Dry January? Veganuary? How’s it going?

Noones forcing anyone to do it, and if you don’t see the point, fine.

Don’t see any point to either, going vegan or giving up the odd glass of hooch.Especially for just a month.

I use agave nectar instead of honey.

I don’t drink alcohol and have been vegetarian off and on all my life so am finding it very easy to go vegan. I’ve bought supplies to cook lots of middle eastern and Indian recipes. Flatbreads, grains and vegetables are cheap and good for us.
I also bought a kg tub of peanut butter, which I love and keep dipping a finger in.

When my husband was alive I drank quite a bit because he was a drinker and I tended to have one if he was having one. Since his death it doesn't often cross my mind to pour an alcoholic drink, I love coffee! So no need for me to go dry. As usual I put on a few extra pounds at Christmas so am now watching carefully what I eat as I want to get rid of the extra pounds, having spent 2 years losing quite a lot of weight. I have no wish to be a vegan myself but chose to eat a healthy basic diet with lots of vegetables, salad and fruit, some meat and fish, and as little processed food as possible. January for me is always a kick start month for everything that needs improving!!!

The thinking is that some people use it as a starting point to change their habits for good. Some do, too.

Many people find they cut down on the alcohol after Dry January. That’s not a bad thing is it?

It seems ridiculous to me to do it for one month and then spend the rest of the year “toxing”....detoxing for one month will do nothing for your health unless you stop altogether!

I didn’t think I would stick to dry January but have cut back to only having a glass of wine on Friday and Saturday. Don’t know if I am feeling better or not. Woke up with a headache this morning! We eat lots of vegetables but don’t follow a strict vegan/vegetarian diet. I’m trying to lose weight and use the local gym more and find that is taking far more will power than cutting back on alcohol.

I drink very little alcohol because I don't like the taste of it, but we do live in a culture dominated by the acceptance of drinking alcohol, and in the run up to christmas and new year it would be easy to drink far more than usual.
It seems to me that jumping on the dry January wagon might help people to asses their increased intake, and cut back for a time rather than continuing to escalate without thinking about it.

No one is telling anyone what to eat or drink - its a free choice, I am enjoying the challenge and feeling fitter and more energetic, plus my excema has improved, so I suspect dairy free is the way to go for me. I was interested in whether anyone else was doing this post-Christmas detox, and how they were getting on. Lots of people do dry January, and Veganuary has become more mainstream too.

I don't drink much so don't take any notice of "Dry January".

I don't eat lots of meat & enjoy fish so I'm not going to give up on those, I eat lots of vegetables all year round, local produce & in season not imported where possible.

I don't like being told what to eat/drink much preferring to follow a healthy diet for my Diabetes.

The only thing I have done is start a Pilates class (new one set up after Christmas), I'm enjoying it, makes me feel good

Ah, GabrielleG, if we had your will-power, then we probably wouldn't think we need to be doing a dry January! (We're not all perfect in this regard.)

I'm doing dry January but my DH isn't - I was hoping he would join me. I've done it before and don't find it too difficult but I was hoping to lose some weight but haven't. I usually have a couple of small glasses of wine each evening with dinner and a g & t on a weekend. I'm hoping to have two alcohol free days a week once we get to February.

grannysyb, I'm sure bees actually make their honey for other bees, not people. Just as cow's/goat's milk etc. should be for their own young. Instead, the calves are whisked away and fed on artificial stuff while humans steal the milk meant for them. It's pretty disgraceful, exploitive behaviour when you really think about how badly humans treat animals.

Who's making money? 'Ive saved loads.

If your liver and kidneys all work there is no medical need to 'detox'! Your body does it for you every day. Just another money making fad

Hopefully in February I will have given my body a detox and will continue to avoid dairy products and eat vegan where possible, although I won’t be precious about it e.g. if eating out or at friends house etc. I will cut down on alcohol, enjoy a glass or two but not every night. We shall see, I’m actively enjoying it so far.

grannysyb

Vegans do not agree with the exploitation of animals/insects.

What happens in February then???

Why is honey not vegan? We need bees!

Personally, I can't understand DAVID1968's taping up and hiding of wine and spirits.
Isn't will power enough?

Skweekl may I suggest HEMP milk which is what I use. But in my area only Waitrose and Tesco and Holland and Barrett sell it (more expensive) but if you are a Sainsbury shopper it wont be on the shelf unfortunately.

My d is doing it she is a veggitarian any way. She said to me
Her skin is lovely and she has no bloating of the stomach and feeling really well. She followed a lot of recipes and in Tesco they are selling vegan food, she said the sough dough pizza was very nice. Tesco has called them wicked. Give it a go.

I'm with megram January is cold, miserable and depressing. Not the right time for me to be giving up any of life's little treats but I admire those of you who are doing it!