Alcohol.

[cmc4130]

. . . Maybe I should start golfing or something. Riding is too dangerous at this point, can't get hurt and miss work.  . . . .

What would your 14 year old self have told you if he heard that?

You can safely ride bmx.  You could also get a road bike or a mountain bike. 

Drinking regularly and being inactive is an easy rut to fall into.  To get out of it, the best way I have seen is to do something active.  If you're not going to ride bikes, then replace it with something else--basketball, lap swimming, aikido, cross-fit, yoga, whatever...

[ginger]

I wouldn't call you an alcoholic as long as you have 2 or more alcohol free days over the course of a week. Hard binge drinking every week will obviously fuck you up over the long term, so maybe don't plan on doing it forever. I've found that as I get older and busier I can't afford to be super drunk or hungover very often, so it helps limit how much I drink. If you're looking to cutback just fill your time with activities and commitments that you can't be drunk for.

[Alex.]

. . . Maybe I should start golfing or something. Riding is too dangerous at this point, can't get hurt and miss work.  . . . .

What would your 14 year old self have told you if he heard that?

You can safely ride bmx.  You could also get a road bike or a mountain bike. 

Drinking regularly and being inactive is an easy rut to fall into.  To get out of it, the best way I have seen is to do something active.  If you're not going to ride bikes, then replace it with something else--basketball, lap swimming, aikido, cross-fit, yoga, whatever...

I still love BMX and I know it's possible to play it safe while riding but that isn't fun for me, unfortunately. I always have to be trying newer and bigger things and pushing to be better whenever I ride, that's just how my brain works.

Same reason why I quit racing motocross. Too competitive and will always try and push too hard to get better and just naturally feel better with pushing myself. Unfortunately it usually ends up with me wrecking myself. 

I do like the idea of a road bike though and it has been on the agenda for a while. Just need to get some extra money to buy a nice bike.

[dude...]

someone at my work last year was doing a "dry july" and it made me think how sometimes ill go 3-4 months without drinking and not care. i cant be arsed getting maggot these days cos it seems like such a waste to lose a big chunk of the next day feeling wretched. drinking alcohol is boring to me, although if i could get high instead without the stress of drug testing for work etc id probs still be a fiend for that

[Dr. Steve Brule]

Louis Theroux just did a great show on Alcoholism. UK guys will be able to watch it on Iplayer, rest of the world I'm sure you can sort something out.

[ginger]

Use a VPN if you're outside UK.

[blueee]

lots of free time and I'm surrounded by drinkers. my old roommate kept our fridge stocked with beer :/ morning mimosas have ruined so many days for me

I don't get stupid drunk very often but constant drinking throughout the day everyday sucks

another thing I've noticed is that outside of California a trip to the skatepark doesn't mean three runs then sitting on a ledge with a bunch of tall cans and a bunch  of weed

I'll show up to a new park with a 12pack n everyone's like "no ty" wtf?

[Alex.]

I'll show up to a new park with a 12pack n everyone's like "no ty" wtf?

Very strange when I encounter people like.

[dude...]

lots of free time and I'm surrounded by drinkers. my old roommate kept our fridge stocked with beer :/ morning mimosas have ruined so many days for me

I don't get stupid drunk very often but constant drinking throughout the day everyday sucks

another thing I've noticed is that outside of California a trip to the skatepark doesn't mean three runs then sitting on a ledge with a bunch of tall cans and a bunch  of weed

I'll show up to a new park with a 12pack n everyone's like "no ty" wtf?

youd like west aus, someones always got beers and bongs when we go out riding

[ginger]

West Aus? Try just about every crew in the country haha.

[therussianbabe]

I think the important thing to touch on here is not what others think nor what society defines as 'alcoholism', it seems that despite what you may play off as your friends giving you shit for is that you also notice a problem. If you notice an issue, fix it. Will it be hard? Absolutely. It will be easier to replace with another habit than just keeping the exact same life minus drinking.

If you want my personal advice - coming a similar situation - replace drinking with the gym. A real gym not weights in your room. Go full blast into it like the early days of discovering riding, shape up your eating habits if they are not very good, and replace all fluid intake with simple water. This does not mean go be paleo or a bodybuilder or some crazy IG fan crazed fitness guru. Just be healthy man. It will be pure shit for the first 2-4 weeks, there is no getting around it. But I promise you that you will A) start to actually look forward to going, B) you will feel better on a day to day basis among other life improvements, and C) you won't really want to drink after a month, I mean I still have a night out at the bar once in a bluemate moon with colleagues but I am by no means getting smashed those infrequent times. There are long term detriments to what you are doing drinking this much and there is no better time than now to halt it.

 

[jeffro]

Occasionally think this but then think actually, I drink no more than most mid-twenties people working in an office in London. I guess with most client facing roles there is an ingrained drinking culture - schmoozing clients, networking etc. Not saying you couldn't be teetotal and do it but when a large portion of your time is taken up with long boozy lunches or dinners, it would be pretty tiresome if you weren't at least half cut.

That said, it's no where near as bad as my friends that work in hedge funds or private equity, that shit is relentless.

I try to balance it out by going to the gym three-four times a week before work, which has helped stave off some off the belly weight.

[joelite44]

Why be another alcohol fueled person, treat yourself another type of hobbies and activities. Jiujitsu worked for me, got me thinking the right way about how i want to treat my body.

While trying to quit i would always resource to my natural hobbies, MTB and BMX, but it would always be a pain couse you can't always be the best at everything you do and that brings you down sometimes. Like not riding like you used to or being a little overweight our out of shape. I can't even feeble oppo 180 but i can oppo feeble 180 but that doesn't get me down couse i have other shit to look out for. Like photography, videoing my friends, martial arts, a job, saving money and other shitload of things that i can treat myself into. Alcohol just makes your life boring and stale and eventually you end up spending your money in family and kids. 

[ginger]

That said, it's no where near as bad as my friends that work in hedge funds or private equity, that shit is relentless.

I think I'd be dead in a year if I worked in investment banking.

[NWO_FJK]

I usually only drink on the days that I work. If your going to have a shitty time at work you may as well be hungover for it  and enjoy your days off sober. Granted I'm surrounded by party animals in my workplace and hitting the sauce is usually encouraged.