I’ve seen that with Gallup polls (I think that was the poll) on alcohol use. I kinda brought that up in the conversation I was having with friends while out for drinks. It is less than I expected. Something like 3.5 drinks is the average per week of those that drink in the US. I suspect some really bring that number up too. Like a lot of drinkers only have like a glass of wine once a week with dinner.
It probably is hanging out with others like me.
It’s incredibly difficult when it’s your circle. If you want to make a positive change though they should support you on it, if they don’t then they shouldn’t be in your circle. The best thing to come out of it would be you inspiring them to make positive changes too (through action, not being a preacher).
I remember I used to try suggesting things outside of the pub, problem is though absolutely every activity is associated with drinking somehow. Meal? With a few drinks. Go bowling? Have a few drinks. Play videogames? Somebody get some cans in!
I don’t get a lot of pressure to drink from them TBH. We’ve gone out bar hoping and on a couple occasions, I’ll just get a diet coke at the next bar and it’s fine with them. Another thing is I don’t drink for brunch. I actually dislike doing that. Kinda ruins the day for me. I’ll get coffee, they usually get bloody mary or beer, and it is cool.
I wouldn’t call any of them hardcore alcoholics. It just seems like if getting together alcohol is always in the mix.
I think for me, just being a bit more conscious about it would be a big improvement without a cost. Mostly just stopping any drinks after the gym or on my off days at home.
You do make good points though. At the same time, I am not sure I would want to give it up completely (not that that’s what you have said), as it is something I think can be fun (especially if less frequent).
This is probably right, but honestly I hardly ever drink and I’m 0% religious… Just don’t much care for drinking (or being drunk).
I enjoy having a beer every once in a while, but I’ve had a 12-pack sitting by the fridge for about 4 months and still have a few left. I guess I just find a beer after work more rewarding if it only happens infrequently - and I never end up finishing a second one if I open it.
I also have like no friends so that helps 
I thought I would weigh in here being a raging alcoholic in recovery. I read Naked Mind but the AA/Recovery cult had me dismiss it.
Now I am reading The Freedom Model (TFM), which is very anti AA/Recovery industry.
I have come to the conclusion that there are many paths to moderation or abstinence. Some work for some, others for others.
TFM believes in the Pleasure Drive Principal - it is a choice you make based on your perception of what is going to give you the most pleasure.
Ultimately, those of us who drink to excess perceive it as providing us the most pleasure. If you are able to “play the tape forward” and consider how you will feel tomorrow, you may choose differently. For me, two days of shakes, depression, anxiety post binge is not worth it. But trying to convince the amygdala is difficult.
That is awesome. I dont care what path someone is on, as long as they’re on one, not laying on the side of it puking. 
It’s a funny one. It seems that there’s a cult with no matter what path you choose. I guess it’s the same with weight training “my way is the best”. End of the day it doesn’t matter as long as it gets you to where you want to be.
On the Pleasure Drive Principal, even though I don’t think it was a phrase used in The Naked Mind, it was definitely what I got from it. This transfers into a lot of areas of my life though. I have some severe digestive issues and yes, I could eat that thing my body doesn’t like but how long am I gonna feel bad for after? When someone asks me to go for a few beers now my brain goes straight to tomorrow which makes it so much easier to say no to. If i’m in a situation where it’s around though, I still struggle. It’s always been a battle to just have one.
Thanks for this. I’m going to respond in my thread - I will tag you.
Thought I’d do a little update for my log. Things have been progressing nicely in the gym. I am not following anything in particular, but I am trying to be consistent with my lifts, and making them just a bit harder over time. I seem to be adapting to that, but a deload is going to happen at some point. Especially on the RDLs. I am doing 5x10 on those and they just wipe me out. I feel tired the rest of the day. Bench is around the corner as well. I am doing 5x10 on that as well. Last week I only got 8s on my last two sets. I am thinking with both exercises to go to 6X7 for a slight drop in volume, while progressing with weight.
On a side note, I did get medicated with a stimulant now for ADHD. It has been interesting so far, but so far it has been positive. A lot of my mental health issues have been much better. Even on the days I don’t take the adderall (weekends). I feel a lot less anxious and have far fewer instances of depressive episodes. I can keep things in perspective a bit better, when before I would kinda spiral for the whole day. I hope that continues, but I do know that it might not be a lasting effect. My dose is 10 mg/day of Adderall IR. I sleep pretty good with that so far. I have yet to take it on the weekend
As of today, after talking with my wife over the weekend, I am putting an end to non-social drinking. No drinks at home, no drinks after social drinking at home (which seems obvious lol, but it gets me). The weekend was full of hanging out with friends and also a wedding, so there was plenty to last me. I haven’t had a weekend that jammed full in a while now.
Additional side note, is that I am joining a thrash metal band. I have been practicing on the drums more lately, and my buddy who has been playing bass with the band invited me over. I kept in time, but kept it simple. No sense in having some sweet grooves that are out of time. They have played a few shows, and I have a lot to learn to play the songs. I need to get a lot better with the double bass, and just playing fast in general. I have so much to practice it is hard to know where to start.
I’m glad it’s working for you. If this changes at some point, it’s worth discussing other medications with your provider - everyone seems to respond differently when on different meds… some make everything worse and others help a lot.
I respect this decision. Unless it has been a destructive force for you (which I don’t think/know that it has), it likely wouldn’t hurt to have a drink here and there - just reducing the overall number of drinks tends to be a great choice though.
I was in a thrash band some 10+ years ago also…
Not sure if this link will work, but technically you should be able to listen :
On the right side there are like 5 songs you can play. No need to understand the language of the page, the “player” is universal 
If it could just work as is, I’d be pretty happy. My big fear is it basically just turning into the same thing as a cup of coffee. Basically tolerance stuff. Kinda why I don’t want to use it on weekends.
Yeah, my motivation for lowering is because of fitness goals. I am not sneaking drinks at work, nor would I want to. Seems miserable in that setting TBH.
It is strange how social drinking can evolve though. For me, drinks with dinner, and while watching a TV show before bed. It is an easy habit to get into, and I think it makes being fit harder than it already is. A bonus will be that during the social drinking, I will not need to drink much to be in the mix (kinda a good buzz, not hammered, but also not annoyed with drunks haha).
You guys were pretty good. What did you play?
I don’t see the band I am in going anywhere, but it is fun to play with others. I was in a band in high school, we thought we were going to be at least sorta big. We really really sucked.
I used to play everything actually. I was in a band with a guitar. I sometimes did some drums. In this band i played bass and vocals - for most part we did the 3 guy thing like Motorhead and Venom.
Also did most of the songwriting.
Funny enough when we played i tought our music is complete garbage. Now when i listened to these songs(havent listened to them until now for years) i actually think that we were not so bad, haha.
The problem back then was age and money. We didnt have money for good gear and records and to make cool shows. All the best bands back then were like 30+… Bands of 18-20year olds only got far if they had rich parents.
Also since this is a small country there is not much people who give a shit. We had basically 4 clubs over the whole country where we could play. Only like 2 in our city. And metal is an underground which means that for 1,5mil country, we had like…idk, 300 people who give a shit, lol. So its like 30 of em maybe at most shows.
Just like with everything, in here we just lack people who would be interested. Like i work for KMG(Krav Maga Global) now. In Poland they have like 100 people in training, they need an instructor and 3 assistants to even have a training session. We have like 12 people in a class.
In US they probably have like 5 schools in every state. We have 1 location, which totals 100 people altogether at most, lol.
In Israel, our instructors get paid like 800eur for 6 hour training. They dont do shorter trainings. We work for like 30 bucks an hour and we are happy that some people come to these private trainings.
It is the opposite for me lol. You would have to hold me down to make me listen to my drumming from that band.
It is tough in the US as well. Even pretty decent bands often play to a very small group. Cover bands that aren’t even very good can get a much larger crowd than an original metal band. Some of the metal bands will open for the covers just so they have some people there. A buddy has opened for an Iron Maiden cover band a few times and those are the big shows he does.
I think you’re right on this. My cousins did Krav Maga. Kinda surprised me as they are more the type you’d expect to find reading nerdy fiction books. I think people just have the option to have many different hobbies if they want. Many people try stuff out for a couple months and move onto something else. They have enough money that they can just use their gear for a few months, and then switch to something else.
If you want to get into something in the US, you can do it cheaply if you look around. Lots of $5K bikes hanging in the garage rafters of middle aged men. They don’t ride them anymore, so you can pick them up cheap. Same for musical instruments.
Hey Ben are you still.around? And if you are may I pick your brain about your biceps tendonitis? Thank you!
Sure, what is your question?
Sent you one.
I didn’t know that either. I thought it was merely a smelling salt, psych-up tool.
I’m going to look further into that bud! Always love learning something new, cheers.