Oats are good for you ;-)


This one: http://www.hindsightwines.com/...non-napa-valley/2015

That is a killer wine! Howell mountain is my favorite appellation from the area :)

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Level II USAT Coach | Level 3 USAC Coach | NASM-CPT
Team Zoot | Tailwind Trailblazer
I can tell you why you're sick, I just can't write you an Rx

I’ve been a binge drinker in the past, especially at university, then discovered triathlon and since then only binge drank when I went out or special events which was not that often. Since discovering craft beer I drink most weekends but not to the same excess, rarely been hungover. Untappd app has also probably encouraged me to drink more beers as I try to get my ‘unique’ number up. Definitely drink much less than I used to but could probably reduce it more.

Did dry July here last year but it’s summer here in New Zealand so don’t think dry January is achievable as it’s too good a weather to avoid the odd beer.

Anyway I think it’s admirable that people are trying to reduce consumption. I work in family law and something that is often present in domestic violence type situations is alcohol.

Imo if alcohol was trying to be introduced into society like some of newer drugs like mdma etc and we took the same harm based approach to legalisation it would not be legal.

https://www.npr.org/...-breaking-bad-habits

That's an article on the study. It references the original study by Robins.

You guys definitely win the prize for the most 'in your face' anti-drinking ads I've ever seen - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y91xgcTROsU.

9 days down, almost 30% of the way there!

I’m getting my rest tonight. Tomorrow starts three days of active mental and emotional gymnastics when my father arrives. He’s a seething alcoholic. Whee.

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Level II USAT Coach | Level 3 USAC Coach | NASM-CPT
Team Zoot | Tailwind Trailblazer
I can tell you why you're sick, I just can't write you an Rx

Thanks, my wife is currently pursuing a masters degree in counseling and is now enrolled in a class on addiction. Plus I am a recovering alcoholic. So I thought that it would be interesting for both of us.

I am off to see the in laws this weekend. While they are not heavy drinkers, the boredom I experience out in farm country usually leads to some quality binge drinking to pass the time. They do have a dreadmill in the basement that I will try to spend some quality time with. Maybe I can convince my wife I need to drag my bike and trainer set up with us also. I think this will my toughest weekend of abstaining for the month.

Good luck! Off for a long weekend with the inlaws. They're cool and not alcoholics by any stretch. Definitely not LIGHT drinkers though either. Should be ok though. Hoping to get some good biking in in a warmer climate.

ive been successful so far on a dry-er January (no drinking on weeknights)

not normally a heavy drinker - but my wife and I like to have a bottle of wine in the evening frequently, and during the 2 weeks I had off at xmas I was definitely drinking about 4-5 a day - so that had to change

This is my first ever dry January, I've always wanted to try it knowing that my intake likely effects my performance at least a little and I've spent 18 years in the military that always has a culture of binge drinking, especially in aviation. I've never been out of control, but I was having trouble sleeping the last couple years, fought off a cancer scare and lately was feeling very lethargic, so why not try this!! The first 10 days, not so tough, but definitely a record in recent years of days alcohol free. But Sunday I head to New Orleans (staying on bourbon st) for a week for work. This will be the true test! Thankfully, I've been to NOLA more times than is necessary in one lifetime, so I've done the hard partying and touristy stuff to excess and I signed up for a marathon 7 weeks away...so plenty of running to do, which will happen at night after work (on a treadmill probably, insert deep sigh here), but that should help. Fingers crossed the willpower holds! I've been sleeping better and I've had a better attitude over the week and half, so there is something to all this :)

Great job everyone who's on the wagon this month. Thanks for sharing!

We are in double digit territory! Great job so far, everyone! You’ve made it over 32% of the month without alcohol.

One day down with my father visiting. It’s time for a Cupcake leather couch session! My father is an abysmal alcoholic who swears he doesnt have a problem because he’s otherwise healthy. I grew up in a house where drinking to excess, every day, was normal. The only way I realized it wasn’t is when I became of an age to be able to drink like my parents did, and tried, I thought I was going to die. Fast forward to now, my mother is gone, and his new wife enables him mightily. She blames me for being a “trigger” for his drinking. Which, lol I’m 600 miles away and he barely talks to me anymore. But I digress.

Obviously the drinking gene is floating around in my cells, so I take every January with a bit of grace and gnashed teeth when it gets hard. Like today when both my father and husband were drinking, and I just wanted to lock myself in the bathroom with my bottle of EH Taylor single barrel. But I didn’t, and that feels just about as good as completing any badass workout.

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Level II USAT Coach | Level 3 USAC Coach | NASM-CPT
Team Zoot | Tailwind Trailblazer
I can tell you why you're sick, I just can't write you an Rx

You’re doing great! We’re glad you joined in :)

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Level II USAT Coach | Level 3 USAC Coach | NASM-CPT
Team Zoot | Tailwind Trailblazer
I can tell you why you're sick, I just can't write you an Rx

You're doing great too Dr_C. Hang in there.

I am also in! Still going strong.

Running the Miami marathon end of the month so no alcohol will strongly boost my form as well.

Keep it up all!

Fellow short term teetotalers - Day 11! Can you believe it? Look how far we've come.

I've had a couple episodes of "the urge" which I'm sure you have as well. I have some fake beer in the fridge for just such an occasion. When I drink beer, as likely for many of you, the sensation of the cold, fizzy beverage sliding down my throat is every bit enjoyable as the taste. So even though the non-alcoholic beer tastes different, it satisfies that need. Odoulls tastes better than Bitburger. A lot better.

Have a great weekend, keep up the good work, and hope that the weather wherever you are is conducive to a great training couple of days.

John

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

My parents are visiting and it's the opposite with them -- teetotalers all the way.

So, it's a good time, because I don't get the judgmental side looks and comments, but it's a bad time because -- well, my parents are visiting for 3+ weeks.

But yep, over 1/3 down. Fight the good fight.

11 days done! Over 35% of the way there!

Day two of my fathers visit done as well. He started drinking at 4pm, that was fun. Sigh. It gets easier again tomorrow.

One of the fun and better physiological things to note in abstention is my resting heart rate has dropped to almost its lowest in a year. My maintenance meds artificially elevate it, and apparently it’s even more magnified by the good stuff. Seeing it that low today made me very happy. I also took my bp using our home tester and it was pretty damn perfect. So yay for a happy heart to make up for an angry brain, lol.

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Level II USAT Coach | Level 3 USAC Coach | NASM-CPT
Team Zoot | Tailwind Trailblazer
I can tell you why you're sick, I just can't write you an Rx

You used to only be able buy beer/alcohol before 6pm in 50s 60s etc so people would drink as much at the pub as they could from after work at 5 until closing at 6.

Other student traditions didn’t help at uni either like box or crate day where you’d drink 24 beers in a sitting.

Day 12 done! Almost 40% of the way there!

Today was apparently the cracking point for others I know that attempted dry January. They gave reasons ranging of stress boiling over to “I deserve it”. And then others chimed in and said a dry month is dumb in solidarity. Meanwhile, I haven’t told them I’m doing this dry run again and I just sat there grinding my teeth to the point of headache.

So, kudos to everyone that’s made it this far. We’re apparently a baller minority. What’s been your key to success if you consider yourself a “regular” drinker?

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Level II USAT Coach | Level 3 USAC Coach | NASM-CPT
Team Zoot | Tailwind Trailblazer
I can tell you why you're sick, I just can't write you an Rx

Well I'm still only on 2/3 of a beer for the month, and that goes back another 5 weeks before that. So I figure I'm 99% still, had a couple occasions during these football playoffs that I really wanted to crack a nice double IPA, but didnt. Still in the camp that if I really want to have a beer, I just will. But you guys have kept a few of the not so urgent urges at bay thus far..

Still doing okay here.

One thing that's been big is avoiding meals that we associate with a particular drink; so no steak for us until February. Or carbonara. As a result we've been trying a bunch of new recipes. I sent a picture of last night's meal to my mom and her reaction "You're quite the foodie." Erm okay?

Also, we haven't really had any meals out or been to any social things so none of that situational pressure.

I think that has a lot to do with success- the removal of triggers. No big meals, no social outings, etc. I’m trying not to be a shut-in during the month but geez it is hard when we’re regulars at a local microbrewery, do a Big Red dinner one night a week (red meat and red wine), etc.

What did you make for dinner in your new foodieness? :)

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Level II USAT Coach | Level 3 USAC Coach | NASM-CPT
Team Zoot | Tailwind Trailblazer
I can tell you why you're sick, I just can't write you an Rx

New recipes this week were:
Butternut squash and mushroom lasagne
Halloumi roast
Harissa chickpea bowl (this is what prompted my mother to make the comment)

Still in. It's been surprisingly easy for me. One thing that makes it easier is simply not having any beer in the house. My wife usually buys the beer (just for me, bless her heart, she never drinks). And she's simply forgotten the past couple of weeks. I haven't told her I'm doing this, and she hasn't noticed yet. Which surprises me a little because my clockwork daily beer is always with her at dinner.

Another bonus is I get to eat a little bit more.