On A Mission To Moderate or Absolutely Abstaining? Join us for encouragement, support and non - judgemental chat *2024*

[Swannyb]

@amdone123 @mj20 @touty @Hohofortherobbers @Coppergate7 @bigbus @colouringindoors @wellitywellness @Atacamadesert @Freezingfeetwarmheart @WouldRatherBeAPieceOftToast @Hohofortherobbers @mickandrorty @Mykittensmittens @afaloren @NoTeaNoShade @CrackersCheeseNoWinePlease @LynnThese4reSEXPEOPLE @Needtokickthehabit @OhShitImNearly40 @Nowstrong @enoughisenough4

@Needtokickthehabit I’ve found having sour or tangy non-alcoholic drinks in the house a real help for the evenings because I think it tricks my heads that I am still following my routine of having a few drinks.

I’ve also been to the movies in the evenings a couple of times as I can’t drink before those or organised to meet a friend for a walk.

My take on Adrian Chiles' excellent 'Drinkers Like Me' book and documentary - which are highly recommended!

https://wellitywellness.com/2024/01/25/dry-january-25-drinkers-like-me/

Nearly 6 weeks here, longest for a few years. Not tempted, well not really. It would be nice to be out of it for an evening and able to forget about life but I don't give myself the choice.

Sleep has finally turned around a bit and is getting better I think. Will believe it's properly sorted if it stays good for a while now.

Life is definitely a lot calmer without booze, work is a lot easier and I've got a lot more energy to get up and out. So I'm plodding on, no 'pink cloud' unfortunately just grey skies. Better than the thunder and lightning booze brings tho!

To all of you posting on this thread and going through it, well done. It's not easy.

@OhShitImNearly40 6 weeks is absolutely brilliant, well done ! I started tearing up reading your post, I'm so proud of you and I don't even know you ❤️
I really like the weather analogy - thunder and lightning that booze brings.....a perfect summation.

I had a bottle of wine last night, only because I stupidly picked it up when doing a small shop.I did enjoy my evening so it's not too bad. Good news is I won't drink today or tomorrow. I'll tackle Sunday when I get there.

A quick and dirty one from me today, ahead of family weekend away...

https://wellitywellness.com/2024/01/26/dry-january-26-words-of-wisdom/

Well done on your six weeks @OhShitImNearly40 - hope the weather continues to get better for you as times goes on.

I've got that Friday feeling, would definitely go for wine later but I won't...I've got this far. I'll have to keep myself happy with a project of some sort and some nice (far too calorific) food. Hopefully last weekend of that kind of mentality before I tackle my weight - it isn't the idea to swap one overall negative habit for another...to be fair I already had this one, I'm just dropping one at a time really.

I’m feeling that, @Coppergate8 - SO hungry all the time now that I’m barely drinking!

Wine witch came knocking for me at 6pm today, I fought her off with a bud zero and a ton of chocolate still AF

You ladies are fucking amazing.

The wine witch has come for me and I've succumbed

@enoughisenough4 don't worry about it. It happens to the best of us ! Frequently !
@Hohofortherobbers that's good - I struggle fighting her off - I can abstain but once the seed is planted and she comes a knocking, I struggle.

I had an unexpected day off yesterday. I did have a bottle of wine Thursday night so knew I wouldn't drink, but even so, it did cross my mind. Fleetingly.
I'd like to be af now til Friday at least. Dh has said he wants to go for a pub lunch, so I'll have to be really careful - I don't mind 1 glass, but it's the picking up on the way home that I need to resist.
And, my day off was lovely - tennis, cooking, reading - all without wine.

Good morning all. I have not been doing my absolute best recently. There have been too many days when I’ve had a drink - not necessarily loads each time I drink but on a couple of days enough to feel a bit jaded in the morning. I managed one week with four days AF but last week there was only one. I really need to focus a bit more, everytime I think I have it cracked I relax and then it creeps up again!

Hey I have certainly not been my best at all. Back on the slippery slope... it was far too easy.
Now just feel crap so I'm looking after myself today and resetting

Morning all! Well the Wicked Wine Witches got me and I had 2 glasses of wine last night. To celebrate my AF week (joke). I don't feel guilty because I did enjoy them, didn't have any more than 2. Did sleep pretty well. This evening I have guests and I know that they are bringing a bottle of champagne to celebrate the new year and my birthday which was early January. I really like bubbles, so won't be able to resist. 1 bottle between 3 of us is 2 glasses max each. So not too bad. So my alcohol intake for this week and next week will be 2 glasses per week. Which is way below the healthy recommended limit. All this coming week and the following 10 days will be AF. Hopefully will continue when I return. Because I'll be in the AF habit. I figure that if I can be AF or not drink more than 2 glasses a week, I'm sure my liver will be happy.

Feeling very positive, so I'm happy. Keeping myself actif. Must admit that last night's 2 glasses where a sort of a bored/tired Friday evening mess up. I could've had hot milk but I had nibbled earlier and I sort of fancied something else. Hey ho.

I've got blood tests to do when I come back, so that will also be a check-up on the state of my liver, will also have my blood pressure checked, and all the rest. See if I'm aging OK. I am pretty healthy and actif, still overweight, but losing it is a constant battle. I do love my food and I absolutely adore cooking.

Here the weather today is gloomy and damp. Hopefully will clear up tomorrow.

Hope you all have a good day. Stay positive and sober!

Hi all, still AF here. Tonight may be a challenge as DH has friends round and I don’t know if they’re bringing booze but we’ve told them we’re not drinking so they don’t expect us to have it in. Then pub lunch tomorrow. But I know I’m having a few glasses at my delayed work Christmas do on Monday so really want to make it until then AF, that will be 29 days. Then plan to stay dry all week until going away with friends the following weekend.

@afaloren 29 days will be brilliant, you're doing so well.
@Nowstrong 2 glasses isn't so bad. Sometimes we just fancy it, there's nothing wrong with that. I think it's getting drunk that's the problem
@Bigbus @skippydo try to put it behind you and move forward. It is a slippery slope and complacency can be the step before that. It's hard having to think and plan (sometimes every day ), especially when we have actual lives to plan. But it's worth it.

Sounds like you are on top of things

Feeling proud of myself, went out with a friend last night to the movies and she wanted to get a drink afterwards and I managed to stick to the sparkling waters! I did eat a lot of fried food though oops!

@Gemstonebeach Result !
I wouldn't worry about the fried food 🤣

Your day off really does sound lovely @Amdone123 ! Did you go for the pub lunch?

Well done @Gemstonebeach - that was a real test, and well done to everyone else who has managed to stay AF/moderate.

Even though I intend to do dry February too, I'm quite keen for (Dry) January to be over now - think it has gone on too long now, which makes very little sense. I'm still procrastinating over improving my eating further/losing weight - that really will have to stop in Feb at the latest. Apart from anything, if I don't have that added motivation my resolve to stay AF will start to dwindle. Today the challenge is to record on MFP or ZOE or both. The very act of recording will sort out some mindless snacking issues...

@Coppergate8 it really was lovely, so was yesterday. Af both days. We're going out today. I'm going to be really careful. Target 2 glasses and no buying wine on the way home !
Yes, January has gone on too long - enough already !
I hope your recording goes well - you can only keep trying. ❤️

Hope your pub lunch is going well @Amdone123 and you walk straight past that shop on the way home!

I'm pleased I started recording today. Decided just to do the ZOE app. Pleasantly surprised a yoghurt I like score quite well. Just the act of recording has already stopped me sneaking little snacks in (cba to record them and stops them becoming mindless) and I've put some thought into what to cook for dinner. It is true motivation comes from action, not the other way round quite often.

My god, your parents really do fu up! I had my very elderly M&D and MIL over for lunch today (as usual on a Sunday...one of the reasons I drink, lol). Mum was in full ranty flow from the moment she walked in the door. Everything going well food-wise (fish pie - delicious though I do say so myself)...then my Mum starts up again. Total ME ME ME and "The Telegraph says..." I had to leave the room several times when she got on to HOT topics. My MIL tried in vain to contribute to the discussion, my Dad wisely fell asleep, and even my (usually very mild) hubby started to object to some of her inflammatory comments. My lovely son (early thirties) flirted with her and ignored her totally awful stuff. I managed ok (swearing under my breath) until they left and then reached for a 'much-needed' slug of bourbon from the bottle. My Dry January failure - on day 28 😥

Ah @Tulips63 that sounds hard. You still did all those days AF so don’t beat yourself up.

I survived DH’s friends coming round and bringing booze. Stayed on the Pepsi Max during pub lunch today too. Looking forward to some wine tomorrow night as planned but no intention of overdoing it as I don’t want to feel awful on Tuesday. We’ll see how it goes.

Another quickie from me today - I'll aim for a proper post tomorrow!

https://wellitywellness.com/2024/01/28/dry-january-28-more-words-of-wisdom/

That sounds very draining/irritating @Tulips63 ! Never mind about dry January, it was just one day - you can still finish dry jan strong!
FIL is a bit like your mum - DH and I have definitely sought solace in booze after a visit.

Going deeper - I think some of our drinking is related to our childhood/adolescence…yep parents to fuck you up!

Well done @afaloren !

Look forward to hearing from you tomorrow @wellitywellness - hope you had a good weekend away? Sorry, I don’t read your blog - come to my own conclusions on the quit lit already and limited time. Hope you’ve found it useful to stick to dry Jan?