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Less Alcohol - FEBRUARY 2021 - One Day At A Time
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Day 22 AF is here, Day 14 AF for DH, I think.
Sunday was a bit challenging. Kids came over. Good news is I didn't drink alcohol but on the flip side I "overdrank" my 0% beers, 4 in total and all in a 1-2 hour span. I wasn't thirsty, just trying to "drown out" the wine devil.
You see, December was the last recent month I did a "sprint" and I made it to day 22. And so here we are at another day 22, and Wine Devil is hammering away saying "you did enough see, ok to stop"....UGH. I want to strangle my wine devil
Everybody here (aka the Wonderfuls) is inspiring me! You ALL are helping to turn my life around.
Let's surprise ourselves and make this an amazing week....
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@mainelylisa you commented that the "power of exercise is amazing". Then I re-read my recent post here and thought, Gee, past Saturday I skipped the run and Sunday I just walked with family (no cardio, weights) and lo and behold I was fighting the wine devil.
Could I have avoided that if I had worked out properly both mornings? It would've given me a good dopamine dose for the day right? And maybe I would've have struggled mentally so much?
I think you are onto something.9 -
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2 glasses of wine last night. Today is Monday and I need to get back to my weekday abstinence to help turn the boat around on my weight loss journey. It doesn't matter that I have book club Monday and Wednesday night ... maybe I'll try some of my new fancy waters in a pretty glass.
Feb accountability: 7/22 days AF
Alcohol: 14 days (31 drinks)
Goal: Limit 1-2 glasses per day; 12-16 AF days per month
2/1 - AF
2/2 - AF
2/3 - AF
2/4 - AF
2/5 - 2 wine
2/6 - 2 wine
2/7 - 2 wine
2/8 - AF
2/9 - AF
2/10 - AF
2/11 - 3 wine
2/12 - 2 wine
2/13 - 3 wine
2/14 - 2 wine
2/15 - 2 wine
2/16 - 2 wine
2/17 - 2 wine
2/18 - 2 wine
2/19 - 2 wine + 1 rum
2/20 - 2 wine
2/21 - 2 wine
Monday WI was depressing. Lost & regained 6 lbs this year ARGHHHHH
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Saturday I drank 1 glass of wine and 2 oz of whiskey and had a horrible time trying to sleep, last night I was AF and still struggled to sleep but I recognize this and my body, sleep and alcohol sometimes don't play well together and it will take another few nights to get back into a rhythm.
The funny thing is when I was drinking every night I thought there was no way I could sleep without out the alcohol. One of my many excuses as to why I drank each night. Then after going AF about the third night I did start sleeping and much better! Who knew??12 -
I have 10AF nights out of 21.
That’s the best I’ve done in years.
I love reading everybody’s posts. Now that the days are getting longer, I can make dinner, even prep it, early and walk afterwards. If I’m out walking after dinner, I won’t drink. To get to sleep on AF nights, I have to take sleeping pills and Hylands makes a homeopathic Calms Forte which is a sleep aid that “relives stress to help you sleep”. I take about 5 of them.
Karen8 -
We got our water back on late Friday night. The plumbers only found 6 (of 72) units with issues and were able to cap them off then and there. Saturday the snow melted, and on Sunday the only evidence of snowmaggedon was my dead plants and husband's amp that got fried from the power cycling. After taking a shower in my own house like a normal human being on Saturday, I felt so very drained. Said eff it, laid in bed playing video games and sipping cocktails for a good chunk of the day. I don't regret this one bit and feel a lot more prepared to resume day-to-day life this week.
2/1 - AF
2/2 - AF
2/3 - 2 drinks
2/4 - 1 drink
2/5 - AF
2/6 - 2 drinks
2/7 - 1.5 drinks
2/8 - AF
2/9 - AF
2/10 - AF
2/11 - AF
2/12 - 1 drink
2/13 - 1.5 drinks
2/14 - 2.5 drinks
2/15 - 4 drinks
2/16 - AF
2/17 - AF
2/18 - AF
2/19 - 2 drinks
2/20 - 4 drinks
2/21 - 1 drink
Husband's birthday is on Friday. I'm sure we'll have a video call with friends and a couple of drinks then, and there will definitely be wine on Saturday to go with the lasagna and chocolate cake I'm making. If I can keep this week to 5.5 drinks or less, I'll average 1 drink/day for the month, which I'd be very happy with!11 -
@CMB44512 Just 10 beers in one week! You used to go through that in 2 days! Congratulations, keep it up!
@Lilylady3k Hang in there. This past week has been really hard. Not just on what we might have been personally experiencing, but also checking in on our friends and family. And for what it's worth, that weight on the scale is probably just a water weight bounce from stress and your glycogen stores refilling from a few extra calories. Get back to your normal routine and I bet it falls right off
@mainelylisa Oh, husbands and their confusing messages. If yours is like mine, sharing a nice bottle is a bonding experience and sets a certain mood for him. Since I started scaling back the alcohol in August, mine has gotten a lot better about not taking it personally when I say no, but it feels important to say yes sometimes.6 -
Was AF this whole weekend and driving by the liquor store I was doing the side eye the entire time. I respect everyone on here who can limit themselves, which is something I just can't do and won't ever be there. It's my goal to be AF all this week to continue my streak to make it a month! Not easy but definitely worth it. I am already feeling better physically and mentally. Was looking through all the posts and congrats to all who hit their goals and thank you for posting you success stories...it helps a lot!9
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@thompsjared3 Almost a month--WOOT! I feel exactly what you are saying. While having an impressive AF streak sounds impressing to some, those like "us" are in awe of those who can hold it to one or two drinks at a time and only sometimes. No side eye, but I secretly checked the price on a Tito's handle yesterday as I was grocery shopping. (Guess it's not a secret anymore!)6
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High pain day for me. My hip has been hurting and my back has been spasming all day. I have had a hard time getting anything done today, it has been depressing. It really set off my want to drink. There is a bottle of wine in the cabinet and the only thing keeping me from drinking it right now is the thought of upsetting my husband. That alone has been enough motivation.9
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Hi
I originally decided to drink less in order to lose weight.
I have been on this thread since Nov 28.18
Thank you to @MissMay for keeping us going.
I am going to post with my usual diary style to keep track of my AF days.
I will be keeping to my usual goal of 16-20 AF days per month. It is manageable for me and doesn't put too much pressure on me. So far I have been able to keep with it. One month I raised the goal and failed miserably, so I learned from that. I think this is my sweet spot.
My rule for myself: No drinking 2 days in a row, strive for 2AF days in a row in between at minimum.
Friday Feb 19 - AF - Drinks and Pizza planned for tomorrow.
Saturday Feb 20 - Drinks and Pizza. I had the leftover 1/2 can of spicy Mott's Caesar from my fridge, then had beer with the pizza and a mixed drink after. The pizza had bacon, ham, and sausage on it (amongst other things) so I drank copious amounts of water with splashes of juice I was so thirsty.
Sunday Feb 21 - AF - I will be tomorrow also to get my 2AF days in a row.
Monday Feb 21 - AF - Very early workday start tomorrow, so AF tonight. Always happy to see my 16 : - )
Rolling total 16AF days out of 22 days7 -
thompsjared3 wrote: »Was AF this whole weekend and driving by the liquor store I was doing the side eye the entire time. I respect everyone on here who can limit themselves, which is something I just can't do and won't ever be there. It's my goal to be AF all this week to continue my streak to make it a month! Not easy but definitely worth it. I am already feeling better physically and mentally. Was looking through all the posts and congrats to all who hit their goals and thank you for posting you success stories...it helps a lot!
@thompsjared3 - Congrats on an AF weekend and targeting to be AF this week!!! I still have trouble targeting 3-4 AF nights per week.
It has taken me a couple of years to finally be able to stop at 2 glasses of wine. Still have trouble with 1 glass and sometimes I have 3. But there are many times when it was not unusual for me to have 6-10 drinks each day that I did drink. Because once I got to 3 I would start losing count. Or I would start with cosmos or beer or another drink and then move on to wine etc etc
I agree it is not easy but it does feel good to limit or be AF! Glad to see you here.8 -
@Tesha231 and @Lilylady3k thank you both! Everyday is a new day and sober living is crazy! Especially when you work from home all day and all you want to do is drink. Gotta save my cals for nachos tho haha. You all are the absolute best!6
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Hi friends, I am new to the thread!
I had a last straw type situation with alcohol the other night, and I think I am done with it for good. It is very obvious that I am unable to handle myself when drinking, and that I am unable to control how much I drink. So here I am!
When I am alone it is not so difficult, I rarely get the craving for a drink. With other people is a different story tho, and it is VERY difficult for me to have a fun time with friends unless there is alcohol involved. That will be very difficult. I guess it's a bit easier for now with the Corona rules here limiting how many people I can see, but once those rules loosen up, it's gonna be a challenge.
So Saturday marks day 1. Let's do this!11 -
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Hi friends, I am new to the thread!
I had a last straw type situation with alcohol the other night, and I think I am done with it for good. It is very obvious that I am unable to handle myself when drinking, and that I am unable to control how much I drink. So here I am!
When I am alone it is not so difficult, I rarely get the craving for a drink. With other people is a different story tho, and it is VERY difficult for me to have a fun time with friends unless there is alcohol involved. That will be very difficult. I guess it's a bit easier for now with the Corona rules here limiting how many people I can see, but once those rules loosen up, it's gonna be a challenge.
So Saturday marks day 1. Let's do this!
Welcome @nookicky.. I understand to well the pressures that being with others involves when there is alcohol flowing. Whether you intend to have some dry days, a continuous run on no alcohol or stop to alcohol all together is definitely your choice. There is every known scenario on our thread as to where people are with their own relationship to alcohol.7 -
Get psyched @nookicky it's worth it one million percent. Connecting with people with your same goals is very helpful. They will help carry you and pull you through any rough patches.
Day 23 AF for me. Day 15 AF for husband. Interrupted sleep last night and a crazy horror movie nightmare. I am sure it has to do with eating too late, too much so the gut isn't happy. I read it takes a while for the gut to normalize after removing the alcohol. I have to remember to take the bromelain pills with dinner to help my digestion.
Today I focus on 2 things:
keeping emotions in check and not letting them direct behavior
getting a morning and afternoon "dose" of dopamine from exercise
@lilylady3k I can so relate to your post. I now weigh myself once a month and pay no mind to the weight, just the muscle percentage (which I want to go up) and the body fat percentage (to go down). My weight normally cycles up and down by 5 lbs in one day, and during periods of stress, can be more. Water with real lemon or lime all day long, anti-inflammatory foods and little to no starchy carbs at dinner is my go-to reset. You have the power to get the scale numbers back to where you want them especially as life gets back to normal in Texas.7 -
@MissMay thank you for your inspirational and energizing posts!! You always give us a shot of motivation when we need it. 5
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@CryingBlue I hope you feel better and solution the pains. Spasms hurt like hell and I have a back and neck one that pops up if I watch TV in a sideways position...and the hip bursitis from muscle imbalances and having one leg every so slightly longer. I am a big fan of arnica gel though for fast relief it worked for me. Physical therapy too.5
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globalhiker wrote: »Get psyched @nookicky it's worth it one million percent. Connecting with people with your same goals is very helpful. They will help carry you and pull you through any rough patches.
Day 23 AF for me. Day 15 AF for husband. Interrupted sleep last night and a crazy horror movie nightmare. I am sure it has to do with eating too late, too much so the gut isn't happy. I read it takes a while for the gut to normalize after removing the alcohol. I have to remember to take the bromelain pills with dinner to help my digestion.
Today I focus on 2 things:
keeping emotions in check and not letting them direct behavior
getting a morning and afternoon "dose" of dopamine from exercise
@lilylady3k I can so relate to your post. I now weigh myself once a month and pay no mind to the weight, just the muscle percentage (which I want to go up) and the body fat percentage (to go down). My weight normally cycles up and down by 5 lbs in one day, and during periods of stress, can be more. Water with real lemon or lime all day long, anti-inflammatory foods and little to no starchy carbs at dinner is my go-to reset. You have the power to get the scale numbers back to where you want them especially as life gets back to normal in Texas.
@globalhiker - Reseting! Good advice about adding lime to my water ... I have some in the fridge and didn't even think about that. Thanks for the encouragement. Enjoy your "dose" of dopamine from exercise. Mental is just as important as physical.
Beautiful weather in Texas! Walked 4 miles yesterday and started garden cleanup after the freeze. Also took a picture of the water meter and then an hour later after not running water rechecked it. NO LEAKS! The dial had not changed. Soon I'll test the sprinkler system which could be a whole different issue.
AF last night even though DH opened a bottle of wine (amazed that he stopped at 2 glasses and put a cork in it). Bookclub was fun and I tried a flavored water ... way too sweet so added sparkling water to it.
2nd COVID vaccine this morning which really helped drive me back to AF life last night. No way did I want to go into this vaccine shot with a hangover or even alcohol in my body. Maybe that is why DH stopped at 2 as well.
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Hi friends, I am new to the thread!
I had a last straw type situation with alcohol the other night, and I think I am done with it for good. It is very obvious that I am unable to handle myself when drinking, and that I am unable to control how much I drink. So here I am!
When I am alone it is not so difficult, I rarely get the craving for a drink. With other people is a different story tho, and it is VERY difficult for me to have a fun time with friends unless there is alcohol involved. That will be very difficult. I guess it's a bit easier for now with the Corona rules here limiting how many people I can see, but once those rules loosen up, it's gonna be a challenge.
So Saturday marks day 1. Let's do this!
Welcome! I think a lot of us feel that same pressure (or desire ) to drink when out with friends. I know I’ve experienced it! Summertime sports that involve alcohol are hard too- havinga drink while golfing, for example. But, there are ways to be around friends, have an AF drink , or just nurse one alcoholic drink, and nobody even knows the difference!7 -
I'm going to finish strong...
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Wow I was just looking at my journal and I am 17 AF day out of 22, this is the most I have done that I can remember since I was in my 30's??? and 30+ years later this is a big party hat celebration. This thread has so helped me, I felt so isolated before and did not think others had the same thoughts, emotions, struggles that I did.
@globalhiker I am managing or should say more aware of my protein intake and am making an effort to get in 85-95 g per day. It is just taking a mental shift and re evaluating my diet. thank you. no real movement on the scale but that is ok. I am also watching the types of carbs I eat too.
Well Less + AF bud's I am off to punish my body (in a good way) to the gym!12 -
@Stockholm_Andy now that there was really funny. Thanks for the chuckle.7
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Six more days left in February.
I have a huge question to ask. Who on here would like to continue as the creator each month for the Less Alcohol One Day At A Time thread ?
My time has come to disembark as I am going to be extremely busy down sizing my home and property.
I will need to have some interest for the task asap so that the new person can either create a new monthly thread or decided if they would like this one to be continuous.
Thanks for your help in advance to this.
MissMay
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I'm happy to post a new thread each month, Miss May--at least through the year when I may ask to pass the torch to another. You've certainly put your work in. I hope the downsizing is a good thing.8
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@Stockholm_Andy We need a Hilarious button. I'll join ya!6
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mainelylisa wrote: »I'm happy to post a new thread each month, Miss May--at least through the year when I may ask to pass the torch to another. You've certainly put your work in. I hope the downsizing is a good thing.
Oh THANK YOU Lisa. Your hired!7
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