Dry January 2020. A new relationship with alcohol. Who’s joining me?

[ParanoidGynodroid]

It’s that time again!
I did my first dry January around 5 years ago, having seen it on here. It was a great thing to do: really helped my get control of my drinking. Since then I’ve done it every year, along with at least one or two other dry months.

DJ may help you:
Lose weight. ...
Get better skin. ...
Make healthier food choices. ...
Save money. ...
Sleep better. ...
Have more energy. ...
Improve your mood. ...
Improve your general health

and make you feel virtuous!

It’s not necessarily easy though, so it’s good to have support; especially if you’re feeling week and like you may give up. We can support each other here.

Join me!

Morning everyone, I am also trying to lose weight and weighed this morning and I am 5 pounds down which I am very happy about. The lack of booze is definitely helping , not just the booze calories but the snacking calories because tipsy and the carb calories because of the sun morning hangover !
16% sounds good to me @ParanoidGynodroid

16% go us!

I haven't lost any weight just yet, but I'm trying to think long term. I did reach for the sweetie stash last night....but something really lovely happened.

Normally Sunday afternoons I'd reach for a drink mid afternoon, and then be asleep on the sofa for Call the Midwife.

Yesterday our SN stepson was with us, and I decided to go and Do Something instead - so we went to a lcoal Light Festival installation. I drove, so no temptation to drink. Took the dogs as well, so it was a real family outing. When he was going to bed he said what a great day it had been, and an unprompted comment from him is very special indeed.

And I stayed awake for CTM!

Feel a little groggy this morning, but I slept soundly all night.

This is a great thread..... yes to crazy dreams and also enjoying all the extra time that seems to have appeared in the day!

I fund it helps to go to bed early with a book too if you can. I've been going by 8.30/9pm and waking naturally quite early. More morning time available to get to work a bit earlier or get a gym class in (still working on actually doing that!)

16%! Very pleased about that. First properly restful sleep last night, looks like day 5/6 is the magic point.

I was very tempted by the half bottle of Eisberg sitting in the fridge, last night, but I've decided that the break the habit properly I need to not even fake drink for a while. Although I may break that for my birthday on Wednesday if I can find an acceptable alcohol-free red. Rawson's Retreat is recommended by the Try Dry app - has anyone actually drunk it?

Ah, lucky you to be 5lb down Newyearnewarse!

I haven’t stopped snacking like a bastard in the evenings yet; no crisps, but I’ve got lots of lovely cheese left over from Christmas, so a stack of cheese, crackers and chutney in the evenings. It’s like another dinner.
I’ve got my 2 days in the week of 500 calories (5:2 diet) but I’m still a bit piggy at other times. Am joining the gym tomorrow, though!

Again, well done to those who’ve stayed dry up till now.

16% sounds so good! And what exactly are the crazy vivid dreams all about? I dream vividly anyway but these are something else - full cinematic stories with locations and a plot and characters!

Not sure if I’ve lost weight (I do really need to so fingers crossed) but the snack monster is being kept at bay. It helps that I have reached an age where eating too close to bedtime gives me awful reflux, so I try to give myself two hours clear before laying down. Proper middle aged, that

Aren't we all doing well! I'm beginning to think this is the reset I need. I could easily polish off quite a few, very stiff G&T's with little effect. Wine does/did effect me though. To be able to reset and have a gin or two and be satisfied will be lovely.

The best part though, I really want to keep this up. I'm loving waking up in the morning worry free knowing that I've not said something embarrassing, inappropriate or rude the night before. Remembering coming to bed. Reading a book and enjoying it.

What was I scared of? I was scared not to drink thinking I needed it to cope. I've actually found I cope better without it. Such a lightbulb moment. They say habits take 6 weeks to form so I'm publicly committing to doing this for 6 weeks.

Well I fell off the wagon on Friday night.
So I'm back on day 2. Ok so far. I'm shocked that I'm proud of that so will keep going .

It helps that its Monday and everyone back to normal routine.

Bed early is definitely a good idea

I'm in, dry since the 1st! Feel clearer headed for it already, but compensating with choc and leftover Christmas treats. Good luck to us all. It's the long days with the kids that get me!

Every time I have a period of not drinking I'm reminded of how I am naturally always sluggish and tired in the morning, it's not just the wine! I often blame it on that but I'll never be a morning person.

So I'm not feeling that much different but definitely motivated to continue, to reset my habits and lose weight which is going well so far. And the fatty liver thing!

I'm lucky I don't have much on socially this month where I'd normally drink so it's not as hard as it could have been.

Hi everyone, just popping over from one of the other dry threads.

@ColouringPencils, if you would like a book recommendation, can I suggest Allen Carr's The Easy Way To Control Alcohol. I've found it really helpful.

Day 9 here. Feeling tired i have to admit but i think that's due to my perimenopausal period being non ending.
And the thought of back to work.

Like a PP I felt that there can be other focusses. So last minute I nipped in the car and drove up to see my daughters and went to se Little Women and then out for a quick bite to eat. As a treat it beats sitting on the sofa with a cheeky daytime sherry or two and snacks.
Just done some yoga and meditation and getting on with some work from home and tidying the house.

I'm not really finding it hard at the moment, in fact I'm enjoying the rest from the constant conversation of 'shall i have a glass of wine today or not?'

M test will be Friday when the week has been busy and tiring.

But that's ages away, all i have to think about is today. Which is always a relief. Just today.

Cinema and dinner out was yesterday by the way. I've not done all that by midday today

Day 12 today - am actually really chuffed I have done 1/3 of a month!

Wondering if post work wine will be harder to not drink but we'll see

Need to save anyway - am being made redundant in April

Day 6 and tired after another shitty night's sleep, or lack of. I just cant switch my mind off without alcohol quieting the noise...

I’m on day 6 now and am definitely feeling better for it, but last night was horrendous... I could Not sleep for anything, I’m hoping that improves!

Today is okay.

It’s okay because it’s routine and I have to drive tonight past 8.30pm so frankly DJ or not I’d have had to abstain. So petulance is pointless today. But on the whole the first day back at work is shitty and I’d have had to drag my sorry woolly ass out of bed. It still wasn’t nice and I’m still not a morning person but I got up to a clean tidy house and organised bags etc which may otherwise have fallen by the wayside. And I had enough gumption to put supper in the slow cooker and plan my evening (post driving anyway) and hopefully get a snore free night as DH is now away.

And I’ve been asked to drive to a lengthy meeting tomorrow, and instead of feeling ‘ugghh’ i was more ‘I’ve got this’ which I am sure is because the sluggishness is lifting.

Either that or I daren’t stop the momentum of movement and activity so that I don’t start thinking about wine!!

Nice savoury hot drink is miso soup - and hardly any calories. And I’ve got some of the 40 calorie choc drinks today too for my evening. Now strictly back on 1200 cals a day and using MFP. Weighed myself this morning and amazingly I’m exactly the same as Dec 20th, but all means is that I’ve got a head start and I’m not trying to backtrack. I lost 2 stone last year. Another 2 and I’ll be at target weight and well within BMI.

MusicToMyEars800 can I recommend Simple Habit to you? It's a meditation app. No way on this earth would I pay full price but there is one 'go to sleep' meditation that I use when my brain is racing. It's on the free version and is called 'Drift to Sleep' by Andy Hobson.

Well done so far everyone! I’m not sleeping great either like a lot of you but that should change soon hopefully. Last year dry January really helped me reset with alcohol and there is always a thought of wanting to quit for good so will see how I feel on the first of feb. I’m hoping I get some of the energy some of you have and get all productive and Pollyanna soon - kids are back to school tomorrow and it’s been lovely having time together but I’m looking forward that (it is definitely time!)

It's weird how much space this takes up in the mind, isn't it?
It is literally the difference between not having something and having it but knowing you don't always want it and it's bad for you to boot.
Why is it so hard? (Asking for myself in about a week and a half's time.)

Fatty liver keeps making me think of Lip Up Fatty by Buster Blood vessel.

Evening. Can I join you?
I am a regular drinker who needs to really cut back. Although I successfully did DJ last year, I was soon back to my bad old ways.
It’s going to be even more difficult this year as I am away with work for the next two weeks and quite a few of my colleagues like a drink (or 5) in the evening. Need all the help I can get. Thanks

I thought this weekend visiting old boozy friends was going to be the biggest "hump" to get through this month, but today's long walk with the kids followed by Cats has left me properly yearning for a beer. I've just eaten almost a whole big bag of tortillas with a cup of tea. Gah.

Should be okay today. If I can manage bedtime (kids actually not too bad tonight - I think they were ready to go back to school!)

I am still eating all the time. Finding it hard to switch off my appetite. Oh well. In work tomorrow which will reduce opportunity to snack massively!

I fell off on Friday but straight back on Saturday. For me I’m doing well. Not sleeping though, very hot then cold and restless all night with crazy dreams of things from the past. Eyes still clear and bright. I like that.