365 days without booze... join me?

[r1flyguy1]

Not had a drop of alcohol for over 3 years now!
Only time i miss it is during a summers evening dining out, other than that it doesnt bother me.

In truth, I have felt zero health benefits, I do not feel any different today than I did 3 years ago other than I havent had a single hangover.

[Luke.]

r1flyguy1 said:

Not had a drop of alcohol for over 3 years now!
Only time i miss it is during a summers evening dining out, other than that it doesnt bother me.

In truth, I have felt zero health benefits, I do not feel any different today than I did 3 years ago other than I havent had a single hangover.

Serious question - have you not lost any weight? And how much did you drink before?

[jmorgan]

Luke. said:

r1flyguy1 said:

Not had a drop of alcohol for over 3 years now!
Only time i miss it is during a summers evening dining out, other than that it doesnt bother me.

In truth, I have felt zero health benefits, I do not feel any different today than I did 3 years ago other than I havent had a single hangover.

Serious question - have you not lost any weight? And how much did you drink before?

I have not really gone up or down weight wise etc. I assume I would be a bit larger this late in life had I not stopped.

However I am up at 5 or 6 and sleep like a log every night. I get 4-6 miles a day on the bike, no great distance but it keeps the joints moving and I have time for it.

Not sure you would always measure the benefits up front however a recent blood test (tests), for something not serious, one of the bloods was for liver function. Came back normal. Retirement pot is achievable and it will be spent on holidays and shiny stuff, not liquid pissed away down the drain.

[Smitters]

JQ said:

I've got to admit lime and soda is my drink of choice when at home, only needs a dash of lime to give some ice cold soda a kick. Problem is when out....

Yeah - the roulette of sweet vs sour! Also the fun of either paying 20p of £2.00, depending on the establishment.

As an aside, one of the weirdest things is some mates don't like me getting a round now. It's somehow unfair in their eyes, whereas I'd rather be out with a few mates an pay for a round than be some guy in the corner who only ever buys his own drink because it's much cheaper than anyone elses!

[r1flyguy1]

Luke. said:

r1flyguy1 said:

Not had a drop of alcohol for over 3 years now!
Only time i miss it is during a summers evening dining out, other than that it doesnt bother me.

In truth, I have felt zero health benefits, I do not feel any different today than I did 3 years ago other than I havent had a single hangover.

Serious question - have you not lost any weight? And how much did you drink before?

Hi Luke,
In truth i didnt drink much anyway but i did get to a point where id have a bottle of budweiser or 2 each night and maybe a brandy and coke too, but it was at home and i just thought why bother! I exchanged that for latte, apple juice or cola.
My weakness was chocolate, thats where my over indulgence occurred (all my life) as i couldnt just have a small piece, it would be the whole bar and then some
Im not and have never been obese, 6'1 95kg's max but since i cut out chocolate totally 4 months ago & sugar nearly completely i feel the weight is slowly reducing.

The Alcohol i dont miss the chocolate, now thats a different story but to date, 4 months on i'm still reducing my sugar intake substantially compared to a few months ago.

[LordGrover]

Heard this for the first time yesterday, sums me up pretty well.
"One drink is alright. Two is too many, yet three is never enough."

[Tumbler]

Currently 90 days without alcohol and still really miss having a drink, I'm amazed how many people tell me just to have a glass of wine, despite my reason for not drinking, approaching my 3rd cycle of chemotherapy.

I've no idea if I will do a full year, currently the chemo is like a bad hangover, so not noticing any tangible benefits.

[oldbanger]

Tumbler said:

Currently 90 days without alcohol and still really miss having a drink, I'm amazed how many people tell me just to have a glass of wine, despite my reason for not drinking, approaching my 3rd cycle of chemotherapy.

I've no idea if I will do a full year, currently the chemo is like a bad hangover, so not noticing any tangible benefits.

Well done with it, and good luck with the chemo. It can’t have been easy.

[King Herald]

LordGrover said:

Heard this for the first time yesterday, sums me up pretty well.
"One drink is alright. Two is too many, yet three is never enough."

One is too many, twenty is never enough.

[Wall05]

Hi folks, i don't post much but read the forums all the time and a lot of positive on this one.

I'm going to follow suit here, and leave the booze out. There only seems to be upsides and for me, it gives me a focus during a difficult period.

Old man was was an alchoholic, died at 52 about 8 years ago of a massive heartattack after using alcohol as a crutch/excuse most of his working life. I worry I will head the same way, currently working away from home in Middle East I manage to stay off alcohol all week then usually end up extremely drunk on a Thursday night. I just find it very hard to have 1 or 2, and hate the person I end up being when drunk. Going through a divorce doesn't help, but thankfully no kids.

I have always been into fitness and recently started powerlifting a few months back. I am sure, that combined with following a training timetable and seeing proper results combined with the lack of "the fear" every Friday I will be able to keep on track. It has been over a week since I stopped, and my target in my own mind is to get to the end of the year. A friend here, who I train with, is also off the booze for his own reasons so that helps too. Couldn't believe how good it felt not waking up hungover on my day off for a change - incredible.

One day at a time!

[Smitters]

Wall05 said:

Hi folks, i don't post much but read the forums all the time and a lot of positive on this one.

I'm going to follow suit here, and leave the booze out. There only seems to be upsides and for me, it gives me a focus during a difficult period.

Old man was was an alchoholic, died at 52 about 8 years ago of a massive heartattack after using alcohol as a crutch/excuse most of his working life. I worry I will head the same way, currently working away from home in Middle East I manage to stay off alcohol all week then usually end up extremely drunk on a Thursday night. I just find it very hard to have 1 or 2, and hate the person I end up being when drunk. Going through a divorce doesn't help, but thankfully no kids.

I have always been into fitness and recently started powerlifting a few months back. I am sure, that combined with following a training timetable and seeing proper results combined with the lack of "the fear" every Friday I will be able to keep on track. It has been over a week since I stopped, and my target in my own mind is to get to the end of the year. A friend here, who I train with, is also off the booze for his own reasons so that helps too. Couldn't believe how good it felt not waking up hungover on my day off for a change - incredible.

One day at a time!

I exercised a massive amount during my divorce - it gave me a lot back in return - something to focus on, some time that was entirely for me and the benefits of being fitter, healthier and generally happier due to endorphins floating around, when it'd be really easy to be miserable or angry all the time. I had quit the beer a few months before all that happened, but the combination of clean eating and no drinking, exercise and the extra free time from being out of a relationship was formidable. I dropped a huge amount of weight in nine months, and went from tubby couch-dweller to ultramarathoner. Did wonders for the self-confidence and happiness.

[6th Gear]

King Herald said:

LordGrover said:

Heard this for the first time yesterday, sums me up pretty well.
"One drink is alright. Two is too many, yet three is never enough."

One is too many, twenty is never enough.

Reminds me of one of the lines in Ozzy Osbourne's song, Demon Alcohol.

"Demon Alcohol"

[Daisley - Osbourne - Wylde]

I'm sick and tired of your excuses
Can't deal with living anymore
I'll give you reasons to continue
While you lie writhing on the floor

I'll wash away your lies
And have you hyptotized
There'll be no compromise today
I'll share your life of shame
I think you know my name
I'll introduce myself today

I'm the demon alcohol (demon alcohol)
I'll get you

If you could deal with your reflection
I'm sure you'd see into my eyes
There'll be no need for resurrection
Let's drink to people of the lies

Although that one's too much
You know ten's not enough
There'll be no compromise today
I'll watch you lose control
Consume your very soul
I'll introduce myself today

I'm the demon alcohol (demon alcohol)
Ha ha, demon alcohol (demon alcohol)
Let's party

I'm sick and tired of resolutions
You've quit me time and time again
Don't speak of suicide solutions
You took my hand, I'm here to stay

This time it's you or me
I'll never set you free
There'll be no compromise today
So satisfy your lust
Too much can't be enough
I'll introduce myself today

I'm the demon alcohol (the demon alcohol)
Ha ha, demon alcohol, (the demon alcohol)
Let's party

[TameRacingDriver]

Well, I've not read the whole thread (its far too big), and I wont be giving up completely, but I hope to cut down massively.

38 year old here. My whole life I have been surrounded by drinkers. Still go out drinking most weekends, but I try to limit it to one night out per week.

My main problem is the daily consumption of red wine. Basically, 4 days a week I'll have at least a bottle, usually one and a half. Then at the weekend, I'll basically just drink wine nearly all day as long as its the afternoon.

I'm really starting to feel as if my health is getting a lot worse. I have been suffering from depression recently, and I am starting to wonder if that is the cause.

So I'm planning to stop drinking in the house and just have it when I go out. It wont be easy but I feel it has to be done. I feel like drink has taken over my life and leaves me feeling depressed and unhealthy and I'm really sick of feeling this way.

[RRLover]

Good luck.
I struggle with it to be honest but i admit that i do like a beer.
I have cut down from 5 to 6 pints a night down to 1 maybe 2 & i've managed to cut out some nights during the week so have went from 7 days to say 4.
Nothing on Saturday, however on Sunday i scooped a half bottle of goose & 12 small heverlees' Couldnt bite my fingernails & was in bed for 7pm, decided yesterday enough was enough. I'm a bit disappointed in myself.

[TameRacingDriver]

RRLover said:

Good luck.
I struggle with it to be honest but i admit that i do like a beer.
I have cut down from 5 to 6 pints a night down to 1 maybe 2 & i've managed to cut out some nights during the week so have went from 7 days to say 4.
Nothing on Saturday, however on Sunday i scooped a half bottle of goose & 12 small heverlees' Couldnt bite my fingernails & was in bed for 7pm, decided yesterday enough was enough. I'm a bit disappointed in myself.

Thanks mate.

I know what you mean, I feel disappointed in myself that I am knowingly making myself ill and yet still doing it. I'm under no illusion that its going to be really hard. I know it wont be tonight because I've sat in work and felt like death all day, but once I start feeling better, thats when the cravings start.

Its probably the weekends that are the worst though. Like yesterday, I had the day off, and drank from 2pm all the way till bed time (can't remember going to bed). Remember having a spell of feeling very low last night but not much else. It's this that has really made me think, is it worth spending my hard earned on feeling depressed and then ill all day? It really isn't. I'm getting to the stage where I almost hate booze now for what it's done, but at the end of the day, I only have myself to blame.

I think I am going to have to stop drinking in the house altogether because as I've proved time and again, moderation doesn't work for me.

[johnwilliams77]

TameRacingDriver said:

Thanks mate.

I know what you mean, I feel disappointed in myself that I am knowingly making myself ill and yet still doing it. I'm under no illusion that its going to be really hard. I know it wont be tonight because I've sat in work and felt like death all day, but once I start feeling better, thats when the cravings start.

Its probably the weekends that are the worst though. Like yesterday, I had the day off, and drank from 2pm all the way till bed time (can't remember going to bed). Remember having a spell of feeling very low last night but not much else. It's this that has really made me think, is it worth spending my hard earned on feeling depressed and then ill all day? It really isn't. I'm getting to the stage where I almost hate booze now for what it's done, but at the end of the day, I only have myself to blame.

I think I am going to have to stop drinking in the house altogether because as I've proved time and again, moderation doesn't work for me.

I have been there and now find it easy not to drink. Can you replace the drinking time with hiking, walking, couch to 5km jogging?

[RRLover]

TameRacingDriver said:

Thanks mate.

I know what you mean, I feel disappointed in myself that I am knowingly making myself ill and yet still doing it. I'm under no illusion that its going to be really hard. I know it wont be tonight because I've sat in work and felt like death all day, but once I start feeling better, thats when the cravings start.

Its probably the weekends that are the worst though. Like yesterday, I had the day off, and drank from 2pm all the way till bed time (can't remember going to bed). Remember having a spell of feeling very low last night but not much else. It's this that has really made me think, is it worth spending my hard earned on feeling depressed and then ill all day? It really isn't. I'm getting to the stage where I almost hate booze now for what it's done, but at the end of the day, I only have myself to blame.

I think I am going to have to stop drinking in the house altogether because as I've proved time and again, moderation doesn't work for me.

I'm the same age & have got some friends that can go mad from when they get home till bed time, wake up the next morning & be in the gym at 6am. Then get smashed all weekend while holding down good jobs & a family.
I used to do the same, with the same situation.
Lately i've been feeling down & feeling unwell, feeling warm all the time.
Recently started drinking lemon water in the morning & maybe some lemon tea later on.

[TameRacingDriver]

johnwilliams77 said:

I have been there and now find it easy not to drink. Can you replace the drinking time with hiking, walking, couch to 5km jogging?

I definitely need to do something else. Its too easy just to steady away on the wine while watching TV. Originally I built my gaming PC for this reason but I don't use it. Maybe I should start. I have been doing weight lifting but quite often miss sessions because I'm hungover.

RRLover said:

Lately i've been feeling down & feeling unwell, feeling warm all the time.

Pretty much describes me at the minute. Yet still I drink. I've been taking St Johns Wort for the depression, but in reality, what I think I really need to do is stop with the drink.

I've felt truly dreadful all day today

[johnwilliams77]

TameRacingDriver said:

Pretty much describes me at the minute. Yet still I drink. I've been taking St Johns Wort for the depression, but in reality, what I think I really need to do is stop with the drink.

I've felt truly dreadful all day today

This is the biggest first step. I can highly recommend buying a cheap fit bit band (MI band) and aiming for a step target to get fresh air and more exercise. 30mins a night for a week or so will do wonders then step it up by 10-15mins as it becomes routine. Go with other half, good podcast, whatever works for you.

[LordGrover]

Several books have been recommended, I'd start with one of those. I found the easy way to control alcohol by Allen Carr most helpful, but I'm sure others are as good, maybe better.