I'm glad I came across this thread this morning. I rarely look at the chill out room. I'm particularly impressed by the guys who have managed to stay off the grog for extended periods.

 

Mrs dent and I have been trying to give up the grog for several years. We met soon after our divorces and set off on self destructive journeys individually and together. Drinking became a big part of our lives.

 

Luckily we made it through relatively unscathed and now we are keen to stay healthy for the rest of our lives. 

 

I'm keen to take a stab at not drinking at all but I know it will be difficult. Most of my mates are devotees of fine wine and craft beers. Our monthly Boy's Dinners sometimes get a bit messy.

 

I've become reliant on Coles sparking mineral water. I have one or three in the evenings when I feel like a wine. I know the salt content is a potential health risk but without it there just isn't that "bite" that makes it a tasty replacement for a wine.

 

Anyway we're off for a bike ride along then coast now which certainly clears out the cobwebs.

 

I'll check back here regularly to see how everyone is going.

Set yourself small, achievable goals. Feb is the shortest month, so you go dry for 1 month. Come 1st of March you will be surprised how your desire for booze has diminished. I find it much easier to abstain entirely than to moderate.

I go through a metric **** ton of Coles mineral water too. 75c a bottle! Hadn't even thought about the salt content. Should I be concerned?

It's overall salt intake... Just cut back elsewhere . When see how much salt they pack into processed foods not hard to cut back

Brother in law is cold turkey on alcohol... He was just part of a boys weekend that sister in law says he is usually brought back from horizontal !

He designated himself driver.

I go through a metric **** ton of Coles mineral water too. 75c a bottle! Hadn't even thought about the salt content. Should I be concerned?

 

I've been trying to drink plain filtered water when I don't really have to drink something sparkling.

 

But really, our regular meals often contain very high sodium. Whenever I eat at some Thai place for example I can immediately tell they put about 3-5 times more salt into the food than I'd have at home.

I've been trying to drink plain filtered water when I don't really have to drink something sparkling.

 

But really, our regular meals often contain very high sodium. Whenever I eat at some Thai place for example I can immediately tell they put about 3-5 times more salt into the food than I'd have at home.

 

a chef I know has told me before, the reason restaurant food can taste so yummy...is all the salt, sugar. butter, fats oils that they add to levels you just wouldn't use in day to day cooking

a chef I know has told me before, the reason restaurant food can taste so yummy...is all the salt, sugar. butter, fats oils that they add to levels you just wouldn't use in day to day cooking

 

+ MSG

 

It's only so easy to guess that. Well I used to work in restos as a waiter so I have a pretty good idea.

 

Compared to the crap in resto food, the little sodium in bottled sparkling water would be somewhat negligible. 

+ MSG

 

It's only so easy to guess that. Well I used to work in restos as a waiter so I have a pretty good idea.

 

Compared to the crap in resto food, the little sodium in bottled sparkling water would be somewhat negligible. 

 

buying any processed foods they are also so full of cr@p these days too. we try cook as much as we can ourselves now with real ingredients...ie the basics....fresh ingredients. a lot of bottled and packaged stuff has too long a list of "stuff" even UHT milk...its not just milk....

buying any processed foods they are also so full of cr@p these days too. we try cook as much as we can ourselves now with real ingredients...ie the basics....fresh ingredients. a lot of bottled and packaged stuff has too long a list of "stuff" even UHT milk...its not just milk....

 

This may not be anything new though. When I read David Copperfield a few moons ago, there was a scene where David's previously rich aunt had doubts about the genuineness of some beef served at an inn....

This may not be anything new though. When I read David Copperfield a few moons ago, there was a scene where David's previously rich aunt had doubts about the genuineness of some beef served at an inn....

 

hehe

 

well I can tell you 100% that in some "beef" and other meat dishes that you buy off the shelf instead of it all being beef or meat some of it is TVP texturised vegetable protein. it looks like meat chunks. its flavoured to taste like meat chunks...but its not meat....its the same as what they use for dog food. 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Textured_vegetable_protein

hehe

 

well I can tell you 100% that in some "beef" and other meat dishes that you buy off the shelf instead of it all being beef or meat some of it is TVP texturised vegetable protein. it looks like meat chunks. its flavoured to taste like meat chunks...but its not meat....its the same as what they use for dog food. 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Textured_vegetable_protein

 

Don't be too dismissive of dog food in our generation. Lots of dog food fed in the Western Societies are often better quality than McDonalds nowadays.

Set yourself small, achievable goals. Feb is the shortest month, so you go dry for 1 month. Come 1st of March you will be surprised how your desire for booze has diminished. I find it much easier to abstain entirely than to moderate.

 

+1

 

I'm going for 2 months atm. I find the first 3-4 days the hardest then routine takes care of it for me more or less. I still feel like crap as I'm also almost completely cutting out Diet Coke as well, so I think my 1 coffee in the morning isn't enough to stave off the seemingly permanent headache. I've probably done too many things at once but found the long haul flight home last Wed/Thurs was a good exclamation mark to start a new journey, even if it is only for 2 months.

 

I am not planning to get straight back into drinking come March 21st, but plan to re-evaluate how easy the change was to make, see where my weight/fitness is, and potentially make it a life long change.

@ blybo - good stuff   Yup giving up caffeine in large doses is worse I reckon than giving up booze in moderate amounts. You'll feel pretty average for 10 days or so mate. When I gave caffeine up I had a cracker headache and flu like symptoms for a week or so. Not doing that again. Blew my hair back. And that was only a couple of coffees and a tea a day. Felt better though.

@ blybo - good stuff   Yup giving up caffeine in large doses is worse I reckon than giving up booze in moderate amounts. You'll feel pretty average for 10 days or so mate. When I gave caffeine up I had a cracker headache and flu like symptoms for a week or so. Not doing that again. Blew my hair back. And that was only a couple of coffees and a tea a day. Felt better though.

 

Mate you're gonna end up one of these dudes at this rate:

 

@ blybo - good stuff   Yup giving up caffeine in large doses is worse I reckon than giving up booze in moderate amounts. You'll feel pretty average for 10 days or so mate. When I gave caffeine up I had a cracker headache and flu like symptoms for a week or so. Not doing that again. Blew my hair back. And that was only a couple of coffees and a tea a day. Felt better though.

 

Probably not good to combine with jetlag either.

 

I'm not giving up my morning coffee though!!! No self respecting cyclist can order a hot lemon water at the post ride cafe

 

I'll also be using the odd herbal or Jasmine tea as alcohol replacement when the weather cools.

Edited January 27, 201610 yr by blybo

Mate you're gonna end up one of these dudes at this rate:

 

Monk soup!

 

mmmm...

 

Needs more veg'

Monk soup!

 

mmmm...

 

Needs more veg'

 

 

And if you feel like some BBQ....

 

Eek!

Been pretty quiet around these parts lately.

So I'm still going well. I'm just short of ten months off the grog.

Haven't been gambling either. It does feel pretty good to be free of these nasties. I haven't really felt like drinking, every now and then, but it passes. Same thing with the gambling.

The home front is looking positive, but still a bit rocky, I think we can through it . to

On a sad note, I had a mate take his life nearly 2 weeks ago. He had been dealing with mental health issues. But he refused to get or accept help. Years of pot smoking, very bad gambling problem and then he started to smoke ice. It is such a problem these days. I have heard the stories of users at my Holyoake group sessions. This really hits home how it can ruin lives and tip people over the edge.

I urge everyone to talk about these things with loved ones, try to get them help or get help for yourself if need be. Mental health is something that really needs to be addressed, talked about and there really needs to be more funding.

On a lighter note, I'm about to embark on a 3 way horn speaker, Avantgarde Uno clone, this year. Bought myself a lathe to turn my own horns out of ply. Pretty excited, lot of learning to do, before I start. Probably a few months away before I begin, I will post pics in my thread in the DIY section for anybody that's interested.

Cheers Dave.

Congratulations Dave on your personal achievements. That is wonderful news that I am delighted to hear.

 

I am so sorry you had a friend who elected to take his own life and the impact it will have had on you. As you rightly pointed out, a salient reminder how prevalent mental health issues are in our society and how much they affect us all, directly or indirectly.

 

Keep up the good work. I am very proud of how you have turned your own life around in the last 12 months; regardless of whether your marriage survives or not (and it may not and that also is something that may have to be endured) - how you conduct ourself, and what your life will look like, each day going forward is what matters.

 

As painful as a marriage break up is, if that occurs, my advice is to accept it, act honourably and try to live without anger or hate. You can't change how your partner may act but you can control very much how you act, and react. Having been witness to, and involved in, many actions over children and property, I am always impressed by litigants that can bring to their matter a detached calm, regardless of the provocation being thrown their way by their ex, or their ex's lawyers. It is rare to see, and I observe can come with some personal cost, but is a measure of a man or women that they have that emotional control. 

 

For my own part I have passed 500 days off the grog last week, and am a better man for it. 

Showing admirable strength of character there Dave. Sorry for your loss.

What a shame I'm back to daily drinking lol

What a shame I'm back to daily drinking lol

 

 

Yes, well, you of all people young David would benefit for not so doing. You are better online, and no doubt off, when you don't. 

Yes, well, you of all people young David would benefit for not so doing. You are better online, and no doubt off, when you don't. 

 

I'm rarely online sober........

 

Degas eh? Love his ballerina paintings. I drove all the way to Canberra when the NGA had his special exhibition.

 

Do you also like ballet, Andrew?

Well it's almost March 21st which will mark 2 months since I decided to get off the grog and diet coke. I think the diet coke was harder and I might still have one every 2 weeks or so but only went I can't find a low/no sugar alternative. It's nice to see you can often now get mineral water like Deep Spring with a touch of flavour at petrol stations and convenience stores.

 

Regarding the booze, well I haven't been perfect, but in the 2 months I think I've had a drink on 4 occasions (at functions) but never more than 3-4. If I can keep my drinking at those levels I'll be very happy. I will have a Scotch on Saturday night though as we are having my birthday dinner party.

 

The weight hasn't changed much, still not riding nearly as much as I would like, and still eating junk/snack food too often. The next goal (in addition to the booze) may be to go 2 weeks with no junk. I find breaking the habit is tough so a short term goal is easier to commit to, but then easier to continue with once achieved.