Anyone giving up alcohol for Lent?

[wintertime6]

I tried dry January, I definitely cut back a lot but wasn't completely dry. Then it seems to have creeped up a bit over the past couple of weeks. I feel like I need to show myself I can actually do this!

I'm doing couch to 5k and should hopefully complete it around Easter time, so think I'll see if I could give up alcohol for that period as well. And hopefully see benefits from both.

I'm not entirely sure I can do it, but I'm going to give it a go. Anyone with me?

Hello people!

I have given up alcohol for Lent. Mostly because I look as rough as a bag of spanner’s. January is too hard as it’s my birthday month and there’s always lots of booze floating about.
Lent is good though because you’re supposed to give up something challenging I guess.

I gave up smoking over Christmas. Literally just stopped and not been bothered at all. Been around other smokers at work and no interest. This is killing me though. I am thinking of drinking and not drinking all day. Madness.
I am working my way through all the non alcoholic beers and wines I can find. I know you are supposed to find something non booze like but I can’t taste soda or hot drinks in the same way. I like the taste of wine - just not the affect. Can I post reviews of them all somewhere on here?

I had half a bottle of beer last night and a small glass of prosecco today. I'm out I'm afraid. I decided that life is bad enough without making myself forego wine! Im going to limit it to weekends instead - and only have a bit.

Hey Winterofdiscontent this I challenging for sure but why don't we rate our trial booze free alternatives?

Thumbs Up: Becks Blue
*
So-So: Tesco Low Alcohol Reduced Calorie G & Tesco 4 X 250Ml £3

Don't Do It:* Gordon's 0%,

Yet to find an acceptable 'wine'.

To avoid cordials I put fruit in sparkling water - grapefruit, strawberries, cucumber... and the light fever tree tonics are nice.

Is it only four weeks to go? SIMPLES!!!

Ha, 4 weeks ( gritted teeth) When are you going to have an alcoholic drink again.? I think Lent is over on the Thursday but I might try and wait until Easter lunch. Or I might see if I can hold on until the pubs open to celebrate. I’m worried that if I open a bottle at home I’ll be drinking back to excess again.

I like Becks Blue too. 8/10 for lager taste and 9/10 for drinkability.
The cheap beer from Lidl is ok. Almost like lager but with an odd lime flavour. It’s only £2.49 for 6.

I’ve yet to try a sparkling wine that doesn’t taste like Shloer. I’ve done Nosecco 3/10 similarity and 5/10 taste and Fizzero 1/10 and 5/10.

However I do think M&S 0%Rose vaguely reminds me of wine.
It’s like drinking the last of a glass of rose that has had ice in it. You know when you’ve taken a slurp and it tastes watered down with a hint of freezer burnt ice. 😁
It’s done the job in the sunshine though. 7/10 and 8/10

I’m finding the best bit is having a “ drink” and then remembering I can still go out and drive somewhere. It’s quite freeing.

Oh no Zampa get well soon.
Saturday I felt quite low.Lacking motivation and thought perhaps I gave up too much at once.no work,no online spending eating healthily and no alcohol so I looked it up online and apparently the dopamine we miss from the alcohol takes a while for our brains to produce.
I felt better today and I hope to make it through the next few weeks however after this if the feeling persists I will allow myself the odd drink night.
If I do feel good I may carry on past Easter.

I always give up alcohol for Lent. I never drank before I had kids in my 40s and then not much, but in the last few years if I open a bottle I finish the bottle. My mother always gave it up for Lent, and after she died six years ago I have done it in her honour. I think the extra accountability means I stick with it. I have no plans to continue after Lent, though I try to only drink three nights a week.

Why is Lent always so much longer than I expect it to be? I always think beforehand its about a month but of course its not. Really wanted a drink last Tuesday for some reason, not even on a weekend, walked to the shop to buy a 6 pack but changed my mind by the time I got there. I suppose its a good thing I don't drive, more time to change my mind!

21 days for me- didn’t think I could do it! It’s getting more normal to not think ooh end of day I think I’ll have a glass of wine.
Although once out of lockdown and summer evenings beckon... shouldn’t project I know.
Good luck as we enter another week.

@Buntyforgirls it definitely gets easier the longer you stay off the booze, doesn't it? I've been listening to a lot of quit lit on audible the past few months and I remember someone saying that every time you go back to Day 1 you make it so much harder on yourself as you never get the chance to get to get to a week or 2 weeks or a month when it becomes so much easier to stay off it. It really struck a chord with me and if I fancy pouring a glass of wine I try to remind myself of that. I'm not saying that I'm never going to drink again, but I think it's good to take time out from it every now and then.

Day 20 for me, nearly 3 weeks!

Hallo, everyone, you're all doing brilliantly! I've been AWOL, as my phone broke and could access mn, but I'm back.
I did 15 days of the Annie Grace, then fell off the wagon. Last week wasn't good, but at least I learnt that I simply cannot have wine in the house. I stupidly picked up a bottle last Monday, in Aldi, as I I thought it looked nice ( an Advertiser's dream, me), and that was it for last week.
Anyway, am still trying. A good friend reminded me that with dry January and start of Lent, I've had more sober days than drinking days, so that's good.

I’m giving up chocolate 🍫

I wish I could say I'm giving up chocolate, as then I would be successful! I enjoy a bit every now and again, but I could live without it. Wine is a different matter.

I'm out all! Good luck

@StrawberryFizz26
Don’t go!

I seen you’ve had a few drinks but I’m guessing that’s way less than you would have had normally?
Could you not just get it a few tonic waters and pretend it’s a G&T or a couple of low alcohol beers for tonight or the rest of the week
It’s still weeks till the pubs open - can you make that your new target?

It’s meant to be hard work....that’s how you know it’s worth it.

thewinterofdiscontent

Thanks for the comment. I've had 3 drinks (bottles) in 3 weeks, it had gotten to maybe 4 x a week. So yes, defo an improvement.

I have felt terrible today and I hate feeling like this. I've already said to DP I don't want to drink at the weekend. I guess I'm back on it but don't want to be a fraud on this thread.

Yes please stay @StrawberryFizz26! I followed the dry January threads although the first weekend in January was the only one I managed to stay completely dry! But I reduced my overall intake by a lot and it also made me more aware of my relationship with alcohol, and that means a lot too.

The fact I didn't manage to complete dry January made me more determined to give it up for Lent as I wanted to show myself I could do it and that's why I started this thread. Just glad to have you all here, whether you're completely abstaining, cutting back or just re-examining your relationship with alcohol and thinking about making some changes in the future.

I can't quite believe I've made it to 3 weeks! I've noticed I've had a lot more energy the past few days so I'm hoping this continues. It's definitely true that you see more and more benefits the longer you stay off the booze, I've just never got this far before to find out 🙈

That awesome wintertime6 did you have a period of feeling knackered before you got to this stage, the past 3 weekend all I've wanted to do is sleep, I had a 4 hour nap on Sunday!! I like napping anyway but this was a lot even for me.

I've reset myself and am determined no more booze. It's just not worth the feeling horrid for
My eating has been shite today too.

@StrawberryFizz26 I don't remember feeling particularly knackered but I think my body had just got used to feeling crappy and tired all the time because of all the wine I had been drinking for too long. I'm also doing couch to 5k and I think that's probably helping to increase my overall energy levels.

@StrawberryFizz26

That awesome wintertime6 did you have a period of feeling knackered before you got to this stage, the past 3 weekend all I've wanted to do is sleep, I had a 4 hour nap on Sunday!! I like napping anyway but this was a lot even for me.

I've reset myself and am determined no more booze. It's just not worth the feeling horrid for
My eating has been shite today too.

I had a period like that when I did dry Jan for the first time last year, but by the end I felt great and did most of lent too (until lockdown happened and I thought fuck it). This time around I feel great so it does get easier.

Strawberry fizz26 don't go.You are not a fraud.
You are still cutting back which is huge.
I haven't given up and I admit I had two single shots of gin in Feb.
Over a month that would ve been over 20 units saved.I don't do black and white thinking as that is where we go wrong.
All is not lost though.Think of the gains you have made to your health.😀

A bit disappointed to work out that I've only saved about a day's worth of calories during Lent so far and I've more than made up for that with alcohol replacing chocolate!

@Zampa, yeah that can be a bit disheartening. I think by giving up alcohol though, the benefits far exceed the negatives! I'm just happy to have alcohol free days. I do understand where you're coming from.

Yeah, you're right!

whatisforteamum thank you. You're right. It's hard to think of the little things we do as positive at times! I'm on day 5 of not smoking too! Go me.

Definitely go you StrawberryFizz26. Not smoking is very impressive. Easy to make that your treat instead of drinking. I’m glad you’ve climbed back on the waggon - we can squeeze you in the front so you don’t fall off again.

Just think how fabulous your face will look after not drinking or smoking for a few weeks!
Or how much better shape your lungs and liver will be in.
Or how much freedom you’ll have without worrying about smelling of fags or feeling hung over or acting like a tit.

I’m happy drinking my non alcoholic beer but frankly it means no weight has come off, I’ve not saved any money (I’ve spent more working my way through non alcoholic wines rather than a cheap bottle of 11% red)l Still look rough and still wake up in the early hours. It’s been 3 weeks and still 3 and a bit to go, sigh.