DRY HARD 2: DRY HARDER! Dry January 2024, Thread#2 🧃🧋

[HPLikecraft]

Thread#2...

Let's keep going!

Day 11! I'm feeling really chuffed that I'm not (for the moment at least) craving a glass of wine. Although I think this weekend will be a big test. I had a fleeting moment driving home from work tonight where I thought 'ooh, wine' and then 'oh no, dry January', and felt a bit sad. But got over it quite quickly.

I am definitely sleeping more soundly, which is great. Can't say I've noticed any skin improvement yet, but as I recall last year I didn't really start seeing any changes until I was four/five weeks AF. I'm not bothered about weight loss as I never weigh myself and am about as happy with my body shape as I'm going to be for my age (early 50s) but I'm definitely hoping to improve my skin through avoiding alcohol for a while.

@BigButtons so sorry to hear you are having such a hard time. An incredible achievement to be doing all that and avoiding alcohol too.

@TooningOut echoing what others have said, you need to do what feels right for you. This thread is so supportive, no-one judges, that's the beauty of it.

Onwards to day 12!

@Iwanttheraintostop - I agree re planned breaks. I've done that in DJ before and sometimes it can feel like you've gone back to square one. The good effects are cumulative so its worth hanging on in there.

I've got someone's big birthday do on 27th but feel ok about not drinking - it's only one night after all and there will be other parties. I've got a long drive the next day so will be nice to be able to set off home early with a clear head.

I've bought some nice teas and some of those CBD drinks but I can't say I'm particularly impressed with the latter. What's the deal with them?

Happy day 11 everyone... need to make some weekend plans as boredom will lead to mischief or miserable mooching

Day 11 and all good.
I've got a potentially challenging weekend ahead though as I'm staying away for 2 nights on my own in a country pub, using it as a base whilst I spend the day helping out a relative who's struggling.
Last time I did this I rewarded myself at the end of the day with a glass of wine in front of the log fire when I got back to the pub. Need to think of a different reward this time.
Determined not to cave though. I'm very aware that alcohol will definitely not help me cope with what is quite a difficult situation.
There's not much WiFi either so I will struggle to access my online yoga. Think reading and hot chocolate might be the way forward

When I was on antibiotics @WTF99 I asked for my appletizer to be served with ice in a wine glass 🤣 it psychosomatically helped! It's also not as sweet as some of the other soft options, and it was the same colour as pinot!

Day 11 done. Tomorrow the start of the big birthday weekend. Read earlier posts on the dilemma about having a pass for a special occasion and if I'll be able to get back onto DJ afterwards. Still undecided but hell, turning 60 is worth having a glass of something for.

@Hedjwitch you could rapidly down a load of those Cbd drinks (or just smoke a big joint )

😂

I decided against giving myself a birthday pass, and I’m pleased I took that decision. But it wasn’t a Big One this year.

Thinking ahead to when I next have a Big One, I think I’d do Dry December if I were going to have a birthday pass.

But I’m hoping by then I’ll no longer be drinking at all so that it wouldn’t be an issue.

In the days when I only really drank on a Saturday, I used to hate how it made me feel the following day, so for me, even if I achieved moderation again (which I’m not confident of), it still made for/ makes for a rubbish weekend.

But either way, enjoy your birthday.

the elderflower and yuzu one is peng!
yes they really do relax you, especially if you have one after a bath, such a lovely relaxing feeling. I do feel myself becoming a bit reliant on them though so the next step is to cut down on cbd drinks. For me dry January was a test of my willpower and pushing myself out of my comfort zone as much as it was for health reasons, so the idea of becoming dependent on something else in place of alcohol doesn’t appeal.

Checking in - still AF.
Not having the wine cravings and wobbles as strongly anymore - but my god I'd love to take a long sniff of someone else's full bodied red wine.

I've eaten really healthy today so I'm proud of myself there.

Still undecided if my weight loss so far is actual weight loss or just natural weight fluctuations (or the natural shedding of the December indulgences).
Does anyone know how to differentiate between the two (or three)?

@HollyGolightly4 I might give that a go!

Can I join please? I only started on Monday 8th as we had a few family occasions last week. So I'm only on day 4. Doing well so far 😊

Welcome aboard, @Hillbilly !

For those of us who started on day one, we're now just over...

35%

of the way through.

Go us!

Morning all
Still AF here, I think this is officially the longest I've ever gone AF apart from when I've been pregnant.
I'm feeling good, I've noticed an improvement in my mood, I'm sleeping great and not having as many wine urges now. Tonight will be fine as I'm up early for work tomorrow so will have a becks blur if I get thx urge.
What's working for me at the moment is when I get the urge for wine I imagine myself waking up with a hangover, that usually does the trick.
Have a great Friday everyone!!

Becks blue if I get the urge that should say 😂

Morning all!
I told myself , in my misery, yesterday, that I could have drink tonight. I don’t want to do that.
those of you who are old hands at this: have you found you have crisis points? Does it get easier the more times you do it? This feels like the longest and most painful 12 days of my life so far☹️

@HPLikecraft thanks. I was looking for the original thread for data with no luck, could you post the link so I can have a read?

Good morning @Hillbilly ! Here is the original thread... all 1000 posts worth:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/4972319-dry-january-2024-been-overindulging-drinking-crept-up-want-to-begin-a-healthy-new-you-this-way-please-all-welcome?page=1

I tried a new gym class today. It was WAY outside of my comfort zone. I would never have done a super early Friday class before because Thursday night is basically Friday night isn’t it? This was not a class to be done with even the mildest hangover and now my endorphins are through the roof. For football fans I’d call it a six pointer, 300 calories of wine not drunk and 300 extra calories burnt.

hopefully this is my new end of week buzz.

Brilliant post @Chocolatecoatedkettlebell 💪

Checking in for Day 12, thanks for the new thread OP.

Thursday is also usually my Friday, so normally I'd be waking up this morning with a bit of a hangover. Not today! Had a lovely lie in, currently having a cuppa and planning to take the dog for a long walk.

Massively surprised to find that I'm really enjoying this challenge. I thought it would be miserable, but it's actually the opposite.

Sorry, missed day 11 (hope it went as well as possible for fellow thread travellers) due to all day 'assessment event' that needed my full attention. Anyhoo, it all ended well and I am reminded of what a great team I have the privilege to be part of.

So Day 11 ended with getting home and made dinner from leftovers and other bits that would have had to be binned (not freezable). Was definitely hard going to start with, but we really enjoyed dinner once made. I definitely wouldn't have done this if the wine bottle had been cracked to 'celebrate' the day.

And on to Day 12 and it is Friday so what are you planning if today is the end of your week/start of the weekend? Many of us reflect on not having been AF this long since we were pregnant, so think back, what did you do then when you didn't drink alcohol?

Morning all...

Busy day yesterday and stressful due to a number of small issues, which on their own might have been manageable, but occurring all at once and not being resolved by the end of the day, left me in an anxious state. When my anxiety gets beyond a certain point alcohol doesn't help, so it wasn't a struggle to avoid it. It's when I reach a phase where I have surmounted various challenges and want to reward myself that it might be a trickier decision...

@pollyannaperspective , a month is about the longest I've avoided alcohol since my twenties, when I had a long break of almost a year. I was commuting into London at that stage and working long hours, so all I can remember is sitting on trains and early nights!