Giving Up Alcohol, 12 Days In
So here we are 12 days after my decision to cut out the alcohol and I thought I’d deliver a progress report. To think it’s only been 12 days is kinda scary, as it’s felt like a lifetime, but, you’ll be pleased to know I haven’t touched a drop!
The actual not drinking of alcohol has been relatively easy. There’s been no real urges for it, no cold sweats and shakes in the middle of the night so on that front I’m going strong. What’s been real awkward has been other people’s take and perception of what I’m doing. It’s been an eye opening two week’s, so here’s some of the highlights:
Eliminating People’s Previous Perceptions
Everyone in my life knows I like a drink. My family, my friends, the people I work with, even our clients whom I’ve had many a nights out with know I’ve never been one to turn down a pint. So it’s been a job explaining to these people that I’ve given up for no other reason than I decided i drank too much and though I should do something about it.
This of course is never an acceptable answer. Have you got liver disease? Have you found god? Are in attending AA? Ive got some leaflets if you want them? Are you joking? are all thing’s I’ve heard in the last 12 days. A real eye opener as to how people perceive me, though not completely unexpected.
Apologizing
In the last 12 days I’ve had to apologise to 6 different people who I’ve met up with and they’ve got me a pint in before I’ve had chance to explain I’d given up. So apologizing has become a bit of a daily habit, along with the pre-empting phone call to everyone I meet now where I slip in that I’m not drinking anymore.
I even had to apologise to the barmaid in my local who pulled me a pint when she saw me talking to someone on the way in knowing that’s what I’ve had every time I’ve been in since I moved to this little village…
Friends
For the last year I’ve met the same friend in the same bar on the same day at the same time every week for an afternoons / evenings / nights drinking. So wanting to keep this important social event I decided we’d give this a go with me not drinking. What I didn’t expect was for her to not drink as well, so our usual slosh out turned into an orange juice fuelled deep and meaningful about the meaning of life. i must admit, I think I enjoyed it more not drinking.
Family
So Sunday lunch with my family was an interesting one. My old’s like a drink and had bought drink especially for me. I think i spent most of the afternoon saying thank-you but it’s something I’ve decided to do and I’m not going to drink, even to the point where the magners came out being waved in front of me… cheers for the help in this one guys! haha.
Weight Loss
In the last 12 days I’ve lost 6lbs (that’s nearly half a stone people). Down from 13 stone to 12 stone 8lbs, something I’ll keep an eye on but I’m hoping this will slow down soon. Weight loss at that rate can’t be good. Did you know there are almost 250 calories in a pint of cider? Nor did I until I started looking into why I’m losing so much weight.
So yes, it’s been an eventful 12 days, it’s been strange not having a pint whilst watching the football or on a Saturday night as these were habitual, but all in all, still going strong.
November 8th, 2009 at 9:55 pm
Well done Paul! Beer manufacturers have probably already noticed a drop in demand. But I’m impressed, 12 days is a long time. How long are you going to keep this going?