The cutting out/cutting down alcohol thread (part 7)

Marru

Hi dizzibint, I can only talk about my own experience and for me by the time my weekly sherry consumption got to 2 litre bottles and I was finding it difficult those evenings I didn't get any and before increasing my weekly allowance again I decided to go cold turkey and the longer I am AF the easier it gets.

Things that helped me to start with:

- support from BF (was able to talk to him over Skype instead sitting here drinking alone),
- having nice AF drinks in the house,
- not having any alcohol in the house,
- when going out near the bell tolling time not taking my purse with me (not being able to go and by some),
- eating lots of yummy sugary things (Th0rnton caramel shortbread - mmmmmm) initially to compensate lack of sugar from the drink and also to replace that - oooh I have had hard day I deserve something nice (this does stop at some point),
- having lots of relaxing baths,
- reading books and
- later when my energy levels incresed I took on running and the rest really is history

juliethemuse

hi joe, how much do you drink in one night? i had withdrawal symptoms for weeks on end including insomnia when i cut out heavy drinking last year, has any one seen those HUGE bottles of sherry in asdas? i could drink one of them plus beer in a night , and my hangovers were horrendous, my withdrawals, like i said were bad but i feel much better now not drinking so heavy, i cut it out completely for 3 months, now only drink a bottle of wine every couple of weeks or so,

juliethemuse

i agree marru , another ex sherry drinker eh? i dont know i could get through so much of the stuff looking back

dizzibint

Hi Marru and Juliethemuse ..... thanks for the replies.

Currently I'd say I get through either a bottle of wine a night or 4-6 cans of grolsch/holsten pills or similar. OH probably drinks around 4-6 cans in a week night and 6-8 cans at weekends.

If we keep busy in an evening then the actual desire to drink isn't that bad - but we do have a tendency to egg each other on so I think the key is keeping busy and eating properly, maybe having treats like Marru mentioned.

Blimey 3 months for the withdrawal to go? I was thinking it would maybe take a week-ish!

Sooo glad that everyone is so positive on here and saying how much better they feel having stopped.

Jo x

Pippilongstocking

Welcome

my blootered comment was a bit lighthearted and flippant - not really as a measure of afds/ non-afds! I'm not sure my humour is often translatable to forum posting xx

I'm generally most impressed by any ability in moderation I have as well as any abstinance.

I'd like to get to that 'take it or leave it stage' but bothrequire mega diligence.

Welcome to the thread - they are a lovely bunch. Xx

DEBTMONKEY1A

Dizzibint....I've been drinking (too much!) for the last 24 years or so & it's only in the last few months that I've got a handle on it/sorted out my relationship with booze. As far as the imsomnia goes...for me by day 4 I'm sleeping well (probably 80% of what it should be!)....the 1st few days DO make sleeping a bit harder but the human body will adjust itself fairly soon...I suppose we're all different...I certainly did/do not suffer like juliethe muse did!

dizzibint

Thanks so much for all your warm welcomes - very much appreciated.

I'd love to get to the point where I can just have the odd glass of wine and enjoy it rather than the - well I've started now, I may as well go the whole hog - mentality that I seem to have got into the habit of.

Its really good to know that so many of you are doing so well ..... soo glad I found this thread!

How do you all cope at weekends? Do any of you stay AF in the week and then have a drink at weekend? (or does that put us in danger of going OTT at weekend to 'make up' for being good in the week).

Jo x

SimIsOnTheUp

Hiya guys,

Hope you are all having a good day

I'm a bit low.

Gorgeous out, and sorry to be a bit of a Victor Meldrew, but I don't like hot weather at all, so I'm staying in!

Am I the only person around, who prefers cooler, say Spring / Autumn weather?

A lot of this is probably, due to the fact that I'm not feeling at all confident. Quite the opposite in fact.
I'm a 36 year old bloke, 6'1" tall (blimey, this sounds like it should be on Match.com!), considered good looking, funny, intelligent, confident (ahem) by others, modest ;-)... Crikey, this sounds self - obsessed (!)

BUT, I see these guys around, walking past my flat with their tops off, 10 + years younger than me, in amazing shape.. I'm jealous..now, not in a homo - erotic way you understand! ;-)

I HATE being pale, and used to be fairly tanned a lot of the time, and I hate my skinny arms and legs.. Miss my mountain biking, and would like to start again, as well as running, but I have no dosh for a mountain bike, and no confidence, to get out and run.

Do any of you other guys on here, feel like this? If so, maybe we should start a Fight Club, and get back in shape. I really could do with abs like Brad ;-)

Sorry if this sounds dreadfully girly, self - pitying and indulgent. I just genuinely, want to look good and in shape again, as well as feel happier! I haven't been out of my flat since last Friday - no joke.

Someone said on here earlier, that they had no motivation to exercise, and I can relate to that completely.

Will force myself out this evening, when it's cooler to the corner shop, for a Magnum (that'll help get my 6 - pack ;-) ) and a paper

Most of this is down to the fact, that I've relied on the booze, for confidence, and bullet proof bravado for way too long.

Scary.

Now, I want to look and feel great, and be sober.

..and even on a day like this, I feel like going back to bed for the afternoon!

How to sort out my scr -wed up head, let alone all of my debts, and the drinking, Lord only knows.

I'm back volunteering, at the homeless shelter next week, and really looking forward to it, as my neighbours are also doing my head in..

They're so incestuous it's untrue. It's like Corrie! That's for another time though

Cheers - Sim x

SimIsOnTheUp

Oh, and I'm sober!

Even when I nip to the shop, I'm not even considering any cans

fedupandskint

Oh well no weight loss this week unfortunately

Felt a bit upset about this as tried hard for half the week - came home and stuffed down 3 kitkats to make matters worse. No weight gain on the plus side

So, I'd better pull myself up by my bootstraps and take it more seriously over the next week as I really want to shift another 7lbs

I'm going to try the smoothie recipe for the morning to break up the porridge cycle and sounds nicer than yoghurt and banana I have on the off days- thanks DM, it sounds great

No bells ringing for me today, feel too tired for that. I'm off the walk the dog, soak the plants, get on the stepper for 20mins and then shower and bed I think

Tired, so tired, better make a move

Oh yes, 3 AFD for me please miss P