DRY JANUARY 2023! 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 sixth year of DJ and I swear it may have saved my life; 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. Everyone welcome 🙂☕️🧃

The DJ2022 Wagon creaks to a start in just 4 days, but always stops for latecomers 🙂

Today I have had no refined sugar. I ate two eggs on toast for breakfast, had a homemade porridge oat, milk, avocado and pineapple shake for lunch. A satsuma for a snack and a salmon pasta with homemade pesto and veg for dinner.

oh no 🙈 tell a lie i DID have a chocolate biscuit for afters. Damn!!

there’s always tomorrow.

I'm doing it. 3rd year in a row.

Day 3 fine. Not had any strong craving for a drink except a passing, 'ooh wine!' at about 6pm every night but it moves on quickly. But have been a bit grumpy which I think is a sign and the sugar craving has kicked in. Turkish delight, brownie, chocolates. Supposed to be dieting but taking things one at a time for now.

@WinterFoxes I'm feeling the sugar cravings too.

In bed now and will actually read before going to sleep instead of passing out!

Does anyone else feel like their skin is itching when they are trying to get off to sleep?

Day 3 has been good for me. Had a lovely wee day with my partner and daughter and then done a little workout in the living room tonight which made me feel great. No temptation to drink either but like a few others have said it will be Friday and Saturdays i find the hardest though my partner has been drinking the last 3 days as he is off work and we would normally enjoy sharing a bottle of red wine in the evenings but he has been drinking beers so its been easy not to want to join him.

@thenightsky Not for me, though I have eczema, so I just don't notice much of a change!

We're on day 4, ladies, and the thought of another day without alcohol actually has me a little excited. Today will be the equivalent of one bottle of spirits, so 40 full units of alcohol less (bloody hell) and a minimum of £16 saved so far!

I have made a pact with myself to transfer my weekly savings into my savings account, by the end of the month I should have saved just over £139, which works out at nearly £1650/ year. Of course I won't be sober all year, I'm not going that far, but it's nice to know that, realistically, I will be able to save around £1200 just by cutting down on booze for the rest of the year, with the ultimate goal being the odd glass at weekends/ in holidays or on a very occasional night out.

It’s the start of day 5 for me and I’m feeling good!
2nd day back at work but an earlier start today so my first alarm was set for 5:45. I was up with no problem. I’d slept well, and the times I did wake up I was able to drift off again relatively easily.
Both yesterday after work and also a bit this morning I found myself happily getting on with extra chores rather than just what was needed to get by. Recently the tiredness from drinking, and indeed the acting of drinking itself has made me very lazy, so that was a noticeable change.
And the best bit is that last night I didn’t miss wine at all.

I know they’ll be difficulties around the corner - (the first being the weekend), but this morning I’m feeling good, and also feeling very happy about it.

Thank you for this thread and to everyone on it.

@Haruka I’m hoping to have transferred most of my drinking money into my savings too - bar the odd treat etc.
I actually have no idea how much I spend on alcohol each month. DH buys some wine for me so I expect he’ll see a saving too.

Also was it you who was asking about weight? I’m overweight, but for what it’s worth I weighed 14st9.5 on NYD and this morning weighed 14st4.5 this morning. As well as DJ I’m on a general health kick with food. I’m sure the 5lb lost isn’t actual fat or anything, but I am hoping for a decent weight loss this month.

Didn’t sleep well last night, and got a stressful day at work ahead - normally I would be looking forward to a cocktail when I get home but going to try to make up a mocktail version instead.

Made it to day 4. So far, no major cravings, just thoughts. My sleep pattern is still erratic but glad to say no more night sweats since that first night. Me too, to those experiencing more peeing than usual. I’m taking a herbal liver detox tablet. No idea if it’s any good or if I am just creating expensive pee.

Good morning everyone! Hope you're feeling well and rested. And dry!

I've managed fine without too much trouble other than eating a pile of crap in the evening. Have been going bonkers in Duolingo and was briefly top of the leaderboard!🏆
DH put on such a crap film for us last night, new one with Adam Driver. So awful.

OK, a percentage, I hear you ask? Well, firstly, if you've gotten through 3 whole days that's 9.67% Wooo!

But!
If you take the total time passed, though (i.e. 8.30 am on day 4) we are, now......

Drumroll.....

10.8% of the way through!

We've breached the 10% mark! Well done everyone, that's massive!

Slept well last night. No cravings. Have to keep an eye on sugar consumption. I know when an alcoholic family member finally managed to get sober they ate so much sugar they ended up with diabetes 😭 Of course that won't happen but I normally eat very little sugar but have been eyeing up the Lidl apple turnovers.

Well done all. I am joining from today.

Thank you, the percentage totals are really motivating!!

Awful might's sleep for me. Awake staring at the ceiling until 4m. I had to get up this morning as I have an appointment to get to (well woman clinic). I've got an awful headache and feel a bit dizzy... very much like being in that half way house of still a bit drunk, but getting to the hungover stage. Urgh.

I went to sleep fine, but was kept awake through the night by heavy winds. Today is my last day of holiday before work tomorrow, so that will be hard.

Also eating more than usual, but given daily alcohol calorie savings am pretty sure it balances out.

Day 4 for me and this would normally be a night I have a wine. Wednesday are hectic in our house though thankfully not today as the schools are still off today. I have already booked an exercise class for early evening and got everything organised to repaint my hall and bathroom door tonight. My hall and livingroom are getting redecorated soon as dc3 "decorated aka ripped the livingroom wallpaper" recently and the hall is covered in finger prints despite only being painted a year ago. I am doing all the prep work this week such as ripping wallpaper down, filling holes etc but getting a decorator in to do the painting as I can't get the peace to do it with 3 dcs (one with SEN needs and one in preschool), both working and endless appointments. Lol even more of a reason not to drink booze so I can save for the decorator

I can't believe I've made it to day 4 and over 10% of the way - so chuffed. Exactly 28 days or four weeks to go now, including today.

I had a bad sleep again last night, but I think it's down to restarting the antidepressants rather than alcohol withdrawal. Hopefully it'll just be a temporary side effect of getting back on them and will pass soon.

I'm feeling so much better physically - I have more energy and I'm sure it's just my mind playing tricks, but even my insides feel better somehow.

Mentally I'm a bit less anxious, but still feel really irritable and crabby when I think about drinking and the fact I can't have one. I will continue to take it an hour at a time.

I'm hoping that once I've completed a week of DJ I'll be feeling more positive that I can actually do this.

After a very dozy start to the morning, feeling refreshed and ready to tackle a work and domestic to do list.
I am also finding the 'percentage' info encouraging - have never thought about alcohol free days in that way before. I seems somehow more of an achievement to complete 3.2% rather than 1 day.
Have a good day everyone, whatever it holds.

Well done all!

DH and I start today and honestly, it can't be too soon for me. Our downfall is the pub which is sooooo expensive and is a terrible habit. We had a final couple drinks last night at home as the weather was disgusting, so I transferred the money we would have spent (£30 😬) into savings. This in itself should be a great motivator!

Well I stuck to my limit last night. Didn’t sleep brilliantly but I’ve had worse nights.

I like the idea of transferring money saved into savings. It’s not a huge amount for me so far, only about £7.50! But if I do stick to the plan the savings will get bigger and might get myself a treat at the end of the month (not alcohol!).

Well done to everyone and hope you have a good day.

Nice to hear that I'm over 10% through. I had elderflower kombucha (Sainsbury’s) with dinner last night in a wine glass and loved it. Actually nicer than many white wines I've had. Don't think would want it as a standalone drink but as a white wine alternative with dinner it's amazing.

It's only 11.35, but the weather is miserable (yet again) and I'm already feeling really annoyed that I can't have a glass of wine later. That in turn makes my mood low.

10% is motivating.
Dragged myself out of bed at 7.15 for first day back at work. Pitch dark,pissing rain. Got there to find the boiler is bust so all sent home. 84 mile round trip for nowt. Back in bed as its warmer than putting the heating on. Day 4 almost half way through