"Dry January" and weight loss

I'm doing dry January too, but last time I abstained for a month didn't lose any weight at all.
I usually drink 3 nights over the weekend, mainly beer, and usually under 14 units, but thought my liver would benefit from a rest.
I'm trying the non alcoholic beer, but tbh it doesn't taste good.
The only way I have lost weight is cutting down on carbs. I started doing this about 3 years ago, gradually lost a stone and have maintained it.

Thanks everyone! I appreciate all your replies: please keep them coming. I feel inspired to carry on....

We are aiming for a moist January - not completely dry!

I read somewhere that alcohol itself stops weight loss ( not just the calories), and I have found that cutting it out makes a difference. Psychologically I feel better after 5 days abstinence cos I think my liver must be breathing a sigh of relief after Christmas! Not that I drank to excess, but haven’t had any alcohol free days for a while until now. Amazing what a good quality glass and a slice of lime can do

I have dry 12 months every year.. never drink alcohol.

My “Dry January” lasted one day! Oh well..............

Since my Christmas alcohol consisted of 2 boxes of Baileys chocolate liqueurs I’m now on Dry January as they are finished. The best thing about that is that not eating chocolate always means I lose weight. I’m not sure if the alcohol content counts. Perhaps we could start a Choc February instead of giving up chocolate for Lent.

I noticed DH wine consumptionwas creeping up. hes had problems with spirits in the past & restricts himself to red wine now (hes unable to give up alcohol completely but never drinks & drives) he asked me to help by telling him if I ever thought he was drinking too much - thanks mate! Anyhow I did - gently & got lots of huffing & puffing etc so I cut out alcohol because I couldnt face it & thought it might help if he didn't have a drinking buddy. I didn't make a song & dance out of it just said no thanks or had a soft drink. It has helped him and he's quietly cut back (but we have been down this route before) fingers crossed. I'd my MOT recently due to my BP etc with practice nurse & I'd lost 8lb - could have hugged her. Weight is a battle for me now even though I've cut out sugar & pudds for ages. I used to be so thin my family would joke dont stand on a drain you'll fall through. I did toast Christmas &new year with cava & eenjoyed it.

Yes, always lose weight when I give up alcohol (and I don't even drink much). It's only empty calories (and increases your appetite!) If you're trying to lose weight, I can highly recommend a keto diet - you never feel hungry (once you're in ketosis) and the weight falls off. It's brilliant.

This is my third Dry January and as with some other posters I did/do it to reset my attitude to alcohol. It works because the rest of the year, other than Christmas and holidays, I generally don't drink on 'school nights' (Sunday - Thursday). I feel healthier for it but sadly it doesn't have any effect on my weight.

We both lost weight over Christmas- no idea why as we ate well. Possibly because we got a bug day after Boxing Day & we are still coughing. Unfortunately we still have a lot of food to eat up in the freezer.

Worth trying. Due to minor illness I didn’t drink for three months...also cut down on sugary foods and portion sizes and have lost (unintentionally) three quarters of a stone. Alcohol is calorie laiden and anyway, it’s good to give the liver a rest!

It depends how much you drink and whether your replace it with something else

Stop drinking a bottle of wine a day and spend your evenings eating sweets or pork pies and you will probably gain wait.

Stop drinking a bottle of wine a day and replace it with fizzy water with ice and a slice of lemon and you will probably lose weight.

Did the sober October MacMillan thing, now going 'dry' in the week...October made no difference to weight unfortunately although I did feel a sense of achievement so that was a positive; albeit short lived due to 'letting go' over the festivities!

I had no choice due to husbands health conditions to support him, but also due to my meds. It's been 2 years now, and I can honestly say I do not miss it. I couldn't be doing with a hangover anymore. Sorry to say, I haven't lost any weight as a result but I do feel much better in myself for it. Good luck to all of you doing Dry January. Cheers to those that aren't doing it x

A few years ago I lost two stone. I didn't give up alcohol. I still had a couple of glasses a night as I did before I went on the diet.

I wish there were better alcohol-free drinks around, the ones that are good are quite expensive. When we were in Italy I used to drink Crodino but it's difficult to get here and really expensive. Certainly a gap in the market I think.

I find the weight falls off me when I don’t drink !

I hate having a birthday in January- it messes up resolutions and is not a good time for celebrating. To make it worse, my surgery have decided (unilaterally) that I must have my diabetic review "close to my birthday". It's enough to drive me to drink......!!

Oh yes it’s my third Dry January... going ok so far but it’s SUCH a long month ahead. My Partner is doing it as well and it’s not so much the alcohol I miss but the social side of sharing a nice bottle at the restaurant or by the fire at home. The alcohol-free substitutes are ok-ish but I tend to just drink water... you do get a bit sick of it but I hate all sweet fizzy soft drinks. Off to the gym shortly to take my mind off it. The main aim, as Teetime said, is to reset my attitude after Christmas - I will then stick to only drinking at weekends going forward.

All the alcohol has gone now...so thinking about it seriously even though a few days into January.

Good luck davida1968. I am doing dryish January! Trying to get back to 2-3 alcohol free days a week and then sticking to the 14 units per week. Not to lose weight but because I felt my alcohol intake was creeping up. Hope I can keep this up beyond January.

I had one bottle of Porter over Christmas. There's no weight loss when I give up alcohol!

I am doing it again after a successful attempt last year and I lost 7lbs without trying and I ate what I wanted, more or less. Apparently as alcohol is seen as poison by the liver it processes it first and leaves food until later. I think this is why even a few low calorie tipples can pile the weight on. Good luck.

Perhaps any weight loss would be a bonus. Your liver will be grateful though. And your blood pressure. Good reasons health wise to do it.

Good luck!