200 days alcohol free- anyone wish to join?

[FeelingLessTired]

Several years ago, under another user name I did a 100 day alcohol free challenge and alot of people joined me on MN. It was before covid, so a long time ago!

I really appreciated the support and lasted 120 days in the end. ironically enough DH joined me IRL and he just continued on and has been teetotal since then.

I was reading Annie Grace back then (I think) and her recommendation was that if you slip, to then challenge yourself for double the time- hence I now wish to start and achieve a 200 day challenge.

I'd love some company if anyone wishes to join me!

I have a funeral today and plan to drink J20 with tonic water. The deceased was a good friend of DH's and although he was in his early 70s drinking definitely played a part in his extreme fragility over the past few years. He's been really ill for a good ten years I think.

I have set out a spread sheet with my alcohol-free savings. In the last week i have definitely reduced and have saved just shy of £50 already (since the beginning of April) as we have had a fair few dinners and lunches out. I look at what I would have drunk (sauvignon blanc here and there) and when i have not had it I add that cost to my spreadsheet. That does help to inspire me because COL is biting us hard right now.

@paintcolourchart it also made me laugh because my mum was a heavy drinker. She used to say, When I die, no one will want my pickled liver !
She actually donated her liver - apparently it was fine 🥴

@Goandygo yes that's what I was trying to say! I knew if I paraphrased I'd F it up, so tried to look online but I couldn't find anything worded as well Claire Pooley worded it so ended up paraphrasing it and, as expected, ended up F-ing it up 😅 CP did say something along the lines of 'and I have been well and truly pickled' which did make me laugh a little when I heard it!

Just finished my swim - did my 64 length target (sounds like an odd number but it's a mile) and a sauna afterwards. No way would I have done that if I'd have spent the evening drinking wine. Also made a decent amount of progress with work/study yesterday which also wouldn't have been done if I'd have been drinking, and now I'm about to dip into something I already started rather than starting from scratch with a hangover.

Feel like I'm beginning to blather on so will stop now 😅

Oh also just to add - that took me the best part of an hour, and I burned the same amount of calories as a bottle of wine!!

@paintcolourchart well done on all that exercise. I'm tired reading it 🤣
All good here. Issues sorted and everyone feeling better. Had a lovely day with family, the grandchildren particularly making me happy.
I think I had a thought of drinking. Was very fleeting if I did. The seed doesn't seem to plant itself anymore which is actually brilliant progress for me, as that was where the problem started.
My sister actually commented the other day ( we were chatting about the times I'd tried to give up before), that I just wasn't ready.
I feel ready now.

@Goandygo my goal is to go 4x a week which I was doing a while back, but with all this bloody study stuff taking over my life it's hard to fit it in. Going again this morning which I am pleased about! So glad to see the issues have been sorted and you're all feeling better. I'm finding the same with thoughts - no more seed planting. It's a bloody huge revelation tbh. Day 44 today for me!

How's everyone else doing?

hi all. It’s FeelingLessTired here. I can’t get Wi-Fi on my laptop so had to re-register on my phone. So sorry for radio silence! I’ll catch up on the thread soon and hope everyone is doing well! It’s Monday morning where I am. Should be day 37 but am days 34/37. Very triggered at times with sibling dynamics on our family holiday but mostly managing to hold it together! Hope everyone is going well. Xx

Just to say I could not recall my original login details hence the name change!

Morning all,
apoologies for the radio silence. Just checking in to see how you all are and to let you know I’m still on my journey despite having a busy social weekend.😀
Hope you are all doing well

@Sonnet well done, it's not easy when you've got a busy social life 💪
You're doing great.

Morning all! Nice to see you back @Sonnet@StillFeelingTired

Well done on holding it together @StillFeelingTired- 34/37 is still a huge improvement. Progress not perfection as they say!

@Sonnet well done to sticking with it despite a social weekend!

Day 45 for me today! Still can't believe it 😂 I no longer rush to fill in my try dry app or put my daily crystal in the pile. I still really enjoy doing it but I'm not so focused on day by day now as it is definitely getting easier.

Made the mistake of standing on the scales today, expected to see a slight loss NGL but instead the 1lb I lost is back on! So I am still exactly the same weight as when I started this 45 days ago, and exactly the same weight as when I started GF last week, but the difference in appearance is huge for both. The puffiness came down when I went AF and it has come down a lot more since going DF, even though it's only been since Thursday. The pregnant look has gone and I genuinely look about a stone lighter, even though I'm not. I can't see myself going back to either tbh, I feel and look immeasurably better without both and I can't believe I've let my body be inflamed by two things for so long. It's making me wonder if this is why I struggled getting and staying pregnant with my first tbh. I didn't drink as much back then, and I would take regular breaks after ovulation when there was a chance I could be pregnant, but on off drinking combined with grains/gluten that my body clearly is having inflammatory reaction to can't have helped. In the end I had steroids for my successful pregnancy and I'm wondering if that's what suppressed the inflammation. Sorry rambling a bit now and all that is rather outing but tbh I don't really care because anyone who has drank with me IRL knows I have a problem stopping. DH and I have decided we are going to start TTC again for another when my exams are finished in a few months so that's a huge motivation for staying AF.

Sorry for the rambly Monday morning! Hope everyone is well x

@paintcolourchart you're not rambling at all - that was lovely to read. I hope you get everything you want.
45 days is brilliant, you've done so well. I'm a lot like you (🤣), I'm not really counting but I obviously know how long.
Don't worry about the weight for now. Take those non scale victories. It will come off eventually.
Sometimes I think we just have to concentrate on one goal, it's too overwhelming otherwise. It's like at new year when people resolve to give up drinking, smoking and eating rubbish. Too much. No wonder people fail really.
In my journal this morning I've just made a list of Big Days Af. So, 80, 100, 150, 200 - I'm already motivated but this spurred me on even more.
I just have to be careful to not wish my life away, and to enjoy each day.
On that note, have a great day everyone ❤️

@Goandygo wow we literally were separated at birth 😂 I had that EXACT same thought about wishing my life away this morning when I did my daily crystal - I get out a week's worth at a time next to my little leaf plate and when I put my daily one in this morning I thought careful, you don't want to wish time away! In a way I do just to get past November because tbh my schedule atm is just gruelling but after then once my main exams are done it should ease up a bit.

Thank you, I know what you mean about the weight, and tbh when I saw I'd gained that 1lb back on this morning it didn't threaten to derail me because I KNOW what I'm doing is healthy. I am overweight of course but going AF, swimming regularly (I did a mile again this morning!), cutting grain/gluten and eating healthily is the healthiest I've ever been, despite previously being size 8/10/12 (I'm currently 16). I just need to give it time. I've started my fitness pal again as of today because clearly I have been overcompensating with cheese 😅 I do feel like I'm in a really good place to focus on my weight now as I feel like I've cracked the AF thing. I just know I can't ever go back to it, and that's that. I'm at peace with it now, even though it's taken me a long time to accept. I am scared this could change but I just know I as long as I don't have that first drink again, I'll be ok. How many days is it until 80 days for you? It can't be far off? Maybe you've even crossed it already and 100 is next?!

Really interesting what you say about alcohol and gluten being inflammatory. I was diagnosed as being gluten intolerant about a year ago and avoiding it was fantastic. Then being alcohol free meant I could tolerate a small amount of gluten ( or at least did not have to worry so much about cross contamination). Then the few days I have had alcohol I have been absolutely reacting to gluten very badly again. Just musing really but it’s clear to me that alcohol really plays havoc with my system. So alcohol free and gluten free really has to be the path for me also I think. Lord the puffiness. It’s awful and painful too.

loving the stars also! I have bought a little malachite heart pendant for when I get another month. ❤️

@paintcolourchart 80 days tomorrow 🥳

@StillFeelingTired wow that very interesting what you say about the effect of alcohol on you gluten tolerance. It didn't occur to me they could affect each other but that makes sense. So I don't actually have any pain or gastro symptoms, I'm lucky that it is just the bloating, but that's why I assumed it didn't affect me. I just thought it would be worth a try as I am just so bloody sick of people thinking I'm pregnant (especially when it's already a touchy subject!!) and decided it was worth a try - I am amazed at the difference just 4 days has made. A GP who was doing her training that I saw a couple of years ago mentioned it and I didn't bother trying it because it seemed like a lot of effort and I never felt like I had the time and didn't think it would make much difference to me anyway - so glad I tried it! She actually suggested grain free to me, not just gluten free so giving that a go first and then will start introducing gluten again to see what happens. Very interesting! Oooh lovely - malachite is beautiful!

@Goandygo wow wow wow!!!

I had a random ( or maybe not !!) thought before. How I would never sit in a pub garden with a glass of rose. No idea why this - never have I sat in a pub garden with said drink.
I thought of Davina Mccoll - I read that she said this was what she missed, but obviously could never go back.
The thought didn't bother me or anything. I actually thought no, you can sit in a pub garden with an af drink.
And you won't be slurring your words or falling over.

Just hopping on to say well done on day 80 @Goandygo!!!! 🥳🥳

I also know what you mean about thinking you can never go out for a drink again. My musings were not so much sitting in a pub garden as we don't really do that since DC, but I did have the same thought about going out for dinner (not that we do that much anymore either 😅) then I thought I genuinely would enjoy it just as much with a sparkling water! I just might ask for it in a fancy glass 😅

@paintcolourchart thank you ❤️
Yes, to the fancy glass. My mocktail on holiday was lovely but I wish I'd have asked for it in a wine glass 🤣
Next time, eh.

Back from my trip and trying to catch up with you all.

@StillFeelingTired goodto see you back here- holidays are hard - defo harder than I expected!
@Goandygo a huge well done for 80 days! Unbelievable really….
@paintcolourchart i also do not deal with gluten very well. Lost all cravings for bread when I packed in alcohol - mostly replaced with chocolate! Be patient - the weight will come off in time.
7months today for me and back in my safe routine where drinking has no appeal. Just my birthday next week to get through % luckily a fairly insignificant one so not too worried about going wild!

hope you all have a good week and @Carlin hope youre still reading and you’re welcome to join back in at anytime x

@88expertprocastinator thanks and a massive congratulations on 7 months. I'd have read that not long ago, and thought it impossible for me - great to see such inspiration.

Another strange conversation with my sister. She is hugely supportive, honestly but I said I now see a future without it. She said, Oh, but you did enjoy it.
I never really enjoyed it. I did it because I was bored, hungry, happy or because it was a Tuesday. I enjoyed the thought of it, yes. Maybe I'm being oversensitive but I think people's reactions are weird.
Another friend has been messaging intermittently asking if I'm still af. She hasn't drank in about 20 years. When I say yes, there's nothing forthcoming - nothing.
She's a nice person but then I remembered after staff nights out, she enjoyed reminding me of what I said / did. I used to cringe, but moved on.
Sorry, I'm rambling.
I think I just need to concentrate on my goal and not involve others ( apart from you lot).
💯

@Goandygo when I hit 200 days my mum disapprovingly asked was that it? Are you not going to drink again then? No well done for- no nothing positive! Not really unexpected but honestly can’t imagine why she wouldn’t be happy for me. My DH keeps bragging about me while he’s downing wine and tbh it gets on my nerves a bit - let me do it quietly. I feel pressured to explain it and predict whether I will drink at some point. I like coming here and getting support from people in the same boat who understand what it’s like. I do notice that no one ever asks me if I’m gonna start smoking again!

i agree with you - concentrate on your own goal!

@88expertprocastinator thank you ❤️

Hi all 👋🏻
Thanks do being so lovely and checking in with me. I totally caved last week. We were out at there was wine at the table and the glass was poured for me and I just took it, didn’t even really want it. But I have wanted it each day since. I have the mentality that I might as well have a glass (or 3) and ‘start again tomorrow’ can’t see to get the same motivation back.
Ive been a bit low/stressed out with my mums anniversary being near and a few other things going on. I’m talking myself into it being my crutch even though I coped so much better those few days I was af.
iIts so frustrating. I haven’t liked myself very much for lots of reasons and for a long time, I could blame alcohol for most, if not all of them but in my head I still perceive it to be a treat. I feel lonely without it. Is that mad?
Thanks again for checking in on me 💖

@Carlin aahhh bless you - you've a lot going on there. And I think when we've got a lot going on, we cope with it the only way we know. It's like it is your best friend - why wouldn't you miss it ?
If your best friend went away, you'd miss her. You'd definitely feel lonely without her.
Wine was my best friend for so long. I totally understand where you're coming from.
Look at the positives. You recognised a problem, you took that first step. Whether you believe it or not, your 'journey' has started.
I joined so many threads on here. Dry Jan, sober October - I'd be on them anything from 1 day to 10 days, but never the whole stretch.
But I was trying and it's definitely a marathon not a sprint.
I had so many times where I caved. I just learned what to do next time.
You can do it - a big part of it is confidence and because you're just starting out, you're lacking confidence. It's like a child in reception - scared, but by year 6 they're flying.
Keep trying in your own way and in your own time. Whatever you decide, we're here.
But do it your way ❤️

@Carlin dont worry! It’s in your mind now and you’ll come back to it when you’re ready! We’ve all been there and we’ve all carried on trying until it sorta sticks. Come back as often or as little as you want.