DRY 13

[lilybetsy]

This is the thread for all those who are living, or committed to living, life free from alcohol.

I will quote a sober poster "I'm fitter, slimmer, richer, happier & healthier"

Go sober warriors !

Congrats vxa on your century!

Wow 100 days! vxa congratulations!! Can you tell us how you feel now physically and mentally in comparison to 100 days ago?

Congratulations vxa

Happy Friday, everyone x

Hi everyone prizey good to have you with us journeyon woah that is amazing weight loss and vxa hurrah! Going to pub quiz tonight and interesting to see if my performance is better sober

vxa huge well done on 100 days!

lizzy your sober night sounds great.

I went to the pub twice Wednesday night. First with friends who know I've stopped so no issue. Second with other parents so I didn't feel comfortable explaining- ordered a coffee with food and no-one even noticed!

congrats on 100 vxa - that's so fab.

Missed yoga yesterday, but have done day 7 of yoga camp today. Must a) stick to doing yoga everyday, and b) learn not to catastrophise (sp?) about missing one day meaning I've failed and should give up.

Ho hum...

How is everyone doing this lovely Saturday morning...?

Morning finnish it's a lovely but rainy morning here. Great to have a clear head.
How's everyone else?
How did the pub quiz go absolute?

Congrats vxa and those having sober nights out, well done.

Feeling better now, tooth seems ok and I saw a bit of DH's graduation live streamed on the internet so didn't totally miss out after all. Isn't the internet brilliant!

Dog-sitting this weekend - a tiny Yorkshire terrier shaped bundle of cuddles. Had forgotten how cheering a dog can be.

Conscious of the weekend wine witch but she's faint at the moment.

Congratulations vxa 100 days, great going!! Can you share with us what the biggest changes have been in your health.

Finnish I totally get the giving up if you miss one session/have one drink/eat one chocolate bar. If you can recognise that one slip does not mean that you totally failed then you're one step closer to succeeding.

Cloudy here with a threat of rain so our options are outdoor theatre or the cinema this afternoon. This mornong eill be less positive as I've got yo go and sort my mum out. She had her dog pts yesterday and its hit her hard as the dog was my dad's who passed away last year.

I was at a school fundraiser last night and a few people questioned my lack of alcohol, these are people I told I was having a break last week, and I found it quite hard to say "yes still off the alcohol and no I don't know when I'll start drinking again". But I did and I didn't have a drink.

So its Saturday morning and I have no hangover ....it actually wasn't too difficult, I drank lemonade and orange squash all night, and a camomile tea in bed. I'm feeling so virtuous I might even head up to the gym or go for a long walk.

Who was it who said about the podcasts? Well thank you whoever it was, Recovery Elevator podcast is a good listen and I recommend it. There was an article on there regarding sugar intake while staying dry and it recommends steering clear of the stuff as it plays havoc with blood sugar levels and therefore energy lulls. Interesting stuff.

Morning everyone,

Hangover free here too. Out last night with friends who I've spent many drunken nights with. I explained I'm not drinking and they were very supportive and one is coming to the same conclusion she is not having a good time with alcohol anymore.

finnish sounds like your yoga going well- a day off is never a bad thing.

girls sorry about your mums dog.

jojo pleased your teeth are feeling better and you saw some of the graduation. Enjoy dog sitting. I love dogs mine is always happy and pleased to see me. I am walking the legs off him now I'm not drinking but he's happy with that.

Take care everyone.

Daily mail link but great advert for sober living.

www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3681791/I-don-t-think-ll-drink-Lisa-Riley-reveals-going-teetotal-helped-lose-ten-stone-s-life-soul-party

Hadron thanks for asking - pub quiz went well Ta. Took 3 Becks Blues in my handbag. Our team came second. Prize was three bottles of Prosecco and chocs, gave plonk to other team members and kept all the choc!!!

Thank you everyone for your congratulations yesterday. I can't quite believe today is day 101!!

For those who have asked I would say the main changes are:

Sleep - I sleep much much better. I wake refreshed and with a clear head.
Time - I have much more time which I fill with exercise, reading, tv and naps. I have much more time with my girls and my DH and I love that time whereas before I almost resented giving up my drinking time.
Anxiety- this is much better and the antidepressants I am taking are actually having a chance to work.
Concentration - much better.
Mood - I am less grumpy and impatient and my DH says nicer to be around.
Appearance - My skin looks better as do my eyes. I don't have unexplained bruises. My weight is the same but I am more toned.
Guilt - I used to feel guilty and ashamed all the time. I had a really strong sense that something was going to go badly wrong at any point. I was lying and hiding bottles and drinking out of a mug so it wouldn't look like wine.

But there are good days and less good days. All my emotions are quite raw and I find it hard coping with all the things I was using alcohol to numb, sometimes I am bored and sometimes I feel deprived and resentful that I can't drink normally. I have regrets that it took me so long to get to a place where I could stop and I have lots of cringing memories of all the awful stuff I did.

It is still the best thing I have ever done. I have no intention of drinking again.

Love to you all. KOKO xxx

Today is a less good day as I am really tired - have been since Thurs. Feel a bit like I have a low level bug. Have seen my parents today which has stressed me out - DM is a pain.

I think I may have a touch of PAWS but I know it will go. X

I'm still here. Feeling a bit poorly - as is DH and the kids. I'm glad not to be hungover, but fancying a spiked hot toddy. I won't drink today though.

I've started smoking again. Just a couple last weekend, and now I'm back on about 10 a day, sneaking out and hiding it from the kids.

So pissed off with myself. Is this cross-addiction?

Congratulations vxa2 :)

Morning all!

Yoga done, about to go out for day with kids, feeling quite TSP.

I may even come home and clean my office!

Waves to EFC - its great that you've been open with your friends and they're being supportive - well done on being brave and starting to talk to people IRL - that's very cool :)
one - I'm also giving up smoking - I found listening to youtube sleep meditations on giving up smoking really really helpful. I also think that the yoga helps - learning how to take a deep breathe & time for yourself without needing a fag or a drink as a prop to justify why the kids need to leave you alone for a miute...

I think that for some of my drinking, and most of my smoking, Anger is a trigger, I'm angry, and take it out on myself....

Hugs vxa - you got this

Thanks finnish hope you enjoyed your day out.

pillow I'm not sure about cross addiction. I finally gave up smoking nearly a year ago and have lost the taste for it luckily.

Ran nearly 13 miles this morning- was out before 9, felt so good to be out rather than I'll in bed hungover worried what I said/did!

Thanks finnish and efc

I 'gave up' the fags in May - so about a month before I had my last drink. Now I'm back on them. It's like my brain WANTS to be addicted to something.

I am so pissed off with myself. I've also noticed it saps my energy, dulls my complexion, makes me stink. I don't like the taste. I have NO IDEA why I do it, other than to soothe a craving that the fags themselves cause.

Tomorrow is another day. Must to better.

But at least I am not pissed. One step at a time.

Good running efc. That's a good long run! Are you training for something? You must have felt brilliant. I'm about to start building my miles back up again....I'm doing The English Half Marathon in Warrington in 18th September. Training plan starts this Saturday and the best bit is that some of our newer runners are going to do the plan too. They only started running in January and they are fab!
Mind you, I'll be like a cart horse...I'm still in Spain and I feel like I've eaten it!
I hope to god some of it is water retention, otherwise I'm in BIG trouble
KOKO sober warriors

Wow efc good mileage!

Quiet day here.....day 23 since I decided to go AF, as you know one drink on day 15.

Taking it a day at a time......if I had said I'd go dry for a month I'd be counting down, funnily am finding it easier to be open ended.

Wow efc good mileage!

Quiet day here.....day 23 since I decided to go AF, as you know one drink on day 15.

Taking it a day at a time......if I had said I'd go dry for a month I'd be counting down, funnily am finding it easier to be open ended.

Hello sober warriors. :) Had a friend visiting, previously would have been a drinking buddy and I told her I had stopped and she was very supportive :) So actually had a good weekend, we went out for 2 meals and dh and friend had wine and I had AF Torres :) Honestly I had no desire to drink. That would be the 200 + days sober I guess :)
Impressed at 13 mile run !

And just done a big order of AF beer and wine online for the camping trip to France I am doing in a months time.

morning all. :)