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) 😁

Dh not ‘she’. Predictive text

Hi guys. Hope things are good with you all.

I'm doing shite here tbh. Had only one AF night last week. Didn't drink a lot when I was indulging, maybe only one glass of wine per night and two on Friday but still feel pants about myself ahnd my inability to handle stress .

Hi all.

Not much progress to report. I moderated well on some nights, went overboard on others, and only managed a few af nights over the past couple weeks. Some was circumstantial (book club, friends on "staycation" cutting loose and bringing me along,) while other times it was boredom, habit, or just really wanting a beer after work (which turns into more.)

I am pleased about the times when I managed to keep it (somewhat) reasonable and get to bed at a (semi) decent hour. Even if I wasn't feeling tip top the next day I knew I would have felt much worse had I not moderated at all. It gives me motivation to know my limits so next time I can do even better.

Ladies, I've said it before, but your ability to cut back amidst all that is going on is impressive. I hope this week brings with it motivation, strength, and distraction from temptation

Survived AF here. Yay me.

Hoping to pee a few lbs off tonight. I really retain water when drinking. Takes about 2 AF nights for the affects to wear off. Af last night and tonight.

Pee oclock every hour then it is.

2 gins down and now moderating onto cups of tea....

Yay Frouby!!! Night Two. Maybe we should all invest in basques as motivation .

Hopeless here. A very dear friend turned up unexpectedly at lunchtime, bearing wine. So I probably had 2/3 bottle. Sigh. Lots of water this evening, and now feel completely sober, but still not good. I am going to add it to my DrinkAware unit counter. Ugh.

Otherwise, everything is pretty crap. Sigh.

Pink, if you can manage to stop at one glass, you're not doing badly. Likewise Aprilivy. Stopping is what I find even harder than not starting at all.

Woosey, I'm really sorry about your DD. I hope she feels better tomorrow.

Athena, I like the motivational basque idea A break from drinking would surely get things back in line. I purchased a nice little piece of lingerie for my anniversary last month but could barely fit it. I get the feeling a bra extender would ruin the effect a bit

I decided to go for some wine tonight. Tomorrow is my first morning to really sleep in for some time, so I'm taking advantage of it.

P.S. The timestamp on my post says five am, but I'm in the u.s, so it's really only midnight. Don't judge me

Frouby congrats on day one, you didn't cave so you're on track for your basque at the end of the week
Woosey sorry about your DD, and your running, I think you'd mentioned your knee problems before but I didn't know that you were an athlete when younger, the fact you can't run must be really difficult. An operation isn't possible? When my brother gave up drinking 16 years ago he took to yoga and kettle bells - it was the start of kettle bells in the UK and he even represented the UK in his category! He still keeps fit by doing that.
April and Pink you both have off switches, that's brilliant, you seem to be in control even if you aren't doing long AF periods
April I'm a disgrace with underwear at the moment, all my money goes on running shoes and clothes, and the sports bras are far from sexy and much more expensive than lingerie
Athena if I turned up with a bottle of wine to one of my dear French girlfriends she would probably take me to hospital as she'd think I had a problem. French women just don't drink like Brits. I'd take a cake but never alcohol, such is the cultural difference. I hope you are having a better week even if yesterday wasn't AF!
I'm AF as normal this week, and won't drink Fri or Sat either. Not running so much as tapering for the race Sunday so trying not to eat too much chocolate in the evenings as I don't want to be 2kgs heavier on Sunday.

Anglaise, I'm so impressed with your running. Aside from finding proper undergarments, I just haven't the taste for it. Or should I say, my lungs and ankles don't? Did it always come easy or was there a discipline that helped? Running seems like such an appealing exercise, aside from the torment

Ladies, I'm in a quandary. My husband and I are on different schedules, so when I can stay up late I don't want to disturb him when I come to bed, but I also want to enjoy my evening! I don't mind sleeping on the couch, but often I think I'll be right behind him (then the hours slip by,) so if I haven't warned him I don't want him to be disappointed with a cold bed.

Part of this is that exw used to not come to bed or leave after he fell asleep, so I know he's more sensitive to it. Despite our conversations, I'm not sure of the best course of action (aside from more discussion with dh at another time.) What would you do? Couch or quiet to bed?

aprilivy dp hates it if I fall asleep on the couch or in with ds and usually comes looking for me. Says he can't settle properly until I am in bed. He is sometimes up very early, like 5am so goes up to bed about 9pm. I usually watch a bit of news at 10pm first so just am just quiet when I go up. If he does wake up he just usually mumbles a bit then goes back to sleep.

On the other hand I bloody love it of he falls asleep on the sofa 😁. I tiptoe up to bed like a ninja and make like a starfish.

Ask your DH what he would prefer.

Day 3 today. Woke up feeling refreshed and rested. Even dp commented that I had slept like a log. Eyes arent at all puffy and I am 2lb down from sunday morning. All water weight but I will take it.

Off for dress fitting today then it's being left for pressing.

Tomorrow is for pottering around and a bit of work. Thursday the flowers are being delivered to my aunties so going to look at them and pick her stuff up to take to hotel so she can get ready with us.

Friday will be nails and beautifying myself. I say beautifying but what I mean is have a nice long bath, shave anything fluffy and try and make sure my tan lines have gone and panic apply fake tan 😂😂. Then friday evening we are meeting best man and his family for a meal and one or two maximum! drinks.

It all seems a bit real now.

Oh frouby..it’s so exciting!! Really is countdown now with jobs each day building up to sat. You’ve done so well with AF too. I’m sure you will be chuffed you went for it and weed those pounds out.
Aprilivy - Dh won’t go up to bed without me either. Makes a right song and dance about it. Then falls asleep on sofa. When I try and get up to creep away, he always wakes and then has a really good moan that I’ve made him stay up late blah blah!!
If I was you I’d creep up to bed once he’s asleep. Especially with the fact he had probs in his past and kinda insecurities around this topic. That way you get your evening and he gets reassurances that you’ll be there when he wakes.
Day 1 here today I hope!! I can’t believe I have to write ‘I hope’!! I’ve got no faith in myself currently to stop. I never know what life’s going to throw at me at the mo, and my ability to cope with stress is so crap!! I’m off to Zumba early eve and then ds is coming round with his girlfriend for dinner. He’s back from uni but living with her for the next 3 weeks. (Long story!!) I may need a lot of alcohol when he moves back home in 3 weeks blubs into a cushion

I've managed two night AF and going for a third tonight. If I fancy it, I'll indulge in a bottle of AF cider.
Sleeping better and waking up better too.

Thanks great Oren. That bright feeling in the morning is unbeatable isn’t it.

I’ve had palpitations a lot today. Know it’s alcohol related and hating myself that bit more because of it

Oren, it's good to remember those af versions of things. I don't like spending the money on it, but I need to remember that it's still cheaper and healthier than booze.

Last night I compromised by sleeping on the couch but going up to bed when the rest of the house stirred to give dh some prework snuggles. I then, as Frouby so eloquently put it, made like a starfish for the rest of my morning lie in

Day 3 here and completely AF . Was a bit tempted at 5pm but we nipped out for a few bits so then the urge passed.

Wedding dress fitting went well. It was nearly a disaster as the basque wasn't sitting right. We tried with the girls going commando but I didn't feel right. Had visions of ds hoiking himself up for a cuddle and lobbing a saggy, bfing decimated knocker out for all to see.

So the basque went back on and we jiggled everything about a bit. Having a couple of alterations done, having it taken up a bit and hiring one of those underskirt things to lift it up a bit. Got to go back Thursday for a final fitting then collect it all pressed and ready on friday.

Got a bloody parking ticket too. Rarely park that side of town and didnt have enough change for the meter so was twatting about on my phone up the road by the meter and a warden came along and slapped a ticket on me. Am going to appeal it though. I tried and failed to download the parking app thing, then was on the phone exactly 1 minute after I got the ticket so hoping to get it lifted.

I saw her stood by my car and shouted I was just paying for parking and she walked off so assumed she hadnt given me a ticket but when I got back it was on. Twat.

Having an early night tonight. I feel more tired for no alcohol. Think its because I don't have that lovely buzz.

How's everyone else?

I was twatting about on my phone trying to download the bloody app btw. Have screen shots too.

Oh, Frouby, you do make me laugh. A free-for-all on the knockers front would certainly make it a wedding to remember.

Bloody parking wardens. I hope they let you off. Sounds as if you were in the right.

And three cheers for three days!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is brilliant.

Day One, again, here. Beck's Blue. Twice, as I needed to be so full of liquid that I had no temptation to add anything else. It's also pleasingly low calorie.

A friend came round this eve to tell me his tale of woe about his partner (from whom he recently split). He said the main reason he left her was her "functional alcoholism". He said he'd get home at 7 ish, and four nights or so of the week, she'd be drunk and staggering. He said he could smell the alcohol as soon as he came in. This idea certainly helped me to be AF tonight.

Woosey, I hope you got through the evening. Can we send our returning sons off to some kind of commune until September?

Oren, hope you managed Night 3.

April, that's a tough one. XH and I had separate rooms, never mind separate beds. I couldn't bear to be in bed with him, and thought I'd never, ever want to share a bed with anyone else. Now I go to bed alone most nights (as the DC are here), wishing I were cuddled up with DP. He has sometimes moved to his spare bed if he's been sleepless, and I always feel sad and cold when this happens... But, as you say, so much depends on the history!

April I started running 5 years ago (I'm 52) and surprised myself by enjoying it, then I joined a local club and started doing races and did a marathon before reaching 50, in just over 3,5 hours so not too bad. I ran fine when drinking but sport is easier now I drink 10 units a week instead of 50 that's for sure.
Frouby sorry about your parking ticket, I hope the appeal is successful.
I don't feel tired when AF, I sleep well and I get my dopamine hit from sport so don't miss that either! I probably have quite a sad life, but don't miss the anxiety, palpitations or tired puffy eyes with bags under them when drinking too much too often. I really really loved red wine and the effect of it before but the thought of not sleeping properly and feeling shit the next day really scares me so I just can't drink like I used to.

Hey well done everyone!! Sounds like we are made of steel tonight!! Day one here!! Haven’t had a day 1 for bloody ages..far too many excuses too. But went to Zumba, came home and cooked for the troops and poured myself a tonic. Didn’t even miss it!! Now that IS wierd!!
Frouby..sounds like the traffic warden was a complete Bell end!! She totally heard you!! She just wanted to meet her targets!! Let’s hope you get it turned around!! I laughed out loud at your fear of an escapism knocker!!
Athena - If you find a commune for estranged ds’s returning from uni for the summer....let me know!!

Yay Woosey and Zumba!

When I went to bed last night, I did actually enjoy the feeling of being sober. I'm not sure why I drink, because I am realising that I don't even enjoy it, beyond the euphoria of the initial 'hit'. If only I could stop at at that stage. Sigh.

Whoop whoop look at us all sober!

Not 100% sure I will be AF tonight. Going to try tho. But gin is calling. And it's my last day of work hopefully so in a bit of a party mood. Will only be 1 or 2 small gins though.

Will deffo be AF here tonight. Enforced!! Dd rushed to hosp today so spending the night with her on the ward. Boo hiss!! Fml!!

Ahhh love, hugs for you both. Xxx

Well done to all for being dry last night! We had another 'pot' (birthday drink) after the running club training sessions last night, I'm used to just having juice or fizzy water now. Always used to be 2 small bottles of beer. Still some surprise from the guys in the club but I say I'm training for my big race and I'll just stay on the soft drinks.
Woosey so sorry about your DD, I hope she is getting better
Athena the price of AF drinks is too high but the calorie count is definitely easier on the waistline than the real thing but I still prefer fizzy water to AF wine

Evening all. Hope everyone is surviving - though so sorry to hear about your stay in A&E, Woosey. And after everything else, too.

Frouby, did you remain AF, or did moderation work?

AF here. It has felt like a very, very long evening. Becks Blue, and two cups of tea, so I will be waking up several times to go to the loo. So much for better sleep.