Sober September

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  • hrwhisamore
    hrwhisamore Posts: 7 Member
    I'm in!
  • shrcpr
    shrcpr Posts: 885 Member
    Ack. I just found myself reasoning I could have a glass of wine because I have lots of calories left. NO. JUST NO. There is no moderation for me so I just need to suck it up and shut that kind of thinking down. Weekends are scary like that.
  • grmshelle
    grmshelle Posts: 54 Member
    I'm in! I have tried time and time again to stop drinking wine. I started another attempt a couple of days ago, I hope it takes this time...need support!
  • dogcatac
    dogcatac Posts: 124 Member
    shrcpr wrote: »
    Ack. I just found myself reasoning I could have a glass of wine because I have lots of calories left. NO. JUST NO. There is no moderation for me so I just need to suck it up and shut that kind of thinking down. Weekends are scary like that.

    i really like to gym on friday/saturday nights. perfect way to avoid weekend drinks.
  • fiddletime
    fiddletime Posts: 1,868 Member
    edited September 2015
    delladear wrote: »
    Drinking a glass of wine while reading all these posts. I am not trying to be a jerk, I'm trying to figure out if this is something I want to do. I guess my thinking is do you really lose more weight not drinking? What if you count your drinking in your calorie allotment? I would love to hear the results. Right now for me, I am going to moderate myself and see how that goes.

    I was where you are a month ago. By Aug 22 I finally decided that I sucked at moderation. I was staying in my calorie goal but I was not in control the way I wanted, because of the wine. So, decided to join in and after the first 5 hard days, have chosen not to drink and it's getting easier and easier. Saving money too, which is nice.

  • fiddletime
    fiddletime Posts: 1,868 Member
    phillytoast wrote: »
    I didn't know this was a thing ! I'm on day 3 and nearly tearing my hair out
    It gets easier but the first few days of temptation and fighting cravings is the hardest. Once you just accept that "no" means sparkling water and give yourself no wiggle room, it gets much easier. It takes some practice.
  • janenightingale
    janenightingale Posts: 55 Member
    delladear wrote: »
    Drinking a glass of wine while reading all these posts. I am not trying to be a jerk, I'm trying to figure out if this is something I want to do. I guess my thinking is do you really lose more weight not drinking? What if you count your drinking in your calorie allotment? I would love to hear the results. Right now for me, I am going to moderate myself and see how that goes.

    i have lost 4lb and counting in the 11 days of not drinking. Ok, so it's early days in the diet and some of it is water weight etc., but never have achieved this in the past when I tried to include alcohol calories in the diet. The only way I could manage that was to do massive amounts of exercise so I could 'drink them back'. That now sounds so lame it's embarrassing! Even then the most I lost was 1-1.5lbs per week. I am trying to get to a point where I don't have any alcohol in the week and work on moderate consumption at weekends. I think my friends will be pleased I will volunteer to be the designated driver more often. I AM going to drink on my wedding anniversary surprise party that I have spent ages planning but NOT to excess.
  • tmbg1
    tmbg1 Posts: 1,434 Member
    For me this is not just about losing weight but also about saving money, sleeping better, having beautiful skin, and my liver.
  • jesha00
    jesha00 Posts: 29 Member
    I've gotten to the point, recently, where I have no control of moderation after my first drink. It's helping me to think about it, if I get a craving. I just don't want to waste all of those calories anymore.

    Last night the husband and I went out to eat. I had lemon water, while he had beer. After dinner, we went to our local jewelry store to look at a couple things we've been wanting to buy. After we decided on our purchases, our sales lady offered us beer while we did the paperwork. We were both taken back by that offer!! Needless to say he had beer and I had water. The lady actually pressed the issue with me, asking if I "was sure" I didn't want a beer and, "aren't you a beer person?". My response was, "oh, I thoroughly enjoy beer. I'm just staying away from it tonight". And then she stopped bothering me.

    But the best part, was how liberating it felt, to actually have that control. And I didn't miss out on anything by drinking the water...except calories! It's little milestones like this that are pushing me forward with this.
  • MyWhole30Journey
    MyWhole30Journey Posts: 175 Member
    tmbg1 wrote: »
    For me this is not just about losing weight but also about saving money, sleeping better, having beautiful skin, and my liver.

    I totally agree, however, since I've quit I've lost 14 lbs., saved $860 (yes, about $20 bucks daily) and stopped poisoning my liver. Wish I could say I sleep better but I drink a lot of water and so I'm up to often, gotta put the breaks on after say 7pm. maybe :)
  • MyWhole30Journey
    MyWhole30Journey Posts: 175 Member
    jesha00 wrote: »
    I've gotten to the point, recently, where I have no control of moderation after my first drink. It's helping me to think about it, if I get a craving. I just don't want to waste all of those calories anymore.

    Last night the husband and I went out to eat. I had lemon water, while he had beer. After dinner, we went to our local jewelry store to look at a couple things we've been wanting to buy. After we decided on our purchases, our sales lady offered us beer while we did the paperwork. We were both taken back by that offer!! Needless to say he had beer and I had water. The lady actually pressed the issue with me, asking if I "was sure" I didn't want a beer and, "aren't you a beer person?". My response was, "oh, I thoroughly enjoy beer. I'm just staying away from it tonight". And then she stopped bothering me.

    But the best part, was how liberating it felt, to actually have that control. And I didn't miss out on anything by drinking the water...except calories! It's little milestones like this that are pushing me forward with this.

    That is bazaar! What the heck was she thinking??? Sounds like the store clerk needs to be here as well!
  • grmshelle
    grmshelle Posts: 54 Member
    tmbg1 wrote: »
    For me this is not just about losing weight but also about saving money, sleeping better, having beautiful skin, and my liver.
    I agree, and there was no such thing as moderation for me. I see a huge difference in my skin when I stop drinking that nasty poison and I sleep like a baby. Day 4 and probably on my 3 or 4th attempt...I have to succeed before I kill myself!
  • shrcpr
    shrcpr Posts: 885 Member
    dogcatac wrote: »
    shrcpr wrote: »
    Ack. I just found myself reasoning I could have a glass of wine because I have lots of calories left. NO. JUST NO. There is no moderation for me so I just need to suck it up and shut that kind of thinking down. Weekends are scary like that.

    i really like to gym on friday/saturday nights. perfect way to avoid weekend drinks.

    Good idea. Just got back from the gym even though today wasn't a scheduled workout day. It's not evening yet but now I don't want to waste all that hard work. Endorphins are lovely, and they don't give you a hangover. :smile:
  • fiddletime
    fiddletime Posts: 1,868 Member
    edited September 2015
    Went to a family dinner today and it turned out to be a surprise (to me!) birthday party for an in-law. Wine and beer were flowing. So, I had two diet cokes and decided to eat chips and a slice of birthday cake and not, not, not, not drink alcohol. Went over my calories by 600, but didn't drink anything. Day 23 AF. Hope you all made it through the weekend.
  • tmbg1
    tmbg1 Posts: 1,434 Member
    @fiddletime Congrats on getting through a social situation!
  • dogcatac
    dogcatac Posts: 124 Member
    fiddletime wrote: »
    Went to a family dinner today and it turned out to be a surprise (to me!) birthday party for an in-law. Wine and beer were flowing. So, I had two diet cokes and decided to eat chips and a slice of birthday cake and not, not, not, not drink alcohol. Went over my calories by 600, but didn't drink anything. Day 23 AF. Hope you all made it through the weekend.

    way to go! and happy birthday!!! just think of how many calories over you would have been w/ wine and beer :open_mouth:
  • dogcatac
    dogcatac Posts: 124 Member
    shrcpr wrote: »

    Good idea. Just got back from the gym even though today wasn't a scheduled workout day. It's not evening yet but now I don't want to waste all that hard work. Endorphins are lovely, and they don't give you a hangover. :smile:

    hehe yep. i feel amazing after a great workout, but sometimes i get some pretty bad DOMS :tongue: :smirk:

  • janenightingale
    janenightingale Posts: 55 Member
    Spectacularly fell off the wagon yesterday. I don't appear to be able to do moderation, ESPECIALLY if hubby suggests I might like to drink tonic water now. I have to stop belligerence getting the better of me.

  • MyWhole30Journey
    MyWhole30Journey Posts: 175 Member
    @janenightingale Just get right back on that wagon! you have a whole week before another weekend arrives and tries to derail you. You can do this!
    @fiddletime Good going, you made the right choice for you!
    My neighbors through a "family get together" over the weekend. It started out nice, lots of kids laughing and playing in the pool and overall, pretty low key. As the day went on however the families went home and those who didn't continued to party until the wee hours (4am). The party got louder and louder as the night wore on and everyone left there was drunk. I worried for them, I worried for others who were not there because these drunk were getting in their cars and driving home.
    My point here is that we all start out thinking we can handle it, not over drink, wouldn't drink and drive, but once you have enough alcohol in your system, all logic and good reasoning flies out the window! I'm so glad I've made the decision to stop drinking :) This morning I woke up, went into the bathroom to brush my teeth and when I looked into the mirror, clear, bright eyes were looking back at me, my skin was looking better and I feel good. Day 45 being alcohol free!
  • janenightingale
    janenightingale Posts: 55 Member
    @MyWhole30Journey thank you for your kind words! Back on the wagon it is for me. You are right regarding logic flying out of the window when there is alcohol in the system, the decision to drink more and more being my downfall!
  • shrcpr
    shrcpr Posts: 885 Member
    Made it through the weekend with no drinking. Not sure I am ready for any social situations yet so hid myself away a bit on Sunday as I was feeling really grouchy and rebellious. I figured I would cave for sure if the situation presented itself. Whatever it takes, I guess.
  • fiddletime
    fiddletime Posts: 1,868 Member
    @janenightingale. I also started watching this group from moderation land. For people who like to drink, versus those folks who just sip it to be social like my husband, we usually overdo it at some point, like Whole30 told about. If I could take back about 30 nights a year, I'd keep drinking. But they keep happening. So, good for you for not giving up and for coming back to try again. I also got furious when my husband would suggest it was time to stop drinking for the night.

    @shrcpr. Nice job and WTG!!! I know it's hard at social events. I'd go to a dinner party as many people choose not to drink but I'd avoid a drinking party for now. I know the last time I did this it got really easy after a few months and I was finally able to be around a group of heavy drinkers and not get tempted.

    Finally, for motivation check out the "No drinking on weekdays" thread as most of them are in the same battle as we are but think that moderation can be achieved. It can be, but is almost harder than not drinking and I got really tired of counting my weekly or monthly drinks.
  • dogcatac
    dogcatac Posts: 124 Member
    ^ yes way less stress. :tired_face:
  • tmbg1
    tmbg1 Posts: 1,434 Member
    Ready to roll into another AF week! I find that I am way more with it at work nowadays...no hazy, "almost hung-over" feeling that I so often felt after drinking wine in the evening...usually only 2-3 glasses but I would still wake with a slight headache and general haziness. I can honestly say that I am more productive now than I have been in a while!
  • Louz163
    Louz163 Posts: 243 Member
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  • RoseTheWarrior
    RoseTheWarrior Posts: 2,035 Member
    I'm doing way better than I thought I could. In 15 days I've had one night where I caved and had two vodka, cran and sodas. Other than that, sober as can be! Not even missing it. We had company on Sunday and it was BYOB and I never even thought "man I feel cheated". I can do this!

    Kudos to all the others who are trying hard!!
  • MyWhole30Journey
    MyWhole30Journey Posts: 175 Member
    Still here and feeling more in control every day. Day #46 AFfor me :)
  • shrcpr
    shrcpr Posts: 885 Member
    Checking in at Day 19. I'm finding it's way easier sticking to my eating plan when I'm not drinking. Feeling good so far.
  • dogcatac
    dogcatac Posts: 124 Member
    great job everyone! going to a comedy show tonight. already offered to be the drive :lol:
  • jesha00
    jesha00 Posts: 29 Member
    Way to go everyone :) I'm on day 3 AGAIN!! I've been doing this for a few weeks now and it's getting easier to go three days. I'm still struggling with going longer. So far I've not had anything to drink 50% of the month so far. Not 100% but 50% is better than what I was doing.

    What is this Whole30 that everyone is talking about?

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