Happy New Year Y’all!
As enthusiastic as a reformed smoker to help people quit, here I still am…
Forget dry January, a month of abstinence followed by a binge, don’t set any targets - just take it a day at a time. If a weak willed, never achieved much in my life OAP like me can do it then you high net worth, high achieving STW members should find it easy.
Nothing to lose, better health (both mental and physical) and more money to spend on bike bits/skiing/music lessons!
Good luck and check in here for some mutual support - the best of STW.
I have historically done the dry January thing, but have decided this time to work on more of a long term moist situation. A few drinks most days over the last week or so of festivities has taken a toll on my sleep score, and goodness knows what else. My Withings Scales App numbers have deteriorated a bit too over the period, so bit of a reduction now commencing, starting with a few totally dry days to kick things off.
Day 2 of kicking the booze and the nicotine at the same time.
Done both before for periods of time, but not both at the same time
Grrrr..
Good effort mate, at least The Druids has shut meaning one less mid-ride temptation!
This article and the other in my OP helped me, good luck.
GCN just released this
I briefly experimented with sobriety yesterday, due to an absolutely massive hangover that felt like my head was being kicked in by demons in pointy shoes. I discovered that it is massively overrated and only filled me with existential dread.
Normal service has now been resumed with a couple of post-walk beers in the pub, then a nice bottle of Malbec and a selection of decent cheese to go with it. You can’t have a cheeseboard with a Vimto can you?
Why anyone would stop drinking in January is utterly beyond me. If you’re going to arbitrarily stop drinking for a month, at least have the good sense to do it when it’s not -7 outside and dark for what seems like 22 hours a day. Makes no sense whatsoever
Cheers! And a happy new year! 😃
I did a dry January last year, it was a dreadful experience. Met my mates down the pub the first week and couldn't understand them at all.
As above January is an awful month for this kind of thing.
Is that to help people or dissuade them? I can’t work out whether it’s a positive contribution or an attempt at humour!
Why anyone would stop drinking in January is utterly beyond me. If you’re going to arbitrarily stop drinking for a month, at least have the good sense to do it when it’s not -7 outside and dark for what seems like 22 hours a day. Makes no sense whatsoever
I'll do more than a month. Did 7 months in 2024, got really fit. Then had a TIA for my troubles....
Starting in January for me is good for a couple of reasons.
1) I've kicked the arse out of it for two weeks and my body has been telling me a need a break
2) When the beer garden weather arrives, I'll have done a few months off
I need to curb my drinking (again) and winter is definitely better for me than summer
Good effort mate, at least The Druids has shut meaning one less mid-ride temptation!
Yeah not happy about that even though I'm abstaining at the moment. Don't know the full reasoning from the Stanton Estate yet
I need to reduce again but meantime.
Interesting approach from a couple of you to a thread that is intended to support sobriety or people who would like to drink less alcohol.
Perhaps the alcohol has clouded your judgement?
Nope. Like I said I need to reduce again, had my medical review the other day and I realised just how much I’ve started drinking again. This bottle is for my upcoming birthday as the Mrs is out that night. I have a darts match now but even though it’s my birthday I won’t be drinking, one sip of fizz didn’t cloud my judgement.
decided this time to work on more of a long term moist situation
Same.
Did dry January last year and it taught me a thing or 2 that are good about being sober.
Which I then promptly forgot once I had a beer again.
But, I'm not sure where it really came from, but I've been way more steady on the booze over the past few months, even over Xmas. I've had a drink or 2 don't get me wrong, but in no way have I wanted to get totally smashed (which i definitely used to.do way too much of)
Maybe just the inevitability of age catching up with me and now knowing if I cane it then that's at least 2 days out feeling really really really shit..but I've got so.much other stuff I want to do.
But. I still do appreciate a social and relaxing drink
And yeah,
Dont be a dick stw.
This ain't the thread for glorifying booze is it eh?
Robinsons do a Lime & Mint Cordial, that works really well with Soda or Tonic water and feels like you're having something a bit "fancy"
Thanks for this tip. I got a bottle in (and some fizzy water and tonic) and it’s been going down great with us all.
And yeah,
Dont be a dick stw.
This ain't the thread for glorifying booze is it eh?
It's the STW Sobriety thread, not the STW Alcoholics Anonymous thread. I'm assuming this is the thread where people are finding, as they get older, that the cost benefit ratio of drinking is starting to move in the wrong direction. Not somewhere where people with genuine problems with alcohol dependence come for support.
For me I just found as I've gotten older I've got to be really conscious and consistent in order to maintain a base level of fitness. My days where performance enhancement meant limiting myself to 6 pints the night before a ride are long gone. Now I can find myself going for weeks without having a drink (not the last two weeks where I drank pretty much every day and thoroughly enjoyed it).
I come here to see if anyone has found a non-alcoholic beer that won't just make me ****ing depressed after trying to drink it (so far I've found I can drink Guinness 0.0 without asking myself, 'Why did I just put that crap in my body?). Too many other breweries seem to think cranking up the IBUs is a suitable substitute for alcohol.
I do find comments like, 'There are no benefits to drinking alcohol' and 'There are zero downsides' a bit grating.
For me there are plenty benefits of drinking, both with friends and by myself. It's just that those benefits don't really outweigh the downsides anymore so I generally don't.
Anyway, if this is a thread for newly converted teetotalers only or if those of us who don't drink much anymore but still really appreciate it when we do are also welcome let me know.
Cruising through dry Jan so far. Friday night post 5-a-side will be the hardest test but some AF's should scratch the itch.
Arbor - New Horizons*
Wiper and True - Milk stout AF and Kaleidescope AF* are both good
are two good ones, but a bit expensive and possibly not available in your region.
I like the Lucky saint IPA* as well.
*=May fall foul of IBU crankage, they are all 'craft' style beers.
@BruceWee if you read my original post you can perhaps see where I was coming from, I was an alcoholic, I’m not now. I achieved it by myself without any religion or meetings, in fact I didn’t tell anyone that I had stopped drinking until I was sure it’s what I wanted/needed.
My hope for the thread is that it will encourage others to stop, or at least cut down for the good of their health and pocket, however, I am not the thread police!
As regards low alcohol/0% alcohol beers, we have got a thread on here somewhere but in my experience the IPA style beers are the best and some lager styles -
Erdinger and Bavaria
Athletic brewing company, Northern Monk and Sierra Nevada. Quite often bargains to be had at Home Bargains!
I would see sobriety as a person free of alcohol or drugs?
My hope for the thread is that it will encourage others to stop, or at least cut down for the good of their health and pocket,
I would see sobriety as a person free of alcohol or drugs?
Well, if it's the first then I might have some insight to offer given that I've gone from at least half a bottle of wine and a few beers per night to a few drinks per week (also going weeks without booze if I've been wanting to do a lot of riding during the weekends).
If it's the second then honestly I have no interest in sobriety. Booze is still great sometimes. For socialising, for unlocking old memories and feelings, and yes, sometimes for self-medication.
I'm sure by some people's definition I am an alcoholic but I honestly think it's a term that gets thrown around a bit too easily these days.
After a not-even-heavy Christmas and New Year I've decided to try a social drinking only policy - mainly to aid weight loss.
I'm not a massive drinker but have got into the habit of buying box of beer on a Friday and drinking it over a weekend. I don't need to drink when it's just me as the wife sat watching TV.
First 2 weeks done. Have to say it's been remarkably easier than I thought. Haven't craved a drink once and even my normal post big ride beer or glass of red while making the sunday roast haven't been missed. I think that a key thing for me is breaking the connection between having a drink with certain activities. We went out for a really nice meal last weekend and while a nice bottle of wine would have been a lovely accompaniment, I didn't miss it in the slightest.
Never used one of these apps before, but thought I'd give it a go just to keep a record.
The money saved won't be totally accurate as it's based on what you estimate you might drink in a week - each week would be different for me.
Calories, well I generally drink something else instead that isn't necessarily water, so there will be calories consumed.
Still, an interesting little record, if not to be taken as gospel
281 units, so 16 a day, which is about half a bottle of spirits, every day… ?
Or eight beers, easily achieved in my (past) experience - I suppose all experience is past?
I visited my favourite micropub the other day whilst on holiday. I’ve spent many an afternoon and evening there and made some good acquaintances along with at the nearby nanobrewery.
I enjoyed the atmosphere, chatted to the landlady who is very impressed with my efforts and wishes her dad would do the same. I had a pint of Tempest 0.5% on draught said hello to Two Gallon Bob and left later with a spring in my step.
It’s freedom not drinking!
Keep it up TAFKASTR…
It wasn’t a criticism, I just wondered if it was a typo. Anyway, any reduction has to be a good thing, so as said above, good work and fingers crossed for keeping it going 👌
I was always honest with health professionals about the units I consumed, usually people reveal half!
I did enter a health survey once and the system could not compute my consumption and healthy heart, liver and blood! I had to keep entering my units to confirm that yes, I did drink that much and yes, I’m still alive!!
Hopefully I stopped in time…
It wasn’t a criticism, I just wondered if it was a typo. Anyway, any reduction has to be a good thing, so as said above, good work and fingers crossed for keeping it going 👌
I put my baseline figures in at 28 large beers and 15 large glasses of wine a week - maybe a tad high. When I drink, I drink....
I had a slight slip on Saturday and had a beer (with alcohol) and a bourbon in the evening. Predictably I then slept terribly and woke up feeling rough, so I have taken that as a sign to keep going as I was and avoid alcohol as much as possible.
On the subject of low/non beers, The 0,0 Guinness continues to impress me. It looks the part, tastes the part and has the same mouthfeel, so is not a staple in the cupboard. Sadly, the local supermarket is out of the 0% witbier I really enjoyed, but they should have a delivery in this week and I will get as much as I can of that.
4 x 330ml Erdinger bottles for £1.49 at Home Bargains!!
I put my baseline figures in at 28 large beers and 15 large glasses of wine a week - maybe a tad high. When I drink, I drink....
Holy Hannah, that's a lot. How's the cut down going? Is it full cold turkey or a reduction?
I've had around 6 months of what I would consider abuse (new job, long hours, high stress) so having 1 strong cider per day, but whilst this sounds small, at ~3 units per cider, it's still double the recommended units per week. I've been completely off it since the end of the holiday period. As ever, I notice absolutely no difference to sleep, energy, concentration, etc...If anything, I find it a little harder to get to sleep. 🙂
Anyway - Onwards to mid-March which is when I'll break for my birthday for a week.
The sleep thing is, for me at least, an easy comparison: I sleep better now than before. I still don't want to get out of bed in the morning, but that's just my normal attitude. I _do_ feel more rested, I do feel way more focussed and able to think, even when I have to get up early.
I'm still trying to assess how it affects my training. Work has more or less prevented me from hitting the turbo this last week and the lack of snow has meant no cheeky XC skiing at lunchtimes. Oddly, I felt that I'd lost _something_ or _something_ was lacking the last time I did a heavy turbo session and I had to stop halfway through. Monday night's mini-session seemed to work wel enough though and I was able to load up my heart well enough.
The biggest challenge I have is at weekends when I have time. There's a limit to how much I can train, or play computer games, or watch films and that is when I have issues.
I gave up drinking about 3 years ago, just stopped. Was drinking 2-3 cans most nights with a couple extra at the weekends. Never saw the point of 0.0% drinks as for me if I wanted a drink I could have one, however, a few months ago I took a notion for a shandy so I started having a few 0.0% shandy’s at night (hard core!). What I then noticed was my old habits were returning even though it was 0.0%. What started as the odd shandy increased and I was getting in from work and having a shandy rather than a cuppa or squash, increased to having 2-3 most nights, thinking about whether or not I had beer in the house, increased snacking with the drinking etc and the weight and belly increased. So I have gone back to no ‘drink’ at all and the habits and weight are gone/going. This has reinforced that for me I am better off totally abstaining rather than the occasional one as I will likely slip back into drinking too much if I did start. Thankfully I have never really missed it.
Not had a drink since NYE after a very heavy December and feeling much better for it. Missed the routine beer whilst cooking at first but not now and have had several pub/restaurant visits this week with no problem. My wife had a one night wobble but I didn't so happy with that.
Certainly getting better quality sleep and have been up earlier than usual quite often. Although I'm not really prone to bad moods I certainly feel brighter with less dips.
Plan is to restrict booze to the weekend from February on but won't be every weekend as I work nights two in eight. My drinking is habit based, as was my smoking before I quit fourteen years ago so hopefully making a new pattern will work. There's no point saying I'll stop altogether as I like alcohol in moderation and wouldn't stick to it so better to plan to restrict it. Mate of mine stopped over two years ago but going by the amount of times he references drinking, not drinking, the old days, etc he certainly misses it but is determined to keep it up. I don't want to end up like that.
I'm late to this thread on the back of my thread on my mates drinking probem and someone suggested it might be of help, and it's a good read.
Unfortunately I fear it's too late for my best mate but I can take notes for myself.
Don't have a drink issue but certainly an 'eating of crap foods' for sure, guess we all have something....
I echo what's been said around 0% beers as well. There have been occasional social events where I've not been able to 'drink' and have had some Guiness zero and Shipyard ale (think that's what it was called) and both very drinkable so things are much better now in terms of whats available. Back in the day it was Kaliber.....jeez that stuff 🤮
Anyhow I hope all of those trying to adjust are going well. 👍
A quick question about sleep.
The last couple of months I've cut down alot, from every night to one occasionally. My sleep has improved, I fall asleep pretty quickly,but I'm still restless during the night.
Is it due to my body readjusting to its natural habits after years of consuming poison?
TBH I actually prefer life without alcohol, its just a habit we get brainwashed into.
I'm basically not drinking now and haven't really been drinking for a while but I've noticed my sleep has been getting disturbed recently. Falling asleep seems fine but then I often find myself awake, lying in bed, and not able to fall asleep again a few times a night.
In my case I don't think it's booze and more likely a combination of age and stress. I'm 45 and I remember reading a few articles saying that you tend to age in jumps rather than a steady decline, so I wonder if I've just had one of my age jumps and now my sleep is going to be shit from now on.
I've started taking Melatonin tablets (already been taking vit D supplements for years) but I can't say I've noticed a difference.
@jimster01 unfortunately I have never had much trouble sleeping - the phrase “fall asleep on a washing line” could apply to me! However, when drinking I didn’t dream, well, wasn’t aware of dreaming. Now I have the weirdest dreams, sometimes disturbing but very often entertaining!
Getting to sleep isn't the issue, I'm dozing on the sofa 7.30/8 o'clock, go off straight away when I go to bed. It's when I wake up at 1am that I have trouble. Had a chat with the boss about it the other day and she with what's going on with us isn't surprised that I am so stressed. She's going through chemo, and no one tells you how hard it is to see a loved one go through. Fortunately I have managed to get an appointment with my GP, so hopefully I can sort something out.
Getting to sleep isn't the issue, I'm dozing on the sofa 7.30/8 o'clock, go off straight away when I go to bed. It's when I wake up at 1am that I have trouble. Had a chat with the boss about it the other day and she with what's going on with us isn't surprised that I am so stressed. She's going through chemo, and no one tells you how hard it is to see a loved one go through. Fortunately I have managed to get an appointment with my GP, so hopefully I can sort something out.
Getting to sleep isn't the issue, I'm dozing on the sofa 7.30/8 o'clock, go off straight away when I go to bed. It's when I wake up at 1am that I have trouble. Had a chat with the boss about it the other day and she with what's going on with us isn't surprised that I am so stressed. She's going through chemo, and no one tells you how hard it is to see a loved one go through. Fortunately I have managed to get an appointment with my GP, so hopefully I can sort something out.