"Dry January" and weight loss

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I did dry jan and meat free ... not a single pound was lost !! Still now I know I can do it. I am off out for a steak and a large glass of vino later

I have kept it up for two weeks so far, with the support of alcohol free beer at the weekend.
I haven't felt differently, slept differently or lost any weight. The alco free beers have fewer calories too, but I'm mainly doing dry Jan to give my liver a holiday, not to lose weight.
I don't like alco free wine - too sweet. Might as well drink fruit juice (but that will put weight on).

Teetime if it's anything like their alcohol-free sauvignon blanc I'd have a bottle of the real thing at the ready as back-up for Monday!

Almost half way through now and would really like a glass of wine with dinner. I have bought a bottle of Nosecco from M & S if things get desperate or for 41st wedding Anniversary on Monday.

I noticed over the last couple of years my drinking habits had become pretty bad , I was drinking far too much too often , my father was an alcoholic and I am aware of the slippery slope to excess becoming normal. I set my own rules I don’t drink in the week , when I do drink I only drink 1 day either Friday / Saturday and limit to 3 drinks. I’ve been doing the booze free Jan thing and have to say it’s not been a problem. I like to know that I can abstain completely it makes me feel good that I have control over if I drink or not. Weight loss isn’t something I am doing it for.

My skin is totally much happier when I`m on my dry times so my dry October continues uptil now, haha.

Thank you everyone, for your comments. I think it's worth our carrying on. DH is pleased that he's lost weight since Christmas as well. And as some of you have pointed out, it's good to give the liver a rest!

I went on a diet and gave up drinking alcohol almost two years ago in a bid to lose weight for our DD wedding. It worked really well and lost about 4 stone, I felt absolutely brilliant for DD wedding I must say. BUT the problem is I can no longer drink alcohol, I find it makes me feel so ill now even if I have a small G and T. Twice my husband and I have shared a bottle of wine and I have spent the next day in bed feeling really poorly. Some of you may say this is a good thing giving up alcohol but I am finding it very very boring as husband gets to do all the drinking and I end up being designated driver. Sometimes I really want to have a drink if I’m out but I’m now terrified of the following days consequences. :-(

I do not drink enough for it to cause any weight loss. Not being holier-than-thou. I have never really enjoyed the taste of alcoholic drinks, the effect when you drink them or the feeling the next morning.

At least nowadays, there are plenty of non-alcoholic alternatives, and people are not rude to me when I opt for a soft drink.

I go for long periods without drinking alcohol (not for any particular reason, it just doesn’t figure v highly in my life) but I never lose any weight.

I got gin for Christmas, but I'm limiting myself to just having it at the weekends. I can't drink wine of any colour as it gives me terrible heartburn these days. I don't like fizzy alcohol such as cider or lager, yuk.
I got on thexscakes this morning and I've only put on one pound over Christmas.
Better than I thought.?

Day 7 now of Dry January and I am starting to feel virtuous and sleeping a bit better too. My lovely walking netball ladies filled in my sponsorship form yesterday so I have to keep going. (I'm supporting Help for Heroes as my Golf Captains charity).

Well done charlie2753, just think how your liver will be thanking you! Good luck with the 5k.
Solonge thank you so much for the beer recommendations, will give them a go.
The online shop sounds interesting too. My idea is if I find a non alcolic beer that I like, I am a real ale fan, I will continue to include it with my regular beers.
I am very conscious that as we age our liver becomes less efficient - along with everything else!!

I have signed up for’walk a thousand miles in 2020. I can’t start until I get back from Australia at the beginning of February. It’s too hot to do much walking here, unless you get out very early, and my little GD thwarts that idea!
I will have to do about 3-4 miles a day to complete the challenge.

Yes I’m doing it, got to the point I was drinking a bottle of wine every night, shocking but lovely ! Trying to cut out sugar as well and have lost 5lbs so far. Just think how much I am saving in £’s as well. Feeling motivated to try a couch to 5k anyone want to join me?

As a person who just doesn’t like the taste of most alcoholic or ‘soft’ drinks, it’s difficult to comprehend why people can have a problem with giving it up. I have friends who are Slimming World members and who say that having a few drinks sabotages their weight loss, but I don’t know if it’s true or not. Cutting out the booze and substituting fattening nibbles probably more than cancels out the benefits of going ‘dry’, I suppose.

I did once give up alcohol for lent, no weightloss

Greeneyedgirl I drink non alcoholic beer since giving up booze...I loved beer when I was drinking and over the last few years I think the non alcoholic brands have improved considerably. Try Ghost Ship which is my favourite....or Brewdog Nanny State truly delicious....I live on Hampshire/Berkshire border and there is a little pub near me that serves non alcohol beer on tap.....which is amazing. There is a shop called the Alcohol free shop...its an online shop that sells everything, including Campari, dry Martini, Gin, Whisky etc...all alcohol free....the Campari is sensational.

I did a dry October in 2013 and felt so great I carried on and am still dry. I wasn't a raving alcoholic but we were living in France at the time, and it was definitely party central most of the time. I came back for a few months, we had a flat here, and I started some temp work, was living on my own and it seemed an ideal time to stop drinking. I wont ever drink again, I really don't miss it. I didn't lose any weight at all however.

Depends what alcohol you are giving up if you will lose weight. Beer, cider, wine are all high calorific. Spirits alone aren't high. What you add can be eg full tonic, fizzy drinks, fruit juice. And of course the nibbles that usually go with alcohol are usually fattening. Haven't done a 'dry' anything as I feel having about 2 low cal gin & ts a week won't amount to much in weight loss.

I'm all in favour of a dry January but will probably just stick to my favourites ... dry martini and dry white wine! ??

Been doing dry January for years. What has irked me considerably is that where I live the alcohol beer and wine selection available seems to have shrunk since last year. I can’t bear any type of soft drinks so it’s either water or wine with me. Roll on February.

I have not had any alcohol since 2011 (to support my hubby who cannot drink due to now life-long medication) - and sadly I haven't lost any weight at all. However, I do applaud anyone who is trying to cut down or stop drinking alcohol. As other posters have said - much depends on what, if anything replaces the previous drinks! Good Luck to anyone giving Dry January a try.

DH has cut down drastically (and I mean, drastically!) since a minor heart attack about 16 months ago. He has lost weight but is punctilious about doing the exercise set he learnt at cardiac rehab classes and I think it's the combination that has contributed to his weight loss.

I don't drink as much now he doesn't and I think I have lost some weight (don't believe in scales!) but not a lot.