[Drinking] Alcoholic/like a beer or two too much?

[Palacefinder General]

This caught my eye today - 99p special for the Kindle version.

I'm going to risk that money and give it a read as the reviews are pretty good: https://amzn.to/2r7PpdS

Be interested to know your thoughts on that one if you’ve digested it.

 

[fork me]

...

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

Wow that’s one year done without drink- went quickly! Looks like I was spending about £4K per year on booze which is now money in my pocket.

Happy days, and I’ll save the same again next year as I can’t see me going back to it.

Best of luck to anyone doing dry January, or planning a longer break

I had a drink on Jan 1st, so sometime around lunchtime tomorrow will be one year for me. I used the Alcohol Experiment during my usual dry January, and it had a huge impact on me. I genuinely haven't had an issue staying off the booze - perhaps one or two "it might be nice" moments during social situations. I've even managed away day weekends following the Albion and my amazing chums who I go with didn't bat an eyelid other than to note that I am just as boring when I don't drink.

I don't say I've given up - feels like something just waiting to fail - when people ask I normally just say I'm not drinking tonight, and if they ask if I'm teetotal, I say yes for today, but I'll have a drink tomorrow if I fancy one. Thus far, I haven't fancied one.

I'd recommend everyone thinking about giving up in Jan to give it a go.

And huge congratulations to everyone who has given up, not drinking today or who is just drinking less. More power to you.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Would like to at least attempt Dry January. But with Chelsea at the Amex NYD? Never going to happen

No reason you can't start today. My Dry Jans (see below explanation) have always started on 2 Jan.

I thought this thread would be quite busy with Dry January folks, the way that New Year's Eve pubs are full of irregular drinkers who can't handle it, but it seems not so.

I'm on here because, despite my user name (sorry about the avatar as well) I'm going to attempt to knock the booze on the head, hopefully for a few months. I'm not doing "Dry January" as such - I always have a drink on New Year's Day. Either with a game for us, or games on telly, the darts final and booze to finish off from Christmas it's normally my last day drinking before a bit of a detox. However, this year I want to go a bit further, a bit longer and challenge myself. Normally Dry Jan drops off for me after three weeks or so and I go back to a pattern where I drink at the football and other "out" occasions but not at any other time and then, by summer, I'm having cold beer or cider at home "just because it's sunny".

I've never struggled having days off, particularly since I started running seriously, as I will normally go dry the day before a hard training run as I run better that way. However, I reckon that during July and August in partucular my units per week are way over what they should be.

This year it's running that is really inspiring me to attempt a very long dry spell. I want to beat 4 hours at Brighton Marathon and therefore intend not to drink* between now and the race in mid April. I then have my first ultra in July. Running 50K in mid summer will certainly need me to be well hydrated, in a good way, and down to my fighting weight.

Like [MENTION=6886]Bozza[/MENTION] I don't think I will completely give up on holiday. We have a holiday to Cyprus in early summer. All inclusive and the chances of me ignoring beer, Cypriot red wine and raki for 10 days, that I've already paid for are non-existent. But a good, long period for now will do.

*not drinking - some questions. Firstly does 0.5% beer count as alcohol free? BrewDog do PunkAF which I've tried and really like. I often work in Edinburgh and there is a BrewDog in the airport there. If we (my team) have had a good week up there then the traditional treat is dinner in the BrewDog. I'm perfectly fine having the PunkAF but an hour on lemonade doesn't seem much of a treat. I'd probably rather leave them to it and have a water somewhere else. Also, any experience of big birthday style bashes? It's a mate's birthday in February and a group of us from all over the country tend to gather for it. It is normally very messy, alcohol wise. They would be fine with me not drinking (the birthday boy's brother doesn't drink at all) but I'm not sure (yet) if my willpower would survive a trip to the bar with those guys. Any tips? Stay determined and don't drink? Give in for a day and then back on the wagon? Don't go?

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

No reason you can't start today.

Gah! NOW you tell me, at 21:05. Maybe tomorrow...

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

*not drinking - some questions. Firstly does 0.5% beer count as alcohol free? BrewDog do PunkAF which I've tried and really like. I often work in Edinburgh and there is a BrewDog in the airport there. If we (my team) have had a good week up there then the traditional treat is dinner in the BrewDog. I'm perfectly fine having the PunkAF but an hour on lemonade doesn't seem much of a treat. I'd probably rather leave them to it and have a water somewhere else. Also, any experience of big birthday style bashes? It's a mate's birthday in February and a group of us from all over the country tend to gather for it. It is normally very messy, alcohol wise. They would be fine with me not drinking (the birthday boy's brother doesn't drink at all) but I'm not sure (yet) if my willpower would survive a trip to the bar with those guys. Any tips? Stay determined and don't drink? Give in for a day and then back on the wagon? Don't go?

I believe the 0.5% beers are classed as non-alcoholic (some fermented soft drinks come in at 0.5%) so they should be fine. Personally, I have avoided all beers as it is the beer rather than just the alcohol I have stopped enjoying. Brewdog also have some nice soft drinks - I had a nice rhubarb and raspberry drink in the Brighton branch the other day after footy. If you are eating, then it is easier to avoid alcohol than if it is just a group sitting around a table.

As for your brothers birthday, if you explain to people why you are not drinking (i.e. the running) you should get great kudos for the efforts you are going to an people shouldn't feel the need to pressure you into 'just one'.

Good luck.

 

[GT49er]

Gah! NOW you tell me, at 21:05. Maybe tomorrow...

Same with me! I'm going to do dry January this year (I usually do), but this evening I'm just .......... err ........ preparing myself to start!

 

[Bozza]

*not drinking - some questions. Firstly does 0.5% beer count as alcohol free? BrewDog do PunkAF which I've tried and really like. I often work in Edinburgh and there is a BrewDog in the airport there. If we (my team) have had a good week up there then the traditional treat is dinner in the BrewDog. I'm perfectly fine having the PunkAF but an hour on lemonade doesn't seem much of a treat. I'd probably rather leave them to it and have a water somewhere else. Also, any experience of big birthday style bashes? It's a mate's birthday in February and a group of us from all over the country tend to gather for it. It is normally very messy, alcohol wise. They would be fine with me not drinking (the birthday boy's brother doesn't drink at all) but I'm not sure (yet) if my willpower would survive a trip to the bar with those guys. Any tips? Stay determined and don't drink? Give in for a day and then back on the wagon? Don't go?

I was a few months in to what ended up being 205 days AF last year when I had an urge for a beer on a warm spring afternoon. I investigated the AF options and they do seem to broadly sit in two camps:

- 0.5%
- 0.0%

I decided that as I was going AF then I would only go for the 0.0% stuff. I tried a couple and they were OK. I wonder if that smidgeon of alcohol in the 0.5% makes a significant improvement in taste...

But it's up to you, I think. I know others that say they are going AF and have the 0.5% stuff, and I'm not going to criticise them for it - I just made a slightly different decision for me. I did wonder if being a veggie was part of that decision, eg I won't have sweets with gelatine in them. A Haribo is a world away from a rare filet steak, but I treat them the same.

Once I'd decided I was on my AF streak, I wasn't going to break it until the time I'd predetermined was going to be the end of it, and with that mindset I sailed through many social situations where I'd normally be knocking it back. Again though - it's uo to you. I'd broadly say that life is far too short to miss out on something if you are going to enjoy it and if getting on the sauce with mates will be the fun you probably expect it to be, you shouldn't feel bad if you join in.

We have friends round tomorrow night (slightly annoyingly postponed from 30th December) and on Saturday a mate has deemed the Cup game as his birthday drinks day so I'll have two days drinking and then I'll commence going dry again, and I'll be aiming for the Summer once again for when I consider having my next drink.

 

[Guinness Boy]

I believe the 0.5% beers are classed as non-alcoholic (some fermented soft drinks come in at 0.5%) so they should be fine. Personally, I have avoided all beers as it is the beer rather than just the alcohol I have stopped enjoying. Brewdog also have some nice soft drinks - I had a nice rhubarb and raspberry drink in the Brighton branch the other day after footy. If you are eating, then it is easier to avoid alcohol than if it is just a group sitting around a table.

As for your brothers birthday, if you explain to people why you are not drinking (i.e. the running) you should get great kudos for the efforts you are going to an people shouldn't feel the need to pressure you into 'just one'.

Good luck.

I was a few months in to what ended up being 205 days AF last year when I had an urge for a beer on a warm spring afternoon. I investigated the AF options and they do seem to broadly sit in two camps:

- 0.5%
- 0.0%

I decided that as I was going AF then I would only go for the 0.0% stuff. I tried a couple and they were OK. I wonder if that smidgeon of alcohol in the 0.5% makes a significant improvement in taste...

But it's up to you, I think. I know others that say they are going AF and have the 0.5% stuff, and I'm not going to criticise them for it - I just made a slightly different decision for me. I did wonder if being a veggie was part of that decision, eg I won't have sweets with gelatine in them. A Haribo is a world away from a rare filet steak, but I treat them the same.

Once I'd decided I was on my AF streak, I wasn't going to break it until the time I'd predetermined was going to be the end of it, and with that mindset I sailed through many social situations where I'd normally be knocking it back. Again though - it's uo to you. I'd broadly say that life is far too short to miss out on something if you are going to enjoy it and if getting on the sauce with mates will be the fun you probably expect it to be, you shouldn't feel bad if you join in.

We have friends round tomorrow night (slightly annoyingly postponed from 30th December) and on Saturday a mate has deemed the Cup game as his birthday drinks day so I'll have two days drinking and then I'll commence going dry again, and I'll be aiming for the Summer once again for when I consider having my next drink.

Thanks chaps

 

[CorgiRegisteredFriend]

I really don’t get Dry January, sounds too much of a punishment. If you want a drink then have one just don’t drink every single day.

 

[dazzer6666]

No reason you can't start today. My Dry Jans (see below explanation) have always started on 2 Jan.

I thought this thread would be quite busy with Dry January folks, the way that New Year's Eve pubs are full of irregular drinkers who can't handle it, but it seems not so.

I'm on here because, despite my user name (sorry about the avatar as well) I'm going to attempt to knock the booze on the head, hopefully for a few months. I'm not doing "Dry January" as such - I always have a drink on New Year's Day. Either with a game for us, or games on telly, the darts final and booze to finish off from Christmas it's normally my last day drinking before a bit of a detox. However, this year I want to go a bit further, a bit longer and challenge myself. Normally Dry Jan drops off for me after three weeks or so and I go back to a pattern where I drink at the football and other "out" occasions but not at any other time and then, by summer, I'm having cold beer or cider at home "just because it's sunny".

I've never struggled having days off, particularly since I started running seriously, as I will normally go dry the day before a hard training run as I run better that way. However, I reckon that during July and August in partucular my units per week are way over what they should be.

This year it's running that is really inspiring me to attempt a very long dry spell. I want to beat 4 hours at Brighton Marathon and therefore intend not to drink* between now and the race in mid April. I then have my first ultra in July. Running 50K in mid summer will certainly need me to be well hydrated, in a good way, and down to my fighting weight.

Like [MENTION=6886]Bozza[/MENTION] I don't think I will completely give up on holiday. We have a holiday to Cyprus in early summer. All inclusive and the chances of me ignoring beer, Cypriot red wine and raki for 10 days, that I've already paid for are non-existent. But a good, long period for now will do.

*not drinking - some questions. Firstly does 0.5% beer count as alcohol free? BrewDog do PunkAF which I've tried and really like. I often work in Edinburgh and there is a BrewDog in the airport there. If we (my team) have had a good week up there then the traditional treat is dinner in the BrewDog. I'm perfectly fine having the PunkAF but an hour on lemonade doesn't seem much of a treat. I'd probably rather leave them to it and have a water somewhere else. Also, any experience of big birthday style bashes? It's a mate's birthday in February and a group of us from all over the country tend to gather for it. It is normally very messy, alcohol wise. They would be fine with me not drinking (the birthday boy's brother doesn't drink at all) but I'm not sure (yet) if my willpower would survive a trip to the bar with those guys. Any tips? Stay determined and don't drink? Give in for a day and then back on the wagon? Don't go?

Good luck.....[emoji106]

I did ‘dry February’ last year - after a heavy December we went on holiday in January (all inclusive for most of it) so Dry Jan wasn’t really an option, but I just wanted to see if I could do it as it’d definitely become a bit of a habit. It was much easier than I expected (which was a relief TBH), and since then I’ve moderated a lot (except for the last 3 weeks or so which have been a bit horrific). Stopping made no difference to my weight rather annoyingly, and I can’t say I felt any more alert, or slept better or any of the other benefits that can arise.

From a running perspective I gave up from Jan 2nd to one of the London Marathons I did (April) a while back. It made no discernible difference.........the vast majority of runners I know (including the good ones) like a drink or two - I think a lot ‘run to drink’ if you know what I mean. Not suggesting for a second you revise your plans because I think it’s a great idea, but drinking in moderation (on it’s own) won’t materially impact your running - what will (and definitely where I need to focus some attention) is getting some weight off, so if the abstaining helps with that it’ll be a good thing anyway.

I’m firmly in the ‘moderation is ok’ camp (including an occasional session for a special occasion), but know it’s a fine line to drift from that into more of a potential problem and nit for everyone.........I’m mightily impressed by all you on here that have managed to kick it permanently or for long periods. I simply don’t have the will to do so (yet)......

 

[Bry Nylon]

*not drinking - some questions. Firstly does 0.5% beer count as alcohol free? BrewDog do PunkAF which I've tried and really like. I often work in Edinburgh and there is a BrewDog in the airport there. If we (my team) have had a good week up there then the traditional treat is dinner in the BrewDog. I'm perfectly fine having the PunkAF but an hour on lemonade doesn't seem much of a treat. I'd probably rather leave them to it and have a water somewhere else. Also, any experience of big birthday style bashes? It's a mate's birthday in February and a group of us from all over the country tend to gather for it. It is normally very messy, alcohol wise. They would be fine with me not drinking (the birthday boy's brother doesn't drink at all) but I'm not sure (yet) if my willpower would survive a trip to the bar with those guys. Any tips? Stay determined and don't drink? Give in for a day and then back on the wagon? Don't go?

I'm six months AF now and what has worked for me is looking no further than the end of each day. I've tried to keep the pressure off by telling myself that if I want a beer tomorrow, I can have one. Tomorrow. So far, even though the temptation on occassions has been strong, the thought that I cna simply have a beer the next day instead of today has kept me AF.

So far as your mate's birthday in February is concerned, I would say don't worry about it now - it's a minimum 30 days away. Just focus on today. You may well find that by the time the event comes around you will be a month + AF and it won't be such a big 'thing' to go a night without booze. But as Bozza says, if you do decide to have few, it's no big deal either.

Anyway, I have no advice to give other than to say just go one day at a time and I guarantee you will surprise yourself in a very short period of time. If somebody had told me this time last year that I wouldn't drink a single drop of alcohol over Christmas and New Year 2019 and still have a good time, there is no way I would have believed them.

Good luck and be sure to keep checking back on here to let us know how you're getting on. I can say hand on heart that this thread, and the encouragement and good wishes from people I don't even know has done more to keep me AF than anything else.

One day at a time.

 

[GT49er]

I really don’t get Dry January, sounds too much of a punishment. If you want a drink then have one just don’t drink every single day.

And therein lies the very reason that people have dry Januaries.

 

[Bozza]

Not suggesting for a second you revise your plans because I think it’s a great idea, but drinking in moderation (on it’s own) won’t materially impact your running - what will (and definitely where I need to focus some attention) is getting some weight off, so if the abstaining helps with that it’ll be a good thing anyway.

Me over the course of 7 months AF and absolutely no running at all: lost 42lbs
Me over the course of 5 months, drinking, running 500 miles: lost no weight at all

(I appreciate I'd already done the hard yards of weight loss before I started running, but it did bring home to me that diet is considerably more important for weight loss than exercise)

 

[Bry Nylon]

One other thing. It is worth seeking out the Adrian Chiles 'Drinkers Like Me' documentary on YouTube, even if you have already seen it.

A very interesting, brutally honest, wryly amusing and relatable piece of TV. It certainly summed up my drinking habit which I kept telling myself wasn't a problem, even though deep down I knew it was. It was certainly the catalyst for me to have a long hard think about my drinking and if it was in any way a sustainble way to carry on. Turns out it wasn't. Who knew.

 

[dazzer6666]

One other thing. It is worth seeking out the Adrian Chiles 'Drinkers Like Me' documentary on YouTube, even if you have already seen it.

A very interesting, brutally honest, wryly amusing and relatable piece of TV. It certainly summed up my drinking habit which I kept telling myself wasn't a problem, even though deep down I knew it was. It was certainly the catalyst for me to have a long hard think about my drinking and if it was in any way a sustainble way to carry on. Turns out it wasn't. Who knew.

Good shout......quite a scary watch. Easy to see how this could happen.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Good luck.....[emoji106]

I did ‘dry February’ last year - after a heavy December we went on holiday in January (all inclusive for most of it) so Dry Jan wasn’t really an option, but I just wanted to see if I could do it as it’d definitely become a bit of a habit. It was much easier than I expected (which was a relief TBH), and since then I’ve moderated a lot (except for the last 3 weeks or so which have been a bit horrific). Stopping made no difference to my weight rather annoyingly, and I can’t say I felt any more alert, or slept better or any of the other benefits that can arise.

From a running perspective I gave up from Jan 2nd to one of the London Marathons I did (April) a while back. It made no discernible difference.........the vast majority of runners I know (including the good ones) like a drink or two - I think a lot ‘run to drink’ if you know what I mean. Not suggesting for a second you revise your plans because I think it’s a great idea, but drinking in moderation (on it’s own) won’t materially impact your running - what will (and definitely where I need to focus some attention) is getting some weight off, so if the abstaining helps with that it’ll be a good thing anyway.

I’m firmly in the ‘moderation is ok’ camp (including an occasional session for a special occasion), but know it’s a fine line to drift from that into more of a potential problem and nit for everyone.........I’m mightily impressed by all you on here that have managed to kick it permanently or for long periods. I simply don’t have the will to do so (yet)......

Me over the course of 7 months AF and absolutely no running at all: lost 42lbs
Me over the course of 5 months, drinking, running 500 miles: lost no weight at all

(I appreciate I'd already done the hard yards of weight loss before I started running, but it did bring home to me that diet is considerably more important for weight loss than exercise)

I've always lost weight when I've had a period off the booze and put it on when I've gone OTT (normally mid summer and Christmas). Running takes it off me gradually or keeps it off. One thing I've found important on previous dry spells is to gradually reduce sugar intake as well. If you've had a drink a few days in a row, as I have done over Christmas, I find my body is still craving sugary calories so I move straight on to the biscuits or chocolates. This year I'm determined to gradually bring those down too.
[MENTION=27279]dazzer6666[/MENTION] the aim is to feel generally more healthy but also focussed in on weight loss. I'm a tall bloke so naturally heavy. Even half a stone off from today will give me a better shot at sub 4.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

I´m doing Dry January again, and I genuinely look forward to it these days. I think I´m going to do February too and see how I feel after that. I have a couple of big ones coming up in March, so that month would be massively challenging

 

[seagullwedgee]

I’m doing Dry January, for only the second time. I did it in 2011, and lasted 27 days. I don’t have any bad memories of it.

This time, I’m struggling with withdrawal already, wide awake until 3am, shivering and a bit out of balance and disoriented. I’m 58 hours in now, and I’ve read that withdrawal can last up to 5, or even 7 days. Before this effort, I had been solidly drinking 8 to 10 units a day, every single day, without a day off, for years. I guess I’ve got a long way to go to get it out of my system.

The advice and support on here is a good thing. I also watched the Adrian Chiles thing a year or so ago, and thoroughly recommend that as an eye-opener.

 

[Marty___Mcfly]

Re Chiles- having now done a stretch without drinking myself, looking back at that TV piece it is pretty clear he has a problematic relationship with drinking and could probably do with taking a break from it and working on whatever the underlying issues are.

I'm pretty sure it is not having a net positive impact on his life. IMHO.