Throughout my life my relationship with alcohol has not been good, one pint is too many and not enough at the same time. Years ago, in the Harley Club, I had the nickname 'P*ssed Bloke', and previously I would happily have spent a Saturday afternoon in winter in a pub, or at a beer festival without a second thought.
Now, having become more informed through Alcohol Awareness Week and the Dry January® challenge and also through reading the book Try Dry®, I feel better and understand myself better (it’s only taken me 71 years of knowing me!).
The Dry January® challenge has raised my awareness over the past four years, and has helped me to control how often and how much I am drinking. I log my ‘dry’ days across the year using the Try Dry® app, having logged 310 dry days last year 2024, and 309 dry days in 2023. By keeping a log of the amount I consume, it helps me try to stay closer to the recommended maximum quantities of drinking units.
2024 was my fourth Dry January® challenge, and this time I started dry on Boxing Day, as I also wanted to deal with my raised blood sugar levels as I was advised I was pre-diabetic. I try to eat healthy foods but sometimes eat the wrong sort! I cycle a lot, and my rewards are usually cakes, but I also got into the habit a few years ago of rewarding my dry days with cake and chocolate. This year, I got a firm grip of the wrong foods and gained success in reducing my blood sugars. The strength of resolve I gained through doing a month alcohol-free in January also enables me to tackle blood-sugar such as I have never dealt with properly before.
Now I have been able to enjoy an alcohol-free January and set new goals to walk on days I cannot cycle. I’m seeing measurable progress and it’s a real boost mentally because I know I am in charge of my cravings. Without the Dry January® challenge and the app, I would not have developed the willpower to watch my teacups lining up on the app’s calendar and also knowing cake and chocolate were for the time being abolished! If I exercise accordingly then treats are suitable, but not to be part of my everyday diet. Thank you very much for helping with both my goals!
Over the last few years, the Try Dry® app has helped me increase my annual dry days so that this year I am so far on 313 dry days (as of 19 December), against a target of 315 set last year, and should get to 319 dry days actually. My heightened awareness through logging units has also helped me reduce any binge drinking when I do drink because I know when I tot up the units I will feel annoyed with myself for having exceeded my own targets, plus it helps my willpower!
For example, yesterday I met with a friend for a lunchtime meet in a pub I know and love - on route by train there and back. I thought I could have had a drink of beer if I wanted to but no - I wanted to stick to zero. I got in the pub and the lovely range of hand-pump beers was a real test - could I stick to my guns and drink Hobson's Zero IPA? Yes, I did for the 2 hours I was there with my pal. Coming home on the train I felt really pleased because had tested my resolve and stuck to my guns!
However, this was only possible because of the Try Dry® app, it was the thought of letting myself down and how I would feel afterwards that boosted my resolve. Without the app and the Try Dry® community I would have shrugged my shoulders and thought, ‘ah never mind, ‘tis Christmas, have some fun!’ Then the rest of the day would end as a blur without any positive achievements. So I, a former CAMRA member and lover of Beer Festivals who used to get blootered at motor-cycle rallies and any music festival can now visit a pub and choose not to drink through the added strength afforded me now.
Altogether, it looks that I’ll be smashing my dry days target for 2025, all possible through the app which helps to motivate me. It’s also a priceless means of monitoring the units of alcohol on the days I do have beer, to such an extent that I drink beer of lower alcohol content as a direct result of the app. It’s really good to be able to monitor exactly what I am imbibing!
To sum up - the Dry January® challenge has been a huge factor in my life. And the Try Dry® app is the most beneficial item on my phone!