Less Alcohol ~ OCTOBER 2021 ~ One Day At A Time 🍁

lmlmrn

Late the to party and did not post yesterday oops on me
I did not keep to my 1 shot last night and had 2.5, however what we (DH and I) had in the house is now gone. This can sometimes make it easier on me other times it causes me great anxiety. I really need to exam that behavior.

So to keep myself occupied I decided to drag out my ole bread machine and make roasted garlic bread. Only to discover that the machine I 'had' was not looking so healthy around the heating element. So I gave it a final farewell, then trotted out to buy another one. I used my instant pot to 'roast' whole bulbs of garlic and now the bread machine is doing its thing. I am going to make pork loin, red potato's, salad and the fresh bread tonight. I can't wait!. I may even have some of my mock whiskey with it!
It's crazy how I get so excited about food LOL

I will be back again...with hopefully the big AF day

MissMay

There are many events in our lives that trigger or suggest we can not possibly enjoy without drinking alcohol.

Proved my drinking brain wrong last night during our annual Fall bon fire at our house. The weather last night was superb for October. Tshirt weather, no bugs, no wind.

Here is how I changed it this year. I only invited people that did not drink out of control. People that enjoy the moment with others more than pounding drinks down. It was absolutely flawless.

Everyone was told it was BYOBeverages.
And ME?
I brought out my bottle of LYRE'S non-alcoholic spirits, a stemmed glass and had a blast.
(Even my husband kept his drinking under control, which blew my mind)

One of the best Fall fires we ever hosted!

AF 🍁🧡🤎💛🔥

dawnbgethealthy

I am continuing with my usual goals, 16-20 AF days per month.
Diary style

Saturday October 09 - 2 drinks in the afternoon and then went with AF options. Pumpkin Spice Bailey's concoctions. Very delicious and seasonal. Plan to be AF now until Wednesday or Thursday.
Sunday October 10 - AF - Split shift at work, but it was quiet, as I expect tomorrow will be since it is Thanksgiving and people will be home having Turkey.
Monday October 11 - AF - Ended up getting the afternoon off and spent 5 hours digging up potatoes - basically until dark. So badly wanted to have a few drinks after, but didn't. My weight is already way up from Thanksgiving foods which I have, since the big feast, been portioning out.
Tuesday October 12 - AF - Finished up the potato garden thanks to help from my tenant. Another time when I felt like having a couple of drinks, but didn't.
Wednesday October 13 - Drinks and Indian food from the restaurant that I work at. May have drinks Thursday also.
Thursday October 14 - 2 drinks - time to rack up some more AF days. Friday off of all jobs, going to do some harvest cooking.
Friday October 15 - AF - A full day off from all jobs, did some harvest cooking and puttered around. It was lovely.

Rolling total - 8AF day out of 15 days.

MissMay

@dawnbgethealthy Fall cooking. Would this include beets of some sort? I LOVE beets.

globalhiker

I love Fall....it's even chilly here at night. No T-shirts for us - sweaters w/hoodies for sure. BRRR...and it's windy.Today is low-stress easy AF day for us and and early night. No big kids in the house today so we have the big TV and the couch to ourselves!

Plus it's time to put out the Halloween decorations!!

Xellercin

MissMay wrote: »

What is the ONE most important reason you want to cut back on alcohol in your life?

ME:
Because I did not like the person I became from consuming to much.

ME:
Because I hated breaking promises to myself. I would wake up dry-mouthred and miserable and say "I will not drink today" and then by the time happy hour rolled around, I would break that promise, again and again. My word to myself was worthless.

I quit Jan 1, 2020, just a few months before Covid hit. Thank god for that, because I was pretty much a compulsive daily wine drinker. I didn't often drink a ton, but I drank at least 2 glasses of wine almost every night, often more, especially on weekends. So on any given night, it wasn't an unacceptable amount, but the big picture wasn't pretty.

Had I been a drinker going into Covid, I would have had a very hard time keeping the brakes on my drinking. My work kept my drinking in check, as much as it was, and my workplace *kitten* down completely for several months.

Instead, I spent every day of lockdown incredibly grateful to be over the hump of the first few months of sobriety and hit 100 days at the beginning of lockdown, which was a huge accomplishment at the time.

Tackling my first year of sobriety through Covid was awesome. I'm in Canada, so we had serious lockdowns and restrictions, so that meant I didn't have to be around people drinking, didn't have to attend open bar events, I didn't have to deal with any temptation or pressure to drink.

Now that we're finally socializing again, if someone offers me a drink, I just laugh and say "oh I haven't had alcohol since 2019!"

The best part about not drinking is not having to think about drinking. It used to be a big part of my day, from about 3pm onward, I would start thinking about whether or not I was going to drink that evening. Then I would get home from work and either get through a sober evening by constantly considering a drink, but choosing not to, or giving in and pouring one.

Except, the thinking didn't stop with pouring one. The goal was always to just have one, but the first half of the glass would always disappear so quickly, and then I would have to start thinking about whether or not I would have a second one. And then if I had a second one, I had to think of I wanted a third one, but then I would stress because I never wanted to have more than half a bottle of wine.

So drinking or no drinking, my day was always filled with a stupid amount of time thinking about drinking. Such a waste of energy. Omg, I don't know how I ever had time for that noise.

Now I don't think about drinking. I just don't drink.

It's like I've given up the lamest, most time consuming hobby that never did anything other than age my skin and make it hard to lose weight.

Oh yeah, my sober skin is AMAZING.

dawnbgethealthy

I am continuing with my usual goals, 16-20 AF days per month.
Diary style


Friday October 15 - AF - A full day off from all jobs, did some harvest cooking and puttered around. It was lovely.
Saturday October 16 - AF - Monday and Thursday off this coming week, so possibly drinks on Sunday and Wednesday. Split shifts all around those.

Rolling total - 9AF days out of 16 days.

dawnbgethealthy

MissMay wrote: »

@dawnbgethealthy Fall cooking. Would this include beets of some sort? I LOVE beets.

I haven't gotten to the beets yet.
I made a couple of varieties of potato stews with peppers, onions, garlic, herbs from my garden, and a couple of different meats. I freeze them into containers. I plan to make at least one more pot of it on a day off.
So much to do in the yard, but I get 2 hours off in the afternoons to do my Foster Grant jobs and hopefully more garden winterizing when I can. The plan tomorrow is to cut my grass on my break. Exciting life!!

tmbg1

This week was sun-wed AF and thurs-sat with 3 glasses of wine each
Tonight back to AF

globalhiker

Good story @Xellercin and very inspiring. I like to start the day off with a written intention to not drink, which usually helps me. I won't think about wine unless a) it's dinnertime and I am hungry and at the market, or b)somebody at work has aggravated me to the point I feel my blood pressure jump.

When I am not drinking for straight weeks, I don't think of alcohol at all. It's divine! Except- I do find enjoyment planning future get aways and vacations and plan out which restaurants we may visit - and I curiously go to their websites to see if they sell wine and what is on their wine menu and that will decide whether I go there or not. And I go on Google maps to find out where there is a liquor store in town, just in case. Just in case of what? So yeah, I am guilty of obsessing about "future" drinking.

I need to fixate on obsessing more about my health instead

lmlmrn

I may have just found my new go to for evening enjoyment! I did not put the all the honey in as I am not a sweet person but boy this sure hit the spot last night.

Spicy Lemon Ginger Switchel
1 servings
Ingredient
1 cup water
2 tablespoons unfiltered apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
4 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
Directions
Place water, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, honey, fresh ginger, and cayenne pepper in a glass jar. Stir or shake well to combine.

MissMay

@globalhiker I like how you stated TODAY IS A LOW STRESS DAY. As every day should be.
Ditto on the Halloween decorations!

@Xellercin thank you for your post. Everything you wrote I have experienced throughout my drinking years. The pleading with myself was pathetic. Such a waste.

I hope some lurkers out there read what you wrote and find peace in it. Your welcome here anytime, we can always use the positivity.

@dawnbgethealthy your stews sound delish. I am loving my gardens again now that Fall is here and the hours I spent watering has greatly been reduced.

@tmbg1 good job checking in with accountability.👍

Last night was my planned drink day(Saturdays) Kept it to just one mini chocolate martini. That wasn't even that tasty, 🙄 should have known when the bartender ASKED ME how to make it.

October 16th accountability:
13AF
3A(4 drinks total)

Only two Saturdays left in this month. And one of them is a Halloween party night. "Gulp"
I have done Halloween without alcohol more than once. We'll see.

looneycatblue

Mostly stuck with my Fri plans, sipped on 1 shot TQ during my 1st bowling game... totally sucky score, so thought it might be a good idea to loosen up a bit, had 1 Ultra beer during the 2nd game, still sucked, 3rd / last game wasn't any better, drank a bunch of water!

Sat, worked most of the day, long commute, 90 mins each way... rewarded myself while making dinner with a drink, then ended up with 2 more... no hangover today, but my weight is UP .

Sun, plan for today, AF... planning on keep AF for the rest of this week. I am really trying to work on getting more walks in watching what I am eating... hoping to loose some weight this week.

Lilylady3k

October accountability: 1/17 days AF
Alcohol: 16 days (48 drinks)
October is a real challenge since we have planned a 2500 mile road trip for 16 days across 11 cities in 6 states. I'm going to give myself a break on a few of my normal rules.
Goal (usual vs new):

• Limit 1-2 3 glasses per day
• 12-16 10-12 AF days per month
• Aim to drink no more than 2 nights in a row Not force this during vacation!
• Aim to drink no more that 2 nights in a row after returning on Oct 17

10/1 - 1 wine
Road Trip.
10/2 - 1 champagne @ baby shower
10/3 - 3 drinks - 1 Ms. Ole Miss (TIto’s vodka, St Germaine Elderflower liquor, grapefruit juice, club soda) + 2 wines
10/4 - 2 wine
10/5 - 3 drinks - Leiper's Fork Distillery tour & tasting + 1 beer lunch + 1 beer dinner
10/6 - 3 drinks - 1 Calfkiller Sergio beer @ Calfkiller Brewing + 1 Spicy Lemonade (George Dickel Tabasco, House Made Lemonade, club soda) + 1 wine dinner
10/7 - 3 drinks - 1 beer + 2 wine
10/8 - 4 wine
10/9 - 5 drinks - 1 beer + 4 wine
10/10 - 4 drinks - 1 beer @ Ugly Dog Pub + 3 wine
10/11 - 2 wine
10/12 - 3 drinks - 1 beer @ Whiteside Brewing + 2 wine
10/13 - 4 wine
10/14 - 3 wine
10/15 - 3 wine
10/16 - 4 drinks - @ LSU Tailgate 3 large afternoon drinks + 1 evening wine. Note nothing during morning tailgate which started with Mimosas and Blood Marys at 7:30am. I waited until noon.
10/17 - AF @ home

dawnbgethealthy

@Lilylady3k

So nice that you are checking in with us during your fantabulous excursion

So much activity!

It sounds like you had a wonderful time.

dawnbgethealthy

I am continuing with my usual goals, 16-20 AF days per month.
Diary style


Friday October 15 - AF - A full day off from all jobs, did some harvest cooking and puttered around. It was lovely.
Saturday October 16 - AF - Monday and Thursday off this coming week, so possibly drinks on Sunday and Wednesday. Split shifts all around those.
Sunday October 17 - 2.5 drinks. Even though it was a planned drinks day, I did take 6 minutes (only once) to see if I really wanted drinks or not. Yeah, I did. Day off tomorrow, planning on getting some more of the garden to bed for the winter. Leaves were raked and final grass cutting was done during my 2 hour break today. there is always a lot to do in Spring and Fall. Spring was a bit of a bust when I was working 5 jobs, but I am feeling on track right now. I do plan to hit my 16-20 AF days this month

Rolling total - 9AF days out of 17 days.

tmbg1

Feeling good today after AF last night- AF again tonight!

Womona

Hi everyone! Back from my golf trip to Hilton Head. Beautiful time of year to be down there, and had a great time with great friends. Took a long time to get decent driving off the tee, I am so rusty. But my putts were pretty awesome!

Last week’s dragon boat party, I had a few sips of the signature punch just to try it, but then moved on to club soda for the rest of the night. This weekend I’m really proud that I didn’t overdo the drinking. One drink after golf and two small glasses with dinner each day. Back to AF last night.

I also did really well with on the no sugar challenge- well, except for the alcohol that I planned! It was easy to avoid the bread and just go with veggies. Only exception was a few bites of birthday cake and OMG it made me sick!!!! Not only did I feel my insulin kicking in, all that sugar made me nauseous. Amazing how cutting out sugar makes me hyper-sensitive to it now!

Good news, I didn’t gain any weight! Woo hoo!

looneycatblue

Sunday didn't go as planned... good news though the TQ bottle is now empty! I have no plans to buy anymore... if it is not in the house I am not tempted. Although there is plenty of whiskey around, lots of different flavors, I just don't like it, and wont drink it...

Lilylady3k

Another AF evening under the belt. Total of 2 out of 18 days in October.
I was the only one not drinking margaritas at book club (happy hour all night on Mondays). It was easy to not drink since I'm no longer on vacation ... where I felt like I could let go of most rules.