365 days without booze... join me?
Discussion
FreeLitres said:
Smitters said:
Six years today. Celebrating with awful coffee from the machine at work. Woop.
Nice work- shame about the coffee though! 
Do you still get cravings for alcohol after that amount of time?
That's an interesting question - I do, but it's situational. On the mental side, I used to enjoy having a pint after a hard day at work, so after a hard day I occasionally feel like a cold pint of lager - always that, because that hit that particular spot, unlike a beer or a G&T. On a winter's evening I sometimes fancy a nice glass of red wine. However, I was in the pub last night and had no desire at all to drink beer.
I quite smoking in 2002 and still get cravings, always when I see someone smoking on the TV/in a movie, but never in person - i.e. when I can't smell it!
So I thought I would jump on this thread from the dry January 2018 which I did, and thought I would continue it on as after the first two weeks of cravings I have not had too much of an issue with no drinking and now celebrating two months with no booze! My weight went down in a month by just shy of a stone and my resting heart rate when from 75 down to 55 bpm.
Why am I doing this? I have historically been a heavy drinker and I believe some years ago I had an issue with it and probably drunk solidly for 10 years (drinking a bottle and a half every night) due to work related stress. Over the last three years I had managed to reduce this down to weekend drinking but again it was a bottle, maybe two or three nights.
As I have said going dry has not been too much of an issue as I have pretty much kept my head down from social gatherings but when I have gone out i have still managed to stay away from the drink. The most recent challenge was my wife's birthday, I treated her to a posh weekend away and the champagne was complimentary in the room-it was not opened as my wife doesn't really drink which I think has really helped me. But I did look at it a few times and decided to get it removed from the room! Problem solved.
Whats the plan going forward for me? Well, I am aiming to stay clear of it until our family holiday in June and I may then have a drink or two, as when our family gets together, heavy drinking normally entails! But we will see, I may not be bothered to drink then as my old man is off the booze too at present so that will help.
I'm still losing weight and exercising too-although I havent done my monthly weigh in yet, I can feel that im shrinking and the bank balance is healthier too!
Why am I doing this? I have historically been a heavy drinker and I believe some years ago I had an issue with it and probably drunk solidly for 10 years (drinking a bottle and a half every night) due to work related stress. Over the last three years I had managed to reduce this down to weekend drinking but again it was a bottle, maybe two or three nights.
As I have said going dry has not been too much of an issue as I have pretty much kept my head down from social gatherings but when I have gone out i have still managed to stay away from the drink. The most recent challenge was my wife's birthday, I treated her to a posh weekend away and the champagne was complimentary in the room-it was not opened as my wife doesn't really drink which I think has really helped me. But I did look at it a few times and decided to get it removed from the room! Problem solved.
Whats the plan going forward for me? Well, I am aiming to stay clear of it until our family holiday in June and I may then have a drink or two, as when our family gets together, heavy drinking normally entails! But we will see, I may not be bothered to drink then as my old man is off the booze too at present so that will help.
I'm still losing weight and exercising too-although I havent done my monthly weigh in yet, I can feel that im shrinking and the bank balance is healthier too!
So another month done-and Ive weighed myself, 2 stone lost in three months. The first month I saw over half of that come off! Been too busy with work and business opportunities to even think about it really. I did have a couple of times when i thought it would be good to have a drink in hand but that was quickly forgotten about. Im enjoying the exercise and the benefits it brings. I was normally drinking through stress and boredom, still have both but I am dealing with them both differently.
Funnily enough, we have just had a new kitchen fitted with a wine cooler and wine rack and both are empty!
Funnily enough, we have just had a new kitchen fitted with a wine cooler and wine rack and both are empty!
Good stuff, keep it up if that is what you want. How far you take it is your choice but recent retirement and not even the feeling I wanted a snifter. Another coming up soon, same thing. 2011 I think I knocked it on the head.
Got quite a few bottles in the back room as well, including port which must the best tasting drink ever but not touched them. If someone can bottle port sans alcohol and keep the flavour I would be the most loyal customer.
Got quite a few bottles in the back room as well, including port which must the best tasting drink ever but not touched them. If someone can bottle port sans alcohol and keep the flavour I would be the most loyal customer.
I've gone about 3 years without a drop. It might be closer to 4 years as I haven't been keeping track.
The last few days at work have been hell with the change in Management and I'm seriously concerned about what the future holds for me. As the only bread winner, this could have a huge impact on my and my family.
I want nothing more than to get absolutely smashed just to get me through this. The urge is getting stronger by the minute.
Will I regret it, or is it a case of needs must?
The last few days at work have been hell with the change in Management and I'm seriously concerned about what the future holds for me. As the only bread winner, this could have a huge impact on my and my family.
I want nothing more than to get absolutely smashed just to get me through this. The urge is getting stronger by the minute.
Will I regret it, or is it a case of needs must?
FreeLitres said:
I've gone about 3 years without a drop. It might be closer to 4 years as I haven't been keeping track.
The last few days at work have been hell with the change in Management and I'm seriously concerned about what the future holds for me. As the only bread winner, this could have a huge impact on my and my family.
I want nothing more than to get absolutely smashed just to get me through this. The urge is getting stronger by the minute.
Will I regret it, or is it a case of needs must?
Depends on you - we can't answer that for you.The last few days at work have been hell with the change in Management and I'm seriously concerned about what the future holds for me. As the only bread winner, this could have a huge impact on my and my family.
I want nothing more than to get absolutely smashed just to get me through this. The urge is getting stronger by the minute.
Will I regret it, or is it a case of needs must?
Get smashed and you will be in a worse place if you are the bread winner. It will not get you through it. See how well you can cope without the hooch.
Had a few bad work moments myself but never went back on the pop. One or two extremely stressful work issues and now glad I did not waver.
Had a few bad work moments myself but never went back on the pop. One or two extremely stressful work issues and now glad I did not waver.
So the last 3 weeks I've had 3 pints and a glass of wine after going 3 months dry including my birthday. This after drinking for the last 25 years.
I had a glass of red wine with a meal and it tasted like paint stripper ! I then had a couple of pints on my sister's birthday as we were on a pub crawl followed by a curry. The final pint was last night on a night out with the lads with whom I play football with.
So why am I telling you this? Well the 3 months off alcohol whilst changing literally nothing of my social life has meant that family and friends have finally accepted that I don't drink anymore. It's just a given now, and although it gets mentioned every time alcohol is around it's nothing much at all tbh.
This is a major thing for me as now I can pick and choose if/when i have drink without being called a pussy or if being boring. Last night with the lads I started on lime and soda and only had a pint with my curry. I then went back on the pop. If id have done this pre January I would have been slaughtered for not drinking !
So I now can go out and enjoy myself and not drink at all or have just 1 pint or 8 pints. The difference now is that I drink only when I really fancy one which is rare now. If I don't then I stick to soft drinks as I'm fine with that in my head and now so are my family and friends.
To sum up, this is one of the best things I have done and I can't help feeling smug as I'm no longer in the alcohol trap as Allen Carr put it.
I had a glass of red wine with a meal and it tasted like paint stripper ! I then had a couple of pints on my sister's birthday as we were on a pub crawl followed by a curry. The final pint was last night on a night out with the lads with whom I play football with.
So why am I telling you this? Well the 3 months off alcohol whilst changing literally nothing of my social life has meant that family and friends have finally accepted that I don't drink anymore. It's just a given now, and although it gets mentioned every time alcohol is around it's nothing much at all tbh.
This is a major thing for me as now I can pick and choose if/when i have drink without being called a pussy or if being boring. Last night with the lads I started on lime and soda and only had a pint with my curry. I then went back on the pop. If id have done this pre January I would have been slaughtered for not drinking !
So I now can go out and enjoy myself and not drink at all or have just 1 pint or 8 pints. The difference now is that I drink only when I really fancy one which is rare now. If I don't then I stick to soft drinks as I'm fine with that in my head and now so are my family and friends.
To sum up, this is one of the best things I have done and I can't help feeling smug as I'm no longer in the alcohol trap as Allen Carr put it.
Edited by WarnieV6GT on Friday 20th April 22:43
johnwilliams77 said:
What is great about it if there are no health benefits?
It is possible that I wouldn't have recovered do quickly from major surgery, or got through chemotherapy, I just thought I might sleep a bit better, have clearer eyes and skin. But it's a tough call as my body is so different to how it was 12 months ago, I can't really tell if it's the cancer or the treatment.johnwilliams77 said:
Smitters said:
Congratulations. Great achievement.
What is great about it if there are no health benefits?Smitters said:
johnwilliams77 said:
Smitters said:
Congratulations. Great achievement.
What is great about it if there are no health benefits?Smitters said:
Because it's a hard thing to set yourself a challenging goal and then see it through. Doubly so if you're not getting the tangible benefits you expect along the way but stuck it out anyway.
So if I have a goal to stand one one foot for 2 hours and manage to complete it, that is a great achievement because it is a challenging goal even though it has no health benefits?Gassing Station | Health Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff