Less alcohol- January 2018- one day at a time

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  • mamashakesit
    mamashakesit Posts: 31 Member
    JulieAL1969 wrote: »

    Wonderful, insightful post. I am who you describe - I just shouldn't drink. Embarrassed the next day? Yes plenty of times. Not a good feeling at all. Bad decisions and horrible hangovers- YES! Thank you so much for sharing.

    Thank you. You can do it. And you can even do it at weddings and parties and dates with guys you like that drink (if you are single). It's hard at first, gets better, and gets hard again at times. But you'll feel good about yourself and you'll look back and wonder how you were ever lucky enough to escape some terrible consequence of drinking. And you'll always know that "some people just shouldn't drink," but still do. And that you're not one of those anymore.
  • Moxie42
    Moxie42 Posts: 1,400 Member
    wigi41 wrote: »
    Hi everyone, I have been lurking on this thread since mid-December. I have found all of the posts so inspiring, validating, and motivating. I have been drinking progressively more and more over the past few years; my weakness is red wine, although I enjoy craft beers and apple rye, as well. I have known that I need to cut back significantly, if not stop, and to that end, I am trying to do a dry January. It helps to read everyone's struggles and successes and know that I am not alone. So far, no alcohol this month. I did struggle a lot with cravings last night, but went on the treadmill instead.

    I have a question- has anyone tried drinking non-alcoholic beer and/ or wine, and if so, has it helped? Any recommendations at all?

    I think it depends on the person. I know some people who can have a non-alcoholic beer and feel satisfied because they got the taste. For others, like myself, the taste triggers the desire for more. However, it has helped me to drink a LOT of sparkling water, and at the bar tonight I plan on having club soda with lime. Looks like a drink, but doesn't taste like one or have the effects. Sprite with a splash of grenadine is a good alternative too, if you're not too concerned about cals or if you make room for those cals. I haven't tried non-alcoholic wine but I think the O'Douls Amber tastes good. If I could feel satisfied from non-alcoholic beer, I wouldn't be opposed to that one.
  • wigi41
    wigi41 Posts: 42 Member
    Thanks, Moxie42!
  • mmccool719
    mmccool719 Posts: 28 Member
    edited January 2018
    amymoreorless wrote: »
    Goal — Dry ( or damp?) January

    1/1 = no alcohol
    1/2 = no alcohol
    1/3 = no alcohol
    1/4 = 2 glasses of wine
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    Dry January fail tonight. A craptastic day led to 2 glasses of wine. I guess I will have to settle for a “slightly damp” January instead of dry— LOL. Oh well, restarting again tomorrow.

    Damp January!! You’ve coined a new term when one falls off the wagon. It’s ok. Tomorrow is a new day. I’ll never make it the full month either but I’m ok with this. I’m being healthier in other areas of my life.
  • MichelleWithMoxie
    MichelleWithMoxie Posts: 1,817 Member
    trchristy wrote: »
    Today a little bit of a rough day and normally I would have come home and drank some wine. I was at the hospital all day taking my mom to 4 appointments and numerous tests. Had to drive in the middle of this blizzard snow storm we are getting. Came home ate and now I am resting. Each day easier and easier and I feel better. :)

    Bomb cyclone 2018! :astonished:

    Yay for a successful day! :smile:
  • KareninLux
    KareninLux Posts: 1,413 Member
    Managed to enjoy only two hoegaarden rose beer last night but then caved and drank a himbeer schnapps. On the upside - at least it was not an entire bottle of wine with my husband.
    Day by day.
  • MaryBethHempel
    MaryBethHempel Posts: 513 Member
    Goal — January under 7 drinks a week- for my health.....my mind.....my body....

    1/1 =alcohol free
    1/2 = 4 wine spritzers
    1/3 =alcohol free
    1/4 =alcohol free
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  • salleewins
    salleewins Posts: 2,308 Member
    Rough day yesterday and caved. I didn't have to work, shoveled snow 3 times for about an hour total. The cat spent about 9 hours catching a mouse off and on. Somehow the critter got in when I left the Inside french door open one night. Well tired and have made even harder to resist alcohol today.
  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
    edited January 2018
    I made it through day 4, but yesterday was a bit of a challenge. I had a great run and that usually means I come home and relax with a glass of wine while cooking. I really wanted one while I was cooking. Once I made it through that though, I knew I was in the clear.

    If I make it past this evening, I will consider that my first real hurdle. On Fridays I usually cook a nice dinner and my husband and I sit around and drink wine and/or bourbon and listen to music and talk and unwind. It's one of my favorite evenings. Tonight I am making seafood paella, which really makes me long for a nice rose to go with it. But I can do this. I just need to remind myself how good it will feel to go meet my running group in the morning without a hangover. That long run is going to feel great!

    @amymoreorless - I love the "Damp January". Not that I want to admit defeat, but that is likely how it will turn out for me. I still haven't mentally committed myself to the idea of going totally dry. That is something I definitely need to do in order to make that happen. I know myself. Once I decide to do something, it's going to happen. It's just making the decision that is the hard part for me. As of now, I am just in the mindset of seeing how long I can last without alcohol.
  • justlog
    justlog Posts: 125 Member
    Went to a new brewery last night with a friend. Consumed my two drinks for this week, which means none again until next Friday.
  • SanDiegofitmom
    SanDiegofitmom Posts: 303 Member
    I’ve tried to abstain for brief periods before and sometimes do it, but it seems so hard. Doing committed dry January is the first time since being pregnant that it’s been easy to not drink. I think maybe taking it totally off the table for a long period is making it easier to not even think about it. The wrestle of should I? Is gone. But - Talk to me next weekend when I’m at a wedding at a brewery
  • SanDiegofitmom
    SanDiegofitmom Posts: 303 Member
    edited January 2018
    Good point! @donimfp
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