Five things you've had (or chosen) to give up

Dr Winston O'Boogie Senior Member
3,345 posts 36 reps Joined Oct 2010
Thu, May 6, 2021 5:29 PM

Whether for health/wellness, serenity, legal, or other reasons, what are five things you've had to give up as you have gotten older.  Some of my big ones:

  • Alcohol - headed down a very bad road for a long time.  Plenty of proof in the family that we don't seem to do booze right.  Miss it sometimes, but I know if I still indulged, it'd be ugly.
  • Running - I loved running until about 5-7 years ago.  My knees finally got to a point where it was time to stop.  Still miss it sometimes
  • Golf- used to enjoy it, but I played less and my game got bad.  I just don't have the interest in committing the time to be any decent at it.
  • Diet soda - used to drink this stuff like water.  I finally came to believe that it was an unhealthy habit on my stomach
  • Staying up late - Whereas this used to be normal, the price for doing it now lasts a couple of days.  I'll fight someone who fucks with my bedtime.


33,369 posts 133 reps Joined Nov 2009
Thu, May 6, 2021 8:00 PM

I don’t think I have 5. But I have a few where I’ve altered:

  • Soda. Basically try and only have them when it’s pizza night. Even then I’m migrating to an all water intake (plus alcohol and OJ)
  • Sleeping in. But that’s because of a kid. I still stay up relatively late, but nothing past midnight anymore 
  • Sports consumption. Really don’t watch the random games anymore. It’s basically my team or nothing, with NFL being an outlier. 

Ironman92 Administrator
56,729 posts 168 reps Joined Nov 2009
Thu, May 6, 2021 8:17 PM

Pop (on occasion here and there...but minimal)

Alcohol....same

Heavy lifting (forced to per cervical dystonia.....but am doing a strengthening routine and getting stronger)

Detailing cars....still some for certain people but it’s hard work to do well and I don’t want to lol.


Verbal Kint Senior Member
1,062 posts 16 reps Joined Jul 2017
Fri, May 7, 2021 12:41 PM

For health reasons, for the most part have given up:

Bread, pasta, any form of grain

Believing / debating politics

Caring what others outside immediate family think about me


Dr Winston O'Boogie Senior Member
3,345 posts 36 reps Joined Oct 2010
Fri, May 7, 2021 12:44 PM
posted by Verbal Kint

For health reasons, for the most part have given up:

Bread, pasta, any form of grain

Believing / debating politics

Caring what others outside immediate family think about me


A great adage I believe:

"At 20, I cared about what people thought of me.

At 40, I stopped caring what people thought of me.

At 60, I realized people weren't even thinking about me in the first place."

I blend the first two and am working very hard to get to the third one.

Automatik Senior Member
15,737 posts 98 reps Joined Nov 2009
Fri, May 7, 2021 1:04 PM

Can't really think of 5.


But one was indoor rock climbing / bouldering. I was fucking loving it and getting pretty good and strong. Was a breathe of fresh air after being a gym rat since my early teens.

Reinjured a surgically repaired wrist and that was it for me. I could potentially try again, but I can still tell the issue is there, so I doubt it.

33,369 posts 133 reps Joined Nov 2009
Fri, May 7, 2021 1:39 PM
posted by Automatik

But one was indoor rock climbing / bouldering. I was fucking loving it and getting pretty good and strong. Was a breathe of fresh air after being a gym rat since my early teens.

Reinjured a surgically repaired wrist and that was it for me. I could potentially try again, but I can still tell the issue is there, so I doubt it.

Is the rehab just that brutal? Or is the injury threatening more than just a hinderance? I only ask, cause if I loved something the way it sounds you did, I’d have a hard time quitting. Unless the injury was just a huge pain in my everyday life or the next time it may not heal Etc.
Verbal Kint Senior Member
1,062 posts 16 reps Joined Jul 2017
Sat, May 8, 2021 11:41 AM
posted by Laley23
  • Sports consumption. Really don’t watch the random games anymore. It’s basically my team or nothing, with NFL being an outlier. 

I had the impression that is what you did for employement
33,369 posts 133 reps Joined Nov 2009
Sat, May 8, 2021 12:14 PM
posted by Verbal Kint
I had the impression that is what you did for employement

It is. But I physically am at the given game (well used to be, moved into a new position last month). What I meant though, I no longer turn on the Virginia vs Virginia Tech CBK game. Or the Sunday Night Baseball, or a random CFB game. It’s my teams, or basically nothing (aside from NFL and on occasion NBA).

I used to watch any and everything sports wise. Now, if I have the time, I either go to bed or watch a movie/show.


Heretic Son of the Sun
20,517 posts 204 reps Joined Nov 2009
Sat, May 8, 2021 12:29 PM

Pop, except for mixing with drinks. But I used to pound that stuff back in the day and now, it's just water, occasionally mixed with apple cider vinegar, or tea for when I'm not drinking booze.

Comedys. Used to regularly watch TV comedy shows and a lot of comedic movies. Now, it seems my tastes have changed to where I only watch those if I'm at a person's place and one is on, but with the exception of Monty Python, it seems like my tastes basically run from horror to crime/mob to giallos/slashers and most of the comedic stuff I see are either the mocking of that stuff (ie: MST3K) or stuff that doesn't always take itself seriously (ie: Tales From the Crypt).

Running. Did that a lot when younger, now my workouts are lifting or cardio via jamming music while bouncing around the house.

If I can think of two other things, I'll post them, but I can't think of anything off the top of my head. Like, I can't exactly say church when the only reason I ever went as a kid was because my parents made me and the instant I didn't have to go, I was done with that shit.

Automatik Senior Member
15,737 posts 98 reps Joined Nov 2009
Mon, May 10, 2021 2:39 AM
posted by Laley23

Is the rehab just that brutal? Or is the injury threatening more than just a hinderance? I only ask, cause if I loved something the way it sounds you did, I’d have a hard time quitting. Unless the injury was just a huge pain in my everyday life or the next time it may not heal Etc.

It’s this. Another more significant injury could result in lifelong problems and/or another serious surgery that could require fusing bones together.

Docs and physical therapists basically told me find another hobby. 

BR1986FB Senior Member
27,923 posts 126 reps Joined Feb 2010
Mon, May 10, 2021 7:28 AM

1) Alcohol....just had no use for it. I'd drink a couple of beers and be ready for a nap

2) Squats (exercise related)- I used to be able to squat a ton (well, close to 1/2 ton) and my knees are now bone on bone. I'll be getting a double knee replacement at some point.

3) Sugar- have given it up, for the most part, along with starchy carbs like spaghetti. My body doesn't do sugar/starches well. I eat spaghetti, love the taste then regret it 30 minutes later when my gut feels like it's in a vice grip.

4) Milk- see #1 minus the nap.

5) Sports viewing (Laley's idea)- other than the Browns I don't watch sports, period. Used to love watching the Tribe/Cavs until free agency took over. Baseball is also EXTREMELY boring to me.

j_crazy 7 gram rocks. how i roll.
8,623 posts 30 reps Joined Nov 2009
Mon, May 10, 2021 8:44 AM

1. cigarettes - obvious, but i still want one every 1-2 hours of everday, even though i haven't had one in coming up on 7 years. Its a wild addiction

2. booze - i'm not fully abstaining, but i cut back to maybe 1-2 times a month have A drink. i just did it because i don't want to be a booze bag in front of my kids.

3. soda - try to get rid of it all together. because i'm a big fat slob.

4. sweets - continuous uphill battle that i lose almost weekely - because again, i'm a big fat slob

5. late nights - i used to be up till 1-2 am regularly watching movies/playing video games. i just couldn't keep that wierd sleep cycle going and about 5 years ago started focusing on getting to bed by 10 pm.

Verbal Kint Senior Member
1,062 posts 16 reps Joined Jul 2017
Mon, May 10, 2021 12:20 PM
posted by Laley23

It is. But I physically am at the given game (well used to be, moved into a new position last month). What I meant though, I no longer turn on the Virginia vs Virginia Tech CBK game. Or the Sunday Night Baseball, or a random CFB game. It’s my teams, or basically nothing (aside from NFL and on occasion NBA).

I used to watch any and everything sports wise. Now, if I have the time, I either go to bed or watch a movie/show.


Gotcha.  I lost interest in all CBK, NBA.  I will watch any level NCAAFB, NFL.


Verbal Kint Senior Member
1,062 posts 16 reps Joined Jul 2017
Mon, May 10, 2021 12:23 PM
posted by BR1986FB

2) Squats (exercise related)- I used to be able to squat a ton (well, close to 1/2 ton) and my knees are now bone on bone. I'll be getting a double knee replacement at some point.

I gave up heavy with bar on the shoulders, not worth it, rather low weight with dumbells, ass to ground, add in cossacks for more flexibility
33,369 posts 133 reps Joined Nov 2009
Mon, May 10, 2021 1:34 PM

I did forget one which is a health/disease issue I have — Ankylosing Spondylitis. I can still do almost every typical activity, but I now can only bike for cardio. The pounding my back takes when I run non-stop is too much. I still can go out and play a pickup basketball or soccer game or whatever. But running to run is no longer an option. 

Which I’m not too distraught over, cause fuck running haha

8,788 posts 20 reps Joined Nov 2009
Mon, May 10, 2021 3:49 PM

1. Running. In order to protect my knees, switched to biking. I still run every so often, but never longer than a 5k. 

2. Beer. I rarely have a beer now a days. After 1 or 2, just fills me up. I'd rather have a bourbon or cocktail. 

3. Speaking of bourbon: Drinking as much: Hangovers are a little worse now in the mid30s than before. I noticed some Mondays would be rough after Sunday night Old Fashioneds.

4. Staying up to watch the end of games. I work early now, and unless it is a big game or has consequences, I'll just catch the highlights online the next morning. 

5. Sleeping in. I never sleep past 8am anymore. 

ernest_t_bass 12th Son of the Lama
26,698 posts 204 reps Joined Nov 2009
Tue, May 11, 2021 2:35 PM

1) Alcohol - 6 years sober last month

2) Marriage - Not what I want, but she's giving up.

3) Pension - See #2. Things could be getting hairy

4) Respect - See #2 and #3

Dr Winston O'Boogie Senior Member
3,345 posts 36 reps Joined Oct 2010
Tue, May 11, 2021 5:35 PM
posted by ernest_t_bass

1) Alcohol - 6 years sober last month

2) Marriage - Not what I want, but she's giving up.

3) Pension - See #2. Things could be getting hairy

4) Respect - See #2 and #3

Congrats on #1.  Sorry about the rest.  But I guess without #1, it could be a lot worse.

friendfromlowry Senior Member
7,778 posts 87 reps Joined Nov 2009
Tue, May 11, 2021 6:00 PM

Off topic and perhaps worthy of another thread, but marriage is tough work. If mine didn’t work out, I couldn’t foresee myself doing it again. I sure as shit wouldn’t have kids with another woman. I have my son and daughter, I’m good. I have a new neighbor I was talking to, he has a 9yo and 5yo with current wife and a 16yo and 18yo with previous woman who live several hours away. That sounds like it would suck. 

As for the topic, I like to run but it won’t last forever. I already feel like I have the arthritic knee pain. I also have been able to move on from pop. I’ll still drink Pepsi max frequently which I know isn’t great, but I’ve at least kicked the daily mountain dews. 

Dr Winston O'Boogie Senior Member
3,345 posts 36 reps Joined Oct 2010
Tue, May 11, 2021 6:06 PM
posted by friendfromlowry

Off topic and perhaps worthy of another thread, but marriage is tough work. If mine didn’t work out, I couldn’t foresee myself doing it again. I sure as shit wouldn’t have kids with another woman. I have my son and daughter, I’m good. I have a new neighbor I was talking to, he has a 9yo and 5yo with current wife and a 16yo and 18yo with previous woman who live several hours away. That sounds like it would suck. 

As for the topic, I like to run but it won’t last forever. I already feel like I have the arthritic knee pain. I also have been able to move on from pop. I’ll still drink Pepsi max frequently which I know isn’t great, but I’ve at least kicked the daily mountain dews. 

Pepsi Max is not as bad as daily cocaine use.  And that is a medical fact! 

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