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

[Knocky's Nose]

Sad to say that I've been drinking (not stupidly) throughout the whole lockdown. I'm going to have a break very soon as I'm in a habit again. I also need to lose some weight and exercise more once the back injury I suffered last Spring totally clears up (my own stupid fault.. thinking a 50 year old back can take the lifting punishment of a 25 year old back)

 

[TugWilson]

Sad to say that I've been drinking (not stupidly) throughout the whole lockdown. I'm going to have a break very soon as I'm in a habit again. I also need to lose some weight and exercise more once the back injury I suffered last Spring totally clears up (my own stupid fault.. thinking a 50 year old back can take the lifting punishment of a 25 year old back)

There seems to be a lot of parallels between you and i , i`m 59 and have been working out 2 or 3 times a week since i was 28 and still make the mistake that i have the back and muscles of a young man . I have also been drinking throughout the lockdown , although i try and only drink on football days , Saturdays and if we have a midweek game . But when i drink i drink a lot , i can`t just have a couple and leave it , i either leave it alone or go whole hog . Currently i am drinking 2 or 3 times a week and can`t exercise because i also junked my back recently . As soon as i am fit again i will start exercising again because i noticed i drink a lot less when i do , but i will lower the weights . Starting with push-ups and shoulder presses might be the best way to get going , good luck

 

[sydney]

Got Harty Juniors nuptials in September, and this has been nagging at the back of my mind, so much so that I'm getting the caterers to sort me out a fridge of Heineken 00 for the whole day so there's no grey area.

I managed nearly 300 days without a drink and have only had 5 sporadic bottles of Corona/1664 in the corresponding 80 odd days since, the key for me is controlling the drink and not the drink controlling me, I've said before I admire the work of the AA and all they do, but for some myself included its merely about striking the self discipline balance.

fair play mate ...i like drinking so i'm gonna carry on......i am considering doing dry june july in honour of my mum who ,you will know ,checked out last year .

 

[Stumpy Tim]

For the past few years I have done Sober October and Dry January which has always worked well. I have been thinking about adding a third month in there, but without the tags "Sober October" & "Dry January", and with everything opening up I think this is going to be too difficult. So I have come up with a new plan of action. I'm still going to do January & October, but I will do a "2 working weeks & 1 weekend" break every month. I figure this is a lot easier than taking a full month off, and is probably healthier too. I don't drink much during the week anyway, so really it's a weekend off every month. That's achievable.

 

[chaileyjem]

I'm still dry after giving up after a final pint of cider at the Amex in the pre season friendly in July 2018. Not a drop since. So coming up to three years now. Have flirted with AF beers throughout but drink in evenings is now mostly diet fanta, coke zero or tea. Can't remember what its like in a pub or a restuarant or a football match but mostly drank tea or bovril at the Albion and looking forward to it once more, and pints of lime and soda in pubs (cos they're still rubbish at decent AF beer). Restaurants are even worse.
Good luck everyone grappling with alcohol. Its not easy. I But i think the expensive, unhealthy habit that once had me gripped has long since passed.

 

[TugWilson]

I'm still dry after giving up after a final pint of cider at the Amex in the pre season friendly in July 2018. Not a drop since. So coming up to three years now. Have flirted with AF beers throughout but drink in evenings is now mostly diet fanta, coke zero or tea. Can't remember what its like in a pub or a restuarant or a football match but mostly drank tea or bovril at the Albion and looking forward to it once more, and pints of lime and soda in pubs (cos they're still rubbish at decent AF beer). Restaurants are even worse.
Good luck everyone grappling with alcohol. Its not easy. I But i think the expensive, unhealthy habit that once had me gripped has long since passed.

That takes a lot of guts , willpower gets you so far but beyond that it`s GUTS

 

[BN9 BHA]

I’m still not drinking, stopped at the end of January ( as mentioned on previous page of this thread ) and haven’t touched a drop since.
Probably helped not actually going out apart from work.

 

[Wrong-Direction]

I’m still not drinking, stopped at the end of January ( as mentioned on previous page of this thread ) and haven’t touched a drop since.
Probably helped not actually going out apart from work.

Had my last drink and ciggy on new years eve! I think once the pubs open again I'll be back to normal though..

Sent from my SM-A715F using Tapatalk

 

[BN9 BHA]

Had my last drink and ciggy on new years eve! I think once the pubs open again I'll be back to normal though..

Sent from my SM-A715F using Tapatalk

I don’t think I have given up for good but have decided not to drink at home again, also to not do an 8 hour session on a match day.

 

[knocky1]

Day 85 for this year and planning to beat last years 122 consecutive days from Jan 3 to May. Also feel I’ll avoid going on a 3 month drinking run when I start again.
I’ve become addicted to not drinking.

 

[Knocky's Nose]

I’ve become addicted to not drinking.

When I go on my 'breaks' from drinking, I get to about 2-3 weeks in and then don't really care about alcohol at all. I kind of see it as a girlfriend I've split up with, and I remember the good times - but I find it very easy to forget.

Then, I have a few pints (equivalent of a casual shag with the ex) and remember how good she was.

Then, I'm back to square one.

I'm one of those 'all or nothing' types, where I'm either drinking - or I'm not. I really do envy those who can dip in and out.

Weird really as when I was young, all my friends smoked. I tried it - but wasn't overly keen. I dipped in and out, sometimes having the odd one - but then went 6 months not giving a monkeys. I never took up smoking.

After that, my friends discovered weed. I tried it, dipped in and out, decided I didn't like it (although jesus christ it gave me the best nights sleep ever) and have never touched it again since I was maybe 20. (I'm now 50)

Then, when my friends working in the City (I was mid to late 20's) started getting paid well - they started with the Columbian Marching Powder. Again, I tried it - but generally left it alone as it turns nice blokes into bell-ends in about 180 seconds. I could dip in and out, but generally out - and once we all went our separate ways I've never touched it again.

However... alcohol. I just can't dip in and out, nor can I dip out permanently. I can just go on 'dry' runs of maybe 3-6 months, and after that... I'm back.

I've always agreed with people that if alcohol was a 'new drug', smuggled out of some humid and violent country, it would be declared by scientists to be one of the most dangerous drugs on planet earth and banned immediately.

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

Got Harty Juniors nuptials in September, and this has been nagging at the back of my mind, so much so that I'm getting the caterers to sort me out a fridge of Heineken 00 for the whole day so there's no grey area.

I managed nearly 300 days without a drink and have only had 5 sporadic bottles of Corona/1664 in the corresponding 80 odd days since, the key for me is controlling the drink and not the drink controlling me, I've said before I admire the work of the AA and all they do, but for some myself included its merely about striking the self discipline balance.

I'm fairly sure many people at Junior's nupitals will be aware of your situation so you should put your mind at rest for that nagging doubt but let's be honest here - nobody will be looking at you anyway.

You could even get a bottle of low/no alcohol fizzy white wine to toast the happy couple if it makes you feel like it would look better in the photos etc.

One thing I am 100% sure of is that Junior will be very happy to have a sober Dad who is getting his life back on track by his side on such a special day.

 

[Tokyohands]

I've managed to pretty much maintain my weekly limit so far this year, so it might well be time to switch to a monthly limit to try get it down a little more.

 

[Happy Exile]

How's everyone getting on with this? Just thought I'd give it a bump as socialising is beginning again and pubs are reopening and people might need support. I guess what I've noticed in conversations about pubs and bbq's and people starting to get together again is the assumption and provision that we'll all be drinking, and the need to restate my preference again after quite a long time of not having to. I think not everyone will find that simple or may not have sympathetic friends and family: I know some people myself who see celebrating as requiring alcohol, so choosing not to drink is seen as not celebrating with them and therefore rude, for example.

I'm now at almost 600 days non-drinking myself and while I'm still open to the fact I might drink again and I'm confident I could do it sensibly I'm also comfortable with the fact that at the moment I can't see it happening. I've really lost the desire to drink at all. I've got some well-meaning mates who still aren't used to the fact (beers brought round as a gift on my birthday a few weeks ago for example) perhaps my own fault because I don't ever say "I'm a non-drinker" but instead "I'm not drinking at the moment" but know I'm lucky as on the whole the people who I'm bothered about don't really care one way or another.

Hope everyone is doing OK, whatever their goals, and that they can find a sympathetic ear here as always if needed.

 

[Questions]

I’m going to try and abstain this week as it’s every night now and has been for ages. I also want to drop two stone as I’m knackered just tying my shoe laces. I’m anticipating a bit of a battle when Mrs Q pours out her glass of red wine.

 

[Bozza]

Still dry here since NYE. I've been very tempted over the last week or so - first couple of garden social occasions and also just really fancying a glass of red, but I've resisted.

I've decided I'll stay dry until I'm next at a pub, which may well be Monday, but I'll have gone over 100 days AF by then, which feels like a good number, although well short of my 210ish days in 2019.

This was never going to be forever for me - I enjoy a drink too much - but I feel I've reset my relationship with booze again and, for the long-term, it will be about keeping that ongoing relationship healthy.

 

[essbee1]

I downloaded the 'drink free days' app on my phone (suggested on here I think - thanks whoever it was) and I really like the
way it sits there quietly and it's on me to ensure I keep my pledges (6 days a week with no drinking basically).
It's funny that now I have a string of pledges achieved, I don't want to break the chain and let the app
(and myself down). Funny the way psychology works!

 

[Bozza]

I downloaded the 'drink free days' app on my phone (suggested on here I think - thanks whoever it was) and I really like the
way it sits there quietly and it's on me to ensure I keep my pledges (6 days a week with no drinking basically).
It's funny that now I have a string of pledges achieved, I don't want to break the chain and let the app
(and myself down). Funny the way psychology works!

Chains/streaks/call-them-what-you-want are certainly a method that works well for me. The desire to avoid going back to Day 1 is strong!

Running - 431 days and counting, including some days with injuries where, frankly, I shouldn't have run.
Not drinking - 97 days and counting.
10,000 steps or more in a day - 451 days and counting

Imagine my horror recently when I noticed the Kindle app on my iPad records reading days streaks.

 

[essbee1]

Chains/streaks/call-them-what-you-want are certainly a method that works well for me. The desire to avoid going back to Day 1 is strong!

Running - 431 days and counting, including some days with injuries where, frankly, I shouldn't have run.
Not drinking - 97 days and counting.
10,000 steps or more in a day - 451 days and counting

Imagine my horror recently when I noticed the Kindle app on my iPad records reading days streaks.

Pretty impressive!

I call the past: "The bad old days" and, as you say Bozza, I don't want to go back there; the desire is quite strong and
now that I have seen the huge benefits (weight loss, sleeping better and health wise), I'm hooked sort of thing.

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

So, not had a drink in 20 months and popped along to the quacks for a routine blood test as I am over 50. Get a call from the surgery a few days later asking if I am feeling okay - not a great start to a call from the doctors. I tell them I am feeling better than I have for a long time.

Having last been checked a couple of years ago my blood sugar levels were a little higher than ideal but not an issue - the latest results are ridiculously high!

So, all the usual checks, diet okay, not drinking, never smoked, weight a little high but I have lost a fair bit and still going in the right direction, average over 5k steps per day so moving enough.

However, it seems like the trigger is that having given up the booze, while I don't have too many sugary soft drinks, I was drinking a lot of fruit juice and it looks like that might have triggered issues with my blood sugar.

Needless to say, the juice has now gone and I'm on tablets which will hopefully reverse the current situation.