FDL180922

Can I ask if anyone drinks something specific in place of alcohol or is it just water.

it’s just occurred to me that all I have drank is 4 cups of coffee today . Normally on a Sunday I’d be having a beer now or some wine with dinner. And that would have meant I have drank practically no water. Infact not just limited to Sundays either.

I won’t drink caffeine now as won’t help with sleeping , I’m not a fan of fizzy or sugary drinks really and can’t see myself drinking water full time - although typing this I’m answering my own question in I should probably be doing just that 🤦‍♂️

FDL180922

I’m over thinking - need to occupy myself

freedomfries

You could switch to decaf after your first few coffees?

biminiblue

ha. It's okay to over-think and post what's on your mind, Benjamin. My brain and thoughts were all over the place and on high-speed in early sobriety. There is a lot to unwind about sobriety.

I switched to herbal teas and water only for about the first six months. If I was feeling really festive I'd put a lemon slice in my water and a couple ice cubes. After a few months I was able to handle caffeine again so now I have ONE cup of regular coffee in the morning, one large iced tea at dinner, and then just water all day. I'm really sensitive to caffeine and can't have more than that unless I want intrusive thoughts and anxiety.

Juices are too much sugar. Most fizzy things have sodium. . .plus they tend to excite my mouth a lot. Not what I needed in early sobriety.

ToughChoices

I mostly drink coffee, water, or seltzer with lime, but if I'm emotional/craving I like to make fun fruit smoothies/slushes. The sweets gently push the "REWARD" button in my head that I used to smash with substances.

Do you like:
Iced tea?
Soda?
Fruit-infused water?
Milkshakes?
Chocolate chip cookies blended with heavy cream and bacon?

Any of those are healthier than alcohol for me.

biminiblue

This sounds awesome.

Hodd

It’s definitely an issue for someone who’s recently given up. I drink one glass of fruit juice with dinner and mainly tea, coffee or decaff throughout the day, or maybe a green/matcha tea if I remember! I admit it took me a year or so to get used to this. I experimented with cordials and all sorts. Sugary drinks aren’t as unhealthy as alcohol, but they’re not far behind. It’s good you’re not into that.

FDL180922

Thanks for the suggestions everyone .

I have come out to the store to buy some soft drinks. As all the shops have been closed all day for the queens funeral our local store has reopened at 5 pm. It’s heaving like on Christmas Eve ! as I’m writing this , I am in a que that stretches from the tills to the back of the shop . Unfortunately the que goes right through two whole isles of alcohol. Just what I needed - not🤦‍♂️.

Anyway keeping my head down to my phone till I get to the tills on here !

I’ve opted for some low calorie tonic water and ginger beer (no alcohol) , I do like green tea and will defo have a go at that but no way I am getting out of this que now!

I definitely want to keep the options low calorie if I can as I want to reap the reward of weight loss through all of this - although I do hear you anything is better than alcohol!

thanks again for the suggestions

FDL180922

cookies and cream yes. Not sure about bacon though 🤣

Sasha4

Pineapple with lime (M&S)
Pineapple with coconut
Hot ginger sometimes with a blob of honey (Holland & Barrett)
Cherry tea
Lemon and ginger tea

For me in early recovery, I had to break my evening routine.
I usually sat down about 7pm on the sofa with a hideous massive glass of whatever.
I did not budge.
I was really determined to stop drinking so I had to change my routine.
I did whatever I could to not be anywhere near my sofa, the television or that glass at 7pm.

I did have a young child, so was a bit housebound, but I did whatever I could to avoid my old negative drinking routine.

I felt that drinking really restricted my freedom.
In the evenings, I could not drive after a certain time.
I had to get off the sofa, turn off the TV and I decided to smash that horrible glass.

To be able to go for a drive, was a massive deal for me.
I drove on the motorway with music on.
I sorted out stuff for the charity shop.
I went to the cinema.
I went shopping.
I got back into reading, something I had completely stopped doing.
I started to look forward to going to bed with a hot chocolate and my book.

At first it took effort to occupy my time. I had to work at it.
Now it's effortless.
I can't believe I wasted so much time drunk in the evening.
To me, its seems abnormal that I blocked out a few hours every night to hold a glass of filth and drink from it non stop.
Does anyone need to drink non stop?
I wouldn't drink tea or water non stop.

I guess my point is, for me, it was not just about replacing an alcoholic drink with a non alcoholic drink.
It was about creating new routines and new ways of thinking about my day.

It might feel strange at the moment, but I promise it will not feel like this forever.
How you feel now, will not be how you feel in a month, 3 months or a year.

I wish you the best

nez

chilled green tea with a splash of apple cider vinegar

fishkiller

I like the AHA flavored waters. Carbonated but not fizzy and no sugar.
Iced tea and water.
Some folks use the flavor packs in their water but I'm plain Jane

fishkiller

Interesting
love ACV on my food but never tried in my tea

Britbird80

Drank about a pint of diet coke most evenings 😬 not great I know but got me through them first few tough weeks and couple of months.

Now nearly 9 months in I mainly drink the odd cuppa, decaf coffee (occasionally cafinated if feeling a bit wild &#129315 and water during the day and then maybe a no added suger OJ or cranberry juice with lots of ice with dinner. Still have the odd fizzy but much less than before! Can't kick the new habit of a good wedge of dark chocolate in the evenings though 😋


Agree its more about changing the habits rather than finding a substitute but after a while I no longer saw it as a substitute and just drank what I fancied when thirsty.

connop1

I’m a bit of a coffee fiend. Before sobriety I’d pretty much drink coffee until making the switch to alcohol in the evening. I’m switching to water at 4pm now, and that’s working fine.

I also went to a German beer shop near me at the weekend because they sell a mate tea soft drink called Club Mate. The last time I was sober and living in Berlin it was my go-to drink. It’s not as sugary as most soft drinks and it has a nice refreshing caffeine hit.

i know this certainly isn’t for everyone but I also quite enjoy an Erdinger Alkohol-frei. It actually reminds me of being sober but still being able to function in social situations where alcohol is involved. For me this is important as I don’t want to live my life sober but avoiding all situations where drinking is involved. I enjoy it for its own worth rather than thinking of it as an alcohol substitute, and because it isn’t packed with excessive sugar or artificial sweeteners (which make me feel sick) I can drink a few of them without any nausea. I finished a piece of work on Friday and went to the pub for one and it was a very pleasant experience. I didn’t feel any urge to switch to alcohol. It’s also the drink you get at the finish line of a lot of big races so it has good associations for me.

Early Grey tea is also a winner for me. Again, no sugar or sweetners, just a nice complex flavour with a refreshing undertone.

kes

Hi,

I had't had a cup of tea or coffee for 20 years, just alcohol and lots and lots of it.

Now Decaf (kencos) cheap and nice, with a piece of flapjack. A far better start to the day than 2 bottles of wine.

ATB

Hodd

Coffee has been shown to be good for the liver, even the instant cheap stuff us Brits drink!

Caveat: I doubt posh £4 Starbucks shaving foam is healthy, and powdered milk like you get in 2 in 1 coffee is just about the unhealthiest thing out there

Zebra1275

Diet Coke

AthensDawgs

fresca
diet and dr. pepper
celsius drinks
coffee
sugar free red bull(I don't drink them often but have a few every now and then).

I had to eliminate the coke and diet coke. I associated those with mixing with jim beam.

Evoo

I have a few different drinks I like. Early in recovery I loved drinking hot tea... green tea, Tazo wild sweet orange, earl grey... I got a little obsessed and started buying whole leaf teas and kits to do "tastings." That was a fun way to keep busy, helped with the oral fixation, and I could drink it slowly and appreciate the nuance and flavor.

I also enjoy coffee, but I keep myself to four espresso shots a day or I can get anxious.

In the evenings I like seltzer water, diet coke/dr. pepper, and I like kombucha with dinner.