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Wife's birthday on Wednesday, so we're planning to fail at the last hurdle - quite interested to see how easily we'll get pissed after a month of abstention 🫣
Had a few on Saturday, we were out with friends and since I've more than met my expectations I'm happy to indulge (moderately!) when there's good reason.
Sunday morning was a nice reminder of why I want to get into better habits, I stayed dry the rest of the day and didn't fall into the trap of chasing the hangover.
Back to feeling brighter this morning and watching my weight slowly trend downwards 👍
@jeffl I have noticed a very similar pattern with my sleep and resting HR. Also my HRV has improved, and my beat-to-beat interval extended. (can't export my data from polar quite so nicely tho)
It feels really good, and I've only had one poor night's sleep since Jan 2, and that was a late curry rather than booze. Very keen to keep that sleep and HR improvement going, so need to think about what Feb looks like
Samsung doesn't give quite as much detail for sleep patterns as Garmin, but one thing I have noticed this month - my blood oxygen is consistently higher (a good thing)
Slightly weird thing - been weighing myself (but naked, straight after getting out of bed) every few days since the start of the year. in the first 2 weeks I lost 2Kg, but have not lost anything at all in the last 2 weeks, just been floating around the same number.
This is despite the fact that I am *definitely* getting smaller - i.e. one of my waterproofs fits me noticeably looser than it did 2 weeks ago, and it was pretty much too tight around Christmas time, and I can now button up all the buttons on a size M flannel shirt which I couldn't do a few weeks ago haha. Even my face is a bit trimmer. I do feel like I prefer this metric but it's a bit unscientific.
I've done about 2 weights sessions this year and otherwise just been riding/running/zwifting loads so if anything I expect I would have lost muscle too. Curious! I'm not super bothered as I am feeling a lot fitter and spritelier but it would be nice to slightly raise the old W/Kg figure lol.
"Had a Butcombe Goram AF 0.05%"
Thank you, I shall see if I can find some of that as I like the full strength stuff.
Is that using the Garmin watch, or the chest strap?
Here we are then, the last day of Jan. Who is still with us? Who's going to celebrate with a drink tomorrow and who is going to keep the dryness going? I'm going for no booze February at least.
As mentioned above somewhere, I'm doing a Damp January, and the plan is to keep it going at the very least until Valentine's Day, and ideally beyond that keep following the same plan as @mrb123:
Post January I’m thinking of trying to follow a “rule of threes”, I.e. maximum of 3 drinks, 3 days a week.
(and that would be Fri/Sat/Sun, strictly nothing during the week).
I've been more or less doing that this month, and according to my Garmin it's fine (i.e. the beer has no noticeable effect) when it comes to sleep and recovery.
Still here (apart from my aforementioned 3-pint night off).
Got a couple of nights out with drink planned in Feb, but mainly looking at reducing home drinking significantly (since nights out are not v common).
One of my colleagues, also doing DJ, has suggested that a few of us have a Teams call with a drink at the end of today to celebrate.
I'm gonna pass on that 😀
Ironic as part of our business is helping people make healthy changes like this.
Still in it, if eating a rum chocolate truffle yesterday doesn't count.
I am going to celebrate tonight with a nice cold 0.0% beer and keep it going into February. Had the best sleep in years this month and saved a ton of cash.
Here we are then, the last day of Jan. Who is still with us? Who’s going to celebrate with a drink tomorrow and who is going to keep the dryness going? I’m going for no booze February at least.
As mentioned before - Jan, Feb and March as a minumum goal for me.
I'm aiming to not have a beer until it's officially beer garden weather, then I may be tempted
I’m still here, and will be for the foreseeable…
trying to get some erdinger grapefruit in North Tyneside is impossible…
Still going on the dry January & not sure I really have much inclination to change things going into Feb.
Weight still not really shifting despite me cutting out loads of booze calories & the associated munchies that go with it.
I'm also eating much better with less snacking & eating mainly fruit for snacks while at work.
Debating giving MyFitnessPal a go for a few weeks, just to track whether I am being as good as I think I am.
"I’m aiming to not have a beer until it’s officially beer garden weather"
A cunning plan, I like that.
Ah yeah, beer garden weather might upset my plan of going a full year with no booze.
Also my HRV has improved
Have noticed this also.
Got a couple of birthdays to get through in Feb including my own, but generally I'll carry this on as I'm fairly confident they won't lead me back into old habits.
Mallorca in March usually involves a post-ride beer or two but should be fine as it never gets excessive!
have had 3 nights off in the month, and 3 'home measure' drinks on each of those nights, so pretty pleased with it and will keep the approach going for the foreseeable I reckon.
Still in. Met friends out for food last night - had a Ghost Ship 0.5% which was awful, so followed that with a Doom Bar version which was beyond bad…disgusting even. Guinness 0% is very nice in comparison.
It’ll be a AF Peroni in the pub post-ride later, then meeting a mate tomorrow afternoon for a few pints of 4.6% Blue Monkey Infinity 🍺🍺.
I plan on not drinking as much as I used to though as I find the Guinness like nice in its own right.
I plan on not drinking as much as I used to though
I do a month or more off each (well most) year/s and always finish with this sentiment. It generally lasts a little while until my addictive personality gets the better of me and I return to normal (read excessive) consumption levels before too long
I have certainly slept and recovered better over the last month. Generally got a bit more energy, although feeling just as knackered in the mornings. I have been running more this month too. 3-4 times a week whereas it was 2-3max. I hate to say it, but my performance is better and I feel at my fittest for a quite some time. This is not just cutting out alcohol, but also strict counting of my calories, drinking 2ltrs of water a day and no caffeine after 2pm.
Garmin stats are pretty conclusive too - really good to see it like this. Stats since Oct:
Body Battery score:
HR:
Sleep score:
Granted, I did have my 50th birthday in Oct, Fat Boy Slim long weekender in Nov, and Xmas/NYE in Dec, but still you can see the fluctuations throughout the months.
Still in, even on Feb 1st! Will see how the month goes...
Also seen similar benefits in Garmin-measured sleep score, resting heart rate and HRV 🙂
I didn't start in the first so going up to the weekend.... Lol tomorrow in other words 🥳
Well I've done my 31 days, and not feeling any need to have a drink.
Having those sleep scores and HRV improvements as objective evidence alongside feeling better has increased the incentive to keep going
A mate has just ticked off a year without a drink, and feeling good on it....
I haven’t drank for Jan. Can’t say I feel any different for it. Really looking forward to having some beers tonight. That’s not how it’s supposed to work, is it?
Had a few glasses of wine last night at an office social, not feeling too bad considering my last drink was Jan 1st.... But so tired now.. got in at 1am after the world's most circuitous Uber ride to drop off colleagues... As a result, will skip the cycle commute today..
Just feel old...
I didn't manage the full dry January, I drank on three occasions but it's broken the habit of drinking most nights, which for me is a win. Sleeping better, resting HR a bit lower, trousers not feeling as tight but disappointingly only lost a couple of kgs!
My dry January was completed successfully. After an initial 2kg lost, there has been no subsequent weight loss.
Sleep seems about the same, the only difference is that in January I didn't eat a curry at 10pm and have a disrupted sleep.
So I had a couple of beers last night, and got a bit tipsy. One thing I didn't consider: I've been learning piano since December, playing each evening and making good progress. Last night, I had a go and was totally crap! A lot of the technique, muscle memory and timing had temporarily deserted me.
Dry January allows you to step back and evaluate when, if at all, drinking is worth it, or are you just doing it through habit. I'm still figuring it out.
Still going strong. Also switched to plant-based with meat once a week. Lost 5kg. Sleeping much better. Fitness coming on. Shaping up. More energy. More reasons to keep going than not. Not missing it.
Still going here. First time I've watched rugby sober in a long time today!
Started sleeping a bit better these past few nights, most of January was incredibly stressful so sleep wasn't great. Really enjoying being out of the habit of regular drinking.
Having done 3 nights in hospital mid month, then had a week recovering at home, then not recovering I am now on day 9 of a second stint in hospital, all of which has made dry january very easy.
Had lost 7kg when I was weighed on my way in 9 days ago, with a load of muscle wastage from being in bed all day it's probably more than that now.
Won't be able to get back on the beers immediately when I get out, it will be a bit of a journey back to full fitness. Having stopped drinking in November, and with a couple of months to recover I could be looking at 5 months without drinking with a short Xmas exception.
Well I did 5 weeks no drama.
But went out last night and had a couple of pints and a couple of Bacardi's. Not drunk, no hangover, no icky feeling. Just proved to myself it can be done, I lost weight and I don't need to be drinking a glass or two every day with an excuse it's "just with dinner". Oddly, my mate knew I'd not been drinking and bought me a double espresso in a glass with ice in. He's Russian and has a strong accent - not sure what they heard him ask for but was in the middle of skankin out to some drum and bass and he just passes me an ice coffee!?!?!
Actually, what got me most was the price of the first 2 beers I bought (one for me, one for a mate). $26 for two pints!
Forgive me for not reading through all pages, but anyone hear in the “can’t be arsed with that” camp? For reasons I’m doing dry Feb, but sitting here thinking I’m worked long enough, busy, stressed etc not to enjoy life with a couple of drinks from time to time.
As it don’t normally drink in the week anyway it especially hits hard that I’m eliminating a small joy from life.
Sunday evening, Sunday Roast, couple of glasses of red wine - first drink for 35 days. Nice to have a glass of wine, but after a month+ off I feel like I can easily reduce on what I was drinking in December!
I sort of get where you’re coming from @kryton57, but it’s also nice to know that you can stop if you put your mind to it, that it is a choice to use it rather than a crutch which is needed.
That’ my reasoning for doing a few dry months per year. Harder this February as the house is still sloshing with drink due to under-imbibing over November/Christmas/January.
I successfully completed dry January. I didn't miss drinking at all.
I had a pint on Saturday, didn't enjoy it and instantly regretted having it.
I'm now on dry February.
However, the long term goal is that any alcohol consumption is a special occasion and not the norm.
4 week sleep score had 4pints at a 40th on Friday and a couple of glasses of red on Saturday.
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Still mostly not drinking. Wife had some wine the other night, I had a couple of sips but wasn't that fussed about drinking more. Think I've broken the cycle, as previously I would have smashed through a bottle on my own.
Went out for a pub meal with my parents yesterday and Guinness zero did a great job, as water gets a bit tiring and I'm not a huge fan of sweet drinks.
Trying to think now what occasion will make me want to have a drink and struggling to come up with something.
As usual with any dry month+ for me, I notice absolutely no difference in HR, weight or how I sleep. I started my customary 6 week abstinence a few days before the end of Jan and so now, two weeks in, it feels no different. I guess that even in normal periods, I don't drink enough for it to have a significant effect.
I notice far, far more difference during periods of heavy work stress and when it finally stops.
My wife discovered this at Home Bargains- 79pence! Czech brewed with proper ingredients, non of the rice that you get in the American copy. It’s slightly fizzy but no worse than many other bottled beer and has a nice refreshing taste. I didn’t do dry January but have made massive reductions in my alcohol consumption since last March (as posted elsewhere), these beers have a wonderful placebo effect and have helped me greatly.
Still chugging along nicely here. Enjoying the mental clarity.
Still going. It will be 7 weeks without booze on Tuesday and I've not missed drinking at all. The plan now is 3 months dry at least. I'm surprised how easy it has been considering I was drinking every day.
Still doing well here. Had a couple of glasses of wine last weekend and had two nights of poor sleep. Had a couple of glasses on a business trip to Paris, and again slept poorly, that might have been sthg to do w rich food too
Back on the AF beer and tonic and back to feeling good.
That mental clarity and good sleep is so good!
I've had four nights of shit sleep in a row, and I've had literally one beer this month, over a week ago. Wondering if it's just the full moon, though.
Not in any great rush to drink at the moment, and passed up on the whisky festival here this weekend. Not feeling bad about missing it, tbh.
I’ve had four nights of shit sleep in a row, and I’ve had literally one beer this month, over a week ago. Wondering if it’s just the full moon, though.
It was a new moon this weekend! The full moon isn't for a couple of weeks
Didn't really notice any change when not drinking through January, but by god my sleeping took a tumble after having a large glass of red the other night after a month of abstention.
Still on the wagon, and not feeling like I'll be falling off it anytime soon.
I've also gone veggie, and determined to stick to that as well (done this a few times but never stuck to it), so overall i feel pretty fit and healthy. I'm running a lot at the moment. getting a good nights sleep (dozing off in front of the TV at 9pm is definitely one of life's pleasures!), and waking up raring to go.
I know I'll drink again, but I'm not sure why i will....
Still going strong here. It appears to be more of an issue with my fellow 6-Nations watching mates, who really can't understand it and are blaming me for the 500 or so pubs closing each week (data according to them).
Off the wagon, but I feel like I've got the potential to change my drinking habits a fair bit.
Think I'll have a couple of dry weeks again now, just to reinforce it.
I've still not had anything to drink since 2nd Jan, apart from one small glass of fizz for my Dad's birthday.
I am not entirely sure why I am persisting now, although am not feeling a particular need to start drinking again. I am sure I will at some point, and might even have a drink on Wed if we have a nice meal for Valentine's day.
Quite fancy catching up with my neighbour soon and that normally involves a trip to the local micro-pub.
Weight is still not dropping off particularly quick, but then I'm not really trying that hard in all honesty. 4lbs since the New Year & it's weigh-in day tomorrow. But, not been very good in the last week so expecting to stay the same - maybe another 1lb off if lucky.
Sleeping - not sure I've noticed much difference. I suppose it's easier to get out of bed in the morning when I haven't had half a glass of wine the night before. I don't really feel much different, but that might be to do with the cat taken to waking us up at least once in the middle of the night.
Fitness - doing OK at the moment, but mainly due to good consistency I think, rather than lack of booze.
Off the wagon at the weekend, had a couple of pints with my birthday meal on Friday night and wine/whiskey when we got home.
Spilt over into Saturday as a family member had kindly bought me a few bottles of Chimay, didn't go mad though.
Back to stopping dry now, Mallorca in 4 weeks will be a real challenge as the rides always finish with a visit to the local Dutch bar with Duvel/Westmalle/Kwaremont etc.
To be honest I might just enjoy the week and sort myself out again when I get home!
Having got out of hospital after a 2 week stay I had a few beers over the weekend to celebrate, first drinking since New Year.
Didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would and intend to now not drink again until a trip to NYC in a couple of months
8 weeks of sobriety completed. This weekend will be a tester as I am away with work and free beer is the best kind of beer. It's very difficult to say no when someone else is paying.
Anyone else keeping it dry this month too?
Just discovered this brand....
Shades of IPA.
Still on it. They have Asahi zero in the pub I'm staying in.
OT, but Woodstock is rather posh (home of Blenheim Palace)
How we getting on troops? Anyone still at it?
I had a trip away at the end of February and had a couple nights on the beers then - first since before Christmas. It was good fun and not gonna lie it was kinda nice to enjoy a few pints again, but Jesus Christ I felt only like 50% for about a week afterwards. So I'm back on "Dry (whatever month)".
I've lost 7Kg since Christmas! Mad.
Still not sure if I will be teetotal from now on but kind of half considering it. What a difference in so many ways.
A stag do later this year might be annoying.
Still going, 13 weeks and counting. I went out out on Saturday with friends who were drinking. I had no interest in it and didn't write off Sunday with a hangover. Every day without alcohol makes me think teetotal is the way forward.
Nope. Started with the best of intentions, but all I ended up doing was snacking more instead. I'm still mildly determined not to buy any new beer this year - radler doesn't count - and get the stocks I've built up down to a sensible level, but I'm not going to deny myself a few beers or a whisky over a week.
still going strong.
injured at the moment, with Manchestr marathon in two weeks, and diet is a bit of a car crash at the moment, so there have been occiasions where I could have said, "I'm getting on it", but hasn't real entered my mind.
target is staying booze free till i finsh the lakeland 50, but depending on Manchester, and if i can't run, i might book into a mara in october, than would keep me going...
Still in the game. If I make it to the end of the month then I will have matched the January 1st to March 30th record I set in 2021. Definitely notice the mental health benefits and overall clarity of mind. Physical effects - can't really say I feel that much different.
@devash - nice going, you will easy beat that.
I think for me the physical effects - weight at least - is less to do with the alcohol calories and more to do with the lack of motivation and general laziness that seemed to build up over the past couple years of enjoying fancy beers on the weekends. Definite carry over into to the rest of the week and was doing less riding, craving more easy food, and moving less.
After a few weeks of dry Jan I noticed I was actively looking forward to getting out and doing stuff again and that inspires me to make better food choices too. Hence weight falling off that way, and other good things like BP and RHR going down.
At least, I hope that my calorie deficit is not all from solely avoiding beer, not enough to drop over a stone anyway!
Just to finish this one off.
I'm now considering myself teetotal.
Initial goal was January, then to end of March, then beer garden weather (which we witnessed briefly last week).
I don't have any targets any more (albeit full on summer and festivals may be a challenge), just going to run with it.
Life is a lot better without drink. For me and also Mrs STR
Well done. I hit the 2 year mark myself this month. Wouldn’t say I was tea total if asked but no plans to start again but never saying never either. Not missing it so don’t see myself starting again anytime soon.
Well done!
im still going strong. 106 days I think. I’ve had a couple of days out at football, and a family week away, where all my relations were drinking.
goal is till Lakeland 50, then I’ll decide if it’s a year thing or not.
at the moment I don’t see any compelling reason to start again.
16 weeks dry here and not missing it at all. That's going from drinking pretty much every day. I've started to like myself a lot more which is helping me to be more social than I was. Properly social, not just drunk social. I've started riding again, I'm saying yes to anything I am invited to, my skin looks better and I have more money to enjoy myself with. My mate didn't come out yesterday as he was hungover and it underlined how I don't want to lose time to that anymore. I would consider myself teetotal and confident about the future.
How are we all doing? Still living and loving the sober life?
Well, I didn't do dry January or Feb but haven't had a drink since beginning of March. Apart from some af beers. Don't miss it at all. Properly don't fancy a "drink" although weirdly got into a heated debate (which being sober I walked away from) with an eejit in the pub. Who noticed there was an af beer in the round.
Still going and feeling better for it!
Yeah still going. To be honest, I don't see it as keeping going now, I just don't drink.
Life is better in so many ways - and I'm not so much of an ass on here to boot 🤣
Hats off to you that are still going/now none drinkers. I'm creeping back in to drinking too much again.
Still going except for opening a bottle of Margaux on my birthday that hadn't been kept very well (like me). I think brewers doing alcohol-free beer must be doing very well.
Still going too, with the help of the non-alcoholic beers. I don't even get the urge to drink a normal beer now.