enjoy a night out - but we can be honest on minimins - so here I go...
MY NAME IS YO-YO AND I AM ALCOHOL DEPENDENT! (during nights out when mingling/dancing/meeting new people are on the agenda!)
Hope you can get back on the straight and narrow afterwards bobby. Have a great night!
yo-yo x