'Everything in moderation'

Except in January obviously :)

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29 years and counting

Well, I failed way earlier than last time I tried. We had a party with friends and I didn't even think about the challenge and enjoyed a couple drinks. I guess I will just hop back on and start today, well I guess I started yesterday since I didn't have any then. No plans this weekend. It should be easy to get at least 1 week.

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

For me, I battled back and forth on even getting the 0.0, because part of the quitting is to limit calories, and those have 69 empty calories in them too. I just checked, and no where on the bottle does it say anything about 0.5. It is all "alcohol free" verbiage.

My intention was to enjoy the social aspect of drinking, and potentially avoid the questions on why I'm not. Unfortunately when everyone starts passing around interesting wines and Grappa, Scotch and offering a taste, you kind of have to come clean.

Not to speak to others intentions, but my motivation is really 3 fold. 1. it is my magic bullet to drop lbs. Cut the booze and I instantly have a caloric deficit to my prior diet. 2. A self check that I can stop, I have power over it. 3. A reset of habits from the holidays, as I tend to imbibe much more frequently during the holidays with family / friends constantly around, football darn near every day. Need to break the Pavlovian responses.

I enjoy a good wine and a good beer, and this helps me keep that in moderation.

This is my 3rd year of willpower month and boredom is usually what gets to me. First couple of days weren't a problem, but I found yesterday to be a bit of a struggle due though. Every time I'd wander through the kitchen (which was quite often due to aimless wandering through the house and an open floor plan), the lone beer in the fridge would call out to me. Made it through though. Probably should just take the beer out of the fridge and put it in the pantry.

I'm still using-up the remaining Brandy Cream/Sauce on the Christmas Pudding; but I consider that a 'pass'.

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29 years and counting

I did the same :-/ Not happy about it but no sense in letting it rule us. I'll just start today again :)

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Day 5
Made it.
5 mile run & ice swim.
Lots of water & seltzer with lemons and lime & hot chicken broth.
Have to drop 25 lbs for 2 Marathons this year.

whats the point in posting stuff like this?
cant speak for anyone else - but not everyone has a problem with addiction/binging/etc.

i'm definitely not over weight, exercise tons, and can easily go a week without drinking - life is way to short and stressful to not enjoy a bottle of wine with your wife or a few beers with your friends once in a while.

"... including 'moderation'" - Oscar Wilde

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"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin

It is. A friend was recently diagnosed with pancreatitis and loves (loved) his craft beer, and this is now his go-to as he can't even tolerate a 0.5% brew.

Speaking of which.. I've been thoroughly impressed with Athletic Brewing's offerings. My local beer place can barely keep it in stock, and the reviews on beer sites are surprisingly good.

I've had the Run Wild IPA, All Out Stout, Stump Jump Brown Ale and the Upside Dawn, and liked them all. My beer fridge now has more of their brews in it than "real" beers, and I'm waiting for them to start offering kegs so that I can restock the kegerator.

A friend who's a hardcore homebrewer and self-confessed beer snob loves their stuff and has been buying their special release brews online etc. He even asked for a case of Athletic as payment for some bike parts he sold me.

Another um, re-configuration here. I try not to view it as a failure. I am doing dry weekdays but a beer or G&T on the weekends is cool. For me

I made it through dinner Friday night with my wife. We went to a bar where she had a wine, then to a great restaurant where she had a couple glasses of wine. I drank Topo Chico and Club Soda and was fine. Didn't miss the drink at all. We watched a movie and I got up early for a ride AND FELT GREAT! But I didn't sleep any better than normal after 3 days no booze.
Come Sat afternoon and I just felt like a drink was what I wanted to enjoy with my wife while we chilled at home. So i did. Had 3 tequila/topo chicos, had a great meal and we watched another good movie. Slept better Sat night than Fri night. Woke up, cooked family breakfast then went on 2 great rides (1 solo; 1 with 6 year old son and 9 year old daughter- she LOVES gravel grinding!)
Had a beer after and some wine with dinner. Felt great this am.

Decided to modify- no drinking on Monday- Friday, have a drink sat- sun if I want to.

Not because I felt the urge to, but I chose to. I'm good with that.

I've never personally had a drinking problem, but it runs in my family for sure. Like most of you I tend to imbibe more around the holidays. It just comes with the territory of parties, friends visiting, family visiting, lots of celebratory meals.

Anyway, While discussing my family history. I asked my Dr "How do you know if you have or are starting to develop a drinking problem?"

His response has always stuck with me. "I often hear people say they they try to drink less. People without some sort of an alcohol problem don't have to try to not drink. They simply don't dink like you wouldn't eat a particular food if you knew it was bad for you. They don't think about it or struggle through the evening. If you find yourself thinking about it all the time...you might be sliding down that slope."

I'm not calling anyone out - lord knows I love me some booze. But reading through this thread my Drs words kept ringing in my ears.

I have visited this forum frequently looking for the dry January thread. Observed from a distance the past several years and now ready to participate. Already 6 days in and adjusting well. I work a 24 on, 48 off schedule, so every 3rd day was already an alcohol free day, but I’m guessing my wife hasn’t had an alcohol free day in over a year. We’re participating together. We’ve already made an exception for her birthday later this month though.

People need to re read the thread title. There is way too many people justifying their choice to have some alcohol. Its not "drink less" January its "no alcohol"/ This morning I poured out some wine from a partially drunken bottle from the holidays. Glad I did. I'm hoping to get the strength to empty the house of everything by the end of the month.

For me is isn’t how much, but how often, and the answer is EVERY.SINGLE.DAY. That’s what I hope to mentally reset this month.

Thank you. You summed up my motivations exactly! Good luck to us!

Please never organize a slowtwitch no-caffeine month.
I would find that a million times harder than not drinking.

I dont notice any physical cravings for alcohol (mental for sure) - but if I dont get like 3 cups of coffee in by mid-day I feel like garbage

I have a serious caffeine addiction, but I went 3 weeks cold turkey. I didn't get horrible headaches, but I noticed that 6 hours of sleep and trying to fit in two-a-days plus a full day's work = not enjoyable.

My first double shot after 3 weeks was the closest to a religious experience that I've ever had. It was glorious. Now, I have to drink 2 cups + a shot of espresso in the morning just to feel normal.

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@floathammerholdon | @partners_in_tri

Not entirely true. There’s plenty to support the community and social aspect in traditional society to enjoying a beverage or two with those close to you.

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"The person on top of the mountain didn't fall there." - unkown

also rule 5

Omg I got a nespresso for Christmas. Such a step up from drip coffee.

I find it super hard to give up something when my goal is so far away. Typically I go sober a month or so before my ‘A’ race, because that’s the point I really need to focus. I’m doing IMCA this year so mid July I’ll clean myself up. Makes that post race beer extra special. Mmmm.

Ohh I have definitely done that. I went from 4-5 cups of black tar hospital coffee a day to zero and am still caffeine-free over a decade later. Not by choice, as the stuff makes my heart want to explode now, but all the same. I can be the one everyone swears at while still being a perky squirrel.

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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

Six days into the year without alcohol! Hope you’ve had your epiphany and found your reasons to gather strength to make it through the duration (or to pick up where you left off).

Another easy day. Busy AF. Would have liked to unwind with a glass of wine on this chilly Monday night but I’ve got ten miles of reasons to keep sleeping like a rockstar tonight.

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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