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) 😁

Hi Cotton, -Hi everyone. Got home late last night and managed to restrict to one of those ridiculously expensive airplane bottles of wine on the way home. Today is Dry Day 1 (Take 200!) but I definitely drank much less than I usually would on a weekend away.
I think we are all on a downward curve: thanks for keeping me motivated all x

^ I second that!

The more AF days you can do on the trot the less you have that evening urge to reward yourself with a glass of wine, G&T or beer. Working or keeping busy in your "trigger" time is essential to breaking the habit. Well done to everyone for drinking less than usual 👍💪
Another after training session drink at the running club and I had Orangina instead of beer, sleeping badly at the moment so another good incentive not to drink as even one drink makes sleep even more disrupted. Bloody menopause 🙁

And Hi Cotton, sorry!

Anglaise I am also menopausal runner! My sleep is awful when I drink. Another great reason to reduce!

Hey welcome cotton

Frouby- your basque story made me chuckle!!
Wow looks like Tuesday is a good one for all. Im dry!!!!!! SECOND night!!!!!!!! I’m already telling myself I can have wine tomorrow. Although really should be going for 3rd day!! I’m out Thursday with friends for a cocktail so deffo know Thursday won’t be AF!!
Small steps though hey.

Hi everyone and welcome cotton. I've been keeping up to date with all your posts and it seems like everyone is making progress so well done all.
I've been managing to stay AF Monday to Thurs the past 2 weeks and had my usual bottle of wine etc at the weekend. I still fancy a drink early evening though but have just had dinner early instead and after eating I don't want alcohol. Funny that I dont like to drink whilst eating/after eating at home but will happily drink wine with food at a restaurant and carry on drinking if I'm out.

Thanks for the welcome all.
I am three days AF and feel so much better and sleeping!
I tried do do dry month but failed.
Chucked the gin away after drunken confession to dh that I didn't feel in control of my drinking.
I'm trying to stick to weekends, but find it hard then to not finish a bottle.
Then feel guilty etc.
Be good to join in for support at cutting back

Cotton, three days is excellent. I am aiming for Day 3 today. I slept atrociously last night, but the William Porter book says this is normal on the first/second nights AF.

I, too, chucked my gin down the sink when I had a sudden (albeit not quite drunken) realisation that it was the best place for it. It's too hard to have it in the house. What did your DH say when you told him? My XH accused me of being an alcoholic when I was only having 1 x 35 ml a week .

Pink, if you can stick to being AF, I wouldn't worry unduly about polishing off a bottle. I think the real problem is when it creeps up so you're having a half a bottle (or more) every day. Agree about not wanting to drink after dinner at home, but it being different when you're out!

Good luck tonight, Woosey.

Anglaise - peri menopause is no fun either. It could have been that which kept me awake most of the night...

Pinkcoat..good idea to eat earlier to avoid the pre dinner drinking sesh. I enjoy drinking after dinner too at home but when I’m out I like to finish dinner with a coffee which stops me drinking!!
Cotton - I think you’ve done great to do AF in weekdays and no more than bottle at weekends. Well done..2 more nights til Friday 😉
Well I want to be AF again tonight. I’ve done two. Can’t believe it!! I really was thinking I was an alcoholic. I feel so cleansed already, brighter and more concentration. I even held a conversation this morning 😂😂

When I said I'm trying to stick to weekends, my weekend is 4 days and I usually fail on one other night too! Today is my 4th night AF. Can't buy wine as alone with kids. Considering dh beer, even though I don't like it.
I think this will be longest period AF since pregnant.

Athena.. dh was very supportive and not phased by it. Says I deserve it to relax, but wants me to sleep and be happy with myself. He tried to support my dry month, that I didn't stick too.

I considered AA before xmas, but giving myself this last chance alone.

It will be good to have company and I will read the entire thread later and see what the book is about.

Cotton, I'm glad your DH was supportive. And I don't think I could do a whole dry month, so would feel like a failure for not being able to. Plus even if I could, I'd just then go straight back to old habits. I think what we all want to do on this thread is learn how to use our "off" switch - meaning that we can enjoy just a glass of wine, or one G&T, or even a very 'wet' night, without going that bit too far, too often.

The whole thread is well worth reading, as is the book (recc. by Anglaise)

Woosey, this will be my third night, and yours. Let's try to do it!!!!!

Second AF night happening as we speak. I've had two lousy nights sleep, so hoping for some decent zzzz's tonight! I'm feeling quite positive at the moment - and I'm planning on a few glasses on Saturday night (want to go for a max of 4 glasses) stay strong everyone!

Finding it hard, as supper is late (had to collect a DC). But fighting it...

Everyone is doing really well this week! For those on 3 AF days fantastic! Pink my weekend is 3 days and I spread a bottle of wine over those 3 evenings, or less than a bottle. 2 glasses max an evening. I like my 4 AF days in the week and it has become so much of a habit now it would be strange to drink alcohol. I do look forward to a glass of wine on Friday evening. I only ever drink before dinner, never with (I prefer water) and never after eating.
Pontious do you run often? Me too often most days in fact. I think in The Book Porter explains the negatives effect that alcohol has on muscles and the body in general and if you are sporty it is yet another reason to cut down drinking.
Sleep can be difficult at first when you stop. A lot of people have physical withdrawal symptoms when they stop drinking which are quite awful...I never did, thank goodness.

Day 3. Yes!!!!!

I run approx 4 times per week Athena. I find it excellent for my mental health and really notice it when life gets in the way and I'm unable to run. Managed another AF night yesterday and finally got a half decent nights sleep! The Jason Vale book is staring at me from my bedside table - I am not keen on its repetitive tone but, I'm going to start reading it this weekend. My weekend starts tonight and that would usually involve a half bottle of wine, I've decided to try to hold out until Saturday. Good luck for the impending weekend everyone !

Wow you’ve all done so so well.
Anglaise - I used to run 3/4 times a week. It really was an amazing tonic and you definately fee cleansed. I tore a ligament in my knee last year though and can do more than a fast walk on it now. That reminds me to sort the physio out again!!
Pontious - well done you on looking towards sat..that’s great!!
Athena - I let you down as your partner!! 😞 dd1 had hockey match, followed by evening netball club. Dd2 had to be dragged around to these as dh was working, so that resulted in her crying and saying she wanted to go to bed and it’s not fair she had to come blah blah. You get the drift. So I found myself in the love shop staring at the chiller cabinet. All the rows of wine looked too appealing to pass on. A bottle of Pinot made its way home with me and within 2 hours I was looking at the bottle of the bottle 😫😫
I went to bed with the self loathing and feeling wrecked!! Woken up with the horrid hangover. It’s enlightening though..I’d always put the hangover feel down to ‘just morning heaviness’. Id never owned it as a hangover. Denial I guess. But yup....I’m definately feeing heavy and horrid this morning. And tonight is the cocktail night I was so looking forward too. At this present moment in time.....no, I don’t want one!!

Omg read my post back. Found myself in the LOVE Shop!!!!! Hahahahaha. I most definately didn’t. Lol. Auto correct from CO-OP shop!!!!!!!! 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

Love shop... now I'm singing love shack in my head.

I have done 4 nights.
Read half of the thread last night and will finish tonight.
I'm feeling clearer and more aware.
Downloaded an app which tracks units, targets and calories!
I also read Clare pooleys thread and recognised myself a lot.
I hope I don't have to go T T. I would really miss it. One more chance I think

Ha I was replying to Anglaise not Athena down thread there! Sorry!

Cotton - I really believe that we are all beginning to become ‘aware’. And I think that’s the first step to acknowledging there is a problem. Once we’ve done that then we can tackle it. I believe we can do this for sure. Acknowledging is definately helping us learn....and move forward positively.

Don't worry, Woosey. I had an evening without provocation, so it was relatively ok. I love the Love Shop, though!!!!! Hope you have started to feel better.

I wish I could run, but too many joint problems. But any kind of exercise is better than none (I would go completely stir crazy without).

A friend yesterday said how fantastic my skin looked. After only three days AF?! I fear that may be the reason (and it probably didn't look fantastic - just relatively better than normal).

Cotton, four nights is great. I will not be doing Night 4 tonight due to a pre-planned gathering. But I am pleased to have done three.

Athena - my skin also looked different after just two nights AF. Looked brighter. Well done on 3. That’s awesome!! Enjoy this evening

There is a big improvement I both skin and eyes, which get less puffy, tired and the whites become white again. Not sure I should do this but here are two photos both taken in the car, one a year ago the other 2 weeks ago. I think there is a difference. I find I can just look at someone now and know if they drink too much!