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. 💛

@GreenCherries ha! My digestive system is also working a LOT better. By the end of last year it was really struggling TBH. I actually thought I was getting IBS but it was obviously the booze.

I just had a look in the mirror and I’m sure I look so much fresher faced and bright eyed. I’m definitely less puffy too 🙌

I’m currently 10 stone exactly, having started at 10 stone 11lb on 29th December, my heaviest ever and in the overweight range for BMI. I’m hoping to lose another lb or two this week, which will take me under 10 stone. I don’t think I’ve been less than 10 stone for about five years!

Wow that’s fantastic weight loss @freshstart2026!

@freshstart2026 That's amazing 👏

I'm about 5lb down - weighed myself yesterday and was just over 11 stone - I'm 5 foot 7 and used to be more around 10/10.5 stone pre kids.

I'd like to get down to 10.5 stone ideally but I know for me the first 6lb or so are the easiest.

Last year when I did 7 months AF I lost about 8lb then put nearly all of it back on again when drinking! It's partly the booze itself but also I just have much better eating habits when not constantly drinking /mildly hungover.

I know to lose more I need to cut out all crap and work on my portion sizes.. im actually thinking also of 5:2 though.. have you found it hard?

@GreenCherries
Thanks for sharing the poo comment. Made me chuckle!
I know what you mean though.. everything bowel-related just seems much more 'in order' now :)

My brother was a drinker until he fell pissed down an escalator. He was taken to hospital with a broken leg and arm and had to stay in because of an infection. He went completely bonkers after 2 days, he was incoherent and was talking nonsense, and said the nurses were abusing him at night when it was dark, plus night terrors. They were treating an infection and said it was because of that he was to put it in layman's terms 'bonkers'. He was still like this a week later, it was terrifying to see him like this it really was. Well, it was only when one of his drinking buddies came to see him and mentioned his drinking, that the doctors put 2 and 2 together and realised he was withdrawing from alcohol. Once they put him on the correct drugs for AW he started to get better and more lucid. Frightening.
So all of us who think 3/4 glasses a night and you're not an alcoholic, think carefully xx

Honestly it’s the easiest diet I’ve ever done by a long way. When I started I thought it couldn’t possibly work, since you can eat whatever you like (within reason obviously) five days a week! The fasting days I find very manageable too - I just make sure I choose two days when I’m super busy to distract myself. I think the best thing is like I say, you don’t have to restrict yourself every day, which makes it far easier to stick to psychologically than other diets. Thank you Michael Moseley!

Morning.

Love the quote ‘showing up for life instead of recovering from it’.

I’m definitely in for February. And beyond really!

On top of the other fab posts about weight loss and 💩 (😂), I thought I’d share something that I thought would resonate here.

One of my cleaners stopped drinking at the same time as me. Over the last 4 weeks I’ve watched her skin just get more and more clear and ‘glow’. It was obvious from week 1 but today - she looks amazing and maybe it’s not obvious to you guys when you look in the mirror but it might be to others! Anyway, apparently last night her DH had a drink (he’s been on the wagon too for 4 weeks), and one bottle of lager turned into 5, plus the half drunk bottle of Baileys from Christmas and a midnight Deliveroo. And a whole heap of regret this morning apparently. I thought it was so typical of some of us on here, that it’s never just one..

I thought my sleep was much better for day 1, but boy this week has been deep and restorative. That said, I’m now taking progesterone too (did have the Mirena), so this may be a factor.

My non alcoholic positives this week, even though it’s been such grim weather are - there’s spring bulbs peeping through and it just lifts the spirits so much, I put some bird feeders out and actually got a whole heap of joy watching all these little blue tits descend on them, and just a general feeling of well, calm (which is probably alcohol related ..

Morning all. Well positives at the end of a month for me
Sleeping much better
Bowels regular and satisfying!
Happier
Way more patience
No internal noise at all
Dont look as grey/ puffy though a long way to go to look glowing
Can make plans knowing I will turn up ( trying reformer Pilates on Saturday!)
not spending half as much
Don’t have to plan my evenings/ dog walks/ days around where to buy the next bottle
Just not having a dreadful hangover at least four times a week
Negatives
None!
Motivation for Feb
cut out the crap and try to lose weight
Discover a passion for reformer Pilates and spend all my wine money doing it and getting a great body ( this one is a joke, I never have a passion for anything fitness related sadly)
Get another month under my belt
Wait for even better sleep and mood to kick in

I have been lurking but thinking of joining for Feb. I managed a month in October and then a sensible November, then it went to shit over Christmas. Which was really annoying as I had lost weight last year (12kg) and now I have put 2kg back on. I want to stop the spiral.

I love drinking wine, I don't really have an off button. But I do feel a lot of shame around how I use it as a way to manage my anxiety/stress/neurodivergence. Even thinking of joining in for Feb, I think of it being DPs birthday and then knowing I will drink that evening to celebrate and then being too all or nothing about it all. Arrrggghhh!

@Egglio welcome- do join us. This is a fab group and always full of inspiring posts and info!

@needastrongoneagain loving your positive update. Have you told your cleaner how great/healthy she looks? She might be thinking same about you :)
After a few ups and downs with sleep I feel like I may too be moving into some more restorative sleep (when my DS doesnt wake me!). Last night I bed at 10ish and slept till after 7, with just one short wake for a wee!

@SwiftyFifty
My list of positives is very similar to yours. I do a weekly pilates class which I love, and upping the sessions at home now even if just 10 mins or so. Ive not tried Reformer yet but may do at some point- let us know how you get on!
I don't really have a passion for fitness either but at least now im more motivated and realising there is actually no excuse for me to not fit it in to my daily routine...!

These positives are fantabulous!! 💪 Here are mine:

1. No more hangovers - waking at 3am, head and heart pounding, mouth parched, mind fuzzy, sweating and trudging downstairs to down a gallon of Coke. Then dragging myself into work the next day feeling dreadful and exhausted.
2. I feel sooo much calmer and in control of my life.
3. My face looks less puffy, my skin less red and my eyes brighter.
4. I’ve lost 11lbs! (A combo of quitting booze and the 5:2 diet).
5. I get way more done around the house and general life admin.
6. I’ve been more present for my DC.
7. I’ve been far more productive at work.
8. Strange internal body aches I had have gone.
9. After thinking I was developing IBS, my bowel movements have almost returned to normal.
10. I’ve saved £420!
11. My anxiety has reduced massively (I’ve been taking anti-anxiety meds since 1st Jan and have actually been remembering to take them - a first).

Negatives:

1. I no longer enjoy social situations TBH and would rather avoid them.

Now Im over the headache from hell - I feel absolutely amazing. Physically and mentally. I feel 10 years younger, full of energy, great sleep, increased libido (sorry if tmi but my boyfriend is thrilled), and Im just incredibly happy. Zero cravings, although I now firmly have a sweet tooth when had none prior but Im just going with it. My jeans are looser - someone asked me if I had a facial yesterday and that I look so much better in my face (they didn't know about the drinking).

Its all going brilliantly so I really hope it lasts. Another challenge next weekend when I have another social. But the last one was awesome as I had more in depth chats, so I am looking forward to it being more of the same.

AF is awesome.

Oh and Im day 34.

@amibeingaknob interesting! I’m on day 30 and yesterday was the first day I didn’t have an overwhelming exhaustion wash over me mid afternoon. So if I feel like you in four days time I will be very happy!!! Well done for riding out the headache. I believe it does take a good month to start seeing the benefits so it’s worth doing Feb too to really start reaping the rewards

Yeh I was in the pit of doom earlier in the week, I felt like shit. Now I feel absolutely amazing - its like Im on the happy pills or something, lol. Its a marked difference. Im buzzing - with no actual substances to make me feel that way. Not even coffee as I had to stop that since sunday due to the headaches.
Im definately sticking with it. I just ordered loads of lovely soft drinks of amazon. Sounds daft but I never actually realised how many lovely drinks there were out there because I only ever drank coffee, diet coke or booze. Its opened up my world.
Fentons blood orange is currently my fave.

I have similar issues.. absolutely awful man but he will not break me. I look as fresh as a spring Daisy and he’s fat, bald, red/puffy 😆 still drinking daily and it shows.. it delights me no end every time I see him.

I’ve had a fabulous PT session again today - this will hurt tomorrow.. so tonight I’m having a long hot soak, face mask and a full body smothering of moisturiser.

We stand strong in the face of our struggles and smile nicely with our glow-up 🤩

Thank you for the solidarity. Your bath sounds like a wonderful spa day! Well done for the PT.

You must be so proud for not drinking in the face of many challenges and it sounds as if you look and feel so much better for being sober throughout this month. Here’s to the end of awful men and a happy sober February.

I’ve a day off tomorrow and must admit I’d quite like a glass of wine to celebrate the end of a busy week tonight. I won’t of course. But does this urge ever go?!

Daily Mail story about a woman who was drinking a bottle of wine a night for two decades and has now been sober four years. Lots of things she says I can relate to:

Bloated and looking old beyond my years, I finally quit alcohol at 45. Only then did I realise what drinking a bottle of wine a night for two decades had done to me...

archive.ph/zsPq6

Thanks for sharing @freshstart2026, I find stories like this so helpful to keep me motivated.

I stumbled across the sober girls guide on Instagram and they recommend whitening strips, face masks, lip masks and other bits to keep you busy when alcohol cravings hit. The theory being those things need to sit for 20+ minutes, by which point the urge has passed.

I quite like the idea so I'm going to grab some bits tomorrow. Friday is always the hardest day for me. I'm exhausted, I get home late and after a hectic week of parenting and work, I feel like I 'deserve' the drink to wind down. Excited to try and change the weekly wind down ritual from boozing to a more wholesome pamper night.

Wow.. how healthy and great she looks in those last 2 pics.
Really inspiring story.

Last day of January folks!!

Feeling pleased with myself this morning as the scales are suddenly 2lbs down from yesterday, so that’s 5lbs in total this month! Have been using chat gpt to help me plan my diet and exercise and it was adamant I needed 1700-1800 calories a day to build muscle and lose weight sustainably. Was very dubious as I’d normally cut it to 1200 or so, and nothing much has shifted for 2 weeks. It promised my muscles would be holding water while they recovered from heavier work outs and that I’d see a sudden ‘whoosh’ if I stuck with it, and now it looks like I have my whoosh!

Glad I persevered with it! 1700-1800 cals is very doable (eating loads of healthy goodness!) and (a bit like the drinking) I’m trying to see all this stuff as lifestyle change rather than short term diet etc. so far so good!

Happy Friday everyone!

Day 30 for me, and whilst I’m still not seeing significant changes, I feel like the scales are starting to tip. Had an excellent night’s sleep last night and have woken headache-free for the first time in a week, which feels amazing. Face and skin are definitely looking fresher, and I’ve dropped 3lbs (finally!).

I’m loving hearing about everyone else’s progress and hope I’ll be getting a few more positive results as we head into month two. Month two! Can’t believe it’s almost here, and I know I wouldn’t have done it without this group - I was barely even one foot in at the beginning.

Thanks to everyone for being here. It’s strange to think that we’re just a group of anonymous strangers who are helping each other make such positive changes in our real lives - I never imagined feeling so pleased and proud for a bunch of weird usernames!

Well done everyone, another week in the bag! We still have tomorrow to go until the end of Jan, @GreenCherries , but you have reminded me it is pay day - whoop!

I also use Chat GPT to work out calories and have lost around a stone since September. It has been so helpful. I started to distrust it though as I had a long thread going and it started spinning out with random numbers, like suddenly saying I was consuming 200 calories a day and that was dangerously low. I couldn't get it to correct itself. I think the long thread was hard for it to handle, so I have given up on that and now just ask about individual meals and then log them on my Samsung health tracker. It is really good in that sense, and I can always check its maths when I don't trust it!

@Raindancer101 I like this idea of beauty treatments. I really need something else to do in the evening, as I have ended up grazing a lot on sweet food. And, as above, I am supposed to be on a diet!

Doh! Of course we do, I think starting this on NYE has had me muddled re day count/date all month! 🤣

If anyone is looking for books to read about health in general, I read This Book Could Save Your Life by Graham Lawton. He's a science writer and it's a kind of myth-busting book on the things we are told about in the media and whether or not they are worth doing. I wouldn't say it was massively revelatory, but it was kind of reassuring that there is no big secret to good health, just a series of good decisions. I enjoyed it. Also, puts you off alcohol! www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07YLK2FTC/?bestFormat=true&k=this%20book%20could%20save%20your%20life%20graham%20lawton&ref_=nb_sb_ss_w_scx-ent-bk-ww_k1_1_13_de&crid=22YWSN1C8KZTH&sprefix=graham%20lawton