I am giving up alcohol - properly...

[piffle]

After analysing how much I drink, how I drink and all the whys and wherefores, I deduced that it is best for me stop drinking. I have had an issue/bad feeling/guilt complex about it for ages.
I don't feel addicted, but do feel as if in the the grip of a habit. Much like I was with smoking, which I gave up relatively easily.
I'm simply not drinking for an entire month, no alcohol anywhere at any time.
Then I may have a glass or two when out (ha ha we rarely go out trick question)
Has anyone else done this or had similar concerns and any ideas or stories to share.
I'm hopeful of one or two knock on benefits
Weight loss
Saving money!
Conceiving no 3

I realised I use alcohol as a crutch and don't drink during the week at all now.

It was my treat and the end of the day but one glass became 3/4 each night which is probably nearly a bottle given the size of the average wine glass these days.

Since I've broken the habit I can now enjoy a couple of glasses with friends over dinner and still get too drunk on the occasional work night out but that's it. It's saved loads of money and alongside a decent diet I've lost lots of weight and feel less tired.

It's an easy cycle to get in to when you have kids and are more tied to being in at night and in need of a mood enhancer at times.

Good for you.
I too gave up smoking. Suddenly there's all this spare cash-it's great!

I don't drink that much now(not that I did before!), maybe have the odd glass of wine of an evening. But seeing as I'm pg, that is all.

Before it was more- a bottle every 1-2 nights. Definitely habit. Worse to break than smoking I think in some ways. It's a lot more of a social thing. Plus if you love your wines, every meal is an excuse!

Good luck with it anyway, and I hope you have a lot of fun and luck with concieving no 3!
xx

Thanks, I am struggling to explain to dh how it is a habit but not an addiction!
Going fine so far, not nearly so hard as I suspected it might be!

Good on you piffle.

I've had to cut back on my drinking, all thanks to my doctor who kindly counted up my units over a week and it came to over 40 and TBH during my party days, it was likely to be alot more than that.
It didn't help though that I was running a pub at the time.

I only allow myself 2 drinking nights a week, I don't think I could actually go a whole month though, boredom more than anything.

Good luck piffle, if you gave up smoking for good, you can give up booze for a month.

Yup I did this piffle! gave up for the whole of March it's now mid may and I've had maybe 3 glasses since I stopped. I was getting into the habit of using it most night to 'unwind' ... and dp and I had some problems too so drinking and arguments weren't nice. As for the knock on benefits, no weight loss or savings but did conceive no 2! hence no weight loss. Dp and I are getting on much better, I am happier (but v tired with preg, work so on). I thought it would be really hard, too, but it wasn't, even before pregnant .. I was getting bored with it and just needed to acknowlege the fact. It's so funny going out with drinker friends and realising for the first time how they change, also that it may be worth brining out any pearls of wisdom you wish them to remember before the sun's over the yardarm ...!

I'd feel better if we did go out with friends, I see the point a bit more then, lively atmosphere enhancing fun etc
But as we are almost always inert on the couch at home, watching tv and relaxed, it seems pointless to drink just to drink.
I also got to the stage where when Dh was away I could polish of a bottle of white on my own and not only not feel even slightly drunk, but not even feel a thing the next day!
Great to hear I'm not the only one

I've given up in the week too. I'd noticed that my one glass was becoming two and sometimes three. I've done it to try and lose weight but also be a bit healthier.

I've given up for a bit too - not had anything for 2 weeks.

I know what you mean piffle about if being a habit and not an addiction. You settle down of an evening and just feel you should have a glass in your hand. I've taken to having a glass of cranberry juice - it looks almost like my usual red and I'm not missing it at all > As far as hangovers go though I'm getting much worse as I get older, more than 3 glasses of wine and I'm fit for nothing the next day.

Plus hopefully it'll help me shed a few pounds before I have to bare my bod on holiday.

I had ginger ale but I hate fizzy drinks
I'll be ok until we have a bbq, it's mandatory to have an ale in hand as you turn to steaks over...