Less alcohol- February 2018- one day at a time

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Replies

  • RubyRed427
    RubyRed427 Posts: 4,410 Member
    salleewins wrote: »
    What a great group and group of people! Thank you JulieAL1969 for starting this! I managed to do a damp January. I am even more serious now. I can't keep bags of chocolate in the house or alcohol....Anyways I also now have an accountability buddy and we are helping each other to be a phone call or text away to abstain. That will work best for me. I still managed to lose weight last month--so it is progress. I too look better, feel calmer and happier. Still some bad sleeping, but it could be because I eat too late sometimes, too or have caffeine too late. It is worth it to keep going. The Bigelow decaf french vanilla tea is the best tea I have tried in January. It is like dessert to me. Also the Polar seltzer 3/4 in a glass with 1/4 water and thinly sliced orange slices and lime with a straw. Some squeezed in. Everyone is very inspiring here! Let's keep it up! JulieAL1969--do you know how the mocktail was made btw?

    I should have asked bartender how mocktail was made. I'll do some research! Also, the key to it was the pretty glass and the garnishes. I think that's important, too. Make it look pretty and tasty. Love your ideas- having a buddy. I have one too, and she and I met on this forum. We message each day. It's a beautiful thing to speak to someone going through what you are.
  • RubyRed427
    RubyRed427 Posts: 4,410 Member
    erikNJ wrote: »
    My goal was to only drink on Saturdays in January. I did better than that and only drank 3 times. That, along with a much better diet and working out 3-4 times a week I was able to lose 11.6 lbs

    I am going to aim for the same goals. Saturday only drinking, same diet as January, working out 3-4 times a week. Hoping I can lose another 4 lbs and be down a total of 15+ by the end of the month.

    But I am gonna start off rocky (but I am making that conscious decision ahead of time). It’s not often my home team makes the Super Bowl (only the 2nd time in my 36 years) and I am going to be heading into the city to celebrate the festivities!
    Just gonna have to work harder those other three weeks ...

    Hooray! Super Bowl is here- yes, celebrate and live it up! I hope they win!
    Amazing weight loss! Bravo!
  • RubyRed427
    RubyRed427 Posts: 4,410 Member
    JenT304 wrote: »
    Thanks to whoever suggested the book Alcohol Explained. I just read the first 5 chapters for free online and now am going to order it from Amazon. I finally put together the word "Intoxicated" has the word "toxic" in it. As in poison. Ugh! I am not going to say I am never having another drink but I really am going for this February challenge and see how I feel. Thank you for the support! I love this group!

    I just read the first two chapters. Very eye opening. She says we are depressed because of the alcohol, so we drink more to get a high, and then we feel depressed again. Or something like that. I will buy the rest of the book.
  • RubyRed427
    RubyRed427 Posts: 4,410 Member
    http://thesoberschool.com/dry-january-nearly-over/

    Good article about what to do now that Dry January is over!
  • RubyRed427
    RubyRed427 Posts: 4,410 Member
    edited January 2018
    erikNJ wrote: »
    My goal was to only drink on Saturdays in January. I did better than that and only drank 3 times. That, along with a much better diet and working out 3-4 times a week I was able to lose 11.6 lbs

    I am going to aim for the same goals. Saturday only drinking, same diet as January, working out 3-4 times a week. Hoping I can lose another 4 lbs and be down a total of 15+ by the end of the month.

    But I am gonna start off rocky (but I am making that conscious decision ahead of time). It’s not often my home team makes the Super Bowl (only the 2nd time in my 36 years) and I am going to be heading into the city to celebrate the festivities!
    Just gonna have to work harder those other three weeks ...

    Congrats on your team's success! Completely understand your need to celebrate!! Have fun!
    Great weight loss, too! Amazing!

    *Sorry if this is a duplicate post, I already posted but I don't see it.
  • erikNJ
    erikNJ Posts: 1,009 Member
    JulieAL1969 wrote: »
    erikNJ wrote: »
    My goal was to only drink on Saturdays in January. I did better than that and only drank 3 times. That, along with a much better diet and working out 3-4 times a week I was able to lose 11.6 lbs

    I am going to aim for the same goals. Saturday only drinking, same diet as January, working out 3-4 times a week. Hoping I can lose another 4 lbs and be down a total of 15+ by the end of the month.

    But I am gonna start off rocky (but I am making that conscious decision ahead of time). It’s not often my home team makes the Super Bowl (only the 2nd time in my 36 years) and I am going to be heading into the city to celebrate the festivities!
    Just gonna have to work harder those other three weeks ...

    Congrats on your team's success! Completely understand your need to celebrate!! Have fun!
    Great weight loss, too! Amazing!

    *Sorry if this is a duplicate post, I already posted but I don't see it.

    Thank you!

    And that happened to me in the January post. Posted, didn’t see it. Posted again. Then I saw both
  • dbanks80
    dbanks80 Posts: 3,685 Member
    erikNJ wrote: »
    My goal was to only drink on Saturdays in January. I did better than that and only drank 3 times. That, along with a much better diet and working out 3-4 times a week I was able to lose 11.6 lbs

    I am going to aim for the same goals. Saturday only drinking, same diet as January, working out 3-4 times a week. Hoping I can lose another 4 lbs and be down a total of 15+ by the end of the month.

    But I am gonna start off rocky (but I am making that conscious decision ahead of time). It’s not often my home team makes the Super Bowl (only the 2nd time in my 36 years) and I am going to be heading into the city to celebrate the festivities!
    Just gonna have to work harder those other three weeks ...

    Congratulations on the 11 lbs weight loss!!!! I am so jealous!! LOL!

    That is amazing!!

  • lbpfahler
    lbpfahler Posts: 73 Member
    Thanks for keeping this going! My goal is the same as January - 2 drinks on Friday and Saturday nights. AF on any day that I have to go to work the next morning. The January challenge was really helpful for me. Feel so much better. Good luck to all!
  • MissMay
    MissMay Posts: 3,783 Member
    Save a spot for me to. I just finished up over on your January thread. February goals on top of my January goals is to make sure if I do consume alcohol that I limit myself to ONE STANDARD DRINK. you can Google what a standard drink is considered for the beverage you are having.
    I was out one night at diner with friends this past Summer. It was happy hour and of course that can be a very bad thing for many. 2 people in our group became loud and angry when the waitress said there was a 2 drink limit. I had to explain to my dining companions that they were giving a two drink limit because the happy hour drinks were for 24 ounce draft beers. A standard measure for a beer is between 8 and 12 ounces. In ordering one of the happy hour specials that puts you already at 2 or 3 drinks by law. Having 2 of those makes it 4 to 6 drink units.
    It is a very eye opening chart for those who are interested.
    The old theory...well I only had one does not hold up, when in reality you have just had far more.
    Food for thought
  • 1theresamcvean
    1theresamcvean Posts: 929 Member
    edited January 2018
    Hello all ~

    I love wine for the taste and ceremony, and let's face it - habit. I wondered what natural, healthy, tasty alternatives were out there and found these herbal and spice, no alcohol, no sugar, no calorie distillations: https://www.seedlipdrinks.com/

    Then I researched some recipes for natural mixers. One example is Pear Shrub which has the additional benefit of having apple cider vinegar in it (I really don't like the idea of drinking ACV but hear it's good for us in a few ways): https://www.cleaneatingmag.com/recipes/vanilla-pear-shrub-recipe

    I think a nice drink would be two parts Seedlip Spice 94, one part Pear Shrub, three parts Soda, built over ice with a slice of pear to garnish. It may have a few calories as there is 1/4 cup honey in the Pear Shrub recipe, of which 45 calories make it into the two tablespoons added to this drink. (I'm going to experiment with natural calorie free sweeteners and see if I can rejig the Pear Shrub recipe which may or may not work.)

    It's probably not okay to replace one habit with another but this seems a reasonable and healthy alternative. I love cooking and experimenting in the kitchen so this may not be for some people. Also the Seedlip products are pricey, but you'd be saving the money spent (in my case) on good wine, and a bottle would last a long time.

    Also, I got some Carl Jung de-alcoholized wine for cooking. I deglaze a lot with wine and sometime up to a cup goes into a single recipe of four servings. The alcohol burns off they say, but this is also much lower calories to start out with. The process for de-alcoholizing wine is not bad for us, such as vacuum distillation or filtration. J Lohr vinyards has a de-alcoholized brand called Ariel but I prefer Carl Jung. Most likely because I like a good Alsacian white.

    Hope this helps somebody other than me :smile:

    February goals coming soon!

    Thanks for creating this challenge.


    Theresa
  • Poston1966
    Poston1966 Posts: 26 Member
    Count me in!! :)
  • JenBlalock
    JenBlalock Posts: 16 Member
    I'm in. Not only does alcohol contribute calories but it also causes me to eat more. I like less also instead of none that way if I slip up it won't be a fail. I think I will say no wine though because that is my biggest culprit. I can't drink just one glass and I crave carbs when I drink it. Thanks for starting this.

  • PhotogirlTX
    PhotogirlTX Posts: 85 Member
    I'm here for February... Had a totally dry January, feeling great, lots of energy, I think I'm sleeping a little better. For February, I plan on it being mainly dry, but I have a trip scheduled to New Orleans at the end of the month. I feel good about going into that trip knowing that I will be able to limit myself and not miss it! Good Luck everyone! Let's make Freedom February amazing!
  • wigi41
    wigi41 Posts: 42 Member
    1theresamcvean, which Carl Jung wine do you like? I tried the red merlot, and did not like it at all. I was debating trying the cab sauv. Is that the one you would recommend?

    I have tried a number of good NA beers this month. premiumnearbeer.com offers lots of choices, much better than what you can get in the grocery store. Also a bit pricey, but a really good alternative if, like me, you enjoy the taste of a good craft beer once in awhile. I got the 12 mixed case from them and it was fun to taste them and see which ones I liked (surprisingly, quite a few!).
  • wigi41
    wigi41 Posts: 42 Member
    Oh and you can also get different de-alcoholized wines from premiumnearbeer.com, too.
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,522 Member
    Hi All,

    I'm very impressed with the strength of this group! Way to go!

    For me, dropping alcohol has been a key part of weight loss and limiting alcohol has been a key part of weight maintenance. Like many of you, my weight has been up and down many times in my life. Currently, I'm ~40lbs lighter than at my peak and I'm working hard to master maintenance.

    Many years I've entered January wanting to lose at least 10lbs. Last January (2017), I decided to lose 22lbs to get into my "recommended weight range" and to address slightly high blood pressure. This January (2018), I was only about 4lbs above my goal weight, almost all due to overindulgence between Thanksgiving and New Year's. (Ah, good times!) Currently, I'm back at my weight goal and feeling great! Time to start training for summer activities!

    For me, the problems with alcohol include: 1) Alcohol has a lot of calories (7kcals/ml) but no essential nutrients. 2) Drinking alcohol makes me hungry and lowers my resolve against junk food. 3) Drinking one glass of wine or beer seems to always make me want another (and lowers my resolve to resist). 3) As I've gotten older, alcohol increasingly upsets my stomach in the middle of the night, disturbing my sleep.

    Some of you may know that I created a Dry January challenge. I've been going dry on and off for the past several years, and I have to say, it has really helped with weight loss. (It's the major reason I've lost a few pounds this month.) It has other benefits as well, including improved alertness during the day.

    I've now created a Dry February challenge. Some of you may be brave enough to sign up. Even if this is just a short-term thing, I have found that regular dry periods help to reset habits. Also, February is a short month!

    If you are interested, post to:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10638278/dry-february-lose-weight-feel-great
  • lilann1961
    lilann1961 Posts: 131 Member
    I am proud of myself, not because I met my goals, but because I truly, truly cut back. On to February!! Goals are the same, only on weekends, and no more than three drinks then. The weight loss was great and I did slide a little in the end, but it definitely wasn't anywhere close to what I did before. Let's keep the momentum going! Extremely grateful for these threads. :)
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,474 Member
    time for a drink. now.
  • dbanks80
    dbanks80 Posts: 3,685 Member
    edited January 2018
    donimfp wrote: »
    Day 10 for me. Yesterday was a first for me. I hardly thought about alcohol at all. Wow. I didn't think that could happen. I'm sure it was probably a blip because this is so early, but it surely was nice.

    For any of you struggling with sleep, I was getting really fed up with sleeping fitfully and having a really hard time falling asleep. I went to my wellness-oriented pharmacy on Monday, and the wellness coach there recommended a supplement called Kavinace PM Ultra by a company called NeuroScience. I've slept like a baby for 2 nights. The woman said that this supplement helps restore the sleep cycle and that I shouldn't need it after taking one bottle's worth (30). It's primarily melatonin, so I'm sure that by itself works, too. I've just been a bit afraid to try it. No more.

    I leave tomorrow morning for my "mid-term exam trip." Big 90th birthday bash for my mother-in-law, complete with a limo so as not to impede everyone's drinking, an event with a bar, lots of meet-ups around this. Basically a Thursday through Saturday night party. Blessings that my MIL AND FIL--both 90--are up for all this and will be enjoying their martinis. However, I intend to stay AF for the duration. It doesn't sound as daunting as it did a week ago, so here's hoping this will be another confidence booster.

    You will do great!! Happy bday to your MIL that is amazing 90 years old. That is a blessing! And enjoying their martinis LOL too cute!
  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
    @1theresamcvean -Thanks for the post on the Pear Shrub. That sounds great. Yesterday at the grocery store I was looking for exciting and different juices to mix with sparkling water for a nice treat in the evenings. I wanted something that would be nice and concentrated so that it would still add flavor when diluted. Nothing really appealed to me, so I ended up with a bottle of POM (100% pomegranate juice). It made for a tasty treat, but I like the idea of blending up my own concoctions. I can see that becoming a new hobby!
  • DananaNanas
    DananaNanas Posts: 665 Member
    Well I think it's time for me to join. I started a new medication on Saturday and had like 3 glasses of wine (over like six hours) and I was completely fine Sunday... well on Sunday I had a bottle of wine and then some and was really messed up the next day.

    I think it might be a blessing in disguise. I've been trying to lose weight and it's going so slowly so cutting back on the drinking should help. And I don't want to accidentally kill myself from drinking too much on the medication...

    My goal is to have no more than 1-3 drinks on Friday and Saturday. No drinking on Sundays (except maybe this week a drink or two at a Super Bowl party). I'm hoping this helps....
  • 1theresamcvean
    1theresamcvean Posts: 929 Member
    wigi41 wrote: »
    1theresamcvean, which Carl Jung wine do you like? I tried the red merlot, and did not like it at all. I was debating trying the cab sauv. Is that the one you would recommend?

    I have tried a number of good NA beers this month. premiumnearbeer.com offers lots of choices, much better than what you can get in the grocery store. Also a bit pricey, but a really good alternative if, like me, you enjoy the taste of a good craft beer once in awhile. I got the 12 mixed case from them and it was fun to taste them and see which ones I liked (surprisingly, quite a few!).

    I got the Carl Jung Riesling due to my love for the whites of Alsace and Baden-Württemberg. I don't drink it on its own very often but mostly cook with it. It would also be nice in a spritzer. The de-alcoholization really affects the mouth feel and aroma. That said, if I did side-by-side or blind taste tests with other de-alcoholized whites this would be my choice.

    Premiumnearbeer.com is where I ordered. I'm not a beer lover unfortunately. It sounds like you can get some very satisfying NA beers.

    Where do you live? I'm in Toronto, Canada.


  • SaltyChick3
    SaltyChick3 Posts: 7 Member
    I'm in! I've stumbled twice in the past 24 days! I'm trying hard, but life can be pretty darn fun with my friends...but, hey, getting in shape is so much more important now. I want to be able to lead a healthy lifestyle from now on...and later, much later, have a glass of wine and not the whole bottle (or two), ha! Weekends are the HARDEST...did someone mention Super Bowl! See, I told you it's hard.
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