Less Alcohol- July 2018- One Day at a Time
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I am feeling calmer and relieved back to AF following a few months experimenting with moderation. The hardest moments are in the store where I see a favourite beer and need to kick myself a bit to walk on by. Once I get home with nothing it's easy - I also love having more calories for food!
Reading all if your messages is fantastic. Thanks.
I have saved about $50 per grocery trip by not buying bottles of wine. Happy you are doing so well! If it's not in the house, you won't drink it. Have a wonderful day! Xo3 -
I have been following this awesome thread since it started in January. I have had good weeks, bad weeks, and weeks I felt were even worse than that. This past Friday, I had friends over and we, of course, had alcohol. Being at home, in my environment, with a seemingly large amount of available alcohol (wine in my case), I don't even think I realized I had drank so much. Woke up with a hangover on Saturday morning and truly haven't had the craving since. I was disgusted with myself for allowing my body to feel like that, and truly ashamed I had drank so much. This is coming off of July 4th, where our family cookout included rum with lime and simple syrup. Not being much of a liquor drinker, I had NO idea that three drinks would make me feel sooooooo bad. All I can do is pick myself up, dust myself off and start fresh. Again. I so appreciate this group of non judgmental people who at some point felt the habit had become too much of a habit. I am on day 5 AF and, of course, I feel better. Hoping sleep will smooth out (again, sigh). Felt I needed to share, not only for my own accountability, but as another example to anyone reading these threads on how all of this is a journey, and how though one choice can undo significant progress, the next choice can make it right again.12
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@lilann1961 Thanks for sharing your story! IT really means a lot. We've all been there- especially drinking at home. I remember an Easter Sunday one time that ended up with me on the bathroom floor praying to the porcelain alter. I dont think you were that bad as I was. But I know that every one of us has drank way more than they planned. It happens.
You have a great attitude - dust yourself off, like you said, and look forward. So thankful to hear your story! Xo7 -
Welcome @GardenMama129
This is one of my teammates in my weight loss challenge group!
You have found the best group of supportive people here. Whether you want to cut back on the booze or quit it all together. Nothing but understanding and motivation here!6 -
@lilann1961 nice to hear your story. We all know that feeling, questioning how we let ourselves get to that point. Getting back up and starting new is all we can do and try to make each day better.
Also, it’s nice to hear stories from people who have been reading but maybe not posting messages all the time. Thanks.6 -
Welcome @GardenMama129
You have found the best group of supportive people here. Whether you want to cut back on the booze or quit it all together. Nothing but understanding and motivation here!
Thank you. I hope to be able to enjoy an occasional glass of wine with special meals in the future. But I don't ever want it to be my daily go to again. And after seeing the videos and learning additional information about how alcohol interacts with the body, I don't see that happening. Knowledge is power.
I very much appreciate finding this group.6 -
I told myself I was done but I knew there was still things missing. Then I read @GardenMama129's post how she used your collective information to get to 8 days and I was motivated to do some more work while I waited for my real work to catch up with me.
This is incomplete ( I am out of time today) and probably needs some rewording but these are new sections I intend to add to the resource post for August.
Tips & Observations from the Community on the Journey to Less/No Alcohol.- You may have initial/increased sugar cravings
- You may have mood swings and anxiety those first two week, but continue to focus on how good you feel
- Sometimes moderating/quitting will strain friendships that centered around alcohol
- You may find it easier to isolate yourself from events that will have drinking for a time
- Many report that initially filling the time they drink with other activities is a helpful distraction
- Sometimes doing something nice for yourself like a little award makes the journey easier
- For some people counting the alcohol free days makes it easier while others find it makes it much harder
- Sometimes not drinking feels like a punishment but that feeling fades with time
- It is important to eventually know if for you personally drinking less may mean not drinking at all. Moderating works for some but others find it impossible. Be prepared for this possible outcome.
- Some days will be easier than others
- Self-Reflection is an important part of the journey. Once we figure out why we drink we can hopefully use that information to form new habits and make better/mindful decisions.
- No one can fight this fight for you
Reported Benefits of Less or No Drinking: (Results may be incremental and/or they may vary)- Improved sleep after 2,4,7,10,& 60 days
- Improved skin/complexion after 10 days
- Improved ease in weight loss. Not only from the savings of alcohol calories but some report making poor food choices after drinking.
- Increased energy after as few as 2 days
- Drop in blood pressure and resting heart rate
- Less Acid Reflux
- Significant financial savings
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@erikNJ You have a very positive vibe. Your comments are very kind. I don't mean to single you out cause like you said we have a very supportive group here, but I just wanted to express that to...and I think it is always nice to hear something about ourselves that someone appreciates.
@NovusDies Thank you so much for the work you put into the resource lists & the tips & benefits. Really good reminders for all of us.
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I am feeling calmer and relieved back to AF following a few months experimenting with moderation. The hardest moments are in the store where I see a favourite beer and need to kick myself a bit to walk on by. Once I get home with nothing it's easy - I also love having more calories for food!
Reading all if your messages is fantastic. Thanks.
This is me, too.
On another note:
The biggest grieving process over alcohol I had was how much I screwed up while drinking, how much money and time I wasted, my self destructive nature of trying to kill myself with how much I was drinking more and more, and a HOST of other you know what!! Glad I am done.............................
I gained way more than I lost. May I keep it up. So God help me!!!!
On a fun note:
Happy Birthday Julie!!!!!!! Many more!!!!!!!! You are a blessing and may you be blessed!!!!!!! If you aren't getting drunk, don't feel guilty! I bet you will do great once again! You have done well before!3 -
lilann1961 wrote: »I have been following this awesome thread since it started in January. I have had good weeks, bad weeks, and weeks I felt were even worse than that. This past Friday, I had friends over and we, of course, had alcohol. Being at home, in my environment, with a seemingly large amount of available alcohol (wine in my case), I don't even think I realized I had drank so much. Woke up with a hangover on Saturday morning and truly haven't had the craving since. I was disgusted with myself for allowing my body to feel like that, and truly ashamed I had drank so much. This is coming off of July 4th, where our family cookout included rum with lime and simple syrup. Not being much of a liquor drinker, I had NO idea that three drinks would make me feel sooooooo bad. All I can do is pick myself up, dust myself off and start fresh. Again. I so appreciate this group of non judgmental people who at some point felt the habit had become too much of a habit. I am on day 5 AF and, of course, I feel better. Hoping sleep will smooth out (again, sigh). Felt I needed to share, not only for my own accountability, but as another example to anyone reading these threads on how all of this is a journey, and how though one choice can undo significant progress, the next choice can make it right again.
Excellent!!!! The past is done!! You were sorry, now it is done. You are right. It kind of happened by accident on the Holiday. I remember that happening to me. I was surprised I was drunk on how little I drank sometimes in the past and then the usual mad, ashamed etc. It is a new day and congrats on your progress. I did a bunch of starts and stops until I was convinced I had to be AF. To each his/her own!!5 -
Thank you @NovusDies once again for doing/updating a great list for us!!!!!5
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@lorrainequiche59 awe thanks, got me blushing4
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I always feel weird when people thank me for the resource work. I think the real thanks belongs to the amazing participants of these threads that share their thoughts, experiences, and research. Most of what I do is paraphrasing and formatting.
ETA: If some of that looks unfamiliar it is because it is largely coming from the April thread which I have not mined for material yet.
It is very interesting to go back and read what April me wrote and compare it to now. I also laughed because I now realize what @WinoGelato was going to say after one of my posts but I didn't mean it the way she probably assumed at the time. You have to love message boards sometimes.
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GardenMama129 wrote: »I happened upon this thread on the morning of July 4th as I was updating my FMP information for the day. My occasional glass of wine had turned into a glass each evening to wind down while checking the computer and getting ready for sleep. Sometimes, it also included a glass while I fixed dinner. Occasionally, an extra after dinner with the family. But almost certainly, the one before bed. I had noticed, that over time, this had become a habit that I couldn't so easily just say no to any more. I could tell it was an issue, but oddly kept doing it.
July 4th, I saw this challenge thread and followed the directions to page 1 of the thread. I clicked on the link for "The Alcohol Experiment." It looked interesting. I love understanding the "nerdy" details of why, how... Anyway, I clicked on the option to start the experiment. Today is day 8 AF of the 30 day challenge.
So good too see you here @GardenMama129 ! The alcohol experiment and Annie Grace's other stuff for me started last August. After a few months AF I have been trying out different moderation ideas. But staying away is now the restful place. Good luck! I hope you enjoy this group as much as I am.5 -
Hi Guys, Great posts on the thread! @NovusDies We do thank you, because you are a great synthesizer of information- my brain doesn't work that way, I'm so happy yours does! So, we appreciate it. I was thinking of going back to January and start reading there.
@salleewins Thanks for your wishes! My birthday celebration is tomorrow night and i must say I am looking forward to it. Xo You made a very poignant remark about your regrets. I recently saw a passport photo of me from 2011 and I saw a very sad, heavy, lonely person in that picture. And I remember exactly that I was feeling hopeless and lost that I couldnt control my drinking like others around me. I am so happy that time of my life is over.
Collectively, we are really making some significant improvements in our health goals. Love all of you guys!8 -
Thanks for the nice words but I think it is more like I am a guy that is good at highlighting passages in a book.
I like this latest round because it comes from more people which makes it more comprehensive. For instance, I think the racing heart in the middle of the night came from at least 3 people (one of which was you, of course ) 3 -
Thank you. It was nice to see a familiar face when I started following the thread and it's been so helpful to hear the journeys of others.GardenMama129 wrote: »I happened upon this thread on the morning of July 4th as I was updating my FMP information for the day. My occasional glass of wine had turned into a glass each evening to wind down while checking the computer and getting ready for sleep. Sometimes, it also included a glass while I fixed dinner. Occasionally, an extra after dinner with the family. But almost certainly, the one before bed. I had noticed, that over time, this had become a habit that I couldn't so easily just say no to any more. I could tell it was an issue, but oddly kept doing it.
July 4th, I saw this challenge thread and followed the directions to page 1 of the thread. I clicked on the link for "The Alcohol Experiment." It looked interesting. I love understanding the "nerdy" details of why, how... Anyway, I clicked on the option to start the experiment. Today is day 8 AF of the 30 day challenge.
So good too see you here @GardenMama129 ! The alcohol experiment and Annie Grace's other stuff for me started last August. After a few months AF I have been trying out different moderation ideas. But staying away is now the restful place. Good luck! I hope you enjoy this group as much as I am.3 -
Happy Birthday Julie!2
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Happy Birthday, Julie! I hope you have a wonderful day and fun with your friends tonight!
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As most of you know I have moved and unfortunately for me, these grocery stores sell beer and wine. That was not a problem staring me in the face, in the last county I lived in. And it is all intertwined with the cheese and deli and the beautiful packaging and displays makes it all so tempting. I must bear in mind every time I go in there that for ME (maybe not for some of YOU) it is toxic. Beautifully displayed poison. It has taken too much of my money, energy, and overall good health already. I sometimes buy myself flowers with the money I would have spent on wine, instead.9
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As most of you know I have moved and unfortunately for me, these grocery stores sell beer and wine. That was not a problem staring me in the face, in the last county I lived in. And it is all intertwined with the cheese and deli and the beautiful packaging and displays makes it all so tempting. I must bear in mind every time I go in there that for ME (maybe not for some of YOU) it is toxic. Beautifully displayed poison. It has taken too much of my money, energy, and overall good health already. I sometimes buy myself flowers with the money I would have spent on wine, instead.
I live in a state where alcohol isn’t in grocery stores, gas stations etc. i like it separated. Have to make a fully conscious effort to go out of my way to a liquor store3 -
I know I wished an early one, but Happy Birthday Julie! I hope you have a great one however you decide to enjoy it!2
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@ericNJ yes I preferred that I had to make an extra stop/trip to buy wine before. I liked it more inconvenient. However, I found a grocery store this morning that doesn't carry alcohol so I will do my shopping there.7
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As most of you know I have moved and unfortunately for me, these grocery stores sell beer and wine. That was not a problem staring me in the face, in the last county I lived in. And it is all intertwined with the cheese and deli and the beautiful packaging and displays makes it all so tempting. I must bear in mind every time I go in there that for ME (maybe not for some of YOU) it is toxic. Beautifully displayed poison. It has taken too much of my money, energy, and overall good health already. I sometimes buy myself flowers with the money I would have spent on wine, instead.
I didn't realize there were places that didn't sell alcohol in store. That would be awesome!
Our Whole Foods store even has a selection of rotating craft beers on tap in the cheese section! So, I'm eating less cheese (who needs the calories anyway) and doing a better job of having a really good grocery list when I go in the store. They lay it out so that you wind up your trip with the cheese section, beer/wine, hot prepared food bar and finally the freshly baked sweets section as you make your way to check out. So this past week, I made sure to eat right before shopping, grabbed the one shredded cheese package that I needed, got a plate of hot food for the family and kept my head down through the sweets. May be the first time ever completely sticking to my grocery list!7 -
Happy Birthday, Julie...Enjoy your special day!2
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Glad you all are still here, I need the encouragement to cut down wine consumption after the Pig Roast and 4gh of July family party.
Who knew that summer could be so dangerous for fitness!!
This is my first summer with MFP and I need to get my mind set back to where it was for Thanksgiving and Christmas. This next 20 pounds is proving to be more stubborn, but not drinking alcohol will be a big step in the right direction.
So, no alcohol today, and lots of Crystal Light when the urge gets strong. Always more satisfying in a wine glass!!4 -
Happy birthday Julie. Thanks so much for all you do!2
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Westschmeis wrote: »Glad you all are still here, I need the encouragement to cut down wine consumption after the Pig Roast and 4gh of July family party.
Who knew that summer could be so dangerous for fitness!!
This is my first summer with MFP and I need to get my mind set back to where it was for Thanksgiving and Christmas. This next 20 pounds is proving to be more stubborn, but not drinking alcohol will be a big step in the right direction.
So, no alcohol today, and lots of Crystal Light when the urge gets strong. Always more satisfying in a wine glass!!
I remember you from January! Happy you stopped by again. I hope you are well!2 -
Thanks for the birthday wishes! I'm one of those People who just loves my birthday and anyone else's birthday!
It's summer where I live and it's going to be a beautiful weekend of sunshine and good times with family and friends..... and hopefully NO hangover!
The weird thing is it's just plain easier to abstain than it is to worry and wonder if I'll get carried away. Next year, I'll celebrate my 50th birthday. And in the coming year, I am going to work so hard to be the best I can be! It's a year of transformation for me. Thanks for being an essential part of it! Xo7 -
As most of you know I have moved and unfortunately for me, these grocery stores sell beer and wine. That was not a problem staring me in the face, in the last county I lived in. And it is all intertwined with the cheese and deli and the beautiful packaging and displays makes it all so tempting. I must bear in mind every time I go in there that for ME (maybe not for some of YOU) it is toxic. Beautifully displayed poison. It has taken too much of my money, energy, and overall good health already. I sometimes buy myself flowers with the money I would have spent on wine, instead.
Oh Yes! Here we also have wine and beer in our grocery store but no liquor. During Dry January, I used to rush by the wine aisles like I was being chased. It was very tempting. @JenT304 I'm happy you found a store that has no wine. I just assumed all grocery stores did!1
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