I never get to post on milestone dates, meh. Still on track for 100 days.
All the gym work and no alcohol is finally starting to pay off with decent arm muscles and abs. It's now getting to the point that I'm kicking around going past 100 days as I'm on such a roll on this front.
I am flavour of the month in this holiday season as everyone's favourite designated driver.
This time last year was our annual family Christmas at the in laws. They do it early to fit into everyone's plans. Last year I was hungover on the Sunday due to the non stop wine. This year, I'm booked into the gym for a 9 AM class this Sunday after the Sat night shenanigans.
That's how I roll these days.
Thursday, 7 December 2017
Tuesday, 31 October 2017
Day 40
Just chugging along here, heading towards day 100.
Someone from the gym is doing dry October and is now extending it until a planned party in late November as she feels so great and is down a stone in a month (just from giving up sugar, no other diet or exercise changes!). That's how my dry January went on for 40 days too, I was in the zone. Funny how once you get started and get over the tough days it gains momentum.
Someone from the gym is doing dry October and is now extending it until a planned party in late November as she feels so great and is down a stone in a month (just from giving up sugar, no other diet or exercise changes!). That's how my dry January went on for 40 days too, I was in the zone. Funny how once you get started and get over the tough days it gains momentum.
Monday, 4 September 2017
On form
I'm more of a blog lurker than writer these days.
In October I did 30 days off alcohol.
I did dry January this year and it lasted 40 days.
I then did a fresh run of 60 days off alcohol.
I'm finding that I now do most days off of it and that's ok. I've come to a conclusion that I'm more of a boredom drinker than anything else. At the same time I picked up at the gym back in January and now evolved into a set routine, 6 days per week. Alcohol does nothing for me on the sport front and I've been enjoying the benefits of working out.
My current method is to be on 'off' mode with the exception of pre-planned 'on' days. I find that I'm no longer counting hours and days. Backtracking on my calendar I'm currently on day 7 and my next 'on' day is the weekend of Sept 15th as we have some time away planned.
Looking back, 30 days seemed so difficult the first time around. Even a week was daunting in a series of day ones. Thankful to be off of that hamster wheel.
In October I did 30 days off alcohol.
I did dry January this year and it lasted 40 days.
I then did a fresh run of 60 days off alcohol.
I'm finding that I now do most days off of it and that's ok. I've come to a conclusion that I'm more of a boredom drinker than anything else. At the same time I picked up at the gym back in January and now evolved into a set routine, 6 days per week. Alcohol does nothing for me on the sport front and I've been enjoying the benefits of working out.
My current method is to be on 'off' mode with the exception of pre-planned 'on' days. I find that I'm no longer counting hours and days. Backtracking on my calendar I'm currently on day 7 and my next 'on' day is the weekend of Sept 15th as we have some time away planned.
Looking back, 30 days seemed so difficult the first time around. Even a week was daunting in a series of day ones. Thankful to be off of that hamster wheel.
Saturday, 11 February 2017
Day 40
The recovering Catholic in me recognizes that I just did the equivalent of no alcohol for 40 days of Lent.
I still haven't come to any conclusions about not drinking, except that I won't drink today as it would sound silly later to say 'I gave up alcohol for 39 days.' 'Forty' has a better ring to it.
In the gym this week, the manager (in her mid-20's) whom I affectionately call 'my weekday teetotaler' and I were comparing notes. She has zero willpower and used to say, 'I'm not drinking this weekend, well, except for Friday night, and Sunday afternoon.' She had a similar statement about mid-week drinking so thus the name.
She did Dry January like I did and just kept on going. Any big reason? Nope, just didn't feel the need to stop yet. No wedding plans, no weight loss goals, nothing. I feel in the same boat.
In an ironic twist I've been getting a lot of mystery shops recently. It's only a hobby, I like writing about travel and experiences and this is just a chance to eat out for free while doing so. Many of them are via the brewers who want to test how their pubs are doing. So if the brief says, 'you must order a half pint or pint of beer on this visit,' then I task that to the boyfriend while I get a coffee or sparkling water. To be fair, I'm impressed with the state of the coffee machines in many pubs these days, on par with the fancy coffee shops!
OH is continuing to follow his fitness regime but got sidetracked this week on two work nights out as the vendors were providing free beer and nibbles. To his credit he had none last night (Friday) and has a weekend on the cross trainer planned. My not drinking means that a Saturday for him is usually a can of beer rather than a bottle plus of wine so small wins at least.
I still haven't come to any conclusions about not drinking, except that I won't drink today as it would sound silly later to say 'I gave up alcohol for 39 days.' 'Forty' has a better ring to it.
In the gym this week, the manager (in her mid-20's) whom I affectionately call 'my weekday teetotaler' and I were comparing notes. She has zero willpower and used to say, 'I'm not drinking this weekend, well, except for Friday night, and Sunday afternoon.' She had a similar statement about mid-week drinking so thus the name.
She did Dry January like I did and just kept on going. Any big reason? Nope, just didn't feel the need to stop yet. No wedding plans, no weight loss goals, nothing. I feel in the same boat.
In an ironic twist I've been getting a lot of mystery shops recently. It's only a hobby, I like writing about travel and experiences and this is just a chance to eat out for free while doing so. Many of them are via the brewers who want to test how their pubs are doing. So if the brief says, 'you must order a half pint or pint of beer on this visit,' then I task that to the boyfriend while I get a coffee or sparkling water. To be fair, I'm impressed with the state of the coffee machines in many pubs these days, on par with the fancy coffee shops!
OH is continuing to follow his fitness regime but got sidetracked this week on two work nights out as the vendors were providing free beer and nibbles. To his credit he had none last night (Friday) and has a weekend on the cross trainer planned. My not drinking means that a Saturday for him is usually a can of beer rather than a bottle plus of wine so small wins at least.
Tuesday, 7 February 2017
Day 36
Dry January rumbles on. I had said that I would extend it out longer than Dry October, so it needed to top 31 days. The Saturday just gone would have been my first 'possible' drink day. However the time is not yet right.
Physically I've done a bit of toning up this past month. Down one solid kilo and even dipped down another kilo for three days straight. Back up again after overdoing it at the gym and taking four days off. I'm down at that annoying last five pounds stage.
OH's sis hosted us for dinner on Sunday with their parents. That one is an easy one as the parents do not drink. So I brought along my current favourite non-alcoholic tipple: http://www.echofallswine.co.uk/sparkling-tisane which they enjoyed too. Note: the bottle on mine looks more green than this photo. Price is under 3 GBP at Asda.
Undecided as to how long to keep this up. I'd like to get more in shape and actually have some ab muscles at 42. Perhaps a lofty goal. Otherwise, the job is still carp so not drinking is helping me to preserve my mind, it would drive me nutso otherwise.
Physically I've done a bit of toning up this past month. Down one solid kilo and even dipped down another kilo for three days straight. Back up again after overdoing it at the gym and taking four days off. I'm down at that annoying last five pounds stage.
OH's sis hosted us for dinner on Sunday with their parents. That one is an easy one as the parents do not drink. So I brought along my current favourite non-alcoholic tipple: http://www.echofallswine.co.uk/sparkling-tisane which they enjoyed too. Note: the bottle on mine looks more green than this photo. Price is under 3 GBP at Asda.
Undecided as to how long to keep this up. I'd like to get more in shape and actually have some ab muscles at 42. Perhaps a lofty goal. Otherwise, the job is still carp so not drinking is helping me to preserve my mind, it would drive me nutso otherwise.
Monday, 30 January 2017
Day 28
A quiet Monday. Another Monday of working out prior to eating. Supposedly this burns more fat. I'm not sure yet but it isn't doing any harm.
A completely ridiculous and wasted weekend. OH's friend (3 hours by car, direction North) was having a party to celebrate turning 40. We did the drive up on Saturday afternoon, I was well-stocked with my non-alcoholic fizzy and fizzy water. We had our pillows and blankets along as we were going to spend the night and drive back Sunday.
It was a mixed group, 15 - 20 adults all around 40 plus 2 older parents. 6 or 7 kids aged 6-10. One 19 year old son of the birthday girl. In an ironic twist, the 19 year old was probably the most sober, delicately sipping a can of beer.
No one gave me any hassle about not drinking, the birthday girl told people I was 'doing dry January til the end'. Her other half said he admired that, he had done the month but had decided earlier to go until her birthday, so 27 nights. I was the only sober adult in the house by around 7 PM.
As the night rolled on the fizzy and Stella were plentiful. The birthday cake came out, the kids did some dj'ing on the computer and the dancing started.
Fast forward to 130 AM, many had headed home for the night but a group still going strong. We were sneaking off to bed when an altercation started, the 19 year old son and one of the 40's males had some history, doors started slamming, walls were getting punched. Not wanting to dwell on the back story or the reasons. You can imagine the ridiculousness of this situation, some males hyped on testosterone and Stella, now the step father became involved. Add in some shrieking females.
I told my other half we were not spending the night. Everyone shouting and hitting things. Not safe. He was not comfortable leaving his 19 year old Godson outnumbered, especially as he is physically small, smaller than many of the Northern lasses there. Queue more fighting activity in the house. By now I'm standing outside on the street with the car loaded up. No double glazing so neighbors are starting to come out. The 19 year old comes out and is going to get on his moped but my other half tells him not to as he has had some beers and it's now 2 AM. To be fair he was the most sober so had the foresight to lock the front door, leaving them locked in and buying us two minutes to get away as I ordered the 19 year old into the car. His stepfather punched out the window of the front door. My other half and the sister of the stepfather agreed that my OH would call the police on a domestic.
At 215 in the morning I'm driving around an unfamiliar town as we go to the 24 hour McDonalds.
So re-grouping on our plans the 19 year old has swelling on his hand so we take him to the emergency room. At 245 on a Saturday in a Northern England town it's mostly males involved in altercations as the pubs shut for 230.
My OH connects with the lad's mother, the police have since been and the stepfather is on the way to the same hospital. So my OH had to stay around for his arrival, having alerted the hospital staff. So we left both of them there under their care. My OH wanted to get a hotel but by now I was powered on adrenaline and two bottles of non-alcoholic fizzy (sugared up). So we set off at 3 AM making it back to our safe little corner of Essex as the clock was striking 6.
While I drove my OH was fielding updates from the boy's mother. At 6 I took a shower and went to bed until 930. We spent the day like zombies, no gym session.
The son and stepfather were both seen at A&E and took a taxi home together at 6 AM. Both have hand difficulties which will require follow up this week. The stepfather will require surgery due to the glass/tendons. As he works with his hands he is out of work for the week.
This whole situation was the result of alcohol. I cannot even begin to type my devastation of seeing the children crying, observing this situation. I told my OH, never again will I be going up there. If anything, this will extend my 30 days a little longer.
A completely ridiculous and wasted weekend. OH's friend (3 hours by car, direction North) was having a party to celebrate turning 40. We did the drive up on Saturday afternoon, I was well-stocked with my non-alcoholic fizzy and fizzy water. We had our pillows and blankets along as we were going to spend the night and drive back Sunday.
It was a mixed group, 15 - 20 adults all around 40 plus 2 older parents. 6 or 7 kids aged 6-10. One 19 year old son of the birthday girl. In an ironic twist, the 19 year old was probably the most sober, delicately sipping a can of beer.
No one gave me any hassle about not drinking, the birthday girl told people I was 'doing dry January til the end'. Her other half said he admired that, he had done the month but had decided earlier to go until her birthday, so 27 nights. I was the only sober adult in the house by around 7 PM.
As the night rolled on the fizzy and Stella were plentiful. The birthday cake came out, the kids did some dj'ing on the computer and the dancing started.
Fast forward to 130 AM, many had headed home for the night but a group still going strong. We were sneaking off to bed when an altercation started, the 19 year old son and one of the 40's males had some history, doors started slamming, walls were getting punched. Not wanting to dwell on the back story or the reasons. You can imagine the ridiculousness of this situation, some males hyped on testosterone and Stella, now the step father became involved. Add in some shrieking females.
I told my other half we were not spending the night. Everyone shouting and hitting things. Not safe. He was not comfortable leaving his 19 year old Godson outnumbered, especially as he is physically small, smaller than many of the Northern lasses there. Queue more fighting activity in the house. By now I'm standing outside on the street with the car loaded up. No double glazing so neighbors are starting to come out. The 19 year old comes out and is going to get on his moped but my other half tells him not to as he has had some beers and it's now 2 AM. To be fair he was the most sober so had the foresight to lock the front door, leaving them locked in and buying us two minutes to get away as I ordered the 19 year old into the car. His stepfather punched out the window of the front door. My other half and the sister of the stepfather agreed that my OH would call the police on a domestic.
At 215 in the morning I'm driving around an unfamiliar town as we go to the 24 hour McDonalds.
So re-grouping on our plans the 19 year old has swelling on his hand so we take him to the emergency room. At 245 on a Saturday in a Northern England town it's mostly males involved in altercations as the pubs shut for 230.
My OH connects with the lad's mother, the police have since been and the stepfather is on the way to the same hospital. So my OH had to stay around for his arrival, having alerted the hospital staff. So we left both of them there under their care. My OH wanted to get a hotel but by now I was powered on adrenaline and two bottles of non-alcoholic fizzy (sugared up). So we set off at 3 AM making it back to our safe little corner of Essex as the clock was striking 6.
While I drove my OH was fielding updates from the boy's mother. At 6 I took a shower and went to bed until 930. We spent the day like zombies, no gym session.
The son and stepfather were both seen at A&E and took a taxi home together at 6 AM. Both have hand difficulties which will require follow up this week. The stepfather will require surgery due to the glass/tendons. As he works with his hands he is out of work for the week.
This whole situation was the result of alcohol. I cannot even begin to type my devastation of seeing the children crying, observing this situation. I told my OH, never again will I be going up there. If anything, this will extend my 30 days a little longer.
Wednesday, 18 January 2017
Day 16
Just a small story. OH has been doing well on his drinking break. Granted he's more of a moderate drinker, but I'd call him more of a consistent drinker. He has no problem stopping at one, but often it will be one or two beers a day five days per week.
He's now on day 12, something he hasn't done since forever. It's nice that he's shown a bit of solidarity with me on dry Jan, he's exceeded my expectations. Plus he's lost a kilo.
His boozy friend texts him, they work near each other in London.
Boozy friend: I'm stopping in for one before getting the 630 train. Join me at x?
(x is a cheap and nasty pub, a chain with overpriced, lackluster beers.)
OH: No mate, need to get home and do the shopping, out of food.
OH's later commentary to me: Now that I've been 11 days without alcohol, my next drink is going to be a nice beer at a proper pub!
Too cute, I must admit that it gave me a giggle that he currently has such high standards!
He's now on day 12, something he hasn't done since forever. It's nice that he's shown a bit of solidarity with me on dry Jan, he's exceeded my expectations. Plus he's lost a kilo.
His boozy friend texts him, they work near each other in London.
Boozy friend: I'm stopping in for one before getting the 630 train. Join me at x?
(x is a cheap and nasty pub, a chain with overpriced, lackluster beers.)
OH: No mate, need to get home and do the shopping, out of food.
OH's later commentary to me: Now that I've been 11 days without alcohol, my next drink is going to be a nice beer at a proper pub!
Too cute, I must admit that it gave me a giggle that he currently has such high standards!
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