No Alcohol November 2016 Challenge!

1…34689…12

Replies

  • futureicon
    futureicon Posts: 348 Member
    Too late "hic"
    ABoaCMjkoqmIg.gif
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,458 Member
    The beer ads are because you posted in this thread or mentioned "beer" in a post. :lol:
  • rachelr1116
    rachelr1116 Posts: 334 Member
    Made it through the weekend with no beer! Yesterday a friend and I went on a long bike ride and passed several of our favorite places for grabbing a beer. It was tempting to stop but we went right on by and ended up riding 25 miles yesterday :)
  • MonkeyMel21
    MonkeyMel21 Posts: 2,396 Member
    husseycd wrote: »
    MonkeyMel21 wrote: »
    How did everyone's weekend go?! Mine was great!! Hardly even tempted and I got a ton done around the house. I'm ready to hit the gym tomorrow just too bad I have to work after, lol.

    It went pretty well. Met hubs and some friends up at a new tap room for one of our local breweries. Was just going to have a pony pour and water, but hubs ordered a full beer. I did drink it, but that's it. So one beer all weekend. Not at all worried about it.

    We even went to the friends' house afterward for dinner where hubs continued to drink and I just had virgin Moscow mules. It wasn't a big deal at all, which is nice. And I woke up feeling great, unlike poor hubs who continued to drink and listen to records until about 3 a.m. He is now joining the challenge, lol. I too got a lot more done around the house, and had a great workout on Sunday morning.

    My end-game for this challenge is really just to establish a new relationship with alcohol. I have been drinking way more than I should and was worried it was becoming a problem. This week has shown me it really isn't, I just need to set different boundaries, and change habits and mindsets. And a break for my body is a good thing.

    I have been eating way more junk. TBH, not drinking may actually be bad for my weight, haha.

    The bolded parts are true for me too! I don't think I've become dependent upon alcohol at this point, especially since it hasn't affected my job or life in an impactful way. But there is absolutely zero reason that I should be drinking every weekend solely out of boredom like I have been doing. Also no reason that I should be spending the kind of money at the liquor store that I have been! And I ate so much last week......I was so hungry all week, lol. Not sure if it's the lack of alcohol or hormones or what but I'm definitely not as hungry so far this week, thankfully, lol. Damn leftover Halloween candy.

    And lol about your husband joining in on the challenge now! Poor guy!
  • steph2strong
    steph2strong Posts: 426 Member
    Hi everyone, I just saw this thread. I just recently cut out all alcohol form my diet as I try to get pregnant again. I never really drank in excess but always had a glass of red wine with dinner. I find that now that I don't have any wine with dinner I justify eating more treats during the day, which i never did before. It's not the worst thing in the world because i am trying to gain some weight (i'm a bit underweight) but I'd rather do it eating mainly healthy foods like Peanut butter and full fat dairy than eating cakes and scones. Anyone else experience this? I realize the answer is to just not eat the junk, it just can be hard because my brian is like "you deserve a little treat, save all the healthy food for when you are trying to loose weight". My treat at the end of the day used to be the glass of red wine with dinner.
  • husseycd
    husseycd Posts: 814 Member
    MonkeyMel21 wrote: »
    And lol about your husband joining in on the challenge now! Poor guy!

    He was feeling pretty crappy on Sunday, hence the desire to join. He may change his mind in a few days when he's feeling less hungover. ;)

    Really, it's the staying up until 3 a.m. that probably did him in more than the beer. But then, the beer is the fuel for the 3 a.m. LP binge. If he'd gone to bed when I did, he probably would have been fine, or mostly fine on Sunday. Of course, therein lies the problem with booze.

    I've been thinking through my strategy when this challenge is over. This website: hams.cc/ is a good one for those who want to moderate/cut back, whatever. I don't find it too judgey. I'm definitely highly resistant to messages that are too preachy or judgmental.

  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,458 Member
    I have to say, if alcohol is causing "harm" maybe it's time to let it go.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,458 Member
    edited November 2016
    *edit*
  • husseycd
    husseycd Posts: 814 Member
    cmriverside wrote: »
    I have to say, if alcohol is causing "harm" maybe it's time to let it go.

    It's only one part of the acronym: Harm reduction, Abstinence, Moderation Support. For many, reducing the harmful behaviors sometimes associated with alcohol is what they need most. Instead of being all or nothing, the idea is to take whatever steps possible to make a positive impact on one's drinking.

    It's like cookies and weight. Too many cookies cause harm (i.e. weight gain), but that doesn't mean you can't ever have a cookie if you want to manage your weight. Maybe you eat the cookie and track it, maybe you don't bring cookies into the house, maybe you have a cookie binge once a week and then eat great the rest of the time. And then maybe there are some people who simply can never have another cookie because it's a trigger to just eat more cookies. But telling all people they can't ever have a cookie isn't necessarily the answer. Whatever works to get a person to their goals.

    But I digress.
  • jo_nz
    jo_nz Posts: 548 Member
    husseycd wrote: »
    Really, it's the staying up until 3 a.m. that probably did him in more than the beer.
    I totally agree that the lack of sleep can also bring on a hangover! When I was pregnant/breastfeeding I didn't drink and after the rare night out, I would still feel rubbish the next day. Not quite as rubbish as with alcohol, but pretty seedy. Don't do that too often these days...

    I went to DH's father's birthday dinner on Sunday and politely declined the wine/beer on offer. Fortunately it was not a wine I really like so it was pretty easy and I'm sure I enjoyed the food more than I would have with the wine (and although I went over on calories, at least I wasn't also adding a few hundred more cals from drinks!).
  • Queenmunchy
    Queenmunchy Posts: 3,380 Member
    blwelch1 wrote: »
    ..onsickmom, and queenmunchy..... How do you get past the triggers? seems like i have all sorts of things that cause me to want to have a drink.

    @blwelch1 I just saw this. I decided that for now I'm skipping socializing if I don't want to. I'm spending time doing things that I haven't done for a long time - getting coffee, painting my nails, shopping, etc. Just random things that always made me happy in the past.

    I always want to have a drink, but now I'm finally getting over it. I'm exercising a lot more too, so that's helping with the anxiety.
  • MonkeyMel21
    MonkeyMel21 Posts: 2,396 Member
    Day 8!! I refrained last night, had tea with dinner then went to DS's cub scout meeting. Sometimes a room full of first grade boys makes me want to have a beer first but I held off, lol. Last night actually went well and we learned that my son and a few other scouts from his school will get to participate in the school's morning flag ceremony in a couple weeks! Can't wait!
  • husseycd
    husseycd Posts: 814 Member
    Got through last night too! Even after picking up wine for hubs' bday celebration this weekend where I picked up one of my favorite Pinot Noirs and just put it on the wine rack. Instead of No Alcohol November, hubs has decided it's, "Not too many November", lol. But it wasn't a big deal.

  • blwelch1
    blwelch1 Posts: 81 Member
    Same here.. I usually can get through the week, it's the weekends that get me in trouble... I do like the "Not too many November though.. ;)
  • MonkeyMel21
    MonkeyMel21 Posts: 2,396 Member
    Got through another night! Feeling great!
  • KayV85
    KayV85 Posts: 19 Member
    I gave into temptation on the weekend, I feel I will this weekend as well. My head is not in the right space right now. I wish you all the best of luck. I'm going to try again in January.
  • husseycd
    husseycd Posts: 814 Member
    I decided last night needed to be a wine night. Tonight might too. With KayV85. My head isn't in the right place. Not too many November might just be my mantra too.
  • MonkeyMel21
    MonkeyMel21 Posts: 2,396 Member
    Aww, sad to lose you two. That is always what has happened to me in the past, and I know a lot of others. I wish you all luck for the future though, whatever you decide to do :)
  • bethanyka
    bethanyka Posts: 159 Member
    Just saw this, I started on Nov 1 also, I'm on day 9 with you all.

    The last couple years, the booze has affected my weight, sleep and mood to the point that I'm letting it go. Each monthly is a step forward, and November will be 100%
    I feel so light and clear and hope to stay on track! But, I totally understand those that feel that this is not exactly the right time. I've been there, too. Stay positive !


    Let's keep up the good work :smiley:
  • Queenmunchy
    Queenmunchy Posts: 3,380 Member
    Day 30! I'm feeling great :)
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,458 Member
    Still sober here.

    I know this isn't a "real" sobriety thread, but I just want to say that no alcohol is the way to go - for every reason there is. Sanity, health, productivity, connection to others, weight loss.

    I don't miss it. I did in early days. I no longer do.
  • blwelch1
    blwelch1 Posts: 81 Member
    Where is everyone from?
  • MonkeyMel21
    MonkeyMel21 Posts: 2,396 Member
    I'm in Oklahoma right now but from Colorado and planning on moving back next year!!!
  • bethanyka
    bethanyka Posts: 159 Member
    From Chicago, living in Buffalo NY right now.
  • blwelch1
    blwelch1 Posts: 81 Member
    Never been to New York or Oklahoma.. Colorado is beautiful. Wouldn't mind living there, but I am here Cincinnati.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,458 Member
    edited November 2016
    *edit* oops.
  • MonkeyMel21
    MonkeyMel21 Posts: 2,396 Member
    Oklahoma's not so bad looking in the spring time, between tornados, lol. Very lush!
  • rachelr1116
    rachelr1116 Posts: 334 Member
    I'm in Kansas.

    I lived in Wyoming when I was younger and would love to move to someplace with mountains but my husband is resistant to change and I have an aging mother so I'll have to stay put for now.
  • MonkeyMel21
    MonkeyMel21 Posts: 2,396 Member
    rachelr1116 wrote: »
    I'm in Kansas.

    I lived in Wyoming when I was younger and would love to move to someplace with mountains but my husband is resistant to change and I have an aging mother so I'll have to stay put for now.

    My husband is originally from Oklahoma and isn't as excited to move back to Colorado as I am. But all my family is there and marijuana is legal (that's what got him to accept it with open arms, lmao)! Not sure how we're going to afford a house though. Everything we've seen on our trips back are about double the price of our home here.
  • vnb_208
    vnb_208 Posts: 1,359 Member
    Saturday is my 26th birthday so looks like count me out i will be having some wine/champagne to celebrate my birthday !
This discussion has been closed.

Categories