[Closed] 31 days without a drink ? Seems a healthy idea !

Me too, I'm drinking too much so need to reset my tolerance to a lower level.

I know what you mean, habit forming so I like to take a month or so off at least once a year !

Being a weird one, I give up drinking over xmas and new year, so I'm already 2 weeks in.
But we will see how long I can continue with going back to work...

I am planning on giving it a go,the hardest bit is going to be doing a cross race and not having a few beers when i get home.The plan is to stay dry till i go to the watch the worlds at the beginning of february.

Did it last year, felt pretty brilliant by the end of the month. Not a heavy drinker by most measures either.

Regularly go 31 days without an alcoholic drink passing my lips , I can't understand why people make such a big thing about abstaining.

Not for me. January is dark and miserable as it is.

I can’t jnderstand why people do these silly challenges...
Everything in moderation and all that.
If you fancy a beer, have one, life’s short.

I’m not doing it as a challenge, just a behavioural change for a few weeks. Life is indeed short and I find a break is as good as a rest.

Fair enough, just watch out for the relapse blow out at the end of the month!

😀

One of the easiest ways of losing weight is to give up the booze if you are a session drinker. But keeping off it is indeed the challenge.

I simply don’t drink enough to consider stopping. An average week will be 2-3 beers and nothing else. I like the taste of a nice beer and I’m not anywhere near the recommended limits so why bother? Even last night, New Years Eve, I had 2 small lagers and one pint of bitter..... that’s enough because I don’t like feeling drunk, the disturbed sleep or the hangover. 🙂

TBH I only really take drinking up for Christmas 🙂

ITs not a bad thing though having a rest from it , you’ll appreciate it more when you have one as opposed to necking it.

One of the most useful things to learn is self-regulation and I too subscribe to the 'everything in moderation' approach.

However, we each have our own poison's, I'm thankful that alcohol for me, isn't one of mine. 😉

Not for me ..I don't go to pubs other than a post ride pint ..but I do enjoy a drink at home ..in moderation and not every evening.
One small nip last night ..and that was it ..
Good luck with it though ..

A plus one from me for Peter Poddy and Jonny M.

This was always the plan as part of my healthy living approach to running my first half marathon. Which was scheduled for 21st Jan. Now it's 14th of Jan so depending how that goes, a post race beer might slip through.

I did it a couple of years ago. Definitely felt better. But some of that isn't eating rubbish food when you've had a few beers I'm sure. It's the post ride beer I missed most esp after a grim trog through endless mud.

Everyone hit by the flu in the house this crimbo so nearly weeks without a drink- healthy Christmas....

I did it a few years ago and noticed absolutely no difference in health or weight so not going to bother again as it was hard going and boring when there were social gatherings at the pub or someone's birthday it just felt like denying myself a bit of pleasure for no reward.

I dont drink a lot anyway. Maybe 4 pints of cider or a bottle of wine per week max. I am however going to do no mid week drinking for probably the rest of the winter just to make sure there are plenty of alcohol free days and make sure the amount doesn't creep up.

I'm contemplating it, but with work looming tomorrow the will is growing weaker.

Cant be bothered this year .

I'm aff it too. Did the January thing a few years ago and it's been wonderful, now only have a drink really on special(ish) occasions now. December did see me consume more than the rest of the year put together and I feel rotten.

I’m doing it too though I did have a couple this side of NYE 🙄
Drunk far too much of late, and do generally.
Went to Llandegla last week and realised just how shit I am in a bike ATM so this plus getting some sort of training plan underway for a sportive in 8 weeks seems a good idea. What I would have spent on booze I plan on giving to MacMillan - might just be the extra added incentive I need to keep me on track!

I'll stop when It's all gone.

& wev'e still got LOADS! 😆

Well done to the people who don't really drink telling us they see no point in stopping drinking as they don't really drink. 😐

The Mrs and I are giving it a go as we had been having too much grog lately. No nights out to speak of but plenty of beers while cooking, wine with tea, v&t's to wind down with in the bath after work etc.

As said above, this month will allow us to reset our sensible limits come February.

Like the above I just can't see the point in giving up as I just drink sensibility all year round with natural breaks in drinking alcohol of 1-5 days at any time.
I also really can't see the point in stopping and then bingeing, that's just kidding yourself that you are in control and don't have a problem with alcohol.

seems to me people are just drinking too much in the first place

I stopped this time last year for a couple of months, felt great but my god it was boring! It did change my attitude to alcohol in a good way though - I've been drinking far more in moderation this year (occasional binge excepted). Instead of hunting for the next bender I've been generally much happier just having a couple of beers or driving and saving cash.
This year I'm just going to carry on with the moderate approach.

seems to me[i]some[/i] people are just drinking too much in the first place

Managed 6 months last year - Jan through June and then another couple of months September to November.

Definitely felt better for it. Will do at least January again this year and see how it goes.

Well done to the people who don't really drink telling us they see no point in stopping drinking as they don't really drink.

😆

Not drinking is easy, taking a break from the spliff however... 😯

Like I said, we all have our poisons 😉

I barely drink anyway - perhaps a couple of beers a month.

I drink far too much.

For the stoptober thing, Instead of saying I was packing in completely, I just cut it right back. So still having a post ride pint or two, but not drinking at home. Not just nipping out to the pub at the drop of a hat

I’m doing the same this month

Unless I encounter too many of the type of people who come on to a thread about packing in drinking to say that they don’t drink anyway

They’d definitely make me want to start drinking very heavily, on general pronciple

I packed it in for a month a while back and was actually quite disappointed how little different I felt. Perhaps I wasn't caning it as much as I thought. But it's not a bad thing for me to give it a miss at home. Gives me a reason to use the local more and that can't be a bad thing.

Regularly go 31 days without an alcoholic drink passing my lips.

Same, I do wonder how some of my mates can drink every night and moreover how they’d get on if they didn’t.

The vet put me on some happy pills last month which I cant drink on, I can honestly say that i have not missed drinking at all.

In the past I have with out going cold turkey. I'm drinking more than my normal amount of wine at the moment so I aim to cut down on that without giving up altogether.

seems to mesome people are just drinking too much in the first place

There, that's me [s]better[/s]

FTFY.

Odd though, cos when I did nights, 7 in a row, I never even thought about a drink at all till the Monday night after I finished.
I knew some staff who'd have 4 cans after a nightshift before they went to bed!

I'm dry one week in three whilst being on call for work. I'm a moderate drinker in the other two weeks though. Trying to have dry days in those two weeks seems harder than a whole week somehow. I'm cycling up Mt Ventoux in June, so planning on having dry midweek nights after training, though I might be better having a drink afterwards as an incentive to get out.

I have a mini keg already sitting on the table for next weekend but after that I'm cutting back to moderate weekend drinking only (and crisps/ chocolate only on w/e too)

I've got a 2 week course of antibiotics to start tomorrow so hoping that will make it easier to go at least a full month without a drink.

I've got a stone to lose too, and as most of my excess calories come from booze, this should help with that. I'm a habitual drinker and drink more days than I don't, so I need to change that 🙂

Decided to knock the beer on the head at end of October, apart from one on Xmas eve and one on Xmas day, I've stuck to it.

Dropped a shit load of weight, this has been helped by eating cleaner too and cutting back on the carbs too.

Glad I did it, it's been great and I don't miss it, though I will have a few on holiday this summer I'm sure.

Nobeerinthefridge - drastic measures to live up to your forum name 😀

Well played though, good you’ve stuck to it. Not a lot of beers here, but the wine was getting a bit too regular over December !

My old neighbours used to drink two bottles of red a night minimum so I can understand why some it may work for some people, personally I’ll drink when I want and not drink when I want
Giving up for a month is pointless

I may have to change the name Iain, nobeerinthenobeer?...

😀

If the thought of giving it up for a month fills you with dread or it’s something you think you might find slightly difficult you really need to take a long hard look at yourself! I honestly wouldn’t be fussed if someone said you could never drink again.

You could say the same thing about loads of things. People like/love different things. Not wanting to go without something for a month doesn't mean it's a problem.

I did 3 months once to get my insomnia under control (it worked). Didn't feel any healthier, but it probably was! 🙂

Doing it too, day 1 done, had two pints of Pepsi Max instead last night ... Not the same 🙁

Last new years I decided to give up/cut out as much as possible.

Thought it would be hard (I used to enjoy having a nice bottle or two of ale in the evening).

Only drank twice last year and both times were with work e.g. the Christmas party.

Feel so much better for not drinking (improved sleep is very noticeable).

Will carry it on for good.

newrobdob - Member
If the thought of giving it up for a month fills you with dread or it’s something you think you might find slightly difficult you really need to take a long hard look at yourself! I honestly wouldn’t be fussed if someone said you could never drink again.

POSTED 7 HOURS AGO # REPORT-POST

Not really, I would find it's difficult to give up lots of things for a month; drinking tea, cycling, reading the news etc. Doesn't mean anything apart from I enjoy all of those things.

I'll join you in the Dry January Club Iain.
Cheers!

I'm in too, Iain!

Tried it a few years ago and managed three weeks. Will power generally a bit stronger now, so feeling confident.

The (possibly limited) medical research that's been done suggests that people who do a dry month tend to then moderate their drinking for the rest of the year, so longer term benefits.

Me too, the glass recycling bin was rather embarrassing (and truth be told has been for a while).

Good stuff, nice to hear that a few others are doing it too ! I’d reflect what a few have said, and as I said in my OP, that I’m looking to see if it makes me a bit healthier, that’s all. A reset and a break, surely that’s a good thing....

I think booze and giving it up, whilst obvious, depends so much on your personal circumstances. When I lived in London, before I had children , giving up booze would be so difficult. Social occasions, nights out, a quick pint with workmates , a pint whilst watching the football with the #lads on a sunday etc. So for those in that situation I sympathise and good on you for trying .

Now that I have children, don't live near any pubs, never go out and wake up at 6am most mornings, not drinking is easy, almost a requirement. If there was a culture of a pint at the pub after a ride id find it hard to say no.

What I can say is I certainly feel better for not drinking, I wouldn't have missed the social side in that Laaandan for anything. so everyones reasons and circumstances are different , is what I'm trying to say! Good luck to those knocking the sauce on the head!

Is there a need to give up entirely? Genuine question as a non drinker

Circumstances is about right, I'm currently a year without alcohol after giving it up(accidentally) this time last year. In my previous life I was involved in running clubs/DJ so copious amounts of drink & drugs were the order of the day most days and weekends. Those were wild days but things change my crew have grown up, got kids...

I don't go to clubs anymore, but ultimately I just got bored with drinking. The decision was made easier by the ridcoulous greed and overindulgence at this time of year.

I don't feel any better or worse, so do it if you feel like it...

I'll certainly be cutting down, but I won't be giving up completely. I don't drink that much anyway but will probably stop the mid week gins.

My wife's away skiing for a week so will probably have two weeks with no alcohol.

Is there a need to give up entirely? Genuine question as a non drinker

Not for me, no. But it's nice to cut back on food and alcohol after the over indulgence during the festive season. And I've got about 4 or 5kg of winter insulation I'd like to shift.

Regularly go 31 days without an alcoholic drink passing my lips , I can't understand why people make such a big thing about abstaining.

Have been WAY to saucy at the back end of the year so me and the wifey are off it too. Trouble is the house is still full of booze from Christmas despite my best efforts to eliminate the scourge. Need to drop a few pounds and get the fitness back for 2018 although my first bike commute of the year (driven in today and was going to ride home and back in in the morning) has been scuppered by Storm Eleanor, don't fancy riding in 50mph winds PAH!

Anyone else attempting this who has a birthday in the middle of the month? It's always the biggest challenge for me. But this year, as mentioned above, I just feel genuinely bored with drinking so maybe it will be easier this time.

although my first bike commute of the year (driven in today and was going to ride home and back in in the morning) has been scuppered by Storm Eleanor, don't fancy riding in 50mph winds PAH

Same here, although scuppered by a stinking cold. Think I'll be off it the rest of the week and back in full flow on the 8th (as long as it's not icy).

Anyone else attempting this who has a birthday in the middle of the month? It's always the biggest challenge for me.

If you're doing it to lose weight or reduce consumption, rather than because you have a problem, then surely there's no problem having one night off?

My wife and I have decided to go "low January", mostly to lose some Christmas weight. We reckon giving up drinking on week nights should do the trick. It's a pretty easy way of reducing calories.

Unless I encounter too many of the type of people who come on to a thread about packing in drinking to say that they don’t drink anyway

They’d definitely make me want to start drinking very heavily, on general principle

Life is so much better without, most pubs will now do a pot of tea for two, if not i go get the teapot out the car with Tetley in and ask em to fill it with their best hot.

Really?

31 days without alcohol? easy.
31 days without coffee? **** that.

[url= http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/health/non-alcoholics-enjoying-pretend-battle-with-drink-2015010694117 ]Non-alcoholics enjoying a pretend battle with drink.[/url]

Well I can’t say I’m missing it, let’s see how the weekend goes !

Good luck matey. Should be a piece of cake, I'm doing 2018 T-total myself.

Are we doing progress reports?

We decided on an impromptu couple of days in the lakes. The plan was to go out walking today but the weather was absolutely biblical so we spent the afternoon in the pub instead

Now having a nice glass of Malbec, listening to the rain hammering against the windows (the kind faces look in at) and we’ve concluded that not drinking in January, when it’s cold, wet, miserable and generally depressing is a really, really bloody stupid idea

Chin chin

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😀

Good luck chilled, all the best.

I'll be mostly tee total from now on I reckon, but will still enjoy a beer or 3 on holiday or social occasions.

Really loving the weight loss, no snoring And freshness of mind of a morning.

So far so good - I'll even cope with a dry Birthday on Saturday.

I'm going to do no mid week alcohol January....from next week, because I only go back to work on Monday 8th, so I'm still on my hols 😀

Anyway, I've been a fish eating veggie for a whole 2 days now, so I have enough going on.

*cheers* Binners

Yep, all good so far. Have not felt the benefit of a clear head due to ANOTHER cold though.

I'm giving up drinking spirits, in the house, on weekdays.

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