DRY JANUARY 2022! Been overindulging? Drinking crept up? Want to begin a healthy new you? This way please. All welcome!

[HPLikecraft]

It’s that time of year again... the late Christmas present to our livers!

You may be thinking of doing Dry January to:

*detox a little after seasonal overindulgence, or
*help you cut down a bit generally, or
*help you start to get out of a harmful alcohol habit, or
*just be a bit healthier for a month...

It’s good for all of those things!

I find the MN DJ threads excellent for support, encouragement, sharing info, ‘we’re in this together’ camaraderie, suggestions for grown up drinks, aversion techniques and just fun.

This is my fifth year of DJ and I swear it has made all the difference to me; it was so hard first time, but having succeeded I did dry June and October after that, and do so most years. It has broken my habit, banished much of the craving and reset my relationship with booze. I imagine it's added years to my life.

I won’t be finding DJ too difficult this year, but some will. Hopefully this thread will help.

Throw your hat in the ring, pull up a chair and let's do this together. 🙂☕️🧃

The DJ2022 Wagon creaks to a start in just 5 days, but always stops for latecomers 🙂

@crunchymum I have cordial but am trying to avoid AF alternatives. I'm not a huge beer drinker and hate gin. As AF wine is rank I'm planning to manage on tea or sparkling water.

WELL. Today's been interesting...

I've been up since 3am being vomited on by my toddler every 30 mins until 7.30am when he finally stops. I suspect he may have cyclic vomiting.

I then have all my family from afar come to our house for a late Christmas gathering, so I cook for, feed and host for 15 people.

I desperately wanted Prosecco. It was a Prosecco moment.

So the wine witch started chattering. From 1pm-7pm all I hear in my head is

"It's just Prosecco, it's only 11% it'll be fine!"

"You deserve it! You cooked for 15. Get Prosecco!"

"Look! They bought you wine, urgh only 11%. Still, it would be rude not to drink it. Prosecco first?"

"God you are so stressed. Do you know what can help? Prosecco."

"DH has offered to go and buy you Prosecco, you can accept at any time...."

"Ah, you need to drop DC off in town tonight? Right by the off license? Easy peasy, Prosecco."

"Don't worry, you can start dry Jan again tomorrow it's only one day. You can be dry the whole of feb. The whole of the year! Just get Prosecco now and unwind."

So I thought fuck it. The voice wins. I will get it.

I was so close. So so close to buying some. Then I thought that it wasn't Prosecco that I wanted, but a reward for getting through the day.
I've been doing the 5:2 diet, so instead, I've broken my diet and bought a bunch of tasty rubbish and snacks to eat instead.

And just like that, the voice stopped.

Until next time.

Wow, good on you for besting the winewitch, Itsallaboutthelighting! Huge kudos! (I figure I'm only going to fight on one front. That's alcohol. Everything else can go hang. . .)

@HPLikecraft

Can’t go a week without drinking

Yes you can, @Dimondsareforever ! You can do it this week as a start. Let us know how it’s going and if you’re struggling.

Thanks @HPLikecraft for the encouragement!

Well I’ve done it! 8 days without drinking! Thursday to Saturday nights are my ‘hard ones’. I know I’ll be fine next few days.

Nut - Next weekend will be my next hurdle. But have stuff planned to keep me busy.

Keep going everyone!

If anyone is going for a distraction walk tonight, there's a chance of seeing the Northern Lights. I can't go out, DD fast asleep and I'm in bed with my tea.

Finished The Tourist. Now watching Screw, which I'd also recommend.

Well done everyone getting through day 8, especially those who have had a challenging day today.

I’ve had an ok day, have had my hair done which was nice, nothing more exciting than that unfortunately.

Well done lightning!
I'm back from the pub. Drank soda water, it was absolutely fine. Just waiting for a takeaway to arrive.
I realised I'm using the thread a bit like CBT but I think it's really helping. Feeling very proud I've got through the weekend with no alcohol

In bed. Having ticked off my 6th dry day. Yay!

Unheard of not to drink wine in a Saturday night at home with DH.

He had gin again. I made it and wasn’t tempted at all. I finished off the bottle of ginger beer I opened last night.

DH cooked a lovely chicken madras from scratch.

After dinner I had some trifle that somehow jumped into my trolley at the supermarket the other day and some tea.

@ItsAllAboutTheLighting - well done on resisting the lure of the Prosecco. I’m not sure I would have managed with people over.

@DavetheCat2001 - I’m similar. Really love wine. But drink way too much. DH is the same. Actually he’s probably a bit better than me in some ways. But still drinks way too much. We are both overweight. I’d love to be able to be sensible. My neighbour has two glasses and then stops. That’s it. I’m hoping this reset will help me to be more in control.

Day 8 completed. Just watching episode 1 of The Tourist with a pint of water. I feel like I always need to have something to drink, I suspect the vaping causes this. But as you say battle one demon at a time.
Well done everyone!!

Well done everyone. I had a little wobble about 5pm but distracted myself with stuff on the TV and made it through another day. From Monday I’m going to try and stop replacing the alcohol with cake and chocolate and hopefully lose some weight this month!

Day 8 almost done. I'm on gin free gin and tonic and managed to get some sleep tea
DH complaining I'm going to bed early but I'm genuinely tired. Also have put a pound ON ! Must stop snacking. Or make healthy snacks

Hi everyone, you're all doing so well! I am feeling much more relaxed tonight, and also happy I have now done it. Tomorrow will be easier. The bright eyes and glowing skin are sure to kick in soon!

Day 8 done. But I am getting fed up of eating my bodyweight in sweets to compensate. I never usually snack in the evenings. Anyone got any tips to distract me?

Am going to investigate the Tourist as everyone else seems to be on it.

Have to report that new Xmas board game was a great success - mainly from my point of view because I was with it enough to actually engage and follow it rather than being a mild wine haze.

@ItsAllAboutTheLighting - your wine witch battle sounds epic - I imagine like something from Game of Thrones (if I had actually watched that).

Hope the snacks were utterly lovely.

@blackteaplease and @Crunchymum I don't go for alternatives either. My oh is chugging AF beers like it's going out of fashion. I feel I need to reset my habits and stick to water. That works better for me.

Day 8 here. I've combined giving up the booze with other good habits firming rituals
Contact lens out every night
Skin care routine nothing and night
Getting up a bit earlier to shower in the morning rather than evening or skipping it completely.
Our bodies are our only home and we don't get a chance to have another one. We need to look after them.
Well done everyone. 25% - it won't be long and we will be over half way there.

I'm SO glad I didn't relent and drink Prosecco (no doubt followed by wine).
I woke up this morning feeling like hell. My muscles hurt, I feel weird and shaky and sick.

In other words - I actually feel a bit hungover which on one hand feels a bit cruel given that I didn't drink, but on the other hand I'd have felt so much worse if I had!

Day 9?! How awesome is that??
I'm day 10 as I could face waking up on the morning of 2022 feeling like crap.

That's the weekend DONE.

Well done us!!

Morning all, happy Sunday! Glad to be through weekend 1. Well done so far 😀

I don’t really go for alternatives either really. Just a soft drink when we would normally have a first drink. Then I have water and tea. I thought about having an AF beer last night with our curry but I rarely drink beer anyway so didn’t see the point!

I’m really enjoying my cup of tea with something sweet mid evening. I’m not going mad but it’s helping. I won’t do it forever as I’m going to start intermittent fasting next month so won’t be eating after dinner. But for now it’s helping me tackle the wine issue.

@ItsAllAboutTheLighting - very unfair you feel hungover having resisted so well! Hope it’s not Covid?

It took me a bit of time to get to sleep last night. Then I woke up at 1.30. Worried I’d be awake all night but drifted off again till just after 6. Then the dog had me up at 6.40. Very glad not to be feeling hungover.

Weird dreams too all night. It’s a thing according to the Try Dry app.

Morning everyone

Last night was day 6 for me so tonight will be a full week yay!

Like a lot of you, I am a regular Saturday drinker so feels good to have gotten the first one out of the way. Feeling really tired this morning though - slept solidly from 11pm to 8.30am aswell, so not sure why? Maybe it's my body catching up.

The non-alcoholic drinks everyone is having sound great but I'm sticking to water and decaf hot drinks here. I think if I had some lovely mixers to hand, it would be too tempting to pour a shot of Bacardi or vodka in there

Morning- another day done. I am back to work tomorrow and alcohol has Always been my traditional destressor and reward after a hard day

Day 9 for me, so chuffed I’ve lost 2 inches off my waist despite some sporadic snacking. Must just be mainly bloat, but I’m taking it as a ‘win’. Certainly a boost for motivation. I’m quitting sugar as of tomorrow (at least until Feb) to boost the shrinkage.

Well done everyone …. Hope you all have a lovely (AF) Sunday.

Oh not covid no, I had that 2-3 weeks ago.

I actually feel fine now, so I've no idea what that's about.
DS slept very well last night after a few nights of waking every hour and starting the day at 4am, so perhaps that's it.

Morning Everyone! Starting day 9. Feeling positive and looking forward to the day. No drunken haze 🥴 to deal with!! Over 25% is such a good feeling.