The giving up/cutting down alcohol support thread! Part 4

PRICE_IS_RIGHT_2

honeybear wrote: »

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8227236.stm

On that note from PIR what do we think about this?

I still think there should be more control over the supermarkets etc, who promote the stuff. I know it's a good starting point to tackle anti-social drinkers, but there are so many of us who are tempted to buy the shiny bottles of wine because of the promotions - we don't have outwardly anti-social behaviour, but we damage our own bodies and minds, which in turn can harm our own families. I think in France, the government has advised people not to drink wine at all.

Anyway, after a poor AFD August, I am back on track for September, and will have my own little war against the supermarkets by ignoring their stupid promotions and thinking of all the money I'm saving.

xx

mrsdee

Hi all
havent posted in this bit before but I'm joining you! Husband and I found ourselves drinking more and more - g&t when we got in from work- maybe another while dinner was cooking, then bottle of wine with dinner and maybe a bit more... Not great.
What I found particularly difficult are the following :
- what to drink in the evenings if not alcohol!
- what to say when meeting up with friends/family socially and avoiding drinking alcohol
- how to get out of the habit of getting home and immediately opening the fridge for a drink....

The following is working for me and hope it might for some of you:

As soon as I get through the door from work I immediately put the kettle on and make a pot of tea! This breaks the first drink of the night habit which of course would normally lead to more. I find once I have a cup of tea or two it takes the edge of my hankering for a glass of wine.

I have also stocked up at Asda/lidl with hi-juice squash drinks which means there is something else besides water to drink (dont like coke etc). I always keep some made up in the fridge so there's always a cold drink (not wine!) available.

I have also experimented with lots of herbal teas, hot chocolate, horlicks, ovaltine, etc as a drink to have AFTER dinner - you cant really follow these with an alcoholic drink either. That gets me through the evening and then I dont have to think about it again till the next night!

Both our families drink a fair bit and when we meet up there's always an expectation of a few bottles being drunk. I get round this by always offering to drive. Also, I have started to jog a bit every other morning (well, part jog, part walk as am so unfit) so I use that as an excuse too (dont want to be dehydrated in the morning as it makes you feel rubbish). Also we both do feel FANTASTIC - it's a great clean feeling and every day when you wake up you think - great!!! I feel wonderful!!! At first people were a bit sceptical (a bit like, what do you mean, you're not joining in?!) but now I think they're realising maybe they should be cutting down too, but just cant.

We've also been looking for some sort of displacement activity for the evenings rather than sitting around drinking. So we have started doing things like taking the dog for a walk after dinner, going for a swim at the local pool (costs about same as bottle of wine) using the sauna etc and making an evening of it. going to the cinema on the cheapo ticket night, watching films at home, reading a lot of books and we are both thinking of taking up an evening course one night a week this term.

I'm not saying we wont hvae the occasional drink on birthdays, special occasions etc but we seem to have cracked the habitual every day drinking and hope that others can manage to do it too.

Good luck everyone. We're on week 9. Prior to that I dont think I'd had an alcohol free day for years.............

yellowmonkey

Well done on looking at the Positives Dm1a :T

Tomorrow is a new month. I am on 15 days in a row AF and am aiming to beat my PB of 16 days.

I was thinking yesterday that I must have an addictive nature. I used to smoke and I was also at one point hooked on Over the counter (Otc) prescripion drugs. Solpadeine to be precise. It contains coedine and did not realise I had a problem until I read about loads of other people who were also addicted . I have beaten both the smoking and drugs problem so only the drinking to go.

Sorry to off load that on here but it just seemed to flow from my keyboard

Hey Ho onwards and upwards

ym

yellowmonkey

Welcome mrsdee :hello:

some great tips there and well done on the 9 weeks :T

ym

mrsdee

So_Sad_Angel wrote: »

Hi graeme

Your post hit home a few truths for me...thankyou.

Yes as individuals we can only stop drinking when WE WANT to...its tough but there it is.

The progression to a bottle a night is sooooo easy to slip into ....then it moves on to stronger stuff as you say...a bottle of vodka or worse.

I have only been AF since Saturday...thats 2 days. Btw I often just stop for months & months...then for no reason I just start again. I think I have found the reason why I do this.

I have been to the supermarket today & noticed that they promote alcohol everywhere....by the freezers, checkouts...at the end of the bread aisles....even by the door on the way in ! Surely this is asking for trouble...the supermarkets are not being responsible in their marketing. Alcohol is a drug...a very dangerous, addictive drug....it should be kept in one part of the store & people who want to buy it go to that part of the store specifically. It should not be used as a marketing ploy to tempt customers to buy more !!

So often when I start again its usually because everywhere I turn there is another wine rack...or boxes of 18 cans of the latest brew on bogoff !!

O dear...soapbox time...sorry...feel better now !

Angiexx

:o:o:o:o:o

I know - it's so tempting! I try walking to supermarket instead of taking the car and then i just cant carry bottles back. Also just avert your eyes and get out of the supermarket as soon as you can - stick to what's on your list.

think of the money you are saving and what else you can do with it!

honeybear_2

PRICE_IS_RIGHT wrote: »

I still think there should be more control over the supermarkets etc, who promote the stuff. I know it's a good starting point to tackle anti-social drinkers, but there are so many of us who are tempted to buy the shiny bottles of wine because of the promotions - we don't have outwardly anti-social behaviour, but we damage our own bodies and minds, which in turn can harm our own families. I think in France, the government has advised people not to drink wine at all.

Anyway, after a poor AFD August, I am back on track for September, and will have my own little war against the supermarkets by ignoring their stupid promotions and thinking of all the money I'm saving.

xx

Yeah, I agree. Sadly I think the supermarket "giants" have a lot of clout with the government & so in turn the government goes for us not them.

Btw.I know that's not very lucid but I'm not good at politics ever, especially not at this time of the morning

PRICE_IS_RIGHT_2

Might start shopping before 9:00 am too, before you are allowed to buy alcohol - can't remember who mentioned this one, but I didn't realise before. Alcohol-free so loads of energee! :j

Miss_Piggy_2

Cutting down/ Giving up August Challenge!

Days
115K 11/31(no target)
69Chick 7/14
Budget Babe 19/1:j:j
Debtmonkey1A 13/19
Different Corner 11/14
Fayjmck 17/31
Fedupandskint 12/30
Foreverhopeful 8/10
Geranium72 12/20
Grey Pilgrim 13/30
Honeybear 3/6
Maman 11/10:j:j
Marthasdad 3/4
Mollypolly 31/31:j:j
Nessa56 7/13
Price is Right 12/11:j:j
Samandsheryl 18/22
Time2GrowUp 2/12 (left challenge but welcome back anytime!)
Wanna Bee Free 7/8
Winebox 5/10
Yellowmonkey 19/11:j:j


Days Pledged : 326
Actual : 247



Well done everyone!!!!

Will be pleased to hand the reins over to the marvellous YM tonight (although not sure I'll be up at 11.59 to do it !!;)).

I know GC rightly points out that a lot of us don't meet our targets, but I think a lot of us are getting damned close (not me obviously ) and for a lot of us that means we are having a lot of alcohol free days whereas we drank every day before. Got to be good eh??

Roll on September....I've completely forgotten what I set my target as but I'm going to be trying my hardest to exceed it.

:j:j:jfor everyone that took part in August!!!


Miss P
xx

fedupandskint

Thanks for being a winderful dedicated scorer in August Miss P :A- a difficult month for many of us holiday season bank holidays etc.

I will be AF today and will finish my month on 20 days AF for August :T No jumpy for me and that's ok

11 days A = equates to drinking 2 days at the weekend plus one more
20 days AF = more at the end of the month and feel better for this :j

Bring on September!!!!!

yellowmonkey

Once again thanks Miss P :T

Have you down for 24 in Sept

ym