i need to knock the booze on the head during the week.

[travellingwilbury]

I am dieting and that is going well , I am doing a lot more exercise which I am weirdly enjoying .
I need to lose two more stone. One stone down so far .

But I have got into a stupid habit of having a drink most nights , either a glass of wine , bottle of beer or a vodka and diet coke . I don't drink to get drunk , it is just a habit while cooking dinner . If I don't have one at the time I am cooking then I won't bother with it .

Does anyone else want to join me in keeping booze free Mon _thurs ?

It just seems daft to be undoing all my good work when I am trying so hard with everything else .

[Sleepwhenidie]

Strange sensation here, I've managed just over two weeks not drinking at home now and we have some friends coming round for dinner tonight, so I have popped some bubbles and wine in the fridge...but I'm not actually looking forward to drinking it .

My habits are definitely changing, and I'm not trying to lose weight but I'm pretty sure I have lost a pound or two, which wouldn't be surprising, I guess I would be dropping at least 250 calories from my normal daily intake about 4 or 5 times a week without the wine at home.

[travellingwilbury]

Sleep , do you feel better for doing it ? I don't know if I am kidding myself but I feel more energetic already .

How's everyone else getting on ? It can't just be me and hazel managing .

[Hazelbrowneyes]

Hazel has managed again though Well done travelling and sleep

I'm shattered but thats because work is stressful so I'm not sleeping well.

Last night was a real test. Went out for dinner and I usually have a bottle of prosecco. I was panicking before we went out wondering how I was going to do it, so I told myself I could have a glass if I really wanted it and it wasn't the end of the world. Well.....


I didn't want it I had diet coke and lime and soda instead!

Am so proud of myself! Prosecco is my weakness!

[travellingwilbury]

Wow ! That is very impressive , I am not sure I would have managed so well against the prosecco . Did everyone else moan at you or was it ok ?

Well done you , you should be proud :)

[Hazelbrowneyes]

It was only DH and I (cupboards were bare at home!) and he doesn't mind if I drink or not. I did go to my local afterwards and got called boring but to be honest, I really don't mind if they think I'm boring!

I am proud. It was my first real challenge. We sat at our usual table and the waitress even said "Oh my god, no prosecco?!" so I guess I've got a bit of a reputation but once I'd had a diet coke, I really didn't fancy prosecco.

Now the next test will be Friday night. I'll go to the pub but will I be able to avoid having the usual G&T? I don't really want to drink Friday as I'm saving myself for the yummy bottle of Fleurie we're going to have on Saturday!

[Hazelbrowneyes]

and thank you, it's nice to hear praise!

[Sleepwhenidie]

Hi, well done Wilbury, it's that initial drink order that's the tough one isn't it! Habits are very hard to break!

Hazel, I'm pretty sure I do feel better, yes. What I am a but wary of though, is drinking too much (more than I would before) when I do have a drink! I need to make sure I balance that a bit. I had a few glasses last night, which I planned to anyway. Tonight DH and I are going to posh cinema with a sofa to ourselves, would normally get a bottle of wine to drink during the film, but am going to see how I feel. I won't be drinking tomorrow or Sunday as DH is away, Saturday will be lunch with friends so possibly boozy . That would make mon, tues, fri and Sunday dry, much better than a typical week previously, where one day off would be unusual!

By the way I think vanity had a big part to play in my decision to do this, I read an article on how ageing regular drinking is for women in particular. I eat very healthily and am very fit, exercise most days, drinking daily really doesn't make sense in that context, just stupid really ,

[fackinell]

Room for another one? I'm getting fed up of my habitual wine habit and weight gain too!! I shall start Monday with you as a big wknd ahead. It's so draining and really not worth it. Isn't there 900 cals in a btl?

A few yrs ago I was size 8 and 8 1/2 st!! I have put on 5, yes 5!!!!! Stone since then.

I find a healthy tea followed by a bath and a movie/good book breaks my habit and at one stage I was almost disappointed Friday arrived and it was a drinking day. Not disappointed enough not to drink, of course.

Well done all, sofar!! I too am ttc and its gotta go!!

[travellingwilbury]

That is my reasoning as well sleep , I am losing weight and trying so hard with food and exercise and it is madness that the booze is ruining it .

Or I have skipped dinner so I can have a couple of drinks instead and that can't be a good idea .

Fackinell. I was 13.10 a wee while ago ( please god noone in rl ever reads that )
I have lost a stone and am obviously hoping that less booze will also equal less pounds .
Enjoy your weekend and see you on Monday :)

[Hazelbrowneyes]

Welcome Fack 900 cals in a bottle....Farrrrrk! I never think of it like that. Bloody hell, I consumed well in excess of 2700 calories just on alcohol at the weekend. Fuck. FUCK. Sorry for the swears.

I am also trying to lose some weight. I read somewhere that in simple terms, you need to cut out 3000 calories to lose 1lb. I can do that just by cutting out alcohol. This is a bit of a wake up call to be honest.

sleep one of my friends drinks a lot. An awful lot actually. She looks at least 10 yrs older than she is. Her skin is terrible. This has been a big factor in my decision to seriously cut back.

[fackinell]

Thank you for the lovely welcome. We can do it!!

but hey, it's Friday tomorrow and we can have a cheeky few. I'm starting by replacing my wknd tipple of wine for vodka (50 cals per unit with diet mixer) after I finish the reserves!!

[coribells]

I failed on Tuesday night because I was out with a friend. Though I only had one glass of wine and then a spritzer. Tuesdays ar always an issue because I actually 'go out'. I also made those two drinks last over four hours . I am really tempted (hard day)tonight, but having caught up on this thread I've decided to have a nice cup of camomile tea and a bath instead

[Fairygen]

Hi, I gave up alcohol nearly 4 weeks ago. I was drinking 2 large glasses of vino a night, which worked out at nearly a bottle! Although I wasn't getting drunk, or feeling hungover, I struggled to get up in the morning and just felt sluggish.

I just decided one Monday morning to give up during the week. When the weekend came I didn't fancy any and it's just gone from there.

The first week was pretty hard, not because I craved it, just because it had become a habit. I now have a bubbly bath at ( what was) wine oclock .I was also shattered by about 8 pm, and slept like a log.

4 weeks later and I wouldn't even consider buying wine! I wake up alert, sleep better, my skin is clear and I look about 5 years younger!

[Bowlersarm]

I need to do this too. I go through phases of not drinking in the week but it's crept up again and the wine habit is making me feel and look quite rough, or if not as bad as that, then not look as healthy as I should.

So, my personal rules shall be no drinking at home mon-thurs but ok if I am out.

Fairygen I would love to be able to achieve what you have. Just not to think about it!

[fackinell]

Yay, newbies!! For most of us it's probably habitual. I know mine is because as soon as I got pg I quit and didn't miss it (other than a nice Rioja with Sunday dinner.) I think mine crept back up after my MC last june. Yes, it was emotional but I think I crammed it in too as I knew I may have to stop again. Not looking for excuses or sympathy but its too easy and comforting. We can do it. I'm actually looking forward to it.

[travellingwilbury]

Morning all , well I have done it ! My first four days off in a row in a very long time .
The scary thing was how easy its been really , I was drinking pretty much every night out of habit and I don't need to . I just thought I needed that drink to relax but of course that is rubbish .
I thought I would get to today and be really looking forward to having a
drink tonight but actually I am just going to see how I feel . If I fancy one I will have one but I don't feel too fussed either way atm .

How's everyone doing ?

Bowlers that is mine pretty much , I don't mind having a drink , I just want to stop this daft habit of every day for no good reason . It should be a treat , not an every day habit . For me anyway .

Fairygen that is brilliant , how quickly did you notice a difference ? Have others noticed you are not drinking ?

Well done coribells :)

[FedupofTurkey]

Can I join? I try not to drink in the week but going through a lot of stress at the moment and have started having a couple of glasses which knocks all my good eating habits out the window!

[travellingwilbury]

Of course you can turkey , welcome :)

[Fairygen]

travelling. Well done. I started to feel better after a couple of days. I read somewhere that it takes 5 days for the alcohol to clear your system. I expected to have a craving for it then ( similar to giving up smoking) but I didn't. Only down side is that I've had a couple of really bad migraines. I haven't had them this bad since I was pregnant, and gave up booze !?!

I'm dieting too, and have lost 6lbs without even trying!

Im a single parent, so most of my socialising is lunches, which aren't boozy anyway. I spend quite a lot of time with family at the weekend, which hasn't been too bad. My dad is a really heavy drinker but my mum has only drunk once since new year, and my sis is pregnant, so not drinking is easy.

bowlersarm, if you'd told me I wouldn't have been drinking a month ago, there's no way I would have believed you! I just took it a day at a time, and always said that if I really needed/ wanted a drink I could have one.

Out for an Indian tonight, not sure if I'll drink or not. My main concern is if I have a drink tonight, will that be the beginning of the end?

Good luck everyone x

[Xroads]

Hi ladies, can I join in too?

I'm on slimming world and going on holiday in 8 weeks and I've got 13lb left to loose plus we are trying to save money.

I managed sun to wed this week, ended up having a couple of vodkas last night as I went to weigh in and gained half a pound so thought sod it

[travellingwilbury]

I had a really bad headache last night , I did wonder if it was connected , sounds like it could be if you have had similar .

I suppose tonight you will just have to see how you feel , it doesn't sound like it would start you drinking all the time to me . You sound too pleased to have come this far . Good luck with it .

I do feel like I am sleeping better already which is a start . Fingers crossed it has the effect I want on my weight as well .

[Blaise19]

Hi; newbie alert! I gave up alcohol completely 4 years ago this very month. It's hard at first, but gets easier as it becomes your new 'normal'. The secret is all in the first drink, because that is what the wine o'clock anticipation is about. Actually, it's the first mouthful isn't it? That's the only one that really tastes good; the rest is disappointing by comparison. So, the answer is, just don't have that first mouthful :) Good luck everyone.

[Justaperfectday]

Until a few weeks ago I was drinking a bottle of wine (sometimes more) every night there's a lot going on in my life and it has been a long time habit.
I've had 4 hours of hypno for weight loss and my drinking and now I have no desire to drink at home anymore!
I still have a couple if I go out but 90% of my intake has now stopped and I feel so much better for it
The weight is not shifting as quick as I'd like but I'm getting there.

[Bowlersarm]

Thank you for the welcome. There are a lot of positive stories here. It does help to read them as it can give you that bit of determination you need. Hopefully!

Actually I'm not going to be drinking tonight as we are out at the theatre, and the logistics of getting there in time doesn't allow any time for a drink at all. Might just have a soft drink in the interval.

I would like to carry this on from next next Monday though. Not out next week I don't think so I'll have four clear days to practice getting past wine o'clock (horrible expression but seems appropriate).

[fackinell]

Loving the positive (now) teetotaller messages on here!! For me it's like a switch in my head to not drink. I go back to what I loved in childhood to comfort me (before drinking.) A good movie, exercise (roller skating and fun stuff) and a cosy bed with a good book.

A Dr. told a good friend of mine that it only takes 48 hrs for the liver to recover, without alcohol, in order to function normally. 4 days will cut down a lot of risks!!