Dry January and beyond - Thread 2

[BulldogMumma]

Hey everyone
New thread as the old one was filling up
@Flicitytricity @coastergirl @TimeForNosecco

Well I've just returned from holiday and am still af. Day 60. Holiday was easy if I'm honest. It was a big hotel with a fitness programme I did as much as possible. There was even a day the hotel left a complimentary bottle of sparkling wine in our room with two champagne flutes. My husband had a couple of glasses and the rest went down the sink. If I was at home I would have cooked with it.
I've also been keeping up with the damp February thread which is more for those moderating. I'm sensing that whilst some are drinking more mindfully, many are struggling to keep the wine witch in check. I approached dj with an open mind as a reset but I am pleasantly surprised at how I am managing to stay dry with relative ease.

I am guilty of most of those 🙈 I never had a sweet tooth before giving up wine. Crisps were my downfall. I will try magnesium and definitely need to improve my diet. Phones I do scroll at 2am when I can’t sleep.

Lots to improve on and I am grateful for your help, advice and motivation 😍

You’re welcome it took me lots of searching to find things that helped me, with the magnesium supplements make sure you get the sleep one as there are so many forms and they all do different things!
melatonin seems to be banned in the uk so not sure about those supplements and it also says not to take them for long periods of time. But I believe we can up this naturally by getting outside in the morning!! Been recommended a book called DOSE which is meant to be full of tips on health you can get it on audiobook also.

It’s called the dose effect I will be giving it a go I’m all here for the advice!! 😆

Great to hear your update! Well done!
I'm finding it easier than expected as well so far. Was a but flat and fed up early ro mid Feb but feeling really positive again - sunshine and a beautiful walk, plus loads of time in the garden with m family, was just great today. I feel a sense of contentment and calm tonight that I haven't had for some time.

@Grassick I think if you did 60 days AF and then just a very short spell of drinking you shouldn't necessarily consider yourself to be back at day 1...unlesss that is motivating?
I like to think if I ended up having a drink anytime in the near future that I could just put ot behind me and 'carry on with my AF journey...
Urgh the alcohol stomach upset... I've realised just how much better my digestion/gut is now (used to wake up feeling gassy and horrid after drinking, prob made worse by my usual drink being later or sometimes ale!)

My partner said the same actually so I'm still aiming for 100 days dry and I've done 61 days already with an additional 3 drinking days, which in the grand scheme of things is nothing really.

My stomach is still not right and it's really made me think what a toxin it is to have that effect. I've had bad anxiety too but hopefully that's starting to dissipate.

Thanks for spurring me on @AuraBora 😀

I completely agree about the day count going back to zero. I made the point earlier in the thread that if you ate one bar of chocolate in December, you wouldn't have a meltdown and feel like a failure. You would consider that a healthy eating plus.
That said, I do get a bit of a buzz from seeing the af days clocking up on the app. The fact it would reset to zero is a personal little motivator so I can see a positive.

All really positive views there! It doesn’t matter if we slip it’s the amount of dry days we haven’t drunk when we would have the birthdays, Christmases, weddings nights out that we would have drunk but won’t this year everything builds up I’ve been on this AF quest since 2019 when I had my first sober streak.
it’s only now that I’m finding I’ve got control back and I’m just looking at what I’m gaining instead of thinking I’m missing out!, not drinking to please other people or to fit in and definitely not looking at alcohol as a reward!! How long I was wired to think that everything good or hard work deserved alcohol which cost me my money, my time, my health it doesn’t look like a great reward when you see it for what it is.
looks like another beautiful sunny day down south and how lucky we get to enjoy it!! No hangover lying in bed mopping about eating crap feeling sorry for ourselves there really is nothing to gain from alcohol.

Checking in day 64 here. Haven’t posted for a while or updated the app as I’ve just made peace with not drinking. Still feeling very determined to do the year. I can’t say it’s easy for me but I’m feeling very proud of how far I’ve come.

Diet is still up and down. I’ve lost a pound so that leaves me at +3, which I hope to knock off another one in March. I’m fairly relaxed about it.

It’s lovely reading everyone’s updates. Well done all!

Just completed 6 months AF. Nice I'm at the stage of having to count months. I have decided to stay AF totally.

Amazing.. well done! I hope to do the same.

I'm only 2 months in but it's huge for me.and I'm inspired to carry on And also feeling proud of myself.

I do feel a bit sad /regretful thinking of all the money, time and energy wasted on drinking all my life but I suppose there is little point dwelling on it..

good for you, 6 months you’ve come so far now to go back!! And why would you want to. I hope I feel the same when I get there you should feel so proud!!

Morning all
woke up very smug this morning after celebrating my birthday yesterday AF 🤩 I can’t believe me the party girl would ever have had a birthday without my beloved Prosecco flowing!! Shock horror!! I feel that was and is my biggest achievement to date on my quest for an AF life!!
I feel amazing today, had such a beautiful day in the sunshine had lunch in the park, family dinner and in bed by 10 couldn’t have enjoyed it more.
Off to London for more celebrations tmw and a very posh rooftop bar at Maddison’s I’ve scanned the mocktails and they look pretty amazing.
Still feeling on a high I’m really getting and seeing the benefits I look better now and feel healthier than I did 10 years ago!! 4kg down since Jan the scales do budge when you don’t drink or over consume sugar!! I was the same weight until I’ve eliminated both. Still listening to daily podcast not really on sobriety mainly on the science side of things which is definitely changed my view on alcohol and it’s working because I don’t think or crave it anymore.
hope everyone is doing good life really is what you make it so I’ve just worked hard on putting mainly good things into my body and protected my peace and mind by avoiding negative people and environments and I feel amazing 🤩

Happy Birthday @TimeForNosecco 🎉 sounds like you had a lovely day and one you’ll remember for all the right reasons! I am also feeling the benefits still, although maybe on a smaller scale. I just have more time. I seem to be more efficient and have more energy. Last night I went to bed at 10.30 and slept all the way through to 7. I felt great when I woke this morning and was ready to leave with the kids for school 10 minutes before we needed to be…. Unheard of! Before, I’d be rushing them out the door trying desperately to recall everything they need. Feeling stressed and frazzled. I just seem a lot more like I’ve got my shit together these days! It’s a feeling you just can’t buy and also, it’s a place where abstaining for a week or two doesn’t get you. I think this is the benefit of consistently good sleep. Consistently productive evenings. Consistently keeping on top of emails and life admin.

I will weigh in tomorrow morning, hoping to have lost one of those naughty pounds that crept on in February 😆

Looking forward to my 70 days on Monday. Another milestone for me. Will be my longest stint away from alcohol since breastfeeding my youngest. It feels great to be honest. I’m super proud of me.

Thanks for that....as a bonus, not sure what happened but had a 3 lb weight loss this week....now at my target weight so really pleased and basically whilst I didn't need to loose vast amounts it has come off very gradually by being AF. But this week was a bit of a nice shock!!

Keep it up to all of those. What is interesting some of my friendship group have now joined me and stayed AF after dry January....we now have plenty of drivers for the nights out. What is interesting is an element of reverse psychology whereby some of the remaining (moderate) drinkers said they actually feel a little bit like they shouldn't drink on nights out. Reassured them none of us mind but nice to reverse the pressure that I felt a little at first about not drinking on a night out.

@TimeForNosecco
Happy birthday albeit belated🎂 What a massive achievement and so great you have enjoyed it. I remember you posting about aiming for a dry bday in January and you have done it!
Have a fantastic day today, sounds fab.
My birthday isn't till August and it's actually going to be the first day of our holiday... I like to think I'll still be going strong on this AF trip!
I'm feeling quite excited about the prospect of reaching 100 days in just a few weeks. If you told me last year I would still be AF in March I'd never have believed it!

I'm about 6lb down.. not a huge amount but enough for my clothes to be fitting much better and I feel so much lighter!
I have to say this is without particularly trying but I'm just naturally finding myself eating less (esp on the carb front. No slightly hungover days gorging on toast, cheese etc. Am still having a sweet treat most days though.

I'm also trying to up my steps each day aiming for 8k each day (often a lot more at the weekend when I can get a proper walk in).

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

I’ve put on a pound 🤣 the same pound I ‘lost’ last week no doubt. Laughing so hard on the scales this morning! Bastards!

I will be making more considered food choices this week…. Wish me luck!

Very annoying! Good luck!

@AuraBora ”I'm about 6lb down.. not a huge amount but enough for my clothes to be fitting much better and I feel so much lighter!
I have to say this is without particularly trying but I'm just naturally finding myself eating less (esp on the carb front. No slightly hungover days gorging on toast, cheese etc. Am still having a sweet treat most days though.
I'm also trying to up my steps each day aiming for 8k each day (often a lot more at the weekend when I can get a proper walk in).”

Def agree re your sentiments about eating less Carbs. I’ve lost nearly 1.5 stone and am lightest I’ve been since my teens. It wasn’t just the alcohol but I seemed to have a reduced appetite and without realising my portion sizes just kept reducing.

Morning all what a beautiful weekend it’s been lovely sunshine hope you’re all enjoying and getting outside 😍
Thank you for the birthday wishes I’ve had a lovely time this week and so grateful I’ve achieved this with no booze, no hangovers and no regrets!!
another beautiful evening out last night even enjoyed a mocktail whilst the DJ played watching the sunset at St Paul’s and believe me the alcohol was flowing and there was lots of heavy drinking going on the ladie at our table must have been late 50s and she couldn’t stand!! Felt a little bit smug!! And also thought glad that will not be me anymore, really isn’t a good look!
I have to say I thought to myself I can do this whilst sipping my mocktail and enjoying the music I don’t need alcohol to do this anymore felt so freeing!!
great food then home in bed by 11 perfect evening and up at 7 for a morning walk and now gym working off the well deserved birthday cake!!
My weekend couldn’t have been any better alcohol would have ruined it!!
hope you’re all doing well great to read everyone’s positive posts!! I know it’s not always sunshine and roses so let’s just enjoy it when we can ❤️

Yes @TimeForNosecco! You bossed your Birthday weekend! Cheering you on from over here!

I also had a successful weekend. Went out with some friends Saturday night and actually enjoyed the evening, even though I was the only one not drinking. I felt great in my outfit despite the added pound 😆 and my skin looked so fresh in the photos! Great not to look at pictures and cringe at the wrinkles or bags.

As you said, it was nice not to have to think about drink. How many I’d had. How many everyone else had had. Whether I could get away with another etc. I didn’t sleep well, probably the adrenaline but despite that, when I got up this morning I felt really happy. No hangover. I could enjoy my breakfast without feeling ill. I could check my phone without the anxiety of what I did or didn’t say…

Nice to hear about everyone's great weekends and AF achievements- well done!
Have had the mostly lovely Af weekend my self in the glorious sunshine.

Spent yesterday afternoon/early evening at the beach with some friends and kids, games and bbq.

Early night then some time in garden, lovely walk and pub lunch with family friends today.

We used to eat out more but have really cut down due to the risingcosts (£12 for a baguette - this an ordinary pub!) I was just glad I wasn't adding to the bill with beer/wine (just a cranberry juice).

I'm finding the weekends don't fly by quite so much now and I get so much more done..i also feel much more present in everything I'm doing.
Sat morning i had 2 quiet hrs before rest of family woke up and so had a bit of a work catch up and then some youtube pilates. Set me up for the day.

Day 73 here and the diet is going really well, I’d be amazed if I haven’t dropped a couple of pounds this week. Focussing hard on lots of sleep, loads of water and plenty of fruit and veg. I’ve also kept up with the exercise, I have a class booked for tonight!

I wouldn't say I’ve stopped thinking about alcohol, the urge is definitely still there in the background but I’m much less bothered in general. I went to the pub this week with some friends and this time last year I would have had 3 large glasses of wine no problem. This week, I quite happily had a lemonade. Didn’t miss it, which was a surprise.

How is everyone else doing?