Author Topic: Dry January - 2022 (Read 37499 times)

CrazyEnglishTriathlete · « **Reply #400 on:** 10 January, 2022, 09:17:17 pm »

I have a nightmare project at the moment, inheriting someone else's mess, with promises made to the customer that can't be kept. The whisky bottle has remained untouched, but Friday night felt very long.

Ashaman42 · « **Reply #401 on:** 10 January, 2022, 09:30:32 pm »

Only Day 1 for me but that is as planned.

I had an Erdleberdle this evening (I know 0.5% is technically still a drink but eh, I'm not avoiding orange juice either apart from the fact we don't often buy it) but I'm not planning to replace every beer with them. Just the occasional one so as to have something more interesting than water.

Previous times I've given up for a spell I haven't noticed any sleep improvement but I'm hoping to this time.

Paul · « **Reply #402 on:** 10 January, 2022, 11:49:49 pm »

Has anyone signed up to the app? It’s quite motivational and the daily emails are very interesting on the effects, benefits and differences between people.

Paul · « **Reply #403 on:** 10 January, 2022, 11:52:17 pm »

Quote from: CrazyEnglishTriathlete on 10 January, 2022, 09:17:17 pm

I have a nightmare project at the moment, inheriting someone else's mess, with promises made to the customer that can't be kept. The whisky bottle has remained untouched, but Friday night felt very long.

Well done. I have several situations that make me want to drink, including work stress. Getting through those situations once makes the next time a bit easier.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #404 on:** 11 January, 2022, 12:01:20 pm »

Dry strength waves to all doing this.

TimC · « **Reply #405 on:** 11 January, 2022, 02:47:51 pm »

Quote from: Paul on 10 January, 2022, 11:49:49 pm

Has anyone signed up to the app? It’s quite motivational and the daily emails are very interesting on the effects, benefits and differences between people.

Try Dry? I did last year, and quite liked it. I ditched it afterwards, but still get the emails. I use the NHS 'drink-free days' app these days, which I feel is a bit less naggy but does hold me to account perfectly well.

citoyen · « **Reply #406 on:** 11 January, 2022, 04:27:46 pm »

Quote from: TimC on 11 January, 2022, 02:47:51 pm

Quote from: Paul on 10 January, 2022, 11:49:49 pm
Has anyone signed up to the app? It’s quite motivational and the daily emails are very interesting on the effects, benefits and differences between people.

Try Dry? I did last year, and quite liked it. I ditched it afterwards, but still get the emails. I use the NHS 'drink-free days' app these days, which I feel is a bit less naggy but does hold me to account perfectly well.

I use the Dry Days app which sends me a reminder every morning to log whether or not I had a drink yesterday but otherwise doesn't pester me - it offers a link to the online community within the app but I've never used it.

It's also nicely non-judgmental if you log that you did have a drink. And as well as giving you virtual trophies, it tells you how much money you've saved by not drinking, which is quite a powerful motivator (and makes me realise why I didn't save any money during lockdown despite not having to pay for a monthly train season ticket

).

https://drydays.me

Wowbagger · « **Reply #407 on:** 11 January, 2022, 09:19:26 pm »

Are there apps? I just don't drink any alcohol when I don't want to drink alcohol.

John Stonebridge · « **Reply #408 on:** 13 January, 2022, 09:34:16 am »

I started using the Try Dry app last January and have kept it going since. Its an easy way to record dry days - Ive found it most useful in tracking / targettting x dry days in a month - the fact that part way through a month I knew I could get to 25 or whatever in a month by sticking to tea / juice etc for y remaining days in the month was helpful.

If its helpful to anybody doing Dry Jan Id recommend ginger beer (Bundaberg if poss) with lime cordial or tonic water with a dash of bitters as good adult alcohol free drinks. Imho Maesels Weisse and Schneider weisse are the best alcohol free wheat beers, I source these online from Beersniffers, but Erdinger isnt too shabby and is widely available.

CrazyEnglishTriathlete · « **Reply #409 on:** 14 January, 2022, 09:04:22 pm »

Friday nights are always the toughest. But am sticking to peppermint tea.

chrisbainbridge · « **Reply #410 on:** 14 January, 2022, 09:48:25 pm »

Now day 8. Not sure if it is the abstinence or just being away but have cycled three days. All really hard sessions with multiple PBs. Pretty sure it is the abstinence or placebo effect.

I have been drinking tonic zero but had an alcohol free beer tonight.
Overall I am feeling much better and the fitness feels good.
I am finding it weird as I did not think the alcohol had that much effect but it clearly does.

Ashaman42 · « **Reply #411 on:** 14 January, 2022, 10:39:31 pm »

I've not noticed any better sleep yet but I hold out hope.

I've managed my first Friday of restraint. Had a root beer (saw it in Tesco the other day and bought one - it's odd but i think I like it) and an Erdinger.

And now I've got water which is a bit dull but should hopefully mean I find it a bit easier to get out on the bike in the morning for a spell.

citoyen · « **Reply #412 on:** 14 January, 2022, 10:42:28 pm »

I had a taste of something alcoholic last night but I'm not counting it.

Around midnight, I had to go down the road to ask the neighbours to turn the music down so I could get back to sleep. Turns out it was someone's 30th birthday party and they wouldn't let me leave until I'd had a drink with them. Not entirely sure what it was - I think rum and coke - but I drank about half of it, so call that half a measure of rum.

Felt terrible this morning but I put that down to the disturbed sleep rather than the alcohol.

CJ · « **Reply #413 on:** 15 January, 2022, 08:55:04 am »

Day 15 for me. I'd recommend the Try Dry app as I find it motivating in the sense that I'd be really disappointed to ruin my dry streak with a little gray square rather than a lovely yellow one. Motivation and accountability comes in many forms, I suppose.

I'm glad that I'm having a proper break rather then cutting down but it's not all positive. I've been bored, irritable, sleepless, and droggy in the mornings. On the positive side, I can run with ease, my cycling fitness is coming back and I have loads more energy.

Basil · « **Reply #414 on:** 15 January, 2022, 11:14:51 am »

Yup. Day 15 here too. Finally noticing better sleep and waking.
Mrs B getting annoyed at my early morning cheerfulness.
I'm still not convinced that I'll last the whole month, but we'll see.

hellymedic · « **Reply #415 on:** 15 January, 2022, 04:14:22 pm »

Quote from: chrisbainbridge on 14 January, 2022, 09:48:25 pm

Now day 8. Not sure if it is the abstinence or just being away but have cycled three days. All really hard sessions with multiple PBs. Pretty sure it is the abstinence or placebo effect.
I have been drinking tonic zero but had an alcohol free beer tonight.
Overall I am feeling much better and the fitness feels good.
I am finding it weird as I did not think the alcohol had that much effect but it clearly does.

Alcohol inhibits hepatic gluconeogenesis.

If you are doing low-carb, there will be little glucose & glycogen available for your muscles. Add alcohol and you reduce scant production...

Basil · « **Reply #416 on:** 15 January, 2022, 04:30:11 pm »

Well, looks like I'll drink on the 29th. I've just booked a table for the St Dwynwen's day dinner at our local restaurant.
Yes, I know that's not the correct date, but tell the restaurant, not me.

T42 · « **Reply #417 on:** 16 January, 2022, 09:17:59 am »

Quote from: hellymedic on 15 January, 2022, 04:14:22 pm

Alcohol inhibits hepatic gluconeogenesis.

If you are doing low-carb, there will be little glucose & glycogen available for your muscles. Add alcohol and you reduce scant production...

Add 500 mg Metformin with every meal for the full effect.

I did, just once, around 30 years ago.

hellymedic · « **Reply #418 on:** 16 January, 2022, 03:51:03 pm »

The other side is I discovered how quickly alcohol went to the head when the carbs were down.

Cycled 100 miles to hotel, freshened up & changed, went down to bar, friend bought me half a pint of cider and I felt really drunk...

T42 · « **Reply #419 on:** 16 January, 2022, 04:07:20 pm »

I reckon it'd hit you even harder if you'd spent January not drinking. I've spent the last 27 years not drinking, and I can feel the effects of the residual plonk in a boeuf bourgignon. Not pleasurable either, just a swift vasodilation headache & a hot face.

hellymedic · « **Reply #420 on:** 16 January, 2022, 04:32:47 pm »

I now drink so infrequently, it would all hit me quite quickly.

I'm unable to exercise now.

My last alcohol was a mulled wine, some 5 weeks ago. I was not carb depleted and there was probably a fair bit of sugar in the glass. I can't say I noticed any effect of the alcohol.

I've been drinking Strongbow since I was 8 and have been able to drink Glaswegians under the table.

But my response to a single post-ride drink was exceptional for me.

MikeFromLFE · « **Reply #421 on:** 16 January, 2022, 08:05:19 pm »

Quote from: hellymedic on 16 January, 2022, 04:32:47 pm

I now drink so infrequently, it would all hit me quite quickly.

I very rarely drink alcohol, and never have drunk much.
Last year, one warm evening (remember them?) I downed a pint of shandy.
I was uncontrollably giggly, much to the amusement of Mrs M.
I would have been incapable of driving safely which, I think, goes to say something about the rulez.

Ashaman42 · « **Reply #422 on:** 16 January, 2022, 08:20:04 pm »

Aldi do an ultra low alcohol rhubarb and ginger liquer. A glug of that in some soda water is rather tasty.

Basil · « **Reply #423 on:** 18 January, 2022, 10:51:20 am »

Oh well, that's me out.

Still, that was a most enjoyable gin and tonic.

citoyen · « **Reply #424 on:** 18 January, 2022, 11:01:55 am »

I woke up at 4am today - naturally, not caused by outside influences - and felt like I'd actually had a night's sleep. I wonder if this is the benefits of abstinence starting to kick in (two full weeks now).