DRY JANUARY 2025! Join us for a healthier start to the year! All welcome 🥤☕️🧋

[HPLikecraft]

It’s that time of year again!
If you need a detox, to lose weight, to be healthier, to undo some seasonal overindulgence, to sleep better, to look better, to have healthier skin, to save money, boost liver function, improve your memory, or to decrease your likelihood of dying earlier of various nasty illnesses (sorry for the sudden hard ball!) then you’ve come to the right place!

The MN DJ2025 Chat thread is for anyone who wants to reset their relationship with alcohol; whether you’re a weekend tippler or a problem heavier drinker.
This is a friendly, non-judgmental thread where we support and encourage each other, exchange ideas and information, share alcohol-free drinks recommendations etc.

Hopefully we’ll have some fun along the way. Please hop aboard the good ship DJ 2025, everyone welcome!

I haven't lost any weight, either, and I don't think I'm massively substituting with sugar! 😡

Day 15 - also no weights loss, despite being more active. But I have not cut out sugar treats, even if it’s a handful of raisins with a cup of tea, have to have some joy in life.

I never lose weight during dry Jan. I put on a few pounds over Christmas and those have gone but that is from running around and eating normally again. But I never lose weight specifically from giving up the booze.

But my skin is clearer.

Checking in, am plodding on, work is the pits so am feeling low, but am enjoying wonderful sleep, so swings and roundabouts!

Looking forward to being halfway through tomorrow!

I'm struggling tonight. The wine witch is calling loudly.

I so want to have a couple of glasses of crisp dry white wine to enjoy Traitors with later! 😕

Also struggling tonight, especially as DH is drinking. This point in DJ is a danger zone for me. It’s a couple of weeks in, which means boredom has properly set in, but it’s not far enough through DJ to be motivated by the end being in sight. I also have that feeling of “I’ve come this far - I deserve a drink”, and “I’m feeling really good, wouldn’t a drink be nice”.

Stay strong strugglers! You've struggled before and you'll struggle again ... it's just a question of getting through a few minutes of ... I'm not sure ... irritability (?) ... something like that (imvho). And then you wake up feeling calm and peaceful tomorrow instead of full of regret.

The Traitors will be equally wonderful without wine, honest.

It’s probably worth getting through tonight to say that I made it halfway…but damn this is hard!

0% Tanqueray, elderflower tonic, ice and lime. Very very good 👍

Made it through to bedtime without drinking. Relief! Goodnight all.

I know what you mean by this point in DJ being the danger zone @newme2025 that's exactly how I feel.. like I've done so well that surely I deserve a treat now

First time I struggled last night but thank goodness DH talked me out of it! A nice glass of wine would have been lovely with the Traitors (as others have said) Very happy I didn't cave as sleeping so soundly and feeling so much better (probably as a result of better sleep) onward and upward

I am the same watching Rivals lol!
They (the experts) say play the scenario forward. As in, if you drink now, how will you feel when you wake up in the morning? Not as bright and breezy as you did today, and the whole day will be impacted too. When you do wake up the next day it's such a relief to know you didn't drink last night. So play it forward.

Morning all. Firstly well done for still being here, and give yourselves a massive pat on the back at noon today, when we reach:

50% !!!!!

Of the way through dry January!

Please check in then- or thereafter - to claim your bronze award, and mark your card. Please try to post if you can, even if you’re generally a lurker. It helps keep everyone going!

Some people struggling now and half thinking of bailing. Well. How timely that there is a brand new American report, freshly published in the last week, about how even the smallest amount of alcohol increases the risk of several common cancers; literally one drink per day is not safe. In short:

“Drinking is linked to a higher risk of death for seven types of cancer, including breast cancer, colorectal cancer and liver cancer as well as cancers of the oral cavity, the pharynx and larynx and the esophagus” is the short description.

Here is a good, longer article on the report:

theconversation.com/even-1-drink-a-day-elevates-your-cancer-risk-an-expert-on-how-alcohol-affects-the-body-breaks-down-a-new-government-report-246767

Remember, no booze is good booze.
Alcohol is a poison that lies to you, and life is better, not more boring without it.

Keep the faith 💪💪

I’m delurking - just to say the people who are white knuckling it, you’re doing really well and you will feel so much sense of achievement in a couple of weeks time. I do this every year and I found it made it easier to reframe it as a really lovely spa effect on the liver. Mine gets a beating over the year and it deserves this healing thing and yes, I’ll go back to having a social drink in Feb but it’s really important to know you CAN stop for the month, treat your organs a little better, and note triggers.

For social events, I just say I really enjoy Dry Jan. Fake it til you make it, it becomes true. I’ve never failed it - because it would really worry me. It’s only a glass of wine - I’m not a child who can’t do without the haribo. Good sleep, better skin,, healing organs, lower cancer risk and inflammation, more money. What’s not to like!

I’ve done weddings, funerals, hens, birthday parties in January and ALWAYS felt better the next day for not having had a drink. You’re not missing out on anything.

Hello, I have indeed been lurking and been finding this thread very useful to discover it's not just me who struggles to 'take it or leave it'. Was drinking realistically every other night, which needed to stop.

Full disclosure - we did have a blip Monday last week and I had a bottle of 10 % wine, but if DH hadn't said he was going to bed, I would have opened something else. I don't know what it is but I find it really hard to know when to stop. Anyway, afterwards I did wish I hadn't had it.

I've been going for a swim or the gym in the evenings. After dinner is my 'danger zone' and by the time I've done for a swim or the gym (I've got 2 stone+ to lose) I no longer have that craving. DH said it was probably because I got the dopamine hit I was looking for in the wine, in the gym or pool, and I think he might be onto something.

Been spending the rest of my evenings knitting (new hobby!) and also just getting into bed earlier and reading - currently reading This Naked Mind which does resonate with me. It's meant less time on my phone so I'm wondering if that's contributing to sleeping better.

Anyway, sleeping a lot better (and longer!) and combined with healthy eating and upping exercise have managed to lose 6lbs since NYD!

Also for those worried about liver damage - Love Your Liver travels up and down the country and you can get your liver scanned for free. I did it last year and it's great - you get an instant score.

britishlivertrust.org.uk/information-and-support/love-your-liver/roadshow/#dates

Keep going everyone, half way there is brilliant!

We have really been leaning into the alcohol free peronis and koppaberg cider and thankfully I'm getting to the stage of DJ where I've stopped craving a relaxing glass of wine.

Now, it's more just about surviving January in general without my bank account crying too much.

I have lost weight, not much but tbf I'm not really changing eating habits especially either.

Still struggling along here, slowly feeling a little better emotionally but my god the difference in my face! I look SO much better in myself (and younger) than I did in early Jan.

I've also noticed in the last year that alcohol now really affects my resting heart rate in a way I'm sure it never used to (I'm mid forties). All outward signs of strain on the organs I guess. Why do we do it to ourselves?! I mean, rhetorical question, I know why we do, but it's odd if you really think about it.

Thanks for all the encouragement OP - delighted we are half way there! Not missing it as much as previous dry January lies which is positive. Annoyingly my sleep is way better than usual - trying not to think about that as I love my Friday glass of wine (ok 2)

🥳🥳

Whoaaah! We’re halfway there!

That’s a fantastic achievement. Well done everyone. And as you managed the past 15.5 days, I’m sure you can do the next 15.5 too!
Thanks to the lurkers for checking in, good to hear from you. Do continue to let us know how it’s going.

50% is bronze award time. It’s a checkpoint. If you for some excusable and unavoidable reason drop out (but you won’t!) you still achieved this.

💪💪

Sorry, that GIF is hideous. The silver one will be better 😁

Woohoo! Half way there, delighted!

Was also delighted when I stepped on the scales today and I've lost 4lbs 🥳

Skin is better, sleeping through the night completely which NEVER happened, feeling fresh and clear headed and way more energy for evening activities.

Already thinking about Sober Spring.

Congrats all!

great to be half way!

for all those saying skin is looking great - what are you seeing exactly?

My skin isn't bloated anymore, my tyre are brighter and my skin looks much fresher.