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?

I've decided to try sober spring, just to take away any decision making. I think once I have the option to drink I will take it, and then more and more!
I have plans for end term/ lockdown, so will drink then.
I know that I want to enjoy summer holiday drinks.
Who knew Lent was so long...!

Same as that Bunty. I’m going to do sober spring here as well, mainly because I just don’t miss it at all. Mornings are easier especially school mornings, days more productive, and nights gone way earlier in bed by 1030 instead of up sipping away until after midnight.

Oh yes let's carry this on.I really didn't think I could do it as I didn't drink much but looked forward to it.I worked out last night I've had 2 units and saved over 40 since the beginning of Feb.Lost weight too.Once I start again I will be back on it I think.Its a discipline I want to continue.
Thank you for starting this thread.Well done everyone.

A secure win- I no longer associate cooking with a glass of wine in hand...small steps... week 4, or is it5?? here we come.

I've booked a restaurant for 12/04 so going to have a glass of wine with dinner. Looking forward to the whole occasion.

It's 5 weeks today, which I'm sure must be the longest I haven't had a drink (apart from my pregnancies) for over 20 years! I think I'm going to try to get to 50 days as it's only just over another 2 weeks. I'd actually quite like to keep going for longer as I'm seeing so many benefits so far and would like to see what it's like to be sober for a longer period. But I also want to only set realistic goals or else I'll get demotivated. Going to aim for 50 days and then see where to go from there.

Seriously considering continuing beyond lent ... anyone else?

My record a few years ago was 70 odd days dry but it was thwarted by a trip to France.

Apparently it takes 90 days to break a habit ...

I think the catalyst for this was someone commenting that I'd lost weight - don't get me wrong. its barely noticeable, well for me anyways!!

That said - I'm in a real bad mood today (for no apparent reason) which would normally result in a big drink after work!

HcHQ I'm up for carrying on.Eventually I hope to just have the ođd glass or one night a week.
I can be v disciplined when I was younger I ditched sweets and chocolates and resisted by treating myself like a diabetic and they were forbidden.It is tricky when d's and dh have alcohol but now it seems more normal not to have one.
Being away from work has helped enormously.

@whatisforteamun

Game on!

Is anyone else missing the negativity of drinking? I’ve given up smoking too and I’m finding I’m really missing a bad habit.
I’m old and knackered. I’ve always done loads of sport, walking exercise but I’m bored of it all now really. Hobbies costs more than a couple of bottles of wine too.
I’m head I’m doing lent but I’m over sobriety now. Can’t wait until next week !

Warm days and holidays and end of some restrictions on socialising are going to be so tempting .
Day 40 for me tomorrow. Have to say I’m not feeling very much different so maybe I need to keep going...

Going in to weekend number 6! I feel absolutely knackered tonight so I'm looking forward to a cup of tea and an early night. It's funny to think how my attitude to alcohol has changed so much over just a few weeks. Normally on a Friday night I'd be driving home from work mentally counting up how many bottles of wine there were at home, and how many more I'd need to buy to last the weekend. Tonight it didn't even cross my mind.

I definitely need to do something about my diet though, I'm eating a serious amount of chocolate and other crap.

wintertime6 Thats brilliant. I wish I wasn’t thinking about wine.

It’s a bit like giving up sugar and carbs I’m finding. The terror of just one taste and you’re back to square one. I’m finding the process of denial much the same. If you get too obsessive with food though you get an eating disorder but the more I commit to not drinking the healthier it is.

I am seriously fatter now. However a couple of people have mentioned I look better. I definitely think my skin has improved - less lined.

42 days today. 6 weeks! Definitely getting more worried about slipping into old habits as I get near the end of this. It would be much easier to just give up completely but I don't want to!

I really didn't think I'd manage to do this so I'm so pleased I've got so far, and have actually enjoyed it and it hasn't seemed like a hardship. Considering I only managed 8 days of dry January before sinking a bottle of wine, I'm feeling rather pleased with myself.

I'm torn too ... to continue dry or not ...

Considering an only drinking when out (not at home) rule, which could work.

6 1/2 weeks here and still happy continue on, not saying I’m never again going to have a glass but just not right now. Interested in seeing how back garden bbq and sunny weather feel without the booze 😉

Well done everyone!

I had a glass of wine last night on the basis that it was Easter weekend. Will get a nice bottle of something for Sunday and then not drinking again until my birthday the week after next.

I am not going to be sober indefinitely but keen to keep alcohol to a weekly treat. Lent has shown me I don't need booze.

Zampa I agree.I never thought I could get through lent however I had 2 units over 60 days.This is brilliant as I have given up about 50 units of alcohol.Thanks for all the posts on here it has made me feel less alone.
It would be easy to back on the wine nights but I intend to be an occasional drinker now.

I might have wine tonight. Schools out, suns shining and I made it ( almost) to Easter. Didn’t realise Sundays don’t count towards 50 days.

I’m thinking now I might try to stay AF during term time. Luckily I’m not private school so they’re all 6 weeks at least.

Well done everyone for making it so far, whether it's been completely abstaining or cutting back. I read my initial post again and I remember posting it and I really didn't think I'd make it to this point. I think I hoped that putting it on here would help, and it definitely did.

I completed couch to 5k this week too, so I'm just feeling pretty proud of what I've achieved over the past number of weeks.

I did think about having a glass of wine tonight. I feel like Lent is pretty much done and I'm happy with what I've achieved, but I felt so exhausted when I got home from work that I didn't bother. I may have one tomorrow night, I'll see how I feel tomorrow. I really don't want to fall into old habits again but I don't think I want to completely abstain either so there's a bit of a battle in my head about that, but I do hope that my relationship with alcohol will improve after this break.

Thanks everyone for keeping me going over the past 6 weeks, you've made it so much easier!

Well done wintertime6 and everyone else we have all reset our drinking somehow and perhaps lost a little weight too.

Want to congratulate everyone for doing so well !! I'm starting my day 1 tomorrow for a month, does anyone have any advice on what you have been drinking/doing the evenings to help them pass quicker ! Thankyou xx

Chocolaty good for you.
I had chilled tonic water without the gin in a nice glass so it felt the same.AF cider and Stella occasionally and bizarrely chamomile tea as I had it in the cupboard.i often fell asleep on the sofa so alcohol wasn't relaxing me like I thought it was.I will follow you as I still want to continue.

Amazing ! I posted a post on no alcohol for 30 days and I'm following this for guidance too xx moderation.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Guide-to-Moderation-Management-Steps-of-Change.pdf