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 🙂

I can recommend mulled cranberry juice infused with mulled wine spices. You wouldn’t expect it to be so good but it is! You can buy the spices in sachets like tea bags. Or just add a teaspoon full of mixed spices to a carton of juice, warm it through and pour through a strainer m.

I'm in !

I did 100 + days beginning of this year but then quickly went back to old habits which is a drink most evenings and a lot more if I'm out. I really need to get fit too and hopefully not drinking will help.

Im in!

And I plan for it to be the start of 100 days AF.

I did 30 days AF in September and it was great, but I went straight back to my old ways.

Me please! I hope in can do it, that ritual of wine at the end of the day is a hard habit to break!

I am in too!
I drink way too much and I hate the way I feel physically and mentally in the morning.
I am going to drink fiery ginger beer instead. UnravellingFast, was the lemon freshly squeezed in the tea?

Hello everyone I'm in started today 😊

I'd like to join you too please. Would also love some suggestions for non fizzy AF drinks.

I will be joining in too! I have done AF months before but never a January. I find alcohol just doesn't agree with me anymore and I have recently been diagnosed with IBD so less booze can only be good for helping with that.

@awkwardturtle

I'd like to join you too please. Would also love some suggestions for non fizzy AF drinks.

I'd go for posh cordial in a nice glass with ice and a slice of lemon or lime or orange.

M&S rhubarb and ginger
Elderflower

Are two that I like.

Welcome aboard to the new comers!

Keep those AF drink suggestions coming... I'll do a round up soon. It seems quite a few of us don't like sweet drinks as a substitute.

Started already, @madmumofteens? Well done to you... you can lead the way!

I'm in.

@millypeggyandpandora yes the lemon juice was freshly squeezed in when you were about to drink the cold brewed earl grey! I think you also added ice and fizzy water.

I'm in. I did Sober October 2020 (and dry Feb and Oct 2021) - it completely reset my relationship with alcohol and I've never gone back to the same levels since.

The thing that worked for me was not curtailing my social life - just switching to AF drinks. I allow drinks that are 0.5% ABV or lower and Adnam's Ghost Ship is my favourite.

I feel so bloated and fed up feeling like crap downloaded the try dry app too to keep be motivated good luck everyone 😌

I'm in as well.

I want to do it every year but I always fail. I'm determined to get through this time. Im drinking most evenings and it just doesn't agree with me. I feel terrible in the morning even after as little as only one glass of wine the night before.

I totally associate wine with 'down time' after the DC are in bed so I'm expecting it to be tough but hoping that by listening to some podcasts, coming on here and focusing on other stuff I can keep the cravings at bay.

No suggested AF drinks from me as I never manage to go AF! But noting the suggestions and thanks

I'd love to join please. I've noticed my drinking creeping up lately....if I open a bottle of wine, it's never just a glass or two. Need to give myself a break and cut it right out for a while. Hopefully shared experiences will help me stay on track!

Drink recommendations In addition to Ghost Ship mentioned above:

Fevertree White Grape & Apricot Soda (serve in a champagne flute), Tonic/soda water with bitters (orange or grapefruit) with ice & slice and spicy Virgin Marys are all good.

This time I'm also going to try out some different fruit purees (Funkin) topped up with soda or sparkling water.

Im in, never had a period of no drinking before (bar pregnancy) and worried Im going to cave!

I'm in. My drinking has been ridiculous since the first lockdown. Come 5pm most nights I'm desperate to open the wine. I don't even enjoy it anymore it's just habit. I stopped on Boxing Day and am going to do dry January then only ever on special occasions.

I quits like the alcohol free gin and tonic.
But not yet found a replacement for red wine which is my weakness

I'm in. Planning on reducing carbs and refined sugar as well. Did it last January and lost 2 stones. Sadly it's all crept back on. Need more determination for next January!

Robinsons crushed lime and mint cordial with soda water and ice is a bit like an AF mojito, very refreshing!

I’m in !!! I also joined the other thread on alcohol support. I’m going to need a lot of support!!! I’ve been drinking so much that I don’t enjoy it anymore either and have gained a stone in weight over the last year. On New Year’s Day I’m moving house so that’s a perfect opportunity to break old associations and make a fresh clean start. I really can’t wait to feel better!
There’s a sparkling lime and mint coop finest (or whatever the range) that is really nice, not to sweet and very sharp with lime. I find it hard to beat a cup of Yorkshire decaf in the evening though, with a little sweet treat. An early night and a good book

I’m in. I’ve tried a few times before but not managed it.

I find it hard as DH still drinks. However this year I’ve said I’m giving up wine only. I don’t really drink anything else. So I will maybe have the occasional gin and tonic. I do have a few alcohol free gins so that will be what I’ll have at home. DH is on for giving up wine too. It means he can still have a gin or a beer while cooking or a whisky later and it won’t bother me. But if wine is on the go I struggle. And we drink way too much of it.

I had a few weeks last year with no alcohol at various times while staying at my Dad’s. I had been a bit worried I was physically dependent to be honest but really found it easy to not drink while not at home with DH.

So plan is an alcohol free gin or a lime and soda at the witching hour which is usually around 5.30 here and then water and herbal teas.

I’m not starting until 2nd January.

Also planning on reducing carbs and refined sugar although feel if I don’t drink wine for a month I will have achieved a lot in itself!

I know a friend who does dry January every year said he craves sugar so first time he did it he had ice cream every night. Then switched to pineapple or mango.

I'm in too! I'm not sure I even enjoy drinking anymore, it's just become a habit so am hoping this will reset