Adrian Chiles, hic , bbc2 now [9pm]

My cousin worked in a Distillery and used to get me 100% proof whisky. Two halves of that and I turned into Rambo

On Friday just gone I had 21.6 units. Saturday I had 4 pints @ 2.3 and 4 tinnies @ 1.8 = 16.4 units. No drink yesterday so final tally for the week was 38 units. Not a bad reduction.

Aim this week is to stay on the wagon through to Friday (probably been a couple of years since I've gone without a drink five days in a row) and trim down Friday/Saturday consumption some more, aiming for sub-35 units (stretch target 30).

Duly stayed off the drink Sunday through to Friday. A World Leading time for me - probably 2 or 3 years since that's happened. I "cheated", sort of, on Friday, because the missus had woman flu so we stayed in and didn't go to the pub. Had 4 pints @ 2.3 and 4 tinnies @ 1.8 = 16.4. Last night had 8 tinnies @ 1.8 = 14.4, bringing my total for the week (I won't be drinking again tonight) to 30.8 units. That's a bit of a git actually... had I known how close I was to getting under 30 I could've forgone the final can.

Anyway, will try to go sub-30 next week.

Cheers

My wagon stopped twice midweek,2 pints & 2 cans Tues 2 pints 3 cans weds. 2 pints 3 cans Friday I went to Haydock yesterday too many drinks to list but my app tells me it was 26 units, that puts me on 51.5 for the week with today to go I'm hoping no more than 5 cans. I'll do monday to friday next week which will knock 15 units off I'll be happy at 35ish

JOMO II

mr/mrs average who had his/her three bottles of Red over the w/e has had more than you


may have to move you over into the lightweight category

It's funny, I don't know whether it's because drinking less and having drink-free days makes you less tolerant, or whether I'm just noticing more because I'm counting/being conscious of the units I'm drinking, but I've felt the effects of the booze a bit more on a Friday/Saturday.

This from BBC today. Nothing new/exciting in the recommendations, but quite surprised at how low the % of people drinking 14 units or less a week is (23%).
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-45446439

A new campaign is urging people between the ages of 45 and 65 to have regular "drink-free" days.

Middle-aged drinkers are more likely than other age group to drink more than the recommended 14 units a week.

A YouGov poll also shows that they find cutting back on alcohol far harder than eating healthily or exercising.

Doctors say "drink-free" days will improve sleep, help with weight loss and reduce the risk of high blood pressure and cancer.

The campaign, Drink Free Days is a partnership between Public Health England and the alcohol education charity Drinkaware.

The YouGov poll - by PHE and Drinkaware - surveyed nearly 9,000 adults aged 18 to 85 during May and June this year.

It found that one in five were drinking more than the government's 14 unit-a-week guidelines.

And two-thirds said they would find cutting down on their drinking harder to do than improving their diet, exercising more or reducing their smoking.

All this health advice is water off a duck's back for me.

Loads of people go through life over drinking and live to a ripe old age.
And who wants to live until they're senile, incapable of looking after themselves full of aches and pains, going blind, deaf.
I'd rather have a happy life into my eighties then chop it, rather than drag it on for another decade that's sure to be miserable.

I's quality of life that matters, not how long you can drag out the misery until you're too old to wipe your own arse.

The problem is that excessive drinking, eating, smoking etc doesn't tend
to kill you quickly it usually results in long term chronic debilitating illness for the last 20+ years of your life....which often means not being able to wipe your own arse.

I would think that Moderate alcohol is ok for most people , i think it is good to have a few days off to let your system recover, the problem is what is moderate drinking for most people

Bollox. I had a great master plan to come in under 30 units this week, but tripped over my own shoe laces an inch before the finishing line by way of taking pity on a lonely can of Stella sitting in the fridge last night. Means I'll finish the week on 32.4 units.

2nd week running you have done that

I managed Monday- Friday dry. 39.4 units over the weekend, I bought a bottle of wine after a few pints on Saturday to go with my meal, I had 1 glass. The problem was I drank the rest on Sunday. Without that lapse I would've been under 30!!!!

If I only hadn't drunk so much I wouldn't have been an alcoholic.

JOMO II    , where's the update

I'm serving a two-week suspension from the Jockey Club, Delta.

We had a party round ours on Saturday and I knew it would me messy, so ended up having a few beers on Tuesday and Thursday last week (I want to get below 30 units at some point and knew I wouldn't be doing it last week, so mindset became: feck it).

After Saturday I knew there would be leftovers and, as predicted, the fridge was nicely stocked with bottles of Peroni, craft beer, cider the next day... it would be like asking Augustus Gloop to work in an ice cream van expecting me to leave things untouched until the following weekend.

As predicted I tidied up most of the bottles from the fridge last night. Leaving the beer that's still out in the garage untouched would be the only small victory I could claim this week. Next week I go for below 30 units.

Next week...

Cheers


after the garage party. ....

https://www.gosober.org.uk/

Mon - Fri dry. 39 units over the weekend, 0.4 less than last week, we're heading in the right direction!

On reflection, I probably average 35 pints a week, 40 pints on a bad week; four pints a night of Krombacher or Green Devil IPA (if I drink Green Devil I will only have three and finish with a Krombacher) in the pub six nights a week plus 10 pints on a Friday night. If I go to the racing/cricket/football/gig with friends or colleagues it will push me up to 40 pints a week. I have been inspired on here and decided to cut back by abstaining a couple of days a week which should automatically get me to around 25 pints. My problem is, I get home from work quite late and my wife needs to get up early for her job and goes to bed early so I don't see the point in going home and would rather wind down with mates in the pub. Also we always try and go out together on a Friday night but if I'm tired and feel like a night in she wants to go out as she hasn't been able to all week! It's all her fault.

no alcohol for well over 10 years now,
feel like shoite
still miserable as fook
still skint

nil points for the week

no alcohol for well over 10 years now,


any specific reason?

never drank in the house and as I got into my 50.s the places I used to drink Saturday football,race meetings etc with lads began to stop as we all got older,me and the wife stopped going out on weekends oldest swingers in town etc, so wnt months without a drink and still had a few at family do,s etc, but when family do,s became few and far between decide to knock it on the head altogether, not to say if I was in a situation where I wanted or could have a drink I wouldn't but basically in the end decided to do with out

interesting, have read lots get into 50's and knock it on the head...

Drinking alcohol is one of life's great pleasures. It's a shame some people have to give it up for health reasons.

You'd think given advancements in science, they'd have found a way of taking out the bad bits from alcohol while leaving in the best bits.

If I'd have been God when he created the universe I'd have done that straight off.
That way Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden would have been too pished up to bother with the forbidden fruit.

or they would have known how to make Cidré

Alcohol free lager is a lot better than the old days of Barbican and Kaliber. I have actually got a taste for Heineken & San Miguel 0.0,(drink them at work, I'm a Licensee) Bud Prohibition and Bavarian Blue. Good online reviews for St Peter's Without Original and Pistonhead Flat Tyre but they are more expensive and found the first, thin with a bitter aftertaste and the 2nd a bit lemony. Also had Erdinger Alkoholfrei wheat beer. The jury is out on that one with me - it goes off like a bomb when you put it in a glass with a widget. Over carbonated.

Never thought I'd be able to swap these alcohol free beers for normal one's but I have I'm pleased to say.

Forgot to say, although I mentioned it on another thread, I'm type 2 diabetic, & thought the drink wasn't helping things hence why I switched to alcohol free.

last day of the month before staysoberforoctober begins


last binge lads!, hic

^^Then make up for lost time and go on a bender for November.

thats the intention

Mon - Fri dry, 3 pints & 3 cans Friday evening. I lasted until 6pm saturday as we were going to a 50th birthday do, yesterday we  were out again at a celebration meal, although my 48.8 units for the week was up on recent effforts it's signifacntly lees than it would have been a month ago. SoberOctober is going swimmingly.

My usual 18 smug units here.

^ thats over the recommended

Reduced from 21 to 14 overnight same as women.  However I feel 14 is too low and would be very surprised if it had harmful effects...so still smug.

I have no desire to get anywhere near 14 units a week. I haven't felt any health benefits since I started monitoring/trying to reduce my intake. 1 thing that hit home to me in the documentary that sparked this thread was how many drinks did you actually enjoy? At weekend if was I was in the house, I was drinking from Midday just because that's what I always did. I've managed to stop that but that's a far it will go for me.

If anyone wants to know how little they drink compared to their neighbours take a walk down your street on bin collection day and have a look, its quite an eye opener in not only the amount but who drinks what.

The Baron, we have a collection, but also have a couple of bottle banks - its interesting who you see taking them down there so as to avoid the neighbours gaze, on collection day, and as you say in Volume too!

how bizarre,
staysoberforoctober begins

and Do wah' turns up


amazing scenes

Many say it's harder to cut down on drink than to give it up completely.
So those whose social lives revolve around drinking will find it harder cutting down.
Skinner said giving up booze practically wiped out his social life, yet they serve other drinks besides booze in pubs so what was he on about?

because eventually you get sick of other people trying to shove drinks down you, just have one,have a few etc,etc

You should be able to handle that 1tp, it's only the same as giving up smoking.

completely different people get applauded ,admired for giving up smoking ,people think its either strange, boring or you have a drink problem if you give up drinking

I'll tell you one thing, I really love a pint now I only drink occasionally.

I sit there supping and think - I used to do this nearly every night. And loved every minute of it.

We've got guest stopping over tonight other than that we've no plans to go out this weekend. I'll be home alone for The Arc so im intrigued to see what this weeks total will be. A mate who lives in China called in on Wednesday & I had 3 cans so I'm 5.4 units down already.

Back into the groove of five days no booze a week.

No pub either this week, tho 18 tinnies across Friday & Saturday makes for a total of 32.4 units for the week.

It's p1ssing me off a tad that I haven't made it under 30 units at any point, tho in truth that would just be a one hit wonder anyway - seem to have plateaued out at the low 30s. That's half what I was on on pretty consistently at the start of the fred, so will take that for now.

Something I've not tried yet is lower-strength lager. Should try switching to something cheap and vile for the last couple of cans each evening. Skol (which I've never had - need to try it anyway for bucket list's sake) is 1.2 units a can. Four of those out of this week's 18 tinnies would have got me to 30 units exactly.

Anyone ever gone extreme and tried a supermarket own-brand lager? That programme with baldie from Masterchef was on last week, and they switched someone's premium bottled lager for own-brand. She seemingly found it drinkable, anyway.

I've switched from 5.5-6% beer to an average of about 5%, still prefer the kick you get from the stronger stuff.

Two tips to help drink less:

Drink out of a smaller glass.  Like eating off a smaller plate it tricks the brain into thinking you are drinking more than you are.

Alcohol makes you thirsty so drink water at the same time alternate between alcohol and water.  You will have less of an urge to drink.

Go the whole hog and go alcohol free when it comes to beer, at least @ home. Of all I've tried I now think Bud Prohibition is best which is good as it comes in cans & I don't have to worry about getting rid of the bottles. Going out tonight with my wife for some grub so might get a taxi or lift, have a couple of lagers and share a bottle of wine.

A heavy weekend as l suspected. 60.9 units. A lot of those additional units came from Whisky, something I've not drunk at home for months. I managed to keep Sunday down to 8 cans which I was happy with as l started at 1pm. Back on the wagon now until Friday tea time.

Odds on me finally getting under 30 units have dropped to 1.9. Four pints at the pub last night (10.8) BUT... only had three tinnies (5.4) when we got back home. Like, there's still one left in the fridge from the 4-pack I got.  

13.8 units to play with tonight, 12 if you assume I'll take care of that can in the fridge (I could not trust myself to leave beer undrunk for five days). Might get a medley of craft beers or something - try to turn Saturday into a quality over quantity sort of a night. Could feasibly get Saturdays into the single figures...

Dr Crippen    03 Oct 18 11:22 

Skinner said giving up booze practically wiped out his social life, yet they serve other drinks besides booze in pubs so what was he on about?



Can't think of owt worse than being sober in the company of drinkers. They absolutely get on your tlts after a few. Same with cokeheads tbf.

Five tinnies (9.0) and a bottle of Moretti (3.0) last night, bringing my total for the week to 28.2 units.

Getting a touch bored of counting up and monitoring everything tbh, but will persevere for now. I realised last night that I'm really not too bothered about drinking so long as I have a decent gulp on a Friday, so will have a go at cutting back on Saturday's intake some more, aiming for a weekly total of 25 units or less.

Oct 2, 2018 -- 9:02AM, TheBaron wrote:

If anyone wants to know how little they drink compared to their neighbours take a walk down your street on bin collection day and have a look, its quite an eye opener in not only the amount but who drinks what.

my 2 blue boxes are full every single week and not one other neighbour has anything like it, save the odd bottle. The situation has been the same for years :-)

they're disposing of them elsewhere

Id be surprised if any pee head was civil minded enough to sort his rubbish into separate bins.

All my rubbish goes in the wheelie bin, if they want it sorted they can sort it themselves and use the money I pay in council tax.

for those who have missed the soberforoctober campaign


don't worry


I have just launched the nowtinnovember but bladderedindecember alternative





hth

50 units last week which included 1 pint on Wednesday & very late night at the casino.

I'm glad I got involved with this thread but monitoring my intake has run it's course. I've said earlier I've no intention of getting to 14, my weekends always involve booze, long may that continue. Good luck to those who are trying to reduce their intake significantly.

Cheers chewy11

A very average and uninspiring 32.4 units for the week (4 pints + 4 tinnies Friday, 8 tinnies last night). I actually considered not drinking last night, for a time. I think I could actually manage it. The biggest barrier would be the mindset of it being a weekend night and so why the hell am I sitting here sipping fukcing tea.

Intake since records began:

70+
38
30.8
32.4
Unknown (c.70)
Unrecorded (c.50)
32.4
28.2
32.4

Tremendously exciting news... for the first time in my life, I have bought (and drunk) Skol.

It was actually pretty serviceable. Had a sort of smell and more of a taste than I thought it would. I gave each can an hour in the freezer to get the temperature right down - would make a very refreshing thirst quencher on a hot summer's day, and probs less sugar than a can of Coke.

You have to be ready for the fact there's no kick of alcohol after each mouthful - the sensation is a bit like one you'd get from gargling alcohol-free mouthwash after a lifetime spent using Listerine - however, if you are a "glugger" and drain cans like there's no tomorrow regardless of strength, then these worth a shot imo. Think I'll switch to having some of these later on in the evening instead of 4% or higher, tho I don't think these alone would provide a very satisfactory evening ie. strategy should maybe be to start the evening with something a bit stronger, with the Skol acting simply as the top-up. 

One can of Skol is 1.2 units so four of these (4.8) plus four pints of Stella at the pub (10.8) = 15.6 units. That's the least I've drunk (units-wise) on a normal Friday for feckin' years. Unlocks the potential for a stretch target of 25 units for the week, tho that would require me being very good tonight.

A bit more experimenting last night. Got two bottles of "Wychwood Fire Catcher" - from the same brewery that does Hobgoblin. At 3.6%, I got 500ml of it for the same number of units as a 440ml tinny, but it tasted very full and flavoursome, and tbh was more satisfying than draining a bland tinny of lager.

Despite the fact it was a cheap as chips at £1.29 a bottle (can seemingly be had for a quid in Asda - https://groceries.asda.com/product/bottled-ale/wychwood-brewery-fire-catcher... I think there's a little switch in my brain that makes me think bottles (esp. bottles bigger than 440ml) are to be sipped and savoured. And I actually did that last night. Bodes well - not least because I think my love affair with Skol is over after two nights.

Anyway, a bottle of Stella (3.2), two bottles of the Wychwood stuff (3.6) and four Skols (4.8) last night for 11.4 units, bringing my grand total for the week to 27 units.    

Going to target pub (10.8) + 8 bottles of 3.6% (14.4) next week, tho annoyingly that would take me just over 25 units. Could maybe just take a big mouthful of Stella and spit it over whoever's being the most w@nkish in the pub to bring me in under 25?

the skol affair was short lived

I think there's a little switch in my brain that makes me think bottles (esp. bottles bigger than 440ml) are to be sipped and savoured.

I agree with that. Beer in a bottle is treated with respect.

how many units in a bottle of Jamesons

about 32

Thurs ... 2 bottles of shiraz
fri ... abt 6 pints of guinness..4 double jd and cokes..and a few nips of jamesons when i got home
sat   was babysitting so just a few beers and a bottle of red
today  6 pints of guinness.. just cracked open a bottle of red....i wont have anymore till friday normally... recently anyway....

woundedknee   


kick on

you are under the recommend limits this week so far

beetroot

Delta... probably less love affair, more knee trembler in the toilets at Nando's.

I won't say I'll never drink it again. did a decent mind trickery job to help with my quality v quantity dilemma, but it was very gassy and made me fart a lot. Also had a slightly odd taste... almost like artificial banana??

In any case I've got Sainsbury's Basics Lager (0.9 units a can) to road test next.

but it was very gassy and made me fart a lot. Also had a slightly odd taste... almost like artificial banana??






thats not selling it to me

I might have found Skol's (slightly) better-looking cousin: Mann's Brown Ale...2.8%... 1.4 units in 500ml.
https://groceries.morrisons.com/webshop/product/Manns-Brown-Ale-Bottle/120060011

Decent ratings on Morrisons and ratebeer.com - no mention of artificial bananas that I can see. Found it in a Poundland rip-off tat shop today while getting Sellotape... 89p a bottle*. No harm in trying it out.

*89p per bottle of ale, not per bottle of Sellotape

Friday: No pub. Instead, 4 cans of Stella (8.4) and 4 bottles of Wychwood Firecracker (7.2) = 15.6.
Saturday: 3 bottles of Firecracker (5.4) and 2 bottles of Wizard something-or-other (3.8 - it was 3.7%). The Wizard stuff wasn't an immediate favourite, and I've actually left a third bottle of it in the fridge.

Makes for a new record low for the week (provided I leave that bottle in the fridge alone): 24.7 units

blimey!

done well this week .. no pub since monday... .. 6 bottles stella and 3/4 bottle of Jamesons Friday day/night

spoke too soon    got right on it yest

Rare visit to a Morrisons this week so did a bit more experimenting... got two bottles of Marston's EPA (1.8 units a bottle). Meh - found it a bit sharp, with a hint of vinegar in the background, but didn't have the depth of flavour to make up for lack of kick. Also got 10x250 bottles of Morrisons Biere de Flandres!! Christ, think the last time I had this stuff was up in the woods with a couple of mates when we were 13/14 or something. Actually has quite a pleasant smell, but nearly nil depth and flavour, bar a slight hint of burnt something as an aftertaste. Would be as well giving own-brand supermarket 2% stuff a crack versus this stuff tbh. It's amazing really that there are so few beers never mind lagers below 4%. Anyway:

Friday: 4 pints Stella at pub (10.8), 2 bottles Marton's EPA (3.6), 4 stubby bottles of Biere de Flandres (2.8) = 17.2
Saturday: Bottle of Fire Cracker (1.8), bottle of Wizard left over from last weekend (1.9), 4 stubbies (2.8) = 6.5

Total for the week: 23.7 units

Drank a bit more than my rations permitted on Friday, and didn't have the will power yesterday not to top up with a couple more bottles.

Friday: Four pints (10.8) Four bottles of Fire Cracker (7.2) Two stubbies left over from last weekend (1.4) = 19.4
Saturday: Five bottles of Fire Cracker (9)

Total for the week: 28.4 units

A new low (in terms of units) this week. Four pints Stella (10.8) and two tinnies (3.6) on Friday. Five tinnies (9) last night. Even left one in the fridge.

Total for the week: 23.4 units

blimey!

Soon be time to call a truce for Christmas surely?

4 bots of stella ... 3/4 bot of JD  Friday
just cracked a bot of stella... whats the spread for today ?  ps  i dont work

5/6

Report• Quote • Block User Dr Crippen • November 25, 2018 1:27 PM GMT
Soon be time to call a truce for Christmas surely?

White flags are washed, pressed and ready and waiting...

I must admit I started practising for Christmas this weekend.

went pub 4 pints guiness ..red wine with dinner 1 bot .. i think thats reasnable

Very reasonable indeed sir.

23.6 units last week.

16.2 units on Friday but just two bottles last night makes 19.8 units for the week.

indeed

Oct 14, 2018 -- 8:51AM, Dr Crippen wrote:

Id be surprised if any pee head was civil minded enough to sort his rubbish into separate bins.All my rubbish goes in the wheelie bin, if they want it sorted they can sort it themselves and use the money I pay in council tax.

Crippen , you're a strange one ...first it makes sense for you to have 2 seperate bins at home ,one for dirty unrecyclable and one bin for clean recyclable so the big bin (indoors) doesn't smell to holy hell  and leave the 'smelly' bin outside the door . put smelly food scrap into a hole in the ground to further avoid the smell .

secondly ..re drinkers and life years etc ...  people who get to an old age don't usually have 6 or 7 years of serious health problems before they die ,most of them don't have that many health issues  ...it's those who die younger who are more likely to have x years of bad health . 

on the units note generally i'd say 25 over the long term is safe enough  ...all this 14 units seems a load of nonsense unless you've cut down after years of heavy drinking   ..then it might make sense

Coachbuster,  you can come around and sort my trash if you like.  All rubbish outside please!

all this 14 units seems a load of nonsense unless you've cut down after years of heavy drinking 

Your doctor might disagree if you've got liver damage.

Dec 9, 2018 -- 12:33PM, Dr Crippen wrote:

Coachbuster,  you can come around and sort my trash if you like.  All rubbish outside please!all this 14 units seems a load of nonsense unless you've cut down after years of heavy drinking   Your doctor might disagree if you've got liver damage.

it's not a case of 'sorting' out trash   ...you only have to bin trash once  ffs  lol  ...you just need TWO seperate bins

I have a  large  bin which i dispense boxes ,cartons milk bottles   ...that's 90% of all waste by volume .

food items i stick in a  covered bowl and take into the garden  ... bottles i recycle anyway   ...and non recycle  stuff  i put to one side in a small air tight lifty carton  and then each day empty into that a  small bin outside the door  ...simples .

no bin smells ever in the kitchen ...and the main wheely bins never smell either  .

I tend to look down at folk in the street who don't recycle as being a bit slummy and anti social ...  and i'm not far off the mark  either with that observation

Units of alcohol  ..if youve been a heavy drinker for years its worthwhile getting a check obviously ...but as for steady 25 unit  a week drinkers  there are no  risks  any more than someone who drinks 0 .

14  is around the optimum level from a health pov imo

put smelly food scrap into a hole in the ground to further avoid the smell .

You've got to be joking!

Although I suppose it finds your missus something to do when it's peeing down with rain.

25 unit  a week drinkers  there are no  risks  any more than someone who drinks 0 .

That's simply untrue.

Dec 9, 2018 -- 12:57PM, Dr Crippen wrote:

25 unit  a week drinkers  there are no  risks  any more than someone who drinks 0 .That's simply untrue.

there are very few cases of anyone who has a health problem from that low lifetime level  ...you generally  wouldn't live long enough   ...similarly anyone who smokes 2 cigs a day . 

obv there are cases of teetotal folk  who are unlucky to inherit the rogue genes

Dec 9, 2018 -- 12:56PM, Dr Crippen wrote:

put smelly food scrap into a hole in the ground to further avoid the smell .You've got to be joking!Although I suppose it finds your missus something to do when it's peeing down with rain.

what's so weird about a hole in the ground for food waste  ..it actually does wonders for the soil  ...and it hardly rains  in this part of the world  ...

the missus left years ago

Goes without saying that weekly scores on the doors are off for December, but while I'm still vaguely sober: got some bottles of Ruddles Best Country Ale in Asda this arvo (£1.02 a bottle) having emptied the shelves of Fire Cracker yesterday. 3.7% so only 1.9 units a 500ml bottle, but a nice, light malty flavour. If you were eight bottles in already, you wouldn't really know the difference between this and a Speckled Hen. Decent drop for the price and ABV.   

Merry Christmas. Hic. Etc. Hic.

Oh, have also tried out Bank's Bitter the past couple of weekends, as it's only 3.8% (and a princely quid a bottle).

I'm not much of a bitter drinker so I'm not sure... is bitter meant to have no taste? Weirdly more-ish all the same - goes down all-too easy (matron).