A month off the booze - any experience or advice?

[Hitch78]

Like many PHers I drink fairly heavily but only in line with my group of friends; socially acceptable but way above government recommendations.

I'm a big guy so I can take my drink but have become worried about how easily ten pints or a couple of bottles of wine can disappear on a long night out. The other problem is that I have a lot of opportunity to drink through work and different groups of friends so I drink most nights - though sometimes only a glass of wine or two. Lately the waking up with a hangover at the weekends has been getting me down, as has the realisation that I spend more cash partying than I do on anything other than my mortgage so I thought I'd break the cycle and quit it for a month.

I went through a similar 'why the hell do I do this to myself?' phase with smoking between Christmas and New Year and managed to quit immediately from 20 a day - so I know that I can do it.

On Sunday I committed to not drinking at all in July (just before I realised that Mrstch and I had been in our house for two years and cracked open a bottle of champagne...though that was still June so my pledge stands!)

I'm a couple of days in now and hoping to get out of the habit of drinking every time the opportunity arises and get back to it being the exception rather than the norm, but I was wondering if anyone had done it before and whether there are any health benefits or even risks of going cold turkey. Stopping smoking was a nightmare for a week or two, with loads of coughing up the crap that was loosening up in my lungs. One of my mates claimed he lost a stone in a month by swapping beer for red wine and gin and tonics, so should I expect some weight loss?

Also, I can't avoid going out for a whole month so what can I drink as a substitute - I need something slow as I have a habit of drinking soft drinks and fruit juice a bit too quickly and then watching my mates sip their pints with jealousy!

I'd appreciate any advice.

[james_tigerwoods]

Have a child - that'll remove any need/want for having a drink...

When I've stopped drinking for a week/month, I try to not focus on the beer/wine that other people are drinking - nights out were a lot shorter, but I felt a lot better for it in the long run.

That reminds me, I'm out of beer AND wine

[Timmy33]

I know you're looking to cut it out totally. But quite a good compromise is to quietly go onto the shandies. A pint of shandy looks the same, drinks the same, but (with diet lemonade) has alot less calories and is much better for your liver.


BTW before anyone says it, no I am not a shandy drinker!

[Mike400]

james_tigerwoods said:

Have a child - that'll remove any need/want for having a drink...

Worked for me, since she was born (15 months ago) I have honestly hand on heart drank four pints. In total.

Geez thats shocking isnt it????

Any money saved has been spent on nappies etc etc etc etc etc

[Hitch78]

Timmy33 said:

I know you're looking to cut it out totally. But quite a good compromise is to quietly go onto the shandies. A pint of shandy looks the same, drinks the same, but (with diet lemonade) has alot less calories and is much better for your liver.


BTW before anyone says it, no I am not a shandy drinker!

That's interesting - I'm going to dump it for a month as I just feel the need to do it to gain control, but when I return I don't want to dive straight back in (cue: Homer Simpson style daydream of swimming backstroke in a giant pint blowing fountains of beer up out of my mouth!) so that could be a good idea for August.

Cheers!

[mccarn]

Hitch78 said:

so what can I drink as a substitute?

What about those J20 fruit juice things? Get one of the ice cold and its fantastic?

[Hitch78]

Mike400 said:

james_tigerwoods said:

Have a child - that'll remove any need/want for having a drink...

Worked for me, since she was born (15 months ago) I have honestly hand on heart drank four pints. In total.

Geez thats shocking isnt it????

Any money saved has been spent on nappies etc etc etc etc etc

Four pints in over a year is indeed shocking! I'll, erm, consider that one. Seems a touch heavy handed for me though.

[Red the Fraggle]

It can be quite difficult, I stopped drinking & smoking in March (pregnant) and its struck me just how much of my social life was centered at the pub. Its got to the stage now where I don't really bother going out, being completely sober while others are getting drunk is only fun for a very short period, being left to mind the seats while everyone else goes out for a fag is no good either. As for drinks either blackcurrant cordial & soda water or a pint glass full of ice & filled with water....to cold to guzzle

Edited by Red the Fraggle on Thursday 3rd July 09:52

[MilnerR]

I stopped drinking for 3 months earlier this year. I don't know what advice to give you. The first thing I did was to get all booze out of the house, the second was to get a subscription to lovefilm.com and the third was not to go out.

I wasn't a very heavy drinker before I stopped, and now I've started again I hardly drink at all; once you've broken the habit it's very easy to fore go a drink. Another thing that I have noticed is that my taste in alcohol has improved. I can now go out to a pub and enjoy a pint of really good beer and actually enjoy it, rather than throwing it down my neck in order to get another 6 down me. I now drink quality instead of quantity.

[spikeyhead]

I cut out all alcohol for a month several times when I used to drink too much.

One trick was to drive to the pub, more incentive not to drink with the car there. I'd also do more things that didn't involve drinking rather than hitting the boozer.

[tonyvid]

Don't you just love the PH swear filter?

Hitch78 said:

On Sunday I committed to not drinking at all in July (just before I realised that Mrstch and I had been in our house for two years and cracked open a bottle of champagne...though that was still June so my pledge stands!)

Good luck with the "stop drinking", I know I should cut down as I am turning into bloater but I need a glass of wine to think it over.

[Eddh]

I tried to do this in an aim to lower my tolerance to drinking so that I could get drunk cheaper, It didnt work lasted 2 days then i found a pint in my hand and realised that i had pledged not to drink for a month and thought sod it!

[james_tigerwoods]

Hitch78 said:

Mike400 said:

james_tigerwoods said:

Have a child - that'll remove any need/want for having a drink...

Worked for me, since she was born (15 months ago) I have honestly hand on heart drank four pints. In total.

Geez thats shocking isnt it????

Any money saved has been spent on nappies etc etc etc etc etc

Four pints in over a year is indeed shocking! I'll, erm, consider that one. Seems a touch heavy handed for me though.

Strewth - after my first was born, I didn't drink for (only) 7 months

[CLK-GTR]

Once your mates realise you're going teetotal they'll get off your back and leave you to it...and from there its up to you. I stayed completely off alcohol for a year or so when i was training hard and ive never really drunk much since. The best thing to drink is water, not only is it free but if you drink enough you'd be amazed at how alert and awake a fully hydrated brain is. It takes a while to realise this but once you do you'll never go out feeling you have to drink to enjoy yourself again.

[james_tigerwoods]

CLK-GTR said:

Once your mates realise you're going teetotal they'll get off your back and leave you to it...and from there its up to you. I stayed completely off alcohol for a year or so when i was training hard and ive never really drunk much since. The best thing to drink is water, not only is it free but if you drink enough you'd be amazed at how alert and awake a fully hydrated brain is. It takes a while to realise this but once you do you'll never go out feeling you have to drink to enjoy yourself again.

You'll probably get a ton of grief to start with, but they'll slack off and - as said - you'll realise how much better you feel being off the drink...

I always forget how much better you feel when fully hydrated (apart from the frequent loo trips) - I'm off to get some water now...

[fleetelise]

spikeyhead said:

One trick was to drive to the pub, more incentive not to drink with the car there. I'd also do more things that didn't involve drinking rather than hitting the boozer.

Both good advice. Get past the first two weeks and it becomes a lot easier because a) you get used to not doing it and b) you don't want to undo the hard work.

I didn't drink for Jan and Feb whilst trying to get a bit fitter for skiing, after two weeks it was easy and at the end of feb I almost decided to see if I could do it for a year. Of course I couldn't! But beware, the first pint back is not a glass of sweet nectar, but somethingthat must be forced down!

I'll be doing July with you, support group? (not the AA!)

[Xaero]

Use the money you'd usually spend on booze for petrol instead, drive somewhere interesting and enjoy whatever that place has to offer, as long as its not a pub

[Davi]

james_tigerwoods said:

Hitch78 said:

Mike400 said:

james_tigerwoods said:

Have a child - that'll remove any need/want for having a drink...

Worked for me, since she was born (15 months ago) I have honestly hand on heart drank four pints. In total.

Geez thats shocking isnt it????

Any money saved has been spent on nappies etc etc etc etc etc

Four pints in over a year is indeed shocking! I'll, erm, consider that one. Seems a touch heavy handed for me though.

Strewth - after my first was born, I didn't drink for (only) 7 months

tis an effective means - I didn't use to drink massively, but had at minimum a pint or two every night - without fail. After bump was getting to the point it may erupt I had to stop and be on amber alert. After he arrived, I've found myself drinking less and less - 2 or three pints a week max, and sometimes only then because I feel I really should

Works well with the tolerances as well. Before I was just a lightweight, now my abilities are utterly pathetic

[trumpet600]

I managed to go 7 weeks without any alcohol a couple of years ago. Not spurred on by any problems, but purely a considered reaction when I weighed up how much I did drink. I entertain a lot for work and felt obliged to have a glass in my hand.

More than anything, I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it. during the 7 weeks, I felt healthier and had a sharper focus. Mornings were easier to cope with as well.

Having gone through that, I find I drink less on the whole, and also no longer feel I have to finish an opened bottle.








It's Mitzy who has the problem!!

[Blib]

Eddh said:

I tried to do this in an aim to lower my tolerance to drinking so that I could get drunk cheaper

If that's a serious comment then I , for one, salute your inspired insanity!

Have one on me too!