View Full Version : Dry January
Anyone else doing this? I work in the restaurant business which is permeated by alcohol, I don't get plastered every night but the norm is a glass of wine before I leave then a glass or two with food when I get home. Or stop off for a drink on the way home then have a few once I arrive at the house. I don't get loaded and drive for the obvious reasons and very seldom do I drink to get drunk since I have the worst hangovers, even a buzz can make me feel off the next day. But I do tend to drink everyday wine or lite beer. I do hit the gym but hoping tp drop a few extra pounds this month and who knows may even keep it going longer
I've been trying to cut out beer drinking during the week. Didn't drink anything for new years, but ended up cracking a few beers today due to boredom. I too am hoping to break the habit of drinking daily.
I'm gonna blow it out in the gym this month and record my progress. I'm 52 5'10 and 200 pounds I carry some muscle but I want to shed some fat plus the health factor and wallet factor. What kind of sucked I got a bad sinus infection and had to go on antibiotics so it actually started December 30th, so much for the last day of adult beverages lol
FromMyColdDeadHand
01-01-20, 22:32
Funny, I had really cut back on drinking in the past twenty years- not for any particular reason. I've had beer go past code in my fridge when it used to not get cold. I was actually thinking about starting to have a beer or an old fashioned with dinner...
I didn't even have an eggnog shake this year. I really had cut back on all my bad drinking habits...
I quit drinking beer when I changed my lifestyle to get to a healthy weight. I switched to drinking Jameson and sparkling water, then I slowly drifted away from drinking much at all. Now, I walk right past the liquor cabinet and right to the cold water faucet. It wasn't a conscious decision, it just happened. I do still love Scotch, but it's a once a month thing now.
MA2_Navy_Veteran
01-02-20, 00:33
I rarely drink... like... much ever. Have had two Coronas in the fridge for almost 4 months now, and I drank one of them last night for new years. Alcohol-free January?... no problem. Now water & tea on the other hand, I drink those practically non-stop on a daily basis due to having some high blood sugar issues, but alcohol isn't really a big part of my life. I keep a fully stocked bar that probably has an inch of dust covering everything on it in the back room, but it's more for ornamentation than actual use.
I posted up in another thread concerning this. I committed to no drinking this month as well.
Not so much a resolution as much as a New Years boost for me.
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I almost never drink on weekdays. Happens every once in a while but I'm more of a social drinker. Occasionally if I'm outside all day in the cold when I come home I can't think of anything better than a glass of scotch or tequila with dinner. Same thing during summer except a nice cold ale!
Weekends however are a different story. I can go completely dry or end up drinking what seems like all weekend. Just depends on what's going on. The problem is in a social setting I can't have just one or two drinks (beer or liquor). That's like trying to eat one or two potato chips. And today with Uber I can put down a 6 pack and a few shots as a appetizer. It only happens in a social setting and when I'm bored, which is more often than I'd like to admit. The other problem is smoking. Drinking makes we want to smoke more.
I enjoy having a few drinks and don't want to cut it out completely but I have to start finding more things to keep me busy on the weekends especially during winter
I found a direct correlation between Guinness and 235 pounds of me. Now I enjoy 2 good IPA's a week and take part in sensible physical fitness to make me a more acceptable 205.
Diabetes (type 2) helped with my decision.
No alcohol for me for years. No longer difficult.
There’ve been health benefits.
Haven't drank in a long time. Stopped b/c would rather have a Sprite and some chips for throw away calories.
I say go for a dry January and then just keep it up permanently.
Grand58742
01-02-20, 16:05
I found a direct correlation between Guinness and 235 pounds of me. Now I enjoy 2 good IPA's a week and take part in sensible physical fitness to make me a more acceptable 205.
There's a reason you're only drinking 2 IPAs a week.
Because they are horrid excuses for beer.
My problem is that I crave sweet junk food when I don't drink beer. My brain/body crave that carbohydrate/sugar conversion from the alcohol.
Haven't drank in a long time. Stopped b/c would rather have a Sprite and some chips for throw away calories.
I say go for a dry January and then just keep it up permanently.
I am starting to toss that idea around. I'm about to cut my bills by $300 next month cutting the booze will be an additional $300-400 per month. Few months of that and that 6.5 creedmore Daniel Defense AR10 could be in my hands, or a CZ scorpion with a stamp then stock, and red dot. all sorts of ideas.
I am starting to toss that idea around. I'm about to cut my bills by $300 next month cutting the booze will be an additional $300-400 per month. Few months of that and that 6.5 creedmore Daniel Defense AR10 could be in my hands, or a CZ scorpion with a stamp then stock, and red dot. all sorts of ideas.
Sounds like a good way to save $$$, improve your health, and acquire some new equipment.
Sounds like a good way to save $$$, improve your health, and acquire some new equipment.
My thoughts, 6 pack abs and new blasters lol
I found a direct correlation between Guinness and 235 pounds of me. Now I enjoy 2 good IPA's a week and take part in sensible physical fitness to make me a more acceptable 205.
My leg weighs that.
LoL, for real though, I am about 40 lbs above where I’d like to be. Working on changing that. I don’t drink, that’s not my problem. Sedentary lifestyle is my problem.
Mostly water and occasional Tejava for me. I might drink a dozen beers in a year. Occasional tequila shot at a party. We sip a little Maker's Mark on the odd backpacking trip. Never liked being drunk. I was always the designated driver, and I do enjoy pranking and tormenting the drunks.
Due to my moderate level of consumption I don't feel the need to go "dry", but good luck to anyone else who wants to skip it for a month.
Pacific5th
01-03-20, 13:01
I work in a industry where it is pretty standard to get plastered at the hotel every other night. I quit doing that last year. Besides the money I have seen to many get a rule G (drugs or alcohol on duty). It just wasn’t worth it. I also quit keeping my fridge stocked with beer. I still drink at home but I quit doing it as often and try to moderate it. Doing that was a huge chunk of the 25lbs I lost last year. I’ve tried doing dry January but I like having a beer or three every once in a while.
I am going to try this. I really got into red wine the past few years (mostly Pinot Noir, some of the $$$$ stuff) but I noticed that 1 glass turned into 2, which turned into 3, which turned into completing the whole bottle. That’s too much. Alcohol doesn’t help me sleep, in fact I sleep much better after 2-3 days of no alcohol. I used to be heavily into craft IPA beer but that changed to MGD or PBR. A nice single malt once in a while is fine as well. I don’t drink when I am on my work week anymore (overnights at hotels), I save alcohol for just being at home. I am going to go dry for January and maybe even February as well. Good luck everyone. Also, I am 6’1” @ 175lbs and work out at least 3-4 times a week. I like the mud races (Spartan, TM, Savage) as well and keeping in shape for those events has helped.
donlapalma
01-04-20, 08:40
I'm going dry this month and maybe for longer. Health and money saving are driving factors for sure. I was at a bar last night to check out some First Friday event and a beer sounded pretty damn good though. Ya, it's gonna be hard.
The last time I drank alcohol on New year's Eve was back in the mid 90s I think.. I had a bottle of good bourbon that took me about 2 years to finish. The last 5 years or so I've worked New Year's Eve, day or both. It would be hard to have someone do a SFST if I did 🙃. I was quite surprised I didn't even have to deal with one New Year's morning. One thing I have not really been a beer drinker unless it's a good German beer, it has been a few years back for one. Normally I have to many things to do that are more important to me than having a few drinks.
Wife and I did 21 days last year. Well do similar this year when she gets back from the bachelorette party she’s at this weekend.
It feels good. Hard in the but beginning everyday is easier than the last. We found it was very hard to go out to dinner and not drink, so we mostly stopped going out. This was an added money saving bonus as we’d been spending way to much eating out.
We went back to drinking, drinking much less.
Not sure about Jan per se, but I took a few months off not that long ago, and right now it's been about every other week. My problem is, when I do drink I drink too much and drink to get a good buzz on, and at 50+, really pay for it the next day. For me, was not until mid 40s that I found I suffer way worse the next day than I used to. It does not help my status as health "guru" type when I'm hungover. I'd be better off nit drinking at all and I know it, but I enjoy it when i do it, but the price for it is becoming too high and just having 1-2 is like sex with a super thick condom, just not worth bothering with frankly.
Right now, I'm sort of saving the drinking for occasions where I'm with others doing same, like a dinner and such, vs just doing it while watching a movie or something as I tend to do. I drank 3 very high ABV beers last night, and feel like crap this morning.
Health wise, weight and other metrics not an issue, but for those looking to lose weight, it's the most obvious source of worthless calories to cut. However:
“I drink to make other people more interesting.” - Hemingway
We found it was very hard to go out to dinner and not drink, so we mostly stopped going out. This was an added money saving bonus as we’d been spending way to much eating out.
We went back to drinking, drinking much less.
That's me. If I go into the restaurant by me, they automatically bring me a light beer.
I was straight last night (for the record). Drank some green tea.
I've been trying to cut out beer drinking during the week. Didn't drink anything for new years, but ended up cracking a few beers today due to boredom. I too am hoping to break the habit of drinking daily.
This is me. I don’t feel compelled to drink but I do sometimes because of boredom. I take the month of May off from drinking. I have for 10 years.
I realized in my 30s that alcohol is not my friend and haven't had a drink since. I never had a problem from drinking, but almost never drank without getting (very) drunk. I never missed drinking, except for the taste of Guinness or a Black and Tan.
Andy
Averageman
01-05-20, 03:50
My body metabolizes alcohol in a really weird way, I've decided to give it up.
So far so good.
February !st one month without booze and I think I will keep it going for a bit longer, hope others reached there goals
MA2_Navy_Veteran
02-01-20, 11:38
I expect that I'll probably be catching the Corona beer virus sometime tomorrow. :p
I expect that I'll probably be catching the Corona beer virus sometime tomorrow. :p
I imagine that is gonna run rampant lmao
Averageman
02-01-20, 11:52
February !st one month without booze and I think I will keep it going for a bit longer, hope others reached there goals
I actually over-imbibed last night after a 30 day dry spell, I have no real desire to drink anymore.
A beer might be great on a hot day after cutting the grass, but the four to six nightly cocktails trap I had fallen in to was pretty stupid.
Brother I feel ya that is why I am keeping it going and not getting crazy tomorrow if I get talked into a party. Maybe a Mich ultra and that is a big maybe, I have no idea what my tolerance is now and I am off Monday I want to enjoy the day and hit the gym. check out the bookstore and maybe go bang some steel if weather allows
I'm screwed up. Drank a little all week due to hectic workload.... Then get to Friday night and didn't have a sip. Just did my taxes.
I made it through January, no prob. Super Bowl weekend and I am at work so no booze for the game. I get home on Tuesday, maybe have a beer to celebrate, Lol.
I made it through January as well, no problem. Went to a concert on Saturday and overdid it. I guess I didnt realize how quickly my tolerance would disappear. I was originally shooting for 90 days, so I'm starting over at day one now.
I have to say, losing Sunday to a hangover sucked, complete waste of a day, I dont miss that at all. As a side benefit, I've saved money to not drinking all that expensive craft beer, and lost 10 pounds since new years with no other changes.
Rarely drink. If I do it may be a glass of wine when cooking dinner or during the summer an ice cold beer after sweating my but off doing yard work. Other than that a few buddies, 7 of us, have "Bourbon Night" once a month. We all bring a bottle of bourbon over to whoever is hosting and we eat dinner and BS for a couple of hours. Excluding our bourbon night I could have a 6 pack of beer sit in the fridge for a month easy.
February !st one month without booze and I think I will keep it going for a bit longer, hope others reached there goals
That's great!
Keep it up.
When I gave up drinking I just kept tacking on weeks until I decided to make it permanent. Glad I did.
I made it through January as well, no problem. Went to a concert on Saturday and overdid it. I guess I didnt realize how quickly my tolerance would disappear. I was originally shooting for 90 days, so I'm starting over at day one now.
I have to say, losing Sunday to a hangover sucked, complete waste of a day, I dont miss that at all. As a side benefit, I've saved money to not drinking all that expensive craft beer, and lost 10 pounds since new years with no other changes.
In my late 40’s, I have noticed if I “overdue” it, the next day is a complete wash. That’s a good sign that cutting back is best.
Have not lost that much weight but I have dropped, my friend at work likes the craft beer he also dropped about 10 pounds. On the bright side I have saved money, finally ordered that bolt gun today I have been wanting, now to afford ammo for it I have to stay off the hooch lol
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