Calling Time on Wine - 100 Day Reset | Thread 2: One Day at a Time - Together

[therockingbird]

Welcome to Thread 2 of Calling Time on Wine 100 Day Reset 🍵

If you’re here, you’re doing something genuinely brilliant. This reset isn’t about perfection, shiny lives, or pretending it’s easy. It’s about choosing ourselves one day at a time, even when life keeps lobbing chaos our way.

We’ve already proven we can sit with hard evenings, bad days, stress, boredom, celebrations, and still not reach for wine.

Thread 2 is about keeping the momentum going, supporting each other, being honest when it’s tough, celebrating the wins and remembering why we started when motivation wobbles. Clearer heads. Stronger bodies. 💪

So pull up a chair, grab your tea, water, or AF alternative, and keep going. You are not doing this alone - and you are doing so well. 💛

I did read somewhere (can't remember where) that you don't lose any notable weight at first because your body rehydrates and isn't peeing away so much water.

So on a positive, just think of all those nice juicy cells that are having a great time now that they aren't being air dried daily.

Hi, I'm a bit late joining this thread currently 19 days without a drink. I did 3 months sober last year and felt great. During my summer holiday I thought it would do no harm to drink in moderation but I quickly fell back into old habits. December was pretty much a blur damn the supermarkets and their 25% off 6 bottles. My drinking got really bad to the point I woke up and was having a glass of wine.
This week I had my bloods done, my liver function is OK but I have Macrocytosis basically my blood cells are enlarged one of the main causes is alcohol use disorder.
And a precursor to liver damage. This has really shook me up. It takes about 3 months to recover from once you stop drinking.
There was a time I could take it or leave it, my drinking became daily during lockdown I thought it helped deal with the stress of being an essential worker while I was also going through a nasty divorce. My life is quite calm now obviously have some ups and downs but that's life.
I feel much better than I did the first week the withdrawals were hell, I'm taking high strength B12 and folic acid I never realised how much alcohol depletes them.

Yes you're absolutely right. I think it feels like a safety net because there's about a third of a bottle so if I do decide to drink, I could have only a glass rather than an entire bottle. The rational part of my brain knows that if I drink that wine then I'll no doubt end up opening one of the other bottles in the house, or pouring a gin but still, it seems safer having that small measure. It's also a very nice white, so throwing it out seems a waste 😆

Day 24 here, I'm sat watching my kids sports and the idea of not drinking later is depressing. I think I was feeling a bit too breezy and confident earlier in the week. It will pass I'm sure.

Welcome @Icecreamhelps! Sounds like you’ve got a great reason not to drink and having done 3 months last year, I’m sure that experience will help 😊

Massive cravings this afternoon / evening. I’ve basically been fine until about 2 or 3 days ago now the cravings are coming in hard. I’ve eaten a massive packet of sweets and had an AF beer. I’ll be fine now - I’m past the big danger time. Phew!

Love the username @Icecreamhelps!

Day 24. Did my fitness test on my exercise bike first thing like I promised myself I would, and then felt utterly exhausted all day! Feel like I should have more energy by now?

Been mulling over my AF goals and when I am really honest with myself I recognise that breaking this streak would be a dangerous thing to do. History has shown I really need to ditch wine for good: that’s feeling like too big a goal at the moment though.

I’m committed to the 100 days and currently working on talking myself into doing a whole year. One target at a time though!

Well done! I think Fridays can be a tricky trigger for lots of people, I had a very close shave last Friday!!

Joining you all on thread 2!

It’s Friday night and I would really like a glass of wine TBH. It’s been a very busy week and I feel I deserve it. BUT I’m very tired and I know drinking when I’m tired makes me feel even more knackered. I also don’t want to break my dry streak. Still, not gonna lie - it’s hard.

Also, despite my knackeredness (is that a word lol) I had a real sense a few times today that my brain felt sharper, less sluggish and foggy and more “with it”. I’m sure Ian C talked about how you start to notice flashes of this as time goes on.

Evening all. Just checking into Thread 2 🥳, thanks for setting us up @therockingbird.

Need to properly catch up with all the new posts, but in the meantime good luck at the pub tonight @SwiftyFifty, we believe in you!!

@EnjoythemoneyJane thanks it was ok! Felt a bit of self pity going there but once I had an af beer I was ok. Ate sone food too and I’m really glad now I didn’t drink. It’s funny as I have no desire to drink alcohol but have that missing out feeling when I go to a pub. But honestly that doesn’t last long. I could have stayed out longer too. It’s definitely different but not bad really. I know I will be so glad tomorrow and proud of myself. It was great not to have to drop the dog home then nip back out for a bottle which is what I would have done in December. I’m also now able to drop my son off to a party, like a proper adult!
We re doing well folks to go from what we used to drink in December to now.

I've had two bowls of ice cream and a portion of fruit pie and custard, so doubt weightloss is coming my way but it did stave off any wine thoughts!

One of the things that kept me on track was a post other Jan thread where someone said they’d had a couple of glasses of wine and it had really buggered up their sleep. Can’t stand the thought of waking up at 3am wired and annoyed i’d caved!

Me too @2026x - first in over 3 weeks. Feeling a bit sorry for myself after being surrounded by people drinking in the sun for the past week and DH being tipsy most days. On the way home he also asked me to pop into the local shop for a “nice bottle of red” to finish off his the holiday!!

I’m somewhat seething inside at his lack of understanding how hard this week has been for me but feel I can’t complain because he’s put up with soooooo much awful behaviour from me and been generally very supportive in other ways (booking me a massage, getting tickets for a band I love etc). It’s just the drinking which to be fair, he doesn’t generally overdo when not on holiday.

So I just bought myself a ton of sweets and chocolate instead and I’m eating them in bed watching Netflix while he drinks the wine downstairs. Day 24 almost over!

stay strong everyone - we’ve got this 💪💐❤️

@Youdontseehow ouch 🫣 I bet you wanted to shove that nice bottle of red where the sun don’t shine 😂😂😂

Well done for not caving and also for not resorting to violence!

Hi all, I'm loving reading all these posts. So relatable and such a great help. I stopped drinking on the 5th of January. I'm 51 years old and always relied alcohol as an adult.
I learnt to moderate at few years ago, but it got all consuming. I was drinking 2 bottles of wine a week. More if I socialise, which I realise I don't enjoy with out alcohol.
I liked to drink whilst cooking and then on the sofa, watching tv.
I got to the point where I drank out of habit, I didn't even enjoy the taste of the last bottle of red but drank it - the rest I froze for cooking. Once it was gone - I decided to do dry January but I'm feeling so good that I want to do 100 days.
I'm reading The alcohol experiment - which is brilliant. I'm on mumsnet of course.
I'm loving drinking Three spirit- the brown bottle, Trip, and Hip Hop Kombuchu. I have them in a wine glass, with ice, lemon or lime and tonic water.

The first week was hard, I had some stress and anxiety regarding some thing my son was going through. Dealing with that with no alcohol taught me a lot! I learnt that I could feel the feelings and get through it with not alcohol - which would of made it worse really.
The second week, I felt so tired and flat. I read that was normal so I kept going.

I had a trip to the theatre with friends and usually it would involve pub before, a sneaky drink during and dinner and drinks after. Instead we had coffee and doughnuts at mine then I pre made lasagne to have for dinner at mine. I had 1 bottle of white in for guest - I don't like it so was easier to resist. I pre warned every one that I wasn't drinking and they were supportive.
Now in my 3rd weekend, I have no cravings, or desire to drink! I'm very surprised. It's my first ever dry any thing - apart from my 3 pregnancies.

I have bought some paint by numbers sets, I've got a new rocking chair with foot rest to sit by the garden doors to read. I haven't been able to read a book for ages - don't know why!
I have lost weight but I think that was more the stress and not over eating, as alcohol gave me more of an appetite.
My face was less puffy very early on!

I love reading peoples accounts so thought I would share mine.
I'm not sure I can say, I want to stop forever but I would love to not drink alone at home.
I'm just going to see how it goes, but 100 days would be an incredible achievement me.
I'm always worried about my health, but I just had enough of it. How terrible it made me feel and look. Also I have a close friend who drinks 3 bottles a day and that really scares me. Her mother died from alcohol addiction at 50 something years old and my dear friend still can't stop.
It's a dangerous slope.
Thank you for every ones contributions. It's such a great support.

Morning. Last night was the first night since I started that I really fancied a glass of wine (or 3). I think it's because I went to a pub (for a meeting) and then had a family dinner, where no-one was drinking but a few were talking about how much they were looking forward to a glass of wine when they got home. The smell and thought of it just filled my brain. I stuck to my guns though and had a cuppa and a handful of sweets (which I've also avoided all week). Not feeling particularly resolveful for the weekend ahead now, though.

Sleep wise, I feel like I'm sleeping well but my goodness, the dreams are soooooo weird and wonky!!

In terms of long term goals for me, I don't really want to be AF for life if I'm honest. What I'd like is to not drink at home when no-one else is, which is 95% of the time, and if I'm in a social situation where I do drink, I just stick to one or two and never suggest opening another bottle. The key is whether that's likely to happen in a sustained way?!

imalittlepea I think id like that too, but I dont believe I could ever be that person. If im drinking - Im drinking the whole bottle if at home - if Im socialising it will be 1.5.
I just can't see that changing for me. I know I have to be nothing at all. Sad realisation, as Id love to be there person who enjoys a glass with dinner, or a nightcap. Im just not that girl that.

@ImALittlePeai also aspire to moderate drinking. The thing that I’m hanging onto is that I have done it for many years in my 30’s. I drank loads when I was younger, lots of party drugs, always the last one to want to go home (ie not a ‘normal drinker ) but I managed to moderate in my 30’s by organising my life around things which weren’t compatible with drinking. (Exercise mainly). It want always easy and I had a few blow outs but alcohol was not an issue. I’m hoping I cat get back there but my drinking has been more problematic in this recent bad patch (drinking alone, semi secretly etc) so I’m not sure if there is still a way back. I guess we’ll have to see

Ah - here you all are, you lovely lot.

I’m going to confess that I had a glass of wine last night. These are all excuses, and I realise I poured the glass to escape from my feelings but this week has been tough going dealing with the admin for DF’s death, my feelings around his death and the incessant nature of caring for DH post stroke. Particularly the latter if I am being honest. I am not me anymore, I’m a carer and while I’m usually glass half full and still see the positives, this week I’ve been tired, overwhelmed and down.

I slept like crap, even with one glass and woke up with that post drinking feeling of being disappointed in myself.

On the postive, it was only one glass, and I didn’t want or need another one - it didn’t enter my head in truth. It’s reminded me of all the reasons why I shouldn’t drink - I didn’t gain the escape I was looking for, I was just knackered, grumpy and had a headache all evening! I haven’t really had many cravings so far, so it’ll make me find better strategies to cope. And I’ve leaned into the ‘why’ I did it, rather than ‘fuck it’ mentality. One drink since Christmas Day is a darn sight better than anywhere near what I’ve usually managed.

Onwards. 🥲

needastrongoneagain

I think you got good information from that one glass. I really don't believe I can stop at one glass. I can go days and day without drinking but if a bottle is being opened Im having it all. At least you can stop! And it had a big affect on you which shows the abstaining has changed you already in this short time. You also didn't get much out of it, which is awesome.

If I were you, I would be feeling great - you can have one glass, stop, and not really enjoy it anyway. Well done.

Checking in! Day 24 here. Had some nice AF wine last night (and too many crisps!!) and looking forward to a nice walk round town later before a chilled evening watching 1% club 😀

@needastrongoneagain I think you have shown superhuman strength not drinking thoughout everything you have been dealing with this month, and I too am impressed you kept to one glass! I’d of had the whole bottle for sure.

Progress is so much more important than perfection, and it sounds like it was a learning experience. Onwards! 💪

I also wish I could moderate. At the moment I'm aiming for not drinking at home but ok at social events (about once every 2-3 months at the moment thanks to little kids). But I know that once I start I won't stop. So moderation is unlikely to be feasible for me. Let's face it, if it hasn't been for the last 25 years it's unlikely to suddenly be an easy option for me. So I'll abstain the majority of the time and work on the other times. As someone previously said, I'm trying to not let perfection be the only good goal (it was better phrased than that!).

@needastrongoneagain the big change here is that noone would look at that glass of wine and think it was an unreasonable choice. Whereas previously it's safe to say that the majority of society would have said the amount we drank was way way too much.