Less Alcohol - September 2018 - One Day at a Time
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I hate that this is who I am.
@pudgy1977, this is not "who you are." It's "WHERE you are" right now. That's ok. We've all been there. WHO you are is a strong person who realizes some changes are in order, which is a huge realization. All of us here can relate to that. We got your back!
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KKHKISHZKH wrote: »Day 2: My fiance decided to have a glass of gin to celebrate finishing his degree. I had a glass of squash then went and brushed my teeth to avoid temptation.
That's awesome! Brushed teeth never stopped me!!
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@KKHKISHZKH considering Gin was my mouth wash at the time, take a mouthful swish around and then swallow great way to start the day. Never minded the brushed teeth taste the gin used to be the same burn as the listerine . Glad you avoided the temptation it so much more satisfying to look back after temptation avoided than it is after temptation succumbed to.3
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Welcome any tips and tricks for dealing with anxiety and excess energy from cutting down or cutting down alcohol (that doesn't involve eating). Maybe any good herbal teas to take before bed? Natural remedies?
Go for a walk! Embrace the energy.
I found I needed less time in bed trying to sleep, and have also started doing things like drawing and writing with my extra time.
I was reading lately that stress doesn't have to be suppressed but can be seen as an opportunity to enhance your health and zest levels.
Maybe check out the self-care challenge threads, too, for ideas on creativity and relaxation at bedtime.3 -
Good morning all! I hope everyone enjoyed a long holiday weekend. We spent the weekend with some friends at the beach. I indulged a little too much on Saturday evening, but I did great the rest of the weekend. I am not going to beat myself up over a slip up. I may have stumbled a little, but at least I didn't fall completely off the wagon, roll down the hill and end up face first in the ditch for the entire weekend
I got up early this morning and went for a run before work. I packed my healthy foods for the day. I'm back on track. The goal for me this week is to stay AF. One day at a time. 2 -
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Hello, I'm new here. I like what you're doing here. I'd like to be more free of alchohol. I'd like to work on the next 7 days. Alchohol derails my good work during the week. A glass of wine turns into a bottle, and the snacks...so this week. None.2
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Hello, I'm new here. I like what you're doing here. I'd like to be more free of alchohol. I'd like to work on the next 7 days. Alchohol derails my good work during the week. A glass of wine turns into a bottle, and the snacks...so this week. None.
Hello and so glad you found our group. No matter what your goals are with less alcohol, you can share it here. Get through today and then move onto tomorrow. Step by step.1 -
FeelinFooFoo wrote: »Day 3 of less alcohol. I'm still a novice & feeling like 1 lol.
Already got plans for weekend. AF. But I'm gona treat myself to some yummy food and make some healthy smoothies.
The weekend really is my danger zone.
Nice job!!
Oh those darn weekends......to full of temptations, I know all about that.
BE STRONG I know what your going through.2 -
FeelinFooFoo wrote: »
Spent too many weekends suffering from hangovers. Ready for a change.
I'm also really excited to actually try moderate drinking at some point. I know it's wierd to be excited but have you seen those tiny bottles of wine? They are cute haha. I think 2 of them would be adequate instead of a full bottle. Can only try.
That is too funny and yes they are cute. I buy them in the 4 pack for the purpose of adding them to sauces or chowders only. I feel your excitement. It is a goal worth striving for.
At one time I thought I needed to go totally AF. But just like eating and exercising I found routine and satisfaction from just cutting back and engaged my willpower muscle to help out.
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I am currently tackling the weeknight red wine habit and doing pretty well with that. I usually have sparkling water with lime or mix cranberry juice with club soda. I sometimes put it in a wine glass just to be fancy and that seems to do the trick. I crochet, so I recently pulled out my yarn and that keeps my hands busy from sipping on wine and snacking.
The weekends are much more challenging. I am training for a half marathon, so that keeps me from drinking anything on Friday evenings as it is impossible to do a long run on a Saturday morning with the "wine flu." Saturday is the day I will allow myself a treat, but this past Saturday I indulged a little too much. I need to learn moderation on my treat day. At least I have managed to cut down from drinking wine almost every evening to just one or two evenings on the weekend. That's progress.4 -
I usually have sparkling water with lime or mix cranberry juice with club soda. I sometimes put it in a wine glass just to be fancy and that seems to do the trick.
Hahaha this was so me back in Feb or March. I think I may have even posted a pic on here of a mocktail I made and put into a stem glass just to "feel" as if I was drinking. The problem I than ran into was those mocktails were too sweet and I was taking on to many carb calories. So I switched to enjoying the ZERO Arnold Palmer tea. Light and satisfyingly in between when I decide not to have an alcoholic drink.
Thanks so much for sharing. Every story and every post helps us all along on path.
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And yeah I think my weakest muscle is my willpower. Gotta start using it ! Thanks for the encouragement.
You are so welcome, day off today for me so I have time to bounce back to people on here.
Sounds like a perfect plan. And you can change your mind at any time as to how you want to handle your own journey to less.
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I'm reading The Naked Mind, and while I've read a lot of other quit/reduce drinking books, this one is hitting home with the physical effects and subconscious effects of even small amounts of alcohol. I encourage anyone to read, read, read different content until you find what hits home with you.
I do so well working out and tracking food and eating healthy (for the most part through the week). And then BAM! Weekend>drinking>hangover>bad sleep>lots of junk food...all the way into Monday/Tuesday. It's craziness.
Besides the addiction factor, has anyone figured out why they like to drink and successfully replaced it? I think back to how much I enjoyed life as a kid. That excitement to wake up (and I had a pretty f*(^ed) up childhood). I want that back (the excitement to wake up, not the messed up).
Thank you for this community and for sharing and support.4 -
Mainelylisa yours is such a good post.
Back in the Spring on here we had a session on how it was when we were growing up and how simple and fun our lives with our friends and families was. It was touching.
I believe we associate drinking with having fun. The next day after a hefty hangover I recall someone from the night before clueing me in on "how much fun we all had and that it was one of the best times ever". Did not feel that way at noon by the time I woke up. It seemed that the side of me that wanted to be accepted into that circle of "fun" believed alcohol and a lot of it must be the key to this.
Which now I know is baloney. That is why after dealing with being obese at one time and dropping 90 pounds. Exercise is my key. I can not exercise with a hang over and I need exercise for a clear head.
I am sure others have some excellent motivation as well. Hope to hear some other ways to battle the booze.
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Good inspiration from Orphia on planning other activities to burn up excess energy & replace what used to be time drinking. Will incorporate some new activities in my schedule. Adding something new and fun to do can only work in our favor.3
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Here is a neat list of 100 things to keep you ocupied
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Back in January when I quit drinking for 76 days, after the first month of being AF, I told my daughter that I realized that I could still have fun and not drink. She’s a teenager and I remember her comeback as clear as a bell..... She replied incredulously, “Well of course! Duh! I do it all the time.”7
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RubyRed427 wrote: »Back in January when I quit drinking for 76 days, after the first month of being AF, I told my daughter that I realized that I could still have fun and not drink. She’s a teenager and I remember her comeback as clear as a bell..... She replied incredulously, “Well of course! Duh! I do it all the time.”
I remember that post of yours back then. Oh my how far we have come. 😎1 -
Dang, MIss May...tired just reading that terrific list...need to use it.
With so many of y'all counting days, I looked at my calendar. Happy surprise !! 81 AF days today. To me the first day was a victory. And every next day.
The night I decided to go on a food diet and stop drinking in order to lose weight I drank the last bottle of wine in the cellar and finished off the half bottle of dry Sherry I kept on hand to preserve my fresh ginger root. 'Twas not a good look.
Keeping my hands busy with needlework, reading, crosswords, works well for me. Hard to hold a glass if your hands are already full.
BUT...TV... I don't know about the "laugh-track" shows, but the dramas and crime shows that I watch have so many of the characters meeting in bars, having a glass of wine over a girl confidential, greeting the spouse with a cocktail after work, and even the Soaps people are boozing it up. I know when I get to my target weight and resume "moderate consumption", that TV is going to be a huge trigger for me to go pour some more.
I could only watch cable news, but then I would just go put a straw in a bottle of Bolla...
Thanks Orphia for continuing into September. And welcome to the newcomers. It was looking a little sparse here for a while. I don't want to go over to the AF group because I plan to drink again. A little.
I hope Pudgy1977 is still lurking. I know about those 7 glasses while cooking dinner. It's not like change comes in a hurry. It comes with 6 glasses. And then 5 glasses.6 -
Now the AF thread has been sparse,I like to post on both,,while my focus is to be AF I like the idea of breaking it into months it makes it easier for me to focus on each day that way4
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Day 1... again. Feels right this time, almost exciting.
Good night all, sleep well
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Good morning. How nice to see so many faces old and new. Congrats to all of us what ever our hurdle was to get over yesterday.
I like thinking that just having a new season like Fall gives me renewed strength to keep on my track.
Off to work.....wishing everyone much success today/tonight.6 -
Mainelylisa yours is such a good post.
That is why after dealing with being obese at one time and dropping 90 pounds. Exercise is my key. I can not exercise with a hang over and I need exercise for a clear head.
I am sure others have some excellent motivation as well. Hope to hear some other ways to battle the booze.
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Thanks, MissMay. I was fat as a child--anyone remember size 6X? I used food to escape/comfort. But I also used my bike for that. I got bullied and pushed off my bike and called freckle-face fatso. Yet...I still felt excited to be alive and have adventures catching tadpoles and snakes, swimming underwater in the apartment pool at night towards the light, blowing buttercups, picking up comics with Silly Putty, and climbing power poles. And eating a box of Cap'n Crunch on Friday nights while watching the Brady Bunch, lol.
My family time pretty much consisted of my dad taking me to his favorite bar--The Embassy Club--almost every night. It's not as bad as it sounds. My mother was severely mentally ill. So it was an escape for both of us. I had my own bar stool and my own Lisa (Temple) drink. Hmmmm...guess that's a pretty strong positive association with drinking. Though I never developed an even remotely positive association with a maraschino cherry. Go figure.
I'm rambling, but want to challenge all of us who have forgotten the simple pleasures in life (as well as the daring ones) to rediscover and experience them. Why have we gotten so serious...to the point we need to drink to feel silly or giddy or sleepy?
We have a list of 100, but I challenge everyone to think back to childhood fun and keep adding.10 -
Great points really - one reason I drink is to reward myself. I'm "good" during the week, put in the exercise, work hard, and control myself then I recognize the progress come Saturday and feel I need to "reward" myself by going "off" the diet and alcohol reduction plan - to have fun. Yep I just "undid" all week's progress! Really makes no logical sense!! Now, I will make a plan to do fun activities instead! Maybe research new recipes for my collection. I should reward myself by putting in those $7 for each wine bottle not consumed into a savings jar for a new fall wardrobe! That's a better reward 9
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Great points really - one reason I drink is to reward myself. I'm "good" during the week, put in the exercise, work hard, and control myself then I recognize the progress come Saturday and feel I need to "reward" myself by going "off" the diet and alcohol reduction plan - to have fun. Yep I just "undid" all week's progress! Really makes no logical sense!! Now, I will make a plan to do fun activities instead! Maybe research new recipes for my collection. I should reward myself by putting in those $7 for each wine bottle not consumed into a savings jar for a new fall wardrobe! That's a better reward
I love this idea!
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mainelylisa wrote: »Mainelylisa yours is such a good post.
That is why after dealing with being obese at one time and dropping 90 pounds. Exercise is my key. I can not exercise with a hang over and I need exercise for a clear head.
I am sure others have some excellent motivation as well. Hope to hear some other ways to battle the booze.
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Thanks, MissMay. I was fat as a child--anyone remember size 6X? I used food to escape/comfort. But I also used my bike for that. I got bullied and pushed off my bike and called freckle-face fatso. Yet...I still felt excited to be alive and have adventures catching tadpoles and snakes, swimming underwater in the apartment pool at night towards the light, blowing buttercups, picking up comics with Silly Putty, and climbing power poles. And eating a box of Cap'n Crunch on Friday nights while watching the Brady Bunch, lol.
My family time pretty much consisted of my dad taking me to his favorite bar--The Embassy Club--almost every night. It's not as bad as it sounds. My mother was severely mentally ill. So it was an escape for both of us. I had my own bar stool and my own Lisa (Temple) drink. Hmmmm...guess that's a pretty strong positive association with drinking. Though I never developed an even remotely positive association with a maraschino cherry. Go figure.
I'm rambling, but want to challenge all of us who have forgotten the simple pleasures in life (as well as the daring ones) to rediscover and experience them. Why have we gotten so serious...to the point we need to drink to feel silly or giddy or sleepy?
We have a list of 100, but I challenge everyone to think back to childhood fun and keep adding.
What a beautiful post- honest and incredibly inspiring. Made me chuckle to think of Silly Putty and Brady Bunch! What a great question to think about... why have we gotten so serious....2 -
@RubyRed427 @MissMay @mainelylisa It is always fun to think back to the way we played and proceeded thru our childhood. I was a chubby child who lost most of the weight by high school and certainly by the time I went into the service. The memories of being a chubby kid though lingered for a long time and I often wondered as a drinker who keep gaining weight if that psychologically was me trying to get back to the carefree childhood days drink away my troubles as I gained weight to become the happy child. Who knows sometime what makes us tick. I am just a bit older so the silly putty and brady bunch was really in my childrens lives. When I grew up it was stik ball scully tag mostly street kids playing in NYC thru the empty lots with wooden swords and hid and seek thru all the apartment houses and basements.
My fun and activity today is swimming and running the chubby kid the alcoholic adult is now long done and gone. As I am a Grandpa nothing is more fun than entertaining visits from my older grandkids and visits to my youngest grandson.
I am lucky both my daughters run and my SILs as well and I have run and raced with them over the years. I am contemplating a run at a half marathon now that I am in my 70s I get into another age bracket away from those pesky 60 somethings7 -
Oh wow - digging back to our childhood fun times, here goes.
I was the youngest of 4 kids and the obese kid at that, 220 pounds at 12 years old.
But still I/we had a great time. Never a dull moment. Playing lots of board games - monopoly being our favorite. Making creepy crawlers, building underground forts in the back woods. Riding mini bikes. Playing outside until it got so dark and we couldn't see our hands in front of our eyes, then we would listen for our Mothers or Fathers calling us to come in to clean up for bed time. Family vacations up on the shore of Lake Erie. Trips to Vermont to visit Uncle and Aunt. Always a history lesson along the way from my Dad(as us kids all rolled our eyes).
Thanks for asking us to remember those.......it was a wonderful reminder.
Think I will get out my original Monopoly now to see if the score pad from years ago is still in there.
Another AF day3
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