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) 😁

Morning all.

Fiveshelties: shelties are gorgeous. We had several in our family (going back a few years, here...) I hope you find this thread helpful. I certainly do.

Mrscaindingle: I, too, am still waiting to see the miraculous benefits to not drinking (much).

Frouby: your comment about your ticks made me laugh. I know what you mean about wasting tonic, too!

Growing: agree with what you say about needing to come straight in and eat and then avoid the kitchen like the proverbial Plague. But it sounds as if you have a reasonable plan for managing the next few days, which is a good idea (reduces the risk of idly wandering around, thinking "Hmm, what now?")

Colouring: well resisted. Stay strong.

I, weirdly, didn't miss it much last night. I had three cups of tea followed by two huge glasses of mango smoothie and fizzy water, so I may have filled myself to saturation point. I was still also feeling very cross with myself after the gin-athon the previous night. However, I have a work do tonight. I would in the past have regarded it as a way to drink bucketloads for free, but I'm going to try to stick to one glass this time and drink it very slowly. We will see what happens in practice.

Afternoon all

Mrs well done on all you have achieved so far. I did dry jan last year and it's bloody hard so I know I wouldn't like dry 100!

Athena have a good night out and be aware of sneaky units catching you out.

Colouring did you stay strong or did you break?

I am probably having a little drink tonight. Purely because DP is trying to do AF weekends and I don't want to drink on my own on either saturday or sunday. Will only have a couple of g and ts tho. Wine tomorrow night and that will be it hopefully.

Just spent the afternoon trying to declutter stuff. Did all the kitchen drawers and wiped them out. Then started on the business paperwork. Jesusfuck I hate paper. Fiddly bits of paper and invoices and bank stats and communication from hmrc that all has to be kept for 6 bastarding years. And no sooner do I start sorting it out and getting organised and then a tax year changes or something needs loads of bits putting together in a file or something and all my nice organised files get trashed again.

It's definetly enough to drive me to drink.

Not a successful week in terms of dry nights (only 1 so far) but I’ve definiteky limited my intake overall. I’m having 2 glasses of white in a glass that has pub measure. Usually I’d have 3 (and a splash) so it’s at least 1 glass less per eve. Off to see a friend in a play tonight but I’ll drive so that’ll rule drinking out 👍🏻

His Mrs welcome. You've come to the right place!

Thanks so much everyone for your support. I did resist, but mainly because I felt unable to get off the sofa!

Am round a friend's tonight so will be drinking socially (have already started with a vodka and orange ) but that's allowed in my rules....

I am realising I don't have the healthiest relationship with alcohol...

Well done on the admin Frouby! Cheers for later.

I was just thinking it would be fab to meet up with you ladies for a drink!

Hello Mrs - what an interesting post, and v impressed by the reading you've done and the 21 days so far.

I often think if something awful happened to me (eg when my mum dies, or something), I wonder if I would use booze as a crutch. It's one of the things that makes me try to control it now. Well done you - and I love that quote you read on Soberista.

Frouby well done on the paperwork. No reason not to have a drink after all that. I also loathe that shit.

It has been a very long and boring and in parts stressful week, so I am v much looking forward to a drink tomorrow. One good thing about cutting back is that you really do enjoy the drinks you have!

Athena the mango smoothie/fizzy water combo sounds really good. I just drink my children's squash which is very boring.

TFI Friday tomorrow!

4 AF nights this week for me. Shared ONE bottle with DH Tuesday and we both regretted it cos of disturbed sleep.

Unsure if I will have anything tonight, but Saturday is a sure thing - we're going to a 50th birthday party.

Feeling better for it and feeling less guilty!

Well done orin. 4 nights is fab!

Had my 2 gins last night. And do you know what? I didn't enjoy them. What's that all about? Hmmmmm. I didn't feel guilty for drinking, didn't feel drunk at all, didn't get that little buzz. Didn't enjoy anything other than the first couple of sips.

Had 2 and switched to water.

Obviously I am just about to pop a bottle of wine in the fridge to conduct a scientific experiment to see if it's just gin I am off or all alcohol.

Happy Friday everyone whether you are dry, damp or soaking wet today!

Hi everyone. Had a busy week so need to catch up on all the posts but from what I can see everyone is doing well. Very pleased with myself for having 4 dry days in a row this week. Might manage another one tonight unless my friend comes over. I have to say that I am feeling much better in terms of less anxiety and also have a lot more energy so have taking up running again (albeit very short to start with and with plenty of walking involved!) but its better than nothing I suppose. Hope you all have a great weekend!

I feel like the biggest failure on this page . I have definitely drunk less this week in a more controlled way. I have had one dry night and cut back by measuring drinks properly. It was heading down a slippery slope and I do feel better - not groggy or tired the next day so maybe I will add another dry night next week - making 2. Well done all!

Ooo I’m gonna jump on this too.
After a stressful house move in September then Christmas, I found I was drinking a bottle of wine a night (4 nights in a row) sometimes sharing with DP.
Then during the Christmas period I was definitely drinking everyday for around 2.5weeks.

I’ve cut it all right down,2 nights a week I will allow myself a drink. No more bottles of wine down my neck tho, I’m thinking of switching to Gin as I’m feeling heavier too.
Is it the lowest calorie drink?

Can I come late to the party?
Am doing dry midweek as I’ve found my consumption creeping up and up.

I love drinking alcohol. It’s been my companion through so many big events in my life.
I probably wouldn’t have the job I love, my wonderful DH, or any of my DCs without a bit of Dutch courage and I know that if I keep drinking the amounts I got up to last year, I’ll one day have to stop for good.

So far, I’ve managed to stay dry during the week and just have one drink while cooking on Sunday.

Really want to stick to this. It feels so much better.

Thespian - You are definitely not a failure. Cutting back really is hard to begin with but I have found that it was a bit easier this week (second week doing 4 dry days in a row). I'm hoping that next week will get easier still, and so on. The way I see it, as long as we are making more conscious decisions about our intake and reducing it bit by bit, we are on the right track.
SleightofMind - That is really amazing. Do you have any tips to staying dry as I would like to cut down my weekend consumption a bit too now.

Well done to everyone. I have also had 4 AF days in a row this week and last week. I was tempted last night as I don’t work on a Friday, so it’s the start of my weekend, but I managed to resist. I know I will drink tonight and am away this weekend for a friends big birthday - will probably drink too much but hopefully back to dry weekdays next week.

Thespian you have reduced your intake tho! Doesn't matter if you have done it by dry days or by reducing the amount. It's very difficult and just by acknowledging you aren't comfortable and reducing itt by a bit you aren't failing at all. It doesn't matter how anyone else has done it the fact you have done better than you is all that matters.

Welcome to new people! And well done everyone. I am finding it a bit easier too. Normally I would be on the lager now but staying strong for a glass of wine later instead. I would normally drink lager until about 5pm then switch to wine. Holding oit until 5pm for wine!

^^ what Frouby said, Thespian. What matters is improving on what you'd normally do. Even a tiny reduction would be good, but you've done much more than that.

Hello Wetwashing and Sleight. You have come to to the right place. In my case, divorce, relationship stress, problems with children, money etc have all contributed to what has become heavy consumption. Wetwashing: I think gin is relatively low in calories, hence my fondness for it (though obviously all the calories are still pretty crappy as they're basically sugar).

I had about half a bottle of wine last night at a work do (so 5 units or thereabouts). This is a lot by normal standards, I know, but the good thing for me is that I didn't come home and carry on. I went to bed instead.

Tonight has been quite hard (not least because I have a cold and am feeling sorry for myself, plus the DC aren't here so I'm all on my own), but I thought I should bust a gut to have an AF night given that I'm already up to 10 units this week. Overall, though, this is still better than it has been for the past two years, so I am clinging to that thought... Plus the idea of not waking up at 3 AM in a towering panic...

Hi Thespian Frouby and Anthena. Thank you for welcoming me and hi to all new people who have also joined this thread. I am finding it so difficult to have even one dry night. I love drinking red wine and have a bottle every night which I realise will damage my health if I continue.

My husband does our shopping and even when we don't need anything he goes to the supermarket every day anyway to get wine - one bottle for me and two for him EVERY DAY ! I have been thinking of planning things to do in the evening which don't involve drink like going to the cinema or for a long walk but never seem to do it.

We keep saying that we will stop during the week but it comes to Monday and my husband arrives home with wine which I am very happy to drink but feel so guilty the next day. I need a plan and to find strength to cut down or stop altogether!!!

Hello Marie. You have hit the nail on the head: much of this is to do with habit. Your DH is now in the habit of calling in to the supermarket for wine, and you are in the habit of drinking it, because it's there, and that's what you normally do. Habit certainly plays a massive part with my problem. One thing that has helped me is changing some parts of my evening routine. For instance, my default position is to come home after a horrible day and reach straight for a drink. What I'm trying to do now is come home and immediately start making supper (which pleases the DC, as they come home starving). I find I'm less tempted to drink after dinner than before, and if I can get through the post-dinner time by going on MN or watching TV (which I haven't done for 20 years, but it's a distraction), then I can reasonably go to bed very early, and the day is over. Tiny things like that do make a difference. Though it still isn't easy - and I would find it even harder if I had a DH who was coming home, bringing alcohol with him...

I actually feel like I’m obsessing about wine the more I try to distract myself! Bit like saying you’re on a diet. The more you restrict, the more appealing the forbidden fruit becomes!

Quite, Thespian. I remember reading some time ago that people find it easier to diet if they say to themselves that they can have a biscuit (or whatever), but then choose not to. It's the knowing that you can't have something that makes you want it all the more. I am certainly thinking about having a drink now far more than I did when I was drinking every night.

Yes this is exactly what I'm finding too

Had my significant other over last night and drank a bottle of wine plus a gliug from bottle 2 between us! That’s far less than I normally would. Feel absolutely chipper today. Much better. I’d say my consumption of wine this week is probably a good third to a half less. 🍷👍🏻

Hi Anthena. Thanks for your reply. My DH is currently at the supermarket and I know he will bring home wine. I think I am going to gradually reduce my consumption starting tonight. I am going to try this for a week and if that does not work (I am more determined than I have ever been) I will go cold turkey next week which I know will be difficult!! I have read on-line about Clare Pooley's experiences of this and I know it may be harder to cut down than to stop completely. However trying to cut down is going to be my first step as I really don't fancy the withdrawal symptoms of stopping suddenly. I still get up and go to work every day and am never off sick (touch wood) but I feel that I would be much more fit without alcohol consumption.

Hello all!

The urge for a gin is strong tonight. Just about to start on the ginger cordial. I have had 2 wet nights so really don't want to do 3 in a row.

Really enjoyed my bottle of wine last night. Was just the wine tho no lager or gin so thats a reduction.

But I really want gin.

Urgh.

Hi everyone.

Still dry here. With the exception of a glass of prosecco at my nieces 18th last weekend.
I have decided to be as dry as possible in January to reset my clock but then want to be much more moderate on my drinking after then.

These have arrived today - I am hoping they may take the edge off my hankering for gin.