Giving up alcohol for vanity?

[VanityWitch]

So, I'm thinking of going teetotal, yes, for my health, but mainly because I am terribly vain and my skin is crap at the moment and my sleep quality is also crap. I don't drink much, as in, I tend to only drink at weekends plus one week night, so Friday, Saturday and Sunday or Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, for example. Usually one or two glasses of wine. Not bucketfuls, but not thimbles either! So I guess that is a bottle of wine a week?

I'm sure by MN standards this makes me either a raging alcoholic or a puritanical stick in the mud, but you know.

Anyway, I'm planning to quit as an experiment, to see if I glow!

Is anyone thinking of doing similar? Would anyone like to join me on here to document our journey to glowage?

Oh- also recommend the book alcohol explained by william porter.
One of the best books on the way alcohol negatively affects your brain and body out there

@Bomblette

You could try drinking lots more water and herbal tea - it might help with weight loss.

On Day 1 here! EEK! This will be my first day in three whole weeks not drinking...I'll miss the wine but I'm kind of looking forward to knowing I'm not putting that into me anymore.

Back on the wagon, I had been doing dry Jan but last week with the stress of wfh and homeschool etc I cracked and decided to finish off the Bailey's that was hanging around after Christmas.
Keep the positive stories coming. I am after the vanity aspect but also mental health and energy levels. I need those more than ever right now.

Great to see so many other vain quitters!
I'm on day 9 now and my skin is really starting to glow. Plus, I've lost a pound without really trying.
@AlexisCarringtonColbyDexter It's interesting you should say that as my husband's also doing this and claims not to feel any better for it at all!
I thought this weekend would be tricky. But, actually, apart from a few fleeting thoughts of a glass of wine during the 6-8 danger zone, it's not actually bothered me.

I'm sure it's just water loss, but I'm 1.5lb lighter after six days. DH said my skin looked better too. Interested to see what 100 days' abstinence looks like.

My sleep has improved so much and even with everything that’s going on, I’m feeling happier in myself. Not sure I look any different yet but to be honest at the moment the mental benefits are more than enough to keep me motivated.

Failed last night and hit the gin - Disappointed with myself - starting again today

I'm seven days in; this is the longest I've gone without drinking for months or maybe more. I've lost 2 lbs, sleeping a bit better. I think the weight loss for me is also down to the snacks I usually consume with my wine! Less puffy around the eyes already but hoping for more improvements in skin!

How much do we need to drink for alcohol to affect our appearance? A glass or two of wine every few weeks can’t have much effect? Or is it worth cutting it out completely?

@thehoundsoflove

Yep! The only way to objectively test it is to take photographs before and after and use things like a sleep tracker. He might not "feel" anything is different but I bet you anything the photos and quality of his sleep improve with not drinking. Sometimes changes are subtle but theyre still there!

Foxandfeathers,

I've been intermittent fasting too, so eat what I want within a window, started at 16/8 and mow up to 20/4 most days.
I pretty much eat what I want within those times but tend towards healthier foods as that what my body seems to crave (if you knew me before this would come as a massive surprise as I was a Devin for processed food)
I'm 52 so still a bit jowly but that's slowly going. I also take collagen supplements and that seems to have helped my skin elasticity.
It's not for everyone and it takes a bit of getting used to but works really well for me.

Devil not Devin!

Day 10 here, I think? Haven't weighed myself as the boiler has broken down, the thought of having to remove my clothes in - 2 temps fills me with horror. Got up this morning and did a 6.5k walk, burned 500 calories, usually on Sundays I don't do a great deal so I'm pleased with that. Last night I slept 9 hours so all in all I'd say I'm seeing great improvements.

Ah poopyface don’t feel bad. Just hop back on the wagon!

I do need to up my water intake Reading. Why is remembering to drink water so difficult?!

Uptonogood - depends how you feel I guess. I wanted a clean break as I’d been drinking way more over this past year and I didn’t like the way it made me feel.

I do have bags more energy TBH, I just feel so much better.

I am thinking of reducing my intake for vanity reasons. I'm not committed enough to fully give up.

Someone mentioned not being able to google realistic before and after pictures.

Google bored panda 50 before and after pics sober.

I found it very motivating.

I have so much energy and have stopped wanting sugar all the time or even alcohol. I have spent about a year trying to cut down and then drinking and eating rubbish at the weekend. Then spending the week craving food and alcohol with not much energy and then starting the cycle again. Now I have totally realised why. Because after the 6th day I stopped craving and felt great.

And I'm not going to mention how fantastic I look....

You guys, I was staring (vainly) into the mirror this morning and I think I can see a JAWLINE reappearing!!

Some before & after from Bored Panda
link

@gingerlemontea

WOW! the most striking thing apart from the weight loss is their eyes!
Holy crap, their eyes on alcohol look bloody awful- they all look dead/drugged behind the eyes when drinking alcohol. Once they've stopped they look alert and sparkly.

I’m on day 10. This is probably the longest I’ve spent without a drink since last January! I spent the holidays being alternatively drunk and hungover and after being really drunk at New Year I was actually thoroughly looking forward to knocking it off for a while. I’m sick of feeling knackered, eating crap to feel better, and wasting whole days doing nothing.
I don’t think I look different particularly, but I’ve had a lot of sugar (that’s the next thing I’m knocking on the head), which is probably skewing things. I spent the first week sleeping so much! I must have missed loads of sleep over the holidays.

I did find the weekend harder - it seemed that the evenings were very long and I would have liked a glass of wine when cooking in particular. I do have plenty of hobbies and things to plan so need to consider doing them in the time I’m usually slumped on the sofa with a drink. I have been able to get back up in the evenings and do some chores though, so my flat looks nicer and I like that I’m not just crashed out all evening. The dog is very confused - he follows me around trying to work out why I’m up and then he gets tired!

That Bored Panda link is amazing

@MaryLennoxsScowl That is usually my problem. I tell myself it is boring. I am a single mother with 2 teen children and actually when I do drink, unless it is with friends (obviously currently not possible), I like the initial thought of it but after that, doesn't exactly make life interesting! In fact, probably makes it more boring because I can't concentrate on reading or watching things in the same way.

I found in the past, if I just stayed with it for a while, that feeling of missing out went. In fact I was quite happy out for a meal with friends without alcohol. I found it hard when everyone else was drinking a lot, because I thought they were pretty boring...so there is a divide.

I think it is worth hanging on because it does get easier (I know this from past experience).

Really enjoyed a glass of clean gin this evening . I had the grapefruit and pomegranate one and nearly finished the bottle ! Good job it's not the real thing . I went on to order some more as it's on offer at the moment and it's all sold out. It looks like everyone is doing dry January at the moment.
My skin is much improved again after my Xmas blip and the energy levels have returned now. My partner has agreed he's happy to stay dry on the 28th now too for his birthday as he is feeling better and it would be a shame to slip back into old habits .