Anyone doing a dry January 2020? - join me!

Nic246

I'm doing it for the first time this year! It's going well but i'm having much less of a social life because most of my friends like to go on nights out and I just can't do it sober!

amandacat

I did dry January last year and actually lost my taste for alcohol and only drank a handful of drinks all last year. Drunk over Christmas and I had heartburn, felt a bit depressed and gained weight (obviously Christmas food also attributed to that ��)

This January I’m dry again and feel great. I’ve lost over half a stone in the last two weeks and my mental outlook is better. I feel like I’m not bothered if I never drink again now to be honest.

belfastgirl23

I also find that as I stop drinking I lose my taste for it amandacat! The marketing is definitely enticing though. For me the single most useful thing is really clamping down in my own mind the minute that seductive voice starts to talk!

Approaching the two weeks dry point, I’ve seen a small weight loss (2lbs) but I’m happy with that. This weekend is a bit quieter than last weekend so hoping to focus on healthy eating and not being tempted by alcohol.

How’s everyone else doing? What are the weekend plans?

thriftylass

We have a birthday party on Saturday. Husband will be drinking as he's chuffed to even have managed 2 weeks so far. He'll try staying off it during the week now and reduce the weekends he drinks. I won't drink tomorrow. I'm just enjoying this too much. As weird as this sounds, lol. I also won't buy any fake alcohol like alc-free K0pparberg as that just tastes too good and might trigger sth.

Bounced out of bed at quarter too 6 this morning and got loads done before work. Looking fwd to a nice treat tea tonight (burger, wings and HM chips) and not drinking.

thriftylass

Back from the party and tucked up in bed, sober:j:j

Unexpectedly, really enjoyed myself and I'm looking fwd to an early start feeling good tomorrow. Didn't even turn into the usual crump after a few hours watching people drink, which is new. Watching husband getting drunk was off putting actually

How are your weekends going?

belfastgirl23

Well done Thriftylass! Surviving a party is hardcore.

Someone offered me a mocktail last night, an M&S alcohol free G&T. It was actually quite nice and felt like something special. To be honest I don’t like most fizzy drinks at all and I can get a bit fed up with just tea, coffee and water so it was a nice change. Pretty low cal too so ticks the boxes there - though I tend to be more worried that booze makes me want to eat rather than the actual calories in the booze.

Was in company tonight where people were drinking and I was quite happy not to be. And will be doubly glad tomorrow with no hangover.

Did everyone else survive?

elsien

Force of habit a lot of it, isn't it?
Had Friday night which would usually be my "relax at the end of the week and celebrate the weekend with a bottle" night and managed to resist. Also a meet up in a pub - I was driving but would normally have a swift half. I need to find something more interesting than orange and lemonade, though.

thriftylass

elsien wrote: »

I need to find something more interesting than orange and lemonade, though.

That's often the tricky bit, finding sth that we actually like and not just drink because we can't drink alcohol. I like the alc-free ciders but they taste too much like the real thing. I don't drink fizzy drinks normally so sometimes wonder if it's just the fizz I want as a treat and that's why I like my Friday cider. So I started swapping my normal diluting juice and water for diluting juice and sparkling water on a Friday night. That seems to be working a treat just now. It also looks similar and people don't ask if I'm not drinking.

engineer_amy

Nic246 wrote: »

I'm doing it for the first time this year! It's going well but i'm having much less of a social life because most of my friends like to go on nights out and I just can't do it sober!

Well due to the fact that January is 342 days long and we get paid monthly, my group of friends are being really antisocial as we are all skint. So I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything.


19 full days in and im doing fine, had a small wobble last Wednesday driving home from the gym and the thought crossed my mind that I would like a glass of wine as a reward for my hard gym session. Had a stern word with myself and it went out of my head.


My routine used to be a couple of glasses of wine on a sunday night. I found myself last night thinking OK, usually by this time I have a glass of wine in my hand, what do I do now, so I went and cleared out two kitchen cupboards then went to bed early.

engineer_amy

elsien wrote: »

I need to find something more interesting than orange and lemonade, though.

If im in a bar and not drinking, I tend to stick to water or cordial, and people will comment about me not drinking, although I will sometimes enjoy a Ginger Ale with a dash of lime. I used to drink this with either vodka or Bacardi, so it tastes and looks just like having a drink. And people are less likely to comment on the lack of drink