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!

@BigButtons just caught up with your post and am so impressed you got through that tough day without a drink. I think I might have allowed myself a day off. Hope you and your OH are feeling okay.

Still here (somewhat to my own amazement!) and last night was definitely easier, although I do feel a bit bored!
Eating sooo much junk though..craving crisps at 11pm!
I'm attempting to go to my first fitness class in years this evening, then babysitting so hope I'll be too tired to even think about wine later :)

Well I slept so well last night that, coupled with forgetting to set my alarm, I didn't wake up till 8.30! so DD was late for school as she'd forgotten to set hers, too. Mad dash along country roads and she got there just 15 minutes late
Like others, I'm also eating and snacking like it's going out of fashion, so the planned weight loss may have to wait a little longer. That said, I did have a 2hr brisk walk on a coastal path and beach with DH and DDog today, so feeling reasonably virtuous.

Feels good to be on day 9, doesn't it? Well into Week 2.

@Neptunium93 some of us tried Sentia last DJ! DH bought me some as he found a special offer.
I had a trawl through the MN archives, and this is what I said about it then:

So, Sentia, I hear you ask. Well, we had a couple of glasses tonight. It's rich and thick and you just have a little shot at a time. We had it with Fever Tree aromatic tonic.
I liked the flavour: rich, aromatic and a little spicy; the flavour had a boozy quality. I do actually think it did something. You know that relaxed tingle you get in your arms when you start to drink? I got that. A little. My belly went a bit warm too, and I think I felt a little more relaxed. DH thought he felt a little bit relaxed, too.
It's meant to give you a "two drinks" level of relaxedness; but really it was more of a two mouthfuls level.
I'd buy it again if it were cheaper.

It'll be interesting to see how you find it @Neptunium93 !

Thank you- that is very kind of you. I was asked if I wanted a glass of wine at the wake. The bottle was held up to me.
I replied that I very much wanted one but couldn’t have one.
i confess that I feel utterly miserable and deprived most of the time. I am not sure if I will do DJ again.☹️

Thanks @HPLikecraft , that's helpful. I have ordered the Black one as it seems to have less sugar in it and will try with tonic water and a slice of lemon. I'm wondering whether it will cause hanxiety as it seems to affect brain chemistry in the same way as alcohol (both during and post drinking), but there's only one way to find out!

@BigButtons , I'm sorry you're feeling deprived. I think you just have to go back to the old advice of taking one day at a time. You don't need to make any decisions about doing DJ next year or not at this point. You may feel differently when the time comes. I think the biggest challenge is actually making the decision to stop drinking (for however long), so you've done well to get this far.

Got the wobbles again today and reminded myself that DB has been sober for 30 years. If he can do that I'd be a complete and utter wuss not to do four weeks.

Hey all,
I'm doing ok today, no urges for wine but I do have some Becks Blue in the fridge if needed later.
I don't think I've lost any weight but I am sleeping better, not had any vivid dreams though. When looking in the mirror this morning I swear my skins a bit clearer.

Hi all, thank you for the best wishes. I am still struggling to stay dry, but am officially still on the wagon - albeit by the skin of my teeth. Largely as a result of this thread, and my blog writing task (which I literally wouldn't have time for if I were drinking...).

Another quit lit summary today - the second of a couple more to come - then I'll be looking at alcohol's effect on the brain and brain chemistry later in the week too...

https://wellitywellness.com/2024/01/09/dry-january-9-glorious-rock-bottom/

Evening 9.

Stay strong everyone.
I too have Beck's Blue in the fridge, and I've had another alcohol free cider with dinner.
My M&S AF gin and tonic last night was a bit of a disappointment, but it wasn't too expensive.

A bit of crap telly tonight (fancy a bit of Shetland) and I AM going to go on the treadmill tomorrow. I hope you're all beginning to feel done benefits; even if you're finding this challenging. Please let us know.

Will post progress report later 💪

Evening all. Checking in - all ok here. I find that eating and snacking actually goes down when I'm not drinking.

I find after a few glasses of wine I go into a kind of consumption frenzy - it's maybe something to do with the first glass not being the cure all (for boredom/ stress/ generally needing to treat myself) I was hoping for. So then I try something else like another drink or, when I think I've drunk enough (or no more drink available 🙂) I move onto to other things like some special snack treat.

The fact is that when I've not had a drink I'm more alert so can do other boredom relieving treats such as reading a trashy book or watching a TV programme without falling asleep.

Thanks for these blog posts I'm really enjoying them.

Day 9 done. Can definitely feel benefits but equally, feeling a bit bored by DJ now. It shows the power of alcohol when without it I feel alert,more energetic,less puffy and less bloated...but I still miss it despite all the horrible things it does to me.

Checking in. Been in the office and have felt so frumpy today. I drank through most of December and ate so much junk that none of my skirts really fit and all of my tops seem to accentuate my belly. We have so many biscuits and things in the house still and I have no will power when it comes to the snacks.
On the plus side I have bought some red and black sentia and am just adding some Nosecco to my food shop. Can anyone recommend a good tonic to go with the black one? The website suggested coke or ginger beer and I don't like either!
Well done to everyone for making it this far. The % tally is keeping me motivated.

Day 9 dinner cooked - included wine as an ingredient! I had a single glass can of wine, so no risk of any leftover.

That should be me passed the risky part of the evening. A cuppa and Silent Witness on the TV and then bed. Rock and Roll.

Hope everyone else is having a calm evening.

Today I am feeling it - took my first calls at work since moving departments and have the rest of the week in training. By Friday it's gonna be tough but I'm determined. I got through one weekend, I can do it again.

I'm also going out with friends next Wednesday which will be my ultimate test.

Still here, still drying out!

Sending hugs to those who are having tough times, you are in my thoughts.

Day 9 and the Try Dry app shows I've saved an embarrassing amount of money. I've used it to support several worthy causes and am now feeling very virtuous.

I'm sleeping better, feeling loads more positive and have had lots of nice old-school phone chats that I wouldn't have had the energy for had I been drinking.

Thank you OP for this amazing thread.

Just popping on to say I’m still here and on day 7! I started therapy last week and today was my second session. I’m finding the not drinking is helping me tackle my various issues. In the past I have used alcohol to numb myself and stop feeling so anxious so I’m hoping a combination of this DJ reset & therapy will help me instead

Hello all, still here. My expected wobble going back to 'work' (it's only a voluntary role) didn't happen thank goodness. Theres a Sainsbos on the way home and I would normally leave work and treat myself to a bottle for the evening. Managed to spend the same instead on a piece of lamb for dinner tomorrow. A very rare treat midweek.
Thanks for the thread OP. And thanks to you all for your stories. So good to feel I'm not alone.

I tell you one thing I have noticed. I breeze through my gym workouts now. On a Tuesday I would still be hanging out of my arse and sweat so much more.

I even managed over 30mins on the stairmaster. Jesus, alcohol is such a horrible poison on the body.

We had a hello fresh delivery today (normally Gousto but they have gone down hill and even take money when I've cancelled orders) and didn't crave while cooking. I just concentrated on getting my workout done, how great I will feel after and then absolutely inhaled the food from post-gym hanger.

BTW, don't worry everyone, I'm keeping an eye on the number of posts and will start a new thread tomorrow!

That’s interesting @Littletinytarzanswingingfromanosehair I wouldn’t say I’m breezing through them but the fact that I feel motivated to work out at all is the difference. In Sober September I just moped around eating sugar all month but this time I am eating well and exercising too.

Anyway, great to hear you’re feeling so good

Just checking in and all is well in my little corner of DJ.
Tonight I met a friend for a post-work catch up in a local bar. I had tonic water and not the slightest twinge tonight even though she was having prosecco. We had a really nice time. No hassle at all from her about me not drinking
Walked home in the freezing cold and got straight under my heated blanket where I've stayed for the rest of the evening.
Feeling sleepy now. Have had a fab sleep the last 2 nights so hoping for another tonight.
Tomorrow is a non-working day for me so it'll be gym in the morning and a walk in the afternoon. I'm trying to eat healthily too but do tend to stress eat so that's another tussle that I'm having. Scales say a loss of 2 pounds in the last week though. Right now it's something sweet or crunchy that I'm craving rather than wine. Time for bed I think.

Day 9 done, I slept terribly last night but still managed the day so much better than I usually would. It’s still on my mind so I had an AF beer again, enough to be more interesting than water yet different enough to quash any thoughts of wine.

nearly at 1/3 of the way though, keep it up everyone

Day 9 done here too. Didn't sleep that well, but am very happy to say that I haven't even thought about wine in the last couple of days - which is definite progress from last year's DJ. Busy day but generally quite productive. Onwards to day 10!