Less Alcohol - January 2019 - One Day at a Time

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  • MissMay
    MissMay Posts: 3,554 Member
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    Well this is the last weekend of the month on it's way out. Seems like it went pretty quickly. Not planning on ruining my success to get through dry January now that I have come this far.
    Also today marks 6 months since I've had a night of not remembering what happened after drinking more than my 2 drink limit. Blackouts were never pleasant to wake up to.

    Welcome @Ed_Zilla. Great to have you joining us. We all have different goals in here with having less alcohol in our lives. And we support them all.
    Your story is familar to many of us. Nice work on your 1st alcohol free evening. If you have not sen page one of this thread check it out. There is a ton of helpful information at the beginning to make your journey easier. Good luck.
  • SallyLuvsFitness
    SallyLuvsFitness Posts: 13,724 Member
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    gymbunny09 wrote: »
    Glad to report another alcohol free weekend, I never ever thought I could go a weekend without booze. It was great getting up for the gym this morning and not feeling shattered 😁

    Love! Right there with you!
  • BuffMom84
    BuffMom84 Posts: 180 Member
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    I had my usual few drinks on Friday night. It's been a very stressful weekend for everyone in my family and I'm glad I didn't drink any more than that. The next few months will be difficult but i'm really hoping that I can stick to only drinking once a week. I haven't drank this little in a month in probably six years!
  • Ed_Zilla
    Ed_Zilla Posts: 207 Member
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    Made it through day/evening 2. Headed to bed and hoping to sleep most of tonight.

    FWIW - I have a weird craving for chocolate chip ice cream 😍
  • Lilylady3k
    Lilylady3k Posts: 3,814 Member
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    January accountability ~27 days so far
    Me (no alcohol): 16 days
    Alcohol: 11 days (26 drinks)
    Goal: AF days 4 per week / 16 per month
    To 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. Didn’t stick to the plan to limit 2. gasses of wine. 1 drink before and after dinner @ bars + 3 glasses of wine with dinner. Total 5.
    Jan 26 - Hiking with my son & his Fiancée then they want to go to a brewery. Plan: Limit 1 beer Well limited myself to 1 beer in the afternoon at the brewery. But then 2 margaritas in the evening.
    Jan 27 - AF (while everyone else drank wine I had water).

    Jan 28 -
    Jan 29 - Dining Out group. Plan to be AF
    Jan 30 -
    Jan 31 - Retiring from company after 30 years - plan to celebrate but limit 2 glasses
  • MonkeyMel21
    MonkeyMel21 Posts: 2,394 Member
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    My original goal starting January 1st was to have no alcohol till I hit my goal weight (still have 4 pounds to go but it will be at least another month till I get there). I did really well the first two weeks of Jan, then had drinks at an impromptu office party at a brand new brewery across the street. I wanted that to be the only alcohol in Jan but then I caved in at home one day last week and finished the rest of the bottle of Crown Royal from NYE. I have still been sticking to my calorie goals, regardless of the alcohol, and it definitely has not derailed me!! So....going forward, since February seems to have me going out for special occasions a few times, I want to set a new goal.

    AF in February except for a few occasions:
    -Feb 1st, going out to dinner with a friend (I only go out with friends like 4 times a year, lol)
    -Feb 7th, German beer and food for my birthday
    -Feb 13th, night out with the girls in the office (this may not happen, I literally was just informed of it 10 minutes ago)


    I may choose to not drink on one or more of those dates but I want to give myself permission too ahead of time so I can be prepared for the calorie consumption, as to not derail my weight loss goal. I was an "almost every day" drinker for pretty much all of last year, terrible habit that I knew wasn't good for my body. So, I feel really good about the prospect of having alcohol only 3 days in Feb (not to mention how good it feels to have only had it twice in January). I want to be able to enjoy alcohol sparingly, not just drink due to habit. Also, that money saved is not inconsequential.
  • SallyLuvsFitness
    SallyLuvsFitness Posts: 13,724 Member
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    Wishing everyone a wonderful week! Happy Monday! Last night we had sauce/pasta and always open up a few bottles of wine. I thought about initially and started getting aggravated AND then the light 💡 came on and I thought to myself how great I have been feeling. Deciding not to drink and waiting for “cocktail hour” to have a drink feels great. My desire to have a glass of wine went away quickly and didn’t think about it the rest of dinner, BIG YEAH!

    I am being mindful of not drinking and the positives OUTWEIGH the negatives SO much! I don’t stop at one glass of wine. I know I change my eating habits when I am drinking...or should say lack of eating. SO BAD FOR ME. I am taking care of myself, I LOVE HER, ACCEPT HER and will be HER BF. It is much easier, obviously, to have positive talk to myself when I am making the right decisions and not apologizing to myself what I did the night prior.

    “Your own thoughts are able to make you down quicker than any enemy. Mindfulness can put a kind of spam filter on your mind.” - Ilene Gregorian
  • SallyLuvsFitness
    SallyLuvsFitness Posts: 13,724 Member
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    @buffmom84
    Nice job!! January has been easily the longest I have gone without alcohol in a really long time and it feels great! 👏 Awsome!!!

    @monkeymel21
    Setting goals, great! I am putting together my plan/goals for Feb!
  • kittybenn
    kittybenn Posts: 444 Member
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    @Fitness327wk - "I thought to myself how great I have been feeling." Yes, I completely get it. I think when we've been off alcohol for an extended period (I'm on day 28) you start taking for granted how good you feel and look. When I look in the mirror these days I'm often surprised by how clear my eyes look and how un-puffy my face looks. It's hard to remember how miserable hangovers feel, too. So, the motivation doesn't feel as strong. It's just kind of the background of my life now.

    We went to a concert last night and everybody was drinking. I was very tempted but hung in there and was the designated driver home. We're planning a nice dinner out on Friday and I will have a couple of glasses of wine. Still thinking about what I'm going to do going forward. I know I'm going to drink. It's just a matter of when and how much.
  • dawnbgethealthy
    dawnbgethealthy Posts: 7,578 Member
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    Aim: 4-5 AF per week - so 20 AF minimum in 31 days

    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 - 1st day away, not tempted
    January 25th - AF 19 out of 25 - offered drinks but stuck to water.
    January 26th - 1/2 bloody Mary at a birthday celebration, glass cab out at a show, Cointreau night-cap
    January 27th - 750ml bottle of wine over the course of dinner and a night
    January 28th - 3 drinks
    January 29th -
    January 30th -
    January 31st
  • Lilylady3k
    Lilylady3k Posts: 3,814 Member
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    You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine. - John C. Maxwell

    January accountability ~28 days so far
    Me (no alcohol): 17 days
    Alcohol: 11 days (26 drinks)
    Goal: AF days 4 per week / 16 per month
    To 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. Didn’t stick to the plan to limit 2 gasses of wine. 1 drink before and after dinner @ bars + 3 glasses of wine with dinner. Total 5.
    Jan 26 - Hiking with my son & his Fiancée then they want to go to a brewery. Plan: Limit 1 beer Well limited myself to 1 beer in the afternoon at the brewery. But then 2 margaritas in the evening.
    Jan 27 - AF (while everyone else drank wine I had water).

    Achieved my monthly goal!!! Now to stretch my weekly goal of 4 AF days per week into February.
    Jan 28 - AF
    Jan 29 - Dining Out group. Plan to be AF
    Jan 30 -
    Jan 31 - Retiring from company after 30 years - plan to celebrate but limit 2 glasses
    Feb 1 -
    Feb 2 -
    Feb 3 -
  • Ed_Zilla
    Ed_Zilla Posts: 207 Member
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    Day 4 today. The wacky, vivid dreams started happening last night, but sleep was still better than the first 2 nights. One dream had the female villain from Men in Black 2...creepy.

    fvibboob6cda.jpg

    As for missing not drinking bourbon in the evenings, it has not been as big of a deal as it could have been. I have a lot of varieties of soft drinks (my faves are Diet Squirt, Fresca, Sunkist Diet Orange) plus I did get Breyers chocolate chip ice cream.

  • kittybenn
    kittybenn Posts: 444 Member
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    @Lilylady3k - love that quote. So true. Kind of boring, actually, but that's where it all starts. A bunch of days pretty soon starts adding up to a bunch of months. Day 29 AF for me begins. Going all the way!
  • MonkeyMel21
    MonkeyMel21 Posts: 2,394 Member
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    I weighed myself this morning and am down exactly 10 pounds from January 1st!!! (of course 3 or 4 of those was water weight that came off within the first 3 days) I honestly don't think I could have done so well if I had included alcohol in with my daily calories. I think that's why I've failed the past three years, because I was trying to continue to drink while logging those calories and it just didn't leave enough room for food. I'm going to continue on the same path in February. I still have 3 pounds to lose (maybe a few more if I get there and decide to keep going).

    I am starting to think more about maintenance. I think I'm going to continue calorie counting at maintenance for a while after hitting my goal weight, while adding alcohol back in to the equation (in moderation, hopefully), so i don't end up back in the same cycle of binge drinking often and then gain all the weight back.

    I hope everyone feels more confident about themselves after this month! And I'm sure I'll see many of you in next months thread!
  • MissMay
    MissMay Posts: 3,554 Member
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    MonkeyMel21 wrote: »
    I weighed myself this morning and am down exactly 10 pounds from January 1st!!!

    I hope everyone feels more confident about themselves after this month! And I'm sure I'll see many of you in next months thread!
    HUGE congrats @MonkeyMel21. That is a wonderful accomplishment. And heck yes you will be seeing us on the Feburary 2019 less alcohol thread. So glad you are having such great success in all ways by having less.

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