Less Alcohol - APRIL 2021 - One Day At A Time

dawnbgethealthy

Hi : - )

I am going to sound like a broken record, but my goals are the same as they have been since January 2020:
16-20 AF days per month
NO drinking 2 days in a row
Keep 2 AF days in between drinks days.
3 is my max or I throw up.

Here goes my diary style:

Friday April 2nd - AF - tomorrow will be too so as to get my 2AF in a row.
Saturday April 3rd - AF - just trying to stay consistent with my goals.
Sunday April 4th - Drinks. April showers bring May flowers and all of that. The trails were just...wet. I worked out indoors, got a bunch of little stuff done around the house, then had a few drinks several hours ago followed by water.
Monday April 5th - AF - easy one to do, busy early workday tomorrow.
Tuesday April 6th - AF - I got hired for 2 jobs today that I had previously interviewed for. I turned down the one, and I start training on the one that I did pick tomorrow, so AF tonight for sure. It will be a fun job at an East Indian restaurant where I will become a server once the lockdown is lifted. I will learn the ropes and take phone calls for take-out and things like that until then. Less than half of the money of the other job prospects that I had a few weeks ago, but I think that it will be great and it will supplement my other jobs well financially. Good thing that it will be an active job because I love Indian food a little too much : - )

Rolling total: 4 AF days out of 6 days

dawnbgethealthy

@kelagurl
2020 was hard on everyone I think. I am pretty sure that I drank 10 days straight in late March.

I don't know if alcohol exacerbates anxiety or not. The Google machine could probably give answers on both sides lol.

MissMay

Every few months I like putting out this comparison of what one standard size drink REALLY is:

Womona

melled1 wrote: »

Hello Ladies. I read the entire thread and feel there is a close knit group of people supporting each other. I wasn't going to reply until I read @Womona 's last reply. I am a DH on the verge of diabetes. Just got my lab results back from Doc and got a good talking to. I have carried this app on my phone for lord knows how long and have decided to use it. I like this group because I think they have some of the same struggles I do. I don't have a real plan yet, just know that I need one and am working on it. I had to look up what AF meant!!! LOL, then it dawned on me. Anyhow, since I got my lab results, I have 2 AF days under my belt. Haven't done that in quite some time. I am going to allow myself drinks on Friday. I think it is easier when you know you have a planned day for it. Great advice earlier in the thread. Also - 2 days in a row with exercise!! Previous record was 1. Ha. 100% improvement. I know my personality type and if I can get this to stick, I will be a force to be reckoned with. Anyway, thanks to everyone who shares, wins and losses. It provides inspiration to untold numbers of people.

So glad you joined in!!! And your words are nice to hear. Yes, we all struggle trying to cut down (whatever cutting down means to us) and it’s definitely not always easy. But it is worth it. The successes are pretty wonderful. So is the support when we trip up!

Womona

Congratulations on the job @globalhiker ! Mmm, Indian food is delicious. I’m sure you’ll enjoy working there.

Started Dragon Boat paddle practice last night, and it was great to be back on the water. We went to dinner after practice. I was proud I microsipped my 5oz glass of wine, but I shouldn’t have had that 2nd taco! The portions were huge. Ugh too much food too late at night. Ever get that overstuffed feeling? Should have just packed it to go.

How nice to have regrets over food rather than alcohol!

StephieHockeyGirl

@kelagurl Wow, sounds like you are getting yourself back on track! That is great for recognizing it, it is a slippery slope and the pandemic has not been easy on anyone. One of my friends was just talking about Easter and prosecco!! It goes down too easy. I am totally new to the group and agree, it is a great space and great people here
I have had anxiety all my life, was diagnosed at 30 with generalized anxiety disorder although, as a child and adult I am pretty shy, I always thought I had social anxiety. I took french conversation in college and didn't say a peep all semester due to fear of speaking! For me, exercise has helped me a ton with it. But that gets thrown out the window when I drink cause then I feel like *kitten*. When I started binge drinking in college I barely got through school. It severely impacted my grades in a negative way because I was useless on the weekends I had to sleep for hours to recover. I am 52 now. Took me a long time to really see the problem - although I stopped binging after college due to no $$$
If I drink now it leads to heightened anxiety - even small amounts. I got a garmin watch for working out. When I drink I now have the data that shows me why I feel like *kitten*! Terrible sleep (no deep sleep/or rem, lots of wakefulness) resting heart rate increases etc. and it tells me I need more rest cause my heart rate fluctuates. Getting that feedback has really been an eye opener for me.

Keep up the good work

globalhiker

Hello Newcomers! Welcome!!

You'll come to find our main mission is really is all about becoming happier and healthier.....! Blood sugar issues, anxiety, all of that improves with drinking less over time. Weights, cardio and yoga/relaxation helps a ton as does getting one's lifestyle in balance so body and mind operates in sync.

Congrats to @dawnbgethealthy for landing such a cool job. I love Indian food too.....!!

AF here and that's the game plan for rest of April.

Do you know what feels better than drinking? Wanna know the truth?

It's hitting your goals AND no longer having cravings.....now that's a great feeling to wake up to.....!!!!!.

Make it a great day!!!!

Lilylady3k

2 glasses of wine last night with pizza dinner. Wanted a glass of the 2nd bottle DH opened but instead drank 2 large glasses of water while we watched a movie. It was hard but I didn't want to post another "red" day going over my personal limit.

ducky133

@dawnbgethealthy congrats on the job. I also adore Indian food. @kelagurl I have low level depression/anxiety and when I drink more than I should (like last night) I wake up around 2 or 3 am feeling extremely anxious and my thoughts cycle through every negative memory I can conjure up. When I drink less the anxiety is not bad like that although I am still a terrible sleeper. I should learn my lesson. I am trying to do that and this thread is very inspiring.

ahoy_m8

Back to @kelagurl 's inquiry about alcohol and anxiety.... yaaass. I do notice this.

There were younger years when I drank more than I do now, and I did not notice the anxiety connection. Maybe alcohol is affecting me differently as I age, or maybe I just didn't notice when I was drinking every day. Regardless, I definitely notice now. DH is pretty attuned to his anxiety and alcohol affects him the same way. It's a thing.

AR10at50

The closer I drink to bed time, the more awful I sleep, tossing and turning and waking my husband up. This has happened as I’ve gotten older.
Yesterday, I wanted a few beers and or a drink. I went outside to work on transplanting my sprouts to think about it and it just got late and I knew I could not drink anything at that point. It felt good to know I was getting another AF night. I’m still with the 2 AF days in a row schedule.
April
5-AF
1-A Which is good for me; I glad I know I can do it.

lmlmrn

I love seeing all the newbie's here, your stories are different but still the same. I am always encouraged when so many diverse individuals come together for a common theme. The struggle is real even if the details are different for each of us but the end goal is the same.

AF last night this makes 5 out of 6 days in April AF.

@dawnbgethealthy congrats on that new job! Sounds like it could be a lot of fun, but I would be so tempted with all those spicy foods...especially garlic naan....oh my I could roll around on garlic naan and be happy for a long long time. (did I mention tandoori chicken too yum)

I get my first covid shot today, I have no idea which one it will be. You have to make an appointment and you get whichever brand they have on hand. They finally are allowing those of us 60+ to get the shot then open up everyone else the 15th of this month. So it will be a battle to get shot 2 I am afraid. I take another medication (injection 1x per month) and the vaccine has to be taken two weeks after my injection. So my window of opportunity is really little.

Ah and the anxiety issue and drinking. For me I never identified with this until recently when I could actually step back and look at my history. Since I started the dark side of this journey in an unhappy and abusive relationship I can almost pinpoint when I started to drink. Unfortunately once I was out (after 16 years) I continued to drink. The consumption did not slow down, I really thought I could not function, sleep or get by in the evenings unless I had 3-4 LARGE drinks = 2 bottles of wine, or 3-5, 3 oz pours. This is when I would black out and somehow the next morning wake up tucked in bed like I should and off to work.

I am so glad I found this thread and I have to admit the first week I stopped was the hardest sleep and functioning wise. Then I would drink for a day or two and the first 3 days AF after that were hard. I am not close to the end of my journey but the gaps between A nights and AF nights are getting longer. I am working on changing my mindset about alcohol to a once in a while treat vs taking a once in awhile alcohol break.

Lilylady3k

@dawnbgethealthy - Indian food! Well I'm hit or miss depending on the dish but definitely would find it challenging as one would acquire a taste for it smelling and seeing it for days in and days out! It is food after all and I love food! Congrats on your new job!

mainelylisa

@dawnbgethealthy Sounds like we need to come together at your restaurant after everyone's vaccinated and celebrate! Congrats on 2 offers--I'm sure that felt good.

1 out of 5 drinks this week. Wanted one bad tonight after work frustrations, but it helped that I was going to have to post it here and tell my therapist, lol, because I do not want to drink to escape. Ever. So going to indulge in another episode (or however many are left..muhahaha) of Gypsy.

Lilylady3k

DH joined me in an AF evening ... we took a walk after dinner.

April accountability: 3/30 days AF
Alcohol: 4 days (9 drinks)
Goal: Limit 1-2 glasses per day; 12-16 AF days per month. Aim to drink no more than 2 nights in a row.


4/1 - AF
4/2 - 3 wine
4/3 - 2 wine
4/4 - AF
4/5 - 2 wine
4/6 - 2 wine
4/7 - AF

lmlmrn

just a quick fly by,
Had my first covid shot a bit ago. Of course it is all done by appointment and mine was at 4:30 this afternoon plus the time it takes to actually get the shot and wait your required 15 min. They could not schedule me for my 2nd since I will be out of town in 4 weeks. So now I have to wait at least 2 weeks to try and schedule shot 2.
Not getting home until 5:30 in the eve with dinner yet to cook (oh not really I did plan ahead...got to love an instant pot) but still throws my entire night off and really really really really wanted a drink tonight. The only thing that stopped me was I am still on medication for that sinus infection and I am not going to chance backsliding ......

So a forced AF night but had it not been for antibiotics I would have been all over a scotch and water.

I know it takes time for your brain to function without the triggers or I should say I need to learn to function without 'old' triggers sitting on my shoulder

kelagurl

Thanks so much for all the replies! You all are so kind. It makes me feel better knowing I’m not the only one, as much as I wouldn’t want to wish this on anyone!

@dawnbgethealthy youve got that right! Some people thrived in 2020 (how???) while most of us didn’t as much.

@ahoy_m8 ita incredible how in the moment it feels (since it’s a drug) like your anxiety is lowering after the first glass (that sweet spot) and then spikes the very next day. That’s been the case for me at least. I feel it the next day and that’s what would push me to get another glass... to calm the nerves. I have to remind myself of the science about how alcohol works and why it leaves me wanting more 🍷

@lmlmrn so true that we all have different stories but the basics are so similar. I’ve personally learned that anyone can become wrapped in it. I’ve noticed I’m already sleeping better and not wanting to take afternoon naps anymore. Congrats on the vaccine! Hope you have no annoying side effects

dawnbgethealthy

Hi : - )

I am going to sound like a broken record, but my goals are the same as they have been since January 2020:
16-20 AF days per month
NO drinking 2 days in a row
Keep 2 AF days in between drinks days.
3 is my max or I throw up.

Here goes my diary style:

Friday April 2nd - AF - tomorrow will be too so as to get my 2AF in a row.
Saturday April 3rd - AF - just trying to stay consistent with my goals.
Sunday April 4th - Drinks. April showers bring May flowers and all of that. The trails were just...wet. I worked out indoors, got a bunch of little stuff done around the house, then had a few drinks several hours ago followed by water.
Monday April 5th - AF - easy one to do, busy early workday tomorrow.
Tuesday April 6th - AF - I got hired for 2 jobs today that I had previously interviewed for. I turned down the one, and I start training on the one that I did pick tomorrow, so AF tonight for sure. It will be a fun job at an East Indian restaurant where I will become a server once the lockdown is lifted. I will learn the ropes and take phone calls for take-out and things like that until then. Less than half of the money of the other job prospects that I had a few weeks ago, but I think that it will be great and it will supplement my other jobs well financially. Good thing that it will be an active job because I love Indian food a little too much : - )
Wednesday April 7th - AF - Really really wanted to have a few drinks, but I have a video interview in the morning, a busy day with one of my jobs, and then possibly another training shift at the restaurant in the evening. Planned drinks for tomorrow night.

Rolling total: 5 AF days out of 7 days

dawnbgethealthy

Thanks to all for the congrats on my newest job. Imagine taking a waitress job at 60? : - )
It is takeout only while we are in lockdown in this province, but it was super busy, and way harder than I thought that it would be. Steeper learning curve than I imagined.
My interview tomorrow morning is for a more grown up job lol, It pays double what the waitress job does (minimum wage here is $15 per hour), but no tips and not active at all. I do like to keep moving, and I just think that waitressing will be fun. I am trying to keep an open mind.

MissMay

So wonderful to see all of these interactive posts and activity.

Congratulations @dawnbgethealthy on you new job adventure. I have never tried Indian food NOW I have to give it a whirl since your going to be working there. When do you start?

Triggers.......you never can be sure what or why you will experience one that causes you to have unplanned alcoholic drinks. It could be happiness, sadness, boredom, anger, anxiety, peer pressure, etc.
The thing is, for me in advance I take a look at my upcoming monthly schedule and write in special events that I might want to drink at that month. Then I have those already in the back of my head if an occasion arise that I think I want to partake in alcohol. My at least two days AF in between rule has saved me more often than not. Because sometimes if I get on that rolling train it may not stop.

My beverage of choice last night.
A chocolate coconut MOCKTAIL at home




Have a successful day everyone.