Less Alcohol ~ JUNE 2021 ~ One Day At A Time

Womona

ItsAJourny wrote: »

I am back in this group after a long Covid year. My SO and family were all drinking more and I have trouble sticking to my decisions around others. Last week I made an alcohol goal for the year and I am determined to keep it. Heading back to visit family later this month (who all drink a lot) for a week and I am hoping I can be strong. Not sure why I cave to social pressure even when I don't want to, but I do. I simply feel better when I do not drink alcohol. I want to feel better each day.

Welcome, or should I say welcome back! I think a lot of people can relate to your post. Ugh it’s like 7th grade all over again with peer pressure and FOMO! And yet… it’s easy to cave.

Womona

GiveHerGrace wrote: »

I have been a frequent lurker on this thread for a long time. I am a daily drinker - generally 2 mixed drinks (vodka) if at home and red wine or Michelob Ultra if I go out. My husband has been alcohol free for most of our 31 years of marriage so I am generally drinking alone unless we are socializing with others. There really is no reason for me to drink other than it is a bad habit I have developed (long day of work, stressed out, ....) I rarely drink to excess, but really want to break the habit of daily drinking (especially drinking alone.)

My goal is to start by being accountable to myself and reporting my consumption. Hopefully by posting here I can start to break the habit. I appreciate all of the regular posters and your willingness to post even when you don't meet your personal goals. In addition to the bad things alcohol is likely doing to my health, it makes it very hard to make good food choices. I am at a healthy weight/bmi, but am 10 lbs heavier than I was pre-Covid. I have also always exercised most days of the week and feel like I am undoing my hard work by consuming so much alcohol. I will be back tomorrow to hopefully report day 1 of AF.

Thanks in advance for your support!

Welcome! These are great goals, and you’re spot on with alcohol messing with making good food choices!

Womona

Made a choice to have a glass of wine with dinner (sandwich and salad in front of the TV at 9:30 at night-late night at work). And it was a bad choice. I didn’t enjoy it, and I didn’t even want to finish it. This habit of “unwinding” with a drink is not paying off in terms of actually enjoying my wine. I know the smart thing to do is wait until I’m at a restaurant, order a really good glass and enjoy it, but all that insight seems to go out the window with that after work craving/habit. Week three of not meeting my “no drinking during the week” goals. 😔

globalhiker

14 AF/16 days. It's supposed to be 117-ish today and next few days with continued yellow sky fire smoke and ozone on top of that. I have to stay inside. I was ill past 2 days and had to do my inhaler and all I did was go out for a few minutes to take out the garbage. I need to escape but the cost of travel now is pretty nutso with vacation rentals in such high demand and car rental prices being double. I can't wait to move out of this misery but I can't for at least another 2 years until my husband retires. Or if we can afford to keep this house for the winter and get a place elsewhere for June through October, that would be OK. This is what makes me think of drinking. But I will not do that today, because afterwards I will just feel worse.

I can't let MOOD run the show....

I'll just increase my time on my exercise bike while watching dreamy youtube videos of cool coastal Oregon and keep my focus on today, the positive, and the possible.

globalhiker

@Womona and everyone else: If a bad choice was made yesterday, the good news is that yesterday is gone and over with. Today is a gift of a brand new day

globalhiker

Hugs for you @MissMay and admiration for staying strong during a difficult time....

Lilylady3k

@MissMay - Thinking of you and your dear friend. I'm sorry for your loss. ((HUGS))

lmlmrn

Hello all you lovely AF (sometimes, and sometimes not...its your journey) friends.
Last night my arthritis was quite painful in my hands and I used my little heating pads and cbd cream. That at least let me sleep. I am really thankful that the bottle of wine that DH and I split a few nights ago was gone or I would have had one last night just to take the edge off. But I survived.

@MissMay I am sorry to hear about your friend. Wow 94 wonderful years to celebrate, what stories they must have had, and the wisdom too!

Today no rock and grass removal, but new rock pick will be here late today. So instead no gym and I am tackling painting the entire fence in one day!....wish me luck, going to scoot and get at it before it starts to really get hot

nvaldes323

Womona wrote: »

Made a choice to have a glass of wine with dinner (sandwich and salad in front of the TV at 9:30 at night-late night at work). And it was a bad choice. I didn’t enjoy it, and I didn’t even want to finish it. This habit of “unwinding” with a drink is not paying off in terms of actually enjoying my wine. I know the smart thing to do is wait until I’m at a restaurant, order a really good glass and enjoy it, but all that insight seems to go out the window with that after work craving/habit. Week three of not meeting my “no drinking during the week” goals. 😔

I totally get it. I did the same thing mon tue and wed this week. But today is a new day so I’m going to try again tonight. I find I have to remind myself it’s not a punishment to stay sober…I’m not missing out on anything because I watched TV without beer or wine!

Lilylady3k

Skipping Sisters Unwine'd @ Unwine’d Wine & Cheese Lounge ... decided to go out to dinner with DH instead of hanging out for happy house in a wine bar!

GiveHerGrace

Checking in for accountability.

6/16 AF
6/17 AF went out to eat with my husband and had a Heineken 0.0 (and then someone we knew sent us both another). It is fine as an alternative to alcohol, but I really felt like it just made me full. I think I will just stick with sparkling water rather than drinking the non-alcoholic drinks.

Thanks for being my accountability crew! Have a great night.

Lilylady3k

2 glasses of wine at our local Italian restaurant as DH & I had dinner (Salmon Florentine for me ). Very much something I could control ... verse the happy hour that started at 5pm at a local wine bar that has no food! Just avoided the peer pressure this evening.

Plus tomorrow night is a celebration event ... Fiesta for my daughter & her husband ... so I really did not want to go overboard 2 nights in a row. Picking my battles and making my choice.

dawnbgethealthy

Hi : - )

My goal is 16-20 AF days per month.
Diary Style.


Friday June 11 - AF - I have been experiencing legs cramps in the night for 3+months and Thursday night it kept waking me up. Friday was a very tired day operating on fumes. A drink might have been nice, but I resisted.
Saturday June 12 - 2 1/4 drinks. Census plus my yard/garden, I put in a good day. Sunday will be the same script.
Saturday June 13 - AF, reluctantly, but I had drinks only yesterday. Census work and yard work on a very hot day made me want to have a bit of the Gin Smash. I had an AF beer, and I am not a beer drinker.
Monday June 14 - 2 3/4 drinks, finished off the can of Gin Smash. I had a productive day, but at the end of it cut 2 areas of grass in blazing heat and when I came in practically guzzled the Gin Smash (after putting a fancy glass in the freezer for 5 minutes). Fairly light day tomorrow, the first time in 6 years that I don't have to get up at 4:30am on a Tuesday. Just Census and a 4 hour shift at the restaurant, so no more than 8 hours.
Tuesday June 15 - AF - Planning to be until Saturday eve, working split shifts the rest of the week plus doing Census before and in between, so want to make sure to be clear headed and energetic.
Wednesday June 16 - AF - Pretty long day, really felt like having a drink, but I have quite a few long days ahead so need to make sure that I feel healthy.
Thursday June 17 - AF - I really really wanted to have a couple of drinks tonight, but the next 2 workdays start early and end late and I don't want to risk not feeling well. I had one of those AF IPAs, but I didn't really like it as much as the Blonde Lager that i had the other night. Well, I did like that it was only 10 calories, but too hoppy and citrus-y for me (not being a beer drinker). Planning on drinks for Saturday night after work. I can totally relate to everyone that really feels like having a drink after a long day at work. I can wait a couple of more days.


Rolling Total - 11AF days out of 17 days.

MissMay

Thanks for the thoughtful words about my friend. She would have LOVED you all.

Anyhow back to AF last night.

Happy Friday I will check back later when I have time.

😎

Womona

Had a nice family dinner last night, weather was beautiful and we ate outside! I had half a glass of wine and one serving of whiskey- all carefully poured.

That article @chocolate_owl posted a few weeks ago got me to thinking. Drinking that after work cocktail “together but alone” with my husband on the other end of the couch watching tv is definitely not a satisfying experience. Leaves me empty and guilty. But the same amount of alcohol shared around a table with people I love makes for a much more satisfying experience, and I don’t feel guilty today!

Lilylady3k

Plans for Friday night ... 1 margarita and then water water water! Can I stick with the plan? We will see!
@ Another celebration for DD. Fiesta planned in 2020 before her wedding that had to be postponed. The 9 couples (friends of my son in law’s mom) hosting are insisting on a party to celebrate their wedding as well as an excuse to party and get together after a year of the pandemic.

TXRebelle

Hi! I've been a member of MFP off and on for many years but have only participated or even explored the Groups. Today I ventured over here and was thrilled to see this forum.

I loved the intro post and plan to read it often and check out the links when I get back on a computer.

I committed to being AF earlier in the month after a special occasion. Today is Day 13 for me. I originally said I'd take it one day at a time but my real goal is to make it until at least Labor Day. For now, making it 30 days or thru July 4th will be the toughest. I'm full of excuses.

MissMay

WELCOME @TXRebelle. Congrats on your 13th day without alcohol.

So glad you found us. Your on the right path now.
😊

globalhiker

14 days AF/17 days. Ugh yes 3 drinking days. Can I please blame the heat?

At least my mood is better now that I've accepted exercising indoors every morning for at least 1 hr. I'd love to do 2....but will try to increase to 1.5 to see how it goes. It makes me feel so way better throughout the day, more in control and more level-headed.

And good news for you, @TXRebelle, you already made it past the hardest part. I kinda enjoyed my days 15-60 quite a lot, but then again I allowed myself chocolate as needed

lmlmrn

Welcome @TXRebelle and congratulations on journey

Just a friendly check in tonight, AF tonight, but last night I had 3 shots of whiskey. I did it more to help with the pain in my hands after painting for 7 hours.