Less Alcohol - January 2019 - One Day at a Time
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VeggieGirlforLife wrote: »Congrats @MissMay!
I'm coming in at 40 days behind you, my page said yesterday that I have logged in for 325 days in a row.
Oh......thank you so much. And also congrats back at you for your 325. Heck I was excited when it was at 90 days. NOW look at us! YAY.2 -
24 days AF and counting. The second longest (after 40 days) since 2016. If I get past 40, it'll be the longest dry stretch since I started drinking.
That said, my plan for now isn't to abstain for life. I continue to take it one day at a time.
Cravings for a drink have not been bad at all until yesterday when I had a terrible commute home. All I kept thinking was how much I wish I had a glass bottle of wine waiting for me when I got home. But I was surprised that the craving was only fleeting; by the time I sat down to dinner, it was gone.
But speaking of cravings - omg all I want to do is eat ALL the chocolate and drink ALL the coffee!! Hoping this passes... it is NOT sustainable.5 -
Hello all, hope you’re all getting there - nearly the end of the month woo! Happy to report I’m still going strong after last Fridays slip up but glad I popped in today as have been very busy this week and even texted my husband saying I would love to have a drink tomorrow night but coming on here has helped strengthen my resolve to have an AF weekend!
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@Will_Run_4_Food I see that as as little personal challenge? If you want a buddy to go to that 41 day dry mark, let me know. I would be up to doing that with you.Will_Run_for_Food wrote: »24 days AF and counting. The second longest (after 40 days) since 2016. If I get past 40, it'll be the longest dry stretch since I started drinking.
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That app looks awesome, @cupotea !
I had my first glass of wine on Wednesday for the year - I had lunch with a girlfriend to celebrate her birthday. Even after one drink, I could feel that voice in my head saying "you want more" but I ignored it. Hopefully I can last another 20+ days before my next tipple.3 -
Ok! So I am really focused on dry January! I almost had a hole in one at golf today. When you have a hole in one you buy drinks for everyone at the clubhouse and enjoy the party. It was coming very close and it was the FIRST time ever wishing it wouldn’t go in the hole! 😆 LOL!8
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RubyDarling wrote: »That app looks awesome, @cupotea !
I had my first glass of wine on Wednesday for the year - I had lunch with a girlfriend to celebrate her birthday. Even after one drink, I could feel that voice in my head saying "you want more" but I ignored it. Hopefully I can last another 20+ days before my next tipple.
it's just called Drink Less on the app store
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January accountability ~24 days so far
Me (no alcohol): 15 days
Alcohol: 9 days (18 drinks)
Goal: AF days 4 per week / 16 per monthTo view the weekly count toward 4 ... AF Mon Dec 31!
Jan 1 - AF
Jan 2 - Dinner out with hubby after challenging day at work transitioning my role. Looks like it will take weeks to ramp them up. Didn't leave chair for 9 hrs. (excuses) - limited myself to 1 glass of wine
Jan 3 - Bunco - limit 1 glass wine. Slipped up and had 2-3 (I call it 12 oz 3 if light pour / 2 if heavy pour) What happen to my resolve to drink water after 1 glass?
Jan 4 - Traveling with my mom & sister 7 hrs today for a funeral Saturday. Plans to limit to 1 glass of wine was blown. I lacked the willpower which I need to work on. 1 margarita at mexican restaurant, 1 glass of wine in hotel suite everyone gathered at after dinner.
Jan 5 - AF Driving 7 hours return trip
Jan 6 - AF
*This past week Monday thru Sunday I hit my 4 days of AF by reigning it in Sat and Sun! No social challenges next week. It will be just me and my own willpower to bank AF days for the month to offset challenging weeks ahead.
Jan 7 - AF
Jan 8 - AF
Jan 9 - AF
Jan 10 - AF - Driving 6 hours this evening
*Last 3 nights I skipped the beer and bourbon & did not join DH in drinking. Patting myself on the back for the resolve to stick to 4 nights AF this week M-Th. Planning for wine with dinner Fri & Sat but I'm feeling so much more in control these days with this resolve.
Jan 11 - 4 glasses (2 red, 2 white) Opened 2 bottles of wine with DH should have limited myself to 1 glass from each; almost doubled my number of drinks for the month in one night sitting outside with neighbors looking out over the water and grilling steaks.
Jan 12 - Used 3/4 cup of the 1 bottle of white for cooking the Risotto. 2 smaller glasses. Success in that everyone else had 1 drink before I started pouring wine for myself and DH with dinner.
Jan 13 - AF - proud that I did not just join the crowd this evening
*5 AF days this week!
Jan 14 - AF - ding ding ding DH & I had steak without red wine!
Jan 15 - AF
Jan 16 - Bookclub - intention was to limit 1 glass wine but after rough day at work had 2; splitting a bottle with my daughter
Jan 17 - AF
Jan 18 - 2 glasses of wine with dinner
Jan 19 - AF - Party, friend’s fully stocked tiki bar, drank 2 bottles of water instead of everything offered. Designated driver 50+ miles from home though DH did not drink but 1.
Jan 20 - AF, company w/ steak & roasted veggies dinner for all, Saints game … no alcohol for 6 of us … my sister brought orange cosmos but she was the only one that drank it.
Beat my goal ... 5 AF days this week!
This week I have three scheduled challenges with a plan to limit my consumption. The other 4 days I need to stick to my AF plan. Slipped 1 day this week. Goal is to hold to the rest of the plan! I just need one more day to meet my 16 AF goal for the month! I can do this!
Jan 21 - Bookclub - limit 1 glass wine; finally lived up to my plan to not have a second glass in a social situation!
Jan 22 - AF
Jan 23 - Unplanned. Frustrating day brother/sister inlaws ended with DH & I out for Italian & wine. 2 glasses
Jan 24 - AF
Jan 25 - Planned dinner out to begin celebrating my early retirement next week. Plan: Limit 2 gasses of wine
Jan 26 - Hiking with my son & his Fiancée then they want to go to a brewery. Plan: Limit 1 beer
Jan 27 -0 -
Well, I gave in last night. My husband, again, was having a beer while making dinner and while I previously held strong, the temptation proved to be too much. Thankfully he was making a chicken ceasar salad for dinner so I had the available calories. I’m not hungover this morning but I don’t feel great, still going to work out though. Only good thing is, the scale was down 1.2 lbs this morning! Lol. Oh-well, last night will not derail me!
I’m glad to have you all as confessors.9 -
Day 25 begins! A little encouragement from the Dry January folks in my email this a.m.:
It’s no surprise that two-thirds of participants are drinking less riskily even six months after the campaign. And 8% don’t even bother going back to the booze at all.
If you haven’t already been mulling over what you want to do in February, now is a good time to give it a thought. Take some time out to think about what you’ve enjoyed most about your month without alcohol.2 -
@MonkeyMel21 - you've done so well. This is no big deal. Hop back on the horse and keep on going. And congrats on your weight loss - that is fantastic!3
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Planning on another alcohol free weekend. This will be 3 out of 4 for the month. 😃😃😃5
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I am going for a Dry February for sure. Its time for me to step it up6
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@MonkeyMel21 - you've done so well. This is no big deal. Hop back on the horse and keep on going. And congrats on your weight loss - that is fantastic!
Agree.0 -
Day 25 AF over here! I'm feeling so good these days (and happy! I notice alcohol really negatively affects my mood). I'm going to a girlfriend's going away party tonight and am bringing sparkling water to have. I also started reading The Naked Mind last night and am really loving it so far... I might even leave the party early to get back to reading (crazy Friday night over here). Happy Friday, everyone!6
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Well, it's my 4th weekend in Dry January and this is one that will test me. I am working this one and I always look forward to a glass of wine after a very long Saturday. I definitely do not plan to drink, I'm just saying it will be a challenge and I'll need to keep myself distracted and busy tomorrow night.
I admit I looked at the calendar today and noticed that next Friday is Feb 1. Which would be the first day I could drink. For a moment, that sounded great!! Then I wondered what that would lead to. So I'm just letting myself marinate in the "what ifs" and see how I feel about it before I make a decision if I will stay AF or not. I'm wondering if I need to commit to a plan to keep myself from going back to old habits and drinking too much again...4 -
It's a public holiday long weekend this weekend in Australia, and the Super Bowl is next weekend in the US.
Here are some Holiday Survival Tips from Hello Sunday Morning.
https://gallery.mailchimp.com/3883c28b47bb4cc4cc96267e2/files/d3b0d905-a686-4e13-9beb-d9bba4c0f797/Holiday_Survival_Guide_7.11.17.pdf
Holiday Survival Guide
By: Briony Leo
Holidays can be one of the most challenging times when we are focusing on our health.
Most events like Christmas parties, holidays and family get-togethers involve a surplus of
food and drinks.
Often, the way we celebrate is to loosen our inhibitions and relax, through eating and
drinking to our hearts content.
Many members will describe dreading these occasions, as they may signal a slip back into a
lifestyle they are wanting to move away from.
Here are some tips to survive the holiday season and emerge in fantastic health.
1. Ensure you have some structured self care activities in place - whether this is daily
exercise, time alone, or time spent doing hobbies, this will help you to re-focus and
shift away.
2. Set some goals for the holidays - whether this is around health (exercise daily),
personal growth (reading all the books on your summer reading list), social (catching
up with friends you haven't seen/emailing them) or cleaning out drawers in
anticipation for the new year. The holidays can be an opportunity to prepare for a
great year, and reflect on the one just gone - a time to clear your mind.
A good question to ask yourself might be – when my holidays are over, what would I
have liked to have done? What would I have liked to spend my time on? In previous
years, what did I wish I had spent more/less time doing?
3. Drinking. - reflect on what you would like your drinking to look like over the holidays.
Would you like to be completely abstinent, or stick to a number of drinks each day?
It can help to set expectations early on with family, to help them to know whether to
offer you drinks or now.
It can also be good to have a back-up plan, in case triggers arise - eg. What am I
going to do if i have an argument with my siblings, and feel overwhelmed? What am
I going to tell my parents when they offer me a drink at lunch? Being prepared for
what is likely to happen is really helpful. Remember, lots of people don't drink during
the holidays, and at some point, they too had to have that conversation with their
family. Often if we say something like 'I'm focusing on my health at the moment, and
have noticed that alcohol is really setting me back in terms of fitness', or 'I'm not
drinking this year, as I want to feel refreshed after the holidays - but please don't let
that stop you'.
Sometimes our loved ones are worried that if we aren't drinking, we might judge
them or behave differently. It will be good to emphasise that you don't expect them
not to drink, but that at the moment you are not going to.
4. Some other ideas are: Have non-alcoholic drinks with you or available (see link to
nice non-alcoholic beverages here), plan to do something active after lunch or during
the day, that others can participate in (eg. Backyard cricket), offer to be designated
driver for supplies for lunch or to give people lifts, see if you can notice how it is
different not to be drinking during the holidays - what you miss, what the positive
changes are.
5. Be conscious of nutrition - often we can feel affected by what we are eating - reflect
on what kind of food you enjoy to eat, and what foods might support your health.
Some people find eating things like fruit, cheese and olives while others are
drinking, provides a tasty alternative and one that is satiating and satisfying. Others
find that filling up on seafood, fresh fruits and vegetables keeps them feeling good
all holidays and helps them keep their energy levels up.
6. Have some time each day to check in with your goals. This can be writing to your
health coach, posting and commenting on Daybreak, or doing some self-reflection
with a partner, your friends, or yourself. Holidays can sometimes feel strange and
challenging if you are not drinking for the first time, and it is good to acknowledge
that is really normal. It can be good to keep a list with you that outlines the 'pros'
and 'cons' if drinking - being conscious of the reasons to stay the same, as well as
reasons to change.
7. Be kind to yourself - understand that holidays and family get-together can be very
challenging, particularly if there has been conflict in the family. Sometimes we can
feel anxious or exhausted by being back in the family dynamic, and also without the
numbing effects of alcohol. The good news is that often it is alcohol that triggers
arguments and disagreements within families, and being sober will allow you to step
away from that and look at things differently. Sometimes alcohol can feel like it is
necessary to deal with family, but when we take it away or reduce it, often we find
family gatherings are less tedious.
8. Remember that change is a process – it is very normal to have off days, or times
when we miss our goals and feel we have gone backwards. What is important is that
you keep reflecting on what has happened, and try to make decisions that are the
best for you. It will be helpful to check in with the Daybreak community, as many
members will have similar goals and barriers to you. Being able to speak to others
who have found a strategy that works, or who are going through similar things, can
be very helpful.4 -
I enjoy celebrating milestones~
Today is 90 days with only six of those days with moderate drinking of alcohol.
If I seem to repeat myself alot with number tallies and caculations, that is because I need to keep aware of my progress and not slip back into bad habits.
Last night, a Friday evening, spent with a full house of people at a local taveren. No urge to order alcohol when I sat down at the bar.
And that was before the intoxicated guy licked the side of my face to say hello.
EWW .......YUCK.5 -
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VeggieGirlforLife wrote: »Well, it's my 4th weekend in Dry January and this is one that will test me. I am working this one and I always look forward to a glass of wine after a very long Saturday. I definitely do not plan to drink, I'm just saying it will be a challenge and I'll need to keep myself distracted and busy tomorrow night.
I admit I looked at the calendar today and noticed that next Friday is Feb 1. Which would be the first day I could drink. For a moment, that sounded great!! Then I wondered what that would lead to. So I'm just letting myself marinate in the "what ifs" and see how I feel about it before I make a decision if I will stay AF or not. I'm wondering if I need to commit to a plan to keep myself from going back to old habits and drinking too much again...
I don’t want to get back into old habits of drinking again. I am going to do a pretty much AF February. I will have a few glasses of wine on selected days (Valentines, etc.). I feel great without drinking and want to keep the trend. Also, I want to achieve my goal in weight. All the best!
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dawnbgethealthy wrote: »My goal is 4-5 AF days per week.
January 1st - AF
January 2nd - AF
January 3rd - AF
January 4th - 3 drinks Friday night. I actually had 4, but then threw up lol. This is the reason that I never have more than 3 if I choose to have drinks. Good reminder. Yes, I can never be "drunk" because I can't have more than 3.
January 5th - AF So curious that each and every day that I have drinks I am down 2 pounds the following day. I think that I read somewhere on this post that it dehydrates you. It comes back the next day of course : - )
I don't log my AF or not AF until the following morning for the night before.
January 6th - AF - 5 days out of 6. Very busy week, so more AF days to come.
January 7th - AF - 6 days out of 7 for the month
January 8th - AF - 7 days our of 8 for the month so far
January 9th - AF - 8 days out of 9
January 10th - 1 champagne, later on 3 drinks
January 11th - 2 drinks - 8 out of 11 AF. I am pleased with that.
January 12th - 3 drinks - 8 out of 12 AF. Going to rack up some more AF days.
January 13th - AF - 9 days out of 13
January 14th - AF - 10 days out of 14. Began logging at night before bed instead of waiting until the next morning. No danger of sleep drinking I don't think : - )
January 15th - AF - 11 days out of 15.
January 16th - AF - 12 days out of 16
January 17th - AF - 13 days out of 17 - I took December 31st out of the count.
January 18th - 3 drinks - 13 AF days out of 18, definitely ahead of where I was in December.
January 19th - 2 drinks
January 20th - AF - 14 AF days out of 20
January 21st - AF - 15 out of 21
January 22nd - AF - 16 out of 22 - I believe that I had 16 AF days total in December
January 23rd - AF - 17 out of 23.
I am going away for 5 days, birthday parties, concerts, get togethers with friends, lavish dinners. We will see how I do. I have had dismal weight loss this month even though my calories have been less, worked out more, drank way less alcohol. I don't want to blow the slight progress that I have made. Having said that, I definitely don't want to annoy my friends with calorie counting and trying to squeeze in workouts. I think being moderate with the booze won't be a problem, they are not heavy drinkers. I do usually imbibe when I am there. Maybe time to change that habit.
January 24th - AF 18 out of 24
January 25th - AF 19 out of 25
January 26th -
January 27th -
January 28th -
January 29th -
January 30th -
January 31st
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Fitness327wk wrote: »VeggieGirlforLife wrote: »
So I'm just letting myself marinate in the "what ifs" and see how I feel about it before I make a decision if I will stay AF or not. I'm wondering if I need to commit to a plan to keep myself from going back to old habits and drinking too much again...
I don’t want to get back into old habits of drinking again. I am going to do a pretty much AF February. I will have a few glasses of wine on selected days (Valentines, etc.). I feel great without drinking and want to keep the trend. Also, I want to achieve my goal in weight.
I am with this thought process as well. I ALWAYS would get in trouble after being AF for a while and feel the need to reward myself. Before I knew it my drinking brain was convincing me to drink over my allowed 2 drink limit. I am going to need a very necessarily reason to take a drink. As I'm enjoying my weight being down from where it was this time last year.
Hope everyone's weekend is in their goal favor.2 -
So proud of everyone! Reading the responses the last few days, I see you all really noticing when and why you drink, what your binge patterns are, how to avoid them, etc. Even if there has been a slip up on planned drinking, it’s amazing to me how everyone is able to analyze and not let it drag them down!
While cleaning out my clothes, I said goodbye to a pair of wine glass earrings and a rhinestone martini necklace. Cute, but that’s not the message I want to send anymore.
Also, went to my nephews birthday party, started at 11 AM and my sister in law served brunch. Great idea! But she was also serving mimosas. I actually didn’t want one (ok maybe a little), but a) I’m so aware of how I’m always the first one to reach for a drink at family get together, and I want to lose that reputation, and b) alcohol during the day makes me sleepy. I had to drive 2 hours to my sons track meet right afterwards. So I’m proud of myself!5 -
Hello all - My weakness is bourbon.
I had quit about 2 years ago for about 6 months and even managed to get off of all meds - including BP meds. I felt great too! So good, that I thought I could ease back into drinking responsibly. Nope. I have about 2 weeks of BP meds left. Time to quit for good.
If history is a guide, I have 1 week of terrible sleep in front of me followed by 1 week of improving sleep and then I will sleep like a teenager on a rainy Saturday morning. The hard part will be breaking the habit of holding a bourbon in one hand each evening after supper and before bed.- Day 1 - no problem...busy day...but daytime is never a problem
- Evening 1 - debated (in my head) whether to stay with commitment or not. My internal debate lasted a good 20 minutes. You know - Hey - there's a bottle of Vodka - maybe that will be OK? <<<This is how liquor lies to you.
Had a Fresca instead. So far, so good. - Night 1 - Went to bed at 10:30. Slept OK until 2:00 AM. Tossed and turned after that. Got up at 5.
- This Morning - Other than being tired - I feel pretty good. I have a mild headache...maybe from too much coffee.
- Bonus for This Morning 1 - No swearing to myself in the shower, "Never again!"
Wish me luck!
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