dry september

[raspberrytart]

Good Morning.Wondered if there was a dry september thread going?Thanks

I think I will always ultimately revert to my usual boozy wine greedy habits, because I like having a drink.

But stopping for a month once or twice a year means I never get into really bad habits - drinking every night, increasing tolerance to more than a bottle of wine in a sitting etc.

Everyone is doing so well. Even with the lapses people are drinking a lot less than they normally would. All good.

I'm on Day 7, just finished a Becks Blue. Not sure how I'm feeling about it all; pleased to give my body a break though.

That's the habit I want to get out of - having a drink most nights. In a way I'm sort of lucky that I have quite a low tolerance to alcohol - drinking a bottle is so not worth it for me - but it still adds up over the course of a week.

I'm having a sober September. I'm going on holiday on 6th October so I'm dieting and exercising to try lose some weight. Obviously the drink is calories but it makes me bloat and then the next day when I'm hungover I eat loads so staying off it.

Have turned down a girls night tonight. Got an engagement party next sat but will not drink then no other social things till 3rd October. i went a run this morning and then had a haircut and have been to the Scottish airshow today where we walked for about two hours so I'm now in bed and probably wouldn't of drank anyway cause I'm shattered.

I succumbed to wine. Combination of DH having been away and DS coming home from first rugby match of the season with a black eye. Bought a mini bottle of white and had that but then had red as well.

Won't have any tommorow though. DH has said he will cut back. At least till I go away on Wednesday! . He will revert as soon as I'm gone im sure!

Succumbed last night - I had half a bottle of wine. Feel cross with myself and back to being good now. Saturday nights were always going to be the hardest, can't remember a sat where I haven't had wine in the last couple of years tbh.

Anyone who has had a lapse, don't let it derail you. It's still a lot less than you would normally have had over the past 5/6 days and there is still plenty of September left to enjoying being refreshed and energised through not drinking

I post on Brave Babes thread and have been lurking here to cheer you all on. I'm also doing dry September so may end up posting on both. Do feel free to join us over there too if you want to. Hopefully there will always be someone around to chat with if anyone feels a 'wobble' coming on

^^This. Every drink that you don't have is a win, so a lapse is no big deal. Changing your habits takes time, and if you aren't kind to yourself you are less likely to manage it.

No shame in succumbing on the very first Saturday night!

These are the habits of years.

Keep going everyone :)

Day 6, bring it on.

Sunday is my Saturday due to work patterns, so this will be a tough one for me.

I do feel a bit annoyed with myself - mainly the greed issue. Made a conscious decision to buy a small bottle of white to have while DH was cooking. But being my usual greedy guts I had red as well. But am not going to beat myself up too much this morning - did enough of that when I woke up in the night.

Today is another day. And it will be a dry day.

Good luck everyone.

I know what you mean, Cider - I used to be greedy about wine as well. There's this feeling that it's 'only' wine and that if you aren't downing hard spirits it somehow doesn't count. But it does.

I got past it by using a smaller glass for what I do have on a weekend and yes, the rest is willpower. I went from downing about 45 units in a week to about 16 though - it can be done, and the benefits are huge. I've lost almost 2 stone alongside the improved sleep, better skin etc.

I also find that by only drinking on weekends, I appreciate it more - the glass I have lasts longer, I enjoy it more.

willpower is not my strong point! With wine or food. Which is why I am 5 stone overweight!

So tonight wasn't a dry night in the end. But I feel quite pleased with myself anyway! As the weather was so nice we barbecued and a friend of DS's stayed. I had a very weak white wine soda in a long glass and made that last all through prep, cooking and dinner. DH was having a bottle of red so I poured myself a small glass and took that in to have while watching TV. Also took a glass of water. And I stuck to that one small glass of red wine and enjoyed it. Followed it up with a peppermint tea and more water!

So it wasn't a dry night but definitely the driest Sunday night I have had for a while!

Well done everyone, whether you've lapsed or not, positive changes.

I'm now on day 8, and into uncharted territory. I've done a week before, within living memory, but never longer. When I've tried before, I've always done it as a lifestyle package, where, in addition to knocking the booze on the head, I've made myself rules about diet, exercise, skincare... so I've never gone past a week without going 'fuck this'. What I like about dry September, is there's one simple rule, and that rule is... Dry. September.

I also had a glass or two three on Saturday night. Nothing with Sunday dinner though! But like others have said, I've drunk so much less than I normally would have.

My friend is moving to Australia on weds & we're having a leaving meal & drinks on Tuesday. So realistically, I'm going to drink a bit. Sigh.

Day 7, this is the longest I've gone since January. It's been ok so far since I've not really thought about it. In January I was almost on a count down and determined not to drink at all whereas this time I've said if I have one drink it's ok, I can go back to it the next day. I'd still be drinking a lot less than if I had a glass of wine every night.

ducky - IME it's better with things like Wednesday, which is a big deal event in your life, to give yourself a dispensation in advance.

Then you don't have to feel crap and like you let yourself down when you decide (correctly) that having a last drink with an old friend trumps giving up booze for a month.

:)

I agree with Bathtime. I think for me it's the drinking at home that is the worst. Its my norm. But it's not a good norm when you don't have an off switch!

I'm going to dublin on Wednesday and have two nights out planned and I will drink. The nights I'm just at my dads I normally have a glass or two but that's it.

Good news is tonight was a dry night. Even in the face of DH prowling the kitchen and stating he was having a G&T. And then he opened a bottle of red. I stuck to water and a herbal tea. Very happy. I normally really struggle to stick to not drinking if he is.

A whole week. That's the longest I've gone without a drink for years and years and years.

I think atm I'd be okay if DH was drinking, as I'm still enjoying the novelty of not drinking. But it's something of a ritual for us to offer each other a glass of wine around 6pm especially at the weekend. I kind of miss that. But as they say on the real Dry threads, play the film to the end - and see the morning of waking up with a dry mouth, sore head and bleurgh feeling.

DH has lost a kilo in a week since stopping drinking! I didn't weigh myself at the start, but certainly can feel my clothes being looser. We've both been doing 16:8 for a while (though kidding ourselves that wine in the evening doesn't count, yes doh I know). Doing it for real now, and hoping to see some progress by the end of September.

I'm also enjoying the novelty of not drinking, I feel much more productive during the day and less overwhelmed. Hope it continues.

bathtime you're right. Dispensation duly given.

fading agree with your comment about enjoying the novelty. I like the fact I don't have to deal with my day by having a drink. I'm so proud of myself for not succumbing at the weekend - I had a lovely day out involving miles of walking on Saturday, followed by a fraught and difficult day on Sunday - response to both these scenarios would normally be end the day with a drink. Today I had some good work related news - normally: drink!, today: don't need it.

I am also going to bed earlier, as I tried to cram everything into my evening, I often wouldn't sit down and start drinking until about now, or even later, then end up nursing my last glass of wine until gone midnight. I can skip that whole bit now.

OP are you still around, I was wondering how your Great North Run training is going?

Hi. Still here.! Well done everyone.
I haven't started so good, but hope to have a booze free week.
Training good and I feel ready for Sunday.

Yes raspberry - good luck! A booze free week will def help!

Another dry night here so feeling good. It's Slimming World weigh in tomorrow so that was an extra incentive! I know if I had had a drink tonight and didn't get a good result tomorrow I would be doubly pissed off at myself.

How did you get on at weigh in Cider?
Diverting my craving for wine by watching gbbo. Bloody starving now...!

I have my own personal weigh in in the morning.

I hope I've lost about 4lbs in the last week. I've been very good in all ways.

I was also watching GBBO. :)

Half way through the week now. Hope everyone is doing well :)