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Less Alcohol - JANUARY 2020- One Day at a Time
Replies
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@MissMay I too have sweet cravings and suddenly feel hungrier than ever overall.... Day 9 and so far 1 only margarita. I have gained weight since starting..I took off from my 5 day a week spin class weight training over holidays so that is likely the weight gain as well..I have glutamine powder supplement and will try that..it is supposed to curb sugar cravings ..went back to gym this week..I was hoping to lose a few pounds cutting back wine during week...will have to trash my leftover holiday candy 😞7
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bourbon_n_barbells wrote: »Am I the only one that keeps having to remind myself that "AF" means "alcohol free" and not the OTHER thing that "AF" often means?!
Hahahaha! Um... no!2 -
@MissMay I too have sweet cravings and suddenly feel hungrier than ever overall.... Day 9 and so far 1 only margarita. I have gained weight since starting..I took off from my 5 day a week spin class weight training over holidays so that is likely the weight gain as well..I have glutamine powder supplement and will try that..it is supposed to curb sugar cravings ..went back to gym this week..I was hoping to lose a few pounds cutting back wine during week...will have to trash my leftover holiday candy 😞
Fear not, craving sweets when you first cut back on alcohol is very common (your body is so used to the sugar in alcohol). The good news is it doesn’t last very long!
Cutting back alcohol and the mindless eating that usually goes with it will make a huge difference for you!5 -
It feels good to be getting back on track. 5/9 AF days so far! I’ve abandoned Dry January, but having 4-5 AF days per week, and limiting my drinks to just one when I do on the weekends, works for me!6
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January accountability ~ 9
No Alcohol: 9 days
Alcohol: 0 days (0 drinks)
Goal: AF days 3 per week / 12 per month
DH went DRY for January which is a real challenge for him as well … and I’m trying to be supportive.
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
Including December in my weekly view.
Dec 30 - 2 glasses wine
Dec 31 - AF
Jan 1 - AF
Jan 2 - AF
Jan 3 - AF
Jan 4 - AF
Jan 5 - AF
6 AF days out of 7 this week!!!
Jan 6 - AF
Jan 7 - AF
Jan 8 - AF
Jan 9 - AF
Virgin Bloody Mary & water at happy hour with son & his wife.
DH wanted to pick up a bottle of wine for himself since he would be home along while I was at Bunco. I told him about my intentions for the day and he decided to not indulge too.
Water at Bunco! Bunco challenging situation usually drink 2-3 glasses of wine and the hostess asked me if there was something wrong with the wine she chose LOL6 -
Goal :: limit to 4 days in January
Jan 01 - drank quite a bit on 1 Jan - wine and beer. 2+2+3 Units
Jan 02 - AF
Jan 03 - AF :: Fridays are challenging. Proud to skip. Compensated with overeating. Need to find better alternatives. Fridays are most tempting days for me to drink.
Jan 04 - AF :: Saturdays are easier than Fridays
Jan 05 - Drank :: 3 units and quickly followed up with food. Hard to stop drinking when I start. Its comparatively easier to turn down the first one.
Jan 6 - AF
Jan 7 - AF
Jan 8 - AF
Jan 9 - AF
Tally- 2 A / 7 AF
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6;05 am in Vegas another 24,hope everyone has a great day 👍8
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Hi everyone. Lots of great posts coming through on this January thread. Remember to not be too hard on yourself if your goal for an event, a day or the month got side tracked. We do not judge when it comes to slip ups....'cuz were not perfect either. 😎 And there is always that horse ready to accomidate us with a new giddy up.
Nine days = 9AF (or as I write them down, NA - No Alcohol )
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7/9 AF... little "slip up" last night
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5/9 so far. I haven't decided about tonight, in part it depends what/where we end up eating (staying with OH's parents so have no control over that!)8
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4 days AF so far! Feeling good about strengthening my other, healthier coping skills.6
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Ended up with 1 glass of wine. I actually needed the calories in the end
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As usual, I am going to try for 16-20 AF days for the month.
I just made it to 16 for December.
Wednesday January 01 - 3 drinks
Thursday January 02 - 3 drinks
Friday January 03 - AF
Saturday January 04 - AF - Had to delay and delay and delay today, really wanted to have drinks...but I didn't.
Sunday January 05 - 3 drinks
Monday January 06 - AF
Tuesday January 07 - 3 drinks. Although I have skipped some Tuesdays in the past, it is my designated drink day. I felt off the rails today and know that I need to make some changes with jobs, because the Tuesdays are increasingly just too much for me. Tough to find another job at 59, but the stress is ridiculous. That first sip of alcohol was nicely numbing. I know intellectually that it is not the best way to decompress, but it certainly is surefire and quick.
Wednesday January 08 - AF
Thursday January 09 - 3 drinks - worked early morning until 8pm today, started thinking by 7pm of having a drink when I got home after a grueling day...and I did. I sure am not racking up many AF days this month so far! I know that I won't get rid of that 5 pound gain over the holidays (which took me 7 months to lose!) unless I stop the alcohol. Work in progress.
Friday January 10 - AF. Planned wine tomorrow evening with a friend.
Running tally: 5AF days out of 10 days so far.8 -
Woop Woop 9 Days AF and today WILL be number 10!
I'm really enjoying following other people progress, both new and old hands, on this thread.
I was particularly in those posters who were being joined by their Husbands. I think a big bonus for me right now is that my wife is joining me on this change in attitude to drinking.
Previously we've both flirted with it but we've been out of sync. It's much easier with some mutual support.
Friday was easier than expected considering. At about half past three once of my team came into my office to raid the beer fridge. It smelt good as he popped the first bottle and the beads of moisture ran down the bottle but I wasn't even tempted. I just took a long pull on my fizzy water
When I got home I went to put a coat of paint on a cupboard I'm building, and usually, I would have had a beer while doing this but it didn't even cross my mind (well it did but I ignored it).
For dinner we ordered a pizza and we'd usually have opened a bottle of wine (we've lots in the house) but we had diet soda with our daughter instead.
The rest of the weekend will all be AF - we're determined!
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I'm in for 2020.
My major downfall in my weight loss journey has been alcohol.
2 years ago I was drinking 4-6 nights a week on a heavy scale and the weight piled on until I hit 27 stone (172kg). I cut down on the drinking to a couple of nights but with the booze also came the junk food whilst drinking and often the day after as I didn't fancy anything relatively healthy.
Jun 2018 I joined a weight loss program where I cut the booze until 21st Dec when I decided to treat myself for xmas. It hurt me a lot and I didn't drink again until around Jun 2019. Unfortunately this time, having lost over 13 stone (83kg) I found a taste for the alcohol and this was my downfall. Just before xmas last year I went out for one last night with a few mates to have some xmas beers and being 4st (25kg) up from my last proper weigh in in June time I knew that was one of my major downfalls.
My general fitness has gone downhill, my sleep has gone to crap and I don't like what I've become and I particularly blame alcohol.
So here's to a sober January to you all! And 2020 and hopefully life for me.11 -
I'm also in for 2020!
I'm back in graduate school (why did I choose to do this again!?!) and January is exams month so my January goal was to stay completely sober through exams. My last exam is Monday January 27th so that's what I've been doing. I had a rough NYE and got home at 8am on the 1st so that day doesn't count but since the 2nd I have been alcohol free. This also coincides with me getting my weight back under control and there's nothing like alcohol to throw that into a complete upheaval
Jan 1 - Too many drinks
January 2nd - January 10th - None9 -
@Stockholm_Andy your enthusiasm is electric. So happy for you to have your wife joining you in your less drinking plan. Congrats on day 10 AF.
@djwinch and @kali31337 welcome to the group. We all know too well the ups and downs of weight through to many calories then loss of motivation, sluggishness,etc. There is a lot of mental and physical work to try and balance drinking and maintaining our healthy weight goals. You will find much support here.
Also having a clear head with exams this month...😉
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Looking back two January's ago I wish I had the support of my husband in my quest to drink less. It would have simply been an easier journey. I believe it was/is his own insecurities about alcohol that kept him from helping me. I certainly was not asking him to give up anything (that ship had sailed).
Even to this day when we are out and I order an iced tea, he needs to make a public comment that " this is her thing lately" almost like an apology to the rest of the place for me being a square peg in their round world.
STRANGE
Oh gee kinda off track venting on that one.10 -
Hey guys, I might join in with you….ive got a bad habit of having a very nice glass (or 2) of red wine every evening to relax (when work is done, kid in bed, house it clean..its my reward to myself… but not to my hips). Anyway I want to kill the habit. And id love some accountability & support….
01 - AF
02 - AF
03 - AF
04 - AF
05 - AF
06 - AF
07 - AF
08 - 2 gls of wine ( I gave in as it was my Bday)
09 - 2 gls of wine wine (as the bottle was already opened…shame not to..)
10 - AF
11 - that’s tonight, hard not to have a nice glass of red on a sat night (specifically as my husband is opening a bottle but trying hard…)
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Old habit: 1-4 drinks/evening.
Goal: Ease into only drinking on weekends! Consistantly be AF Sun-Thursday by April.
Jan 5- 2 drinks
Jan 6- 1 drink
Jan 7- AF 😁
Jan 8- AF 😁
Jan 9- AF 😁
Jan 10- None work night! 4 drinks5 -
No alcohol since December 27, 2019
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Goal :: limit to 4 days in January
Jan 01 - drank quite a bit on 1 Jan - wine and beer. 2+2+3 Units
Jan 02 - AF
Jan 03 - AF :: Fridays are challenging. Proud to skip. Compensated with overeating. Need to find better alternatives. Fridays are most tempting days for me to drink.
Jan 04 - AF :: Saturdays are easier than Fridays
Jan 05 - Drank :: 3 units and quickly followed up with food. Hard to stop drinking when I start. Its comparatively easier to turn down the first one.
Jan 6 - AF
Jan 7 - AF
Jan 8 - AF
Jan 9 - AF
Jan 10 - AF :: yay kept strong and did not drink on Friday. Friday I am super tempted to drink.
Tally- 2 A / 8 AF
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Jan 2020
AF 8/10 4 -
@dawnbgethealthy Old post of yours but 58 is not old and I'm only looking at a profile pic, but you're beautiful. Age discrimination is disgustingly sad. Throw out the number because it really is just that for the most part!
I'm happy to read everyone's successes and stumbles. I ran 10.2 miles today, 49.9 running miles for the week (I'm slow but I have endurance).
Anyway, I ate some candy yesterday and was thinking "I'd rather have wine. Why do I punish myself? Calories would be the same." I think I'm going to give myself a pass to have a little wine next weekend... I'm meeting my goals and I enjoy a drink and I'm not going to punish myself...and for what, anyway?!?6 -
Had one glass last night at dinner, made it last the whole meal so I didn’t need to order a second. Tonight I’m home, would really love a glass of wine, so I came here for inspiration! It worked, because I decided to use tonight to rack up one more AF free day! So that makes 6AF/11.8
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mscanadianbakin wrote: »No alcohol since December 27, 2019
Welcome @mscanadianbakin excellent start BEFORE the new year. Love your user name.2 -
@MissMay
<
HUGS
>
Why is there a "shame" attached to being a non-drinking partner ?? The "shame " is provided by the drinking partner. Cajoling, urging, downright bullying, needing the AF partner to imbibe.
Is there a fear by the drinking partner that they are not strong enough enough to control their urges, and are compensating by controlling their supposed weaker [or compliant] partner ??
Not having a degree in any relevant subject, I'm retreating to my armchair.. With my drink therapy Catpucinno.
So inspiring that so many are trying to set moderation goals, and coming close.
Back to my personal goals of drinking WAY less and losing the extra poundage gained during panettone season. The antique wine rack in my basement remains almost full and the bathroom scale is creeping down instead of up.5 -
January accountability ~ 11
No Alcohol: 10 days
Alcohol: 1 days (2 drinks)
Goal: AF days 3 per week / 12 per month
DH went DRY for January which is a real challenge for him as well … and I’m trying to be supportive.
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
Including December in my weekly view.
Dec 30 - 2 glasses wine
Dec 31 - AF
Jan 1 - AF
Jan 2 - AF
Jan 3 - AF
Jan 4 - AF
Jan 5 - AF
6 AF days out of 7 this week!!!
Jan 6 - AF
Jan 7 - AF
Jan 8 - AF
Jan 9 - AF Virgin Bloody Mary & water at happy hour. Water at Bunco!
Jan 10 - 2 glasses wine
Jan 11 - AF
DH & I decided Friday night that a bottle of wine with italian food would be nice and indulged. Tonight we are both back AF.
Proving that it is pleasure over habit and quality over quantity ... we stopped at one bottle. No 2nd bottle uncorked ... no beer before dinner or hard liquor afterward.6 -
11 days AF. Today was so hard - I really wanted a drink while I was cooking, which I often enjoy on the weekends. A few days this week were also tough when I realized I wanted one to deal with a bad day. I didn't like feeling like that - missing the drink in the second situation. I hope by continuing with this the entire month I'll become stronger about maybe choosing to have a drink for the "right " reason (the right one for me, I know we're all different in that).7
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