The Dry January thread…

Haven’t seen one posted up yet, so here goes !

I do this most years, though having completed the sober October one a few months back, haven’t really had much regular booze, bar the past week .

I normally find within a few days my Zwift numbers are on the up and sleep and mood improves, coming from a baseline of a couple of bottles of wine a week and a few home measure GnT’s of a weekend, so not a huge amount but more than is healthy.

i do find that now, in my late 50’s, my tolerance of alcohol is reducing fairly rapidly and I suspect I’ll be knocking it pretty much on the head this year.

I’m in! I failed the sober October, so here goes.

I had a drink after midnight so already failed.

I’m in too. Never really felt the need before and have never really considered myself a big drinker (similar to the o.p – a couple of shared bottles of wine on a Friday or Saturday and a G&T on a Sunday afternoon) but I semi retired in May and my weekends are now longer than my working weeks and my daughter has remarked before Christmas how I’m now drinking on more evenings than not.

Good move. My wee dram to celebrate the New Year has already disbarred me 😀

I’m going to try but not until after the weekend as want to enjoy the rest of the break. I have a horrendous month at work ahead but also want to halt the middle aged spread and frankly I think I enjoy the improved sleep and mood more than drinking these days

I do think that a dram at or after the bells on 1st Jan is ok, so no need for disbarring on that account !

Nope, my Saturday night down the pub is sacred. Don’t drink at home.

Nah, Trad tunes session this afternoon in the pub…. There will be drinks involved .

I am in but I don’t think it will be very hard as I have lost the desire to drink beer, which is about all I drink.

I’m doing it this year, perhaps longer than Jan. I like A beer while cooking dinner generally, but I do wonder if it’s just something cold and fizzy rather than the alcohol so will be substituting with AFs. Otherwise it’s generally a few too many pints on a night out that just destroys me mentally and physically for a few days that I can do without.

Done it for the last two years, felt so much better for it.

I’m in 🙂

Anyone that says “well if you’re drinking is so unhealthy” or whatever is a douche flute.

I’m in, albeit I’m really doing 3 months as part of training for some long mountain runs this year.

I’m in, never tried before but thought I’d give it a go as I like strong IPA’s a little too much and it’s starting show.

Was dry last night due to being in charge of drunk teens, so going to have a beer or 2 tonight instead. Generally, not dry for January but not drink much either as I can’t anyway nowadays and need to get a bit fitter.

I think its entirely acceptable to start dry January from waking up on the morning of New Years day.

I’m doing dry January until the 29th, so moist January/damp January? as I’ve a few days away with Mrs Wombat at the end of the month and not having a pint at the end of a day in the hills is a step too far for me.

I’ll probably do a form of dry January but I’ll start the clock when I go back to work on Monday.

Got a very nice bottle of red to go with our steak tonight as is tradition.

I’m in, need to lose some weight and wake up feeling better + will save me a fortune which I can put in holiday fund.

As I write this the sound of my recycling being picked up and dropped into the lorry is making me wince….there is ALOT of bottles of all types of alcohol.

in and hoping to make it far beyond january

Nah.  January is both a shit month and a long month.  I’ll be doing dry February APFU.

^I took ours to the tip as was overflowing! In, and need it this year.

Anyone that says “well if you’re drinking is so unhealthy” or whatever is a douche flute.

Could you try that one again please? I’m intrigued what you were actually trying to say

Shit!

Any recommendations for low/no alcohol real ale substitutes?

@montgomery Shipyard Low Tide and Guinness 0.0 are my go to’s

I’m in…..drank far too much last night. Bedroom was spinning and felt terrible this morning.

I drank far too much last year and piled the weight on. Going to cut out all alcohol in January and see if I can last longer.

I do love my beer though. It’s going to be tough!!

Give it a go.

I have stopped for long periods in the past, well about 2 months. But I now just drink far less in a month I had to. I now run a 3 pint rule if I’m out , unless it’s an occasion. I have also reduced how often I go out, despite now having more time.

I’m in, failed in October, want to make amends. The overflowing recycling bin is quite embarrassing tbh.

Thornbridge Jaipur AF

I’m in.

I have had plenty of drinks over the Christmas period but a lot fewer than in previous years and what I have had, I really haven’t enjoyed it that much to be honest (still got loads of beer left over).
Upside is that I’ve done loads of riding over Xmas because I haven’t been properly hungover – and that’s been great.

I think that’s partly off the back of a very boozy December overall (due to work xmas parties, leaving dos, birthdays and other social events all crammed in). Just sick to death of the actual booze, and also that eventually it just gets very, very boring just sitting around doing more and more drinking and more and more chatting shit (not really doing anything productive or fun – which is what I would rather do, honestly)

As mentioned above, these days I’m finding that there are more and more downsides and fewer and fewer upsides to drinking. I had a good long dry spell (6 weeks) about 18 months ago and aside from the odd craving really enjoyed the sleep and clarity of thinking benefits.

Can’t be arsed – I’m not a heavy drinker, the fact that I finished off a half-bottle of bourbon last week that I’d started last Christmas/New Year, and I’ve got a bottle of Bunnahabhain from before last Christmas that I haven’t even opened yet, let alone the other spirits I bought before this Christmas tends to indicate it’s not a high priority for me.

Maybe if I was drinking a fair amount regularly, but I just don’t.

bikes, beers………… one without the other would make me a unhappy fellow. so its a no from me.

Did January to August last year.

Doing at least the first third of the year this year. Starting tomorrow. Not back at work until 6th and always fancied having a drink NYD. Christmas and New Year have been bobbins this year

Can’t be arsed – I’m not a heavy drinker, the fact that I finished off a half-bottle of bourbon last week that I’d started last Christmas/New Year,

Errrr! That’s pretty tame.

I did October and was amazed how much better I felt. Even more amazing (for me) is that I’ve carried on right through the festive period which I’m really chuffed with. Definitely going to do January  and see how it goes from there.

Not from me – my birthday is middle of the month, so will maybe leave it to February. I’ve put some AF beers and wine on the Sainsbury order tomorrow, so will scale back a bit (from a not-particularly-high level)

I probably only drank on half a dozen occasions last year so more often than not a dry month happens without even thinking about it. I don’t drink at home, very rarely when I have guests, and because of where I live I usually drive when I go to a pub.

Although I did have a whisky at midnight which I really enjoyed

I don’t do dry January but have done dry February for the last 10 years or so. I find the first weekend the hardest (only drink on a weekend) then I don’t really miss it. We’re usually skiing in Jan and March which is why Feb is my dry month. Skiing, beers …..like Ton, one without the other is not ideal

I’m already out of dry January but last year I went from the work Christmas party on the 16th of December to mid July in Morzine.

Ex-big drinker who took a long time to wind it down to sensible levels. I’ll never be teetotal but everything is better without alcohol.