Less alcohol- February 2018- one day at a time
Replies
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Been dry since 1-1-18. Feel better and sleeping better. My regular bout with acid reflux has subsided also. Along with diet and exercise, I'm now missing 20 lbs. I hope to not find it anytime soon.15
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I am not drinking this weekend, even my one usual planned day ... but mostly in preperation of next weekend. My company is sending a lot of the employees to North Carolina to visit one of our brewery partners. All expenses paid: flight, hotel, food and yes drinks. And I plan on enjoying all of it. So not even one drink this weekend and I am going to hit the gym extra hard this week.
I think this is a huge win. The old me would have never thought ahead like this. Would have just drank twice this weekend and then moved on to the next one. I know this may not sound like a big deal to those completely abstaining, but this is a great win for my goals.15 -
I'm not drinking this weekend either although I'm visiting family and boy do they make you wanna get wasted in a hurry16
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Only club soda with lemon for me tonight, awww success7
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Good morning (maybe it is still evening to some, depending where you are in the world)
I am go to venture off the trail a little and vent about the lack of nutritional information on menus when you go out. Now unless you know where you are going to dine and can pull up a menu ahead of time to view, if they offer a nutritional break down, your screwed.
I was filling out my food diary and seriously almost had a stroke by seeing the calorie content for a menu item I had for dinner out last night. 1180 CALORIES without the side that came with it or the beverage. That is nearly my entire days worth of calories all at one meal.
UGH....UGH.....UGH.7 -
Good morning (maybe it is still evening to some, depending where you are in the world)
I am go to venture off the trail a little and vent about the lack of nutritional information on menus when you go out. Now unless you know where you are going to dine and can pull up a menu ahead of time to view, if they offer a nutritional break down, your screwed.
I was filling out my food diary and seriously almost had a stroke by seeing the calorie content for a menu item I had for dinner out last night. 1180 CALORIES without the side that came with it or the beverage. That is nearly my entire days worth of calories all at one meal.
UGH....UGH.....UGH.
I was at Macaroni Grill and was going to get Eggplant Parmesan , my favorite meal, and saw it was 1300 calories. I immediately chose something else. I think at some places they have calories on menus; that really makes you think about your choices.
Oh well, I bet it was delicious! Xo3 -
Hi Friends! I hope everyone is well!
Here's the question: Does alcohol make you fat?
This is the answer: Yes!
We all know that. I've seen many of us comment on weight gain as we drank more and more over the years.
Short 2.5 minute video on this.
https://youtu.be/Mk7ep_eWqr0 4 -
Alcohol really ages you. After years of drinking, I noticed my face was becoming puffier and skin was splotchy. Over the last two months, I think my skin looks so much smoother and no red tones at all. Today, I am the grim reaper of bad news and alcohol. LOL I'll lighten up soon, I promise.
A new research study indicates that alcohol even ages you biologically at the cellular level, putting you at higher risk for age-related illnesses like diabetes and dementia — and the more you drink, the more your cells age. This revelation appears to contradict previous research that indicated moderate drinking might reduce the risk for these conditions.
Adding insult to injury is the fact that alcohol is hepatotoxic — damaging to the liver, which inhibits the cells that detoxify our bodies. This affects our skin. Also, because alcohol is fermented, it contains chemical substances called congeners that are the main cause of hangovers, and the reason why we look bad the morning after drinking.
So, if drinking ages us at multiple levels, how exactly do these effects manifest?
Here are six ways alcohol ages you:
Depletion of vitamin A and other healthy nutrients – Alcohol can impact your nutrition levels by depleting healthy nutrients that help carry oxygen throughout your body. Alcohol depletes vitamin A levels in particular, and this vitamin is a crucial antioxidant for your skin and body as it aids in the formation of new cells. Vitamin A is also crucial for the production of collagen — a depletion of which can result in premature wrinkles.
Loss of collagen and face fullness – Reduced levels of collagen lead to a loss of elasticity and fullness in your skin, which are essential to keep it looking young and supple. Less collagen equals less tautness and tone. If you drink too much or too frequently, you speed up the aging process by accelerating collagen loss. Skin is already delicate and vulnerable to the elements — wind, smog, smoke and the sun. When you drink, you are hastening the aged, weathered look of your skin.
Dehydration – Alcohol is very dehydrating because it acts like a diuretic. The more you drink, the more dehydrated you will be. This means your skin will appear less plump and fresh the morning after and, over time, will appear dry and wrinkly. (It is a good idea to drink lots of water in between alcoholic beverages to hydrate yourself and help avoid a hangover.)
Redness, puffiness and swelling – Alcohol works as a vasodilator, widening the blood vessels that bring blood to your face. This leads to puffiness or swelling and redness. If you consume a lot of alcohol over time, the blood vessels will steadily enlarge, leading to permanent redness and blotchiness like rosacea. The blotchiness can be compounded by broken capillaries or vessels that burst under the skin’s surface, typically around the nose and eyes. The excess sugars in beer and wine are most likely to cause these effects.
Weight gain – A few extra pounds around the middle and through the jowls can add years to your appearance. Alcohol can cause you to pack on an extra 10 pounds or so. Because alcohol is a sugar source, it raises insulin and triggers fat storage by increasing fatty deposits in the liver, leading to fat storage around the stomach, manifesting as a “muffin top” or “beer belly.”
Sleep disruption – It’s no secret that dark circles or puffy bags under your eyes make you look old and tired. Because alcohol messes up your sleep cycles, drinking before bed makes it more likely that you’ll wake up during the night and get less deep sleep. Even if alcohol makes you doze off quickly, you’re still likely to wake later in the night. You need those deep stages of sleep for healthy, restorative rest to help you look good and also to maintain good cognitive function, say experts from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
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Good morning! I've rarely posted this month, but I'm still here reading this thread daily! The January thread kicked me into gear and gave me the support to cut back on drinking alcohol. The February thread has sustained me to where I am now: 50 continuous days free of alcohol. I never would have believed I could do this, nor that I would want to
Life is good! I'm happier, more relaxed, eating more, sleeping more, engaged with my family more, doing more!
I'm like an energizer bunny, finishing projects (sewing, knitting, quilting, and home improvement) that have languished for years.
I've kept a personal blog here on MFP since those early days in January, and it has helped tremendously with my awareness and self-reflection.
I'm tracking on the Dry January app and love seeing the little teacups! I also like seeing the Report Card, with my $$ and calories saved.
I still can't figure out why now, though. Why was I able to stop now, when I couldn't (wouldn't) a year ago or 5-10-15- years ago? What is it about this time around that made everything click? Reading The Naked Mind most definitely helped me, but I was already committed to change before I started reading it. I would love some insight into what it is that made this time work for others on the thread.
Hope you all have a wonderful day today! Hope this thread continues into March.
Karen9 -
kcn2bluesky wrote: »Good morning! I've rarely posted this month, but I'm still here reading this thread daily! The January thread kicked me into gear and gave me the support to cut back on drinking alcohol. The February thread has sustained me to where I am now: 50 continuous days free of alcohol. I never would have believed I could do this, nor that I would want to
Life is good! I'm happier, more relaxed, eating more, sleeping more, engaged with my family more, doing more!
I'm like an energizer bunny, finishing projects (sewing, knitting, quilting, and home improvement) that have languished for years.
I've kept a personal blog here on MFP since those early days in January, and it has helped tremendously with my awareness and self-reflection.
I'm tracking on the Dry January app and love seeing the little teacups! I also like seeing the Report Card, with my $$ and calories saved.
I still can't figure out why now, though. Why was I able to stop now, when I couldn't (wouldn't) a year ago or 5-10-15- years ago? What is it about this time around that made everything click? Reading The Naked Mind most definitely helped me, but I was already committed to change before I started reading it. I would love some insight into what it is that made this time work for others on the thread.
Hope you all have a wonderful day today! Hope this thread continues into March.
Karen
Wonderful to hear~ your reflection is very motivating! Keep it up!
Yes, I'll be sure to post a March thread ; it has helped me too so much. Without it, I dont think I would have lasted this long AF. Love the January App, too!
I don't know why it has clicked for me this time, just like you, and not over the years. I have found that I need a goal, a concrete plan. Just like dieting, since I've actively been on the MFP app since the end of October, I've lost over 10 pounds. The dieting thing has clicked too.
I think what I am striving for is creating equilibrium in my vibration. I think that when we get in alignment with our vibration, we attract others like us. Hence, this thread popped up for me in October. It was run by a wonderful lady. She could'nt continue the thread in December, so I volunteered. And then found ALL of you wonderful , inspiring people. The Law of Attraction...
I don't know if I am saying this right. But overall, it is clicking because we are aligning ourselves with our intention.
The other thing that made it click for me was READING lots of alcohol related information, books, blogs, videos. Immersing myself in my goal of going AF.
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JulieAL1969
Thanks. I guess I was just so disappointed that ALL day I planned and kept to my foods and beverages just to have it all unravel by assuming there were not "that many" calories in such a simple small item. And then I just wanted to drink and eat everything in the house after I read the calorie content, but I didn''t
Feeling better now.
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Good morning (maybe it is still evening to some, depending where you are in the world)
I am go to venture off the trail a little and vent about the lack of nutritional information on menus when you go out. Now unless you know where you are going to dine and can pull up a menu ahead of time to view, if they offer a nutritional break down, your screwed.
I was filling out my food diary and seriously almost had a stroke by seeing the calorie content for a menu item I had for dinner out last night. 1180 CALORIES without the side that came with it or the beverage. That is nearly my entire days worth of calories all at one meal.
UGH....UGH.....UGH.
I've been using MFP for 5 years, to lose weight and now maintain. One thing I always advise people who are new to the site, new to tracking calories, etc; when they ask about the challenges of eating in restaurants is to look at a menu before you go, and try to assess your options. If the restaurant posts calorie counts, you can see how the things you are interested in fit into your day and plan for them. Even if they don't, you can look for something similar from a comparable chain restaurant that has entries in the database. Planning ahead is really helpful, and you can work in some extra exercise or even bank calories during the week so that you have more of a buffer.4 -
JulieAL1969 wrote: »Alcohol really ages you. After years of drinking, I noticed my face was becoming puffier and skin was splotchy. Over the last two months, I think my skin looks so much smoother and no red tones at all. Today, I am the grim reaper of bad news and alcohol. LOL I'll lighten up soon, I promise.
Thank you, @JulieAL1969 for that! This is the kind of info. I need to keep myself going. When I lived in Edinburgh decades ago, one of the women in our American Womens Club was married to a Scottish physician who was a hepatic specialist. One time we were all enjoying our cocktails when she announced that her husband was amazed that people kept pouring the very most toxic substance known to the liver down their throats. We didn't appreciate that, obviously, but she was certainly correct.
I've always (well, for the last 20 years or so) griped that I did not get the genes of my "Jane Fonda mom." But since I've been largely AF since Jan. 1, I'm thinking I got more of those genes than I thought. I'm really rough on myself, but I have to say I think I look 5-10 years younger since I stopped drinking (minus a couple of lapses). I also know I've lost weight, though I haven't weighed because of what my brain does with scale numbers. I have a yearly check-up this coming Wednesday, so I'll see how the AF life has affected weight, BP, and blood numbers. I'm kind of excited about that.
And about calories in restaurants, @MissMay, I know what you mean. I was planning to eat at the cafe in Nordstrom a few weeks ago. What a ladylike place! You'd think they'd have ladylike calorie counts, but when I looked at their menu (and to their credit they did post all the calorie numbers), I was hard pressed to find a small lunch under 800 calories. That's a good chunk of my daily allotment, and I was shocked. I'm hoping the hours of walking I'll do in Italy will offset the calories there, and I hope they don't post them! If they do, maybe I'll think of them like the old Lire that were like a thousand or so for every dollar.
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@kcn2bluesky, that is a great question. From reading all the posts, I think you are not alone in finally surprising yourself with your success. I'm the same way, although I haven't hit 50 days yet. I know that is coming. My theory is that @JulieAL1969 succeeded in creating a thread that attracted a lot of nonjudgmental, kind people who share a common struggle. I've "lapsed" twice since Jan. 1, both times really disappointed in myself, but both times really "saved" by the people in this group and their compassion and understanding and lack of "Oh, this is a disaster" thinking (catastrophizing?). I believe that without this group I never would have recovered from my Jan. 21 "stumble," and I definitely wouldn't have been as confident as I am that this will continue to be a life-changer for me.7
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OK, one more post for me. Today is my mom's birthday (Jane Fonda is 86!). My brother, sister, and I are giving her a tour of nearby VODKA DISTILLERIES--a vodka-tasting afternoon. Oh boy! Well, I volunteered to be the driver. And I'm not even freaked out about it. Yay! Also, my husband just returned from the farmers market where he learned that there is a shrub-making place amidst all these vodka places. I'm going to advocate for taking a swing by there and doing a tasting I can participate in, and they can find some good mixers for their vodka. Not until April, though, so I have some time to get more AF time under my belt.5
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Well, I did drink when I went to my sister's last night but I drank exactly as much as I said I was going to and no more. And I'm not drinking at all until I have a few again next Friday. Before when I used to think of a "whole week" without drinking, it was a challenge. Now I don't even care!7
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OK, one more post for me. Today is my mom's birthday (Jane Fonda is 86!). My brother, sister, and I are giving her a tour of nearby VODKA DISTILLERIES--a vodka-tasting afternoon. Oh boy! Well, I volunteered to be the driver. And I'm not even freaked out about it. Yay! Also, my husband just returned from the farmers market where he learned that there is a shrub-making place amidst all these vodka places. I'm going to advocate for taking a swing by there and doing a tasting I can participate in, and they can find some good mixers for their vodka. Not until April, though, so I have some time to get more AF time under my belt.
Great reflections; I love reading your posts. Thank you also for your kind words earlier.
Jane Fonda, love it. I love hearing about your mom over the last two months.
I really have to try some of these shrubs. I may go to Whole Foods; it's far away from me, but it may be nice to walk around and see if they have shrubs.
Best wishes today and Happy Birthday to your mom! You'll do fine and save yourself from a possible headache today. Xo2 -
Well, I did drink when I went to my sister's last night but I drank exactly as much as I said I was going to and no more. And I'm not drinking at all until I have a few again next Friday. Before when I used to think of a "whole week" without drinking, it was a challenge. Now I don't even care!
Awesome job!2 -
I'm not drinking this weekend either although I'm visiting family and boy do they make you wanna get wasted in a hurry
Hey, they made add more material to the future book you may want to write. You have such a way with words and such humor. Who knows? Maybe one day, we will be recommending a book written by you on this thread!3 -
@donimfp - Love this. "Catastrophizing" is a great word. I know a lot of people have fallen off the dieting AND AF wagon by doing this instead of thinking of how much better off they've been because of all their efforts. I have major tendencies that way but am trying to get over them. This group has been such a huge help to me, I agree."Oh, this is a disaster" thinking (catastrophizing?).
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I did good last night. Hubby and I met up with a friend at a pizza place. I only had one glass of red wine with a lot of water. It did help my friend said he wasn't drinking because he was driving. My hubby had 3 LIT. Overall I felt proud of myself for sticking to one glass.
I feel that if I can stick to one glass of wine and nurse that all evening then I feel I dont have to deal with the pressure of people asking me to drink or how come I'm not drinking. It feels a lot easier.
I also made great food choice for dinner Walleye with Broccolini.11 -
JulieAL1969 wrote: »Stepping18 wrote: »Day23 AF. Last night was my toughest challenge since starting this process. But Instead of having a drink, I meditated for about 5 minutes to refocus. It made a huge difference. I was able to abstain and continue AF.
Wow! Bravo! You are doing well.
I've been mediating every day using the insight timer app. Do you have an app you like?
Thank you!
Headspace App I've used it a few times in the last couple of weeks. Sometimes you just have to take a few breaths to gain focus again.2 -
Yeah I agree that family can make you wanna drink real quick. Went to see my Dad and sister, only about 4 1/2 hours away, 5 years ago. I can tell you that I took the train in and my Dad would not let me borrow his car, in case I got in an accident. I have been in 2 mishaps in my life and neither were my fault, mind you (over 30 years of driving). I found myself walking anywhere I could every day to get vodka. Most days it was 5 miles round trip. That is one reason I have not visited in awhile because of this obsession to drink when with family. Now just tomorrow he is going into the hospital for a stent operation. I love him and will call him. Wished it was different. I can't stand his prejudice for one thing and discouraging way. I sure will miss him and the good qualities he does have some day, if he passes before I do.8
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I naturally start out no alcohol when I start cutting back calories because they take up so much. But then I always find a way slip in a glass a wine or Manhattan. But you are right about the less consumption of alcohol. I would rather have French fries.4
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WinoGelato wrote: »Good morning (maybe it is still evening to some, depending where you are in the world)
I am go to venture off the trail a little and vent about the lack of nutritional information on menus when you go out. Now unless you know where you are going to dine and can pull up a menu ahead of time to view, if they offer a nutritional break down, your screwed.
I was filling out my food diary and seriously almost had a stroke by seeing the calorie content for a menu item I had for dinner out last night. 1180 CALORIES without the side that came with it or the beverage. That is nearly my entire days worth of calories all at one meal.
UGH....UGH.....UGH.
I've been using MFP for 5 years, to lose weight and now maintain. One thing I always advise people who are new to the site, new to tracking calories, etc; when they ask about the challenges of eating in restaurants is to look at a menu before you go, and try to assess your options. If the restaurant posts calorie counts, you can see how the things you are interested in fit into your day and plan for them. Even if they don't, you can look for something similar from a comparable chain restaurant that has entries in the database. Planning ahead is really helpful, and you can work in some extra exercise or even bank calories during the week so that you have more of a buffer.
Agreed. This is something that helps. Or i will even open the MFP app while at the restaurant and start looking up items until I find something that fits with my goal3 -
I am in here this morning hanging my head low. My Saturday was going great. Breakfast, lunch and snacks all healthy, got in a HIIT workout in the morning. Kept busy and logged my food in all day.
THEN...5:00pm rolls around and friends dropped by unexpected. I can't even believe I am saying this but I drank and ate twice my allowed calories for yesterday. And more then half of those were consumed between 5:00-9:00. *scream*.9 -
salleewins wrote: »Yeah I agree that family can make you wanna drink real quick. Went to see my Dad and sister, only about 4 1/2 hours away, 5 years ago. I can tell you that I took the train in and my Dad would not let me borrow his car, in case I got in an accident. I have been in 2 mishaps in my life and neither were my fault, mind you (over 30 years of driving). I found myself walking anywhere I could every day to get vodka. Most days it was 5 miles round trip. That is one reason I have not visited in awhile because of this obsession to drink when with family. Now just tomorrow he is going into the hospital for a stent operation. I love him and will call him. Wished it was different. I can't stand his prejudice for one thing and discouraging way. I sure will miss him and the good qualities he does have some day, if he passes before I do.
I understand. Even though we are born into family doesn't mean we have to align with all of their thinking. Sometimes you have to insulate yourself to have peace; you can love them from afar.2 -
I am in here this morning hanging my head low. My Saturday was going great. Breakfast, lunch and snacks all healthy, got in a HIIT workout in the morning. Kept busy and logged my food in all day.
THEN...5:00pm rolls around and friends dropped by unexpected. I can't even believe I am saying this but I drank and ate twice my allowed calories for yesterday. And more then half of those were consumed between 5:00-9:00. *scream*.
That's how it goes sometimes. Best intentions but then temptation hits. You couldn't have been prepared for it since it just happened so quickly. No worries. Head held high. You are human. We love you.5 -
It's been just over a week since my last alcohol drink. Last night i was poured a vodka but able stay focused strong and told them i didn't want it. Said, "i don't mind a drink but without the alcohol". The biggest victory was, there wasn't the emotional fight i normally would have to battle.
Congratulations.2
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