15 days in, too easy so far honestly might never drink again at this rate. Even went out to bars with friends last night and came home sober and hydrated ready for an early morning run. Positive change, just adjust your personality to match surroundings and no need for liquid courage.
Was losing weight one of the reasons you stopped drinking? Being a typical distance runner in regards to build—I’ve never paid much attention to my weight. I don’t even own a scale.
Do most of you guys weigh yourselves on a regular basis? Like I said in my prior post I haven’t notice really any changes since starting dry January but I haven’t weighed myself. Maybe I’ve lost weight but if I have it’s not noticeable visually at least. Maybe a weekly weigh in would be one way to notice some sort of difference?
Last spring I weighed myself almost every day as I was trying to run a fast 5K (which I failed at lol). Then my daughter came and training became more and more of a distant memory, so I don't even wanna know what I weigh at this point. At least my pants all still fit, and I don't look too terribly fat in the mirror. I've been pretty good about doing 2-3 minutes of prone plank and ~50 pushups most days just to keep up some semblance of strength. I'm trying to run more too but it seems like every time I get some routine going we get hit with another major daycare bug and life becomes crisis management mode, making running very hard to fit in.
Dry January has been pretty good. NGL, last Friday after work I was kinda jonesing for a beer, but I can wait. I don't think I'll keep this up past the end of the month, but I will go back to my 4 days dry/3 days wet schedule since that was working pretty well. And it means I get that sweet Friday afternoon beer - one of those proverbial "little things" that I really enjoy.
I've substituted going drinking for going to nice tearooms in cool places so haven't lost any weight at all, as have been eating cakes and am normally careful of eating bad calories. But it's been enjoyable!
My weekends ARE different. They'd normally be:
Friday night: some quality food with a good bottle of red.
Saturday: Parkrun, Premiership with a few beers, Saturday evening out for food/ drinks with the wife and/or friends.
Sunday: long run , 4/5 Guiness in a nice country pub with a roaring open fire.
Last Saturday night I went swimming, swimming! On a Saturday night. SMH.
I am sleeping better and feel more refreshed.
I haven't found it particularly hard, just a bit dull.
After January I think I'm going to have a Saturday's and Sunday pass.
I'm starting to get my 6 pack back. Down roughly 3 lbs on average. Not drinking has made my diet way better - easy to eat enough without stuffing myself. Friday evening after a long week of work used to be a few beers and a 12 inch pizza. I cringe at my diet before starting this.
Three weeks in now, how is everyone doing? I finally started to notice some differences—mainly that I seem to have more energy/ motivation for cross training and supplementary training (lifting, ab work, rowing & staionary bike, stretching, drills). I still have not had any real desire to drink. No cravings at all. I’ve even gone out to sporting events / bars without really being tempted to drink. I am definitely going to finish out the month without drinking and will like try to extend the dry period through the end of February and then go from there.
I still haven’t weighed myself and have yet to notice any significant physical changes, so not sure if I’ve lost weight. My running has been going well but no big changes there either.
Still going strong. Sleeping better, running better, recovering better, improved mood, less stress, life is all around easier. I've been pretty careful with diet as well, so I'm down about 5 lbs. Its got me feeling pretty good overall - no real downside that I can think of.
There were no big events that I have had to go through sober, so that made it easier.
I'll likely drink again in Feb, but I'm not counting down the days at this point. I don't seem to miss it all that much. Its been a good experience overall.