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!

Popped into the local over the weekend with OH and i stuck to diet coke. This is unheard of for me. Better sleep is now kicking in, no hangiexty when I wake. I am loving this. The leftover wine from christmas no longer calls to me. The only odd thing is when I rirst wake it feels like I have a mini hangover yet I havent cheated at all. Feel dizzy and slightly disorientated though when I get up it passes. Anyone else experiencing any odd side effects? Not yet decided what I will do at the end of DJ. Undecided whether to fass into a dry Feb or just stick to drinking at weekends........

Morning everyone.

The try dry app - is it worth it? I started installing it but it wanted my name and address. Not sure I like that.

Today I will be sorting through my clothes and throwing stuff out. I did my batch cooking yesterday (paneer and chickpea curry). Just wish the weight would start coming off.

Hi everyone - another late arrival on the thread. Started DJ on the 2nd, and have stuck with it so far. I've done it twice before - once successfully, and last year not when it coincided with me starting a new job so lots of stress and some social events as well. My motivation is partly health but also weight, as I lost a few stone about three years ago, and it's recently started creeping back on, made worse by Christmas. So, I'm also going back to a low-carb diet at the same time, which makes things a little bit harder! Like many of you, I'm finding Friday and Saturday nights tough and have been looking for alternative ways of treating/rewarding myself. Last night I decided that cooking a much more complicated than usual (but still low-carb) supper might be the solution. It sort of worked in that it kept me busy between 6 and 7, which is the worst time for me. My big dilemma is how to spend time with friends who are big drinkers - I know that I'll be twitchy and not much fun when sat in the pub with them, so I need to find something else to suggest, like a nice healthy walk or a meet-up over coffee.

Another night done. DH is closer to caving than me.

Was up at 7 with the kids and built Lego, had two lots of time out for the smallest for hitting and they are now in their swimming lesson. Another quiet day today I think as kids are still knackered from being back at school. Suits me!

I also have malfunctioning scales. Apparently I’ve put on 4lbs since Friday 🤨🤨🤨🤨🤨. Hopefully just dehydration. I am sticking with IF but probably need to dial back on the soft drinks and stick to fizzy water. I can’t stand sweeteners so limited low cal options for me.

Once it hits 6pm I will be okay today and then won’t really be tempted until Thursday.

@SegregateMumBev
Busy day ahead for you.

I have a much needed day off today.

Had a vomiting child last night and I have a cold. My perimenopausal period still rages on, now on day 14 of that! It's very draining. So I might have a duvet day actually.

Batch cooking some soup for the week may be the extent of my activity. Bit of yoga or maybe just meditation today.

Day 15 of dry January though so all good.

I really fancied a red wine last night & bought this AF one... blooming awful... had to have a few gulps of DH’s real thing to cure my tastebuds. Avoid!!
segregate love watching the masked singer with the kids but terrible at guessing!

Today, I’m going to walk the dog with DH for an hour or so, work out exactly where the driveway needs to go for when builders arrive tomorrow, batch cook a lamb tagine, a chicken & mushroom ‘pie’, and some chocolate brownies made with kidney beans & need to see if the kids (and me) think they’re any good. Then into town as desperately need new bras... hate bra shopping. Tonight I want to pin eldest DD down to research universities. Woah, what an exciting day!! 🤣

Saturday night was fine here, finding DH and I are doing DJ differently he’s quite happy to sleep the month away and have no difference of format to days be that a Tuesday or Saturday where as I’m trying my upmost to keep the weekend, weekend like (nice meals, music on, candles, board games with the DC) I know I’m probably coming over overly chirpy and annoying but it just seems so depressing to not to try having a nice time without the wine and beer.

I’m also still waking up with what feels like a mini hangover, I never drink particularly much, a full bottle of wine occasionally so my hangovers are never that bad but the mild foggy head, dry mouth and lack of motivation to get up seems to be the same, hopefully they will pass...this is day 7 for us.

Today’s plan is a bit of house work and organising for school tomorrow.
Take our DD’s out riding (it’s a beautiful day here)
Food shop
DH will cook a roast
Have a lovely relaxing bubble bath
Call the midwife with a mint tea.

3littlemincepies the mini hangovers did stop for me. Waking up is now neutral, neither bad nor good.

Omg fail!!! Ended up going to the pub yesterday and had drinks. back on the wagon for me.

I'm going to sort out all our bedlinen into neat ready to use packs, hoover the house, make brownies, do some financial paperwork, tidy up the living room table, deep clean my bedroom and hopefully watch some crap telly. I'm missing DD1 - she's been home for a month but is now back at uni.

@imamearcat
Find the ladder behind yesterdays advent door and climb back in.

Finishing off my bag of pic n mix now and determined not to buy any more when I do the food shop tomorrow, need to stop giving in to the sugar cravings! Frozen grapes are a great sweet treat though so a nice healthy alternative - highly recommend.

Still going strong here! Feeing pleased with myself as I’ve been on a date night with my husband (dinner and a show) and didn’t drink and I’ve successfully navigated the Friday/Saturday cravings.

As someone who was previously drinking 3 large glasses of wine 5 nights a week I am impressed and relieved that I’m on track.

According to my app I have saved over 5000 alcohol calories already this month or 20+ bars of chocolate. Shocking!

I’ve dropped a couple of pounds and I’m much less bloated. My sleep is hit and miss so I’ve been giving kalms night a go, although I’m not sure they’re really doing anything.

That’s my update!

@Natsku

Ooh, thanks for that. I have grapes so I'll try frozen ones as a sweet alternative.

I'm munching on some right now. Let them defrost a little (like a few minutes) before eating and they are just perfect - I always keep a bag of them in the freezer.

I too have had a mild hangover feeling this morning - although I did go to bed too late. Was feeling productive, so started uploading photos from the year, selecting favourites and have designed a new collage canvas for the house. I do one every Jan with the previous year's photos. However I didn't finish til midnight then had to unwind!

Had our Sunday roast today and my DH came in from Tesco with a bottle, saying he couldn't resist. Fortunately it was

DH and I went clothes shopping. He bought a suit, 3 waistcoats, 2 pairs of trousers and a lovely winter coat (and socks!). I bought nothing but enjoyed helping him choose.

Driving home (we have no children this weekend) I thought how nice it would be to have a relaxing afternoon drink. Wish these thoughts would stop popping into my head.

Half way there on Wednesday. I'm wondering if I can keep this up and just have a drink socially. I'm loving waking up and not worrying what I might have said or done the night before though.

Feeling just a little smug. Older DCs crawled home about 4am after celebrating mutual birthdays in various bars/clubs. One surfaced about noon, took paracetamol and she has moaned ever since, the other is still to show his face. I have heard a few grunts so obviously is feeling it!
I, of course, have taken great delight in vacuuming the stairs, other bedrooms and landing extremely thoroughly

Anyone else cooking a roast today and really missing their glass of wine?!

I’m happy that I got through crunch time of Thurs/Fri/Sat without missing alcohol too much. I did eat a full bag of jelly babies over the weekend though so my body is obviously craving the sugar it is missing from alcohol. That said, due to lack of hangovers, we’ve been on two family walks and done 12 miles each over the weekend - so I’ve burned off the jelly babies and a bit more.

I must say my sleep is getting a lot better, as someone else said, 7 days alcohol free seems to be the magic number.

I’ll have a fairly clear run now until Thursday. As I only usually drink on Thursday / Friday / Saturday. Well done everyone!

Having my first real wobble.

Dropped DD off at Uni today and just got home-missing her and home feeling bleak-grim sunday night-feel like nothing to look forward to- for the first time I am really, really wanting a glass of wine...

mumsie - my DC almost at uni stage. Must feel really weird without them. Could you light a fire and retreat to sofa with comfort viewing or bed and hot choc with a good book.

Have got through the weekend, we went out for a walk today and I was up early playing lego with the little one. It definitely makes it easier getting out of bed and I feel like the sleep I'm getting is more restful.

Weighed myself the other day at the in laws and fervently hoping their scales are inaccurate as according to them I'm 2 stone over what I want to be!! Next thing to tackle is no/low sugar - one step at a time though!

mumsie
I hear ya. My kids are at a different stage - Just about to iron uniforms, put kids in bath and bed early. But I feel like I have nothing to look forward to afterwards. (It will be a loud and angsty hour, as ever on Sunday evenings)
Pathetic I'm wanting a reward after a simple every day task!
Must be strong.