Alcohol free January

Back on the wagon. Not allowing that blip to get the better of me.

I'd like to see the evidence that the BMJ bases that on Annie as it's not my experience, though it may well apply to those who have a real problem with alcohol.

Dry day 18
I didn't even think about it tonight

Welcome back to the wagon Anya

Thanks [smils]

Dry 16!

smils

Still going and actually look forward to my evening tonic/ice/lemon almost as much as when I had gin in it....

I did think about it tonight - it's been a long day

I didn't give in though.

Dry day 19 ...

Hang on in there gang. Well done for not giving in JG despite your day. That sounds very positive baNANA

Day 17 here

Well done to everybody who is staying dry - perhaps all the more so if you have had a wobble and then got back on the straight and narrow. That is really impressive!

Whilst I haven't joined in this time round, lots of these posts have made me reflect on the benefits of , at the very least, cutting down on alcohol all year round.

I posted earlier that I only have a couple of glasses on a Friday night and one on a Saturday as a rule - which is true, but then they are rather large glasses so I am hiding from the truth a bit really! I think I should still try to cut down ... The temptation is to put it off. My DH has 2 days leave starting tomorrow so a lovely long weekend in prospect and I expect he will come home with a celebrational bottle to kick things off so I will probably be resolving to start being good next Monday ...

One change I am making at the moment is to herbal or decaf teas. We have always drunk 'proper' filter coffee first thing and then I have had decaf instant coffee for the rest of the day. Still not ready to give up my caffeine fix first thing, but as I have been suffering from bad sleep recently (stress related) I have changed to drinking peppermint / camomile tea or just water at other times. Too early to tell if it is going to make a substantive difference, but I feel better for it.

Still hanging on in here, couple of near misses though. I would have loved a mug of mulled wine after a cold brisk walk late on Sunday......but resisted.

We are definitely getting close now

My weekend will be a test as we have DS and his girlfriend and they do like a bit of gin-cocktail-mixing - mine will of course be alcohol free

You can buy alcohol free mulled wine GillT57 - it's not bad either - I think we got it from Sainsburys'. It's Belvoir Fruit Farms but of course they may have replaced such things with Easter eggs

I'm not convinced BaNANAGran3 ...

Still going strong, but I must admit I am looking forward to my birthday glass of wine

Can you believe ......?

... we are on dry day 20

Onwards.....

Yes onwards.....good word jogging, lovely support on here. Fever Tree tonic makes a big difference by the way. Upwards and .......

Well done to all my fellow dry January pals! Must say I'm just bored of it now and starting to take a sneaky peek at the calendar...not that I'm missing it much you understand!

www.bmj.com/content/352/bmj.i143

I think this is the article Annsixty was referring to, Anya.
Not evidence as such, but reasoned debate between two academics with opposing viewpoints.

Oh no! Reasoned debate always leaves me feeling I agree with both

I'll read it now Jane

OK having read both, I tend to think that Gilmore won that debate, no question, if only by his use of statistics to back up his arguement, whereas the other merely surmised.

Although I have found this dry month tricky it's made me realise that although I don't drink above the old recommended units, that perhaps. I should consider cutting back.

I was with my WI friends yesterday and I boldly said 'I only drink about 9 or 10 units a week' at that each one said they drank far less than that and I realised I was the biggest drinker there.

It's when I am preparing the supper I often have a glass of sherry which I really enjoy and now miss.

My conclusion to this dry month is that it has raised my awareness of my regular but smallish drinking habit and my need to cut back, which I intend to do.

Happy to say I love the Fever Tree light ginger beer which has become my drink of choice.

NanKate remember everyone always underestimates how much they drink!

Good post NanKate, agree with everything you say, except my tipple while cooking is usually a glass of red or white depending on mood. Will try the Fever Tree ginger, as said before do like their tonic, not tried the ginger (& I'll forget about the wee dram I have with ginger when feeling a cold coming on - just for medicinal reasons you understand......)
Keep going smiling everyone! x

baNana I have the light ginger beer of Fever Tree, they do a sweeter more calorific one as well.

I think I am about right with my estimate Suzied as I have on average 3 small glasses of sherry a week with a lump of ice in it. A Bacardi and half a coke on a Friday and a 175 ml glass of wine on a Saturday and Sunday. I wouldn't have thought that was above 10 units but if I may be wrong.

Ignore the if

Dry day 21...!!!

No

Congratulations to everyone still on the wagon - too many names to mention but you all know who you are Just keep on keeping on

Yes congratulations to all. At last I am finding it easier and am losing a small amount of weight. Hurray !

Result NanKate
????