Dry January 2020 thread 2... keeping it dry!

[ParanoidGynodroid]

Thread two to help us continue to share the love (and dryness)

Keep going, everyone... good luck

I'm feeling good today after I overindulged on Saturday. I had some wine on Sunday evening but not too much, and then easily got back into not drinking mode tonight. I barely thought about it which I'm really pleased about. Had a momentary wobble when I remembered there was some wine left over in the fridge but realised I'd just be drinking it for the sake of it!

Dh and I had the evening of drinking we’d planned for Saturday, on Sunday instead. And I couldn’t stop. It was so strange. Partly it was good music and we were laughing a lot...partly the ‘freedom’ I suppose. Anyway I added it up and it was 13 units.

I actually didn’t feel awful afterwards, I felt tired and dehydrated but by some miracle I avoided a hangover.

But no way do I want to be binge drinking, so that’s me dry for another while!

By ‘evening of drinking’ I don’t mean we’d planned a full programme or anything ‘Non-dry evening’ would have looked better there quite possibly.

Still dry here. Not counting dry days anymore, just recording them quietly in my diary - green dot for dry, red dot for drinking. Not even thinking about it! I worked out we're saving about £120 a month not drinking (Naked Wines are lovely, but not cheap), which is a good quid pro quo. That's a family day out.

Right now, almost certain to hit 300 dry days this year, as I can't currently think of 63 more reasons to drink! But the point here is not to overthink it, and just get on quietly with living a life without alcohol.

I'm planning on not drinking this coming weekend and then see how I feel the weekend after. Using the app to keep track of money I'm saving and thinking about what to do with it - a family day out sounds like a good idea now that OH managed to fix the loo so we don't need to buy a new one

Didn't;t drink last night and feel so much better today than I did yesterday. I'm having another night off tonight. Can't pretend I'll never drink again but I don't really want to drink casually at home any more. Just on nights out (and there aren't many of them!)

Like PP I can’t honestly say I’ll never drink again but my view on drinking has definitely changed. I drank 4 glasses of wine on Saturday but wish I’d stopped at 1. I’ve decided to aim for 300 days AF this year. A drink every so often for a special occasion or night out is still likely to happen but drinking is now the exception rather than the rule.

Six weeks dry today! Enjoying it. Wondering when I’ll have a wobble ...

Its no more 'wasted' by putting it in the bin than in my belly Wise words indeed, thank you 😊

That's brilliant RaisinsRuinEverything

I had stopped counting days and hadn't thought of starting counting in weeks .

I am just over 5 weeks. 6 on Sunday. I like the idea of ticking off another week every Sunday after a dry weekend. Just another incentive.

On the weight loss thing (or lack of it here now) ..has anyone ever tried intermittent fasting? I was thinking that since this counting thing seems to be working with alcohol, I wondered if counting hours for eating might work?

I seem to have some bug or something..exhausted, aching joints and such a pounding headache. So much so I've been taking paracetamol and spent most of the day in bed. Seems really unfair when I keep thinking "but..but..i should be feeling tip top as I've not been drinking!!" If i had the energy I would stamp my feet! A pathetic petulant lip will have to do.

My partner and I decided we would only drink when we have no children at home. Tonight we have no children at home.

I've already decided not to drink (not withstanding it's a school night and I have another day of bank to back meetings tomorrow). That's such a win for me. I'm loving seeing those yellow/orange square on the app too. It's too early to say with conviction but I think I might be winning this battle with my head.

How's everyone else doing in moderating/abstinence?

Still dry here, I'm making a concerted effort to lose a considerable amount of weight this year so that's making it easier as I'd rather eat my calories than drink them. I'm more of a binge drinker than an every day drinker so have found January fairly easy because I've not had any evening socials and on the odd occasion I've fancied a glass (ergo a bottle) at home I've managed to distract myself until the moment passes.

Not giving up entirely but it's got to be 'worth it'. I've got a couple of things coming up that I've already decided I won't be drinking at and a night out where I know I will get some 'stick' for not having a drink (family thing) but to be honest it's going to be an awkward evening no matter what I do might as well just put up with the shit sober and not have to deal with feeling crappy the next day as.

Has anyone else experienced the 'so boring' comments and eye rolls when they've turned down a drink?

@SunshineAvenue

Not had the eye roll yet but I've had a few "you, doing dry January, never did I see that coming". Not an insult per say however a valuable insight into my past drinking habits.

Scrolling through Facebook memories and shocked to see how many mention alcohol in various forms.

I totally get what you mean about eating calories rather than drinking them too. I've replaced my wine with chocolate so scales have remained the same however the bloat has gone.

@SunshineAvenue

And I agree with your 'worth it' sentiment!

First two nights of Feb, not dry, not excessive but just a couple of glasses. Thick head, bloated stomach, dry mouth, bad sleep, flilthy temper, woolly brain, hours of lethargy.

I had no idea a small amount of alcohol was impacting on me so much. Two nights off again and I feel so much better. I like having energy. And I love cups of tea.

@Breathmiller I do intermittent fasting, never been able to limit what I eat so limiting when works much better for me. Have lost roughly 6kg since I started in the early summer.

@Natsku
Thanks for that. I could do with something that's easy. I have done low calorie and putting everything in MFP before and it worked. But I want to have something that takes up less headspace.

A bit like drinking I suppose. Shall i have a drink? Shall I have night off? Sooo much tedious brain chatter.

And that chatter seems to be hardly there anymore. 🙂

How is everyone doing?
Anyone just bobbing along happily without alcohol as part of the equation?

Me! Loving it. Feeling so much better (ok I had that Sunday binge...). It’s so easy now, evenings don’t include alcohol and that’s that. Fine.

I did 5:2 for ages and it was good. Trying to get back into it again and was on track on Monday till dh made a huge lasagne! To be fair I hadn’t told him I was trying to do 800cals... d’oh.

Just popping in to say Hi! Well done you who are still keeping it going, you have my full admiration!

I'm going to try getting back into 5:2 as well, it's worked for me before, and is also a great way to keep alcohol in check.

@breath
I'm bobbling along happily without booze. I'm amazed at myself!

Yay!! segregate ive missed your photos.

Well done to all us bobbling booze free beauts.

I needed wine for cooking today but I saw a mini bottle of AF red wine in the supermarket and thought why not try that instead of buying a real wine. It worked really well in the food, and there's half of it left which I think I shall drink tomorrow to toast my uterus, again, for DS's birthday without losing a AF day. It smelt pretty normal though I didn't taste so maybe I'll be disappointed by the flavour tomorrow but nevermind, can always use it for cooking again.

Hi, 🙋‍♀️ Still bobbing along. Reading about the 5:2, might give it a go. Feel loads better not drinking but am disappointed no real weight loss and no fabulous skin.

I’ve not experienced eye rolls yet but there have been some slight digs at my AF status, and a bit of ‘testing’ from nearest and dearest. I’m not rising to it! Re the intermittent fasting. I do lose weight with it but found 5:2 too difficult to stick to for more than 2 weeks. 16:8 suits me better. Long term though, you need to ensure you aren’t missing out on any food groups. The majority of my calcium intake came from breakfast so, when I stopped eating anything until lunch, I ended up with low calcium and vitamin D levels.