Lockdown sober up...

[LockdownSoberup]

Day 1 for me. I have been drinking too much wine during lockdown and want to stop - it’s just boring now instead of alleviating the boredom I don’t drink every day but when I do I drink a lot and it’s not healthy. Just a thread for me to be accountable but anyone else feeling the same is obviously welcome

I can do it, and have done it ... several times!

Once I did dry January and kept going till September - 9 bloody months!

Last year I packed up from September until Christmas. This year at the start of lockdown I stopped drinking for 55 days and if it hadn't been for my birthday and someone rolling up with a bottle of red, I think I probably would have carried on.

But I always go back to it for some inexplicable reason (and it's usually one of those 'aw fuck it' moments), and before I know it I'm back to drinking on a regular basis and sticking three or four bottles a week in the shopping trolley.

I'm like some others here. I can't have such a thing as a glass of wine. I can occasionally - very occasionally - stop after one, but 99 times out of 100 I drink the whole bottle and start on another. I've never quite got to drinking two bottles in one go, but I'm getting up that way.

There's nothing like opening a bottle, getting a lovely glass, the sound of that red liquid glugging into it and that first sip and the lovely warm feeling as it goes down and hits your stomach. It's usually when I'm cooking something nice I start drinking, then drink most of the bottle with my meal and carry on afterwards. Then as I said before, it's frantic remedial action before bed, guzzling loads of water, lots of teeth brushing and mouthwash swilling and perfume spraying and everything to eradicate the evidence of my binge and try and lessen tomorrow's hangover.

I'm sick of it, and I can go without it and be quite happy, so I'm just got to keep trying until eventually those 55 days or 3 months, or 9 month breaks turn into forever.

@FannyFernackerpan that's brilliant that you can go so long! The only time I've stopped for 9 months is when I've been pregnant, I tried dry January one year and lasted 10 days.
Determined to do it this time

Well it's that time of day.. back from our afternoon adventures. Normally I'm home and the first glass is poured by 5.30/6ish.. I've a body pump class booked for 7 and have to drive a good 20 minutes from home to the gym. So.. that will keep me off the wine tonight!

It's my witching hour now, I normally start between 7 and 8pm. Currently sat with a cup of tea 👍
We can do this!

Well done everyone! Day 3 here. I want to stop home drinking. I'm a single mum with young kids and go out roughly 3 times a year, so would like a drink on those nights!

Drinking at home has become utterly pointless. I get none of the benefits (confidence, lowered inhibitions, fun, relaxing, laughter, etc) and all of the cons (hangovers, bad skin, overweight, hangxiety, skint and increased risk of disease). No idea why I've kept it up for so long.

@Wannabefarmer I'm the same, my partner can take or leave drinking, he only drinks when out with friends, occasionally he'll have a couple on a weekend but not often whereas I see the weekend as an excuse to drink, it's pathetic.
Have to say though I'm looking forward to waking up tomorrow feeling clear headed and having energy and patience with the kids

Another day done. I went back to the gym today as well. Took it very easy and got to know the new rules, routines and procedures. By the time I got home, I'd avoided that early evening lull which helped me to avoid the temptation of drinking.
Is anyone else a bit anxious about continuing to refrain during this spell of hot weather we've been forecast?

Day four done!

Lying in bed sipping a cup of herbal tea and reading mumsnet!

Morning, day 1 done onto day 2!
Slept like a log last night, so glad to wake up without a foggy head.
@KobeWan yes me! I normally work weekends but I'm off this weekend so Friday will be tough for me in the hot weather.
I'm going out for food tomorrow with one of my best friends, I won't be tempted to drink though as she doesn't drink plus I'm driving.

@FannyFernackerpan well done on day 4!

This is brilliant - love supportive threads like thjs gets a soda and pulls up a chair

I’m in. I’ve been sinking a bottle at a time about 3/4 nights a week since lockdown and quite apart from anything else, the cost is astronomical. I’ve managed to shift the half stone I put on through diet and exercise but I desperately want to lose the red bloated face. I started last week with trying two days in a row AF and now am on morning 4 of walking up without a hangover. I’m sleeping really badly which I think is to do with it, I imagine it will pass. But I love waking up with a clear head and a feeling of being able to make the most of the day rather than lie on the sofa watching TV and guzzling carbs.

Welcome @BlueBoar
I was similar to you, could quite easily drink a bottle of wine or a few lagers but I was doing it every night, that's when I realised I need to sort it out.
I'm only on day 2 but love the fact I've woke up with a clear head, don't need paracetamol and don't have to check my phone to make sure I didn't send any texts

Welcome @desertcoffeeyoga I only joined the thread yesterday but love it already.

Wow what a lovely sleep I've had! Didn't wake until 7.45.. normally I'm up by 5/6 searching for water and headache tablets!

Did my class last night, came home and H was already one bottle down.. tempted to join him but the voice in my head so NO! Day one complete.. here's to day 2.

Welcome newbies, we've all hit the wine wall it seems. I'm absolutely determined to get myself back. Bloated and puffy, not knowing what day it is .. shocking state of affairs as my fear mum would say.

@lockdownlush Day 2 for me too
I didn't wake until 7am, im normally awake around 5/6 looking for painkillers too lol.
I'm thinking of buying some AF free lagers for the weekend, Asda do a lovely AF gin too so I've heard.
What's everyone doing today?

There's a lovely AF gin and tonic in M&S I believe I have a bottle of it here somewhere.. no desire to drink at present but hand to have if I get the urge for taste.

I'm off to the garage today to retrieve my brand new paddle board from the boot of my car.. (poor car broke down last week, mechanics all on furlough until Aug so it's sitting there)..! we have a beach hut so will take it down there. Weather here is glorious all week! Might have a BBQ tea to if it's not too windy. Fortunately we have a spare car (it's a huge Land Rover) which I'm driving 😱 I may as well take a tractor out!

@lockdownlush sounds lovely!
It's cloudy and overcast here today but think it's forecast a mix of cloud and sunny spells.
I need to go and fill up my car with diesel then I'm planning on giving the house a good clean. When I've been drinking I do a half arsed job, decided today it's going to get a full clean. Hopefully by tonight I'll be too tired to even think about drinking lol

Morning everyone!
I've just weighed myself and I can't believe how many calories I must have been consuming in alcohol and the associated snacking. The weight is falling off me. I'm going to have to readjust my diet completely.
I'm still not sleeping very well and I think alcohol must have acted like a laxative because now I'm quite bunged up.
Got my daily email from Alice and it was all about respecting your body - I can't believe how badly I've been treating mine.

@mummyof4kids oh I love a good clean! I'm finding it hard to do a good job with kids in the house! Should have changed the bedding yesterday so I'll fit that in so I have a nice fresh bed with his evening. @KobeWan this is music to my ears.. I'm a stone heavier than normal and despite my efforts up until now it's not shifted. I am hoping going completely AF will see the weight come off. 😩

Morning all!

The start of day 5 and feeling good apart from a few aches and pains from my 'trip' the other night.

Woke up ravenously hungry this morning, so as KobeWan says - it must be all those missing sugar calories from the booze.

My (grown up, still living at home) son went to Aldi last night (quite a distance from where we live) and asked if I wanted 'anything' and made a drinking motion. When I do an Aldi shop I always stock up on their Chilean Merlot - four quid a bottle and really good!.

So I said "'yeah, can you get me a bottle of extra virgin olive oil, some bananas and a carton of greek yoghurt?" The look on his face was priceless!

Well onwards and upwards, keep going everyone and I wonder what's happened to the OP? If you're reading LockdownSoberup - thanks for the thread!

For those of you who have trouble sleeping - here's a couple of suggestions.

The first might be difficult if you share a bed, but for us singletons it's fine. Get some lavender oil and when you get into bed sprinkle a bit on your pillow and dab a bit on your pulse points. It's an old fashioned remedy but it really works. Something about the scent is soporific.
The good thing is also that by morning the scent is gone so your bedding/bedroom isn't permanently reeking of lavender oil.

Secondly I can recommend a wonderful tea - Clipper Organic Sleep Easy Infusion. I take mine to bed and sip it while I'm reading. I don't know if it's placebo or what, but I seem to get off better, don't wake up so many times and feel really refreshed in the morning. It's got a small amount of valerian, plus chamomile, lemongrass and an ingredient called *Rooibos.

An added advantage I've found with this is that I tend towards IBS-D following a nasty stomach bug a couple of years ago, and this has really helped settle things down, and that is definitely not placebo effect. It's unmistakeable. I think it's most likely the Rooibos as I found this when googling yesterday

www.biznews.com/health/2014/08/06/rooibos-tea-7-top-reasons-drink-6-cups-daily

So as far as I'm concerned, it helps me sleep better but also helps my tummy.

@lockdownlush yeah it's definitely harder with the kids at home. My eldest is 18 and moved out but I've got a (almost) 16, 12 and 4 year old at home so definitely a challenge.

I normally drink the Aldi Sauvignon Blanc, it's £3.69 a bottle I think but I'm going to get some AF alternatives for the nights I really fancy a drink.
Well the suns finally out here, I've got a line of washing out (how sad am I 😂)
My sisters just rang and asked if I fancy a trip to the park with the DC so might tidy the downstairs and do upstairs tomorrow lol

@LockdownSoberup hope you're ok

It's the witching hour for me, I always want to drink when the weathers good.
I've bought myself some AF cider so will have that after tea if I still fancy it.
Took the kids out to the park with my sister and her kids, it's a massive park with a big lake so the kids burnt off some energy.

How's everyone else getting on?

Evening all, checking in AF. Back from the beach, that time has passed for a nice cold glass of wine and I'm not too fussed tonight either. H late back from work.. usual story, normally sends my to the fridge for wine pissed off but not going to crack tonight! How's everyone doing?