Giving Up Booze For A Year.

[TartanJon]

I took up walking last year and found it quite addictive, so much so my walking took over other things. I'm on the mend now and walk responsibly. I've cut back to 90 minutes per day. It's great though. Time just to do nothing but walk and gather my thoughts.

;-)

[Robroysboy]

If I didn't go the tartan army games I could easily go teat total.

Been to see Scotland away sober, in Alicante, as I had to drive straight to work from the airport, due to lack of hols.

Never again.

Edited November 30, 2015 by Robroysboy

[Scunnered]

If I didn't go the tartan army games I could easily go teat total.

What league do they play in?

[Ormond]

I struggle to go for a week without a good swally. Usually having a day on it every 4-5 days. It's my only vice. I never gamble, have never smoked and stopped illegal drugs around ten years ago.

[bonzo]

If I didn't go the tartan army games I could easily go teat total

Still on the teat whit age are you? ??

[Robroysboy]

If I didn't go the tartan army games I could easily go teat total

Still on the teat whit age are you?

Lol

[Dillinger]

Have a weird relationship with alcohol.

My dad is an alcoholic and hasn't touched a drop since one day going totally teetotal ten years ago. It's only now looking back at my childhood / teenage years I realise how much it affected him and just how heavy a drinker he was.

I'm probably the only one of my friends i know who never really drinks around the house. Just not interested in having the odd one or two at night, doesn't do much for me.

I'll drink if I'm at the football or out socialising or whatever, and I'd say more often than not I drink an absolute boat load when I do.

So id say I'm by no means a regular drinker but when I do drink I tend to get pretty steaming. Probably not a particularly healthy way to do it to be fair.

[Scunnered]

Have a weird relationship with alcohol.

My dad is an alcoholic and hasn't touched a drop since one day going totally teetotal ten years ago. It's only now looking back at my childhood / teenage years I realise how much it affected him and just how heavy a drinker he was.

I've only "knew"/been aware of your dad for 7 or 8 years, but you'd never know from looking at him. Fantastic that he turned things around.

[Dillinger]

I've only "knew"/been aware of your dad for 7 or 8 years, but you'd never know from looking at him. Fantastic that he turned things around.

He's a pretty amazing guy is my old boy. Can't be many folk who like a drink as much as he did and just stop cold turkey without any help whatsoever and never lapse!

[Scunnered]

He's a pretty amazing guy is my old boy. Can't be many folk who like a drink as much as he did and just stop cold turkey without any help whatsoever and never lapse!

He's also a fine looking fella, I'd absolutely smash his back doors in!

[Ormond]

He's also a fine looking fella, I'd absolutely smash his back doors in!

[Dillinger]

He's also a fine looking fella, I'd absolutely smash his back doors in!

Well now, there's a mental image.

[Angus_Young]

Just the other month my best pal found out he has bladder cancer. Thankfully its in the early stages and there are treatments so with a fair wind all should be well. He has though, been recommended a change of diet and wait for it, no alcohol. As a sign of solidarity I have decided as of January the 1^st to give up booze for 12 months and after that see what happens. I am by no means an alcoholic but I am extremely fond of my beer, ale, rum, wine so it will be quite a challenge.

With the Hangover thread on here it got me to thinking what would make you give up booze

Not the same thing by any stretch but I drank on only 3 occasions in the 9 months my other half was pregnant last year. As it was me that started the hangover thread, this is quite an achievement

Fantastic gesture btw, good on you m8. I would imagine you will find this a bit easier than you might think. Just keep reminding yourself why you are doing it. All the best.

[McExpat]

Just the other month my best pal found out he has bladder cancer. Thankfully it’s in the early stages and there are treatments so with a fair wind all should be well. He has though, been recommended a change of diet and wait for it, no alcohol. As a sign of solidarity I have decided as of January the 1^st to give up booze for 12 months and after that see what happens. I am by no means an alcoholic but I am extremely fond of my beer, ale, rum, wine so it will be quite a challenge.

With the Hangover thread on here it got me to thinking what would make you give up booze

Sorry to hear of this sad news, particularly sad to hear of this given his age but hope for and wish him all the best.

I'd recommend him to check out the following websites chrisbeatcancer.com & icurecancer.com

I frequently go periods without drinking alcohol and have found it easy on most occasions. I found after the first time, each new alcohol free spell gets easier and easier. I have also found the longer I go without any alcohol the easier it seems to get, other than when big social events come around, be it birthdays, Xmas, Scotland games, festivals, weekends away, holidays etc but I usually embrace drinking on such occasions happy that my health has benefitted during the periods of abstinence.

The longest i've lasted is approx 8 months but I frequently go 1 month without any alcohol and have seen me fit in two 3 month alcohol free periods each of the last 2 years. I will always have at least 1 week with zero alcohol each month.

A good tip would be to replace the urge to drink with something else you find pleasurable. Even if it's something not so healthy such as cake, crisps etc!

Good luck with your quest to cut out the world's most popular and dangerous drug! And for some most addictive drug!!

Probably easier if you find other social things to do that don't involve booze and a lot of time in pubs. Easier said than done in Scotland I found, might sound daft but it's easier abroad

Good advice re finding social interests that don't involve boozing, pubs etc As for the Scotland / abroad comment, I'd agree with this to a degree. I have found that some Scots find themselves more likely to drink in Scotland but also found it works the opposite way for many too. I myself along with visiting friends found ourselves drinking more often whilst abroad. For me it was more enjoyable to have a drink in the sun, with nice surroundings

Neilser as Parklife says just exercise and then treat yourself.I lost six stone by watching what I was eating and walking (over about a two year period) though I never starved myself or went without,to maintain that weight I still walk for 3-4 hours a day and that means I can eat and drink what I want.

Can I ask what you do for a living?

I work in an office so not any significant walking within my working day.

I was wondering the very same thing!

I also work in an office but do a decent amount of walking some days by making use of the office walking treadmill! Combined with a standing desk it's easy to both work and exercise at the same time. I found it surprisingly easy to both type and walk at the same time.

I work shifts 6-2 one week,2-10 the next in East Kilbride

On earlies I walk 30mins before work at 6am,30 mins directly after work ,I get a lift and need to walk to get picked up,1;30 before dinner and 1;30 after dinner (hail,rain or shine)

On backshift I leave the house at 8am and usually do 10 mile which is about 2 and half hours,another 2 mile from EK town centre to work and then another 2 mile when I get dropped off at 10.20pm

At the weekend I usually get up at between 6 and 7 and do a straight 3-4 hours to get my exercise out of the way before doing whatever I'm doing the rest of the day,if I'm going to Aberdeen I have seen me get up earlier and get the work in before going on it all day.

I actually enjoy doing it though my wife thinks it's my middle age crisis and I'm a bit mental

That's some going! Hats off to you

Do you have a fit bit or anything like that? http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00OVTAG9G?keywords=fit%20bit&qid=1448900966&ref_=sr_1_2&s=sports&sr=1-2

I recently got given a Fitbit as a gift and found it helps greatly when it comes to hitting targets. On a few occasions I've checked it to see where I am in relation to hitting my exercise goals and found me completing them on a number of days, when I otherwise wouldn't due to having the Fitbit. An example would be when I had sat down for the night, only to find on checking the Fitbit that I was a 30-60 minute walk away from hitting a target, it would motivate me to go out and do what was required to meet the target.

I dramatically changed my diet in July, stopped fizzy juice, gluten and takeaways in general, after a couple of days I found I was a lot less irritable and moody, pretty amazing the effect food and drink can have on you

As is said- 'you are what you eat' I've amazed myself on many occasions over a number of years when seeing the different positive effects of cutting out different things from my diet, whether it be sugar, meat, dairy, gluten, alcohol, bread, white carbs etc

Nothing wrong with moderate consumption of diet fizzy drinks. It's funny how folk think aspartame is the devil despite no solid scientific evidence.

The aspartame debate is very questionable but their is other theories as to why diet drinks, sweeteners are not good for the body. Mainly in relation to the body not being able to tell the difference between any 'sweet' compound, whether it be low in calories or not.

[McExpat]

No Scotland No Party, on 30 Nov 2015 - 9:27 PM, said:

And a complete waste of money.

What makes you say that?

I myself am not a fan of Coke at all but I have seen a number of people enjoy it greatly and would therefore see it as not being a waste of money for many individuals, quite the opposite. I am also aware many people make use of it at work, to get through mountains of work, through hectic schedules, work commitments and again can see it being far from a waste of money in such situations.

ByronLoon1986, on 30 Nov 2015 - 8:52 PM, said:

Word of warning though it's not easy following Scotland sober.

All the best

Never a truer word spoken! & on those rare occasions when we have something to celebrate, celebrating and alcohol do go rather well!

Dillinger, on 30 Nov 2015 - 10:36 PM, said:

I'm probably the only one of my friends i know who never really drinks around the house. Just not interested in having the odd one or two at night, doesn't do much for me.

I'll drink if I'm at the football or out socialising or whatever, and I'd say more often than not I drink an absolute boat load when I do.

So id say I'm by no means a regular drinker but when I do drink I tend to get pretty steaming. Probably not a particularly healthy way to do it to be fair.

This would sum me up perfectly when I lived In Scotland and still does to a fair extent. The only difference being that I now find myself having an odd one or two whilst at the beach, lounging by the pool or outside somewhere after work from time to time. For me the nice weather can induce drinking!

[No Scotland No Party]

It's a waste of money because by the time it gets over here it has been mixed so many times that you're lucky if it's even 20% coke.

Most people only take it when having alcohol too, and by then I really don't think you can feel any difference. Then there's the way it makes you feel the next day,paying a fair bit of money to end up anxious and depressed just doesn't make any sense to me.

[Armchair Bob]

Are we all talking the same kind of coke??

[TartanJon]

I forgot to add that I gave up smoking at the time I started walking.

[No Scotland No Party]

Are we all talking the same kind of coke??

Mcexpat is talking about the drug rather than the soft drink surely?

[kmcca5]

I forgot to add that I gave up smoking at the time I started walking.

I quit smoking the day my Dad was diagnosed with Lung Cancer, again show of solidarity. One of the proudest and most sad days of my life that. I didn't start again and am 8 years off them after a 13 year habit but sadly the old man started again in his last few months, I suppose if you know you are off why bother. Filthy habit, took my Dad and my Grandad, I wish my brother would kick it in to touch!

I can't get my head around why anyone smokes now but I suppose it's a hell of an addictive thing. I had tried twice before that day and failed. Amazing what sitting in a doctor’s office with someone being basically given a death sentence will do for you motivation. Horrible, nasty things cigarettes.

Edited December 1, 2015 by kmcca5

[Flora MaDonald]

I forgot to add that I gave up smoking at the time I started walking.

I thought you were off the snouts the last time I saw you, but didn't say anything - good on you.

Funnily enough, I never smoke when I'm playing golf, so there might be something in the old walking game.

[Parklife]

The aspartame debate is very questionable but their is other theories as to why diet drinks, sweeteners are not good for the body. Mainly in relation to the body not being able to tell the difference between any 'sweet' compound, whether it be low in calories or not.

Yeah, there's theories which don't seem to be able to be backed up by science. So i'm pretty happy to ignore them for the time being.

[TartanJon]

I quit smoking the day my Dad was diagnosed with Lung Cancer, again show of solidarity. One of the proudest and most sad days of my life that. I didn't start again and am 8 years off them after a 13 year habit but sadly the old man started again in his last few months, I suppose if you know you are off why bother. Filthy habit, took my Dad and my Grandad, I wish my brother would kick it in to touch!

I can't get my head around why anyone smokes now but I suppose it's a hell of an addictive thing. I had tried twice before that day and failed. Amazing what sitting in a doctors office with someone being basically given a death sentence will do for you motivation. Horrible, nasty things cigarettes.

They are mate.Thats July 2013 since I had one and it's not bothered me one bit.

[they've_been_suckered]

I find one of the hardest things is peer pressure with the bevvy.

A lot of my pals drink as their main pastime at the weekend. I think they'd all quite happily do something else, eg. go karting or hill walking but at the moment everything they do is about going into town after etc....

I've hit the age now where I'm married and trying to kick on at work, being out on a Saturday at 3am makes you question why you bother drinking at all.

[Rory]

A lot of my pals drink as their main pastime at the weekend. I think they'd all quite happily do something else, eg. go karting or hill walking but at the moment everything they do is about going into town after etc....

Far easier arranging plans when there is drink involved, unfortunately. I could ask my group of friends to do something which you won't get many replies about but as soon as the pub is mentioned they're racing to see who can get down there first !