Less Alcohol- June 2018- One Day at a Time

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  • como_agua
    como_agua Posts: 213 Member
    JulieAL1969 wrote: »
    Slept like a baby last night. Usually when i don't drink, I sleep soundly and calmly. I love AF evenings because the next morning you feel so damn good.

    because - YES! i agree wholeheartedly!
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    edited June 2018
    Orphia wrote: »
    JenT304 wrote: »
    This was a good read this morning. As some of you know, The Sober school is a great resource.
    https://thesoberschool.com/give-up-on-your-alcohol-free-goals/

    Haha, very good.

    And I loved the link to the blog post it sent me to:

    https://thesoberschool.com/it-would-never-have-happened-if-id-still-been-drinking/

    It's his students' many answers to the question, and perhaps others here might want to answer too:

    "Is there something you’ve experienced recently that would never have happened, if you’d still been drinking?"

    I have thought about this for a few days. I had hoped not to give an almost MFP cliché answer but the only thing I can think of is weight loss. That is no minor thing for me but kind of run-of-the-mill for here. While I was drinking tomorrow was usually the answer to everything regarding health improvements so while it is possible to lose weight while consuming for me it wasn't in the cards.



  • ErynVee
    ErynVee Posts: 187 Member
    como_agua wrote: »
    JulieAL1969 wrote: »
    Slept like a baby last night. Usually when i don't drink, I sleep soundly and calmly. I love AF evenings because the next morning you feel so damn good.

    because - YES! i agree wholeheartedly!

    Yes yes yes!!! For so long I’ve slept so horribly because of the drinking. I haven’t had anything all weekend and I’ve woken up each day feeling so good, and with much more energy!
  • crazykatlady820
    crazykatlady820 Posts: 301 Member
    @amberellen12 Maybe you could use an actual beer can and rinse it out. Then, just fill it with what you want? I hate that you will get bugged and feel pressured to fit in!
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    amberellen12 wrote: »
    Ok Sunday is here and the start of the AF week. Last night I had a few beers which was my drinking night. Didn’t start my Fifth one cause I had enough. Went to watch a DVD while the rest of the boaters were still having the dock party. Woke up feeling fine this morning and looking forward to this AF week. I have to find something that is in a can that has zero calories that when I put it into the beer sleeve it looks like a beer and then no one will know I’m not drinking alcohol. Then I won’t get bugged and just fit in. I think that will make it easier to stop.

    Have you tried any N/A beers? Back when I was pregnant and my husband was still drinking I drank N/A beers in social situations, one time we were in a boat on the lake and after finishing his beer my husband pulled it out of the koozy to throw it away and realized he had been drinking my Coors n/a instead of his coors light - he couldn’t tell the difference. Now he gave up drinking and I am mostly on wine ( in moderation!) but he drinks the n/a beers regularly And I’ve been considering doing that for some of my a/f nights except I’m afraid it will prompt people to ask if I’m pregnant!
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    Heading out for another work trip to Europe - my third this year this is definitely not the norm for me! I’m excited because I’m going to France this time and Germany and I know our local teams have some really fun evening plans for us... but I also know the alcohol will be flowing with the group I’m traveling with. Going to do my best to stick with mindful moderation and not over do it - the worst feelings I’ve had after drinking too much come from being at work functions and the embarrassment and anxiety it induces the next day.
  • RubyRed427
    RubyRed427 Posts: 4,410 Member
    edited June 2018
    @kittybenn Just to add to your message a little background. Thankfully, neither of my kids drink. That is such a blessing to me. I've heard the earlier you start in life the more of a problem it can become. I think we got lucky- they've always been rule followers PLUS their friend group doesn't drink. So, while my son is in college, he and his friends are hanging out but doing fun things like hiking, karaoke, bowling, sledding, etc.

    My friend, Chardonnay, told me she missed you, so she called you. Just adding a little humor:)
    I know you felt a little defeated the next day, but think of the big picture and how much chardonnay you didn't drink over the last six months. You're way ahead of the curve. And now, you can go back to your AF days and move on. Xo
  • RubyRed427
    RubyRed427 Posts: 4,410 Member
    @mdrhodes8317 Thank you for this post. I just had an aha moment. Feel free to add anything else you've learned along the way. This was eye-opening xo
  • donimfp
    donimfp Posts: 795 Member
    @amberellen12, a few things I drink from cans—not to look like beer but simply because they come in cans—are LaCroix flavored waters and diet ginger ale. I think quite a few sparkling waters come in cans.
  • amberellen12
    amberellen12 Posts: 248 Member
    crazykatlady820 wrote: »
    @amberellen12 Maybe you could use an actual beer can and rinse it out. Then, just fill it with what you want? I hate that you will get bugged and feel pressured to fit in!


    I’ve been thinking of doing that so I don’t bring attention to myself and can just enjoy the evening.

    WinoGelato wrote: »
    amberellen12 wrote: »
    Ok Sunday is here and the start of the AF week. Last night I had a few beers which was my drinking night. Didn’t start my Fifth one cause I had enough. Went to watch a DVD while the rest of the boaters were still having the dock party. Woke up feeling fine this morning and looking forward to this AF week. I have to find something that is in a can that has zero calories that when I put it into the beer sleeve it looks like a beer and then no one will know I’m not drinking alcohol. Then I won’t get bugged and just fit in. I think that will make it easier to stop.




    Have you tried any N/A beers? Back when I was pregnant and my husband was still drinking I drank N/A beers in social situations, one time we were in a boat on the lake and after finishing his beer my husband pulled it out of the koozy to throw it away and realized he had been drinking my Coors n/a instead of his coors light - he couldn’t tell the difference. Now he gave up drinking and I am mostly on wine ( in moderation!) but he drinks the n/a beers regularly And I’ve been considering doing that for some of my a/f nights except I’m afraid it will prompt people to ask if I’m pregnant!


    I’ve never tried any but will give it a shot but a lot of them can spot that kind of beer a mile away and then start all the questions.
    donimfp wrote: »
    @amberellen12, a few things I drink from cans—not to look like beer but simply because they come in cans—are LaCroix flavored waters and diet ginger ale. I think quite a few sparkling waters come in cans.

    I haven’t heard or tried LaCroix waters. I was also thinking about making unsweetened ice tea. Anyone got a good recipe? Up here in the part of Canada I’m in ice tea is sweet. I like the unsweetened kind.
  • donimfp
    donimfp Posts: 795 Member
    @amberellen12, I discovered this easy-peezy, delicious method for making a pitcher of unsweetened and un-bitter iced tea a few years ago. It's from The Splendid Table on NPR. Ever since, I've had at least one pitcher going at a time in my fridge, and I've used all kinds of tea--black, herbal, peach, raspberry, etc. This method works for all of them. Enjoy!

    https://www.splendidtable.org/story/you-can-cold-brew-iced-tea-while-you-sleep
  • donimfp
    donimfp Posts: 795 Member
    @amberellen12, P.S. I use tea bags. Even easier than straining the tea.
  • RubyRed427
    RubyRed427 Posts: 4,410 Member
    donimfp wrote: »
    @amberellen12, P.S. I use tea bags. Even easier than straining the tea.

    Thanks for the suggestion! I will try this, too.
  • edmudman
    edmudman Posts: 58 Member
    donimfp wrote: »
    @amberellen12, I discovered this easy-peezy, delicious method for making a pitcher of unsweetened and un-bitter iced tea a few years ago. It's from The Splendid Table on NPR. Ever since, I've had at least one pitcher going at a time in my fridge, and I've used all kinds of tea--black, herbal, peach, raspberry, etc. This method works for all of them. Enjoy!

    https://www.splendidtable.org/story/you-can-cold-brew-iced-tea-while-you-sleep

    thanks for the reminder of this, I used to make this alot last year, 2 tea bags in a 1.5 litre bottle of water and leave for a few hours.
    Have just put a couple of bottles in the fridge to brew :smile:

  • RubyRed427
    RubyRed427 Posts: 4,410 Member
    @kpsyche Thank you for sharing your moving story. Alcohol is a toxic poison. IT really should have those skull and crossbones symbol on every bottle. I'm so happy you got a second lease on life and are on this journey with us. You have been through hell and now, you are fighting back. Wishing you the best! Xoxo
  • RubyRed427
    RubyRed427 Posts: 4,410 Member
    @NovusDies @donimfp I have the same feeling sometimes that I post too much. But it's therapy for us to write and journal on this thread. It's like we are working through our thought processes by typing a post. I think we learn so much from each other that it's impossible to post too much. Keep it comin'
  • islandbeez
    islandbeez Posts: 162 Member
    mdrhodes8317 wrote: »
    I highly recommend the book 'Rational Recovery' it's the most straight forward no bull *kitten* book on drinking out there. Alcoholism is not a disease! Cirrhosis is a disease. Smoking is not a disease! Cancer is a disease. Over eating is not a disease! Morbid obesity is a disease. Drinking, smoking and eating to excess or "addictions" and you do them because your "beast" tells you to. There are two of you in your head. At the base brain at the top of the spinal cord is where your mind generates enormous drives for oxygen, food, shelter, sex, and other base instincts. As man evolved we got to the point where we had a frontal cortex. That part of the brain is you. It controls decision making and all other facets of your life that are choices. That base brain is your "BEAST" and it's what's telling you it's OK to drink even though "YOU" know that drinking has consistently has produced bad experiences and consequences. You have to learn to recognize your "BEAST" and tell it to *kitten* off. Recognition of the addictive voice (Your Beast) is the key. AVRT is the whole process. AVRT is "Addictive Voice RecognitionTechnique". You recognize that the voice telling you to drink, and it only wants to drink for one reason; it likes to drink, no it loves to drink because of the deeeeep pleaaaaasure that alcohol provides. You don't need AA and those meetings where people talk about alcohol all the time. How many people do you know who quit smoking and don't go to ex smokers
    meetings? "Addictive Voice Recognition Technique" is simply a technique where you recognize that the voice in your head doesn't give a *kitten* about you, but the other voice in your head is YOU and you know that time and time again drinking has produced bad results. But the reason you keep doing it is because your BEAST only cares about getting that deep pleasure that comes with that second or third drink and then into oblivion you go. And the calories just keep eating up your daily allowance. So your beast says don't eat and then you can spend those calories on booze. So now you're drinking on an empty stomach and we all know what that means. Google Rational Recovery and accept that if you wrote on this blog you are addicted to alcohol and your BEAST is running the show!
    Time to put AVRT into action and move on.

    I am reading The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober by Catherine Gray. In it she lists AVRT as one of the important tools to use early early on, and it makes so much sense to me. I highly recommend this book. It hasn't had it's official release in the US (later this year) but I got it from Amazon, it just took a few weeks.

  • kittybenn
    kittybenn Posts: 444 Member
    @JulieAL1969 - thanks for sharing that about your sons. Isn't that incredible that they don't drink, in college no less? You must be so happy and relieved about that. And, yes, my friend Chardonnay -- I love it!

    @donimfp - thanks for that ice tea suggestion!
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