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Original poster

I don't want to drink today. Anyone else?

457 replies

zippy539 · 03/09/2006 08:52

Fed up. Drinking far too much on pretty much a nightly basis. Inspired by Dinny's thread last night I've decided to take a one day at a time approach to cutting right back/stopping. I'm posting this because I decide this pretty much every morning but usually give in later in the day - but if I've made some kind of public committment then I have a better chance of sticking at it.

If anyone else would like to join me in not drinking today, that would be lovely.

OP posts:
Sanity · 14/09/2006 20:38

Oh yes, meant to say berrie, much calmer tonight...the kids have gone to bed without be bitting their heads off....haven't shouted at dh yet....watch this space!! I just hope I can drink weekends without spoiling the good I feel I am achieving....ooooh stop me, getting toooo serious, you see with a drink inside me !!!my conversation would be totally different

Original poster
zippy539 · 15/09/2006 08:19

Morning all. How did it go last night? Must admit that if I'd had anything in the house I probably would have drunk it but didn't so didn't .

Dinny - that's a bummer about the tooth enamel. Funny, there's been a couple of ads on recently about enamel boosting toothpaste which prompted me to look at my teeth the other night. There were looking suspiciously transparent... But fizzy water .

I'm still going to stick to no drinking in the house (unless we have guests) so wont be drinking over the weekend but I'm frantically trying to invite (beg) people round for Monday night so I can finally crack open a bottle then (it's a school holiday here Mon/Tues) .

So, being Friday I know I'll hear the sound of tumbleweed but I'll say it anyway. I'm not drinking tonight. Anyone else????

OP posts:
Berrie · 15/09/2006 08:25

Hello everyone,well I did it again, feel ok this morning too today which is good. Trouble is I was kind of thinking I would drink tonight but feel like I've done a really big thing and that I will spoil it. Added problem is that we are going away for a week on holiday and I'm worried that this thread won't be around when I get back and I won't be able to do it on my own, that it will all be wasted. If I don't drink on holiday, dh and I won't have those lovely relaxed discussions that you do on holiday. I've been an uptight sanctamonious (feeling not expressed)cow while not drinking. I feel it wouldn't be fair to be like this all holiday.But...there are bigger things at stake. When I imagine having some wine tonight, I imagine that I will feel disgusted with myself. perhaps that's my answer...

heavenis · 15/09/2006 08:26

Zippy I will join you tonight.

dinny · 15/09/2006 08:31

Zippy, think I will be having a couple in the pub tonight after yoga...but not going to have any at home. where do you live (ish!) btw - UK?

Berrie, really don't think you should drink if that's how you feel, if it'll send you back to square one (which it sounds like it will). why don't you wai till you've got a few more nights under your belt and are feeling more confident? OR, go out (if you can) for a couple and don't have any alcohol at home...? difficult, I know, but remember the slot you crave a glass of wine is not that long - 30 min/hour and then it kind of subsides....

Zippy, yes am v annoyed about teeth and mineral water. lied about how much I drink (drank!) to dentist but I bet alcohol is the worse culprit as so sugary.

feel like have thinned down quite a bit in last week, am desaretly trying to regain pre-preg waist atm!

Berrie · 15/09/2006 08:36

Yeeeaaaah! Feel uplifted now by your support. This is the first time I've felt confident enough to say this:
I AM NOT GOING TO DRINK TONIGHT!
Off to put the white wine in the airing cupboard after all!

Berrie · 15/09/2006 08:37

Hope my declaration wasn't the kiss of death...

dinny · 15/09/2006 08:47

it's just a matte of confidence! why don't you get a really good DVD in, some popcorn, fizz and have a cinema night, that'll take your mind off booze!

Berrie · 15/09/2006 08:53

Yeah thanks, not a bad tv night tonight though.

Original poster
zippy539 · 15/09/2006 08:54

Berrie- yayyyy!!! Go for it!!! I know exactly what you mean about being 'scared' of drinking at this stage - I'm still worried that if I have a night off now I'll be back at square one. I read somewhere (Sunday Times?) about some herbal suppliment that is supposed to reduce your urge to drink - basically you still enjoy a couple of glasses but don't feel compelled to pan the whole bottle. Maybe that's something you could think about for your holiday? I'll see if I can find a link. Mind you, it's probably crap for your tooth enamel .

Heavenis - you're doing brilliantly. Have you still not had a drink since the 3rd?

Dinny - I'm in sunny Edinburgh, which remarkably IS actually sunny this morning.

OP posts:
Berrie · 15/09/2006 09:01

How long has it been now zippy?

Original poster
zippy539 · 15/09/2006 09:07

Tonight will be my 13th night (not like I'm counting or anything ) But having said that, I do feel a lot more confident than I did last weekend. I'm going to try having something on Monday night if I can get some folk around... It's weird - I so want to drink but I really don't at the same time.

OP posts:
ParanoidAndroid · 15/09/2006 09:17

Well done Berrie, we made it through another night!

I'm feeling well in control at the moment - of the housework, of the fitness and of the drinking (not of the health but that's a different thread). It's simply amazing what extra confidence I feel - I feel a bit like superwoman this morning !!! Although I think I might just leave the sparkly pants to someone else...

I'm not drinking tonight - woo hoo

Berrie · 15/09/2006 09:17

Oh and I'm going to miss finding out how it went! I suppose I can look when we get back from holiday!

Original poster
zippy539 · 15/09/2006 09:22

paranoid - it feels bloody brilliant doesn't it? I know I've said it before but what I can't get my head around is the fact that I was drinking to 'relax' and have 'some time for myself'. But since I stopped I feel so much happier, unstressed, relaxed and seem to have loads more time do everything, leaving loads more time for me! I know it's not rocket science but I can't believe it has taken me all these years to discover it. All I've got to do now is REMEMBER it.

OP posts:
Berrie · 15/09/2006 09:34

Good for you Paranoid! Know what you mean about it impacting on everything else. Last night after packing asleep, drunkish dh off to bed, I tidied round, set the dishwasher off, got some washing together for the next day and ironed his shirt. I'd have faced all that at 6.30 this morning and it would have been another start to another crappy day. I can see that the discipline could start applying to other things in time (did aquire a large bar of chocolate yesterday in the end though not the gift wrapped one)
Every day I was thinking, right, new start, I won't eat chocolate, I'll do lots of house work, I won't have cbeebies on all day, I'll do some creative little activity with the children, I'll take them for a long, brisk, healthy walk, I'll have a healthy family tea on the table at tea time, I might just do some ironing, I will NOT drink and I might have sex with dh (at a push)
Once I've had the chocolate it's all spoiled 'cause I might as well start again tomorrow. I feel sooo pleased with myself. Know what you mean Zippy about it being so obvious!

ParanoidAndroid · 15/09/2006 09:43

I've started walking the kids to and from school every day - it's a long walk, about 25 mins each way if we walk fast (they usually take their scooters). The thing is - I never would have done that before not drinking. And it feels SO good! DS has been off school for two days so i've had to drive DD to school. And the funny thing is that I really miss the walking! In fact, I was wondering if I could go for a walk anyway, leaving DS (9 nearly 10) on his own for half an hour! To have done 50 mins of fast exercise before 9.15am ish is incredible and it just sets me up for the day. (Plus it then 'allows' me to have some chocolate )

Thanks Zippy - without you, I'd have not got this far.

Berrie · 15/09/2006 09:56

Oh thankyou Paranoid, that's made my day!
Lucky you having a reason to walk. You'll waste away. I was really thin(for me) when I gave up work and car to go to Uni and had a longish walk to campus. In fact I started loosing weight straight away just with the walk to the bus stop before I decided to go the whole hog and walk instead.
Actually wasn't all good, I looked so much better that my confidence soared and I started getting more attention which turned my head and DH (boyf. in those days)and I split up for a while!

heavenis · 15/09/2006 10:07

Yes I still haven't had a drink since the 3rd. I have amazed myself. I can't say I've really missed it and that surprised me because of drinking most evenings.

moomooland · 15/09/2006 10:15

Everyone doing brill - well done! I'm going to go for it this weekend and try to not drink at all even at night out on sat with old work friends. Such a rare occurence around these parts that people will probably think i'm preggers again or possessed by aliens.

Berrie · 15/09/2006 10:37

Lordy Moomooland...if you can do that there is hope for us all!
Heavenis (or something, thread too long to go up to top to check)since the 3rd too! You and the other old timers are such an inspiration.
p.s. is there an easy way to go back to the top that i'm missing?

shell1980 · 15/09/2006 10:59

morning everyone well i am so disappointed in myself i had 2 glasses of wine last night i was doing so well i was nt craving at tea time like usual cos i distracted myself by going to my mums so i delayed tea for a bit but then my other half rang said he was goin to be late home which pissed me off then the kids started to kick off!! the only consilation is that i didnt have my first drink till half 7 as opposed to five o clock and then i only had another one when he came home and had one so i had to have another BUT there is now no wine in the house so i am not going to buy any today and see how i go idont know if completely stopping sraight away is a good idea or not maybe cutting down would be better what do you all think or am i just kidding myself??

Berrie · 15/09/2006 11:04

Shell don't worry you can still do it! It was only two glasses anyway, could have been 2 bottles! Only you know if you are kidding yourself. For me, I would be - I am long practiced in the art of alcohol self deception. I am always looking for ways to stop/cut back. My last idea was to have a sealed jar that I put a fiver into everytime I didn't buy a bottle of wine to then spend on nice things for myself...I didn't bother 'cause I knew I'd raid it to but wine!

shell1980 · 15/09/2006 11:25

have you stopped drinking then berrie? how much did you or are you drinking?? im really suprised how many women actually drink this much!! I am going to try again and i have got a fighting chance as there is none left! your right it was only 2 glasses it could have been worse and to be honest normally i would have sent my other half to shop for another bottle after i finished 2 glasses but i didnt! and i didnt feel like i needed to.

Berrie · 15/09/2006 11:47

Pre children I was on a bottle of wine a night. Since then I probbly have 3 wines or 2 stellas every night and that is when I'm being restrained. I don't enjoy it much and hate myself afterwards.
I have not had a drink for three nights.
I am not going to have a drink tonight.
I am going on holiday tomorrow...
Good luck!

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