On The Wagon For January

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  • MedalsMedals ✭✭✭
    I'm nowhere near the point where I could give up drink completely either. But, I feel I've come to the point where I've GOT to cut down.

    I've got to replace the 'craving' for a drink I get after 6.00pm ish with something else. I'm going to see what the supermarket's got in the way of interesting soft drinks on the way home and try to go without any alcohol tonight.

    Thanks for the kind words and support running caz & kathy, they really do help.
  • I go to the gym now at 6, then for a swim straight after so im not home and settled til 7.30ish. Im going to train myself to have a hot chocolate in the eve instead of the case of wine. Then to bed. I bet we all start sleeping much better after a few weeks too............
  • Medals, I have emptied my Fridge of bottles of Grolsch and given away a 24 crate of Kronenbourg I got for christmas, In readiness.

    I find come about 8pm and I crave a can/pint. Sitting down and watching a film is another action I find hard to do without alcohol, I guess I have got to a point where my mind associates watching a good DVD with wading through a load of cans.

    the only slight hiccup in not having a drink tonight is I have just been texted to see if I fancy a few games of pool down the pub tonight.
  • JasonX - It's sooo hard isn't it!!! Refuse to become a hermit but going out = 'drink' 10 times more than it does staying in dont you think :-) I wouldn't go!!

    KF2 - would prob be much easier if I could get out to excercise but I have 2 little ones and am on me tod so am house bound 5 evenings a week ....... deadly!!
  • jason X - sell the TV, and settle down with a good book instead, or listen to Radio 4 with a nice cup of herbal tea!
  • MedalsMedals ✭✭✭
    KF2, yeah, I thought the same, I could get some good quality hot choc or scholer or something and get an early night.

    Tonight however, like you jason, I'm out playing badminton and then onto the pub with a couple of mates. However it'll be good for me. I won't drink in the pub 'cos I'm driving, so my challenge is to NOT have a nightcap when I get home.
    Good idea to get the drink out of the house. I've got half a bottle of brandy that, at the moment, I am prepared to pour down the sink. Whether I'll feel the same way later, remains to be seen.
    I don't think we should beat ourselves up too much if we find cutting down/cutting out difficult. If you don't start tonight Jason, there's always tomorrow and you've already started by emptying your fridge. Nice one!
  • Medals

    I've just been to the supermarket for some fizzy flavoured water

    ..not too many calories...but something to have as a "treat " at 7.00pm .

    I have done this over the last few months and it does help me to stay away froma glass of wine.
  • Running Caz - i can see why your in need of a few by the end of the day then.That must be very hard.I have 2 boys, 3 & 5, 1 at school and one at pre-school. Hubby takes over at 5.30, does the bath and bedtime stories etc so im very lucky. What about a new hobbie to keep ya mind off drinking?

    Jasonx - Go and drink mineral water all night, just to prove you can so it.
  • If I am finding it hard I buy AME or aqua libra and drink it out of a wine glass - psychologically it feels better
  • I have 3 bottles of champagne on the top of my fridge which keep calling to me everytime im in the kitchen, no way im chucking them down the sink but i'll ask hubby to hide them when he gets back from work. Mmmm....i can just taste the bubbles
  • heres a question then - does alcohol have addictive qualities or is it just the habit that we are slaves to?
  • Both Jason

    The habit is the hardest hing for me to break after a month or so I have lost the taste

    I mean honestly how many people try and alcoholic drink for the first time and go YUMMY - we acquire the taste because we think we ought to
  • I don't think its addictive itself but i think its the mind numbing qualities that are addictive to someone with an depedent personality.
    I LOVE it cus it relaxes me and i can say 'bo****ks' to my worries. Its a depressant tho isn't it, so the morning after for me is usually quite dull and im very anxious!
  • Yep, it's defo the relaxing affect it has on me that I'm addicted to! Teaching full time, sorting my kids out (4&6 years so still very dependent), squeezing in runs wherever I can ..... hectic, hectic, hectic! Then 8:00 kids asleep, I manage to get to sit down for the first time in the day and talk to my bottle of wine ;-)
  • running caz, this sounds so familiar. Once boys are in bed by 7.30pm, we usually pop the cork and watch a film. You can get some alcohol free wines/bucks fizz that taste lovely you know. We had a bucks fizz on new Years day for brekkie that tasted like champagne but it was blood orange.
    I think it was waitrose
  • MedalsMedals ✭✭✭
    Good question Jason.
    A bit of both in my case I think.
    Work hard all day and a relaxing drink at the end of the day is the reward you give yourself. That's why I can't see myself going completely teetotal.
    I just want to be able to say, 'no, I won't have a drink tonight' and forget about it, instead of having those craving thoughts. I know, I'll buy a Nintendo DS and get hooked on video games instead!
  • <pops in>
    good luck everyone - may your orange juice not be too gloopy :)
    </pops out>
  • Evening, fellow abstainers, and welcome Caz, Jason, Medals et al. Cutting down at any level is a good thing, whether you cut it out completely or not, so stick at it.

    Day 2 passing without problem (so far!!) despite being back at work and finding the change in routine hard to get to grips with.

    Good luck everyone and just think of the calories/money saved and health benefits.

    <descends from soapbox>

  • yes 2 down and less than 30 to go now
  • Yep, pretty confident I'll make it through tonight. Not long back from a run and trying to busy myself with mara programmes, training diaries, Garmins and oh yeah, best get some work ready for tomorrow :-)

    ..... it has been 42 hours now :-)

    Good luck all
  • Hi All
    I went to the gym at 5 til 6 then did 30 lengths in the pool, got home and started on teh ironing...its all go go go.
    Did fancy a drink but had a glass or two of Diet Coke with Cherry in a wien glass....it felt special. Having yet another early night tonight.

    See you all for day 3 tomorrow
  • “Alcohol Addiction, or dependence, is defined as having at least 3 of the following signs: a tolerance for alcohol (needing increased amounts to achieve the same effect), withdrawal symptoms, taking alcohol in larger amounts that was intended or over a longer period of time than was intended, having a persistent desire to decrease or the inability to decrease the amount of alcohol consumed, spending a great deal of time attempting to acquire alcohol, and finally, continuing to use alcohol even though the person knows there are reoccurring physical or psychological problems being caused by the alcohol”

    It is addictive on at least three different levels:

    1. Physical addiction – the body ‘needs’ a constant supply of alcohol to enable it to function without withdrawal symptoms such as craving, tremors, lack of concentration, mood swings, anxiety, inability to sleep etc
    2. Psychological or habitual addiction – The person’s routine involves the regular consumption of alcohol, by abstaining from drink the person is attempting to break a routine that has become normalized (Daily runners will know this feeling when for reasons they cannot control they are unable to run for a few days) It is difficult to break patterns of behavior that have evolved over a number of years – especially when the habit involves a short term pleasurable reward
    3. Socially addictive – The person who consumes alcohol in social situations with friends such as at the pub or watching sporting events and finds it difficult to relax or enjoy these situations without alcohol.


    The reason why I want to pack in is because of my health. I’ve been a drinker for over 20 years and have abstained for two periods of 8 months (2002) and 9 months (2006 – I started drinking again in October). I’ve developed episodic arrhythmia and there is some evidence that alcohol may be a trigger (it also happened when I was ‘dry’ – so I’m not so sure)

    I’m quite sure I’ve a slight physical addiction because I get tetchy for a week or so when I begin to abstain and find it difficult to sleep without at least a small single malt (about a treble pub measure!). I do quite a lot of cooking and always enjoy a couple of glasses of red wine whilst I make the tea. I also visit the pub two or three times a week and put away between 3 and 5 pints of Guinness – this is the bit I’ll miss most because I’ve some excellent drinking buddies.

    So here’s to a dry January; if anyone wants to email me for support when they are feeling weak - be my guest.
  • Good Luck everyone.

    We talked about this last night and Mr H also thought it was a good idea and has decided not to drink at home during January. He doesn`t want to stop completely due to work functions, but as many have already said whether it is cutting down or stopping completely, it all helps.
  • Day 2 - slight craving about 10pm watching 'This Life' soon passed over

    Late lectures tonight - usually followed by pub (This will be hard)
  • First test chez JARS tonight.

    Visitors for dinner..who are capable of consuming a lot of wine.

    I phoned then last night to confirm all, and in a jokey way let them know we are on the dry ...


    Do I still provide wine for them...or do I go the whole hog !

    Not sure if I will resist if it's there in front of me !

    Hmm...
  • Question: can I still cook with red wine? I'm assuming this is drinking not cooking with alcohol that we are stopping? Or my beouf bournignon is going to be dull at the weekend.

    Aside from that I think I shall find it much easier than a lot of the posters as I can go for a good week without having a drink anyway.
  • MedalsMedals ✭✭✭
    Yes, did it!
    First night last without a drink since, well, I can't remember. I don't think I could have done that without the help of this message board. Thank you guys! Like you Corinthian, I had a craving around 10.00. Had another glass of Scholer and went to bed.
    I'm definatley still using red wine in my cooking. All the alcohol's burned off.
  • Mouse - as the alcohol will boil off during cooking then I don't think that there is any problem with bourginon.

    It will be hard to eat, though, without a nice glass of Bordeaux, and stay off the sherry trifle!
  • I'd suggest that cooking with alcohol should be permitted otherwise my pork chops in cider and beef and ale pie will be awful - just remember not to finish off the remains of the bottle or can!

    - and Gin with cornflakes is taking this a step too far!
  • Welldone everyone for abstaining last night! Suprisingly tho i didn't sleep well, i thought i would be doing by now.

    What about chocolates that have alchol in? I have a big box of Hotel Chocolat Truffles, containing Cointreau, Rum, Bacardi, vodka, advocaat etc.....?
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