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 🙂

@IWanderedLonely I insist on it!

Can I join? Drinking about 30 units a week atm easy and I need to stop. Really worried I can't do the 30 days.... currently drinking tonic in a gin glass with ice but NO GIN!

Thanks @HPLikecraft! This is the first Saturday evening I haven’t had a white wine in a very long time. That was why I was worried. I’ve managed it though! Didn’t put any in the fridge and am sitting watching DH polish off a nice bottle of red.

Ok - I'm in - one day down 😉 and I'm joining to keep me accountable. Good luck to us all 😬

I'm in too. Definitely overindulged over Christmas and ready for a bit of a health kick. I've done it nearly every year but couldn't face it last year with lockdown 2 looming.

I am doing it mainly for health reasons as I've had cancer before. Also want to sleep better, improve skin and puffy eyes, get rid of headaches by drinking more water, reduce sugar and lose weight.

I forgot to order any AF drinks in this week's shop but I like sparkling water and Rooibos tea with milk. Like the sound of all the ginger drinks. I wonder if a cold ginger tea would be nice...

I'm lucky DH is doing it with me. I was just musing about how many calories I have not consumed, not drinking tonight! Had a lovely meal, and really focussed on the flavour and enjoying the food, not being focussed on the wine. And kitchen is done, with dishes washed, floor swept, and a load of washing out, and folded, and another one on.

DH was musing to himself - I can see us getting a lot more done of an evening! So Day one almost over. Thank you fellow pengiwings, and especially Chief Pengiwing, @HPLikecraft. This thread has helped so much today!

[Claps flippers together appreciatively]

Day 1 done ✔ I'm off to bed. The challenge for me will be Friday and Saturday nights.

Evening all. Day 1 done. Not difficult as am feeling pretty fragile after NYE and just glad to get to bed.

On the subject of AF drinks my favourites are AF beers, which taste pretty much like beer to me. Have never really found a decent AF wine. I'm also interested to hear from anyone who has tried some of the many AF spirits. I tried Seedlip but hate it and think it's a waste of money.

Recently found an AF martini which is quite nice with tonic. I think maybe the bitters style drinks work best as the taste "adult " even if they don't have the alcohol bit.

Night all.

Day 1 done. Had cups of tea and a big glass of pomegranate juice topped with ice and fizzy water. Definitely easy today after drinking to see in NY.

@Cherrymix - I agree about Seedlip - unpleasant taste and overpriced.

@Dimondsareforever

I’m in! Never done it before (well I think I tried but failed). Can’t go a week without drinking. Really need to give my body a rest. Wish me luck!

You can. DH and I drink too much most of the time but we do Dry Jan. It resets you so you don't keep the Christmas excess habits going into New Year.

Hi everyone, I'd love to join too. I have some unhealthy patterns at various times with alcohol. I've stopped drinking for 4 months until end of April and it was amazing. My mental health issues dramatically became under my control, I was better able to cope and I felt really good having the self control. Found quite a few nice AF drinks too.

Phew, day 1 done and dusted ✔️ went out for a walk with DD2 and drank low cal ginger beer rather than my usual bottle of Saturday night wine.

Day one done.

I did a New Year’s Day roast for us all and have spent a very lazy evening in the sofa and just turning in now.

Morning all, how nice is it to wake up feeling fresh?! 🥰

I'm on a dry Jan group on fb and lots of people are saying "is anyone starting on Monday instead?"

And I'm thinking noooooo don't start Monday! It will never happen!

Been there and done that - if you're putting it off, you're half committed.

I'm in too! Started yesterday but little late checking in

I follow quite a few sober posters (that's not the right word is it) on Instagram. SoberDave is brilliant and is doing a live podcast every evening in January at 7.00 p.m.

Just checking in for accountability. We’ve done dry jan for absolutely years now, although we sometimes wobble! My AF beer recommendation is FreeDam: definitely worth hunting out! Good luck everyone!

Morning all. Its the start of day 2 and I slept really well last night. I need to remember this feeling when I wobble.

My AF beer suggestion is Erdinger. I don't drink beer all that often though, I need a red wine replacement. I'm planning to pick up some ginger cordial later but am wary of the sugar content. I guess in the short term it's a good crutch, I assume it has less sugar than 3 glasses of red wine

Morning! I had an awful nights sleep! How long does it take for your sleeping to get better? Bloody shattered this morning

I'm in. I've only done DJ once before but have had other dry months using the OYNB 30 day challenge and have seen tangible benefits. I find myself slipping back into habitual drinking and I would like to make some more sustainable changes this time. I dont think I want to go permanently AF but need to become much more moderate longer term.

I have ticked off Day 1 and also downloaded the Unexpected Joy of Being Sober, on offer on Kindle for 99p as companion reading.

Hi all

Must be the 15th Dry Jan for dh and me. I forgot how bloody boring it is - there's something about a glass of wine that makes everything feel so much more interesting, does time move quicker? I need a hobby because I now have too much energy in the evening. Got through loads of Camomile Tea and finally found some decent telly in the form of The Tourist to hold my interest. Think that might be key - either a hobby (knitting or crochet?) or some wonderfully good telly. Good luck every one - first one is the hardest.

Yes @footcushion I need some super boxset recommendations to replace the 'glass of wine, scroll through my phone' habit. I will try The Tourist

Oh and my advice not to go to sugar - you'll get to the end of January and you'll be a sugar addict as well as someone who drinks too much. The few pounds I drop inadvertently every year during Dry Jan keeps my weight steady and is a lovely bonus.

@asteriodeleven Sleep, for me took a while. I took comfort in the fact that I wasn't waking up in middle of night with palpitations- they stopped immediately. I also woke with a headache for a few months- it eventually disappeared.

Research (and good advice from those who know) say this is the body getting rid of the poison. "Hep, you've been poisoning your body daily for years, it will take time to recover ". Made sense.

I also expected immediate results in my skin!
That said - I still felt better and the results do come. DJ was one of the best things I have ever done. Still AF. Lost 3 and half stone, skin definitely better, no red puffiness or little spots.

I never thought I would be able to go a day - but I did. Take One Day at a Time and if I can do it - anyone can.