Not dry january. But less booze in general. Anyone else?

[Frouby]

I am posting this thread because I really want to reduce the amount of alcohol I drink.

I was going to do dry January but think that is too much for me. And when I do drink again I will revert back to bad habits.

On a normal week I would have 1 or 2 g and ts mon to thurs. Bottle of wine on a friday. Then either a couple of beers or a couple of g and ts on a Saturday night. Nothing on sunday.

Over Christmas (which started for us mid December as we had a holiday) I have drank every day. Never been drunk drunk but 4 or 5 drinks every day.

I feel fat, bloated and lethargic. I want to cut my drinking down to a couple of nights a week. Friday and Saturday. Or thursday and friday. DP also drinks most days (more than me too) and we both need to address our relationship with alcohol.

I didn't drink last night and won't tonight either. And I feel 100% better already. We get married in May and I want to lose weight and improve my health.

Does anyone else want to join this thread for support? I know there is the dry January thread but I will be drinking (probably) 2 days a week so dont want to post on there and knock any penguins off the ice.

Currently drinking ginger ale with loads of ice and contemplating a shower and a cupp of tea later with the last of the Christmas cake (diet starts tomorrow) 😁

Athena at least you managed to stop at the fuzzy stage. I seem to remember that W Porter says to continue drinking while reading the book. It interesting to know the reasons why you drink, the effects and how drinking doesn't help stressful situations, it makes things worse. I feel so much cooler than 6 months ago, it is strange, not sure if it is age, the menopause or drastically cutting back wine but I'm definitely not as bad tempered as I was and I don't worry so much. It's odd but nice 🙂
Woosey are you AF again tonight?
Pontius well done on your half a lager, that is serious moderating!

I will finish my wine tomorrow evening, hope it hasn't gone off

I haven't been AF tonight. But I am AF tomorrow which is unheard of on a friday but am taxing dd at 8pm so picking a curry up on our way home after her party. Only had 3 cans of lager though so not horrendous.

Will probably be AF 4 nights this week which I am happy with. Am very busy with work atm which is stressful. Plus wedding shit and the usual life admin and stress. Usual answer would be to get pissed but am actually chosing not to drink to reduce stress and anxiety.

Early night tonight. Was up while 12 last night working and worked all day then back to it first thing in the morning. And I really need to get some housework done too.

Frouby that’s serious restraint choosing to go AF to moderate stress!! Seriously great!!

I’ve. In contrast, felt stress today, and now emptied a bottle of Pinot!!!! Ffs!!

Alcohol doesn't help stress, it makes it worse. Find something else to turn to, chocolate, sport, cake, go for a walk, meditate, just don't reach for the corkscrew or bottle opener!

Anglaise and Frouby, the thing about alcohol and stress (as I have gradually come to realise - and all the more so, now I'm reading William Porter) is that the initial 'hit' makes you feel less stressed. Only you then get into the whole brain-produces-stress-chemicals to counteract the depressive effect of alcohol, and you then end up having more alcohol to relieve the stress chemicals - which makes your body produce more of them. It's a pretty toxic combination for anyone who is already prone to stress and anxiety. Far better either to do something else, or to acknowledge and accept the feeling of stress but not to try to medicate it with something that will make it far worse.

I had a bottle of wine last night, but knew in advance that I wouldn't be AF so had 'budgeted' for that. And as I was having a very nice time with friends, I didn't get the whole paranoid/anxious thing. I was also so shattered after two bad nights that I didn't wake up until 6, which is good for me (peri-menopause isn't any better for sleep than alcohol is). Work-related event this evening, so I will see how it goes. If I do drink tonight, then there is all the more reason not to do so for several nights afterwards.

Evening all

AF here which is unheard of on a friday night. Had dd to pick up from a party at 8pm so picked a curry up on the way back. Was debating a glass of wine with food but decided to be AF as have 2 wet nights already and will probably have a drink tomorrow.

I only ate half my curry though. Usually eat most if not all of it. Then wake up at 4am hungover, thirsty and with indigestion from overeating. I suspect I am overweight from drinking too much alcohol and then overeating once I am pissed.

So I deserve a good nights sleep tonight if nothing else 😁

Well done on your dry Friday Frouby
I think it is stated in the book, alcohol contains no nutrients at all and is stored directly as fat in your body. And as you say, when you feel hungover you eat more. So you get fatter. I lost 5kg is 3 months and I wasn't at all overweight...I know it isn't the same for everyone ( I also stopped eating cheese as it isn5 so good without red wine) but not drinking so much does cut down calorie intake.

So if alcohol is stored as fat I am not actually fat then.

I just have a high alcohol content 😂😂

Reporting in from weekend away - we shared a bottle of lager in hotel room and a bottle of wine in the restaurant. We then shared another back in the hotel, so much more than usual - but not too terrible I guess. Aiming to stick to just a half bottle tonight
with perhaps a G&T when we are out and about. Well done everyone, we've got this between us!

Very good news about your Friday night, Frouby. Completely empathise with the hunger/thirst/indigestion combo, unfortunately.

I am drawing a veil over last night (which I knew would involve a bottle of wine each plus extras), but have been AF tonight. Onwards and upwards. I will go back to reading The Book tomorrow.

Pontius, it sounds as if you're doing pretty well, given that you're having a weekend away (a sure-fire trigger). Hope you managed to stick to your half a bottle. It's that blasted missing off-switch that did for me last night, so I hope yours is functioning!

You all seem to be controlling the situation really well.
I’m in disgrace!! I’ve had a complete wobble. Feel almost too ashamed to even say. Hate myself. On a complete downer!! Drunk a bottle each night for last 4 nights. And Saturday I had a few g&t’s too. Feel like I’ve got loads in my head to sort out with regards to my daughter being poorly. So drink. Then hate myself for drinking and looking so crap..so drink again!! Currently for glass of Pinot in hand, feel full of self loathing!! I know I need to read The Book....it’s just reading takes longer than drinking!!!! 😩😩

Woosey please don't beat yourself up, we are all here because of the exact struggle you describe! I'm on my way home today and have not
Managed one day without booze. I couldn't even manage to refuse the minging free drinks you get at the end of the meal. If we weren't struggling with this, we wouldn't need to be here. We all all works in progress

Woosey, my control has gone to pot :(( I knew it was too good to last. Gin last night, and wine for lunch today (bought for me by a friend - a large glass. I tried to adk for water instead, but was very feeble so she just bought me a wine). However... I am going back to the book. I really am struggling, which is all the more reason to try to get a grip. I was horrible to one of my DC last night (my patience had been tried all day), and I know I am much nicer when I haven’t had a drink.

You are all so kind and lovely 💐
Pontious - I hope you’ve had a lovely weekend away.
Athena- it’s funny you say you are better without a drink..I feel I’m better with a drink. I feel snappy and lack patience when I feel twitchy in the witching hour. I’m craving being a grown up currently and feel a little suffocated so have become snappy!! My mate Pinot seems to help me chillax.
We went away this weekend and had to come home early due to the snow. My parents who we were away with, decided to hang fire....they are now snowed in and stranded!!
I just feel everything we try to do which is nice and slightly ‘respitey’, goes tits up!! So my normal happy go lucky self is feeling a tad peed off!!
Not got any wine in the house for tonight, except a tiny glass left over from last nights bottle. Am aware plenty of gin smiling away in the cupboards though!!!! Am going to try and stay dry.....

Good luck, Woosey. Every AF night is a triumph, given the amounts that some of us have been consuming.

I’m dry!!!!!!!!!! 🎉🎉🎉🎉

Fab news, Woosey! I can't call today a triumph due to the lunchtime wine, but I haven't had anything this evening...

Athena - id say that’s definitely a triumph!!!!! Well done!! The evening is deffo the worst time!!

We can do this!!!!!!!!

Woosey we have all fallen off the wagon and gone on a bender at some point. I did it the other week. Was wet for 8 days in a row I think. But getting back on is the important bit.

Well done Athena. Might not have been completely dry but think how much wetter you could have been.

I had a bottlw of wine Saturday night after a dry friday. Dry on Sunday but wet last night with a couple of cans of lager.

I only drank last night as I have to pick dd up late tonight after a drama trip so can't drink tonight at all. I wouldnt normally drinl on a monday so not sure why I felt I had to.

But dry tonight and tomorrow hopefully.

Hey frouby, is have that logic too....drink now just in case I can’t tomorrow. Mind you I think you’re strong...I’d be ‘rewarding’ myself with a drink once back from the club run!!
Hey..it’s tueaday...we CAN all do this!!

Glad to hear news from you, Frouby. Yes, I could have been a whole lot wetter (and would have been, on other occasions). AF tonight, though. Collected one of the DC from an activity, then went to McD's (sorry) on the way home. I thought that might make me less likely to want to start when I got home, and I was right (am now having a cup of tea to counteract all the salt in the chips).

Woosey, keep going. I think if we all had some kind of graph to measure exactly how much we were drinking a month ago compared to now, it would be a downward curve overall. It might not feel it once you've fallen off the wagon, but I'm sure it's the case.

Are you open to new members ? 😊

Hello CottonSock. This is really Frouby's thread - but as I happened to see your message, I'm sure everyone would agree that newcomers are more than welcome!

Newcomers more than welcome Cotton. Tell us about yourself cos we nosey. Not my thread though, it's everyones thread. I just started it. Without everyone else posting and supporting each other it would have fizzled out with the last dregs of my large gin.

Not missing drink tonight. About to do a couple of hours work while waiting to collect dd.

Dp and ds are thankfully in bed so I can get some peace and quiet.

We had thai green curry tonight Athena. I enjoyed it but now I want a mcdonalds. Love big macs and havent had one of those big ones yet. But given that my new wedding Basque arrived the other day and I nearly dislocated my shoulder trying to fasten it up I probably better not. Sent it back for 2 sizes a bigger size. Hoping that fucket fastens without having to use a ratchet to winch me in it.

Fillet of Fish. Mmmm. Glad you are not missing it tonight, Frouby. I'm not, either. Though I am going out on Thurs, so am going to try to do tomorrow AF as well. I should also be working now, but can't face it. Laughed at your basque story!!

Hoping to hear more from Cotton.