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?

winterofdiscontent same to you though, think about how thankful your liver is going to be, 3 weeks no booze is ace. You should be really proud.

I found drinking a big glass of bitter lemon is a good substitute, could you try something like that to help with having less calories & spending less money?

Tonight would usually be a drinking night for me as I'm off work tomorrow but I'm going to be productive and paint my office this weekend so am going to be dry all weekend.

Thanks for the support everyone, it really means a lot.

So tempted to enjoy a glass of wine after work, though I fear it would not have been just one, and to eat cake- both of which I’ve given up for Lent.
The half way mark is feeling tougher.
Especially as, I too, have not lost any weight- how??

@Buntyforgirls well done you giving up cakes too! I eat far too much cakes and chocolate, probably something I need to tackle next.

25 days here, done a lot of gardening, walking and everything else to fill the evenings. Did start smoking odd cigarette now and again after quitting 5 years ago 🙄 but that’s easily fixed. Won’t say I’m determined it’s just normal life now not to have a few drinks (a generous few) every other night. Keep going all we got this x

My Fitbit tells my that my resting heart rate is 60 today. I think that's the lowest it's been since I got my Fitbit about a year ago. At the height of my drinking it was around 80! Why did I not do this earlier, the benefits just keep on coming! Keep going everyone!

Thanks Strawberry. It’s my liver, brain and face I’m worried about.

Bought a bottle of Eisberg Sauvignon Blanc as my Friday “drink” thus afternoon. It literally tastes the same as exotic fruit juice. If I had a blindfold on I’d swear it was orange and passion fruit. Sigh. Nice enough but so disappointing.
M&S Rose is still the nearest thing I think.I’m going to just buy that on Fridays from now on and only drink 0% beer in the garden. I can’t believe I’m still bloody addicted to “drinking” even if I’m not drinking.

Good luck for the weekend all!
Yes, it is becoming the new norm to no longer reach, or even contemplate a drink -fab.
Have to admit I caved on the sugar front and had a dough nut that was brought into work... tut sigh.
pBut continuing AF ...

Good luck everyone heading into weekend number 4! I am knackered tonight, have taken up running recently and did my first 5k today, feel completely exhausted now! DH is drinking a beer and I'm trying to persuade him to get off the sofa and make me a cup of tea and bring me some cake 🤣

Good luck everyone.bought some AF Stella artois as I was getting sick of chamomile tea.😁

How did the weekend go for everyone? I've been feeling pretty crap so be honest. Was a bit underwhelmed by DH's effort (or lack of) for Mother's Day and have ended up feeling upset about it for a lot of the day. I have probably over reacted, and i'm upset that it's brought me down because I had been feeling so great the past couple of weeks.

Was tempted to pour a glass of wine but I knew it would only make me feel worse, so I have got into bed early instead and hoping that I feel a bit better tomorrow.

Quite pleased I resisted wine on our wed anniversary and mothers day.
How did everyone else go?

Still AF too- 28 days. Well done for resisting low times and high times everyone,
Good luck for another week!

4 weeks today! Actually it's 1 month because February was a short month 🤣. Thinking I might try and make it to 50 days to get a nice round number as it's only a few days more than Lent, but we shall see.

YES!! We are nearly there ...

Have to say I'm a tad nervous about having a drink again, being an all or nothing type I don't have a moderate setting, so one glass when there's a whole bottle will be a harder struggle than abstinence

HCHQ Me too definitely me too.
I don’t really want to give up completely but have no idea what counts as an acceptable reason to drink now .
I was planning to celebrate end of lent with a drink but am I forcing something I might not actually want. Maybe wait and have a few glasses at Easter lunch or is that just going to lead to a few more and then more in the evening? And then once I’ve started again at Easter when’s the next time I can drink. Can I actually go back to drinking but drink less? Will I spoil the efforts if the last 6 weeks in two weeks.
Where is the line?

Same here-anxious that with lockdown easing too, and sunny gardens beckoning...

Oh I'm completely the same. There's a part of me that is looking forward to a glass of wine at some point, but I don't want to end up falling back into my old ways as I know I find it impossible to moderate. I usually finish off a bottle of wine once it's opened, and quite often start into a second bottle. Trying just to concentrate on staying off the alcohol for now.

I think this is me now.I try to do things in moderation and did check how much I drank before this yr.
I was teetotal until my mid 30S so now I'm in the habit of not drinking I think I will continue.
Only having bubbly on special occasions.
If I start back up I can see me halving a few drinks a week again.
This has been a good opportunity for change.

I echo your sentiments about drinking again.

I clearly don't need to drink but I equally enjoy it. However, I find it difficult not to drink everyday, even thought it's always only one. Being completely abstinent has released me from the choice of whether or not to drink that day. It's quite freeing!

Another weekend is upon us.We can do this everyone.😀

That is good Zampa.

So how much will everyone be happy to go back to drinking?

I think I’d like to be able to not worry about drinking for one night and then be able to not drink for weeks. Realistically without set dates/targets it won’t work like that.
I’m ok not drinking because I know Lent will be over. I’ve not yet got to acceptance that not drinking long term is sustainable. Sadly.

@Thewinterofdiscontent I think I'd be happy if I could eventually drink on only one evening at the weekend (and not every weekend) and to keep it under a bottle of wine. Not sure that's possible for me though. Although I'm really enjoying being sober now, I definitely worry that I won't be able to moderate once I pour a glass of wine again.

Is anyone tracking their alcohol free days on the Try Dry app? I've just noticed that today is the start of Sober Spring. It lasts 3 months up to 20th June. I don't think it's achievable for me as I have an overnight stay planned with some friends in June (if we're allowed to go) and would like to enjoy a Prosecco when I'm there, so for now I'm just focusing on Lent, and maybe stretching it out to 50 days.

I think I'm going to stretch Lent abstinence on until my birthday, a week later and then we'll see.

I think it helps that I had food poisoning the last time I had alcohol so the idea of booze isn't appealing at the moment!

I’m thinking I shall only drink when I’m out.
No cheeky bottles whilst sat at home. I easily drink too much then. I quite like AF beer and it means I can drive if I need to.

I don’t go out much and it’s expensive so that might curb my impulse to over drink. A glass of wine in the pub costs the same as a bottle at home. My inherent tightness might rein me in.