DRY Another Day! Dry January 2025 thread #2.

[TheYeaSayer]

Here it is folks, let’s carry on keeping it dry.

Are we there yet?
Nearly… there is a little pinprick of light at the end of the tunnel.

We can do this! 💪💪

I am finding it tricky this evening. Rough day at work and children being feral and I want a glass of wine! I'm having an AF beer and some party crisps instead! Beer just doesn't taste nice with the foods I like- a lovely glass of wine does... if I could find an AF version of that flavour I think I'd be fine with not drinking again- honestly! Although I'd probably miss the buzz a bit.

I need to work on other health in Damp Feb as I've found I've substituted one crutch for another- I have choc and crisps instead of wine.

I don’t think I’ve lost any weight because I have been scarfing chocolate and cake this month but am enjoying the sleep and less eye bags and less perimenopause!
not sure about next month. Agree with whoever said that ‘I will only drink on Friday and Saturday’ ends up meaning ‘I will definitely drink on Friday and Saturday’.

in other news I have a 0% Chardonnay to try, but my hopes are not high 😆

I'm sorely tempted this evening. DH is making his shellfish risotto and it is asking for a cold, crisp glass of white wine.

I haven't actually told him (or anyone else) that I'm doing DJ. I thought it was just because I didn't want to invite opinions and because I didn't want DH to think I was being judgey. He is quite a heavy drinker and although I resolved years ago not to mention it again, he knows I worry about his health.

Today I am wondering whether I just didn't tell anyone so that I could cheat. I think/hope that admitting that here is strengthening my resolve

Checking in on the new thread. Still dry, but we've all been down with hideous flu, so certainly not feeling the joys! For that reason alone I'll prob carry on dry for a bit, though a couple of glasses on wine with dh next Saturday are feeling somewhat tempting at the moment as January has felt a bit joyless. Over the worst of it, but we're still pretty ill, so will review next week!

Oh one benefit though, my sugar cravings have calmed down a bit now. Much more under control.

I am sitting in my PJ's after having a pamper session with a nice alcohol free Kylie Minouge pink wine. It's actually really nice. I don't normally like AF wine but am enjoying this one. We are all in our pjs as the storm has just started to hit us. I went out earlier before the winds started to get wild and moved anything that could take off into the gazebo. One of my cats is currently in a huff with me as I grounded her for her own safety.

Doing okay tonight but again, just counting down the hours until bedtime really. Looking forward to tomorrow for the sole reason that there will only be one day left of each day then. So the last Saturday, the last Sunday etc. I have several challenging situations this weekend where I would normally rely on drink, so it’s not going to be easy to get through it. I’m keeping the motivating words that another poster gave me on the last thread in mind though.

A week to go. Still not sleeping well. Still look awful, bag and shadows under my eyes, never had that before. Also coming up on 3 weeks of no sweet stuff as the first week I hardly stopped snacking. Honestly feeling a bit down in the dumps today, not sure why.

The McGuigan’s 0% Chardonnay is okay. Maybe it’s because it’s three weeks since I had a nice glass of Chardonnay but it’s got the benefit of the doubt for tonight 😆

I haven't told my family. DS25 guessed quite early, tho I did ask him to get a bottle of AF wine from the shop on his way home as he was in there!;

DH hasn't commented though me swigging tonic instead of wine might be a giveaway! He isn't a heavy drinker at all, more real ale Fri or Sat evening.

I decided not to for a silly historical reason. 30-odd years ago I was biting my nails, and asked him to point out when I was doing so as it was absentminded. That was before I discovered that his nails, and my mother's talons- grow straight-sided and hard. Mine are soft and rounded so the moment they grow beyond finger-skin contact, they peel. Even my rather critical mother conceded that point as I'd grow a couple, then one shopping bag lifted, nail torn.

So I shrugged and got acrylics.

But he pointed out if my fingers were anywhere near my mouth daily for the next five years... it was exhausting. When I told him to stop, I'd get The Look instead.

I don't want That Look every time I pour a glass of wine for the next 5 years. So I'm not giving him permission!

If it's any consolation, me too! I'm sticking at it, but I've had no weight loss, my sleep has been rubbish, I'm waking up fuzzy headed and headachey.

I hope I'll get an inkling of improvement soon! This all feels a bit dull....

Day 27 for me, I very nearly caved in last night because the thought of a nice cold beer with our Friday night curry was almost irresistable but somehow I managed to get through “beer hour” and then I was glad to have ignored the cravings. Its great to read about everyone else’s experiences, is helping to keep me going!

This is the longest I have had no alcohol, apart from when I was pregnant - I definitely feel the benefits of sleeping better, having more energy, less sugar cravings (someone else posted this also I think). So its also really interesting reading about everyone’s plans for Damp February etc and how to keep the benefits of Dry January.

My problem with making rules for myself is that if I break one, then they lose all credibility in my head and it becomes a free-for-all again.

Day 25. Can’t believe I’ve got this far without a drink. To go from a bottle of wine a night to zero feels like a big achievement. I’m looking forward to February but also feel a bit apprehensive - it feels a bit like being released from prison into the big wide world (not that I actually know what that feels like, lol). I really don’t want to slip back into old habits. I was thinking that I’d only drink when I’m out, but we don’t go out much and I do like a glass of wine at home.

The sugar cravings have been really high for me too despite not really eating that much usually!
I just gave in but they have tapered off slightly as though me giving myself permission lessened the craving somehow.

Couldn't do no sugar and no alcohol - I'd be feeling low too!

Can’t believe we’ve only got one week to go - psychologically that is huge

By my very conservative calculations, 26 days dry have saved me 11700kcal - likely a fair few more, because this was working on a 2.25 drinks a day basis and assumed that my mixers were always zero calories.

No wonder the weight keeps dropping off; I'm almost 8lbs down from late December and I have saved £188 as of yesterday. That's without exercise or a diet. And I'm definitely seeing the difference in my hair and skin.

If that's not motivation enough to keep almost fully dry for the coming months, I don't know what is.

That's a good weight loss!

I think I'm more like 25000 calories down, but- zero weight loss!!

I don't have a sweet tooth so heaven knows what's going on!!

I’m planning to stay dry until after my operation, which is scheduled for late Feb. Today I feel pretty miserable, am just staying in and doing the washing and cooking and cleaning. Grump, grump, grump 🤣 But at least the end of Jan is in sight!

Off to a friends house this afternoon where there will be lots of alcohol. Dreading it.

@IGuessIllbetheFirst that's a very interesting point. If I make an internal rule for myself and break it, I do feel I have lost credibility with myself.

I have learnt, with most things, to frame my plans as 'trying to' or 'aiming for' and it works better because I don't throw everything away on a slip up. DJ feels like such a defined period of time for me that, if I have one drink, I would probably just give the whole thing up. I really admire those who have given in to temptation but then got back on the wagon. It's one of the reasons I have found reading the thread helpful. My 'all or nothing' thinking holds me back in many areas of life and I really need to let it go.

I did eat the shellfish risotto without wine though. Another day done. And I'm driving tonight.

I’m also an all or nothing person. I know if I have one drink this month I’ll just give up. Fortunately I’ve managed to stay on the wagon so far.

@SandrenaIsMyBloodType Yes, I think me framing it as 'my aim' rather than 'I will not' might help.
Beating myself up has never helped in the long run; but being honest, finding triggers, reflecting and doing differently next time is probably more positive.

One week left! This is immense. By the end of today we’ll have done just over

80%

of DJ2025! I don’t know about you but if Id ever achieved 80% in, say, an exam I’d be absolutely thrilled. That’s an A! So you’ve all already got your A.

Im also quite pleased with myself today. This afternoon I jumped on my very dusty treadmill and managed to stay on for 30 minutes, doing 2 miles. OK, Mo Farah isn’t quaking in his boots or anything, but that’s quite respectable for a fat, postmenopausal old woman I hope!

No way will I be boozing tonight. And I doubt you will be either

💪💪

It’s the last Saturday night of DJ - saying that feels good. I survived my social afternoon but it was hard. Proud of myself for staying sober though. Am out again tomorrow - if I can get through that as well (big IF) then I’ll be confident I can do this.

@newme2025 Im really impressed by your DJ “journey”. You mentioned the levels you were drinking at before and also seem to have had lots of social events where you could so easily caved. I hope you realize how strong that is.

Sorry if that’s a bit gushy and unmumsnetty!