Less Alcohol - JULY 2020 - One Day at a Time

lilann1961

Back in for the month. Not sure what happened, but aside from logging in, I wasn't reading anything. The funny part is, I LOVE the two threads I follow (this being one, a weight loss for 200+lbs the other).

It is amazing the ruts we get ourselves into. So I am back. Again. I was reading @RavenStCloud 's standard monthly post, and it kind of reconnected me with some goals. Covid has really changed everyone's day to day life, but I really need to make a concerted effort to not let it affect me negatively. So this morning I walked a dog, ate my yogurt, drank my coffee and logged into work the way I would have if I was actually going INTO the office. Plan on taking another walk with another dog later...and maybe even another (I really have too many dogs LOL...some are personal, some are foster). I have my water and am chugging through a "more normal" day!

Goals for the remainder of July:
1) Following the no more than one drink a day/seven drinks a week motto (for now)
2) Walking a dog or multiple dogs a few times a day to get STEPS
3) WATER...WATER...WATER

I am starting from yesterday on my count. 1/1 Days AF since 14 July

forestdweller1

@Tesha231 Thanks for the info about Pet Releaf [love the name!!]. Too bad the chews are contraindicated for cats. I'd be leery of putting any kind of oil on Catpuccino's paws. He would probably be insulted and run away before licking it off, leaving oily prints on the carpet. Then the next loud noise would be ME. I am looking online now for something similar for felines. Again, thanks.

Good to hear that your family experience with COVID has been of the milder variety. But there is NO guarantee that after recovery you won't get it again in a month or two. Immunity is not proven yet. And EXACTLY how long after recovery are you NOT infectious ?? Some folks seem to be healthy after a couple weeks, and some are still in hospital for months.
I CAN guarantee you that if you appear in public without a mask you could run afoul of a bitchy white haired old lady like me who shrieks at you to WEAR A MASK, DAMMIT !! 😷

@Doxmum "Mask it or Casket" Props to your friend.

forestdweller1

Since I was not able to watch the 5 o'clock news yesterday, I taped it. Just before the part about school reopening that I wanted to watch....Our Feckless Leader pre-empted the airways for a campaign speech...after watching a gaggle of reporters sitting in 90 degree heat in full sun staring at an empty podium for 20 minutes...then ...blather.
I've learned to not watch cable news anymore, but this was an ambush. I SOOOO wanted a glass of wine....or two.... the whole damn bottle...Ice cold, faithful, fizzy AF beer to my rescue.
It took two.
Listening to Police\EMS scanner tonight instead of TV...less crazy-making. Goes with Diet Dew.

forestdweller1

The alarm [across the room from the bed] will be set for "before dawn".
After tripping over Cat on the way to the bathroom, ingesting 2 cups of collagen infused cold brewed coffee, sifting said Cat's litterbox [he's tres picky about that] I will snail walk around my block at least twice.
Then morning meds to keep me breathing, and a huge glass of water, one of several that I've pre-poured to ensure consumption.
A healthy low cal breakfast, a couple hours of yard work, some of that pre-poured water, a couple hours of house chores, interrupted by demands that I play "tag" with a demented feline with a foot fetish.
More water, followed by an interesting salad without dressing and some fresh fruit.
Phone and internet communication with 3 daughters who think that I am sitting alone at home in a rocker mumbling to myself over a bowl of cold cereal and milk all day. More water and a few fast jogs up two flights of stairs to eliminate the water.
Settle down in a snuggly recliner to watch something taped from TV . Catpuccino claims the lap, and the remote.
Local TV news during dinner prep. Something ethnic for dinner, falafel & dolmas \ tamales \ lasagna \ stir fry \ preceded by the ubiquitous water. If all the "triggers" have been avoided, a diet soda, tea, or AF beer to go with.
Back to the recliner or comfy couch to read an e-book til bedtime. Meanwhile, Cat patrols the windows and doors on 3 floors to monitor the movements of the local wildlife [deer, turkeys, coyotes, stray cats, 'coons, possums, and the f'n groundhogs].
Time to set the alarm, turn on the ceiling fan, tuck under the covers.
G'night, and sweet AF dreams to all.

dawnbgethealthy

Hi. I am Dawn. Turning 60 in September.
I live in SE BC, Canada.
I started on this thread November 28.18 - at that time I was having drinks every day. That first AF day was very hard! I vowed to have 1AF day per week to start, then progressed to 2AF days per week etc.
My goal now (that is working for me) is 16-20 AF days per month. I have been keeping within that since last October. I am comfortable and happy with that goal. If I exceed that, then great.
I have never ever been able to exceed 3 drinks or I throw up. Moderation is thrust upon me.

Wednesday July 01 - AF - Happy Canada Day.
Thursday July 02 - AF - Super long day at work. I kept thinking about having drinks tonight if I could ever get through the day. I used the delay tactic when I finally did arrive home so hungry and tired. I'm sure tomorrow will be better for having abstained.
Friday July 03 - AF - Scheduled Mojitos with a gf tomorrow after garage Sale-ing and the farmer's market. Would have liked to have a couple today after being up a ladder painting in the hot sun, but saving it up.
Saturday July 04 - Mojitos and stuff.
Sunday July 05 - AF - Felt like having drinks though.
Monday July 06 - AF - I might have drinks at band practice tomorrow, we'll see.
Tuesday July 07 - AF - I was going to have drinks if the guys were drinking beer at practice, but they drank water today, my super water : - )
Wednesday July 08 - 3 drinks. I have been trying to not have drinks unless I am happy and celebrating, or on a nice sunny day when I have spent many hours working in my yard. Now that I am back to working long stupid days my will power just went out the window. I didn't get home until 10pm and hadn't eaten since the morning. I was hungry, tired, stressed. The first sip of a drink felt really nice.
Thursday July 09 - AF - Another late night getting home, I didn't finish dinner until 11:30. I worked for Foster Grant today, and they require us to wear masks and gloves when servicing stores. Not comfortable. I peeled the mask and gloves off outside the store into a garbage bin, really thinking about having a drink when I got home. I could too easily slip back into daily drinks after work, I will have to work at not doing that.
Friday July 10 - AF - I have a friend in town staying with another friend. I was invited for drinks on the outdoor deck. They are not heavy drinkers, but drinkers nonetheless. I wanted to at least get my 2AF days in a row. I am getting together with them tomorrow afternoon. I may have drinks. I avoided going tonight because I can't always resist when others are drinking around me and getting giggly.

Saturday July 11 - A bunch of drinks in the hot sun on my friends patio.
Sunday July 12 - AF - Slept early and awoke early (4am). I didn't feel fantastic, but after lemon water and some coffee I went for a nice 2 hour hike and felt back to normal after that.
Monday July 13 - AF
Tuesday July 14 - AF - Time to trim this long post down. I do like to look at it when I log on, but I can do that with reducing it to a spoiler.
Wednesday July 15 - AF - that was a real test of willpower, my morning started out with the flusher arm on the toilet snapping argh. My workday was ridiculous, and a bunch of other crappy things today. I am trying very hard to not have drinks when I am stressed, only when I am happy. Today was a test, I know that some numbing would have been lovely, but I also want tomorrow to be a better day, and I don't want to jeopardize that with possibly not feeling well.

Rolling total: 12AF days out of 15 days.

dawnbgethealthy

Thanks for asking about my garden @MissMay
I didn't even get to see it today!
I have been eating sugar snap peas from it for about 2 weeks, lettuce, strawberries, green onions, cilantro, dill, basil, tarragon, and other greens (like 2 kinds of mustard and beet tops) for a few months. Peppers and Tomatoes are still a ways away but are growing very nicely. I did cut down the scapes (in double curl) on my garlic last weekend, I think it is about a month until garlic harvest time. I likely won't dig my beets and carrots until October. We'll see when the potatoes are ready this year. My Parsley lived right through the snow this past winter surprisingly, so in effect I am getting some sort of year round greens other than what I freeze like peppers and stuff.

I am expecting my black lillies to be flowering any day now, and my black hollyhocks too. I will get photos. I grow only deep red and black flowers, it is a phase that I have been in for a few years. In fact, I never used to grow anything at all that I couldn't eat. We change : - )
I used to have a few drinks every day after work. That changed too. I still want to, I just don't.
I would rather have a smaller pants size, not look puffy, or feel crappy.
I really credit this thread, you, and all of the wonderful contributors here for the impetus and accountability to drink less.

Womona

@Samand303 just let your body heal today. Definitely not a day to pull weeds! A lousy chore even under the best of circumstances!

As far as inspiration, we could go with “today is the first day of the rest of your life”, “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead”, “if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again” or that little train “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...”. More philosophical is “if you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right”. Finally there is the Tough Love approach of “Level up and Fly Right”, or just plain “cut the crap!” 🤣

Womona

Really bad PMS day yesterday, and I wanted a drink. I poured my usual Pelligrino/ cranberry to push through, and the craving did not pass after more than 1.5 hours! Way beyond the normal 6 minute cycle. Finally caved and had wine, but there was only about 2-3 ounces left in the bottle. That was actually enough for me, I didn’t even feel tipsy and did not open another bottle. New day today.

globalhiker

5 drinks/15 days..I learned it's totally OK to let go of putting myself down because it didn't serve me.

I used to run in 2 modes, either I was "good" or I was "bad".

Bad meant going off the diet and over-doing it, either food or wine. After that came feelings of shame and low self esteem. Did it help motivate me? No, it meant since I was "bad" and blew it, that the following day I would just repeat the bad behavior. This only helped to sink me into "bad" mode for longer stretches.

I don't blame or put myself down anymore (I blame my hormones).

@Samand303, I found (for me) the best way to boost motivation is to first boost self esteem. I start the day making a short list of goals for the next 24 hours, simple ones, and ones that are do-able and make me feel good. At day's end, my self esteem has improved and I feel motivated to continue making progress that benefits me.

globalhiker

Adding one more thing (one I am struggling with).....too much negative news watching is a self-esteem and motivation eroder....I have to challenge myself today to minimize behaviors that weaken my spirit.....that means for me to limit the news-check to 10 min in the morning and 10 min in the evening, no more. More than this can lead me to insomnia and drinking which I really don't need...

mainelylisa

I was SO in a bad mood yesterday, despite being in my cabin by a lake. I analyze it to death, but know I need my alone time and I am NOT alone. Almost ever these days. I had a teletherapy session Tue night and was hunched over whispering and finally said This isn't working. I'll call you from my car next week. Add in a long crappy work day. And NO WINE. And to have wine I have to have the talk with my partner which has already turned into a fight in my head. Well, I didn't know we were going to be here the whole week, so no hormone meds (hmmmm) and now no edibles for sleeping.

I hear most of you with the barfy news. (And I so enjoy the little jabs at our "leader" here. :-)) I'm finding solace and insight in TedTalks--if you haven't checked any out, I'm in the middle of this one--The Gifted Wisdom of Unpleasant Feelings. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKy19WzkPxE&t=558s . There are many uplifting and insightful talks--make me feel the oppositve of what news and social media does (aka the world is fully of stupid (news) and beautiful perfect (social media) people).

I've decided that, after 4.5 months AF, I will plan a wine night next week when I'm alone when my partner comes up here with his son. No confrontation (except possibly with my crappy feeling the next morning--which may prove to be a good thing). Part of the Great Experiment. I hope I've broken some bad habits and replaced with good ones and I need to see if I can now moderate. Never more than 2 drinks. Never on a daily basis. Ideally only on days I've exercised, as I'm prone to wanting less.

@forestdweller1 You are a writer!

Thanks to all of you for making this little community what it is!<3<3<3

shorepine

@FeelinFooFoo thanks so much for your honesty and your words of support. I do find it helps for me to come here and be honest. If I'm always honest, it is more motivating for me to moderate my drinking so I can report success! I am inspired by the place you've arrived at and am grateful for you being here on this thread.

@globalhiker your words also resonate with me about avoiding putting ourselves down. I've gotten so much better at that over the years! It also seems easier right now with this larger public health crisis around us- the things that really matter in life are more poignant somehow.

@lilann1961 i am a fan of the same two threads! The 200+ one is so busy though that I always get left behind.

Things are good here on my journey. Friend came over Wednesday, I served her one of my husband's beers, and I didn't drink all at. So proud of that! I also made some killer fish tacos for dinner that everyone raved about.

July 1: shared a bottle of wine
July 2: AF
July 3: AF
July 4: a lot of wine at a friends house for the 4th
July 5: AF
July 6: 2 beers
July 7: AF
July 8: AF
July 9: AF
July 10: had 2 margaritas after work... thanks to my husband's bad influence, haha
July 11: bottle of wine on a camping trip
July 12: AF
July 13: AF
July 14: AF
July 15: AF

So far in July: 10/15 days AF. I'm right on track to meet my monthly goal of 20 AF days!

Doxmum

Wow - this thread is on fire! I love it! Mega-thanks to @MissMay for maintaining the message board, your words of support & encouragement, honesty, authenticity & the slogan "Less Alcohol, More Animals!" Especially during a people-pandemic and an "Oh Deer!" invasion. That's what we say in Montana. Deer are ubiquitous here too. All over the place. At the local Dachshund races and chile cook-off last fall, there was even one entry named 'Oh Deer.' It had venison and I think it took second place. Of course I was drinking a lot last fall so I really don't remember who won.

@FeelinFooFoo Ditto what MissMay said. I was so ashamed of my daily drinking habit I lurked here for 3 months before starting to post. It helped immensely for me to communicate with others who were in the same boat (or had been at one time) that I was in. I am drinking SIGNIFICANTLY less because of this group. I even did a 30 day "Take a Break" program which has also helped a lot. Full disclosure: I only made it a little over 21 days but that was incredible progress for me. I still listen to Rachel Hart's free podcasts on Spotify. And I keep checking-in here. Glad you are back.

@tesha231 Glad to hear your parents are doing OK, considering their ages. And absolutely YES! Continue to wear a mask even after apparent recovery. The healthcare community (where I spent my career) has not had the time or resources to collect the data necessary to say definitively how long "immunity" may - or may not - last. Or how much immunity a given antibody response actually provides.

@globalhiker "I know people who are perpetually stuck in victim-thinking..." Were you referring to the orange clown living in the white house?

For everyone who likes IPA beer. Try Athletic Brewing Company's Run Wild IPA. It's good! They only make NA beer and the IPA only has 70 calories. Then again, I'm a hop-head.

Namaste

dawnbgethealthy

Hi. I am Dawn. Turning 60 in September.
I live in SE BC, Canada.
I started on this thread November 28.18 - at that time I was having drinks every day. That first AF day was very hard! I vowed to have 1AF day per week to start, then progressed to 2AF days per week etc.
My goal now (that is working for me) is 16-20 AF days per month. I have been keeping within that since last October. I am comfortable and happy with that goal. If I exceed that, then great.
I have never ever been able to exceed 3 drinks or I throw up. Moderation is thrust upon me.

Wednesday July 01 - AF - Happy Canada Day.
Thursday July 02 - AF - Super long day at work. I kept thinking about having drinks tonight if I could ever get through the day. I used the delay tactic when I finally did arrive home so hungry and tired. I'm sure tomorrow will be better for having abstained.
Friday July 03 - AF - Scheduled Mojitos with a gf tomorrow after garage Sale-ing and the farmer's market. Would have liked to have a couple today after being up a ladder painting in the hot sun, but saving it up.
Saturday July 04 - Mojitos and stuff.
Sunday July 05 - AF - Felt like having drinks though.
Monday July 06 - AF - I might have drinks at band practice tomorrow, we'll see.
Tuesday July 07 - AF - I was going to have drinks if the guys were drinking beer at practice, but they drank water today, my super water : - )
Wednesday July 08 - 3 drinks. I have been trying to not have drinks unless I am happy and celebrating, or on a nice sunny day when I have spent many hours working in my yard. Now that I am back to working long stupid days my will power just went out the window. I didn't get home until 10pm and hadn't eaten since the morning. I was hungry, tired, stressed. The first sip of a drink felt really nice.
Thursday July 09 - AF - Another late night getting home, I didn't finish dinner until 11:30. I worked for Foster Grant today, and they require us to wear masks and gloves when servicing stores. Not comfortable. I peeled the mask and gloves off outside the store into a garbage bin, really thinking about having a drink when I got home. I could too easily slip back into daily drinks after work, I will have to work at not doing that.
Friday July 10 - AF - I have a friend in town staying with another friend. I was invited for drinks on the outdoor deck. They are not heavy drinkers, but drinkers nonetheless. I wanted to at least get my 2AF days in a row. I am getting together with them tomorrow afternoon. I may have drinks. I avoided going tonight because I can't always resist when others are drinking around me and getting giggly.
Saturday July 11 - A bunch of drinks in the hot sun on my friends patio.
Sunday July 12 - AF - Slept early and awoke early (4am). I didn't feel fantastic, but after lemon water and some coffee I went for a nice 2 hour hike and felt back to normal after that.
Monday July 13 - AF
Tuesday July 14 - AF - Time to trim this long post down. I do like to look at it when I log on, but I can do that with reducing it to a spoiler.

Wednesday July 15 - AF - that was a real test of willpower, my morning started out with the flusher arm on the toilet snapping argh. My workday was ridiculous, and a bunch of other crappy things today. I am trying very hard to not have drinks when I am stressed, only when I am happy. Today was a test, I know that some numbing would have been lovely, but I also want tomorrow to be a better day, and I don't want to jeopardize that with possibly not feeling well.
Thursday July 16 - AF - I just plum didn't go out into the field for one of the companies that I work for today, I was so stressed out from working for them yesterday. It was only to be 2 small merchandising jobs at 2 grocery stores today, but as long as I get there, build the displayers and do their signage and stuff by the 24th it will be okay. I got spoiled being on lay-off from some jobs, and taking a leave of absence from the one that I hate working for so much. It was the happiest that I had been in many years, puttering around the house and the garden, listening to music, playing in my garden, waking up when I felt like it. I love being alone, so self-isolation suited me perfectly. I posted my best AF totals during that time. It would have been easy to slip back into having drinks at the end of a long stressful workday, really trying not to. Expecting to have drinks with friends over the weekend - socially distancing outside of course.

Rolling total: 13AF days out of 16 days.

Womona

globalhiker wrote: »

Adding one more thing (one I am struggling with).....too much negative news watching is a self-esteem and motivation eroder....I have to challenge myself today to minimize behaviors that weaken my spirit.....that means for me to limit the news-check to 10 min in the morning and 10 min in the evening, no more. More than this can lead me to insomnia and drinking which I really don't need...

I am right there with you on the need to cut down on news and social media! I can’t even bear it. Every news source -even the well respected ones- has an agenda they are trying to shove down our throats, and comments on social media are downright vicious if you don’t agree with whatever someone is saying. It’s insidious and gets into every unrelated conversation. I take everything I hear on the news with a giant grain of salt.

On social media, I swear I miss pictures of people’s meals- something I used to detest! Yes it’s come to that! Haha!

Anyway, all that stuff leads to an all- day low level agitation, on top of the stuff of life! Kudos to us all for trying to navigate drinking less during the *kitten* show that is 2020!!!!

Womona

@mainelylisa i hope you get some alone time soon! A cabin by the lake in Maine sounds dreamy, but not if your solace is interrupted. Maybe send everyone out on an errand for some obscure gadget that doesn’t exist, but that you simply must have. That may buy you a day!

MissMay

Friday already? Where did the week go?
Oh yeah.......it went straight down the tubes because I was stressing out over the wicked witch from the west being in town- Husbands Mother.
Pretty sad when your drinking buddy for the past 50 years is your parent.
Nope I can't get over it.

I will catch up later with everyone. After I go kick my punching bag.

16th day of July
13 days AF
3 days A

globalhiker

5 drinks/16 days...thanks for the tips on Ted Talks and Rachel Hart, will check out this weekend!!
Feeling happy to finally find a cardio barbell online so I can do my home body-pump class properly. That's my splurge/reward for the month....

Have an awesome weekend!

mainelylisa

Yesterday I felt 180 degrees from the prior day. More centered. Happy. I walked barefooted around the cabin (apparently, there are benefits from skin to earth contact--which we rarely do as adults. I wish I knew what governed all my emotions--but work was much better. I don't know why I haven't learned to not let work get to me.

Even though I'd previously decided I'd have a wine night next week at home, I decided I really wanted to sit on the deck and enjoy a drink while my partner was fishing, so I poured myself 2 shots of Amaretto. I don't love it, but it was the only adult beverage in the place. I enjoyed it. Didn't overdo it. So I'm good with my decision.

mainelylisa

Here's a Friday giggle for you (it was more like a snort of coffee up my nose for me) if you haven't seen it. #lessalcoholmorepetsbutfewertails https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pq9N8qrTT0