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.

Another thing I've been pondering on is that by giving up alcohol I will be:
Healthier
slimmer
have more energy
have more "time"
have more money
so what's not to embrace?!

@Goandygo - just seen it is your birthday at the end of the month - it was mine at the beginning of the month 😂
also made an error in my first post - I;m 58!! not 57!

Hi @Sonnet and welcome!

you will experience all of those things!

Like you, I started booking evening yoga classes and in fact anything in the evenings, just to get me out instead of drinking. If I didn’t have anything planned I cleaned or went to bed early in the first few weeks. Anything at all to get me through and not drink.

im now at 21 weeks and have lost 26lbs have much more energy and money and can’t believe how much of my life I wasted just drinking. I can now still do all those relaxing things - wandering around in my garden - I just don’t do it with a large glass of wine.

i never set out to give up completely but I have no desire to drink anymore.

the first few weeks are tough but I found it got much easier after 2 weeks. Check in here LOTS and post whenever you want. The support here is invaluable because out in the real world, people don’t seem to celebrate sobriety as much as it should be!

thank you @Seenoevil33 - you have done remarkably well - go you!

Like you, I am not setting out never to drink again but I am happy if that is the way it turns out for me too.
What was different for you this time do you think?

I have a few challenges ahead of me, I'm hosting a big Sunday lunch this coming weekend with a boozy group of friends. There will be at least one not drinking so I will make sure I have lots of non alcoholic options in :) At least I'm cooking and hosting so will be kept busy, easier than just having to socialise whist someone else does the cooking I guess...
I'm also going on an all inclusive holiday in 3 weeks. Never been on an all-inc before. Luckily I'm going with family and they are not big drinkers, my eldest DD is also pregnant so I am planning on supporting her on the alco free cocktails....
Then to round off the end of the holiday I have a black tie do to attend which will be mega boozy... But do you know what, I am taking each day at a time and whilst I need coping strategies I refuse to look too far ahead and get overwhelmed!

@Sonnet yes to all the unwinding and relaxing, but the biggest for me is Reward. I always reward myself with wine - now I'm rewarding myself with other things - better sleep, better health, better mental state, so much.

Something that always happened with me...and I believe it's quite common.
So, I'd give up, I'd say do 10 days af and I would feel brilliant - so many positives. I feel lighter, fitter, skin clearer, more disposable income.
So, what do I do ? Buy wine to celebrate my happiness and I'm back to square one 🥴

I'm going to work hard to avoid this happening because I know once my teeth are sorted and I'm back to normal, I will be tempted.
I just have to keep reminding myself that the last time I drank, I could have killed myself.

@Sonnet yes, just do one day at a time. I've found in the past that there's a tendency to think too far ahead.
I'm going on an all inclusive too, in November with dh's family for a relative's Big Birthday. It has cost us an arm and a leg, but I'm not drinking on it.
Some might say it's a waste of money but I don't see it like that. The wine is still there if I drink it or not.

I think for this Sunday @Sonnet stock up like you say. Lots of lovely af beer and cider - you could really enjoy some long, refreshing drinks. Eat as much as you can and think how pleased you'll be Monday morning, knowing you can do it.
Play It Forward.

@Sonnet i was dreading socializing without drinking but every single time, somebody joined me in drinking af drinks! I also ended up having a better time (until around 10 when people got drunker and I got a bit bored!). Even had weekends away and stuck to it. I have 2 grandchildren and want to be trusted to look after them too!

Hmm "reward" that has really resonated with me, especially being AF for 10 days and then rewarding it with a bottle 😩

So one day at a time, and play the scenario in my head about how happy I will be the following morning 😀sounds like a super plan! thank you

this is lovely to hear @Seenoevil33 , I'll keep strong...

@Seenoevil33 - loving the book and ice cream at the beach this afternoon, enjoy

Welcome @Sonnet !!

Good to see you.

Had a moment of panic earlier when I thought What am I going to do for fun ?!! ( in the future).

After some reflection and remembering how it never was fun ( or if it was, I seriously need a new dictionary), I'm now feeling stronger 💪

Thank you 🙏🏻

Well done for feeling the strength @Goandygo
i panic myself if I look too far ahead so just trying a step at a time, breaking habits .. I drink out of habit even if I don’t really want one.
i have found this evening hard. DH had a G&T and poured me a tonic. I was quite satisfied with it actually. I haven’t told him I’m not drinking as he’s heard it all before. I’m a bigger drinker than him and usually the instigator. I’m sure if I did tell him, when I have a few days under my belt he will join in too

Posted too soon - I had the voice of doom telling me just one is okay! It never stops at one though and I want to give my body a rest from the poison !

@Sonnet thanks.
Oh, I thought of you before because I remembered you like(d) gin, and tesco do af gin n tonic in cans. It's really nice.
And yes to not thinking too far ahead.
I was thinking about this coming weekend when dh is working again. I would normally drink, and I just wondered what I could do.
Anyway, there's lots I can do - I have a list !

@Sonnet no it's never one 🥴

Never one for me either.

I find though that once I have eaten dinner I am no longer interested in alcohol.... if I have not had a glass I mean. If I have had wine then I just carry on.

I am building more sober muscle tomorrow- out for a casual supper. I feel confident about it though. If I order a pint of lemonade I am usually fine. It's avoiding that first drink!!

My AA friend launched herself into everything evening-based she could think of when she first gave up- pilates, baking cakes, burlesque dancing etc. The baking cakes thing then morphed into baking cakes for one of her friends who is a caterer and then that morphed into her moonlighting with said caterer at her functions. I was massively impressed (she's been sober about 3 years now). I don't think I'd have the energy to be so proactive.... for now at least but am gently thinking of what interests me. (Other than the ironing which I am about to rouse myself to do.... )

Hey all! Welcome @Sonnetand hi @Seenoevil33
You always have something to do ladies and that’s post on here if you are ever tempted! Hopefully we find strength in this thread and it can really help us keep away from alcohol!

I have had a very productive day. Went went to the cinema and watched The Salt Path like @FeelingLessTired did 😂😂😂 DH is off on a Monday and I thought about the idea yesterday. It was actually very strange to be at the cinema on a Monday morning 😂 but it was a lovely change and an inspiring film, so it was lovely. Went to a farm shop to buy some meat and vegetables, came home and did some jobs, picked up LO and middle daughter went to town after school and I picked her up later this evening and took her friend home too. I wouldn’t ever normally drive after 4.30 as that’s when I would have my first wine of the day, BUT NOT TODAY 😆😆 Day 5 and feeling so positive about this.

Hope you all had a fab day.

My book The Naked Mind Control Alcohol came today too so have read 25 pages of that. Has anyone else read it? How did you find it?

Haven’t read that book but have read the salt path and really want to see the movie. Might have to arrange a trip with one of my friends now you’ve put it in my mind!.

@FeelingLessTired your friend sounds great! I at least now manage to cleanse and moisturize and brush my teeth before bed! That’s real progress ….

It was a nice film. Even my DH managed to stay awake through it!

That’s quite funny, I used to always manage to cleanse and moisturise and even floss my teeth but barely ever used to get to brush them at a reasonable time! Used to be awake between 3 and 4am brushing them in the dark 🥴

@FeelingLessTired that’s amazing what your friend has achieved and totally turned it around! She should be so proud of herself! We need these types of stories to keep us going!! 💪💪

Morning all!

I was also up 3 am-ish- should have posted! I woke up worrying about DS1 (15) who has failed to get to grips with something semi-important at school. It;s all salvageable though- the key thing will be managing his anxiety over it. He's alot like me.... very anxious, overthinks everything and socially awkward- all things that have led me to try and self medicate via alcohol, if I am honest. So I need to work out better self-management techniques for helping him as well as me. ... one of my 3 am musings....

Also managing to cleanser and moisturise more reliably here- and brushing teeth too. I certainly recognise waking up in the middle of the night and brushing teeth sheepishly then @wecandothis2025 !

My friend is definitely an inspiration. She's really open publicly about her alcohol mis-use and absolutely owns it and rocks sobriety. Plus she spends her not-drinking savings on her appearance and she looks absolutely fantastic. Yesterday I think I spent most of mine on icecream .

Hope everyone has a lovely day.