Dry 15

[glad2016]

For all those sober, or would be sober, warriors. KOKO (keep on keeping on) lovely people :)

Finnish well done, hope you feel very pleased with yourself, what an achievement !

Boy you sound like you have a lot to deal with so be kind to yourself. Day one is just the start of the journey, but you have made a start....take it slowly. The days will add up. It must be really difficult to cut all of those things out of your diet at the same time. If you feel better physically you will also feel more positive I hope. Keep posting and reading, it does help.

I went out for a curry with a big group of friends this weekend...and stuck with my lime and soda. Everyone was amazed that I wasn't drinking, but also really supportive and some were envious. Nobody was negative, I just told them that if I have 1 glass of wine I can't stop, so I don't have that first glass. It seems so simple when you say it. My bill was at least £15 less than theirs and I had a really nice time. DH then snored his head off all night and was a bit worse for wear, but I was up early, out in the sunshine in my dressing gown and wellies with a cup of tea and no hangover.... I'll leave you with that nice image ! I don't mean to brag, but I really can't believe it is my day 60 today...it helps me to koko if I write it down every now and then. Stay strong everyone.

60 days patchwork that is fantastic - I remember when you first joined and look how far you have come. As far as I am concerned even if you were bragging it would be completely justified. I am glad I'm not the only one who goes for the wellies and dressing gown look. Sometimes if I am going out in the garden early to hang washing or feed the hens that's my standard outfit! Xxx

It's so inspiring to hear peoples' stories of tens and hundreds of days without alcohol! I'm on day 8. The weekend was tough, namely the evening between the hours of 5pm and 8.30. If I can get to half eight, I'm golden!

Today I've got a stinking cold so drinking is the last thing in my mind. Hot tea all the way!

Must say, my Fitbit has been a saviour in all this. Walking loads and drinking lots of water. This time last week, I was in bed after throwing up all day, not going to work and generallly feeling like shit. Slept so well this week, skin looks loads better and lost weight. As much as I've craved wine this weekend, the bigger picture is what I've got to keep in mind.

Welcome boy 👋🏻

Day 1 achieved!

Well done :)

I'm now just pushing through til 11, when the shop shuts. I'm mainlining herbal tea.

Can you not try relaxing maybe taking a nice bath with a candle lit then you will be in your pjs. Do you have a partner?

No partner. I'm watching tv, feeling pretty pleased with myself.i have. I desire to get dressed or go outside. Success.

Good keep hold of that feeling.

Count every day and each day may be a challenge but you will get through it and find different ways to deal with the 'urge' x well done on day 1

Boy you are now on day 2! It gets a tiny bit easier each day. Well done to you and Allington!
Day 47 for me. Too much going on in my head so feeling a bit anxious but I will not drink today.

Get well soon Margaret. Patchwork congratulations on 60 days!
Positive thinking- today will be a good day. We can do this.

Bad for your weight loss that the doctor has recommended, may I suggest that you look at The Blood Sugar Diet by Dr Michael Mosley? There's a website and there's also a thread on here too. A lot of Drs aren't as completely educated in terms of low carbing and certain food categories to avoid and having looked at what yours has recommended, I have my suspicions that is the case here. Eggs are OK and don't raise cholesterol .... as is full fat dairy, unless you are allergic? The low fat food, simple carb options are just full of sugar and won't satisfy you.
Get the book and read all the science. It's easy to get your head round and there's recipes in it too and also online. A lot of people have had great results and it will give you something else to focus on.....and most importantly, help you sack off the wasted, empty calories from alcohol

Hope you don't mind me posting this

Everyone else, KOKO! Xx

Likeshurricane good advice re the food - high fat/low carb/high protein is the way to go and the BS diet is an excellent recommendation.

I haven't posted much but I am on Day 28!!!!!!!!!!! Whoop whoop I can't believe it and feeling very positive I can carry on with this! For some reason I have never got before 23 days before but I really did have a different attitude towards it before. I had a huge challenge last week as travelled for business and I have never done that without a drink - used to convince myself I needed it to sleep in unusual hotel rooms but I didn't! Used to have a few in the airport lounge and most definitely on the night flight home but didn't do either...I amazed myself.

Boy - day 1 is always the absolute worst in my experience. Once I get through that the rest gets a bit easier so a HUGE well done to you for yesterday.

Need to update myself on everyone's achievements

Never got "past" 23 days before....

Day 2 and so far all is well work very busy which is helpful, my challenge is later as I take DD to her after-school activities which involve hanging around. Today I have some errands to run, though, so hopefully will just keep moving instead of gravitating to the pub.

Well done on day 2 Allington

Thanks - DD at her dance class so hanging around, but went to a different café instead of usual bar, and am having fruit juice. Not too tempted atm...

Boy the post about diet above that I've written to Bad, is actually for you
Loubilou welcome, welcome back. I remember you from earlier this year. Well done on getting to your longest stint yet. See, you can do it

Well done everyone, glad to hear so many are staying AF, especially the newbies, it is difficult ! I had to buy a small bottle of sherry today for my Christmas cakes because I necked last years bottle remains during my last binge ! 2 thirds are mixed into the dried fruit and I promise to use the final third to feed the cakes when they're made. Not tempted at all, but I will eat some of the cake at Christmas time. KOKO

Hello again all

Haven't been on MN for a little while, thought I'd check in and see how everyone was doing?

Did have the odd night drinking last month. With everything that happened I'm not surprised but looking at my habit tracker was only a few nights over the month. One night had a botttle, well sat with a friend and we had two bottles between us but over the course of 8 hours between chatting. Really didn't feel the need to neck it and get pissed. Of course I'm now considering those thoughts that maybe I can do it, be 'normal', whatever that means? Yet I have the knowledge that could be playing with fire.

I dunno, sitting on it for a while anyway. Haven't had a drink for over a week and no intention of for the next little while as I've been fighting a difficult to shift infection and on my second week of antibs. Being sensible for a change and giving my immune system a break . Despite the infection feeling pretty good. Calmer, sleeping better though not quantity, more quality, anxiety gone, drinking loads of water and hunted out my liquidiser so back on the veggie drinks. Pilates stuck at and really helping my back so hoping to get back to running soon. All that makes me wonder why I'd even consider risking drinking again?

Anyhow, I'll have a read and catch up, hope everyone's well.

Day 2 going well, thanks all. Feeling happy that I can rebalance my relationship with booze eventually.

Thanks for book advice.

Tattoo's!!!! Lovely to hear from you - I've been thinking about you and how you are doing... Glad that things are starting to feel a bit better for you....

stopped off and got a bottle of wine on the way home... so didn't manage day 2.

Start again today.

On the positives, I could see going to a café for a juice instead of a bar for alcohol could become a new habit.

Allington well done for posting and getting straight back on. If there is any wine left chuck it away. Try and think about what you could do differently. There was a process when you thought about wine, went to the shop, bought it, opened it and then had a drink. What could you have done during that process to avoid getting to the end ? I have found it helpful to think through like this. X

Thanks finnish, great to see you still here too

I am feeling pretty good and positive. On one hand I can see my thought processes when it comes to booze aren't great and I automatically think stress = alcohol. On the other looking over last month it's progress that I didn't go out on some huge days long bender or spend a month heavy drinking most evenings like I would have done in the past. All those sober periods have given me different coping mechanisms and I've learnt healthier ways to deal with things. I understand now that emotions don't go away at the bottom of a bottle, you simply add to them the next day with anxiety, depression, regret etc etc thrown into the mix.

I don't know where I'll go from here. I do know what my head is saying . For now and for today I'm happy staying sober and that's all I can ask for and hope the momentum grows like it has before.