Giving up /reducing booze ....

Go easy on BB, everyone - a couple of days of puritan living, and he's already seeing guinea pigs with earrings and Wakefield winning a match.

There's a lot to process.

Possibly inspired by this thread or possibly just a coincidence, I'm currently on the wagon. I have a couple of holidays in late July/late August coming up, which I know will be boozy affairs, so I'm getting a bit of detox in beforehand. Just a couple of weeks with no drink should give my insides a break enough. 

I don't bother with non alcoholic beer though, I honestly don't see the point. If I aren't drinking, I'll stick to tea or coffee and the odd glass of pop. Not had Tizer for years until last night! 

My health conditions made be do an abrupt stop on regular alcohol consumption. I couldn’t find any the right drink to have that didn’t make be sick. I haven’t stopped completely but it’s less and less regular. Due to other health conditions issues I don’t know if I’m better for it yet. I’m waiting for a kidney transplant- maybe post that I’ll know for sure. Do I miss it? Well I miss the social aspects more than the actual consumption, both used to go hand in hand. 

On 09/07/2023 at 22:45, Futtocks said:

Go easy on BB, everyone - a couple of days of puritan living, and he's already seeing guinea pigs with earrings and Wakefield winning a match.

There's a lot to process.

I screenshot it so it was real!! 

I'm pretty sure the Wakey win was a dream though

On 10/07/2023 at 08:46, Spidey said:

My health conditions made be do an abrupt stop on regular alcohol consumption. I couldn’t find any the right drink to have that didn’t make be sick. I haven’t stopped completely but it’s less and less regular. Due to other health conditions issues I don’t know if I’m better for it yet. I’m waiting for a kidney transplant- maybe post that I’ll know for sure. Do I miss it? Well I miss the social aspects more than the actual consumption, both used to go hand in hand. 

I'm planning on a small night out Friday with friends  (with the Wire Vs Wigan game on to brainwash southerners as always)

Planning on non alcoholic beer ........wish me luck

On 10/07/2023 at 08:23, The Masked Poster said:

Possibly inspired by this thread or possibly just a coincidence, I'm currently on the wagon. I have a couple of holidays in late July/late August coming up, which I know will be boozy affairs, so I'm getting a bit of detox in beforehand. Just a couple of weeks with no drink should give my insides a break enough. 

I don't bother with non alcoholic beer though, I honestly don't see the point. If I aren't drinking, I'll stick to tea or coffee and the odd glass of pop. Not had Tizer for years until last night! 

I have inspired you MP....first time I've ever don't that to anyone !

The points of non alc for me....

1. Save it for days that would normally be drinking days

2. Stay a bit thirsty before you have it 

3. Have in freezer just before 

4. Do stronger tasting hoppy stuff 

5. I allow myself some junk food /treats on the drinking day 

Doing the above gives me maybe a 30% placebo effect of relaxation etc......I actually look forward to them on Saturday now,

Maybe just works for some people though

8 minutes ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

I'm planning on a small night out Friday with friends  (with the Wire Vs Wigan game on to brainwash southerners as always)

Planning on non alcoholic beer ........wish me luck

Good luck, it is a great age for 0%ish beers. Compare the selection today to the 90s

40 minutes ago, Spidey said:

Good luck, it is a great age for 0%ish beers. Compare the selection today to the 90s

I remember the Kaliber advert ....think with Billy Connelly and they did draft?? Bet it was awful

1 minute ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

I remember the Kaliber advert ....think with Billy Connelly and they did draft?? Bet it was awful

Billy Connelly was about the only thing going for it from memory

gonna join the thread and have another go at cutting well down too after a heavy weekend last week! got the meteors gig next week so will try and keep it to 4ish pints of moderate strength beer on the night and get up for work next day! apart from that am gonna really try hard 

Interesting item on BBC site today about Tom Holland giving up booze

On 11/07/2023 at 13:26, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

I remember the Kaliber advert ....think with Billy Connelly and they did draft?? Bet it was awful

You're not wrong. It was absolutely vile.

Zero percent beers still aren't quite there yet IMO but they've come a long way since then and will hopefully continue to improve. 

19 hours ago, Red Willow said:

Interesting item on BBC site today about Tom Holland giving up booze

Yeah I saw that....RU fan too apparently 

14 minutes ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

Yeah I saw that....RU fan too apparently 

Nobody’s perfect

Who is Tom Holland?

Can't find my Band of Hope Cert , but here's the one awarded to my wife in 1957.

8 hours ago, JohnM said:

Who is Tom Holland?

He’s my alter ego 

I’ve grappled with my drinking habits for a long time now. I hit the ciggies on the head around 2014/15. I stopped buying, but I would bludge a few. The hardest part was not smoking when having a drink. The two went hand in hand. Now the thought of cigarettes mostly sickens me.

As to the drink. There have been many times I have consumed excessive amounts in a session. It has gotten me into various levels of trouble too at various times, but I am safe with no criminal record and haven’t lost any friendships over it.

Despite the decent outcome, I come to think about the effect drinking has on my health and I certainly could lose a few pounds by drinking less.

What I have really tried to understand is what I enjoy so much about alcohol? Certainly most my friendship circles include alcohol in our gatherings. Could I still enjoy the company in an alcohol free state? Probably not come the back end of a long sesh But I have learned I actually enjoy being a little heady. I find it relaxing and allows my mind to wander a little.

I think what I really want to challenge in myself is whether I can enjoy myself in social settings without alcohol, when it’s played such an active part in most of my social activities since I was 16.

I have friends who have given up the drink and they have purposefully pushed away from some friendships which I find a great shame.

Another friend has given up the booze but replaced the habit with cocaine. He doesn’t abuse it. Still goes to the pub on a Friday with his mates. Drinks Soda water or lemonade, but gets his buzz out of the narcotic.

Then there is another friend who identifies the same enjoyment of the light headed buzz of a few beers as I get, he only drinks straight vodka in a responsible manner on certain evenings when at home. He finds this an easy way to minimise the calories when at home, leaving beer sessions only when out with the boys.

5 hours ago, Sports Prophet said:

I’ve grappled with my drinking habits for a long time now. I hit the ciggies on the head around 2014/15. I stopped buying, but I would bludge a few. The hardest part was not smoking when having a drink. The two went hand in hand. Now the thought of cigarettes mostly sickens me.

As to the drink. There have been many times I have consumed excessive amounts in a session. It has gotten me into various levels of trouble too at various times, but I am safe with no criminal record and haven’t lost any friendships over it.

Despite the decent outcome, I come to think about the effect drinking has on my health and I certainly could lose a few pounds by drinking less.

What I have really tried to understand is what I enjoy so much about alcohol? Certainly most my friendship circles include alcohol in our gatherings. Could I still enjoy the company in an alcohol free state? Probably not come the back end of a long sesh But I have learned I actually enjoy being a little heady. I find it relaxing and allows my mind to wander a little.

I think what I really want to challenge in myself is whether I can enjoy myself in social settings without alcohol, when it’s played such an active part in most of my social activities since I was 16.

I have friends who have given up the drink and they have purposefully pushed away from some friendships which I find a great shame.

Another friend has given up the booze but replaced the habit with cocaine. He doesn’t abuse it. Still goes to the pub on a Friday with his mates. Drinks Soda water or lemonade, but gets his buzz out of the narcotic.

Then there is another friend who identifies the same enjoyment of the light headed buzz of a few beers as I get, he only drinks straight vodka in a responsible manner on certain evenings when at home. He finds this an easy way to minimise the calories when at home, leaving beer sessions only when out with the boys.

As someone who is always has to think about the calories, I've often tried other drinks rather than alcohol. I enjoy them all far less than a beer. Most of my friends prefer whisky, but I think this is in part because they like the idea of it. I've been to whisky festivals with them, and they talk some bull as if they've any idea what they're talking about, then end up forking out a ridiculous amount for an expensive whisky they've been talked into.

I've also wondered what I love so much about having a few drinks. I'm reminded of Pavlov's dog, in that I think I associate drinking with the fun crazy times I had as a young man, which obviously isn't going to happen when I'm having a few in the house on a Saturday night.

That said, I do enjoy the taste and where it not addictive and high in calories, would have it regularly with my tea instead of a soft drink. I often liken it to spicy food, there's just a kick to it that even the nicest soft drink can't recreate.

Hardly ever drink at home , and only have the occasional night out .Easiest decision ever to cut down drinking when i went to the pub and the basic drink had gone up from £4 a pint to £4.80 in one go .They even put John Smiths up to £4.40 and i wouldn`t pay 10 pence for that .

5 hours ago, ivans82 said:

Hardly ever drink at home , and only have the occasional night out .Easiest decision ever to cut down drinking when i went to the pub and the basic drink had gone up from £4 a pint to £4.80 in one go .They even put John Smiths up to £4.40 and i wouldn`t pay 10 pence for that .

The drinking at home thing is a weird one to me. I personally do it but I know actual alcoholics (two at least) who refuse to drink at home! I mean, I know them well and spend time at their houses and they aren't just saying it (they are confessed alcoholics) or have a hidden stash, they just don't drink in the house. 

One theory of mine is that both these people inherited their house from fairly strict parents and are possibly reluctant to do it due to some muscle memory or something. 

26 minutes ago, The Masked Poster said:

The drinking at home thing is a weird one to me. I personally do it but I know actual alcoholics (two at least) who refuse to drink at home! I mean, I know them well and spend time at their houses and they aren't just saying it (they are confessed alcoholics) or have a hidden stash, they just don't drink in the house. 

One theory of mine is that both these people inherited their house from fairly strict parents and are possibly reluctant to do it due to some muscle memory or something. 

I’ve never been one for drinking at home unless hosting a party.

One exception was lockdown when I honed my cocktail making skills 

I’ve always associated drink with the social element

11 minutes ago, Spidey said:

I’ve never been one for drinking at home unless hosting a party.

One exception was lockdown when I honed my cocktail making skills 

I’ve always associated drink with the social element

I don’t drink alone at home, there’s always a few people around or at least one. So I suppose it’s a party…..

1 hour ago, Spidey said:

I’ve always associated drink with the social element

I can understand that but with a different slant. I would drink a fair bit of wine in the house at the weekends with the other half and the odd whiskey. The normal habit many of us have of it being a wind down after a hard week at work. I almost never drink beer in the house though as I associate that with the social element and only drink that, or Guinness, when I go out.

After 18 months+ of drinking at least 5 nights a week and at least 8-10 cans a time me and the missus stopped at new year.  We were gonna start showing again after putting back on a lot of weight we lost during the lockdown.  We did dry January and the first week and a half of February before we had a drink.

We currently drink a couple of times a week and are still dieting,  walking to work (3 miles) and back home most days.