Author Topic: Dry January - 2020  (Read 8815 times)

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Dry January - 2020
« Reply #50 on: 14 October, 2020, 06:16:41 pm »
It's not all that long ago that I was under 71kg - and I still remember how good it felt. But if I held off drinking until I was back at that weight, I'd probably never drink again...

Been hovering around 84kg for a while now. A few weeks off drinking hasn't made the slightest bit of difference to that! (Not that I expected it to.)
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

CrazyEnglishTriathlete

  • Miles eaten don't satisfy hunger
  • Chartered accountant in 5 different decades
    • CET Ride Reports and Blogs
Re: Dry January - 2020
« Reply #51 on: 15 October, 2020, 06:14:57 am »
It's not all that long ago that I was under 71kg - and I still remember how good it felt. But if I held off drinking until I was back at that weight, I'd probably never drink again...

Been hovering around 84kg for a while now. A few weeks off drinking hasn't made the slightest bit of difference to that! (Not that I expected it to.)

Giving up drinking in the winter stopped me putting weight on in the winter, but didn't have much impact on losing weight.  Giving up snacks and portion control, on the other hand - got my weight down last winter/spring from 90kg to 80kg.
Eddington Numbers 130 (imperial), 182 (metric) 571 (furlongs)  114 (nautical miles)

Re: Dry January - 2020
« Reply #52 on: 15 October, 2020, 10:58:01 am »
I've been "dry" for the last 6 or 7 weeks, I'm not sure when I last had a drink. It's probably helped with weight loss, given my alcohol consumption was less than moderate , amounting to at least an additional days calories each week. It does, or course, have other benefits - it's the longest break my liver has had for decades.

We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Re: Dry January - 2020
« Reply #53 on: 15 October, 2020, 06:23:26 pm »
It's not all that long ago that I was under 71kg - and I still remember how good it felt. But if I held off drinking until I was back at that weight, I'd probably never drink again...

Been hovering around 84kg for a while now. A few weeks off drinking hasn't made the slightest bit of difference to that! (Not that I expected it to.)

Surprised at that as cutting back alcohol is exactly what I do if I want to trim the weight a little. No other changes required. Currently sitting around 71kg (5’11” / 1.80m) as not visiting pubs at moment which keeps my alcohol intake at its minimum.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Dry January - 2020
« Reply #54 on: 30 October, 2020, 02:17:05 pm »
Damn, slight cock-up in the calendar department - bought a can of pop yesterday to enjoy this evening to celebrate having made it all the way through October without touching a drop but realised the month still has another day to go. Boo! Will have to save it for Sunday.

Generally, there have only been a couple of occasions where I felt I really needed a beer but I've overcome those - having a set target of lasting through October has made it a little easier to resist temptation, I must admit. Question is whether I'll still feel motivated to exercise moderation from next week onwards.

I knocked up a homebrew kit last weekend, which may be ready for bottling this weekend, and I might have to allow myself a taste. But then it will need a few weeks maturation before being ready to drink. Perhaps I can set that as a new target. I really have no desire to be permanently teetotal, I just need to avoid going back to routine drinking out of habit.

Surprised at that as cutting back alcohol is exactly what I do if I want to trim the weight a little.

As per CET's comment, the problem is perhaps more down to calories from other sources. But even if my weight is unchanged, I'm sure my liver has appreciated the break.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Dry January - 2020
« Reply #55 on: 30 October, 2020, 09:12:52 pm »
I may well have my first alcohol in nearly 2 months, and hopefully celebrate a concomitant 1st weight loss - I’m at 13.88 lbs thus far. After that I’ll be off it again until Christmas or the next stone down, whichever is the sooner.

ETA I’m not claiming the lack of booze has been responsible for the weight loss, that’s down to cutting down carbs and upping the exercise as well! 
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Dry January - 2020
« Reply #56 on: 30 October, 2020, 09:46:45 pm »
I should imagine the bottle of fizzy wine that we shared for my June birthday will be my only alcohol in 2020.

Re: Dry January - 2020
« Reply #57 on: 01 November, 2020, 09:42:58 am »
Thinking of doing a dry lockdown. No pubs will be open and the only social event booked in so far is a school fundraising Zoom quiz (which I'm being quizmaster for part of it) and that doesn't require booze.
"Yes please" said Squirrel "biscuits are our favourite things."

Re: Dry January - 2020
« Reply #58 on: 02 November, 2020, 01:56:28 pm »
Still dry. Still don't miss it. I would have a bit more money, but "£££ssential winter running gear" has more than seen off any savings. GF buys me alcohol free so I can have a drink when she has a G&T. Can't say I'm really that arsed by it. Don't get me wrong, I really love beer. I just don't enjoy the challenge of not drinking it all the time. Same with ice cream / biscuits / salted liquorice etc. I'm just so shit at willpower, it's so much easer to remove choices and have a rule that I don't have it in the house.

I would really go for some salty skulls right now.

Re: Dry January - 2020
« Reply #59 on: 02 November, 2020, 07:06:27 pm »
Yep, I’m with you on the (lack of) willpower front.  I too have alcohol free beers available (my wife doesn’t drink because medication) but even then I only have a couple on a Friday or Saturday evening with cheese and biscuits.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Re: Dry January - 2020
« Reply #60 on: 10 November, 2020, 07:55:54 pm »
Thinking of doing a dry lockdown. No pubs will be open and the only social event booked in so far is a school fundraising Zoom quiz (which I'm being quizmaster for part of it) and that doesn't require booze.

Last drink was the Wednesday before English lockdown 2.0.

Let's see if I can keep this up until the end of lockdown...
"Yes please" said Squirrel "biscuits are our favourite things."

Re: Dry January - 2020
« Reply #61 on: 11 November, 2020, 10:02:59 am »
And what did I try last night that wasn't bad at all? Guinness 0.0

What do I read this morning has been recalled by Guinness due to microbiological contamination? Guinness 0.0

At least I only had one.
"Yes please" said Squirrel "biscuits are our favourite things."

Chris S

Re: Dry January - 2020
« Reply #62 on: 11 November, 2020, 10:33:56 am »
At least I only had one.

It might only take one...

INCOMMMIIIIIIINNG!!!

rob

Re: Dry January - 2020
« Reply #63 on: 11 November, 2020, 10:38:08 am »
I hadn't seen the guinness offering.

I have recently tried Hoegarden 0.0 which was quite authentic.   Also see St Peters Without - I hadn't tasted bitter for an awful long time but I really like this.

Re: Dry January - 2020
« Reply #64 on: 11 November, 2020, 08:24:04 pm »
A colleague recommends Brewdog Nanny State. Not tried it yet.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Re: Dry January - 2020
« Reply #65 on: 11 November, 2020, 08:34:54 pm »
A colleague recommends Brewdog Nanny State. Not tried it yet.

Brewdog have a whole bunch. All rather hoppy. I tend to go for Nanny State or Punk AF.
"Yes please" said Squirrel "biscuits are our favourite things."

Re: Dry January - 2020
« Reply #66 on: 11 November, 2020, 08:49:58 pm »
Agree with Greenbank.
When we have a need for alcohol free beers and MrsC is doing the online order, I just ask for 'anything from Brewdog'.
"No matter how slow you go, you're still lapping everybody on the couch."

rob

Re: Dry January - 2020
« Reply #67 on: 11 November, 2020, 08:58:21 pm »
Nanny state is 0.5% along with a few others claiming to be AF.  Depends how strict you are.

Re: Dry January - 2020
« Reply #68 on: 11 November, 2020, 09:02:24 pm »
Nanny state is 0.5% along with a few others claiming to be AF.  Depends how strict you are.

Fresh orange juice and burger buns will probably contain more alcohol than modern alcohol free beers.
"Yes please" said Squirrel "biscuits are our favourite things."

rob

Re: Dry January - 2020
« Reply #69 on: 11 November, 2020, 09:07:22 pm »
Nanny state is 0.5% along with a few others claiming to be AF.  Depends how strict you are.

Fresh orange juice and burger buns will probably contain more alcohol than modern alcohol free beers.

Yes but you’ll agree that a beer that advertises itself as alcohol free but is actually 0.5% is a tad misleading ?

Re: Dry January - 2020
« Reply #70 on: 11 November, 2020, 09:26:03 pm »
Nanny state is 0.5% along with a few others claiming to be AF.  Depends how strict you are.

Fresh orange juice and burger buns will probably contain more alcohol than modern alcohol free beers.

Yes but you’ll agree that a beer that advertises itself as alcohol free but is actually 0.5% is a tad misleading ?

That's the pesky EU for you, they allow you to put "Alcohol Free" on anything that is below 0.5% ABV.

In the UK if they use "Alcohol Free" it has to be under 0.05% ABV.

https://www.beveragedaily.com/Article/2020/01/31/Low-alcohol-and-alcohol-free-EU-and-UK-regulations

Companies don't bother to change the cans because they don't want different packaging for different countries.
"Yes please" said Squirrel "biscuits are our favourite things."

rob

Re: Dry January - 2020
« Reply #71 on: 11 November, 2020, 09:32:45 pm »
I nearly got caught out buying beers in Calais*. You have to read the labels quite carefully.  I will drink the trace alcohol beers (0.05%) but not the 0.5% ones.

I’m quite enjoying the range of gin-like drinks and M&S now do 0% white and rose wines.




* those were the days

Re: Dry January - 2020
« Reply #72 on: 12 November, 2020, 12:02:31 pm »
Ian has explained at length elsewhere, but there's probably little that is truly alcohol free- bread contains some. And the 0.5% is an absolute maximum, and likely represents the minimum readily detectable level. So even if it says "AF" the small print will contain some refernce to not exceeding 0.5% I suspect.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Re: Dry January - 2020
« Reply #73 on: 12 November, 2020, 12:05:46 pm »
Ian has explained at length elsewhere, but there's probably little that is truly alcohol free- bread contains some. And the 0.5% is an absolute maximum, and likely represents the minimum readily detectable level. So even if it says "AF" the small print will contain some refernce to not exceeding 0.5% I suspect.

Read the link I posted. Or this one: https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/facts/alcoholic-drinks-and-units/difference-between-alcoholic-and-non-alcoholic-beers

In the UK "Alcohol Free" must be under 0.05% ABV.
"Yes please" said Squirrel "biscuits are our favourite things."

Re: Dry January - 2020
« Reply #74 on: 16 November, 2020, 09:26:05 am »
Ah, I got my decimal point in the wrong place!

A minor success this past weekend. The previous weekend, as a reward for managing 2 months "dry", plus getting down to 13st weight, I had some wine.  In itself that was quite good in that I had just one bottle spread over fri and sat evenings.  Then this weekend, I once again was able to resist temptation and have a "dry" weekend.  All the better because I now have wine down in the shed, whereas previously I had none in the house.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)