Less Alcohol - FEBRUARY 2021 - One Day At A Time
Replies
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Survived Day 3 AF! No nightmares or sweats or monsters in the room. And NO CRAVINGS! Took the Stress Gummies at the normal "drinking hour" of 5pm and yep, no cravings.
Slept almost 6 hours straight, that is progress! Yes, 2 Olly melatonin gummies before bed worked.
Slight nausea, zero appetite and headache is what I have now. I read this can be from "endotoxin die off" and is normal. The remedy is to drink tons of water, move and sweat it out, take good probiotics.
Today I will try out L-glutamine, low dose like 500mg, instead of the Stress Gummies which have GABA and could be what is triggering my headache, not sure. L-glutamine supposedly helps with both sugar and alcohol cravings and habitual drinkers are deficient in this.
Game plan for today is to avoid known "trigger" situations (shopping later in the day, hunger, cooking in the kitchen). I'll pick up chinese takeout and plan another movie night at home. The idea is to make this whole process as EASY and COMFORTABLE as possible, get through it, and NEVER have to do this again
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@Tesha231 wow 45 days AF is really outstanding! In the past 2 years I did 3 weeks AF and 2 other separate months AF, but never past the 30 day mark.
I've been approaching this like a crash diet. Do it for a few weeks, achieve success, get some weight loss, then the rebound starts to happen, slowly, insiduosly. Along comes a vacation, a life event, an unplanned stress, and there you go!
I want to kill my cravings once and for all and this go-around I think I need to go for a longer stretch, like 3-4 months to really "reset/heal" my nervous system and get the whole "dopamine" process back to working normally. I read the length of time depends on one's genetics and how long /how much damage they've done. One article said 2.5 months is the average for people who are not hard core drinkers but who knows. Also read chances of long term success increase significantly with cognitive-behavioral therapy so I may pick up a book on that first.
In the meantime, I'll just focus on having a good AF day 4 9 -
@globalhiker SO PROUD OF YOU! I love the insight you shared on "reset/heal"--something I wondered about but didn't research. Cognitive-behavioral therapy --please share what you learn as the topics intrigues me!
The personal damage part worries me. Based on some of the graphs that have been posted I was more than a heavy drinker for well over--I don't even know how many years. Likely "hard core" for the last two anyway. Like @fergusonlaceyloo (welcome!) I started drinking in high school. For me it was to be cool and fit in with my older brothers' friends. Fortunately I married earlier than folks do today so was more responsible for a few decades, but not AF.
Fast forward back to now. I'm really trying to continue a "self discovery" trip as it relates to my relationship with alcohol. It's not a fun adventure so really glad I'm not alone and have all the fine folks on this thread to help me identify and love my true self. Even the realization that I am/was a "heavy drinker", "hard core drinker" helps. Now I wonder--how do I know if I am an alcoholic? How does anyone really?
Sorry for the mind dump, but that is where I'm at and taking a hard look at myself helps separate me from the bottle. Maybe it would help others would be my wish.
I know you got this. Keep your eyes on the prize. No nightmares, better sleep is just the beginning rewards of our AF journey.8 -
February - Goal 20/28
2/1 - AF
2/2 - AF
2/3 - AF
I'm aiming for no more than 2 drink nights per week, those were going to be Fri & Sat, but I saw @MissMay said she aims not to have consecutive nights, which makes a ton of sense, so I will maybe go with Thurs and Sat, or Fri and Sun.
Grocery shopping late last night I nearly bought alcohol, then remembered seeing a tip on this thread that said most cravings last about 6 mins, so I went straight home, and yes, the craving passed.
I can't tell you how much this thread is helping me, I would never have imagined it could before I started!
@globalhiker Tried the Olly sleep gummies last night and they DID work! They didn't knock me out the way some reviewers say, but they made it easy to fall asleep, and even though I woke a couple of times I was able to get back to sleep almost straight away, no lying awake for an hour or more trying to get back off. I hope they keep working, I haven't read about whether people gain tolerance to them.9 -
globalhiker wrote: »Survived Day 3 AF! No nightmares or sweats or monsters in the room. And NO CRAVINGS! Took the Stress Gummies at the normal "drinking hour" of 5pm and yep, no cravings.
Slept almost 6 hours straight, that is progress! Yes, 2 Olly melatonin gummies before bed worked.
Slight nausea, zero appetite and headache is what I have now. I read this can be from "endotoxin die off" and is normal. The remedy is to drink tons of water, move and sweat it out, take good probiotics.
Today I will try out L-glutamine, low dose like 500mg, instead of the Stress Gummies which have GABA and could be what is triggering my headache, not sure. L-glutamine supposedly helps with both sugar and alcohol cravings and habitual drinkers are deficient in this.
Game plan for today is to avoid known "trigger" situations (shopping later in the day, hunger, cooking in the kitchen). I'll pick up chinese takeout and plan another movie night at home. The idea is to make this whole process as EASY and COMFORTABLE as possible, get through it, and NEVER have to do this again
We'll done @globalhiker on hitting 3 days AF! It sounds like you have a plan.
I've not read about L-Glutamine helping with cravings so will look into that as purely by coincidence my wife asked me to order her some last week. So learning about that was a plus.
On the negative side I'm now craving a Chinese takeout 9 -
Fit_Happens_2021 wrote: »
@globalhiker Tried the Olly sleep gummies last night and they DID work! They didn't knock me out the way some reviewers say, but they made it easy to fall asleep, and even though I woke a couple of times I was able to get back to sleep almost straight away, no lying awake for an hour or more trying to get back off. I hope they keep working, I haven't read about whether people gain tolerance to them.
Ok so first I went off searching for L-Glutamine and now after a second recommendation I went off looks for Olly Sleep Gummies
To my surprise they ARE available in Sweden so I might give those a go too. Thanks!
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Had a couple of glasses of wine last night. I was low on calories and just not hungry... so... wine. It was tasty
2/1 - AF
2/2 - AF
2/3 - 2 Drinks
Plan going forward:
2/4 - 1 Drink
2/5 - 1 Drink
2/6 - 1-2 Drinks
2/7 - AF7 -
dawnbgethealthy wrote: »@Fit_Happens_2021 I tend to drink decaf vanilla chi it has some sweetness that I crave. Also after missmay suggested I try bitters in my sparkling water that is working well for me too.
AF February 3 out of 3, off to a good start
So glad that you found Bitters and that you like it. Caution, 47% alcohol in Bitters...just saying, don't put too much of it in.
All in All I consume about 1 tablespoon of bitters each night, I am not sure that really amounts to much? or does it?3 -
dawnbgethealthy wrote: »@Fit_Happens_2021 I tend to drink decaf vanilla chi it has some sweetness that I crave. Also after missmay suggested I try bitters in my sparkling water that is working well for me too.
AF February 3 out of 3, off to a good start
So glad that you found Bitters and that you like it. Caution, 47% alcohol in Bitters...just saying, don't put too much of it in.
All in All I consume about 1 tablespoon of bitters each night, I am not sure that really amounts to much? or does it?
A serving of 40% hard alcohol is 1.5 oz, or 3 tbsp. A serving of bitters at 47% would be 1.275 oz. You're having about 2/5 of a drink if you're having a tablespoon of 47% bitters.6 -
Stayed AF lastnight Much better than the night before.
@JohnBarth
@MissMay
@Fit_Happens_2021
Thanks for all your support and encouragement
2 AF / 3 Day.
Feb Goal: 19 AF / 28 days10 -
chocolate_owl wrote: »dawnbgethealthy wrote: »@Fit_Happens_2021 I tend to drink decaf vanilla chi it has some sweetness that I crave. Also after missmay suggested I try bitters in my sparkling water that is working well for me too.
AF February 3 out of 3, off to a good start
So glad that you found Bitters and that you like it. Caution, 47% alcohol in Bitters...just saying, don't put too much of it in.
All in All I consume about 1 tablespoon of bitters each night, I am not sure that really amounts to much? or does it?
A serving of 40% hard alcohol is 1.5 oz, or 3 tbsp. A serving of bitters at 47% would be 1.275 oz. You're having about 2/5 of a drink if you're having a tablespoon of 47% bitters.
Thank you for doing the calculations for me. I still consider this a win / win for me. Until I find something else to sip on in my normal drinking glass I will continue but maybe only total 1 teaspoon?9 -
Epiphany after I wrote in here yesterday. My GF and I sat down and looked hard at the heavy drinker poster I came across. I dont want to be considered a HEAVY drinker. If 15 is the beginning of that I need to be at least at 7 or less for the week. Not going to lie, this sucks big time. I have to do it though. Between the liver test video, that poster, my Mom being an alcoholic and me downing way to many beers, I dont stand a chance.
My GF is on board and supports me all the way. She even apologized for that pic she took of me when I came home drunk in Dec and then she sent it to my phone because she was pissed off. I do ❤ her.
Six pack should in all reality last me a full week. WTH?
Either 1 every night with 1AF or well I haven't got that far yet to try and think how else to manage it.
Starting tonight alcohol free. We are going for a "couples walk" she says after supper.
Really enjoy reading everyone else's progress.
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@lmlmrn No problem! I'm always here to do math
@CMB44512 OK since I missed Dec and Jan, I admit I just went back and stalked you a bit. I am cheering for you SO HARD. YOU CAN DO THIS. You don't want to end up like your mom, you want to be there for your GF and future family, you want to take care of yourself. But also, you said a thing about having AF days a few weeks ago: "I suppose it will happen when I least expect it to." If this is that moment, great! But also, you can MAKE this happen. You're making a choice to be AF today. You can also choose what happens tomorrow, and the next day, and the next. It's your life. Take control. (And yeah, I'm totally writing this out for myself too, because good habits are tough to form and old habits die hard.)8 -
@CMB44512 - I'm so happy for you to have a GF that is being supportive! I knew a couple that even after they had kids went for a family walk each night after dinner. I was also jealous of their quiet time together. The Couples Stroll sounds wonderful ... it is a great start.
You've got a good friend too with they guy you are working out with ... great role model.
You've made a lot of headway over the past months ... I'm rooting for you!7 -
Recently read "Midnight Library" by Matt Haig. I came away with a number of really wonderful quotes that I would like to share with all of you.
* The only way to learn is to live
* You can choose choices but not outcomes
* Doing one thing differently is often like doing everything differently
* It’s not what you look at that matters it’s what you see
* Never underestimate the importance of little things
* Life gives you a whole new perspective by waiting around long enough to see it
* You don’t have to understand life you just have to live it
Here's to all of us learning to live with less alcohol ... in our own way.
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Planning another AF evening ... my 4th in a row! I'm soooooooooo looking forward to Friday. This not joining DH to indulge in wine these past 4 nights has really been challenging but I've discovered that I can do it when I'm in the right frame of mind. Instead of being wishy washy and giving in ... I knew going into the week that he would probably not be supportive (well he is in that he is not pouring me a glass LOL) but it is what it is. And I choose to make the choice to not drink M-Th.
But on another note ... what are weekdays when you are retired??? I guess it is out of habit I decided on M-Th but in the future I guess I could choose other timeframes. Right now this works for me and I'm glad that I did it this week.
Feb accountability: 4/4 days AF
Alcohol: 0 days (0 drinks)
Goal: Limit 1-2 glasses per day; 12-16 AF days per month
This first week striving for no alcohol M-Th to get me in the right direction at the beginning of the month.
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@Lilylady3k You are so strong! I know if my hubby was pouring himself a wine I would cave, lucky for me he only really drinks beer and I don't like beer. You are an inspiration!
@CMB44512 I think you are going through a huge awakening, and it will be so worth it!
Couples walk is a good habit to get into. In our first year of marriage, we got a dog, a golden retriever, and we walked together every day, walking together is a bonding experience. You tend to find you can talk about all sorts of things that don't come up when you are together at home as a lot of the time is spent watching digital entertainment.8 -
@CMB44512 it really sounds like you had your ah ha moment.
I have struggled for a long time then I attended one of my ww meetings and the facilitator just said 'change your path' So it took me a few months to even know which path, what path blah blah but here I am. I took a photo at a local park this fall that screamed 'change your path' so I had it made into a poster that now sits on my office wall. Know one knows the significance of the scene but it kinda sooths me right now
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Another AF day! That’s 3/4 for me! I toyed with the idea of a drink, but we were just having leftovers and it didn’t see worth it. Not a special enough occasion. Now, I have to learn that a nicely cooked meal at home isn’t really a special occasion either! Too easy to morph back to being a daily drinker.
Someone (forgot who, sorry!) mentioned this is like a crash diet- virtuous cycle , then stress, life and bad habits put us back to where we started (with either calories or alcohol). You are so right! Aren’t we all sick of that cycle? This is a lifestyle change, and it’s not always easy. I know for me, those long summer nights, golf outings, etc beckon me to drink more. I just want to sustain this eating well and drinking less plan!
I realized today it was my husband who introduced me to wine. I had finally found “my drink” and it’s so easy to have a glass of wine every night. Previous relationships, we would drink beer (broke college students and all), which I really don’t love, so I’d nurse it all night. When I lived at home with my parents, I never drank either because they aren’t drinkers. Didn’t really occur to me. So, it’s not my hubby’s fault that I became a daily drinker - wine just evolved into something we shared together. It wasn’t until 2 years ago that I gave any thought to how much I was drinking. I love cutting down. My weight is better, and so is my complexion.
So, folks, we can do this- whatever “less” means to you!
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chocolate_owl wrote: »dawnbgethealthy wrote: »@Fit_Happens_2021 I tend to drink decaf vanilla chi it has some sweetness that I crave. Also after missmay suggested I try bitters in my sparkling water that is working well for me too.
AF February 3 out of 3, off to a good start
So glad that you found Bitters and that you like it. Caution, 47% alcohol in Bitters...just saying, don't put too much of it in.
All in All I consume about 1 tablespoon of bitters each night, I am not sure that really amounts to much? or does it?
A serving of 40% hard alcohol is 1.5 oz, or 3 tbsp. A serving of bitters at 47% would be 1.275 oz. You're having about 2/5 of a drink if you're having a tablespoon of 47% bitters.
Yes, a tablespoon is half an ounce. Bitters are slightly higher percentage than normal alcohol.
Most cocktails that include Bitters call for 2 drops of it.
I used to put 2 drops in a glass of club soda for an upset tummy, it really works. 2 drops coloured the whole glass. Strong tasting stuff.5 -
@Fit_Happens_2021 - Wine is definitely my downfall and I'm surprised with myself holding out. DH & I both drink beer but less often and he is not keeping that in the house which is a win. My sister is my other champion margaritas, cosmos, wine ...that I need to figure out how to handle as well.
I finally came to the conclusion that drinking wine when DH opens a bottle so that he doesn't drink the whole thing is not a good excuse for me to drink. Also I'm not going to be able to help him if he doesn't yet want to. He selected a couple of months in the past to focus on not drinking and it went well.
But I don't "need" to drink every night. I also don't need to drink so many glasses (past was 5-6 easily not even feeling it). When I do I usually gain weight (that is a lot of calories!) and my goals slip from my mind on being healthier. Drinking less is working for me and my weight loss journey so I'm going to continue to try. BUT when the spring and summer come ... I'll probably find it even more challenging ... so trying not to disappear from the thread this year. I'm in this for the long haul.
We are strong. We'll make our goals even when they are challenging.8 -
Hi
I originally decided to drink less 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.
Monday Feb 01 - AF - Had to at least start the month with an AF day to set the tone for myself.
Tuesday Feb 02 - Drinks. I used to always designate Tuesdays as my "drinks" day, because it is a very long work day paying very little. I worked to get away from that behaviour and was successful many times. My willpower didn't hold out tonight. I want to only have drinks NOT to relieve stress. I just stumbled a little.
Wednesday Feb 03 - AF - Planned AF
Thursday Feb 04 - AF - Because I needed 2 in a row. Planned drinks with my bubble friend tomorrow, but we'll see.
Rolling total 3AF day out of 4 days6 -
@lmlmrn
Breathtaking photo!!!
And so inspiring.
That path looks so much better than sitting drinking booze too.8 -
@Lilylady3k
Mon-Thurs seems like a great goal even though you are retired.
Some of the other people that you want to have a drink with might only be around on weekends, Mon-Thurs might be easier : - )
You and I both lose weight when we have AF days (as shown on our other forums).6 -
dawnbgethealthy wrote: »@Lilylady3k
Mon-Thurs seems like a great goal even though you are retired.
Some of the other people that you want to have a drink with might only be around on weekends, Mon-Thurs might be easier : - )
That was my thought too ... people to hang out with on the weekends. LOL But right now we're not hanging out with anyone but family and I'm hanging out mainly with DH. But he is not retired yet so M-Th stress drinking is still something since he has to work from home (his office has decided to not go back in until Sept 2021).
But it is easier M-Th right now. My monthly gatherings book clubs, alumnae social meetings, bunco, etc all on week nights are either not happening or are over Zoom. So not having all these gatherings has really helped me focus on curbing ... I'm not in my usual drinking 2-4 glasses of wine with the ladies.
But I still feel like M-Th AF gives me the opportunity to look forward to weekends again! Even if I'm retired. Cheers!
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Day 4 AF done.....managing OK, poor sleep and feel like I have been on a plane for 24 hours straight and have jet lag. I am drinking lots of water and in the morning add electrolytes.
Today's plan is tricky....I am actually going to drive out to a liquor store (in the morning) given they have the Running Wild alcohol free beer that everyone is recommending and I see it won awards. I will also see if they have an alcohol free Cava/Champagne that is not sweet. I can't stomach the diet sodas anymore, the sweet taste is nauseating so I need something else, especially to have on hand for Superbowl Sunday which is a national "drinking" day in the U.S. it seems.
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@Lilylady3k & @globalhiker I have been sharing these pages with the two of you for many months(years?) I am so moved by both of your determinations, set goals, plans enforced and executions.
Well done 4 for 4.
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Someone asked a very good question: How do you know you're an alcoholic? I am curious also!
In my readings I am picking up that this term is no longer used and now replaced with "Alcohol Use Disorder" (AUD).
Seems different countries and different counseling centers will use different criteria for evaluating whether or not one falls into this category and also different grading scales to determine the level of severity.
According to one test I took that was from a uk.gov site, I scored close to it but did not meet the criteria. I don't have any serious problems according to the test, never DUI, never hungover, no fights, never get "drunk" either. And most days I can stop at 2 drinks if I plan to but sometimes it's a real struggle and I don't like that.
Needless to say, so according to this one test I don't have AUD, but do I have a problem to fix? Absolutely.
I am in danger, if I continue, to get into that more serious alcohol use disorder zone.
I have achieved a very good level of alcohol tolerance (I can drink a lot and maintain composure and be very functional with no hangovers, etc, but this is still dangerously destroying my body).
I also feel that alcohol is robbing me of my natural ability to feel happy, so I want this fixed. And I don't want to be like the millions of people out there who continue drinking and just add on prescription anti-depressants and anti-anxiety drugs as a band-aid for the problems alcohol has done to their brains.9 -
@CMB44512 you stumbling across that chart was your golden ticket (Willy Wonka). We can listen to lots of good advice, Yet seeing it in big bold 3D seems to shed more light.
Your GF is a very lucky woman, as I believe you are to. The little heart you posted for her seriously made a trickle slide out the corner of my eye.
I have followed your touching story and could feel the determination in your posts for wanting to do the right thing by drinking less.
Your ducks are all lined up for you.......LEAD them away.8
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