[Drinking] Dry January [and beyond...]

Triggaaar · May 23, 2019

chaileyjem said:
Next step. A whole year.

Good job. What is the purpose, is it to lose weight, or because alcohol had bec

Bozza said:
Day 142 for me now, and 34lbs lost in that time.

Good job.

I've always enjoyed a drink and always will, but this dry spell has certainly changed me with regards to drinking out of habit and when I return to drinking, it will only be "event drinking" and not having a drink at home as a matter of course.

That's what I've always done. Lucky I never got into the habit of daily drinking I guess.

As my weight loss has now slowed down, as I knew it would, I've also started another streak - 20,000 or more steps per day, which I've managed for the last 30 consecutive days. Hitting that on some days is proving more difficult than not drinking!

Blimey. I find it easier just to eat differently - more protein etc, fewer fat and carb calories.

Knocky's Nose · May 23, 2019

I did 3 months without a drop of alcohol, then thought I could just dip in and out - so had the odd night with a couple of beers.

Then, the odd night became a few nights a week, which became 5 nights a week - and I'm now back where I was before I started.

So, now I've learnt once and for all that I cannot 'dip in and out'. I'm either on it, or I'm not. I would rather be not, so I'm waiting for that time again when I say "enough" - then I'll stop dead again with a view to never drinking.

The nice bit is that I can just stop on a sixpence and not touch a drop, and when I do it's no big deal. For now I'm enjoying an ice cold pint in the sunshine when it happens, but one thing I stopped and never went back to was drinking at the Amex. Firstly, it saves a fortune. Secondly, you can actually enjoy and absorb the game more!!

Laridae · May 23, 2019

Impressive stuff - well done to everyone who has changed/changing their attitude to alcohol. I'm looking forward to getting home and trying one of these new Punk IPA (AF) by Brewdog in the garden [link].. :drink:

Bozza · May 23, 2019

Stumpy Tim said:
This is where the danger returns. Once you start back on "event drinking" the definition of "event" can become looser over time. While that may mean weddings & birthdays initially, it can easily start becoming "meet an old mate at lunch" or "football". That's become something I've had to watch (and sometimes I've failed)

Events will include all those things you list. Essentially, I mean I won't just sit at home drinking as a matter of course.

Questions · May 23, 2019

Laridae said:
Impressive stuff - well done to everyone who has changed/changing their attitude to alcohol. I'm looking forward to getting home and trying one of these new Punk IPA (AF) by Brewdog in the garden [link]..

View attachment 110096

Report back when you’ve had it. How does it compare to Nanny State - their other no alcohol beer.

Stumpy Tim · May 23, 2019

Bozza said:
Events will include all those things you list. Essentially, I mean I won't just sit at home drinking as a matter of course.

That's where I'm at now, though don't drink at many football matches these days. Not drinking at home is key I think

Stumpy Tim · May 23, 2019

Laridae said:
Impressive stuff - well done to everyone who has changed/changing their attitude to alcohol. I'm looking forward to getting home and trying one of these new Punk IPA (AF) by Brewdog in the garden [link]..

View attachment 110096

Oooh interesting. The Nanny State is really nice, so I'll be interested to hear feedback on this

Bozza · May 23, 2019

Questions said:
Report back when you’ve had it. How does it compare to Nanny State - their other no alcohol beer.

I'm pretty sure Nanny State isn't 0% abv.

There was one time where I really fancied a drink - it was a sunny evening about a month ago so I popped down the off to check of the alcohol-free stuff, and I'm pretty sure I passed on Nanny State as it was 0.5% or similar. I bought San Miguel 0% and Budweiser Prohibition instead. I think I had one of each that night and I've not touched them since.

I do wonder if even the small amount of alcohol in the 0.5% stuff lifts the drink and makes it much closer to the real thing than the 0% stuff.

Bod · May 23, 2019

Bozza said:
I'm pretty sure Nanny State isn't 0% abv.

There was one time where I really fancied a drink - it was a sunny evening about a month ago so I popped down the off to check of the alcohol-free stuff, and I'm pretty sure I passed on Nanny State as it was 0.5% or similar. I bought San Miguel 0% and Budweiser Prohibition instead. I think I had one of each that night and I've not touched them since.

I do wonder if even the small amount of alcohol in the 0.5% stuff lifts the drink and makes it much closer to the real thing than the 0% stuff.

Overseas brewers can label their drinks alcohol free even though they might contain up to 1.2% alcohol. UK brewers have to show the percentage. Confusing eh?

Stumpy Tim · May 23, 2019

Bozza said:
I'm pretty sure Nanny State isn't 0% abv.

There was one time where I really fancied a drink - it was a sunny evening about a month ago so I popped down the off to check of the alcohol-free stuff, and I'm pretty sure I passed on Nanny State as it was 0.5% or similar. I bought San Miguel 0% and Budweiser Prohibition instead. I think I had one of each that night and I've not touched them since.

I do wonder if even the small amount of alcohol in the 0.5% stuff lifts the drink and makes it much closer to the real thing than the 0% stuff.

In the UK less than 0.5% classifies as alcohol free, so they label themselves as either "AF" or "<0.5%"

Laridae · May 23, 2019

Bozza said:
...I'm pretty sure Nanny State isn't 0% abv. I do wonder if even the small amount of alcohol in the 0.5% stuff lifts the drink and makes it much closer to the real thing than the 0% stuff...

Yep, Nanny State is 0.5% abv.

I agree, I reckon the 0.5% abv beers are better tasting, indeed my current AF faves are Erdinger Alkoholfrei (0.5%) & Adnams Ghost Ship (0.5%) but let's see what this new Brewdog effort is like.

Incidentally, this is interesting, as quoted on Club Soda UK:

No alcohol license is needed to sell them in the UK, and 0.5% means a small amount of alcohol only. The truth is that anything that goes through a natural fermentation process has a trace of alcohol. And many foods and drinks do: like vinegar, overripe bananas and other fruit, bread, juices, and even lemonade.

Also labeling on this is inconsistent. Some products have to state their alcohol content (the “ABV”), while others don’t. Some drinks can be called “alcohol-free”, while very similar drinks can’t.

You can buy a soft drink (alcohol-free ginger beer for example and some kombutchas) that are up 0.5% but don’t need to say so, as they are in the ‘soft drink’ category. Sprite is 0.05%. Desserts and food stuffs don’t need an abv even though many will contain over 0.5% alcohol.

A 0.5% beer from elsewhere in the world can be called alcohol-free in the UK (if it is deemed so in their home country) but a beer produced here cannot.

The bottom line is you would have to drink huge amounts of these drinks to feel the effects of the alcohol (like 10 bottles of 0.5% beer to get to one unit!)

0.5% has been my limit for past year or so.

dazzer6666 · May 23, 2019

Laridae said:
Yep, Nanny State is 0.5% abv.

I agree, I reckon the 0.5% abv beers are better tasting, indeed my current AF faves are Erdinger Alkoholfrei (0.5%) & Adnams Ghost Ship (0.5%) but let's see what this new Brewdog effort is like.

Incidentally, this is interesting, as quoted on Club Soda UK:

0.5% has been my limit for past year or so.

Odd thing is, despite all that, AF beer still requires staff confirmation of age at the supermarket on the self service tills !

I’m not a huge beer drinker anyway, but have found the AF versions of Peroni and San Miguel very tasty...especially ice cold. Very drinkable and great with the barbecue etc. AF Budweiser is, as you might expect, awful [emoji23][emoji23]

Laridae · May 23, 2019

Stumpy Tim said:
Oooh interesting. The Nanny State is really nice, so I'll be interested to hear feedback on this

Questions said:
Report back when you’ve had it. How does it compare to Nanny State - their other no alcohol beer.

Sadly won't be tonight now, sorry guys..

Just in case anyone is wondering I picked a 4-pack up from Asda today for £4.50.

Couldn't Be Hyypia · May 23, 2019

Stopped Jan 1 and haven't touched a drop. Going to a mates (third) wedding on Sat and considering having a glass of fizzy for the toasts, but don't think he'll mind if I don't.

Still not proving to be difficult but I have barely dropped any weight. I'm finding myself eating biscuits, crisps and other sugary crap (not drinks though). It seems I dropped one sugar for another. I really am at a loss to know how to boot the biscuit binging. Weight not gone up - but defo not come down. Any advice really gratefully received.

knocky1 · May 23, 2019

Knocky's Nose said:
I did 3 months without a drop of alcohol, then thought I could just dip in and out - so had the odd night with a couple of beers.

Then, the odd night became a few nights a week, which became 5 nights a week - and I'm now back where I was before I started.

So, now I've learnt once and for all that I cannot 'dip in and out'. I'm either on it, or I'm not. I would rather be not, so I'm waiting for that time again when I say "enough" - then I'll stop dead again with a view to never drinking.

The nice bit is that I can just stop on a sixpence and not touch a drop, and when I do it's no big deal. For now I'm enjoying an ice cold pint in the sunshine when it happens, but one thing I stopped and never went back to was drinking at the Amex. Firstly, it saves a fortune. Secondly, you can actually enjoy and absorb the game more!!

Similar situation. 74 days off from start of year and on pretty much since. Moderation is the problem.

Questions · May 23, 2019

Couldn't Be Hyypia said:
Stopped Jan 1 and haven't touched a drop. Going to a mates (third) wedding on Sat and considering having a glass of fizzy for the toasts, but don't think he'll mind if I don't.

Still not proving to be difficult but I have barely dropped any weight. I'm finding myself eating biscuits, crisps and other sugary crap (not drinks though). It seems I dropped one sugar for another. I really am at a loss to know how to boot the biscuit binging. Weight not gone up - but defo not come down. Any advice really gratefully received.

If you want to stop eating biscuits then don’t have them in the house....... same if you want a break from beer really. Not so easy when you have kids tho....... with the biscuits I mean

Knocky's Nose · May 23, 2019

Questions said:
If you want to stop eating biscuits then don’t have them in the house....... same if you want a break from beer really. Not so easy when you have kids tho....... with the biscuits I mean

Eat the kids? You'll save lots of pounds, even if you don't lose any!!

Bozza · May 23, 2019

Triggaaar said:
Blimey. I find it easier just to eat differently - more protein etc, fewer fat and carb calories.

I do a fair few steps every day anyway. My monthly averages so far this year are:

Jan - 14.264
Feb - 13,062
Mar - 15,922
Apr - 16,972 (I started 20k/day on the 23rd)

...so I've just upped it a bit. With a dog to walk, better weather and longer days it's not a massive bind other than the odd day when I'm not home-based for work.

dazzer6666 · May 23, 2019

Bozza said:
I do a fair few steps every day anyway. My monthly averages so far this year are:

Jan - 14.264
Feb - 13,062
Mar - 15,922
Apr - 16,972 (I started 20k/day on the 23rd)

...so I've just upped it a bit. With a dog to walk, better weather and longer days it's not a massive bind other than the odd day when I'm not home-based for work.

What are you finding a ‘step’ translates to in real distance ? I went for a run with junior yesterday of about 8km (on my accurate GPS), his (genuine) fitbit indicated it was about 13,000. Whilst this feels about right I guess (maybe 3 steps per 2m or so), it also showed over 1000 steps when he attended a football match (during the time he never left his seat). I can only assume clapping and making w*nker signs at opposing fans and the ref counts as well.......[emoji23][emoji23]

Bozza · May 23, 2019

dazzer6666 said:
What are you finding a ‘step’ translates to in real distance ? I went for a run with junior yesterday of about 8km (on my accurate GPS), his (genuine) fitbit indicated it was about 13,000. Whilst this feels about right I guess (maybe 3 steps per 2m or so), it also showed over 1000 steps when he attended a football match (during the time he never left his seat). I can only assume clapping and making w*nker signs at opposing fans and the ref counts as well.......[emoji23][emoji23]

Most days my Apple Watch will show I've covered something around 11 miles across all activity. I only start my watch when I take the dog out for a walk, so there are lots of other walks which I don't measure explicitly - taking my son to and from school, popping down to the shop and just walking around the house etc.

Today I've been out with the dog three times:

Walk 1: 1.13m
Walk 2: 3.25m
Walk 3: 2.84m

Total: 7.22m explicitly recorded with my watch showing an overall daily total of 10.85 miles and 20,560 steps.

The problem with walking is the time it takes relative to running. I'm guessing walking is 100-120 steps per minute, and I seem to recall running could be typically in the region of 180 steps per minute.

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[Drinking] Dry January [and beyond...]

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