DRY JANUARY 2024! 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!

DJ threads are 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 7th year of DJ and I swear it has made all the difference to me. It was so hard first time, but it has definitely 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 DJ2024 Wagon creaks to a start in just 5 days! Join us!

Day 5 done. Found some licorice tea in the cupboard, then made a curry. I find that strong flavours take away the urge to drink wine. Watched the last 2 episodes of Slow Horses, which was so exciting I didn't even think about drinking, although I needed two mugs of chamomile to calm down afterwards!

A friend who was also doing DJ has already given up, and I know there must be lots of people who haven't even tried because they think it is too hard, so well done to everyone here, and genuine sympathies for those who haven't been able to crack it this time round.

@Sunandseaforme , I believe moderate drinking relaxes blood vessels, which, if you have a tendency to get migraines might help prevent them. If you google 'relax blood vessels naturally' you might find you can incorporate more of certain foods to duplicate the effect?

@baggienat , so sorry about your cat, but well done for staying strong.

Oh go this is terrifying. Thank you again for all your work.

Hi everyone im new to posting but I have been following this thread. I ended up doing back to back shifts and by the time I got home hubby had already caved! I had a slip myself then and stupidly thought id have a few wkds i ended up pouring my second away, in a way it’s helped because it cemented how much I don’t enjoy it anymore I was feeling really good yesterday but I do feel pretty good today knowing how much I want to do this now and not just for January x

Thanks @Neptunium93 that makes a lot of sense. I had a quick Google and I’m going to get some green tea to see if that helps.

@wellitywellness thank you so much for your posts and links. For one thing, you've allowed me to be a very lazy OP (as usually I'm scrabbling around looking for articles, links and other info) and for another your posts are exactly what we need. That last one was, indeed, terrifying.
For anyone who hasn't read this - it's quoted above - please do.

It is bizarre that the dangers of alcohol are not more widely publicised at national level. It goes without saying that there are politics involved, money being made, taxes being raised, etc. but surely alcohol is costing the NHS £billions.

If you will allow me to jump the gun again, I have another percentage for you. If you get through today, when you wake up tomorrow you will be more than 20% of the way through Dry January, as we will reach that point at around 5 am.
20%!!!

I won't woop woop yet until we're there, but it's a very good point to aim for.

Have a good (and dry) weekend everyone.

Wow, Day 6 already. 20% feels good!

I'm really surprised that I haven't found it hard yet. But that's because DH is doing it too. If he was pouring a glass of wine at dinner I'd be keeling. Instead we are having juice with sparkling water and then he hits the sweet stuff while we watch TV. I got a really sweet tooth last year, I remember. It made me wonder if we get a fair bit of sugar just from wine.

Made it through a Friday night at the pub without alcohol 💪
I took my car and dropped my friend home and can recommend the alcohol free old mout berries and cherries 😊
feels nice waking up feeling pretty fresh !
day 7 today..

Thanks @HPLikecraft - my aim in writing these is to process and distill things down so I can read them back to myself in handy quick read summary versions, so I'm delighted if other people can benefit from the same...

So sorry about Mavis, @baggienat 😢

Thanks for the 20% stat OP - that sounds like a big chunk of dryness. It’s definitely the motivation I need to get through today.

I’m in the pub having lunch, and drinking Pepsi Max.

I’m actually not finding it as hard as I thought I would.

I've been out for brunch and I think the day seems to be stretching out quite far without the promise of a wine. I think I'm going to drink lots of water and settle down with a brew and my book.

I'm surprised that it hasn't felt too much of a struggle too, it's very unlike me! Mustn't get cocky though!

So sorry baggienat about Mavis. Hope it was gentle and you are taking care of yourself.

So here lunch has been the remains of the holiday period Cheese fest. DH is under the weather so i'm dining alone, and therefore a point of risk. Having pondered and dismissed the idea of a glass, who am I kidding, of wine to go with said cheese, I opted for some tonic water. So day 6 continues AF.

I've managed my first exercise of the year today even with the crappy sleep so I'm pleased with myself there.

I'm trying to use DJ to set some healthier routines and habits but with very small changes so it doesn't feel completely unrealistic.

We're off to a pub lunch tomorrow with friends so that will be interesting. I've checked and the pub has lots of delicious AF options so feeling optimistic!

Not finding it too hard, tonight is the crunch, but as Ive upped my water intake and have bitter lemon in the fridge I have plenty of AF drink to hand - not to mention about five different flavoured teas. Mind you, looking at TV tonight I'll probably be in bed at 8.30 with tea and a book.

Had one wobble in the week when I told myself I wanted a drink, then told myself nope, you're wrong, you don't. Two weeks AF is my record, so next weekend will be interesting.

Managed to get a bit of housework done today. But other than that I’m just so tired! Like I said before, I think that drinking masked my tiredness to some extent. Now I’m AF I’m really noticing it.

Loved waking up feeling fresh, been out for a lovely crisp walk, nipped to Sainsbury's and got some lovely snacks and now DP has poured a rum and coke. (he's not doing dry Jan) and I have a twinnings Calm tea. Lord give me strength, I could cave RN as he has put on a documentary about railway lines. FFS.

I bought a bottle of de-alcoholed Merlot (0.05%) from M&S to try with dinner later - has anyone had it before? I'm doing dry Jan for weight loss rather than resetting habits, and this is pretty good on that front too. DH wants to put it in the decanter

Day 6. Worked today which makes it easier : )

DH has drunk my fake Fanta lemon which was my planned treat for tonight - unhappy!!

Absolutely ok until something angered me this morning which made me think I'm having a bad day, I only have wine on a Friday & Saturday, why am I doing this. Its also the first day I've had that feeling of I'd love a chilled white wine. It's possibly due to the fact its Saturday. The brain works in mysterious ways 🤔
So, It's because I get a better nights sleep, I want to lose a bit of weight and I want to give my body a total break from alcohol. I'm now back on track 💪 & well done to those still hanging on.

🤣

Still no desire to drink again, even if the symptoms went away with a few painkillers. And that's despite men trying to fuck with my head left, right and centre at the moment 😆😓Normally, that would be a reason to mix a cocktail or two, but I actually have a good reason to lose weight now on top of sheer vanity.

I'm having a pretty productive day, probably because I am procrastinating from my real work, which is now looming for tomorrow instead of being spread out over the weekend as planned.

But, today, I have continued decluttering (bathroom done and kitchen well underway), repotted my house plants, am now continuing on a mural I've not touched for a long while and I will finish off with an exercise while rewatching Sherlock episodes.

Got massive munchies today. Since lunch, I have had cheese and crackers, nuts, and a couple of chocolate biscuits .
Just starting dinner now!