MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
Sober October begs the question why are people drinking so much in the first place, everything in moderation is the key, having a couple of beers now and then with friends is a good thing, and then the odd session once a month.
People drink so much because alcohol is addictive, freely available, the culture is focused on drinking to much and most of us cant say no to one more.
Seems a good time to take a break from it after the long summer nights and having a post ride beer, glass of wine in the garden with the boss etc etc.
Other side to the equation is I have been drinking beers at weekends with friends socially for 30 odd years. Personally I feel it's time for a rest, just happens to be October.
It was utterly shit. I put on weight, slept less, was a miserable irritable f***** and completely stressed at the effort it required, didn’t see any of my mates, and didn’t even save much money cos I was spending it on non-alcoholic beer
So, do you have a problem with drinking or with not drinking? 🤔😉
Sober October begs the question why are people drinking so much in the first place, everything in moderation is the key, having a couple of beers now and then with friends is a good thing, and then the odd session once a month.
That's the obvious question from this thread when you read some folks tales and their responses to alcohol. Maybe it'll help those folk see they can live without the constant drinking?
t was utterly shit. I put on weight, slept less, was a miserable irritable f***** and completely stressed at the effort it required, didn’t see any of my mates, and didn’t even save much money cos I was spending it on non-alcoholic beer
Aye, none of this was caused by your drinking eh? 🙂
Sober October begs the question why are people drinking so much in the first place, everything in moderation is the key, having a couple of beers now and then with friends is a good thing, and then the odd session once a month.
Hmm, that’s quite an assumption, that people are drinking “so much”.
It could be that people don’t like the habit of it or feeling reliant on it. Personally, although I don’t drink a huge amount (maybe 20 units a week, so more than I should) I don’t like feeling like it’s not a proper Friday evening unless I can crack open something. It’s a form of dependency I guess.
As for others slightly shirty comments about those doing this being attention seekers - I’m not really sure one thread on a mountain bike forum where you’re pseudo-anonymous is attention seeking (or if it is, it’s a poor attempt)?
I posted because I think I need some motivation and strange as it is, knowing that some other stranger is also doing it helps. Odd innit?
Aye, none of this was caused by your drinking eh?
If you were trying support my hunch that most of these threads are an exercise in holier-than-thouness then nice one, you've succeeded.
So, do you have a problem with drinking or with not drinking?
Neither. Or both. Depends which way you want to look at it. On the whole though I'd say drinking provides more upsides than down. It's a very personal thing though, like all drug use.
Day 3 and I have a sore throat.......coincidence? I think not. Clearly one of alcohols many positive features is its ability to prevent medical issues such as these. However I will persevere..
I had to make mrs RRR a G&T last night - outrageous.
I consoled myself with a shipyard low tide IPA which really does take like a “proper” ale (within reason).
3 for £3 at Tesco’s ..
If you were trying support my hunch that most of these threads are an exercise in holier-than-thouness then nice one, you’ve succeeded.
I'm neither religious or above anyone, merely commenting (which I think I can as I drank too much for too long) that the root cause of the symptoms listed in that post were not caused by abstinence.
the root cause of the symptoms listed in that post were not caused by abstinence.
Yes I know that. There was a fair amount of tongue in cheek in that comment 😉
Sorry daz, subtle humour trips me up now n again.... 🙂
I had to make mrs RRR a G&T last night – outrageous.
Did you spill it on your fingers and savour liking the pure spirit off? Does seem a bit harsh that she couldn't get her own though.
I nearly went to the work beer fridge earlier (Yep, we have one), then opted not to in solidarity with you, for now!
Sort of PSA: 3 for £3 on half decent alcohol free beer at Tesco’s
Cheers, got myself 3 Erdingers earlier. 🍻
Did you spill it on your fingers and savour liking the pure spirit off? Does seem a bit harsh that she couldn’t get her own though.
I nearly went to the work beer fridge earlier (Yep, we have one), then opted not to in solidarity with you, for now!
Yes, I sniffed it longingly with a sad face.
Beer fridge at work - how does this not involve one sat inside ones beer fridge consuming endlessly until it’s empty?!
But thanks for your commitment!
Cheers, got myself 3 Erdingers earlier.
Cool, I got 21 mixed bottles - basically so I can’t pretend it’s the cold bubbles I need and raid the elicit stash of lovely booze ..
I’ve been making an effort to drink less for over a year and is working but still have a few blow outs. Main thing for me was cutting out the habit midweek drinks. Still love a couple of beers overa weekend but I tend to drink earlier in the day as I have found late at night even one can make me feel fuzzy the next day.
Deep sleep has definitely been a bonus.
Going swimmingly here so far.
Some weird and not-very-empathetic comments on here from the "in moderation" crew though.
Do you go on the chub club threads and tell people your eating habits are superior to theirs too?
After the hiccup on Tuesday, the only day when neither of us have been working this week things are back on track. I'm working until 10pm, getting home and having a mug of tea then off to bed. I had started getting a bottle of cider in to chill when I got home, but that's now a thing of the past.
Only time where there maybe temptation is Saturday, but I have an early shift on Sunday which means getting up at 5.30am, so that's a no-no.
I’m sober for 11 months of the year. Only really drink when I’m on holiday, a couple of pints each night or every other night. And maybe a few bottle at Christmas.
Doesn’t really do it for me anymore.
No booze since Monday and I've shed 4lbs!
I've done my usual 2 evening rides this week and avoided the pub afterwards and I've been eating less crap. Drinking beer in the evening usually meant a packet of crisps with the drink and then I'd want something sweet afterwards too. This week I've not eaten so much junk and been drinking loads more water. I know tonight and tomorrow will be the days I miss having a few drinks. So if I make it through the weekend then I might just convince myself to keep this going for at least the rest of the month.
Good work all.
Yep, tonight will be a particular challenge when we get our usual Friday night curry etc..
It sounds perverse but I actually found Tesco’s tonic water with elderflower surprisingly pleasant last night - very nearly almost tasted a little bit like a G&T 😃
It sounds perverse but I actually found Tesco’s tonic water with elderflower surprisingly pleasant last night – very nearly almost tasted a little bit like a G&T
This is the boss's go to drink, with ice and a slice.
Well done everyone who has made it this far.
I'm off to The Lakes for the weekend so have packed some Erdingers. May get a few comments off mates but they might change their minds when I slay them on the hills. 🙂
Sounds a but naff but cranberry juice and sparkling water in a pint class isn't a bad cider substitute.
Hope you all make it through the weekend.
Mick
My go to drink is soda water and lime, it doesn't remind of anything alcoholic but it hits the spot when I fancy a beer or a wine.
ome weird and not-very-empathetic comments on here from the “in moderation” crew though.
Do you go on the chub club threads and tell people your eating habits are superior to theirs too?
I lol'd.
Doesn’t really do it for me anymore.
This is me tbh, I just don't have the time, or the want, to have a fuzzy head and next day lethargy any more. 3.5 stone gone since I stopped too, which is nice.
Agree re soda water, a right cold pint of soda water hits the spot, much more so than water, must be the comforting bubbles!
Geomickb - stay strong my friend 🙂
Mrs S made spag bol last night and bought a bottle of red wine which she puts a 1/4 of into the pot, which means I usually drink the rest of the bottle as she doesn't drink red. I spilt the remainder into 3 containers and put them in the freezer for future cooking duties /selfrighteousnessoff
I spilt the remainder into 3 containers and put them in the freezer
Does it still count if they're ice lollies anyway?
ps I love the fact that the Erdingers are isotonic and have "vitamins". Makes me thing I should carry one in my bottle cage. 🙂
Mrs S made spag bol last night and bought a bottle of red wine which she puts a 1/4 of into the pot
I was wondering about this as I usually add red wine to pasta sauce. I'll continue and won't count it as a failure.
I spilt the remainder into 3 containers and put them in the freezer for future cooking duties
Great idea.
I put a whole bottle of wine in a paella once to use it up.
I was smashed by the time I'd finished my meal.
Not sure how relevant this anecdote is, but just wanted to share.
Makes me thing I should carry one in my bottle cage
Stopped at the lights on the way home last night and there was a guy with a bottle of white in his bottle cage, a very Cambridge sight (although it wasn't pressurised, so not quite spot on).
I had a non-alky ginger beer with lunch. I'm not intending to do the whole month, but going out to dinner tomorrow and need to drive as it's in the arse end of nowhere (much like my village) so may as well stay dry then too. Could lead me into week 2 quite easily.
How was Friday evening sober folks? A mate messaged to see if I was going to the pub. But I declined and stayed in, avoiding temptation.
The Mrs cracked open a bottle of red last night and I didn't even flinch
Biking today and my usual post ride beer(s) will be missed but so far so good.
Well we’ve cleared the first Friday night curry nights sans alcohol (for me at least, mrs RRR had gin).
Having just been for my first ride in six months we stopped at a micro pub on the way back and I successfully had alcy free lager whilst my mate glugged a 7% craft ale.
I didn’t experience a glow of self satisfaction or anything though? 🤔
A week off beer and today was a parkrun pb (by about 40 seconds). I like to think it's just a coincidence!
Punk AF beers bought for this evening, so my 'not doing sober October' continues. I did look longingly at the micropub in the next village when we went to the post office earlier though.
Not I. I took a client out for dinner in Madrid this week (lovely city by the way) thought we'd get on it to find he's off the booze. I was well upset.. Booze makes things better..
Cheers for the tip about the Tesco offer BTW.
Had the Shipyard Low Tide IPA last night, was reasonably pleasant. Got the Brewdog Punk AF for later this eve.
Sober October for me and the wife. This will be the genuine first time I've kept off the alcohol since I was about 16. Turned 46 yesterday and celebrated with some brewdog AF which whilst not a patch on a real IPA it's fairly drinkable. Still a bloody long way to go plus 2 birthdays (wife's and best mates) and 2 gigs so it's going to be a trial I'm sure.
I have drunk Hebden CoOp out of Eisberg alcohol free red wine this week.
Eisberg alcohol free red wine
That sounds awful, but you must like it well enough?
I make do with Vimto in place of the red myself.
I have drunk Hebden CoOp out of Eisberg alcohol free red wine this week.
Is it actually, you know drinkable? Or is it like Ribena?
Nice easy weekend for me as I'm running a scout camp and at least 2 of us have to be completely alcohol free so uncharacteristically I volunteered!
.
This is a real test!
Sitting in the BA lounge with a wall full of free booze in front of me. The Whisky Snug to my left, with a particularly excellent selection.
My pre flight beer and whisky is sorely missed.😭
Been at it nearly 14 months to the day. It gets easier and there are some really good AF beers, wines and spirits around. Even managed an 8 course tasting banquet with the rest of the team having the accompanying wine flight and yes I would have liked to try a few but was happy enough with just the rather nice food.
There have been some quite extreme responses from friends etc. Almost as if I am questioning their masculinity by refusing to drink. I’ve got used to that though 🙂
Is it actually, you know drinkable? Or is it like Ribena?
It’s ok. The white isn’t bad either.
Red is nice and dry and v low carb too.
I’m kind of unhappy with still using it as a bit of a crutch. And the first glass of it on the first night I drank it made me feel tipsy in a kind of placebo kind of way.
Had two cans of 6.6% Vocation and a G&T last night. Back on the 0% red tonight.
Had two cans of 6.6% Vocation
Lovely stuff. That’ll be my “breaking the fast” go to on November 1st
So going to be giving up alcohol for a while it seems we dont get on.
Had 3 small weak beers and a cider over 6hrs yeasterday and been hanging all day, have been of no use and total waste of a day.
Dont drink much but sometimes with a movie i just want a beer, Ribena is looking like a good alterntive.
Been off for 2 weeks now in sympathy with Mrs Devbrix who can’t drink for 6 months following crashing in the Pyrenees - fell full-force on to one bar end with the other end stuck in the ground and suffered pancreatic trauma, non-penetrating thank goodness. Frighteningly unwell on the mountain and needed helicoptering off and 9 days in hospital in Pamplona on a drip with no food or drink. Fortunate not to require surgery but will need to nurse her pancreas for a while. 6 months is a long time so be interesting to see if we go back to drinking.
I've probably said before, but I like to have a glass of Becks blue with a quarter of a lime squeezed in.
Gives it a bit more sweetness and kick, closer to the alcoholic version.
closer to the alcoholic version.
Not to my taste, I'd rather water than the alcoholic or non alcoholic version of Beck's!
Kicking around at home today, cooking a chicken on the BBQ seems like my go to drink is a beer. I didn't though.
I don't drink the alcoholic one either TBH, or any lager really.
But the non-alcoholic version genuinely is quite nice with lime added.
Also, I'd highly recommend this stuff...
Easily the nicest low-alcohol bevvy I've sampled so far.
Huge respect to those that have managed to kick the habit completely.
I have a friend who was always the one asleep on the kitchen floor with a bottle Of rum long after everyone else had gone to bed. It gave up for a month and is now two years in.
Personally, a week in and I don’t feel much better as such. There’s no warm glow or feeling amazing! Still, a quarter of the way in and it’s not so bad..
Despite my promise to drink for two while Mrs Binners was doing this, I've ended up following the Samuel L Jackson premise in Pulp Fiction "my wife's a vegetarian, which pretty much makes me a vegetarian...".
I've still had the odd pint last weekend when meeting up with mates, to get me through the trauma of the United v Newcastle match, so not going the full hit but no drinking at home and no 'grab your coat and let's pop down to the brewery for a couple' in the evening. Which we do far too often.
Mrs Binners normally drinks wine but says that all alcohol free versions are the work of Satan, so she's been having either one of the Fitzpatricks cordials in a big gin glass with tonic and loads of fruit, or having tried all manner of concoctions this one has got the massive thumbs up...
I've had the odd Becks blue, which is not too bad at all
My big issue with non-alcoholic versions of beer is so expensive even though there isn't the duty due on them - I tend to drink ginger beer (Old Jamaican normally) if I am not drinking.
Held firm so far. 2 nights in London and 2 in Brighton this week with work. Nearly cracked on Tuesday night but pulled back. Turns out work trips are really boring if you don't drink at night. Who knew!
Personally, a week in and I don’t feel much better as such. There’s no warm glow or feeling amazing! Still, a quarter of the way in and it’s not so bad..
My poo smells quite different.
Had a bottle of Erdinger last night, very tasty.
I made it from 28th September to about 5pm yesterday. I got the offer of a new job and went out and had a few drinks with Mrs Muggo to celebrate. Felt absolutely terrible this morning and it really was only 3 pints. Will be back to soft drinks from now on.
Taking the train from Manchester to Cambridge with some work chums and we got stuck in Leeds for an hour because of train problems. Couldn't resist a walk to friends of Ham and a pint. Last night in the hotel I only had soda and lime, so I could have resisted, bit actually didn't want to. So 1 pint in 11 days for me so far!
So, who' still clinging to sobriety?
It's the second Friday night and I must admit that after a hard week, I reeeeallly want a proper beer.
I shall continue to be sober (and a bit grumpy) though.
I really can't say I feel much benefit after what 10 days off the sauce. Maybe I wasn't drinking enough to notice?
Yes. Still going. Managed to survive London and Brighton without cracking.
Have actually discovered that the alcohol free beers from Brewdog are excellent. The Punk AF is very refreshing. Had a couple of them in a Brewdog bar on Wednesday night. Would actually say I prefer it to the full fat Punk!
There's a cracking beer shop near me which has a great online selection of non alcoholic beers so I'll pop in after tomorrow's ride for a few selections
https://www.weebeershop.co.uk/product-category/non-low-alcohol/
Skin definitely looks better after 10 days. I've also been eating carefully too, and no beer has meant no binging on crisps which is my main downfall! Dropped 8lbs since the start of the month, albeit that was me stepping on the scales on the night I got home from a week of partying in Finale.
Nothing on the horizon for the rest of the month that will tempt me to drink so it's all easy from now on
Still hanging in too. Will have to see how it goes in the pub tomorrow though.
Well done on the work trips Bob! 💪🏻
Very long, hectic day at work and I could have absolutely murdered a pint this evening.
Going to stay strong though, got a Brooklyn Special Effects in the fridge to watch with my Netflix in a minute.
The lads at work all got pissed last night so I felt smug and superior as i beavered away today.
Still hanging in as well. The wife only went and bought a case of mixed AF ales and even some Belgian from beer hawk so I guess ill have to keep it up.. we gave up on the de-alcoholised wine though as it is indeed the work of the devil and should be avoided at any cost as it will only disappoint.
As for eating better well that's not happening.... I'm quite the opposite without a drink and find myself prowling the fridge and cupboards to stuff my face.
Had a bad week this week for whatever reason, feel really bad about it, but will draw a line in the sand and start again.
Jimster01 - well, Macmillan let people have a "pass" for one day if they donate £15 ... I guess they figure that a month (minus a day) off the booze is still far more beneficial than a complete collapse and giving in entirely.
Don't give yourself too hard a time and crack on 🙂 (abstaining that is, not drinking .. )
Still going. I'm so pathetically Type-A that all I have to do is ask whether I want a drink more than I want to beat an arbitrary challenge - the answer is always no. With the rubbish weather and lots of stressful work to do, I'm also going a bit mad.
Two weeks in. Last night was tough but got up really early this morning and started a 3 hour ride around Cannock just after sunrise. Felt great not having a thick head.
Nearly half way..
I’ve found the last week a bit easier than the first but still irritate myself by finding it hard at all!
^^ the non alcoholic gin intrigues me - it seems expensive though and being non alcoholic I imagine I’d drink it much quicker than the real stuff..
the non alcoholic gin intrigues me
I bought one for my wife once when she was designated driver. It's essentially some botanically flavoured water, so if you like the idea a tonic over ice with some flavouring added like Elderflower, cucumber or whatever else floats your boat is a reasonable substitute.
I admit to having bailed on this as of last weekend (as planned). So well done to all those still battling on through and remember to save some cash for your local come November!
remember to save some cash for your local come November!
You’ve not been to my local.
I live two doors away and I’m still not “local” enough to go in without being stared at / openly talked about 😐
Nearly half way..
Definitely half-way, surely?
Still going fine here, though I will be having a pre-planned night off (on?) tomorrow evening for a social event.
Are we feeling "reset" in our habits already? I'm starting to get that feeling.
Are we feeling “reset” in our habits already? I’m starting to get that feeling.
Completely reset. to the point where I'm not even thinking about it now. I was bad for having a beer, or a glass of wine, every night with dinner. Never drinking too much, and never getting drunk, but it was just becoming a default decision every night and there's absolutely no need to be having a drink every night.
It doesn't even register with me know to have a beer or something else. Needed to prove that to myself!
I'm still in it, although last Saturday we went to the coast, took the dog on the beach, wife asked if we were going for a pint.
I got 2 pints without thinking about it.
So, I've had a pint in 2 and a bit weeks. It's easier than I thought it would be... while I remember. 🙃