would anyone like to try a dry January with me?

[coppercolouredtop]

i really struggle with not drinking daily.

i have tried before and cheated. my dp hates how much i drink and i would like to try and see if i can do a month without and see if it breaks the habit a bit.

i can easily sink a bottle of wine plus a cocktail and still want more. i go two days without simply because i work nights two days a week.

i am getting fat. i am choosing drink over food. i am reliant on treating myself with alcohol almost daily.

i can give up anything else really easily - smoking? stopped with no help when i decided to stop.
put a box of chocolates in front of me and i can take a couple and leave the rest.
open a bottle of wine and its gone. and i want more and i dont get hangovers so there is no incentive to stop!
ive gained 6lb recently and i know its booze - dp and i used to work same hours and i moderated a bit better when he was around but now im not.
i know he hates what i drink and the annoying bint i become after the third glass.
i have lost motivation to do anything. i dont get up early. i cant be arsed to do much anymore ( i know i am depressed which doesnt help. and i think i depress the people around me)
despite being quite outgoing and bubbly i have no friends and no social life. my kids are grown up and dont see me much. i moved to a village i dont know 4 years ago and know not a soul. i also got pregnant which i was ecstatic about but then found the baby had a disability that would have been life altering for me and her, but i always felt being a mum kept me going and motivated and now my life feels completely empty and hollow. im in a job i hate. with a partner who doesnt like spending much time with me. my kids are gone, i have no friends here and alcohol fills the gaps.

ive decided to try and get to grips with that one problem and bin the booze for a month to see if it makes any difference to anything. (waist line would be good!) i never used to drink like this.. (though i did smoke about 3 cigarettes a day)

does anyone relate? anyone fancy giving this a go and supporting each other? im going to find it extremely difficult but i want to try it.

[singleascheeseslice]

Yes, count me in! I am actually aiming for dry 2019 but one day at a time. Last year I made it to my summer hol in August. Let's see what this year brings. I aim to get to a healthy weight this year no matter what (been working on it a while:/)

[Roussette]

I'm in!

I've done dry January before and found it hard but need to do it again for health and more importantly weight reasons.

I have a big holiday coming up in March and just want to kickstart some weight loss.

Have just added the Dry Jan app to my phone!

[Ovendoor]

I'm in too.

I've found myself having "a glass of wine" to wind down of an evening, which invariably leads to the bottle. DP isn't a drinker and works lates so I can imagine it's exasperating coming home to me half cut on a Friday and Saturday night.

[pointythings]

I do Dry January and June every year and will be again this year. My main reason is that my husband was an alcoholic, and in the end it killed him.

But OP, what you describe isn't going to be fixed by a month off. I think you need more support to look at why you are drinking and why you feel you 'need' it. If you find not drinking hard, may I recommend you get some RL help?

[whystay]

Can I join please? I've managed short stints before, and have found that it's really hard for me if it's just giving up wine as I feel I'm missing out on something. I find it a lot easier if I also exercise more or get up a bit earlier in the mornings and enjoy a peaceful coffee or do a quick burst of housework (something I have no inclination to do when I wake up a bit fuzzy). So, knowing this, I'm also going to make it to an exercise class at least once a week and get up earlier a few mornings a week to make the experience a much more positive one. Hopeful that I can do this!

[Tobermory]

I’m going to join you.
We’ve had a very stressful few months, ive lost 2stone 3 lbs in weight but my booze intake has gone up a lot! So I reckon a month of not drinking will hel me reset some healthier drinking habits and also kick start weight loss after the excess of Christmas.
So yes, I’m in!

[WhenLifeGivesYouLemonsx]

Easy! I don't drink anyway. I'm more into drinking lol

[Roussette]

The app is active and emailing me but I'm not looking at the emails today. It all starts tomorrow and I'm off to a NYE party tonight!

[coppercolouredtop]

d day for me tomorrow too ladies. good luck!

i have a works leaving do on 16th so might allow a drink or 2 max then or if im finding it easier might be nominated driver stick to lime and soda and let dp have a couple instead!

[sleepymouse]

Hi, I'd love to join you. Somehow I've noticed that I'm drinking most days, and while I don't get drunk I can recognise that it's an unhealthy habit. I started regular running a few months ago so cutting back the booze will fit in with my overall trying to be healthier. Hopefully save some $ too.
I had several glasses of bubbly last night to see in the new years, and am hoping to get through January without a drink. Then maybe continue on.
I hadn't realised there is an app, I'll download today to see if that helps.

[Imtryingveryhard]

My DP and I are going to start this today along side our healthy eating regime. Just need to break the habit, hopefully lose some body fat and save some.money too :). Good luck everyone.

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

I’m in. Good luck everybody.

[DitzyPrints]

I’m in too.
I’m fed up of wanting a drink every evening. I’ve definitely got into bad habits and drink around 3-4 lagers most nights. I’ve piled on weight since the summer and feel tired a lot. I have been diagnosed with ptsd so the alcohol is making that worse I need a break from it.
Good luck everyone I’ve just downloaded a dry jan app hoping that the app and this thread will be helpful to keeping me on the right track.

[FiveMoreMinutesPlease]

I'm in too. I drink most nights - a glass or two o red. I tried dry January last year and found it hard and wasn't entirely successful but managed I be dry for 3/4 of it.
I really want it to succeed this year as I'm fat and need exercise. If I'm not drinking I can try and fit in some evening exercise too.

[blackeyes72]

I did dry August as I needed a break and found it easier after the first week.. I will join too for dry January as I have gone back to bad habits already!

[FiveShelties]

Can I join too please? I am in NZ so have just done my first dry day of 2019. Got into a very regular wine drinking habit so time to do something about it. Good luck everyone.

[CeciliaMcFlange]

I'm in - I feel shocking after a fun NYE, now got post booze blues so looking forward to tomorrow when the fear will have left and I can start to feel a bit healthier.

I tend to drink a couple of bottles of wine a week which isn't really doing me much good so look forward to a clear head and associated weight loss. Have got a big party on Friday night which will be a bit of a test. . .

[gerispringer]

I’ve done this for the last couple of years and it definitely helps to cut back later in the year, however, by December bad habits have crept back and its good to kick start the year with an booze free month. The app is good and you can tick off the days on a chart. What helps me is that about 5.30pm when I might start to think about pouring myself a glass of wine, I make a pint glass of sparkling mineral water with ice and lemon and drink that. That fills me up and takes away the initial craving, I continue to sip water and make a cup of camomile tea later. I might try alcohol free beer but not good for weight loss. I tell everyone I’m doing it so no one trys to tempt me! It’s actually not that difficult after the first couple of day, I I know I’ll feel lots better. I’m also doing Veganuary as well!

[Piggywaspushed]

I can't take alcohol any more,even though I am a reasonably light drinker these days. I only drink two nights and only drink wine below 10 %. and the occasional G and T Still get demon hangovers (funnily enough never happens on holiday)! So, I might try it. My barrier is DH. We very very rarely go out so he enjoys a drink in at the weekends. There's no way he will give up and is sulking at the prospect of drinking alone. Silly man.

[Japonicaisstillahorsygirl]

Count me in! Only usually have a drink on fridays and saturdays but usually have a groggy head after and make seriously bad food choices

[Japonicaisstillahorsygirl]

Have nominated myself as driver this evening. think the real test will be the G and T on Friday evening

[ragmayo]

I'm in..!

[lilybetsy]

I’ll do it with you. Three years ago my drinking was exactly like yours (without the two nights off) I quit on 12th March 2016, and it was the best thing I have ever done. Not easy, and quite a few changes since then, but fabulous for my mental and physical health...

You CAN do this 😊

[SilkandSteel]

@Woohoo1 and others looking for home workouts take a look at Fitness Blender, over 500 different workouts to choose from for all fitness levels, completely free www.fitnessblender.com/

[Musti]

I'll join you. Did dry Sept and then only drank when I went out. However during December there were too many nights out so I've out on weight and my focus us again on alcohol.

Treat yourself with nice food and clothes or whatever you want with the money you would have spent on alcohol. It helps.