Less Alcohol ~ JANUARY 2022 ~ One Day At A Time
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13 days AF/16 days.....FINALLY able to get a Covid test appt. for later today at a pharmacy 20 miles away after checking online every few hours in hopes of a cancellation. This is the new ID Now test that is supposed to be decent and results same-day. No PCR tests avail and no home test kits avail. Places are all booked up. My chills and sweats and fatigue worsened yesterday. It's 74 degrees in the house and I am walking around with a jacket on and 2 throw covers and I'm still cold.
The bright side is the AZ Cardinals are playing tonight. If I test negative, I can go into the store and pick up "Synergy Watermelon Kombucha" to hopefully make me bounce back.6 -
Jan 1-6 AF
Jan 7-9 Had wine
Jan 10- 12 AF
Jan 13-16 had wine
Jan 17 AF - so far 10 AF out of 174 -
Thank you for the lovely sweet comments about our thread.
There was a time when talking with a relative, they asked me
"Why do you keep making a new monthly gathering place on MFP if you have been drinking less for over a year?"
Well....I told her, it can't harm, right?
Everyday we make either good or not so good choices in our lives. Some conscious, some out of habit- just like drinking.
5 years ago in January 2018 I was entering my daily food intake into MFP it was being notoriously slow as molasses, so I took a time out and started crusing the community boards. I came across a starter topic that stopped me in my tracks ~LESS ALCOHOL~.
To me it did not sound pushy or invasive to my life. So I read a few of that days current posts. I was so moved and found so much connection thay I searched as far back as I could(2017) to start reading from the beginning of that thread topic.
I realized I was not alone on my quest to want to drink less alcohol. I had been struggling, on my own (for years)secretly trying to make sense of why this was so difficult for me to accomplish this.
I came to the conclusion that it was because as much as I loved the people I surrounded myself with, they were no support system to me wanting to cut back. I think now that they may have been intimidated by the idea or even possibly scared themselves to support me when U mentioned it to them.
This is where taking care of yourself kicked in for me. I read and reread those posts for several days as a lurker. Then on Jan 25 2018 I had my own voice on the LESS ALCOHOL THREAD.
I don't come here because I have to, I come here because I WANT to. I want to be the accountable person for my actions. I want to own it, good or bad. I don't want to struggle any longer, by myself, thinking only I have an issue with alcohol.( I've been there and it is very lonely)
So, to those who read, post or lurk(and that is ok)
YOU ARE WELCOME ❤
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@globalhiker it sounds like a nightmare trying to get tested. What ever it is making you feel so horrible I hope you can get relief soon.
Xx4 -
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GiveHerGrace wrote: »Posting for accountability. Day 23 AF.
12/25 - 12/31 AF
1/1 - 1/16 AF
I'm not sure why going AF has been so easy this time. I do think the daily drinking of 1 or 2 drinks had just become a habit and not so much an addiction. I rarely drank more than 2 drinks in an evening. I think I am getting to the point that not drinking is becoming the new habit.
Now to start on the damn Diet Coke addiction! I think this will require a taper. I normally drink 4 cans a day. I will try to cut back to no more than 2 starting tomorrow. I like Diet 5 Cranberry with Sprite Zero or sparkling water. I also like plain water, but once I get the sweetness in my mouth for the day I keep drinking it. Goal for tomorrow to first drink at least 16 oz of water before drinking anything else.
Have a great week everyone!
Diet coke is tricky because of the combo of artificial sweeteners ad caffeine. I don't know why exactly, but that combo seems to create a very, very intense addictive pattern in people. Caffeine is extremely addictive, and so are artificial sweeteners despite the fact that they taste objectively terrible until you get used to them. But together, they seem to be an even bigger problem than the two combined.
Good luck, I think that's a great habit to tackle. You will feel incredibly mentally freed if you manage to kick the diet coke.3 -
My usual goal, 16-20 AF days per month.
My schedule pretty much dictates my AF days.
I will be AF on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays for the next few months.
Diary style is how I keep track
Saturday Jan 15th - 2 drinks. Time to rack up some more AF days.
Sunday Jan 16th - AF - Too achy and sore to even skate after my Booster.
Rolling total: 9AF days out of 16 days.5 -
quick check-in:
Jan: 11 AF / 5 A
Jan 1- 7: 6 AF / 1 A
Jan 8 - 14: 3 AF / 4 A (ugg)
Jan 15 - 16... so far 2 AF / 0 A
getting back on track
I don't know what got into me last week... stress, boredom, who gives a "kitten"... stupid excuses.
Bad news is the bottle is empty, GOOD news is the bottle is EMPTY! No plans to re-supply.
Love and Hugs to all of you, let's be good to ourselves!
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Daily check in:
8 drink days
1 less drink day (1 glass)
8 AF days
I plan to drink tomorrow and Weds (my "weekend" this week on my crazy shift pattern). Thurs was planned AF but we're celebrating DH's birthday (it's actually Friday but I'll be out of the house 14hrs for work on Friday) so will plan for "less" on Thurs instead.7 -
13 dry days and on an 11 day streak of being AF. The last time I went this long I was doing whole30 in march of 2018. Feels good!
I've been having some vivid dreams about my ex-spouse the last week. I think my subconscious is doing some purging. Hopefully it helps me heal emotionally because I really would like to stop thinking about and dreaming about it!
Overall I feel pretty good. There were about 3 days in a row last week that I was tired during the day. I am working full time and renovating my house on the evenings and weekends so it may have been that or it could be due to going AF. I've also cleaned up my eating and drink only 1 cup of coffee a day for the last 3 weeks so it could be all those changes combined. I am down 14lbs and have about 32 more to go by June. Pretty exciting!
I discovered the AF Athletica Brewing Company. Their IPA is amazing!!!!!! I love IPA's so I am just so stoked to have an alternative option. I hope they start selling them at other restaurants some day. It's amazing how I could easily down 2 or more high ABV beers at a time before. Now 1 AF beer and I'm happy.9 -
Greetings, all! Hope it was a good weekend. I've been thinking of all you guys with covid (or suspected covid). Please let us know how you are doing! @dawnbgethealthy, here recommendations are against getting boosted while currently sick. Were you better by the time you got the booster jab? How are you doing now? The testing situation is frustrating. Hopefully there will be more soon -- really soon! Hope you get your results soon, @globalhiker. I lost track of how many days ago you tested positive, @womona. Hopefully you are on the mend now!5
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I succumbed to "why not" this weekend, eating and drinking more than planned. My aim had been a modest deficit which I kept through the week but totally erased over the weekend. I'm back to my pre-holiday weight but still a couple pounds over the low end of my maintenance range, which is where I was before and (amazingly) after our dreamy Italy trip, so I intend to stay in a deficit for a couple more pounds. In the big scheme of things, this is mice nuts, I realize (what's a couple pounds in a global pandemic?), but this is a thread for accountability and that's where I am. An extra healthy snack or two is all it takes to erase a small deficit, so it's not even like going whole hog. Just a little more of the usual stuff than I need. But I want.
I lost my spine on drink quantity also. Success AF on weekdays but 7 drinks last weekend and 4 drinks the weekend before. My goal was 3. Again, not monstrously off course but not on course either.
DH is traveling this week through the weekend, so I'll have a chance to see if I do better or worse on my own. He's planning on spending 5 days at my lake cabana upon his return just to be sure he doesn't bring anything infections home. He travels again in early Feb, and I will spend 5 days there when he returns for the same reason. I'm thinking I'll paint the walls. I did a big project out there a couple years ago -- new roof, new ceilings, new exterior doors & exterior paint, I redid the kitchen cabinets myself (huge project) and painted the interior. Well, the color I picked for the walls hasn't really settled well with me. I think I need a warmer gray to work with the saltillo tile. Color vexes me.
Come to think of it, I did the AE in the evenings in the midst of that project, and I was busting my bum every day and did lose weight during that time. I could potentially knock out a couple birds with one stone ... if I can just get the right shade of gray.
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Hello everyone
I do hope those with suspected covid are resting, and feeling better. I was to meet some gym friends on Sunday but I was not feeling 100% and one gal works in a health clinic. She felt she is exposed to often to be safe right now even though she is symptom free.
I did not stay AF this weekend, well Friday and Thursday 2 beers each day. Saturday AF and Sunday we watched a movie at home. I took a drink (beer) and then the drink took a drink....you know the saying. Anyway that's over.
I have also fell behind on watching my TAE video's. I plan to pick it back up tomorrow.
I have some family issues going on with my nephew so may be sporadic the next few days. My brother and ex-SIL are struggling with my nephew who is headed down the wrong path and showing strong signs of mental illness and addictions. They are in contact with medical staff but like everything else nowadays it is all backed up and very slow moving.9 -
Posting for accountability. 24th Consecutive AF.
12/25 - 12/31 AF
1/1 - 1/17 AF
@Xellercin I totally failed on the less Diet Coke front today. Like many others here I have either a cold or mild Coronavirus so am really dragging. I looked into getting a Covid test nearby, but by the time I could get an appointment there would be no point. I am very near @globalhiker so I understand the frustration with finding a test. My 2 year old granddaughter had a runny nose so I suspect it is just a cold from her. I will try moderating again tomorrow.
Unfortunately I don't care for coffee or tea so there isn't really a caffeine replacement.
Onward to a new day tomorrow!5 -
GiveHerGrace wrote: »Posting for accountability. 24th Consecutive AF.
12/25 - 12/31 AF
1/1 - 1/17 AF
@Xellercin I totally failed on the less Diet Coke front today. Like many others here I have either a cold or mild Coronavirus so am really dragging. I looked into getting a Covid test nearby, but by the time I could get an appointment there would be no point. I am very near @globalhiker so I understand the frustration with finding a test. My 2 year old granddaughter had a runny nose so I suspect it is just a cold from her. I will try moderating again tomorrow.
Unfortunately I don't care for coffee or tea so there isn't really a caffeine replacement.
Onward to a new day tomorrow!
Even if you don't care for tea, it would still be a good idea to drink it to get caffeine into your system to minimize caffeine withdrawal. Think of it like medicine, you don't have to like it to drink it.
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Good news - I just tested negative! If it's true, then I just have another virus or a flu. It was a rapid test but that's all I could do. No idea what I had but I gotta tell you, this past 5-6 days totally side-lined me. So after I tested negative, I went and bought my very first Kombucha ever ....5 calories..a Simply Organic lemon/ginger Kroger product...I figured if I made this far, I may as well be courageous & drink it tomorrow to see if it can cure me and make stronger Stronger is where is I want to be....! 7
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@GiveHerGrace, for me it started with runny nose last wk and unusual sneezing. I lucked out by getting a testing appt. at Walgreens on Greenfield. People cancel all the time. My wait was 15 min, not bad. Good luck to you. I feel better I tested because I care about the people around me.6
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@globalhiker Good news! Sorry it hit you so hard. I figured since I am here alone (my husband is gone for 2 weeks) there isn't anyone for me to expose. I have just been going for walks outside and eating whatever is available in my house. I work from home so I have been around no one at all since I started feeling sick.
I may try again for an appointment just so I know for sure.6 -
I don't come here because I have to, I come here because I WANT to. I want to be the accountable person for my actions. I want to own it, good or bad. I don't want to struggle any longer, by myself, thinking only I have an issue with alcohol.( I've been there and it is very lonely)
@MissMay - Wonderfully spoken. I too come here to be accountable and care for my personal health during my weigh loss journey but find that even when off my eating plan I still want to be accountable to the Less Alcohol thread. Here I find the positive feedback like a secret cheering section to remind me that life is good ... and drinking for a buzz or numbing the boredom or till I blackout (not remembering the evening) ... is not really living. That I can enjoy wine and still be accountable. It is not an all or nothing deal ... not black & white. I like gray. Thank you for keeping us in touch with each other by starting the thread each month!
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@Lilylady3k - excellent postsLilylady3k wrote: »I don't come here because I have to, I come here because I WANT to. I want to be the accountable person for my actions. I want to own it, good or bad. I don't want to struggle any longer, by myself, thinking only I have an issue with alcohol.( I've been there and it is very lonely)
@MissMay - Wonderfully spoken. I too come here to be accountable and care for my personal health during my weigh loss journey but find that even when off my eating plan I still want to be accountable to the Less Alcohol thread. Here I find the positive feedback like a secret cheering section to remind me that life is good ... and drinking for a buzz or numbing the boredom or till I blackout (not remembering the evening) ... is not really living. That I can enjoy wine and still be accountable. It is not an all or nothing deal ... not black & white. I like gray. Thank you for keeping us in touch with each other by starting the thread each month!
@MissMay - I feel the same ...this thread is the best. I may not post often but I read daily and it gives me a lot of encouragement.
Keep up the good work everyone wherever you are in this journey. Day 18 for this old girl!
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@lmlmrn many hugs to you my friend for having yet another famiky issue to deal with.
@globalhiker good news for you. Now get healthy and strong.let us know your true feelings about the kombucha. I was lucky to find the watermelon flavor last week ON SALE in the smaller bottles. A real steal.
@sarah7591 I am sure there are more undercover readers out there that we are helping without even knowing it. Congrats on YOUR day 18.
@Lilylady3k we could not do this without YOU. You have made incredible progress in your LESS DRINKING journey. This is not a challenge for us, this is a change in life style. We will need to see an updated Grand baby pic. .❤
@GiveHerGrace wishing you a quick recovery too from whatever you may have that is making you feel sick.
@dawnbgethealthy are you feeling any better, were you able to test?
@Xellercin thank you as always for your straight to the point remedies to questions. ☺
@ahoy_m8 you don't look as if an extra pound or two would ever show on you 😊. With your strong will I am sure you'll be on track before you know it. I would so love to have my house to myself for a day or two.
@cowgirlslikeus86 , @Turtlemummy , @looneycatblue , @tmbg1 , @LazyBlondeChef , @Fit_Happens_2021 , @crb426 , @Womona , @jonsek , @ducky133 , @Mouse_Potato and to anyone I may have overlooked A BIG WAVE TO YOU 🤗,
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January is more than half way over. How are your goals looking? If you need to tweak them in any way for better progress don't hesitate. We have all needed to at some point.
AF 17/177 -
My usual goal, 16-20 AF days per month.
My schedule pretty much dictates my AF days.
I will be AF on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays for the next few months.
Diary style is how I keep track
Saturday Jan 15th - 2 drinks. Time to rack up some more AF days.
Sunday Jan 16th - AF - Too achy and sore to even skate after my Booster.
Monday Jan 17th - AF - Skated in the morning, very busy day at the restaurant and a busy week with my other job Foster Grant. Best to be AF
Rolling total: 10AF days out of 17 days.2 -
@ahoy_m8
I am tickled by an expression that you used:
" this is mice nuts,"
Like, what? Hahaha.
So, no testing in our province basically. The news is that Rapid tests do not detect Omicron? Also that you can test negative at 9am, but positive at 4pm and then negative at 9pm, so without a PCR (very limited access here as are the rapid kind) one really does not know. If you catch any other virus (like rhinovirus, a cold) then you were unprotected from any kind of virus?
When my tenant was so sick he could not have gotten it together to go out anywhere for a test even if they had been available. We are told not to go out in public to try to find a test. He is completely better now, young, active and healthy normally.
I did get the booster, so am topped back up.
I hadn't heard about not getting it if you have suspected covid, does that reduce its efficacy?
Too late anyway, I should be as protected as possible within the next 10 days.
Very cool that you have the cabin to go to for a 5 day sequestering.
Good luck on finding the right shade for your painting project : - )5 -
@sarah7591 Thank you for checking in and peeking over that fence to let us know you are still around! Proud of your 18 days! That is great!
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GiveHerGrace wrote: »Posting for accountability. Day 23 AF.
12/25 - 12/31 AF
1/1 - 1/16 AF
I'm not sure why going AF has been so easy this time. I do think the daily drinking of 1 or 2 drinks had just become a habit and not so much an addiction. I rarely drank more than 2 drinks in an evening. I think I am getting to the point that not drinking is becoming the new habit.
Now to start on the damn Diet Coke addiction! I think this will require a taper. I normally drink 4 cans a day. I will try to cut back to no more than 2 starting tomorrow. I like Diet 5 Cranberry with Sprite Zero or sparkling water. I also like plain water, but once I get the sweetness in my mouth for the day I keep drinking it. Goal for tomorrow to first drink at least 16 oz of water before drinking anything else.
Have a great week everyone!
It's been relatively easy for me too, giving up alcohol this month. Simultaneously, I cut back to 1 cup of caffeinated coffee a day and any subsequent cups are decaffeinated. I think I went from drinking like 4-5 cups a day to 2ish. I also discovered Athletica Brewing Company this past week which makes amazing AF craft beers. I have one of those every other day or so now.
I've never been a pop addict but I have heard it's hard to get off of sometimes. Maybe not keeping it in the house could help? I have mixed La Croix with pomegranate juice and the sweet/tart is a good sugar craving crusher.
Good luck!4 -
another quick check-in (busy time of year for me):
Jan: 11 AF / 5 A
Jan 1- 7: 6 AF / 1 A
Jan 8 - 14: 3 AF / 4 A (ugg)
Jan 15 - 17... so far 3 AF / 0 A sleep has improved so much! 2 -
@Lilylady3k Your little grandbaby is adorable! Isn't being a grandmother the best? !!5
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@Lilylady3k the granddaughter is so darn cute. Is there anything better? Too bad we can't have smell-o-posts. Babies have the best smell
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Posting for accountability. 25th consecutive day AF.
12/25 - 12/31 AF
1/1 - 1/18 AF
Whatever bug I have seems to be getting worse not better. Despite feeling run down I did cut back my Diet Coke from 4 cans to 3 today. Baby steps.
@LilyLady3k I have a new grandson to set up with your beautiful granddaughter 18 years down the road 😃
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