Who's signing up for a "Dry January"?

purpleshoes_2

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/food/article-2894582/10-drinks-won-t-make-feel-like-missing-Dry-January.html

Some alcohol free cocktails might be an idea. Ive found a few cordials on my travels that have been very nice, but too much sugar.

I quite like low cal ginger ale, probably stuff in that I shouldn't be drinking, but you can find alcohol free cocktails that work as it were and see how you go with that.

The pub chain all bar one do some nice alcohol free cocktails and not expensive, not found that many other places that do, but not everyone lives in more or less the back of beyond like I do.

Chiquitos is a chain of restaurants, Mexican, they also do decent alcohol free cocktails, but Im sure folks could make them up at home for a tenth of the price.

I used to also drink low cal cranberry and pomegranate juice, but Im trying not to eat or drink too much carbohydrate. Which is why a lot of the time my soft drink of choice is plain old soda water.

hazyjo

WantToBeSE - can you alter your routine? I quite often feel peed off after work and the commute. I would say OMG I need a drink! And then I'd have at least 2-3 large drinks and delay dinner. When dinner's ready as soon as I step in, I'll eat that first, then the OH will ask if I want a drink and I'll never fancy one. If I do, I'll have a cuppa instead. At least an hour goes past before I even remember I was going to have one. Once I've been home for an hour, I'm calm again. It's just getting through that initial bit.


Can you cook a day ahead so you just have to microwave it?


Is there something else you really appreciate, like good coffee? Can you plunge, perc, or whatever it is they do with the fresh stuff days with it? (I hate coffee!)


I'm worse with desserts I think. I get in such a habit of having something after my dinner. The cravings for something sweet after dinner are tough lol.


Can't wait to see this thread around the middle/towards the end LOL. I'll probably be moody/grumpy, fed up, pulling my hair out and climbing the walls!


I'm on hols in Feb so that's keeping me going (sanity, and no booze - I can look forward to not feeling so guilty about Sangria at lunch, and probably drinking every day for a week!).


Jx

WantToBeSE

Thanks for your help everyone.


PurpleShoes- what you say about not missing the alcohol so much as missing the habit is really true for me too.
But also, I feel like I deserve a 'treat' at the end of the day, or at least that's my normal excuse. But when I am honest with myself, its not about treating myself, because most of the time I don't even want to bother drinking.
Many times, especially in the past 6 months or so, I've gone to Tesco and bought a bottle, then come home and its either remained unopened because I really didn't want it, or I drink a glass or 2 and leave the rest in the fridge.


Hazyjo- I like the idea of changing routine. I just don't see how I can. I cant microwave a meal because I don't have a microwave. Besides, the urge just gets stronger as soon as I have finished my dinner. I think that I just have to ride out the cravings and do my best.


I wonder how much of this is down to sugar addiction to be honest. I am a total sugar fiend, and am trying to reduce my amount of it at the moment. I am craving alcohol like I crave chocolate and sweets. God, I am so crap. I feel really shocked at myself that I am feeling this way.

purpleshoes_2

WantToBeSE wrote: »

Thanks for your help everyone.


PurpleShoes- what you say about not missing the alcohol so much as missing the habit is really true for me too.
But also, I feel like I deserve a 'treat' at the end of the day, or at least that's my normal excuse. But when I am honest with myself, its not about treating myself, because most of the time I don't even want to bother drinking.
Many times, especially in the past 6 months or so, I've gone to Tesco and bought a bottle, then come home and its either remained unopened because I really didn't want it, or I drink a glass or 2 and leave the rest in the fridge.


Hazyjo- I like the idea of changing routine. I just don't see how I can. I cant microwave a meal because I don't have a microwave. Besides, the urge just gets stronger as soon as I have finished my dinner. I think that I just have to ride out the cravings and do my best.


I wonder how much of this is down to sugar addiction to be honest. I am a total sugar fiend, and am trying to reduce my amount of it at the moment. I am craving alcohol like I crave chocolate and sweets. God, I am so crap. I feel really shocked at myself that I am feeling this way.

Could be as wine can be really sugary.

Im not really a sweet toothed person but I have my moments and that's possibly because Im not getting the sugar from wine.

Dare I say it perhaps you could try and go cold turkey on the choc and sweets as well and see how you get on.

Metranil_Vavin

Auugh I nearly buckled earlier! Had a really stressy couple of nights with our youngest not sleeping, and that coupled with going back to work and still fighting off a chest infection, I really nearly grabbed a bottle from the fridge this evening!

We have about 12 bottles of wine at home at the moment too post-Xmas, so it would be all too easy to crack one open, but I am staying strong and have got a glass of water instead!

Talking about how much people used to drink, pre-kids, OH and I went through a stage of drinking a bottle of wine between us EVERY single night :eek:

It got ridiculous. It was no longer a treat, more another regular item to be picked up on the way home from work...milk, bread..and wine!

Metranil_Vavin

I know I'll never completely give up wine though as I really, really enjoy it.

I think I just need to learn that it is a treat and not get blase with it so that it becomes habitual.

purpleshoes_2

Metranil_Vavin wrote: »

Auugh I nearly buckled earlier! Had a really stressy couple of nights with our youngest not sleeping, and that coupled with going back to work and still fighting off a chest infection, I really nearly grabbed a bottle from the fridge this evening!

We have about 12 bottles of wine at home at the moment too post-Xmas, so it would be all too easy to crack one open, but I am staying strong and have got a glass of water instead!

Talking about how much people used to drink, pre-kids, OH and I went through a stage of drinking a bottle of wine between us EVERY single night :eek:

It got ridiculous. It was no longer a treat, more another regular item to be picked up on the way home from work...milk, bread..and wine!

I nearly had a drink last night because at around 11pm last night I grabbed my bag and found out that my cash card wasn't in it, turned up this morning, I don't sleep well at times and I thought sod this day I'm going to have a glass of wine, then I thought no I'm not and I was glad I didn't, because I wouldn't have had the glass, Id have had the bottle:rotfl:

Kaz2904

Still not bothered but I know I am going to struggle when I actually get through all of the Christmas chocolate and whatnot. To be honest, I am far more worried about giving up sugar :eek:

juliethemuse

Not craving alcohol at all still suffering from the sickness bug . it's
Been nearly a week now of it is this normal? I thought they only lasted a few days..:(

pollyanna24

Another day done. So done 6 days now, yay!

I smoked my last cigarette yesterday as well and I'm so determined not to spend money on unecessary stuff, that I really don't want to buy another packet.

Having said that, I do have to pop to the shops after work for eggs and pancake mix (apparently my four year old really fancies pancakes for pudding tonight), so hoping I don't cave and buy either of the banned substances.

But so far, still haven't craved alcohol. I get in from work and pour a large glass of water, have that with dinner, and then my mum goes home. After that I put girls to bed, and just lie in bed myself watching telly.