365 days without booze... join me?
Discussion
olly22n said:
Well done!!
It's a big first step, and if you take it seriously you probably won't drink this weekend as you won't see the value in it.
Read Allen CArr - thats enlightening and track how much you save, then buy a rolex.
Thanks. Got the Allen Carr book and started reading it last week.It's a big first step, and if you take it seriously you probably won't drink this weekend as you won't see the value in it.
Read Allen CArr - thats enlightening and track how much you save, then buy a rolex.
Will come back with a progress report next week!
I'm on 1 month now, strangely not really feeling healthier as I expected to, but that may be down to other factors. I have enjoyed the lack of hangovers though, so I guess I am feeling better in that department! Wallet is happier, and have been more productive, so that's a positive. Might be having a small drink Saturday but otherwise keeping clear. Tempted to just keep going till christmas.
jonamv8 said:
Know what you mean. I really enjoy a few, read 15, pints but I'm not a bad drunk we just have the crack with one another so although I enjoy no hangovers I have no motivation to stop.
I've actually got better over the years, rarely make an arse of myself, except with the wife...... For some reason she drives me insane, no particular reason, maybe just 21 years of nagging and earache. Years ago I was always in arguments and fights and stuff when I was bladdered, but now I just seem to get friendly and sleepy.
Especially when surrounded by these gorgeous little Filipina girls who frequent every establishment that sells beer here........
trackdemon said:
I'm on 1 month now, strangely not really feeling healthier as I expected to, but that may be down to other factors. I have enjoyed the lack of hangovers though, so I guess I am feeling better in that department! Wallet is happier, and have been more productive, so that's a positive. Might be having a small drink Saturday but otherwise keeping clear. Tempted to just keep going till christmas.
It was three weeks before I started feeling better. But then I kept feeling better each day for six months. It's a drug, you are in withdrawal. Push through that bit.GM182 said:
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.
In all seriousness that is what you will experience if you can stick at it. As noted above, don't expect instant results - I also found that after about six months was when the gradual changes mounted up and became noticeable - losing weight, clearer skin, more positive mental attitude. In addition to more money in my back pocket and time to spend constructively. (Even a "quick pint" is a fiver and half an hour out of your day.)Staff from the New Scientist gave up booze for January once - here's what they concluded:
NS said:
“What you have is a pretty average group of British people who would not consider themselves heavy drinkers, yet stopping drinking for a month alters liver fat, cholesterol and blood sugar, and helps them lose weight,” says Moore. “If someone had a health product that did all that in one month, they would be raking it in.”
https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg22129502.600-our-liver-vacation-is-a-dry-january-really-worth-it/Apologies for the Mail link but this is worth a read....
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3897660/...
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3897660/...
olly22n said:
grumbledoak said:
trackdemon said:
I'm on 1 month now, strangely not really feeling healthier as I expected to, but that may be down to other factors. I have enjoyed the lack of hangovers though, so I guess I am feeling better in that department! Wallet is happier, and have been more productive, so that's a positive. Might be having a small drink Saturday but otherwise keeping clear. Tempted to just keep going till christmas.
It was three weeks before I started feeling better. But then I kept feeling better each day for six months. It's a drug, you are in withdrawal. Push through that bit.Obviously don't do this, but you get the picture.
t tbh. Exhausted, tired, really struggling with even the basic fitness stuff I'd been doing. I had expected some kind of eureka moment tbh, but maybe expecting too much from just cutting out booze! Of course, it may be that I've just picked up a bug or something and I'll feel better in a week. Is it normal for the body to have a reaction 1month after stopping? I never thought of myself as dependant, just a regular social drinker.... 
trackdemon said:
I'm not just not feeling better, I actually feel like st tbh. Exhausted, tired, really struggling with even the basic fitness stuff I'd been doing. I had expected some kind of eureka moment tbh, but maybe expecting too much from just cutting out booze! Of course, it may be that I've just picked up a bug or something and I'll feel better in a week. Is it normal for the body to have a reaction 1month after stopping? I never thought of myself as dependant, just a regular social drinker....
I didn't get anything like that. Perhaps it's just common or garden lurgy. t tbh. Exhausted, tired, really struggling with even the basic fitness stuff I'd been doing. I had expected some kind of eureka moment tbh, but maybe expecting too much from just cutting out booze! Of course, it may be that I've just picked up a bug or something and I'll feel better in a week. Is it normal for the body to have a reaction 1month after stopping? I never thought of myself as dependant, just a regular social drinker.... I didn't have a eureka moment but found the improvements were a bit of a slow burn. Looking back I would give it six months before the benefits really start kicking in.
If you haven't already, I would read the Carr book and/or Jason Vale "Kick the Drink Easily"
I hope you don't become discouraged- it really is worth it.
trackdemon said:
I'm not just not feeling better, I actually feel like st tbh. Exhausted, tired, really struggling with even the basic fitness stuff I'd been doing. I had expected some kind of eureka moment tbh, but maybe expecting too much from just cutting out booze! Of course, it may be that I've just picked up a bug or something and I'll feel better in a week. Is it normal for the body to have a reaction 1month after stopping? I never thought of myself as dependant, just a regular social drinker....
I don't think most of us think of ourselves as being dependent, but for many of us it's a huge shock to give up alcohol. t tbh. Exhausted, tired, really struggling with even the basic fitness stuff I'd been doing. I had expected some kind of eureka moment tbh, but maybe expecting too much from just cutting out booze! Of course, it may be that I've just picked up a bug or something and I'll feel better in a week. Is it normal for the body to have a reaction 1month after stopping? I never thought of myself as dependant, just a regular social drinker.... I had fairly strong anxiety problems amongst other things, and I'd never considered myself to be a heavy drinker at all.
The hardest thing for me now is work social situations with people I don't know very well.
I think it took about 10 months to get over the craving for a beer. Sweets and sugary foods have become my thing although not to the stage that I'm putting back the 3 stones I lost after giving up the booze.
Talking to friends and colleagues, it's clear that they are all dependent on alcohol, no matter how strongly they deny it.
They pretty much all have to have a drink after work, and while they're not raging alcoholics, it's still dependency in my view. One chap could tell me the exact day he'd last abstained, which was months previous!
funinhounslow said:
I had a battery of checks for something and liver was in the checks. All results came back clear and bang on normal. That included the various bloods (fasting) and a scan on the liver. I was a tad worried before hand that previous abuse would have its pay day but after several years on the wagon, all clear. There is that little bit of your brain that says "YES!, time for another shot at the title" but you need to take that thought around the back and kick its teeth in. The something was a nothing as it turned out.
Super Slo Mo said:
don't think most of us think of ourselves as being dependent, but for many of us it's a huge shock to give up alcohol.
I had fairly strong anxiety problems amongst other things, and I'd never considered myself to be a heavy drinker at all.
The hardest thing for me now is work social situations with people I don't know very well.
I think it took about 10 months to get over the craving for a beer. Sweets and sugary foods have become my thing although not to the stage that I'm putting back the 3 stones I lost after giving up the booze.
Talking to friends and colleagues, it's clear that they are all dependent on alcohol, no matter how strongly they deny it.
They pretty much all have to have a drink after work, and while they're not raging alcoholics, it's still dependency in my view. One chap could tell me the exact day he'd last abstained, which was months previous!
Luckily I haven't suffered any of that, I've been extremely busy with work but the odd occasions of going out (including some work outings) where others were drinking have been a total non issue, as has going on the odd date. I don't even have an urge, I just drink coffee / mocktails / lime & soda or whatever. I have started eating the odd half bar of chocolate after dinner, and I didn't have weight to lose to begin with so that's fine (so far). I always had a few abstain days every week, so it was more a weekend binge situation - I just couldn't remember the last time I'd gone more than a week without at least having some wine with dinner or Saturday beers.I had fairly strong anxiety problems amongst other things, and I'd never considered myself to be a heavy drinker at all.
The hardest thing for me now is work social situations with people I don't know very well.
I think it took about 10 months to get over the craving for a beer. Sweets and sugary foods have become my thing although not to the stage that I'm putting back the 3 stones I lost after giving up the booze.
Talking to friends and colleagues, it's clear that they are all dependent on alcohol, no matter how strongly they deny it.
They pretty much all have to have a drink after work, and while they're not raging alcoholics, it's still dependency in my view. One chap could tell me the exact day he'd last abstained, which was months previous!
I played football last night, really struggled and feel like crap today so I think I've just got a bug of some sort. Think a couple days rest might be in order.
funinhounslow said:
Apologies for the Mail link but this is worth a read....
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3897660/...
I can vouch for the weight loss - 2 1/2 stone just fell off in a matter of weeks without doing any additional exercise.http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3897660/...
King Herald said:
jonamv8 said:
Know what you mean. I really enjoy a few, read 15, pints but I'm not a bad drunk we just have the crack with one another so although I enjoy no hangovers I have no motivation to stop.
I've actually got better over the years, rarely make an arse of myself, except with the wife...... For some reason she drives me insane, no particular reason, maybe just 21 years of nagging and earache. Years ago I was always in arguments and fights and stuff when I was bladdered, but now I just seem to get friendly and sleepy.
'instant dick-head, just add alcohol'
My 15 year old daughter watched some of my performance, which is the worst part of it all. I have no self control, once I start, I'm a glutton... so the answer is not to drink at all.
We are moving back to the UK sometimes in the next three months, so that may make it easier. Here in the Philippines everything social seems to revolve around alcohol.
Edited by King Herald on Monday 7th November 03:11
Only way then, is no booze. My choice was I want to be around as long as I can and remember it and not be hobbled in any way with illness I can control. That means not beating my brain and liver to death with booze and end up a dribbling wreck. OK, that may well not have happened and I do not think I was close to that but you glimpse the people that lose it and wonder if you are going the same way, nah, just one more, I will be fine....... red noses, rosy cheeks, puffy faces, yeah one more and we had a great time last night but no one remembers what actually happened. But it was great, wasn't it?
Not sure where the tipping point is but I decided I did not want to find it. I have probably overreacted and stepped back from the edge a mile away from the edge if that makes sense. Decided my life choice was I want what I have now and want to remember it. If my marbles go in my dotage than it is not me hammering them out with a bottle of hooch. And from your comments, it sounds more like the clubs and bars there are more geared up to relieve you of your loot.
Not sure where the tipping point is but I decided I did not want to find it. I have probably overreacted and stepped back from the edge a mile away from the edge if that makes sense. Decided my life choice was I want what I have now and want to remember it. If my marbles go in my dotage than it is not me hammering them out with a bottle of hooch. And from your comments, it sounds more like the clubs and bars there are more geared up to relieve you of your loot.
Strange thing is I can go for a week or more without a drink, don't feel the urge to go out and tie one on every night. My problem is once I start, I can't stop. I just feel okay, even when people tell me I'm hammered and falling around drunk.
And yes, the bars are definitly here purely to empty our wallets.
And yes, the bars are definitly here purely to empty our wallets.
No answers for you, you have to knock it on the head yourself. Sounds like you recover then get back in the fray. Divert that itch, build engines or something. Start a hobby that needs attention, but that bit of grey in your skull that is stuck on the booze will be a hard thing to sort out.
trackdemon said:
King Herald said:
We are moving back to the UK...... Here in the Philippines everything social seems to revolve around alcohol....
There may be a small flaw in the plan... 
Either you drink, or you don't. There is no 'I sort of don't drink'...
King Herald said:
Either you drink, or you don't. There is no 'I sort of don't drink'...
If this breaks down to a choice between your daughter and a pint, hopefully the right choice can be made. Some people can occasionally binge, just like some people are causal smokers and others have one in the pub and three days later have their own pack, have dug out their old lighter and are out the back at work every ninety minutes. Working out which you are is half the battle. Once you know, you can plan and make decisions accordingly.I'm choosing to assume here, but if you're coming back to the UK, you have the opportunity to find an entirely new social group. Finding like-minded people who are like-minded about something other than drinking (walking, climbing, knitting, painting, whatever) wouldn't be a terrible plan. If you make friends with the people in the local, and they are your social group, it's only going one way, IMHO.
Anyway - good luck.
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