We enjoyed dry January so much. We thought we would do dry February, romancing into the AF way of life 💖

[StarryNightSparkles]

Hi everyone 👋

I've started this thread for anyone who would like to carry on after DJ and do DF 😊
Everyone is more than welcome. This is a thread of support and kindness.

My reasons for wanting to do DF is basically January is flying in really quickly and I would like to carry on helping my body recover after years of drinking wine most nights.

Good luck for February 💖💐

Have a great AF weekend everyone!

Hope everyone is having a good weekend. We were up early for a long walk with the dog.
I tried the Freixenet 0% sparkling wine last night and really enjoyed it!

Went for a lovely walk this morning with a friend. 9000 steps and 1.5 hours ☺️ I’m at gym tomorrow so with that and the dog walk I should reach my target of 10,000 every day in the week (as opposed to the usual 2000 steps I normally achieve on the weekend 😂)

Day 13 for me. Feeling great and looking forward to dry feb!

I'm aiming high this time, 100 days for me (I hope and pray!)

Maybe even a 180 if I can.

I always do DJ and whilst I see a glimmer of the benefits, I tend to go back to drinking before I see any real improvements. I also never truly re-set my habits. 31 days isn't enough. I find by the time the next December rolls around I am back to the height of unhealthy drinking!!!

I was a few days late so 12th April 2022 will be day 100 for me. I am really determined to do this.

Becoming more and more tempted to continue dry Jan in to feb... Just putting this here in writing to help concrete the idea/potential intention...

Will see how I fare next weekend. I've got a lot of travel across Europe for work in February, I'm not sure yet if that will make it easier or harder.

The hard parts might be the temptation to have a wine at airports/on planes/at dinner after a hard day of work. But equally I'll be so busy it could make it easier to carry on through as I won't be in my normal routine trying to get through the 'danger zones'.

I also want to lose weight and I would love to feel healthier and fitter. January has reset my relationship with alcohol but I feel that February might offer the true benefits I want to see if I keep going. And beyond feb too potentially..!

@Crunchymum I totally agree on your sentiment that 31 days isn't enough. Jan is a good detox and reset... but the really a bigger shift towards a healthier lifestyle needs to be developed which takes longer. Plus benefits take longer too.

Going for 100 days is amazing. I'm mulling this over... having a goal seems to really help. Tempted. Thinking about it.

Dropping by to say I completed Dry January successfully, including a couple of trips to the pub (with 0% beer it was easy not to be tempted). I would say that having done my two months of very moderate drinking in the lead-up to Christmas too, I have generally adopted a much more measured (high days and holidays) approach. Not sure that I feel like giving up alcohol completely just yet, although never say never!

Hello fellow DFers!! For those who don't know me, I used to be stuckhere2021 but changed my name to something more positive.

I developed a serious alcohol problem over the last few years culminating in 3/4/5 day long benders, falling asleep in hedges, getting caught drunk at work and causing endless amount of family drama. I was never an every day drinker but the time between binges was getting smaller - from one a month to one a week. Have tried to stop many times but this time is my last chance saloon - pun intended - or else I face losing everything.

Been AF since boxing day so today is now day 36. Have a date night tonight with DH (meal and cinema) - he will have a few beers which does not bother me or trigger me and I will have sparkling water and drive us home. No hassle or expense of taxis. I am still loving being AF and I look so much better - although I do have about a stone and a half to lose - that is my next battle.

Looking forward to chatting with everyone - not sure if this is a dry thread or for those moderating - although I think someone started a moderation thread too??? Whatever/whyever you are here, I look forward to continuing on this journey with you.

Day 1 DF/Day 36 AF. KOKO.

I’ll join too. It’s the first time I’ve ever managed dry January so feeling quite pleased with myself and would ideally like to get to 100 days.
I’m not a huge drinker but have a glass of wine in the early evening way too regularly and I’m worried about normalising it in front of the kids.
I’ve just discovered an app called Try Dry which I think is something to do with Drinkaware. It’s very motivating as you can set goals and it totals the calories and money you’re saving by not drinking. If I’d drunk a large glass of wine every day in January it would have been over 6000 calories over the month apparently. That is shocking!

Hi all. Checking in for day 2 DF. Went to cinema last night then dinner. DH had 3 beers and I had water and drove home. Didn’t miss alcohol at all though if I hadn’t been driving / going AF, I’d no doubt have had 3 wines. Just out of habit I suppose. So it’s good to be mindful of this moving forward. Have a great Wednesday everyone KOKO.

Hi all, day 2.

I drank a total of 4 days in January when I'd usually drink 4 days per week!!

I'm going to keep the dry days app as it's helping seeing units & calories saved.

Aiming for a dry Feb but as a minimum sticking to my no drinking at home rule I started this year!

Well done to everyone!

I definitely think 'a high days and holidays' approach is a good compromise.

I did dry Jan last year and continued on to have a totally dry year (still dry on 2022). I don't regret it at all and really recommend it.

@cameocat that is brilliant! What long-term impact has going dry for over a year had on you (if you don't mind me asking)?

I haven't leapt back into drinking alcohol since finishing DJ and will try to keep it that way, certainly at home.

Can I join! I managed about 5 days in jan. Not good. But in the last 3 days I’ve managed to just drink one glass, and I’ll cut down to zero. It doesn’t sound great but it is to me!
Already feeling better, sleep better and feeling a bit proud. Dp wanted a row last night and in jan I’d have headed straight to a bottle but I didn’t! Mad sooooo pleased with myself 😊 well done all and well done my best life!

Well done everyone! I'm still going and finally, thanks to walking more and fasting, managing to shift some weight!

@NewModelArmyMayhem18
Well I'll probably miss some points as it is so normal now but in the beginning I was delighted to no longer feel guilty about the amount I was drinking (that feeling when you wake up and think it was too much or really you shouldnt have or just bleary). Further on down the road I realise I don't miss being beholden to alcohol. I wasn't an alcoholic but that decision to drink (or not) tonight, who is going to drive etc. None of that is an issue now.

I still go out with friends who drink and have a great time so I don't miss that.
It has taken me a year but exactly a year later I feel so incredibly strong and have gone on a serious health kick (body and mind).

I'm always hydrated, full of energy and my mood is better overall.
I know as the children get older and go out that they'll be able to call me anytime, day or night and I'll be able to get them (taxi hasn't turned up, their lift is drunk etc)
I feel confident that I'm showing my children an alternative to always drinking (my parents drink every night, as do DH's). I wanted to break that cycle.
Honestly, I don't miss it, I feel free from it.

That said I've told my children that if they ever have to put me in a home I'll happily crack open the wine at 10am every day.

Oh and the sleep! Good quality where night, even when I think I have a good night's sleep my fitbit still rates it as good (I've had one fair score this year and that is it).

Where = every

Wow @cameocat that's inspiring! That's the life I want! Just the little things as you say - like always being able to drive

This year my goal is to better last year's 100 days and then, who knows? Probably one week at a time. If I can get through a summer I've probably cracked it. Worst thing for me is the subtle pressure to drink from friends and family.

@Absoluteweapon, ah yes the subtle pressure. The questions like when are you going to start again... oh but you will at my wedding etc. It used to bother me but no longer. I've realised how much society feeds us this perception that alcohol is good.... you 'deserve' a drink, we must celebrate etc. All the birthday cards etc that are highly humorous alcohol ones. The Instagram posts about how wonderful it is and if you're feeling down have a drink (don't, it's a depressant). On the TV, if you watch a crime drama they are always celebrating in the pub at the end and the amazing detective who solved it all is an alcoholic but of course his brain hasn't been sluggish at all...

I could go on! I am not anti alcohol but I am now horrified how much I was fed all these messages. As a result, I believe this is in part is what people find odd, they're fed a narrative that our lives are incomplete without it, that it contributes to our happiness. So even if they're not alcoholics they still think being alcohol free is somehow a problem.

How's everyone getting on? Six weeks alcohol free for me today! Had a couple of tests last couple of days but wasn't tempted to drink at all. I can really see a way forward now.

@cameocat you are inspiring.

Well I've still not had a drop of alcohol touch my lips since completing DJ but I did foolishly buy a bottle of fizz for Valentine's Day. I think that does count as permitted high days and holidays drinking?

Not really tempted now when sitting at home, although I've noted that bedtime seems to have got earlier without the comfort of a glass of vino to hand! Not a bad thing necessarily though?

Coming on here to stop me caving! Dp is a grumpy arse. I think it kicked off because I was serving up leftovers on a Friday night. Well no one will tell me what they want and I am all out of ideas. So of course we’ve just had a long list of all the things I haven’t done. And it’s REALLY tempting me to hide in a bottle.

Woop woop! Read this thread yesterday to stop me caving, and have done 8DAYS!!!!!!!! It may not seem much, but it is to me. Thanks everyone for posting 💐