Less Alcohol - MAY 2021 - One Day At A Time
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I'm hosting book club this evening virtually. My plan is to sip something AF this evening.
Monday night we discussed The Rose Code. Tonight we are discussing American Dirt. I recommend both books as well as one of the ones I'm listening to for June .... Save Me the Plums by Ruth Reichl (if you like food all of her books are fun to read).
It has been raining like crazy here so I've continued cleaning out my walk in attic (pulled everything out on Sunday into my office, game room and foyer upstairs so it has been a big project Monday and today), tried on and tossed into a donation bag a few more clothes (one shirt that use to gather around my hips nicely now hangs down to my knees!), cleaned out my makeup drawer (rarely wearing it these day so got rid of what I don't use or like), read, and then back into the attic. What do you do with approximately 20 1-gallon bags of wine corks?5 -
Well I have been consulting with my brother about this large 3 piece abstract painting he wants. This really will push me artistically to get the colors crisp and not muddled as well as correct tone.
I am going to consider last night AF, I had an oz of wine watered down. DH wanted me to try it and I did not find it very good so took a few sips and let it go.
BTW the flower photo's are stunning, my garden just cries at me when I look it's way. I have so much work to do in that direction. I need to purchase some more lavender.
Oh I am also making kombucha for the first time. Anyone else venture this direction? would love to hear the tried and true flavor combinations4 -
My May Goals:
16-20 AF days per month.
Changing my goals as my schedule is changing, but sticking to the 16-20 AF days.
My daily check in:
Sunday May 16 - AF - I begin the Canada Post training tomorrow morning, for 3-4 weeks on top of my other jobs. Need to have a clear head.
Monday May 17 - AF
Tuesday May 18 - AF - I actually am enjoying getting up at 2:30am for my newest extra job. Definitely would not be able to have alcohol and feel well at 2:30.
Wednesday May 19 - AF - Planning on a couple of drinks on Friday eve, (just a 3 hour shift starting at noon on Saturday, my lightest day).
Rolling total: 14AF out of 19 days4 -
Loving the garden pics : - )
Thanks for the recipe @globalhiker
@MissMay Yes, I am pretty tired!
@lmlmrn Looking forward to seeing the painting for your brother once it is complete. @MissMay knows about Kombucha. Personally I am grossed out by it after seeing a scobi on TV lol.4 -
Hydrangea, mint and oregano loved the hard freeze. Rosemary and Indian hawthorn not so much.
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@ahoy_m8 -Thanks for sharing your pictures! I love your yard! I too lost my Indian Hawthorn, Rosemary & Oregano to the hard freeze in Houston. My 3 year old parsley made it through the freeze but then died because it bolted. My roses and Azaleas may have lost leaves from the freeze but both bounced back and had a beautiful display of flowers this year. I'm looking forward to the tomatoes, basil, chives, etc that I'm growing ... looking forward to fresh pasta sauces.4
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Lilylady3k wrote: »@ahoy_m8 -Thanks for sharing your pictures! I love your yard! I too lost my Indian Hawthorn, Rosemary & Oregano to the hard freeze in Houston. My 3 year old parsley made it through the freeze but then died because it bolted. My roses and Azaleas may have lost leaves from the freeze but both bounced back and had a beautiful display of flowers this year. I'm looking forward to the tomatoes, basil, chives, etc that I'm growing ... looking forward to fresh pasta sauces.
@Lilylady3k We also lost a bunch during the hard freeze here in Houston. All our Jasmine plants, a small orange tree..
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dethstar77 wrote: »Lilylady3k wrote: »@ahoy_m8 -Thanks for sharing your pictures! I love your yard! I too lost my Indian Hawthorn, Rosemary & Oregano to the hard freeze in Houston. My 3 year old parsley made it through the freeze but then died because it bolted. My roses and Azaleas may have lost leaves from the freeze but both bounced back and had a beautiful display of flowers this year. I'm looking forward to the tomatoes, basil, chives, etc that I'm growing ... looking forward to fresh pasta sauces.
@Lilylady3k We also lost a bunch during the hard freeze here in Houston. All our Jasmine plants, a small orange tree..
We lost a lemon tree that after so many years finally gave us a bumper crop in it's final season. So sad. I know losing the orange tree hurt.6 -
I lost 60 pounds in 2014 due to giving up drinking alcohol everyday, eating better, and exercise. Then in 2015, a number of personal tragedies occurred and I went right back to drinking spirits everyday (a 26oz bottle a day). I have become a functioning alcoholic and, other then close family, no one knows that. Because I gave up exercise and watching my diet, I am now up 70 pounds, my skin is terrible, I have acid reflux, and no motivation.
Many years ago I gave up alcohol and went from 272-172 in four months with the supervision of a Doctor. I kept it off for 7 years, until I started drinking again.
Now, as I approach 60, I have decided the person I am right now is not the person I want to be when I hit 60 so goodbye alcohol. On May 17th, I decided enough is enough and realize I must go AF if I am ever to take this weight off and keep it off.
Here is hoping I have the strength to succeed.14 -
I lost 60 pounds in 2014 due to giving up drinking alcohol everyday, eating better, and exercise. Then in 2015, a number of personal tragedies occurred and I went right back to drinking spirits everyday (a 26oz bottle a day). I have become a functioning alcoholic and, other then close family, no one knows that. Because I gave up exercise and watching my diet, I am now up 70 pounds, my skin is terrible, I have acid reflux, and no motivation.
Many years ago I gave up alcohol and went from 272-172 in four months with the supervision of a Doctor. I kept it off for 7 years, until I started drinking again.
Now, as I approach 60, I have decided the person I am right now is not the person I want to be when I hit 60 so goodbye alcohol. On May 17th, I decided enough is enough and realize I must go AF if I am ever to take this weight off and keep it off.
Here is hoping I have the strength to succeed.
You have my deepest sympathies for the personal tragedies you have survived. It sounds like a really tough patch of road. And you sound like a survivor. You, better than anyone, knows what it takes for you to succeed with giving up alcohol and losing 60 pounds. And you have what it takes, because you have done it. Reach into your own past for the wisdom and experience you need to move forward, and know that the wisdom and experience you need is there, in you, already. You don't have to know it all or do it all at once -- nor could you if you wanted to. It's like the thread title... all any of us can do it take it one day at a time. This group is here if you ever have feelings that need sharing or thoughts that need exploring. You're in the right place.6 -
Dealing with financial issues with my mom today. She just doesn't understand technology or autopay or how she accidentally buys things (like upgrading games on her phone, or purchasing movies online that she doesn't watch, or writing checks for bills that were already paid via autopay ... I could go on.
Outcome at 5pm I called my sister and invited her to dinner that I'm cooking and asked that she bring a bottle of white wine we can split. Sigh.
Note to self: This is not why you want to drink ... stress. Be like @dawnbgethealthy and drink for pleasure or when happy.
Planning to keep it to 2 glasses which is my limit. No more 3-5 glasses like the past couple of weeks.5 -
I messed up! I worked too long yesterday and my back and neck were killing me. In a frustrated state, I dug into the remaining 3 real beers of my husband's..ugh...it is PMS time can I blame that?
So far its 17 AF days/2 drinking days, both 3 drinks each day. Too much for little me.
Today is AF. Calmness is back and I am feeling good. Off to fix up some tacos....
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Welcome @jirwin323 welcome. We can give you plenty of support here if you would like to be AF. Success comes from within, you sound as if you are headed there already.
Keep posting and letting us know how it is going.3 -
Day 20 of May done and still AF.
On top of my crazy Spring work schedule, now that the state is "opening" again since the pandemic hit. Everyone wants to get out and get together to meet up and toss a few down.
Can't we get together and do something else besides meet at a patio pub and drink? I do not want to slip back into the drinking scene. NOT that I am worried about becoming a daily drinker again. But it is my other half that does not need more reasons to drink day after day. Sigh.
It's not nagging, its the fact I care about his health more than he does. But they do not see it that way until it is too late.
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18 days AF/2 non-AF/6 drinks month-to-date. Back on the sanity track.
@MissMay, when you move it's possible one advantage is that the social circle will change and you can initially pick and choose who's "in". There's so much to do year-round outside, definitely so many options, that one can have a nice circle of non-drinking friends. This is especially true for people who do activities like golf or tennis or day hiking or volunteering in community gardens and so forth. There are many restaurants that don't serve alcohol at all and many people frequent them for lunch.
jrirwin323, good plan and you do have the strength to succeed and be in the driver's seat of your destiny. Yes, keep us posted...
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@ahoy_m8, wow what a lush yard. Love it!
@Lilylady3k I can relate to your post. I assume your mom has seen specialists and tried whatever the latest is for cognitive improvement. I have 3 friends with a family member suffering from this, and I hear their stories. Patience of gold is needed. It's also a reminder for me to do what I can now to help boost my brain and stop or delay any memory loss...5 -
@ahoy_m8
Love your photos, thanks for posting!!1 -
My May Goals:
16-20 AF days per month.
Changing my goals as my schedule is changing, but sticking to the 16-20 AF days.
My daily check in:
Sunday May 16 - AF - I begin the Canada Post training tomorrow morning, for 3-4 weeks on top of my other jobs. Need to have a clear head.
Monday May 17 - AF
Tuesday May 18 - AF - I actually am enjoying getting up at 2:30am for my newest extra job. Definitely would not be able to have alcohol and feel well at 2:30.
Wednesday May 19 - AF - Planning on a couple of drinks on Friday eve, (just a 3 hour shift starting at noon on Saturday, my lightest day).
Thursday May 20 - AF - Said a teary goodbye to Canada Post, then had a very long day trying to catch up on other jobs. Up at 2:30 and didn't finally get home until 10pm. I really felt like having a nice drink, but didn't. Up to Kimberley in the morning for my favourite Foster Grant job. I want to be fresh.
Rolling total: 15AF out of 20 days4 -
Sorta late to to the party, but current alcohol goals for the rest of May in order of importance.
1. Do NOT drink alone.
2. No more than 2 alcoholic drinks in a day (with company), no more than 3 days a week.
3. Fit the calories/macros in.9 -
I just found this thread and have been 100% alcohol free since May 3, 2021. My struggle with alcohol is different than most as I can quit anytime without problem. However, once I have a drink, I cannot stop until I am drunk and the bottle is gone. Shoot me a friend request if you'd like. I'm trying to become very active on here again.
-Mike8 -
hello all
AF last night but am planning a bit of white wine this evening with a light pasta dish.
I never thought I would be planning out a drink in this lifetime. I was just opening the bottle and was more concerned over what time int he afternoon it was and was it too soon to start? Now I almost dread it yet I want it does this make sense????6 -
2 glasses of wine. Dinner at Central Market Cooking School - lobster sliders, crab appetizer, scallops with spinach & shiitake mushrooms. Nice delayed mother’s day with my DD, her husband and her husband's mom.
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hello all
AF last night but am planning a bit of white wine this evening with a light pasta dish.
I never thought I would be planning out a drink in this lifetime. I was just opening the bottle and was more concerned over what time int he afternoon it was and was it too soon to start? Now I almost dread it yet I want it does this make sense????
This is the turn in the road that sets us off in a positive direction. Congrats on reaching it.💜
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Welcome to our new thread contributors @lilawolf(Great goals, very reasonable) and @mholl15 ( That drink devil has a way of wanting to keep the party going once he has a sip. Flicking him off our shoulder does not always come easy as many of us have encountered )
Never to late to join in.
😊
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Friday night I sat on the deck admiring my garden ( and thinking I really need to mulch this thing) while drinking two Heineken00.
I was out the other night to a pub to pick up a take out order. Bumped into a younger female friend. Started to chat as she told me how hard she had just worked on a 90 day fitness program and she was out "celebrating" her fitness acheivement. (You can see where I am headed with this story)
20 minutes of listening to her. I remarked "Oh I am doing a dry ( no alcohol) May". She began to lower her drinking glass as if to hide it. And said, "Well I guess I really should not be consuming these drinks, should I?"
The only sentence I could muster up was....."Everything in moderation and do a little thinking before you start poundiing the drinks back to ya. It takes 12 weeks to get into shape and two weeks to fall out of shape."
Happy Saturday(weekend) to everyone.
May 21
21AF/217 -
The thing that keeps me going is fear of backsliding...I don't ever, ever want to go back to square 1 again. I just refuse to let it happen. I know myself, if I allow it, I could "fall out of shape" in days. It happens fast. So just need to keep my self-control guard up.
Today I have a planned outing with lunch at a favorite Thai restaurant and plan to have 1-2 pinot grigio glasses and just enjoy it without any guilt. Usually I will have 1.5 and my husband will drink half of one. If it's with a meal, I will be full. And we are hiking afterwards, so no time or desire to drink more rest of day.
@lmlmrn I agree with you on planning out the "timing" of things....choosing the better time of day or situation definitely helps with self-control.
@chocolate_owl how are you doing? I am avoiding the scale until May 31st but still watching my intake. I am trying hard to get that next fat % number down. Fingers crossed we get closer to our goals here.....7 -
DH and I walked and talked this morning. Thursday night he had 2 bottles of wine while my sister and I split one bottle and then after she left he had a couple of bourbon and cokes. He has decided to stop that slide! He was AF last night while I was out and thinks he wants to shoot for drinking less again. Also he knows that most of my nights would be AF if he wasn't opening up an expensive bottle of wine and it is derailing my weight loss. Three days of AF this week and also keeping my drinks to 1-2 and I saw the scale go back down.
So we are back to DH joining me in less alcohol. 🤞
We have a number of challenges coming up ... 60th birthday celebration for a friend ... we are taking her & her husband out to eat for her bday, 4 day weekend @ fishing camp 🎣, trip to New Orleans, Wedding in Natchez, Anniversary celebration for my god daughter and another party for my DD & her husband. But if we can limit our drinks to 1-2 occasionally and stick to M-Th AF or at least 3-4 nights each week I would be very happy. He is not sure if he can drink moderately so I might just cut it out in support of whatever target he deems works for him.
May accountability: 6/31 days AF
Alcohol: 15 days (37 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.
5/1 - 4 … 1 beer + 3 wine
5/2 - 1 margarita
5/3 - AF
5/4 - 3 … 2 wine + 1 rum & diet coke
5/5 - 2 … 1 Morejito + 1 tequila shot. Meeting up this evening with “Sisters Who Sip” for Cinco de Mayo at Be More Pacific - Filipino Kitchen and Bar. Our first monthly gathering in over a year. https://www.bemorepacifickitchenandbar.com/covid-19-menu
5/6 - 3 … 1 whisky + 2 wine; Virtual Whiskey Experience Tasting w/ DH’s team from work (samples provided)
5/7 - AF
5/8 - 5 … Hosted Mimosa Brunch Bridal Shower. 1 mimosa w/ champagne then AF mimosas (YEA for Spanish Zero Codorniu non alcoholic champagne /cava). However, the evening I decided to drain the fridge of leftover alcohol but did not pour it down the sink. Evening 2 glasses wine + 2 glasses champagne
5/9 - AF mimosas for Mother’s Day Brunch; AF in the evening too!
5/10 - 1 wine
5/11 - 2 wine
5/12 - 3 … 2 wine + 1 rum & diet coke
5/13 - 3 … 2 wine + 1 bourbon & diet coke
5/14 - 1 Torchy’s Tini
5/15 - 4 … 1 St Arnold’s Summer Pils lunch + 3 wine at dinner
5/16 - AF
5/17 - 1 wine
5/18 - AF
5/19 - AF
5/20 - 2 wine
5/21 - 2 wine
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My May Goals:
16-20 AF days per month.
Changing my goals as my schedule is changing, but sticking to the 16-20 AF days.
My daily check in:
Sunday May 16 - AF - I begin the Canada Post training tomorrow morning, for 3-4 weeks on top of my other jobs. Need to have a clear head.
Monday May 17 - AF
Tuesday May 18 - AF - I actually am enjoying getting up at 2:30am for my newest extra job. Definitely would not be able to have alcohol and feel well at 2:30.
Wednesday May 19 - AF - Planning on a couple of drinks on Friday eve, (just a 3 hour shift starting at noon on Saturday, my lightest day).
Thursday May 20 - AF - Said a teary goodbye to Canada Post, then had a very long day trying to catch up on other jobs. Up at 2:30 and didn't finally get home until 10pm. I really felt like having a nice drink, but didn't. Up to Kimberley in the morning for my favourite Foster Grant job. I want to be fresh.
Friday May 21 - 2 1/2 drinks, I knew that the rest of that 3rd drink would have put me over the top. Planned AF until next Thursday
Rolling total: 15AF out of 21 days6 -
@globalhiker I’m still around and doing fine. I’m down 3 lbs this month, 3 more to go! Getting my workouts in balance has been a challenge this month. I was trying to hit the gym 6 days a week, but my body wasn’t having it, and now that I’ve scaled it back to 4 days plus walking I have less of a stress response and the weight is falling off. I went shopping in my closet today, I’m wearing clothes that didn’t fit a couple of months ago
I haven’t had as many AF days as planned, but my daily drink # has been acceptable, and my other goals aren’t being impeded, so I’m fine with it. But I have been dodging this thread a bit because comparison is the thief of joy, and I tend to feel guilty when others are posting their AF numbers even though I shouldn’t. Trying to take care of myself as best I can.8 -
DH & I are AF this evening 6
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