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Sober October?
 

[Closed] Sober October?

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Anyone else doing it?

I’m not planning on getting sponsored or anything but I really would like to prove to myself I can take a month off.

It’s the Friday night coming home knackered and collapsing onto the sofa habit more than anything.

Anyone else doing it? I’m far more likely to succeed if I have to update this thread (and yes, it shouldn’t be that difficult really 😐 )


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 12:17 pm
 ton
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eerr, no.

I thought about it for 3 seconds tho.

enjoy.


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 12:21 pm
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Nah. TBH I don't drink regularly or in any great volume so every October is sober.


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 12:25 pm
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Mrs Binners is doing it. I briefly considered it, but then thought a better way to fulfil my husbandly duties would be the shoulder the alcoholic burden on behalf of both of us.

So, for the next month, I will be drinking for two


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 12:26 pm
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Nope, although I probably wont drink for the rest of September after 3 uncharacteristiclly boozy weekends, I had three whole 330ml bottles of lager on Saturday!


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 12:30 pm
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I'm off to Portugal for a week next week so there's no chance of sober October. However I haven't had a beer in September and have enjoyed the extra motivation to ride plus extra cash in my pocket. I will more than likely get back on the wagon from Monday 14th October until Christmas.


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 12:42 pm
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Yeah, I'll be up for it.

Just set up Zwift in the garage and after the first session last night I can see it may well get out of hand...so drinking will have to take a back seat!


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 12:45 pm
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Same as winston. Dry October and plenty of zwifting.


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 1:18 pm
 Keva
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sober October followed by can't remember November?


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 1:33 pm
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I randomly stopped drinking 1 month and 8 days ago.

Didn't really have a reason, just though I would try an experiment.

Now I'm doing it, I'm starting think that I have drank pretty much every weekend and holiday since I was 16. I have been dependent on alcohol for social situations (aren't we all?) because I have always been able to have a couple of drinks.

Life is much easier with a 4 year old because I no longer stay up late at weekends and can get up at 7am with her. My diet has changed a lot, no more midnight snacks or morning fry-ups, just because I don't crave them.

I'm quite enjoying it, I'm not sure how long I will carry on for (I am known to "like a drink") but now I have done a month, I'm staring to think 3 months would be good. I'm also hoping for significant weight loss which will help with a certain race I am planning next year. Not sure I will ever return to drinking the way that I used to.

I'm also liking not feeling rough on Monday mornings, every morning feels the same.

I have also being enjoying some alcohol free beers, Nanny State and the Peroni ones are OK and the Erdinger one is great (isotonic with vitamins!) .

I would say give it a go, it's an interesting experiment.

Mick


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 1:38 pm
 si77
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I'll give it a go. Already managed to make it through September providing I don't fall off today. You could say I've given the dry run a dry run.


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 1:42 pm
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Maybe, don't think I have any specific social events planned so it could be a good time.

Did it a few years ago and felt a real benefit. But on the other hand, booze is very nice.


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 1:52 pm
 DezB
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No, October is for drawing, I shall start a fred


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 1:57 pm
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Nah. TBH I don’t drink regularly or in any great volume so every October is sober.

This, may have a few at a mates 40th near the end, just cos, but I can count on one hand how many times I’ve had a drink this year.


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 1:57 pm
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Did it a few years ago and felt a real benefit

This. By god I love(d) a beer, but it's nowhere near as good as being fresh, fit, motivated and having a great nights sleep is. 🙂


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 2:36 pm
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Cool. I’m glad there’s a few others joining me. I freely admit that I’m pathetic and have only ever managed a few weeks before.

All my booze lovely booze has been moved to the spider infested garage (apart from one beer and a tiny bit of red wine that I consider will my last hurrah tonight)


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 2:57 pm
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I'll give it a go apart from one evening as my birthday is in October. Does that count?


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 3:03 pm
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I’ll give it a go apart from one evening as my birthday is in October. Does that count?

Pretty sure that’s allowed - Macmillan say (if you’re doing it and getting sponsored) you’re allowed one “golden ticket” as long as you donate £15. Sounds reasonable to me 🙂


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 3:16 pm
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No, October is for drawing, I shall start a fred

Inking, shirley?


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 3:19 pm
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By virtue of being offshore I've just completed sober September......

It's old news. I'll have a couple of Pu AF to celebrate 😉


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 3:22 pm
 Yak
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Nah. This is the month for getting into dark beers, porters and stouts. Switching to heavier reds and getting the pre-winter whisky started. I mean it's mostly dark, rainy and cold. Every ride is a soggy trash. Seems the wrong month to also be sucking the joy of nice drinks away.


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 3:22 pm
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In part, yes, but I have a dinner party and a birthday party to attend in October, however those will be the only times i drink, and I'll see if I can do all of November as well, and then try to keep December limited to Christmas parties / socials and a few nights over Xmas / NYE as well.

Having seen other people's attempts at 'Dry January' even my October efforts could be considered an achievement.

I'll be doing it as I need to lose a bit of weight / save some money but also you feel incredibly good after a couple of weeks and realise that you don't actually miss the booze. However when you do have another drink its easy to slip back in to old habits. Currently I don't drink in the week but tend to drink Friday, Saturday and Sunday night, unless I'm racing on the weekend, in which case I won't drink until the night after the race.


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 3:25 pm
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I'm going to give it a crack, mainly to save some cash, get better sleep, and get myself back on track with training.


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 3:30 pm
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Is it just me that can have a beer (or quite a few beers) and still get up with my children, not want to midnight snack or crave fry-ups. I sleep well and I am not overweight. I did go dry a few years ago (when trying to conceive and didn't drink a single drop for a good year) and felt no health benefits nor did I lose any weight.

Am I drinking wrong?


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 4:24 pm
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Yeah I'm doing it. No sponsorship or anything. Just been boozing a lot so I'll take October off and maybe longer


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 4:28 pm
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I've started stopping drinking over autumn and winter so I'll be sober October - April-ish. Several reasons: I really enjoy a beer outside in the sun after a mtb ride and it's easier to burn off the extra cals over the summer, though I still put on a few pounds. Over winter I do spin classes and long weekend road/gravel rides. The upshot being that I'm at my lightest and fittest come March and it's a gradual decline thereafter.


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 4:37 pm
 Keva
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Is it just me that can have a beer (or quite a few beers) and still get up with my children, not want to midnight snack or crave fry-ups. I sleep well and I am not overweight.

nope, me too - except I get up @06:30 without any kids around.


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 4:50 pm
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interesting idea, might give it a go.  I suspect it will be tough which is a very good reason for doing it really


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 4:54 pm
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Is it just me that can have a beer (or quite a few beers) and still get up with my children, not want to midnight snack or crave fry-ups. I sleep well and I am not overweight.

Not just you. I guess we all react differently to alcohol and what some would consider ample, others would dismiss as hardly anything.


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 4:56 pm
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^^ for me, it’s not about alcohol stopping me doing anything (including looking after two small kids) it’s the fact I feel I need it in order to relax. I don’t drink a huge amount but when I’m tired and stressed I find myself reaching for midweek G&T as well as the usual weekend alcohol ..


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 5:21 pm
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Nah. This is the month for getting into dark beers, porters and stouts.

Absolutely. This is the time to start the process of moving to heartier beverages, Port's, Whiskey, that kind of thing.

Also, October is the month where you're getting prepared for the Xmas drinking, you wouldn't take a month of running 2 months before a marathon so don't do it with drinking. This is the time for honing your skills at the bar, for getting some steady sessions in and for making sure the barman knows your name before the December drinkers arrive.


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 5:29 pm
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Nope. It is my birthday in October and i also go away on the 26th October for a week so not the best month to abstain from alcohol.

I probably had no more than 3 beers in total in September so not exactly a big drinker.


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 5:30 pm
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No, and I won't be doing Movember or having a detox in January.


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 5:37 pm
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Nope. I've just this last week bought umpteen different autumn beers and I'll be making a start on the stouts and porters I've been saving soon.


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 8:56 pm
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Also, October is the month where you’re getting prepared for the Xmas drinking, you wouldn’t take a month of running 2 months before a marathon so don’t do it with drinking. This is the time for honing your skills at the bar, for getting some steady sessions in and for making sure the barman knows your name before the December drinkers arrive.


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 9:03 pm
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OK, count me in.

Feels like the right time to try it again.


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 9:05 pm
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I'm going to give it a whirl.
I'm sure I'll be able to get back in the swing before Christmas gets here. 😉


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 9:11 pm
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Not for me, but done a few dry stints in recent years and they've been really helpful. So much of the bevvy is psychological that a hard reset can put you on the right track, in the quest for balance.
Good luck to all abstemious ones - do not crack week one and you'll have broken the back of it.


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 9:35 pm
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Righty Hoe!

I’m very pleased there’s a few giving it a go with me. I’ll update the thread as and when I get itchy. I plan to buy a crate of the Erdinger blue stuff tomorrow (I’m pretending that it’s merely the habit of having something cool and bubbly in my hand that’s the issue, rather than the lovely alcohol).

So, last dregs of a bottle of red tonight, a couple of beers that’ll otherwise “go off” if I don’t drink them and then tomorrow it begins..

Edit: my attempt at “self control” - hide the booze in the garage 🤔

Edit: I can’t do pictures


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 10:03 pm
 Drac
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Nope. It’s unusual for me to go month without alcohol but with 50th birthday party this weekend it won’t be October.


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 10:07 pm
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By god I love(d) a beer, but it’s nowhere near as good as being fresh, fit, motivated and having a great nights sleep is. 🙂

Agree 100%.
I did it 2 years ago, and felt so good I haven’t touched it since.


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 10:57 pm
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So, for the next month, I will be drinking for two

Sot-tober?


 
Posted : 30/09/2019 11:41 pm
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So, how's everyone doing?


 
Posted : 01/10/2019 10:50 am
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😂


 
Posted : 01/10/2019 11:42 am
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null


 
Posted : 01/10/2019 11:54 am
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