Heading into day 10 and I am feeling really good about the decision to do this. No noticeable difference physically or sleep wise, but this has been eye opening in regards to choosing my alcohol more wisely moving forward.

I def miss vino with a good meal and a pint on the weekend after a hard workout, but that is it. The drinks during the game or over the weekend, "just because" could be a thing of the past.

+1. After 10 days I've now realized how much I used to drink just because I was bored or watching something on TV that I subjectively felt justified drinking, and because I didn't have any other non-alcoholic beverages on hand (which I do now). I've substituted tea every night and it fills the same function, and won't eventually kill me.

My wife tried to temp me to succumb tonight by putting a bottle of wine in the fridge, but somehow I have resisted and I am having an alcohol free (technically very, very low) beer. I have really started to enjoy the various alcohol free beers this month. I just enjoy the taste and sensation of drinking it, and get a little glow of pride at the same time.

My sleep is definitely improved. Noticeably so!

Still going strong here. Had a little bit of a near-miss last night...the wife was out for the evening and I had the thought go through my head that "no one will ever know." Anyways, I passed the test. I hope this helps me drop a couple of pounds by the end of the month.

First night tonight that I have felt like I'd like a glass of wine; I think it has to do with what I'm cooking (lasagne) and the fact that I'd normally have wine with it. Anybody associate certain foods with certain drinks?

Resisting the urge so far; went searching in our sideboard for some sparkling water and found beer instead. Now that's in the fridge for hubby and I'm a little grumpy.

Dec 31 I had emergency abdominal surgery, bowel obstruction. My recovery is going well have been doing some bike trainer and light running since Wednesday. Really have not thought about having a beer. I usually drink 2-3 every day, but never more. So maybe I can hold off for the rest of the month.

Isn’t it crazy that my first thought when I read your post was “aw, man, that is so unfair!” Surgery as a method of making a month without alcohol easier..... maybe a little extreme!

On a more serious note: I hope you are recovering well.

after "accidentally" having our new year's celebration on December 30th and feeling like garbage the next day, I'm been following this thread and staying dry. Combined with the 100 day run challenge, body and mind are starting to feel really good (really appreciating the online slowtwitch community support). We should also share what substitutes we are using when in social settings with alcohol being consumed - for instance, I've been drinking cranberry juice and perrier when others around me are drinking merlot or pinot noir.

I haven't done this yet, but a lot of the craft places around me will have some sort of kombucha on tap which is very low BAC (~0.3%). You still maintain the ability to buy overpriced liquid to fit in without being berated as much. Strange when looking at it like that I guess. And yeah, I'll probably be doing that today when I go out with friends this afternoon.

At two weeks, I can wake up for my morning workouts easier, feel as if I am recovering better, and have lost 3-4 pounds which is very significant for me. I'm considering sticking with it until my A race (Texas). Strangely enough I don't feel like I"m missing out on anything.

From this, I have so far learned I don't need beer in the house "just to have one cause work was hard or I'm tired". I will probably go back to having a pint or two with friends on the occasion we are at a pub, but that's it. It is also odd how accountable I feel to an invisible thread on a Slowtwitch forum, but it works. Chow

Just about half way home. It's been a bit difficult but so far a success, despite dinners out with alcohol around, post-long run cravings for beer, TV sports (!), etc. It is amazing how much more energy I have in the mornings.

This is January and not only are you only two weeks post op, summer and racing are a long, long time from now. Your main focus, of course, is healing. It was 11 degrees at this morning's workout; maybe best to avoid. I had a patient a number of years ago, 73 year old man with a young wife and young kids, whose knee I replaced. When he came for his first post operative visit, just to show me he could do it, he took the two flights of stairs to my office. What a dunce! How do you think he'd have felt if he ripped the incision open?

Do your best to heal this up, not lose too much weight, and you'll be back "in the pink" before you know it.

Best of luck,

John

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John H. Post, III, MD
Orthopedic Surgeon
Charlottesville, VA

2 weeks in. Weight=194, I think this was a good a weight based on my diet and the hydration I felt this morning. So, overall probably down a pound in 2 weeks. which probably could directly coorelate to my useless calories in alcohol. So, overall going well. I actually have noticed a mild decrease in sleep quality with a few time waking up overnight and definitely harder to get up and get moving in the morning but no real change in workout performance. So, I'm not going to give credit for a worse night sleep to not having a night cap. It's probably just coincidence based on crazy pressure changes and being slightly congested for the last week.

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https://www.strava.com/athletes/23685202

Still going well - felt much easier mentally than last years dry January (which I gave up on like the 20th)

I had a few non-alcoholic beers on the weekend while watching football. I'd never tried them before and though i'd give them a shot. Kinda average, probably not something that I will bother purchasing again.

My wife and I decided that in February we will limit ourselves to a shared bottle of wine on the weekend (ie. after the kids are in bed on Friday or Saturday)

I am struggling with it at the moment. My wife is doing it with me, but she really wants to share a nice bottle of wine. Last night really was a mental battle. Tonight will be again. Not really sure why I am doing this.

Weight is 205.6, last week was an anomoly as I was pretty dehydrated from a workout. I ate Korean BBQ last night, luckily the all you can eat place had an hour plus wait time so went down the street and ate a la carte to keep calories in check. Saw lots of pitcher of beer being served but was okay with just ice tea.

I’ve really struggled this weekend just gone but just about stayed dry. I normally like a glass or two of red when I’m cooking.....that is the most difficult time for me.
Good news is I am 4 pounds down due to being strict with the calories. I also am sleeping more soundly.
Bad news is that it is much harder than I thought.

How are you all getting on?

Day 19. Yesterday was my toughest yet. Not sure I will stay strong tonight. Would just love a glass of wine after dinner today. So my tally is 19-1, with the one failure being a job interview dinner where wine was served. I started on the 30th of December.

I'm doing fine right now. Not really thinking about it much. I'm a little disappointed I haven't noticed any increase in quality of sleep or energy level. If anything it's the opposite but I will just blame the weather. I'll weigh in again on Monday morning. I'm hoping to drop another lb but we will see. I've had a bigger training week this week with next week a recovery/testing week. So, I hope to have some improvement that I can show after then.

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https://www.strava.com/athletes/23685202

Thanks John, still no alcohol, and my strength is coming back. I'm 6'2" 166 before surgery. I started weighing again after I got home and actually dropped to 159 after being home a couple of days. The weight is coming back, currently 163. We have a decent weekend weather wise so I'll probably get a short run and a short bike ride in.
For the rest of you guys, hang in there, only 12 days left. And you may even go further.

Take a bow Jamie73.


Well done to all. If we just take a second to review that which so many have overcome, little temptations, BIG temptations it gives you a lift. Sunday will be the 21st. That means only ten days left. I don't plan on any "purchases" before then, if you get my drift, so I don't have anything in the liquor cabinet. But come the 31st, watch out.

Big swim in the morning, coffee already in the percolator.

Nice work folks, keep it up.

John

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John H. Post, III, MD
Orthopedic Surgeon
Charlottesville, VA

Replying to no one in particular.

I've randomly done bouts of weeks to months with no alcohol although never in January. So far so good. I can't remember if there was a post in this thread or another that mentioned tea as a good substitute for wine as tea can get pretty complex. That's been helpful to explore and still comes in way less that what I'm paying for my wine.

Good Onion article on Dry January:

https://local.theonion.com/...amp;isappinstalled=0

I'm the same too - can fairly easily go weeks (anywhere from 1-6) without drinking and always drink 3/4 pots of tea per day whether drinking or not.

Ran my first race of the year yesterday (marathon) and despite a lousy last 12km of misery, I resisted the temptation to either celebrate another one down, or commiserate with myself for blowing up so badly.

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My race site: https://racesandplaces.wixsite.com/racesandplaces

Yeah, I gave in Saturday night. We had a good friend that was visiting (actually the person that introduced me to my wife). She just came back from Chile and brought a bottle of malbec, which she opened with my wife. I had a sip of my wife's glass and said forget this challenge, I want a glass. It was great. I stopped at that 1 (large poor). I don't feel bad. I really enjoyed it. I also got on the scale. weight=193. So, that's good. Down 2 lbs in 3 weeks. Overall, the benefits I have noticed are weight and grocery budget! I guess a 6 pack of craft beer and 1-2 bottles of wine per week can add up. I plan to keep my consumption low indefinitely. Thanks for starting this challenge. I've found some other substitutes for my nightly beverage choice and realized that I will definitely not use alcohol for stress coping.

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https://www.strava.com/athletes/23685202

 
A strange reaction from the no alcohol (I 've slipped a couple of time but general consumption is down).

I usually have a hard group run on Friday mornings, the usual Thursday will be a few bevvy's and without fail I will have a major blowout on the run or will have to sprint home because the cramps are soo bad. But after two runs with no booze the night before my bowels seem much happier the next day.

Coincidence???....either way I can give up the booze so I don't have to crap in the woods.