Dry January 2024..

**** off!

just kidding (mostly) a lot of that could be me. we’re only a couple of days in admittedly but really not missing it, had quite a day of it today and before Christmas that would have been the excuse but tonight (Matthew) I’m going to mix a “mock-Ito” and chill to some tunes

I shall be cutting back but not stopping altogether. My local bar advises against it.

A public information film pic.twitter.com/IVtHRf8d1b

— The Mounting Stone (@TheMountingB) January 3, 2024

pretty easy so far, and as usual, sleeping a bit better and also putting on some weight…

I usually find that weight goes up in the first week of abstinence, due snacking and then starts dropping consistently therafter.

I was dry from mid November through to boxing day as I figured a dry December would get me away from the worst kind of expensive, repeated nights out drinking and it was a good 5 or 6 weeks. Ended up drinking a few times between boxing day and new years day with various family, now that’s over I’m planning to go dry until the sun comes back out and I’m BBQing in the garden

So 5 days in..

Me and the Missus seem on really great terms with each other..happy..tolerant (FYI, apparently I’m REALLY annoying!). I think not having booze in teh system has made us calmer and more tolerant.

My stomach’s feeling better..less bloating..i ‘feel slim’..

I’m ill (cold/throat) so not feeling super energetic, but managing OK!

Weight can fluctuate, but 2kg lost since NYE! (OK..i’m only 71.7kg today, but I’m trying to get back to racing weight!)

DrP

Actually beat my previous 3 year old record of 3 nights without drinking but had a cold since New year’s day so that helped. Going to do weekend as well as wife now has cold 😀. Hopefully feel benefits next week once cold has gone.

Having a cold (man-flu) certainly helps.  I think even smelling a beer right now would make me sick.

I think I’m either all in or all out with most things. Sleeping better, but no weight loss (snacking is up, when I’d normally have a glass of wine). 

We have friends around tomorrow night though, and going out for dinner: that’ll be a test of willpower with no prize at the end.

Never done dry January before, Friday evening in the house on me own is testing but taking full advantage by sifting through the vinyl collection & cranking up the volume 🙂

Yeah It’s “ Freeder neet, like” which normally = a big bag o’ cans but managed to ignore the booze section in Aldi. Curry for tea so a refreshing spritzer of some variety to accompany that I think

Howsit going ?

First week ticked off ✅

Day 8 for me as I started a little before nye.

lost bloat which is good, Friday as I cycled past my favourite coastal pub was quite a temptation, but carried on home for a cup of tea ( surprised even myself)

last night when doing a bit of bike fixing and realising how **** my chain/cassette are, after 6 months of shitty rain and barely cleaning my bike…was quite tempted, but being a week in helped, as with each day it becomes a bigger thing to ‘break’

Another good nights sleep last night, with no tablets or podcasts to help me drift off or get back to sleep after a wake up

The impatient part of me is grumpy that I’m not losing weight quicker and my eyesight hasn’t magically restored itself after a week.
Feeling strong with it and little temptation….hope it continues

I popped to the pub to meet some friends yesterday afternoon and had a Paulaner 0% weissbier. It wasn’t bad actually. Didn’t feel tempted to have a proper beer. Friday and Saturday done, my usual going out days, so the next 5 days should be easier.

Well done, @tcomc1000, use some of the money you’ve saved towards a treat or some bike bits?

Dry since early hours of NYD, haven’t committed to Dry January as I don’t like setting goals and targets!
I was drinking too much, too often with more drinking days than non-drinking days, I was feeling fat and generally knackered so time for a reset.
It’s been fairly easy so far, 0% beer is helping. Feeling better already and exercising more. Not had any social events that normally involve boozing, nothing in the diary until 27th, that will be a test of my willpower!

A few cravings when driving past the pub that we usually stop at. Fine when in the house

Finishing a bike ride is probably the worst, as it’s the law that every ride has to end at the pub. Going out early so the pubs are still shut when I finish helps with that one.

First few nights, was sleeping very lightly with mad dreams (stopping smoking always adds to the dreams). Past two nights I’ve slept like a baby. Had a sweaty night a couple of nights ago, so that was probably coming towards the end of the detox

First week done will kick on from here no problem now. 3 month target

I’m in for a dry January. On new year’s day we put any leftover prosecco/gin/liqueurs in the garage (the beer had all gone)
This weekend was the first test, and I’ve thought about having a beer at least half a dozen times. Strangely my biggest trigger is when preparing a meal at the weekend; I love having a few strong IPAs while listening to some tunes and cooking. That’s today’s test.

I usually find that weight goes up in the first week of abstinence, due snacking and then starts dropping consistently therafter.

I’m hoping that this is the case. I raided the cupboards last night, but over time, I hope to see the benefits of fewer calories via beer and impulsive kebabs/currys.

Strangely my biggest trigger is when preparing a meal at the weekend; I love having a few strong IPAs while listening to some tunes and cooking. That’s today’s test.

I’m with you.  Back from a ride and cooking Sunday lunch.  Big tonic with a load of cucumber, on my second, just want something nice to drink. Nice enough to be fair, but would swap for one nice glass of red…

Anyone else getting cravings? I have a real hankering for dark chocolate when I cut out beer.

I have a craving for beer and wine and cider when I cut out alcohol :)!

Well thats the first week successfully completed, even managed a night in the pub on soft drinks. Hopefully will start reaping some benefits soon.

Week 1 complete!

Def noticed more snacking going. I wanted something other than juice/squash/milk/tea and coffee and have been thinking about non-alcoholic beer quite a bit today, so went out and bought a 4 pack of Guinness 0%. I was really looking forward to having a couple tonight…cracked the first one open, pulled a face…def not like ‘proper’ Guinness but it wasn’t that bad. Bizarrely, it still felt a bit naughty. Just the one, and some orangey tea thing later which wasn’t hideous but great either. The first week/weekend is the hardest so plain sailing from here on in! 🍺

I did it last year and found it easier than I thought and it meant I cut down massively on drinking in general, which makes the odd weekend binge hangover all the worse… Sleep a lot better though..

This year I wasn’t going to bother as we finished a bottle of fizz off on New Year’s Day and I drink a lot less now anyway, but I’ve ended up managing a week without booze, including a pub dinner yesterday so may keep going.

I find fruit tea is a good none sugary, non fizzy thing to sip instead of wine of an evening.

I’ve still got around half a dozen bottles of beer in the kitchen, and seven bottles of spirits, most of which have barely been touched, so there’s barely any point in dry January, which is why I’m ignoring it, like I usually do.

I’m doing really well…

Feeling fresh and ‘light’ i.e no tummy bloating etc..

Weight dropping off, but I think that’s a combo of no booze, THUS no boozy snacking!

Sadly, my OH had some drinks on Sat eve, and again last night… 

Kinda sad that she isn’t committed to something we said we’d do together 🤷 but hey ho..

Interestingly, I REALLY don’t feel like a drink. Like, AT ALL…

Daft question (I guess) but…Anyone else ‘worried’ about what they’ll do (or be EXPECTED to do) come Feb 1st.,?

I genuinely am concerned that if I really don’t want to get back on it again in Feb, my OH will be disappointed!

DrP

Accidentally in. Got covid on NYE, and have barely eaten in the past week. Definitely haven’t drunk. Feel like shit, tbh, but sleeping better. Last year was a boozy year for me due to stress, so would be good to cut down this year.

Did it Jan ’22. And for the most part have been off the booze since. I have had the odd pint when I’ve felt like it, I’m not 100% dry, but it’s pretty rare to have one.

It took a while to stop craving, but now I don’t miss it at all. It’s definitley an addiction.

Best bits:
– Waking up at 7am feeling fresh and excited to go ride my bike on the weekends, or do something with the kids. I think back to all those hangovers now, urgh! I was a miserable bastard with a hangover!
– Better mood in general
– Maybe anecdotal, but I get less colds

Worst bits:
– Everyone else! People, society. They really don’t like it if someone steps outside the “norms”, and you’ll always get the same tired comments.

You do you.

I had a drink on the evening of NYD, so not quite a week into it for me.
I have had the odd thought about drinking a beer, but I don’t really find it that hard to cut out. I’m also not totally dropping it, and will be having a drink when visiting my parents this weekend for my Dad’s birthday.
As I’m trying to cut down on bad food habits as well, it’s actually been that, which I have found more difficult so far. Especially, as we still have quite a lot of Christmas goodies stashed here & there & my Wife is still buying the usual piles of biscuits, crisps and other unhealthy snacks.

I’m gonna weigh myself tomorrow. I am expecting to have not really lost anything, but have a vague hope in the back of my mind that maybe a lb or two will have evaporated.
I have an aim to lose a stone, so need to persevere!!

Couple of cravings here but nothing too major.

Best bits:
Waking up feeling fresh
Saved money

Worst bits:
We’re just sociable people. We’ll go for a pint 3 or 4 times per week. I just don’t fancy it with alcohol free drinks.

Since stopping drinking I’ve been out for drinks with mates and curry nights loads of times, I’ve been on the af beers and them on normal beers. It’s absolutley fine, and I still have a proper laugh. The placebo affect of having a glass of beer in hand is pretty powerful, even if it’s 0%. Since I started doing this, a couple more of my group have stopped drinking (one was an alcoholic tbf! but they all have they own reasons).

The first time was weird, now it’s totally fine. And I can drive home too.

Ah DrP, I perhaps bared my soul a bit further up the thread. In the early days I had that fear when I was going out to meet my mate, he lives several miles away so it usually involved lifts. I tackled it by driving and just having one drink. This got me into the pub atmosphere again and I was able to adjust from chucking it down my neck! On the odd occasions that we now meet just for a drink (excluding camping, hiking) we have a limit, the Guardian article did help. It’s helped by my wife stopping drinking/cutting down. I’m not sure that total abstinence is the right approach for everyone- it’s an idea that discouraged me for many years. 

All fine here.

No great urge to drink and I’m enjoying feeling a bit fresher some mornings.

We’re not boozing in the house. It’s mad how psychological it is though. On Friday evening I was automatically thinking it’s beer time. And cooking dinner again I was reaching for a virtual glass of wine.

Interesting how habitual it is based on various prompts. Bit worrying as well TBH!

1 week in & no real difficulty for me, to be honest I never used to drink at home but my wife (since 2016) has been a bad influence on me & it’s her that enjoys a drink every evening & usually pushes me to join her, but she’s been drinking some 0% lagers & got me a 0.5%* Ghost ship so we can pretend drink which was really nice.

* Hope this doesn’t mean I’ve failed

Daft question (I guess) but…Anyone else ‘worried’ about what they’ll do (or be EXPECTED to do) come Feb 1st.,?

I’m going to go for a minimum of three months and so will my wife.

We’ve drunk far too much for far too long. The thing is, every time we stop, we realise how crap booze is – probably because we don’t do it in moderation.

Might see just how long I can go, but the first warm sunny day will be hard

The thing I think I’m looking forward to is going out more and trying different types of beer. By out more I mean once or twice a month, not rocking up at ‘Spoons at 8am every day 😀

For home drinking it’s normally been whatever they have in the local shops, or what I get from the local brewery.

I haven’t bothered with Dry-anuary and maybe I should but it doesn’t impact my ability to do anything, other than driving as that would be driving under the influence.  MrsOmen might argue my performance might suffer but that’s for another discussion 🙂

I’m doing it, have done for a few years and often through February, however I always have a drink on New Year’s Day, as that is a special day too! So I’m one day behind everyone else but it’s not a competition.

Ive imbibed on and off with AF beer but I’m not doing that this year, a nice cup of chamomile or peppermint tea instead 

Day 10… Not drunk as drop, and no real desire to..

Last year I caved around this time.. I feel more committed now..

Weight plateaued out, but still feeling good.

Just getting over a nasty cold still, so not feeling super sporty

It’s nice going food shopping and simply ignoring the booze aisle!

Well done all who are making a change… Be it dry, moist, or simply turning up at spoons at 10am rather then 8… 😉

DrP

Frequented a few pubs now (with people who were drinking) and not been tempted, so over the hump now. Beer belly has shrunk and feeling fresh