Alcohol free in 23

[DancingSober]

Hello!

This is the thread for doing a whole year alcohol free beginning tomorrow (although some have started a bit early).

This isn't a moderation thread, so it isn't for cutting down. It's absolutely no alcohol for the whole of 2023.

That said, slip ups happen and I will not be throwing anyone off the thread if they have a blip, (or several blips), but please don't post if you're planning to have a few drinks here and there, as it may affect people who are struggling to remain AF but want to.

Tagging everyone from the initial thread:

@SerialMover
@Metalhead
@nancydroo
@blondie87
@TooSunny
@Preparedforjobnottolast
@thenewaveragebear1983
@limitededitionbarbie
@afaloren
@hashbrownsandwich
@Wantmyownbed

I think that's everyone, but please join if you want to (it's open to everyone) and huge apologies if I have missed anyone with my tagging.

Checking in.
No caffeine today. Lots more water then usual and spent 15 minutes walking up and down the stairs in my house (plus a walk).
The stairs thing I'm going to try and keep up because I really felt out of breath and my heart-rate got up to 140
The diet didn't do so well as we had left overs for dinner.... One step at a time!

I had two mince pies for dinner

I like the stairs idea. I've got a little cheap Fitbit thingy (not a real Fitbit) which I will wear tomorrow. I'm going swimming first thing. I've booked it so I can't back out 😄

Yes yes yes I am here for this! 3 days no drinking.

Rather than get anxious about avoiding drink, I am going in strong with what I am going to do!

Coming up to the anniversary of a bad binge soon. Attending the same event this year. Planning to have a much better night this time round!

Welcome @HardToKnowWhatToDo!

I'm in.

I support this! You will not regret it. I did Sober Spring back in 2020 after reading ‘The Unexpected Joy Of Being Sober’ (highly recommend this book). I haven’t touched a drop of alcohol since. My mental health is 100x better, Sundays aren’t painful anymore and I can still go out and have fun but with a Diet Coke instead. Best of luck all!

Thanks @MrsSmith1993! I will have to get that book too. Swiftly spending all my wine money on quit lit 😄

Welcome @threecupsofteaminimum. I approve of your nickname too

I would like to join too please.

I don't drink frequently but I struggle with moderation and really feel it the next day. I went to a party last night and feel hideous today.

I am done. I can't tolerate it anymore.

Thanks for setting this up.

X

Welcome @BrendaHope. I know how that feels! Just can't see the fun in it any more. I don't remember the last time I had a fun, drunken night out without feeling terrible the next day. It really sucks the fun out of it as I just feel so guilty over what I've done to my body.

So, AF may be the way forward for me

Thank you- I will!

Place marking!

Stayed dry yesterday and played scrabble after dinner. Normally after a big family meal, there's no way I'd be happy about playing or enjoy it, but because I'd had no wine, I enjoyed it for the first time! I'm going to record these wins!

Well done raisin. That's great.

I've just been for an early(ish) morning swim at the leisure centre. I'm showered and ready for the day now and feeling pretty good. This is not something which would normally happen on a bank holiday. I'd usually have a few wines in the evening, sleep in till 9 and then slob about in my PJs till 11 .

I am not working today. DH is, but then we're going to a Christmas light show this evening. Will maybe get a mulled apple juice or whatever they do there.

{Waves to serial 👋)

That sounds like such a lovely morning

Thanks cooda. It was lovely actually. (I'm guessing you meant the swim rather than the lounging about in PJs with a semi-hangovet 😜)

Hangover*

Well done @earlyraisin !

I'm impressed @DancingSober - great start to the day!

Less accomplished evening and morning for me. I stayed in my study early evening last night to avoid the wine temptation, just losing myself in the internet rather than anything productive. I then couldn't sleep until 3 am and didn't wake until nearly 10 am. Going to be fun adjusting to getting up at 6.30 am again tomorrow. Next on the list is changing a few habits around sleep...

copper, I really want to reduce my screen time in the evenings and read more books. I've got stacks of paper books to read (and some more alcohol related ones on the way too), so need to just read them.

Speaking of which btw, I started listening to the Millie Gooch book today on the way to swimming and I like it a lot so far. She isn't that much younger than I am (although she wrote the book a few years ago I think). But I actually said "yep" out loud at one bit (I was in the car, not waking 😂). She also wasn't a heavy, heavy drinker. She's a former party girl / binge drinker? who just drank too much on nights out and made a bit of a tit of herself when she did (this was me at that age too , so can absolutely relate). She's also very likeable and quite funny. Will see how the rest of it goes, but so far would recommend.

*walking

Can't type today

I had a dry evening yesterday, I cannot for the life of me remember when that last happened 😵‍💫.

I felt really weird, in theory I was in a quiet, restful place, but I felt really anxious and the muscles in my arms and legs were jangling. I managed to knock it on the head by digging out my manicure set and having a go at my nails and using some lovely cuticle oil. My hands look much better now, and I'm going to get some nice new polish colours to give me something to do while sitting on the sofa on an evening.

I slept better than I expected, and started the morning off with yoga. Feel fine now.

I'd like to join please! I stopped drinking early Nov after my second bout of covid. My first bout had knocked me for six for 3 months so I wanted to give myself the best chance for recovery. Then I listened to the Adam Huberman 2 hr podcast on alcohol and really felt like it was a great motivation to stop for all the health reasons. I'm mid forties, perimenopausal, finally got my hormones sorted on HRT and getting regular sleep. My priority for the year is managing my energy and I love how I feel in the morning not drinking. I also want to be an example to my kids. I am listening to the Catherine Grey book and a lot of how drinking made her feel as a teen/twenty something resonates. Pregnancy and kids forced me to moderate my drinking but I'm discovering I don't really know how to celebrate and socialise without booze. So that's going to be a big learning curve. Did my first sober work Christmas party in 23 years, it was a bit strange. Best of luck to all of you.

Also, on the non alcoholic drinks. I have not been mad about them as what I like about beer is the alcohol not the taste. It's a tricky one, a couple of soft drinks and that's enough sugar. But actually not drinking anything is sometimes easiest. You would never drink that many drinks in that period of time if it wasn't alcohol. So an empty glass is something to do with your hands but you don't need anything in it. For home I found a gorgeous Christmassy red berry and spice cordial that I make a hot drink with and that is lovely on the couch in the evening.

Hi all, I'd like to join please.

I did July 2019 to July 2021 completely sober after developing a bottle a day habit. Since July 21 I've drank on and off, always moderately- but I can 100% say I felt better sober. I'm also peri menopausal and feeling quite low at the moment. I want to get a grip of life again and enjoy myself and feel at peace, being a better person, mother, friend, wife etc.

It all starts here! If nothing changes, nothing changes ♥️. Today is my day 3.

Welcome @WithFlamingLocksOfAuburnHair and @TeeNoG

And a proper welcome to @AChristmasCaro too!

Dender well done. It's amazing the things you can get done when not drinking of an evening! I definitely feel a bit smarter when my nails are painted. I don't do them often enough really. Will maybe start doing that too

Best of luck @TeeNoG . Perimenopause made my mood very low and angry. HRT has helped a lot and I think skipping alcohol will help even more. Once I stopped feeling like shit I realised how good it feels to feel good.