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 went out, had a glass of wine, and then came in and had another - and then stopped - on Friday. I had two glasses of wine on Saturday evening, and could have probably stopped after one glass. So, feeling tentatively pleased that I've broken the "habit" of drinking most of a bottle once I've started it. But, I have just poured the remainder of the bottle down the sink in case I was tempted to finish it tonight, so not quite confident in myself...

Dry January appears to have done the trick in terms of resetting the habit. We had our weekly bottle of wine last night - half a bottle each. Enjoyed it but are thinking that we may stop doing that as well. We're going to have a bottle for Valentine's Day on Friday but then take the rest of the month off.

I haven't lost much weight but have been having other treats, instead of wine. I'm not hugely overweight but could do with losing 10kgs. Can't say I feel much healthier but we didn't drink a huge amount to be fair - just about the recommended 14 units a week. The main improvement for me has been better sleep - funny how only 14 units a week could have an impact on that. Think I've just fallen out of love with alcohol and the drinking just because it's a weekend.

@Breathmiller, I’m doing a free months trial of Diet Doctor so I can see all the videos, which has encouraged me to start Intermittent Fasting. I don’t know myself! I would never have believed last year that by February I’d be AF, keto and IF!!

I am seriously struggling tonight. Not sure where it's come from but I could quite happily have a glass of wine and some crisps.

Maybe been to strict with the diet thing? Feeling like i have no treats? Although bizarrely i dont feel like that. I feel I've eaten well.

But it's been a day off after a difficult few weeks and i just think... I have done well. I could have a glass of something nice and a treat and go back to it tomorrow.

Almost the only time I wobbled, Breathmiller, was a few days into dieting, and I’m sure it was a wobbly blood sugar level making me feel more “Oh sod it, what does it matter if I have some wine, FFS!”

Yes, maybe its that.

Argh! I’ve had family to stay this weekend and have fallen off the wagon massively. I’ve probably had 2 1/2 bottles of wine since Friday night. I’ve been struggling after stopping my antidepressants and have failed massively. I want to go back to the way I was in January, just poured the rest of the wine away. So annoyed with myself

Me too. Blazekin. I just don’t seem to have learnt. Had bottle of wine on Friday night and felt ridiculous. When I’m sober, I can think of all sorts of plans, drink spritzers, have a glass of water to every 2 glasses of wine, no large glasses. Start to drink and forget all good intentions. I’m beginning to wonder if I’m capable of drinking moderately. 😕

I caved last night. 2 glasses of sherry (and a very non keto huge bowl of oven chips ).

But I'm okay with it. I did 6 weeks. And I hadn't planned at the start to never drink again, I just wanted to be able to drink more moderately. I tend to be an all or nothing person. But I'm hoping that has changed. I definitely activated my off button and stopped when before i would have kept going.

We'll see how it goes from here.

I'm certainly not wanting to fall back into a vat of wine but equally I'm not berating myself. I had a couple of sherrys and a bowl of chips. Its not the end of the world.

I'm rejoining after a quite frankly not dry two weeks since the end of Jan. Having been all cocky about doing so well on DJ a couple of years ago and not finding DJ that hard I seem to have got myself into a mindset that after DJ it just all slides back to same old same old.

Anyway someone said something to me yesterday that really pulled me up short and made me think that actually same old same old is not ok for me any more.

I've been feeling completely out of sorts for the last few days - no surprise there. Will read back through the thread and take some inspiration from you all.

I think the thing to remember is that we're all doing so much better than we would be if we hadn't tried Dry January and rethinking our relationship with alcohol.

For me, even planned drinking on one night a week is better than drinking on Thursday/Friday/Saturday just out of habit.

Also, slip ups are no bad thing, they remind you of why you started this journey. I've only had two nights of controlled drinking since DJ ended. We have no alcohol in the house, only the 1 bottle we bought each Saturday to drink that night. The test for me will come when I'm in a bar and there is an unlimited supply of alcohol. I suspect that is when I will drink too much and both suffer and kick myself the next morning.

As I said below, think of the 50 steps you have taken forward and see the 1 step back as a learning experience. You're still 49 steps further along than you would be if you hadn't tried in the first place.

I don't know if anyone on here is an ex smoker? I quit 15 years ago. Whilst I don't want to become teetotal, I think I have been drinking too much (about 14/15 units a week) and it isn't good for my overall physical or mental health.

There are a lot of parallels to quitting smoking though. It's hard, managing cravings and giving into cravings are just part of the journey. We are all at the very early stages of this and it will get better.

(Although I do sometimes have the odd dream about smoking - 15 years since I quit. Usually something to do with my mum catching me smoking - I'm 40 ).

Wise words @ulvie

I'm still dry but it's been tough. I plan to go till end of February but I'm not sure I'll make it.

Thanks Ulvie. You’re right. Despite everything, I’m in a better place regarding alcohol than I was on 31/12/2019. Just need to keep being mindful about what and when I drink.

I'm definitely more mindful about drinking. I wanted a drink last night, I had 3 beers chilled in the porch but I asked myself what would I gain from drinking them and what would I lose? I'd enjoy the first one but probably not the other two, I'd be more tired in the morning, I'd have to take away a drinking night from a weekend if I want to achieve my goal. Basically nothing gained except for half an hour of enjoyment. So I didn't drink them.

Oh my goodness. I went out for dinner last night with one of my DC, who is going through some teenage stuff which for various reasons I am finding triggering and therefore stressful. I'm parenting alone for a few days as DH is away working.

I decided I'd have a small beer to relax me while I had this chat with DS. And I had it. Everything went ok (fingers crossed).

Got home, I'm on my own, there's a cupboard full of booze in the house. Previously I'd have got myself a gin and tonic - I was drinking anyway, right? Then I'd have had another just because.

Decided that nah, I didn't need it, I didn't want it, and I'd sleep better and feel better if I didn't have it. Progress!!

Great progress Nib!

You too Natsku!!

So, I've had a bit of a breakthrough today and I'd like to be pleased with it, but I just want to hide.

I've had an utter bastard of a day, unexpectedly supporting one of the DC when they hit tilt and needed me to go to a counselling appointment with them. The outcome is not unexpected, but not great and there is going to have to be a period of readjustment for that child.

Normally, I would have a drink at this point. I don't want one.

Hooray? Probably. But now I have absolutely nowhere to send all these negative emotions about life being unfair and the school being an unsupportive shower of shite and my child having to accept some limitations in their life where this morning they were 16 and invincible.

Now what? I don't smoke... I can't drink caffeine after 10am... I'm grain free, so don't do cake...

Decaf tea? Tea is my go-to drink when I'm all in my feels so decaf could work maybe.

Probably Earl Grey Rooibos, I think, Natsku. I suppose I shall just have to embrace William Cowper and "the cups that cheer but not inebriate". It just makes me feel old-ladyish!

How's everyone doing.

I'm checking in for accountability. I had planned to do 6 weeks and have a drink on Valentine's Day but now I've decided to go until the end of February.

Proper reset! And from someone who was downing at least a bottle of wine a night I needed it, as did my liver. I'm actually getting used to it and the cravings are definitely fading.

You’re my twin, @myhandsareverycold! I also like short-term goals. Having got to six weeks, I’m going on. And I was also on a bottle a night, so I’m surprising myself!

@SparklingLime....Go us!

Short terms goals are easier for me.

Are you finding your cravings are much less now?

I have replaced chocolate with wine though. I'll tackle that in March. One thing at a time.

I really haven’t had cravings, it’s been easy, but I feel I could just as easily go back to drinking as I did before - like flicking a switch on or off. It’s weird.
I started keto at the end of Jan as I have loads to lose, so no chocolate here 😕