Has anyone quit drinking?

Mark Alexander

set the scene, it's 28th Dec, at the end of the bar at about 2200hrs. two friends are chatting and one says to the other. I have been told that I have to give up drinking for a while due to anti-biotics. I have decided on 80 days from Jan 1st.

I drunkenly say hey, I know, I'll join you. I have ambitious targets for 08 and need to loose some weight in fat to really do them all. I've been off the bike for a month :oops:

those silly words left my lips and as I remembered them the next day, foolishly, being a 'man of my word' and having 'currage of conviction' , I have done it.... :shock:

Being a single bloke who has grown up around this culture i'm going to need some moral support.
We have subsequently realised that this time goes over the 6 Nations Rugby so i'm a little worried. I've never watched this without a pint (I'm Welsh).

webbhost

hey,

Not being forced to, but Im taking a similar step.

Once the xmas alcohol is gone, No more drink for me until my birthday or next christmas.

if you drink enough to get cravings for the stuff, try something new. I took a liking to herbal teas.. Started off with 1 pack just to see if I liked it.. Now I have redbush, fruit, green etc etc, I've gone herbal tea mad, and its all caffeine free.

Just a thought, for you I just kind of figure that drinking something alternative and "different" could help you along?

Good luck with the drink free life

popette

Good luck to you - that is some challenge. I managed it for 12 days recently and did feel a whole lot better for it. Had a binge over christmas and now back to just a glass of wine with my evening meal. I find it hard to cut it out completely - at 7pm when the kids are in bed, I really just want to have a glass. I read in the times that if you have an urge for booze at a particular time of day it's a sign of being an alcoholic - it worries me. I don't drink much but I definitely get that urge at 7pm (sometimes earlier if they're playing up)

oldwelshman

Mark I don't drink at all, only on international days then have the odd 10 or so
International days do not count for welsh people so your ok

bagpusscp

A little does you no harm. A Sunday bike ride in summer 8) without a pint after in the pub would not be the same.

Mark Alexander

I very rarely drink in the house, I play pool and generally don't drink thyen anyway, I have been cutting out the odd pint after work anyway. (appart from christmas). As a single bloke, the Friday nights are the killer. It's more who i'm with rather than being difficult to stop.

Poppette, I think the worst bit is still to come, La Marmotte and the Welsh BAR...

Oldwelshman
International days do not count for welsh people so your ok
I'll run that passed my friend

rdaviesb

Give up. Not bloody likely! One of my friends always gives up in January, and is awful to be around by 20th.

webbhost

oh so many "positive" thoughts running around here.

Heres a thought.. If you are under 21, get your parents to hide your ID.

No ID, No Sale You're stuck in it.

andyp

It's pretty easy to give up but you do have to modify your habits a bit, i.e. avoid the pub on a Friday night if you can. For the past ten years or so I've quit drinking for January and it gets easier every time.

A couple of years back I gave up for two months and that was a bit more challenging but not much. With hindsight starting up again with a trip to Gent to see Het Volk probably wasn't the wisest idea ever!

Give it a go and see how you get on. It'll definitely help with the weight loss and you'll probably feel a bit healthier too.

ddraver

I never drink during the week usually but may have a few pints at the weekend one night

will i really notice if i cut those out?!

arranandy

I have decided not to drink any more beer or spirits for the foreseeable. I will probably still have a couple of glasses of wine on a Friday or Saturday night. I've never been much of a drinker so I don't see this being much of a challenge. my main challenge of this year (apart from doing a couple of sportives that I've already entered) is to do a sub-25 10 mile TT :shock:

shockedsoshocked

Yes. Managed from 1st Jan 07 to around Crimbo time (with a few blips for St Patricks, and a couple of 21st birthdays). Looking forward to getting back to a normal regime now Christmas is over.

The upside of not drinking (I think) is that you seem to be able to effectively eat what you like to counter balance it

vermooten

Fck alcohol. The devil's brew. It brings out the Bob in me:

Mark Alexander

I'm going for a sub 25 this year too. I wish I were 21! i'm 30 now -

nwallace

One of the great advantages I have in being able to not drink (though if anyone drags out a bottle of malt........) is that I find drunk people amusing, which is odd as I hate being drunk.

pedylan

I don't think complete abstention is necessary. A social occasion without drinking eg when you opt to drive, can be less enjoyable than when you have a few (stress few) drinks.

It's better to develop good habits. I generally don't drink during the week and limit myself to a max of one day with any alcohol. This'll fall down when business trips proliferate so I agree with OP that there are occasions tthat discipline can be hard (but not impossible) to maintain.

Binging once a fortnight is as a bad as having moderate amounts every night so stay in control.

Anyway, as Popette alluded when she mentioned the Times item, we'll all eventually be classed as alcoholics anyway. :roll:

arranandy

Mark Alexander wrote:

I'm going for a sub 25 this year too. I wish I were 21! i'm 30 now -

Lucky you. I hit the big 4-0 later this year :shock:

whyamihere

Haven't had a drink for about 18 months now. Much happier without, as I never really liked it anyway.

APIII

I gave up for lent last year in a rash decision to kickstart my weight loss (I' was up to 13 stone+). It turned out easier than I expected, as the longest I had abstained in the past was 3 weeks, and only then because of suffering from a blood infection :oops:
Combined with being able to ride more once the clocks went forward, I managed to lose a stone and a half. Not sure I'll repeat it this year though....

songwriter

I've not drunk for 3 months now and I'm starting to feel like Mohammed Ali. Drinking is rubbish

Shadowduck

I've been at the point where I found not drinking for any length of time difficult, but the realisation that was the case scared me enough that I made some lifestyle changes to get away from that situation. Now I'm not an abstainer but I can take it or leave it.

One thing I really like when I don't drink is really being able to enjoy the early morning. It's a fantastic time of day if you're feeling good about life!

hugo 1st

Yes, emptied the bottle about half an hour ago. Never mind, the offy is only round the corner.

snakehips

Well I've got a sore throat , a bottle of Dalwhinnie , and a bottle of Glenlivet , (the last two being Christmas presents) , so I am just having my first drop of alcohol this year.
Very nice too

Snake

Mapman

I love a drink sometimes it just doesnt love me So instead of abstain totally i have tried to limit my intake to no more than 4 units a session ,and drink no more than 2 days in a row ... Sorry have to dash its steak for lunch ,with a nice glass of chilean Merlot

SteveR_100Milers

Mark....no chance! It's why I cycle: to keep the beer from showing!

dennisn

I'm never going to quit drinking again. (It's a "country" song).

Dennis Noward

loughor

I'm with the great Olly Reed (RIP) here, 'I could never be a non-drinker, imagine waking up and knowing that this is as good as you'll feel all day!'

fossyant

Nope !!!! Need to clear the Xmas stash..... :shock:

Bunnyman 5.5

I'm not going to drink again....until the next time :P

cycologist

The number of occaisions on which i have a pint after work has risen from th odd Friday (end of a stressful week thing) to most weekdays (end of a stressful day thing ) I have decided that this is becoming a habit and that i don't always enjoy it as much when it is too frquent therefor I'm going to restrct this to fridays only and hopefully not every Friday. Rather skint after Xmas and need to reclaim my overdraft so just by missing out the weekday pints I'll save about £60 per month.

duckiciao

I made a pledge to give up drinking at about 0900 on New Years Day. I broke it today at sunday lunch, but I've got on hell of a hangover (its those strong country ales y'see...)