Not recently.....was 18st once though (which at 5’ 9” was a bit on the tubby side) [emoji23][emoji23]
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[Drinking] Dry January [and beyond...]
- Thread starter Marty___Mcfly
- Start date
Not recently.....was 18st once though (which at 5’ 9” was a bit on the tubby side) [emoji23][emoji23]
Knocky's Nose
Mon nez est retiré.
Did you have a lot of body hair, and scratch your head a lot at the time?
[emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23] Still do
SUA Seagull
Well-known member
I've found this too, with my work frequently requiring me to socialise with clients, which often involved eating and drinking. I decided to attempt dry January which I achieved with ease and have since relented on only two family occasions, each involving a small glass of wine, last Saturday and the weekend prior to that. I have surprised myself by how little I feel the need to consume alcohol now and, to be honest, I don't miss it at all. Together with a sensible diet and exercise routine, I have now shed nearly 9 lbs since Jan 1st and plan to continue with my weight reduction programme for a couple of months yet. I intend to moderate alcohol consumption now, rather than totally abstain, but I have definitely felt much better physically and mentally since I started on my new regime. The one drawback, which I was not expecting, is that my sleep quality has deteriorated quite markedly since I all but curtailed my alcohol consumption. Whether or not that's a temporary phenomenon only time will tell, but it's the only negative factor I have encountered and wonder if anyone else has had the same experience?
Knocky's Nose
Mon nez est retiré.
It will get better... What is happening is that your body stops releasing the 'go to sleep' chemicals because it knows alcohol will be doing that job plenty well enough. So, when you knock the alcohol on the head you're left with very little in the way of natural chemicals in your brain getting you to the land of nod.
Your body needs a bit of time to realise you're not getting the 'help' to crash into a tipsy or drunk sleep and then adjusting everything back to how it should be. Once it does, you'll sleep like a baby. I sleep SO heavily now, and when I wake up it's like floating up from the bottom of a bloody lake! However, once I'm awake I feel brilliant for the whole morning. Full of energy.
Day 43 just completed here. Not sure when I last even thought about drink actually and still intend to keep going until March 9th at the very least.
My weight loss has started to slow, unsurprisingly, but I’m c17lbs down so far. I need to lose another 5lb by March 9th if I’m going to drink.
That would ordinarily be easily achievable, but we’re going away for half-term. I’ve already decided I’ll stay dry on holiday - which must be a first - but a week in the States will make healthy eating a bit more challenging, and I’ll also not be walking the dog 6+ miles a day for that week.
My weight loss has started to slow, unsurprisingly, but I’m c17lbs down so far. I need to lose another 5lb by March 9th if I’m going to drink.
That would ordinarily be easily achievable, but we’re going away for half-term. I’ve already decided I’ll stay dry on holiday - which must be a first - but a week in the States will make healthy eating a bit more challenging, and I’ll also not be walking the dog 6+ miles a day for that week.
Wrong-Direction
Well-known member
- Mar 10, 2013
- 13,631
5 weeks this Saturday, don't know whether to carry on or celebrate with a pint and footy
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Sent from my SM-A310F using Tapatalk
The Wookiee
Back From The Dead
I’m still going !! Have really surprised myself !! I feel so much better in myself and a lot richer !!
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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Marty___Mcfly
I see your wicked plan - I’m a junglist.
- Sep 14, 2011
- 2,251
- Thread starter
- #349
I’m still going- no intentions to start drinking again as yet. Sleep is pretty good for me- easy to nod off early- sometimes wake during the night but overall it must be doing so much more for me than drunk sleep.
I started cutting back in October (stopped entirely from 1st Jan) and the ‘drink free days’ apps tracks my progress since cutting back- interesting stuff!
I started cutting back in October (stopped entirely from 1st Jan) and the ‘drink free days’ apps tracks my progress since cutting back- interesting stuff!
Shared a bottle of champagne on our wedding anniversary earlier this week, followed by a nice cognac. Now back on he straight and narrow, more or less until Easter, mainly to aid weight loss.
Couldn't contemplate never having another drink and the thought has never crossed my mind.
Will be trying to cut down a bit though as it can become a habit, especially when you are retired and don't have to go to work.
Good luck to all, whatever yor aims are.
Couldn't contemplate never having another drink and the thought has never crossed my mind.
Will be trying to cut down a bit though as it can become a habit, especially when you are retired and don't have to go to work.
Good luck to all, whatever yor aims are.
I get this entirely. I’m doing a month just to prove I can I think (after ‘wet January’) - and hoping it will lead to a longer term significant reduction as it was becoming a bit too much of a habit - never getting pissed at all, but general frequency of drinking way too high. Coincidentally the month ends the day we’re having a big gathering at home for Junior’s 21st [emoji849][emoji15][emoji15][emoji23][emoji23]
I've avoided beer at home, just the odd glass of wine or two. Had a couple of beers at band rehearsal, and a total of 4 pints in pubs in 2 weeks. Enough to keep me sane but not anywhere near the pre Christmas caneathon!
Iggle Piggle
Well-known member
- Sep 3, 2010
- 5,950
Interesting reading all this. I'm only on day 5 and earlier in this thread I committed to getting below 50 units a week which I've failed miserably to do since I posted. Using an app I realised I did 44 units in an all dayer which backed up what I already knew - my tolerance to booze is ridiculous and I need to cut down.
At a minimum I'll go through to next Wednesday - when my annual medical is - but may well carry on longer. Abstaining for a bit seems easier than moderating as 1 always leads to 2. It reminds me of giving up smoking where 1 cigarette led to the packet. At least with abstaining everyone knows where you stand.
At a minimum I'll go through to next Wednesday - when my annual medical is - but may well carry on longer. Abstaining for a bit seems easier than moderating as 1 always leads to 2. It reminds me of giving up smoking where 1 cigarette led to the packet. At least with abstaining everyone knows where you stand.
Uncle Spielberg
Well-known member
Good luck to everyone and all that but why deprive yourself of one of life's pleasures like having a few a couple of times a week to let off steam ? I also wonder what is worse for you ? Drinking a bit over the " 14 units " nonsense or being a stress head. Actually I already know the answer to that one. A few pints before the game and venting is my release valve. It seems NSC is now a paragon of virtue and " sensible " lifestyles. How times change
Iggle Piggle
Well-known member
- Sep 3, 2010
- 5,950
I think for a lot of us a few pints before the game, the odd meal and drink with the Mrs and one in front of MOTD wouldn't be an issue. Ive got to the stage where I'm a bit concerned that I can smash 3 times the weekly limit in one session and pitch up for work the next day with a mild hangover. If not now when? If this thread helps a few like me deal with their excessive intake it's another force for good.
Drinking 50+ units on New Years Eve and then running 2 5k Parkruns early on New Year's Day was relatively easy. Made me wonder what the **** I am doing to my insides. Decided to have a long break from booze but would not consider myself virtuous or sensible.
- Jun 27, 2012
- 14,612
Tomorrow is my 200th day AF. I've long since lost any craving, can sit in a pub or at the Albion alongside people drinking AF beer or lime/soda or Bovril without a problem or an itch. Even Xmas/NY Eve was a breeze.
It was hard at first but it eventually fades as the habit goes. . Logging the days on an app has been an incentive (getting to 10, 25, 50, 100 etc) , and discovering Alchohol Free beer has helped a bit, which is transformed from my only other experience of it decades ago. Although i'm mostly now confined to Coke Zero, Ginger Beer and that old faithful - a cuppa.
This thread as well is a useful and reassuring place to hear advice (as ever).
Good luck if you're still at it or thinking of starting.
Good luck everyone else.
It was hard at first but it eventually fades as the habit goes. . Logging the days on an app has been an incentive (getting to 10, 25, 50, 100 etc) , and discovering Alchohol Free beer has helped a bit, which is transformed from my only other experience of it decades ago. Although i'm mostly now confined to Coke Zero, Ginger Beer and that old faithful - a cuppa.
This thread as well is a useful and reassuring place to hear advice (as ever).
Good luck if you're still at it or thinking of starting.
Good luck everyone else.
Uncle Spielberg
Well-known member
Good luck to you. Yes 50 units a night is a lot. I think if you can keep to 20-30 units a week it is not going to do you a lot of harm long term
That would be good but is nigh on impossible. A longer term objective. All or nothing for me.
Knocky's Nose
Mon nez est retiré.
I was more stressed when I was drinking mate. Crap sleep, foggy head, unable to concentrate properly and a general malaise made me anxious all the time. Little niggly things would eat away at me, small issues would become big ones to me and so on...
Now, very little bothers me. Problems can all be dealt with from a clear head and actually a more positive mindset, which actually gets better results.
I see where you're coming from though, so I'm not arguing against you. Horses for courses and all that.