Is anyone teetotal?

[THE_Liam]

I might give it a go, at least on a trial basis. I got the Merc as a reward for quitting smoking, maybe if I quit drinking I could reward myself with a Eunos as a second car.

I'd love to join a gym but because of my knee there's very little I can do besides lift weights, most cardio just causes the knee to stiffen up and swell. That's really when I started drinking heavily, when my knee went when I was younger and ended any hopes of playing rugby professionally, through the beer and lack of exercise I've put on 5 stone since that, which doesn't help the knee either.

Have you tried cycling?
I had joint problems in my knees throughout my teens due to growing very quickly, to the point that one day the ligaments just snapped.
I was told, and have read a lot since that cycling doesn't impact your knees much but does strengthen all the muscles around it.

Not sure what problems with your knee you might be having so it might not be suitable if it is movement that agitates it, for me it was impact so cycling was the answer.

Have you looked into whether or not you can get any sort of physiotherapy through the NHS? I know it's unrelated to drinking but perhaps if your knees were getting better it'd help you get out there and do more active things which would help you cut down on the drinking.

I also think that the idea of only bringing a certain amount out with you, and then saving the rest for a reward for yourself after a certain length of time is a good motivator.

Yeah cycling is just as bad for it mate. I shattered my knee joint and cap playing rugby, had 5 ops and years of physio and it's not much better. I won't complain though, a lot of people have a permanent limp with the same injury so have it worse than me. Mine just tires easily and has trouble with stiffness and swelling due to scar tissue. I'd love to still be able to play rugby, that always kept me fit.