365 days without booze... join me?
Discussion
Coming up to 2 years completely dry for me now - well in a couple of months time.
I've had some really strong cravings for beer recently. I think it's the combination of the hot weather and the stress associated with a house sale falling through and having to deal with idiots in general.
I'm still resisting... at the moment.
I've had some really strong cravings for beer recently. I think it's the combination of the hot weather and the stress associated with a house sale falling through and having to deal with idiots in general.
I'm still resisting... at the moment.
Smitters said:
One of the tools I used to motivate myself was doing the sums. How many calories, how many £££, equivalent in Mars bars or cans of Coke. I also used sums to motivate my cutting it out - £££ saved (and then a treat at intervals, like a day out, weekend away, car parts etc.), weight lost, gym and running gains. I have a Caterham, so kg lost was technically a performance gain. Since I was saving money at the same time, it may be the cheapest performance gain known to man.
Don't lose sight that moderation for one is too much for another. Everyone is different. Your assessment of alcohol having a detrimental effect on your life theoretically should be enough to instigate change but humans are good at adapting and coping. As soon as feeling ste and tired becomes normal, it ceases to be an apparent problem. Except that you may look permanently knackered, your work productivity will be down, you'll not have any energy to do extra-curricular stuff so you'll sit around, and coincidentally, you can do that sitting round in the pub, or on the sofa with a glass of wine and bingo, the cycle starts again.
This may describe you. It was definitely me. I used to have a couple of beers 4-5 nights a week, sometimes in the pub, sometimes at home, but that was enough to disrupt my sleep, making me tired and in turn demotivating me in a whole range of ways, leading to weight gain, poor food decisions (more tiredness, more weight gain), being less productive at work, so working longer hours, so less time to cook, exercise and so it goes on. Soon I found myself with hobbies of eating convenience food, drinking beer and lying on the sofa. Sometimes all at once. Then the penny dropped and I did something about it.
Having worked it out, it's day 1642. The only thing I would do differently is have that penny drop sooner.
Yup thats more or less it in a nutshell.Don't lose sight that moderation for one is too much for another. Everyone is different. Your assessment of alcohol having a detrimental effect on your life theoretically should be enough to instigate change but humans are good at adapting and coping. As soon as feeling ste and tired becomes normal, it ceases to be an apparent problem. Except that you may look permanently knackered, your work productivity will be down, you'll not have any energy to do extra-curricular stuff so you'll sit around, and coincidentally, you can do that sitting round in the pub, or on the sofa with a glass of wine and bingo, the cycle starts again.
This may describe you. It was definitely me. I used to have a couple of beers 4-5 nights a week, sometimes in the pub, sometimes at home, but that was enough to disrupt my sleep, making me tired and in turn demotivating me in a whole range of ways, leading to weight gain, poor food decisions (more tiredness, more weight gain), being less productive at work, so working longer hours, so less time to cook, exercise and so it goes on. Soon I found myself with hobbies of eating convenience food, drinking beer and lying on the sofa. Sometimes all at once. Then the penny dropped and I did something about it.
Having worked it out, it's day 1642. The only thing I would do differently is have that penny drop sooner.
Apart from I don't have a Caterham
Had nothing all week, had a few this weekend but I would say it was about 1/3 or 1/4 what I would normally put away.
Baby steps, dont think I want to be T total but I cant hack doing what I was doing.
olly22n said:
Be careful. Unless I'm t-total my intake creeps and creeps back to normal levels.
I drink a lot and the only way I can stop is to stop completely.
On the plus side my monthly surplus has just bought me a Cayman.
A Cayman? That must be a lot of beer. I drink a lot and the only way I can stop is to stop completely.
On the plus side my monthly surplus has just bought me a Cayman.
I've just worked mine out after a frankly scary convo with my doctor yesterday. Proper kick up the arse. So, in short i'm on the wagon officially.
The worst thing? Sleep. I can't bloody get to sleep. I do eventually but takes ages. By luck i have a week off so will be easier but still.
olly22n said:
Be careful. Unless I'm t-total my intake creeps and creeps back to normal levels.
I drink a lot and the only way I can stop is to stop completely.
On the plus side my monthly surplus has just bought me a Cayman.
Just don't take the first drink mate and try to go to bed sober... It's actually as simple as that.I drink a lot and the only way I can stop is to stop completely.
On the plus side my monthly surplus has just bought me a Cayman.
jmorgan said:
That will come.
Occupy your time, get busy with hobbies. Excercise for the hell of it, even a brisk walk.
Suppose. I have enjoyed waking up the last couple of days with no hangover / feeling sick. Occupy your time, get busy with hobbies. Excercise for the hell of it, even a brisk walk.
Yesterday i did 2x 4.5 miles on the bike. Wasn't sure my legs were my own after that
Pissing down today though so will try and do something else.
^^^^^^
Bought myself a bike trainer for the winter months. Strap the bike on and off you go. Gets a bit hot in this weather though.
Waking up sans hangover is now addictive, I went to a leaving do a few years ago and had two pints. Been off the pop at that point for a good few years but thought retirement do for a good bloke, let's join in.
soon floating around the cieling after two but hated the hang over the next day, on two beers around 3.5%
Bought myself a bike trainer for the winter months. Strap the bike on and off you go. Gets a bit hot in this weather though.
Waking up sans hangover is now addictive, I went to a leaving do a few years ago and had two pints. Been off the pop at that point for a good few years but thought retirement do for a good bloke, let's join in.
soon floating around the cieling after two but hated the hang over the next day, on two beers around 3.5%
Edited by jmorgan on Saturday 24th September 12:08
jmorgan said:
^^^^^^
Bought myself a bike trainer for the winter months. Strap the bike on and off you go. Gets a bit hot in this weather though.
Waking up sans hangover is now addictive, I went to a leaving do a few years ago and had two pints. Been off the pop at that point for a good few years but thought retirement do for a good bloke, let's join in.
soon floating around the cieling after two but hated the hang over the next day, on two beers around 3.5%
Same.I find one doesn't give ma hangover.Bought myself a bike trainer for the winter months. Strap the bike on and off you go. Gets a bit hot in this weather though.
Waking up sans hangover is now addictive, I went to a leaving do a few years ago and had two pints. Been off the pop at that point for a good few years but thought retirement do for a good bloke, let's join in.
soon floating around the cieling after two but hated the hang over the next day, on two beers around 3.5%
Edited by jmorgan on Saturday 24th September 12:08
I finished a year and have just been having the odd one
I think Ive controlled my intake this year. I dont want to quit by any means - I love the taste of a nice cold ale - but living in a shared house a few years back and using 8 shots of vodka to sleep through peoples noise took its toll on what I basically think is and was an addiction. Following the move to my own place I continued mainly drinking the test 3 for a fiver refrigerated beers/ales in the shop below my flat. Moved into a house with no easy access to booze.
I went 6 weeks going without alcohol during this time in an attempt to kerb it and it worked to some extent although the temptation to just go get a beer from the shop was often too much.
I now try drink no more than 2 days in a row and have a couple off, just enjoying a couple of bottles (literally 2 bottles of Hogs Back farnham white as is my preferance at the moment) then leaving the body time to recover for a couple of days or even more. I dont feel bad the follow day either and when it comes to lifting weights I am no longer suffering fatigue caused by alcohol. I dont drink any old st now either, only things I like and only when ice cold.
I went 6 weeks going without alcohol during this time in an attempt to kerb it and it worked to some extent although the temptation to just go get a beer from the shop was often too much.
I now try drink no more than 2 days in a row and have a couple off, just enjoying a couple of bottles (literally 2 bottles of Hogs Back farnham white as is my preferance at the moment) then leaving the body time to recover for a couple of days or even more. I dont feel bad the follow day either and when it comes to lifting weights I am no longer suffering fatigue caused by alcohol. I dont drink any old st now either, only things I like and only when ice cold.
Almost three weeks in, after a radical change in my mental attitude to drink. I cannot recall the last time I went so long without a drink but it is most certainly years, perhaps decades. I'd thought about it before, but there was always an excuse (I'll stop after Dave's birthday drinks, I'll stop after *that show, oh but there's *that work trip coming up). And excuses is exactly what they were: there's never a right time, and there's always a right time. Since I stopped (straight after my birthday) I've had numerous occasions where usually a drink would happen, including a visit to Pistenklause - I can vouch that alkoholfrie Weizen is not great - but the longer I go the happier I am without it.
It's something that just kind of creeps up on you, slowly but surely becoming a habit. Those 3-4 beers after footie on a Thursday (because that's just what my body wants after pounding it for 60mins against lads 10,15,20 years my junior), the bottle of wine with Friday pizza, the quiet Saturday that turns into a binge and an unremembered half bottle of Vodka in bin Sunday. The quiet Sunday watching the match that does the same. Without thinking about it, or meaning it, some weeks were probably busting the recommended weekly units 3-4 times over.
Thing is, all of these things are just fine without a drink. It's not mandatory. It's not necessary. And it leaves me feeling healthier, happier, with memory intact and more money in my pocket. I'm not saying never again - I'm doing Stoptober, then we'll see - but as of right now, there is literally no temptation to have another drink. I'll likely have some wine over Christmas, but I just don't see a situation where I'm likely to before then. Somehow, for some reason, it feels like a switch has flicked in my head, and I just don't want to. Mocktails, ginger beer, ginger ale, tea & coffee are where it's at nowadays....
It's something that just kind of creeps up on you, slowly but surely becoming a habit. Those 3-4 beers after footie on a Thursday (because that's just what my body wants after pounding it for 60mins against lads 10,15,20 years my junior), the bottle of wine with Friday pizza, the quiet Saturday that turns into a binge and an unremembered half bottle of Vodka in bin Sunday. The quiet Sunday watching the match that does the same. Without thinking about it, or meaning it, some weeks were probably busting the recommended weekly units 3-4 times over.
Thing is, all of these things are just fine without a drink. It's not mandatory. It's not necessary. And it leaves me feeling healthier, happier, with memory intact and more money in my pocket. I'm not saying never again - I'm doing Stoptober, then we'll see - but as of right now, there is literally no temptation to have another drink. I'll likely have some wine over Christmas, but I just don't see a situation where I'm likely to before then. Somehow, for some reason, it feels like a switch has flicked in my head, and I just don't want to. Mocktails, ginger beer, ginger ale, tea & coffee are where it's at nowadays....
trackdemon said:
Almost three weeks in, after a radical change in my mental attitude to drink. I cannot recall the last time I went so long without a drink but it is most certainly years, perhaps decades. I'd thought about it before, but there was always an excuse (I'll stop after Dave's birthday drinks, I'll stop after *that show, oh but there's *that work trip coming up). And excuses is exactly what they were: there's never a right time, and there's always a right time. Since I stopped (straight after my birthday) I've had numerous occasions where usually a drink would happen, including a visit to Pistenklause - I can vouch that alkoholfrie Weizen is not great - but the longer I go the happier I am without it.
It's something that just kind of creeps up on you, slowly but surely becoming a habit. Those 3-4 beers after footie on a Thursday (because that's just what my body wants after pounding it for 60mins against lads 10,15,20 years my junior), the bottle of wine with Friday pizza, the quiet Saturday that turns into a binge and an unremembered half bottle of Vodka in bin Sunday. The quiet Sunday watching the match that does the same. Without thinking about it, or meaning it, some weeks were probably busting the recommended weekly units 3-4 times over.
Thing is, all of these things are just fine without a drink. It's not mandatory. It's not necessary. And it leaves me feeling healthier, happier, with memory intact and more money in my pocket. I'm not saying never again - I'm doing Stoptober, then we'll see - but as of right now, there is literally no temptation to have another drink. I'll likely have some wine over Christmas, but I just don't see a situation where I'm likely to before then. Somehow, for some reason, it feels like a switch has flicked in my head, and I just don't want to. Mocktails, ginger beer, ginger ale, tea & coffee are where it's at nowadays....
Good on you. I took a full year off and sometimes were very hard. I have also readjusted my relationship with booze and have maybe 1 a week on average. Sometimes none, sometimes more. Quite happy with this amount.It's something that just kind of creeps up on you, slowly but surely becoming a habit. Those 3-4 beers after footie on a Thursday (because that's just what my body wants after pounding it for 60mins against lads 10,15,20 years my junior), the bottle of wine with Friday pizza, the quiet Saturday that turns into a binge and an unremembered half bottle of Vodka in bin Sunday. The quiet Sunday watching the match that does the same. Without thinking about it, or meaning it, some weeks were probably busting the recommended weekly units 3-4 times over.
Thing is, all of these things are just fine without a drink. It's not mandatory. It's not necessary. And it leaves me feeling healthier, happier, with memory intact and more money in my pocket. I'm not saying never again - I'm doing Stoptober, then we'll see - but as of right now, there is literally no temptation to have another drink. I'll likely have some wine over Christmas, but I just don't see a situation where I'm likely to before then. Somehow, for some reason, it feels like a switch has flicked in my head, and I just don't want to. Mocktails, ginger beer, ginger ale, tea & coffee are where it's at nowadays....
I've now gone for 2 whole years off the booze - not a single drop!
I'm incredibly stressed at the moment though with a house sale falling though and the chain looking like it might fall over again as our new "buyers" are completely incompetent and in their own little world. Trying to stay strong! GRRRRRRR
I'm incredibly stressed at the moment though with a house sale falling though and the chain looking like it might fall over again as our new "buyers" are completely incompetent and in their own little world. Trying to stay strong! GRRRRRRR
FreeLitres said:
I've now gone for 2 whole years off the booze - not a single drop!
I'm incredibly stressed at the moment though with a house sale falling though and the chain looking like it might fall over again as our new "buyers" are completely incompetent and in their own little world. Trying to stay strong! GRRRRRRR
I'm coming up for five years without a drop and still love being off it.I'm incredibly stressed at the moment though with a house sale falling though and the chain looking like it might fall over again as our new "buyers" are completely incompetent and in their own little world. Trying to stay strong! GRRRRRRR
There have been ups and downs in that time, but staying off it is the best way to help deal with difficult and irritating situations. Booze only makes things seem worse by amplifying negative thoughts - and you feel rough the next morning.
Stay strong!
5 years for me today, quite a big milestone but it's become very easy. Really don't miss it, and my health is better for it.
I quit for health reasons, mainly diabetes but also my body started to reject alcohol, almost as if I'd become allergic to it. One drink and I'd throw it straight back up, or have a "hangover" for about a week.
At the moment I doubt I'll ever have another drink, I'll stick with water.
I quit for health reasons, mainly diabetes but also my body started to reject alcohol, almost as if I'd become allergic to it. One drink and I'd throw it straight back up, or have a "hangover" for about a week.
At the moment I doubt I'll ever have another drink, I'll stick with water.
Just over 4 years as well, minus the mouthful of cider just the other day. I quite like the idea of buying cider and having it in the fridge but the actual taste and almost instant hangover, which I attribute to my higher self saying NO puts me right off.
I would buy a Rolex too with the money I saved but I spend it all on junk food.
I would buy a Rolex too with the money I saved but I spend it all on junk food.
I looked at this thread a while back and have come back as I think it is the right time for me to take up the challenge.
I turned 40 yesterday and a few celebratory pints turned into a massive shot session as all my friends decided to buy me a sambucca shot.
This is after a wedding on Saturday when lots of red wine was sunk over lunch and leading me to all sorts of crazy moves on the dance floor. I think everybody else was pretty pissed too and nothing bad happened but I feel like after 25 years of regular drinking with a few small gaps never extending past a month I've had enough.
My wife stopped drinking nearly two years ago after getting into a downward spiral and if I'm not careful I could go the same way. A friend told us last night of a colleague of his who is a heavy boozer and fell down a flight of stairs last week and basically tore her nose off in the fall. Horrendous accident for her that was totally avoidable. With things like that way more likely when you're pissed, it seems like a good time to try and take better care of myself.
So from Monday it will be a sober GM182! (On Sunday we are having a family lunch which will be quite sensible booze wise so I can enjoy a few glasses and say goodbye to beer and wine on good terms).
I'm not sure that I am saying I'll never drink again but as I am currently drinking 5/6 days out of 7 I'm looking forward to being lighter, more energetic and having a better memory. I'm not expecting miracles but hoping for some small improvements leading to overall better wellbeing.
I turned 40 yesterday and a few celebratory pints turned into a massive shot session as all my friends decided to buy me a sambucca shot.
This is after a wedding on Saturday when lots of red wine was sunk over lunch and leading me to all sorts of crazy moves on the dance floor. I think everybody else was pretty pissed too and nothing bad happened but I feel like after 25 years of regular drinking with a few small gaps never extending past a month I've had enough.
My wife stopped drinking nearly two years ago after getting into a downward spiral and if I'm not careful I could go the same way. A friend told us last night of a colleague of his who is a heavy boozer and fell down a flight of stairs last week and basically tore her nose off in the fall. Horrendous accident for her that was totally avoidable. With things like that way more likely when you're pissed, it seems like a good time to try and take better care of myself.
So from Monday it will be a sober GM182! (On Sunday we are having a family lunch which will be quite sensible booze wise so I can enjoy a few glasses and say goodbye to beer and wine on good terms).
I'm not sure that I am saying I'll never drink again but as I am currently drinking 5/6 days out of 7 I'm looking forward to being lighter, more energetic and having a better memory. I'm not expecting miracles but hoping for some small improvements leading to overall better wellbeing.
I bought a motorbike instead. Far more fun!
Getting on for 3 years for me now (Jan 1st), I'm not 100% teetotal but last had a beer on holiday in early September. I was bored of it halfway through too so didn't have another.
Beer and wine hold no interest for me now. Spirits are a different thing though, I had a tiny mouthful of rum the other day as I was 'helping' the wife make a cake, I immediately wanted to drink more. It's addictive stuff. Managed to hold off though.
Getting on for 3 years for me now (Jan 1st), I'm not 100% teetotal but last had a beer on holiday in early September. I was bored of it halfway through too so didn't have another.
Beer and wine hold no interest for me now. Spirits are a different thing though, I had a tiny mouthful of rum the other day as I was 'helping' the wife make a cake, I immediately wanted to drink more. It's addictive stuff. Managed to hold off though.
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