365 days without booze... join me?
Discussion
Captain Smerc said:
This is 5 month's for me & all is reasonably well . Onward chaps !
Six months now for me I think.Oddly enough, my dad gave me a six pack of bottled local real ales for my birthday in March. I wavered not one inch, all six bottles are still in the kitchen cupboard. (And still unopened)
5 days for me 
until tonight
However, did January very easily and am not drinking at all mid week, just a few at weekend and will be going dry for another month, maybe a bit longer, have dropped from 18 stone to 14 and a half and want to shift the last ten or so pounds, maintaining weight week on week but want to maintain at under 14 rather than 14 and a half.
The problem with booze is the calories in it, plus the crap you eat with it, six weeks of none will have me where I want to be I reckon.
Fair play to all you going completely dry, I dont feel for me its a problem and can moderate it easily, I enjoy it so have a couple, just dont go mad and not every day, it needs to be the exception rather than the rule.
until tonight However, did January very easily and am not drinking at all mid week, just a few at weekend and will be going dry for another month, maybe a bit longer, have dropped from 18 stone to 14 and a half and want to shift the last ten or so pounds, maintaining weight week on week but want to maintain at under 14 rather than 14 and a half.
The problem with booze is the calories in it, plus the crap you eat with it, six weeks of none will have me where I want to be I reckon.
Fair play to all you going completely dry, I dont feel for me its a problem and can moderate it easily, I enjoy it so have a couple, just dont go mad and not every day, it needs to be the exception rather than the rule.
I've been alcohol free since mid-February, mainly due to ill health and a recent stay in hospital for a blood transfusion. So drinking wasn't really at the forefront of my mind.
I've lost a little bit of weight but not as much as I'd thought I would or what everybody else claims to lose. And I don't feel any better for stopping drinking either, which I find a bit strange.
So alcohol then....I can take it or leave it.
I've lost a little bit of weight but not as much as I'd thought I would or what everybody else claims to lose. And I don't feel any better for stopping drinking either, which I find a bit strange.
So alcohol then....I can take it or leave it.
J4CKO said:
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The problem with booze is the calories in it, plus the crap you eat with it, six weeks of none will have me where I want to be I reckon.
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This was definately an issue for me. Big bag of Doritos while drinking the beer, then chow down a massive chinese takeaway really quickly until I couldn't get any more in my stomach. Then some chocolate to finish off. The beer seemed to prevent me feeling full.The problem with booze is the calories in it, plus the crap you eat with it, six weeks of none will have me where I want to be I reckon.
...
It got to the stage where I would have to have a couple of beers in order to face a big greasy meal like that. The beer would give me the appertite to want to eat it. All a bit backwards really.
Six months or so for me now, still have six bottles of beer in the cupboard in the kitchen, that my dad bought me for my birthday in March. No interest in drinking them.
It is SO nice to not have to wake up in the morning and try to remember/forget/explain/apologise for/worry about what happened the night before.
It is SO nice to not have to wake up in the morning and try to remember/forget/explain/apologise for/worry about what happened the night before.
Jonmx said:
I'm still dry and have been all this year. Unfortunately I've had to replace the alcohol with drugs (prescription) which isn't ideal but very much a necessity. Not missing the alcohol, and certainly noticing the clear head in the mornings and a bit of extra pocket money. I reckon I was spending £100-150 a month on booze 
Now to see if I can get to 365 days!
Well sadly I fell off the wagon the same day as writing the above thanks to an increase in the medication I was on sending me into a hypomanic (bipolar) episode. I ended up having a pint watching the 6 Nations, then carrying on drinking all evening before going to a club by myself and then walking ten miles home. I was rapidly taken off that medication! However, I have managed to keep off the booze since then and am now on some different meds (Lithium) that really don't go well with Alcohol and that have calmed me down, so am hoping I can make it to the end of the year without a drop of booze. The summery weather hasn't helped, but Becks Blue is an almost acceptable substitute for a cold beer.Now to see if I can get to 365 days!
See i have a conundrum.
I've never been a great sleeper so naturally started to use booze to remedy that but it's ever. single. night. And it's giving me the fear.
Couldn't tell you the last time i woke up and thought to myself, "right, let's be having you".
I never drink before 8pm and then only drink enough to make sure I sleep but it's a double edged sword isn't it? Yes isleep but the wuality of that sleep might as well be as if i'd been up all night. Sigh.
Noticing though that it's becoming more and more to get me to that 'ready to go to sleep' stage. It needs to stop.
Anyone of a similar situation?
I don't drink so much that i can't remember what happened, offend someone etc. not even close but acutely aware that this is the very definition of the word "Dependant".
I've never been a great sleeper so naturally started to use booze to remedy that but it's ever. single. night. And it's giving me the fear.
Couldn't tell you the last time i woke up and thought to myself, "right, let's be having you".
I never drink before 8pm and then only drink enough to make sure I sleep but it's a double edged sword isn't it? Yes isleep but the wuality of that sleep might as well be as if i'd been up all night. Sigh.
Noticing though that it's becoming more and more to get me to that 'ready to go to sleep' stage. It needs to stop.
Anyone of a similar situation?
I don't drink so much that i can't remember what happened, offend someone etc. not even close but acutely aware that this is the very definition of the word "Dependant".
Have you ever looked at what's causing you not to sleep? It may be related to anxiety, caffeine intake or you may have insomnia. Cutting out caffeine from the early afternoon onwards can make a massive difference to sleeping patterns.
In relation to the alcohol, if it is just one or two drinks, then it's probably not a massive health issue, but obviously it would be preferable to be able to sleep without it. It sounds like it may have become habit now, and that probably is something you want to break. I know no bloke ever wants to do it, but chatting to your GP may well be the best bet and it might come up with a surprisingly obvious solution. When I was at uni I suffered from Insomnia (I know it's related to mental health) and went to the GP about it. His suggestion was listening o whale music and having some candles. I thought it was bs, but the poor light level of having a candle in the room seemed to work and sent me to sleep pretty quickly. Never did bother with the whale music though.
In relation to the alcohol, if it is just one or two drinks, then it's probably not a massive health issue, but obviously it would be preferable to be able to sleep without it. It sounds like it may have become habit now, and that probably is something you want to break. I know no bloke ever wants to do it, but chatting to your GP may well be the best bet and it might come up with a surprisingly obvious solution. When I was at uni I suffered from Insomnia (I know it's related to mental health) and went to the GP about it. His suggestion was listening o whale music and having some candles. I thought it was bs, but the poor light level of having a candle in the room seemed to work and sent me to sleep pretty quickly. Never did bother with the whale music though.
FredAstaire said:
sitting in work with a hangover. from drinking at home. on a monday night (also had a hangover yesterday). first step is to make it to the weekend.
why does it have to be all or nothing?
Sounds like you need some help.I did the 365 days and ever since I started again it's much easier to moderate but some people should steer clear. You have to be the judge of that.why does it have to be all or nothing?
Today is the day for me - 6th July 2017.
I've given up before - done stints of 5 months and then 4 months, so this isn't my first contribution to this thread. Then started again. Then I did a stint of not drinking in my own home. It was successful for a while. However, my consumption levels have been slowly rising again and I suspect there's only one or 2 days in the last month when I've not had a drink. I'm not getting smashed every day, but the desire to have a drink every day is a worrying one.
So that's it, no more alcohol for me, ever. I'm clearly someone for whom moderation does not work, so it needs to be all or nothing.
No more groggy mornings, trouble getting to sleep, poor concentration and general lethargy, plus having worked out my spending (I like reasonable quality wine) and spend a fair amount on taxis, I will likely be saving a considerable amount of cash. My lease car goes back in March 2018 and I've promised myself a 911 or decent trackday car with the extra cash assuming I'm still dry by that point.
The hardest element for me has always been other people's reactions. My friends like a drink and I do a considerable amount of corporate entertainment with work. In the past I've been honest about me reason for stopping - said I felt my levels of consumption were excessive. This has generally not resulted in positive reactions from many, particularly as many of the people consume more than me, so I guess it acts as a mirror to their own drinking. As such, I intend to lie to everyone this time and say I've been diagnosed with an intolerance to alcohol and advised to give up by my GP. I'm not particularly comfortable with the deceit, but I don't want the pressure.
Clearly, if anyone has a better excuse feel free to make your suggestions as I've not actually told anyone in the flesh yet.
Tomorrow will be my first real test - a MTB weekend away with the boys on which there will be considerable amounts of alcohol consumed. I'm actually looking forward to MTB'ing on Saturday without a hangover (which everyone else will have). Also looking froward to next year's ski trips, which are soooo much better without a daily hangover.
I'll keep this thread updated with my progress. Wish me luck.
I've given up before - done stints of 5 months and then 4 months, so this isn't my first contribution to this thread. Then started again. Then I did a stint of not drinking in my own home. It was successful for a while. However, my consumption levels have been slowly rising again and I suspect there's only one or 2 days in the last month when I've not had a drink. I'm not getting smashed every day, but the desire to have a drink every day is a worrying one.
So that's it, no more alcohol for me, ever. I'm clearly someone for whom moderation does not work, so it needs to be all or nothing.
No more groggy mornings, trouble getting to sleep, poor concentration and general lethargy, plus having worked out my spending (I like reasonable quality wine) and spend a fair amount on taxis, I will likely be saving a considerable amount of cash. My lease car goes back in March 2018 and I've promised myself a 911 or decent trackday car with the extra cash assuming I'm still dry by that point.
The hardest element for me has always been other people's reactions. My friends like a drink and I do a considerable amount of corporate entertainment with work. In the past I've been honest about me reason for stopping - said I felt my levels of consumption were excessive. This has generally not resulted in positive reactions from many, particularly as many of the people consume more than me, so I guess it acts as a mirror to their own drinking. As such, I intend to lie to everyone this time and say I've been diagnosed with an intolerance to alcohol and advised to give up by my GP. I'm not particularly comfortable with the deceit, but I don't want the pressure.
Clearly, if anyone has a better excuse feel free to make your suggestions as I've not actually told anyone in the flesh yet.
Tomorrow will be my first real test - a MTB weekend away with the boys on which there will be considerable amounts of alcohol consumed. I'm actually looking forward to MTB'ing on Saturday without a hangover (which everyone else will have). Also looking froward to next year's ski trips, which are soooo much better without a daily hangover.
I'll keep this thread updated with my progress. Wish me luck.
JQ said:
Today is the day for me - 6th July 2017.... Wish me luck.
Good on you. I had similar reactions, as you say, often from people who felt you held an uncomfortable mirror to their face. Screw them. Like you, I was honest. Drinking booze, even a couple of pints a few nights a week, put me in a vicious circle of laziness, bad food, low productivity and weight gain. I don't know why I began to feel so affected by just a couple of pints, but like many on here, I was an easier sway on poor food, late nights etc when I'd had a few. Net result was a tubby, unhealthy guy who had to work hard to get work done because he was so tired. I was honest too, I said it made me fat and lazy, but lots of people look for more sinister reasons - nothing like a bit of drama. It's like health and wellbeing isn't a good enough reason. You get a lot of confusion from people able to moderate too. If you're wired for moderation, great, but if not, it's not helpful to suggest. I may as well try and turn purple as be a moderate person, be it running, cars, films, whatever. The difficult comes when moderators can't empathise, or fail to realise not everyone is wired the same.A 911/track car is a worthy goal, but make sure you reward your success on a smaller scale too. One week, two, a month, three months. As you know, its not easy to stop entirely. Have shorter term goals to aim for too, even if it's just colouring in squares on a calendar. Be bad to miss a square...
Crack on.
Davie_GLA said:
See i have a conundrum.
I've never been a great sleeper so naturally started to use booze to remedy that but it's ever. single. night. And it's giving me the fear.
Couldn't tell you the last time i woke up and thought to myself, "right, let's be having you".
I never drink before 8pm and then only drink enough to make sure I sleep but it's a double edged sword isn't it? Yes isleep but the wuality of that sleep might as well be as if i'd been up all night. Sigh.
Noticing though that it's becoming more and more to get me to that 'ready to go to sleep' stage. It needs to stop.
Anyone of a similar situation?
I don't drink so much that i can't remember what happened, offend someone etc. not even close but acutely aware that this is the very definition of the word "Dependant".
I haven't drunk all year, I wasn't the best sleeper, used booze to help, just a couple of beers to help me ease offI've never been a great sleeper so naturally started to use booze to remedy that but it's ever. single. night. And it's giving me the fear.
Couldn't tell you the last time i woke up and thought to myself, "right, let's be having you".
I never drink before 8pm and then only drink enough to make sure I sleep but it's a double edged sword isn't it? Yes isleep but the wuality of that sleep might as well be as if i'd been up all night. Sigh.
Noticing though that it's becoming more and more to get me to that 'ready to go to sleep' stage. It needs to stop.
Anyone of a similar situation?
I don't drink so much that i can't remember what happened, offend someone etc. not even close but acutely aware that this is the very definition of the word "Dependant".
I found I thought I slept better, with beer but realistically the sleep quality was very poor and I'd wake up real groggy
Took me about 3-4 months for me to get used to sleeping better without alcohol , now I feel much better without booze and wake up fresher
Smitters said:
JQ said:
Today is the day for me - 6th July 2017.... Wish me luck.
Good on you. I had similar reactions, as you say, often from people who felt you held an uncomfortable mirror to their face. Screw them. Like you, I was honest. Drinking booze, even a couple of pints a few nights a week, put me in a vicious circle of laziness, bad food, low productivity and weight gain. I don't know why I began to feel so affected by just a couple of pints, but like many on here, I was an easier sway on poor food, late nights etc when I'd had a few. Net result was a tubby, unhealthy guy who had to work hard to get work done because he was so tired. I was honest too, I said it made me fat and lazy, but lots of people look for more sinister reasons - nothing like a bit of drama. It's like health and wellbeing isn't a good enough reason. You get a lot of confusion from people able to moderate too. If you're wired for moderation, great, but if not, it's not helpful to suggest. I may as well try and turn purple as be a moderate person, be it running, cars, films, whatever. The difficult comes when moderators can't empathise, or fail to realise not everyone is wired the same.A 911/track car is a worthy goal, but make sure you reward your success on a smaller scale too. One week, two, a month, three months. As you know, its not easy to stop entirely. Have shorter term goals to aim for too, even if it's just colouring in squares on a calendar. Be bad to miss a square...
Crack on.
Weekend away was surprisingly easy, just drank tapwater in the evening and was great to not wake up in the morning feeling groggy.
JQ said:
Weekend away was surprisingly easy, just drank tapwater in the evening and was great to not wake up in the morning feeling groggy.
Good call that - lime and soda is a popular switch, but watch the soft drinks. Beer contains a lot of sugar and the body doesn't like giving anything that's super-easy energy up. I would say the sugar craving has been the hardest thing to get a handle on - not that I have. I eat more sweets now than when I drank beer. One vice at a time eh?Smitters said:
JQ said:
Weekend away was surprisingly easy, just drank tapwater in the evening and was great to not wake up in the morning feeling groggy.
Good call that - lime and soda is a popular switch, but watch the soft drinks. Beer contains a lot of sugar and the body doesn't like giving anything that's super-easy energy up. I would say the sugar craving has been the hardest thing to get a handle on - not that I have. I eat more sweets now than when I drank beer. One vice at a time eh?I agree the sugar cravings are the worst and last time I gave up my sweetie consumption increased drastically. I'm making a real effort not to have too many sweets this time, however, how successful that will be is a totally different matter.
Today will be one week without drinking, only another 51 to go.
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