Day seven. So far no alcohol. Yay!
If I make it through the month then I'm going to reward myself with a bike related trinket. I'll have probably saved enough from not going out to fund something quite shiny.
Trouble is beer tastes so good, especially those craft ales, I can't keep away.
When I have to go to a social event that I know is going to get heavy, drink wise, I drive there. Everyone is your pal cos you're taking them home, and for some reason, while I will happily drink my liver into a jelly, I wont risk my license, so don't get tempted.
Drink very expensive booze - tastes great but you drink less of it.
This. Instead of a £6 bottle of wine. buy a £15 one. You'll enjoy it more and wont 'neck it.
Well done PJM.
Watching this thread with interest, I have a similar if not the same problem. I'd like to cut down but not give up completely.
I used to be in the pub with my mates most nights of the week a few years ago. I didn't consider it excessive at the time as it wasn't affecting my homelife or work but looking back I was sinking a fair few pints each week and ultimately doing my health no good.
When I moved to another part of the country with work I slipped out of the habit of making regular trips to the pub and now when I see my old mates I find an evening in the pub quite boring. After the first few pints the conversation starts to go round in the same booze sodden circles and I usually find myself making my excuses and leaving early. I prefer to use my weekends having fun rather than nursing a hangover. I also have to drive a lot for work so that knocks midweek sessions on the head.
I shudder to think how much money I've peed up the wall over the years on nights out I can't even remember!
I used to drink pretty much all day every day in my late 20s and early 30s.. simply because my situation allowed it, and I really enjoyed the heavy drinking scene.. I would never remember the previous evening and sustained some pretty bad injuries from falling and brawling.. but I belly laughed til I cried every single day and had some awesome adventures..
obviously this level of intoxication doesn't come without a price, and as well as my health and bank balance suffering, with alcoholic fits and poor liver function, I came to realise over time that my mental health was failing too..
It wasn't until I cut down the booze and tried operating outside of drinking circles that I noticed this..
I cut down and then further down and then quit completely after the birth of my first son.. the hardest part for me is the loss of the social scene, and to an extent, dealing with emotions and inhibitions after years of not worrying to much about that kind of stuff can be very taxing.. the emotional and psychological side of things creates a great deal of anxiety..
so be prepared for a bit of a challenge.. 😀
So today is day nineteen and I've managed to survive without reaching for a drink. I've been to the pub a few times and have ordered diet cokes without even pausing for thought.
I've lost about half a stone and I feel a whole lot healthier. The money I would have spent on booze has been spent on bike bits - the new XT cranks on my Enduro look ace.
Tomorrow we're hosting a BBQ so the house is full of beer. It's going to be very hard to get through it, socializing with acquaintances without a beer in my hand is uncharted territory...
Fizzy water's the other option - if you're at home and you need the refreshment, try that. No caffeine, so won't keep you awake, but fizzy so feels surprisingly refreshing.
That's a damn good idea. *checks Sodastreams on Argos website*
I think Monday morning, with a belly full of soda, will be quite a landmark PJM1974.
You've done yourself proud, proven the mind over matter and know that despite the difficulty of a no-beer-BBQ you're going to cope well.
Get stuck into grilling & hosting, presenting guests with the new drink-free character you've worked this hard for.
Almost a month... think of the shiny shiny.
Thanks for that!
I don't want to make a big thing of it tomorrow, I'll try and be subtle about it. I may well have to reward myself with a new frame if I make it six months though 🙂
Interesting point, about rewards.
After 46 days, I'd convinced myself I deserved a nice posh Old Fashioned, y'know, just the one.
Don't do that. Buy a frame instead.
