Less Alcohol ~ JANUARY 2022 ~ One Day At A Time

dethstar77

December wasnt that great... but looking on the positive - havent fallen all the way back... But recently been having more difficulty keeping in check.. falling into the its only a beer, its only one drink etc etc. I think I am going to set small goals and stay away from Alcohol till the end of the week. The main reason being I havent caused any issues on the homefront yet, but I feel like I might if I continue drinking the way I am and set back all the progress we have made.

Mouse_Potato

My "Dry January" has been a bit damp as of yet!

For some reason I can't seem to find the motivation I had in November and the start of December. I am drinking less than I was in October, so I guess that's something, but I can't seem to give it up completely. I have also restarted "The Alcohol Experiment," but am not finding it as motivating as I did last year. Perhaps because I didn't really see all the benefits I'd hoped to see. Oh, well - less is still less, right?

It does not bother me to have alcohol in the house. In fact, I think it helps remind me that it's a choice, not a punishment. However, if I tell myself "you CANNOT have a drink!" it just makes me crave it. I'm obstinate that way.

LazyBlondeChef

I can understand that @Mouse_Potato ... I had thought about doing a Dry January but in the end just decided an extra day to my normal AF days. I'm doing it more to keep calories at the lower range as I seem to be up 2-3lbs from the holidays in spite of eating maintenance level calories. I'm sure it was related to what I ate (charcuterie, cheese, etc). I want it all gone within in the next couple of weeks.

EliseTK1

Hey all, this is my first time ever doing a dry January, or striving for any AF goal actually. It’s partially for calorie control, partially for the anti-inflammatory effects on my autoimmune issues, and partially because I got so inebriated on Christmas Eve that I vomited for five hours straight. Getting sick like that made me rethink aaaaall my life choices.

I have no problem being AF in my own home. I do think I’ll need some extra motivation when I do social things with my friends.

Xellercin

Mouse_Potato wrote: »

My "Dry January" has been a bit damp as of yet!

For some reason I can't seem to find the motivation I had in November and the start of December. I am drinking less than I was in October, so I guess that's something, but I can't seem to give it up completely. I have also restarted "The Alcohol Experiment," but am not finding it as motivating as I did last year. Perhaps because I didn't really see all the benefits I'd hoped to see. Oh, well - less is still less, right?

It does not bother me to have alcohol in the house. In fact, I think it helps remind me that it's a choice, not a punishment. However, if I tell myself "you CANNOT have a drink!" it just makes me crave it. I'm obstinate that way.

I personally got a lot of the benefits of not drinking at about the 3 month mark. It varies, especially for women.

I can't remember what the phenomenon is called, but I read research where daily alcohol drinking creates these random spurts of exhaustion in women especially, and they can continue to occur for many months after quitting. Mine disappeared around the 6 month mark.

Lilylady3k

@dethstar77 - You've come so far in this journey! It sounds like you have a wonderful plan for the week to prove to yourself that you can again cut back. Congrats on checking in and making the effort for you and your family!!!

Lilylady3k

A couple of glasses of wine this evening with DH. We have a baby granddaughter that made her debut today!!! She is adorable.

tmbg1

Jan 1 AF
Jan 2 AF
Jan 3 AF - The witching hour conversation has been helpful- I've resisted the witching hour tonight!

Mouse_Potato

Xellercin wrote: »

Mouse_Potato wrote: »

My "Dry January" has been a bit damp as of yet!

For some reason I can't seem to find the motivation I had in November and the start of December. I am drinking less than I was in October, so I guess that's something, but I can't seem to give it up completely. I have also restarted "The Alcohol Experiment," but am not finding it as motivating as I did last year. Perhaps because I didn't really see all the benefits I'd hoped to see. Oh, well - less is still less, right?

It does not bother me to have alcohol in the house. In fact, I think it helps remind me that it's a choice, not a punishment. However, if I tell myself "you CANNOT have a drink!" it just makes me crave it. I'm obstinate that way.

I personally got a lot of the benefits of not drinking at about the 3 month mark. It varies, especially for women.

I can't remember what the phenomenon is called, but I read research where daily alcohol drinking creates these random spurts of exhaustion in women especially, and they can continue to occur for many months after quitting. Mine disappeared around the 6 month mark.

That's very interesting! I was really tired for the first 2-3 weeks, but then it leveled out. I never stopped being jealous, though, of the people who kept gushing about all their newfound energy!

So, I sat with my thoughts for a bit today and I think I've figured out my problem. It's the whole "dry January" concept. When I started TAE in November, I went in with no commitment and no expectations. Each night I'd ask myself "are we having a drink tonight?" and I would answer "No, not tonight. Maybe tomorrow." The cravings disappeared surprisingly quickly and if I didn't feel particularly "good," I also didn't feel "bad." Nor did I feel any pressure one way or another. I think perhaps I will do better if I go back to the one-day-at-a-time mentality.

Mouse_Potato

LazyBlondeChef wrote: »

I can understand that @Mouse_Potato ... I had thought about doing a Dry January but in the end just decided an extra day to my normal AF days. I'm doing it more to keep calories at the lower range as I seem to be up 2-3lbs from the holidays in spite of eating maintenance level calories. I'm sure it was related to what I ate (charcuterie, cheese, etc). I want it all gone within in the next couple of weeks.

@LazyBlondeChef I think you have the right idea. Progress over perfection.

mom2kateRH

I'm in! So far, been AF all 3 days in January. Really want to do completely dry January. I just have been drinking more and more over the past 2 years,and need to put the brakes on.

lmlmrn

Wow the commitment on this thread is awesome so far this month!
Because of so many of you I started the TAE today. @Mouse_Potato I also find if I approach it as a one day at a time, and sometimes even 1 hour at I time I am having better success. Before I would wake up each day after drinking promising myself that was the last night, tonight I am stopping. This lasted until my witching hours.



AF tonight, he is getting creepy LOL

Fit_Happens_2021

Had a good day today, day 3 AF (which believe me, hasn't happened in longer time than I care to admit)!

I am so happy to see others are doing TAE!
Being able to share how we get along with it will be awesome.

I am in the one day at a time camp with you guys, and @lmlmrn sometimes one hour at a time for me too.

Tonight was easy because it was dog agility training night, my favourite night of the week.

I think boredom, sitting watching tv, has contributed to my drinking so I am working on being busy busy busy, and remembering what things I used to do on evenings in the years before I started drinking has been interesting.
Jan 1 AF
Jan 2 AF
Jan 3 AF

looneycatblue

He is getting creepy! 🤣
AF today, however slightly tempted. The socks stayed on again. 😎

What is TAE?

Fit_Happens_2021

sarah7591 wrote: »

Fit_Happens_2021 wrote: »

.

I have started the 'Alcohol Experiment' on 'This Naked Mind' and I am feeling really inspired!
It has even kindled a tiny glimmer of hope inside me that maybe I could go dry for January, but I am realistic and don't have a high expectation that will happen. Just a cautious wish really, like a little secret desire that feels too grand for someone like me, with all the resolve of a wet tissue in the evenings.

Jan 2022
01/01 - AF

I am doing this as well. Yes, you can get through January alcohol free! If you need support you can friend me! After 2 weeks you will start to forget about it (well I am hoping ) . We can do this!

Thank you! I am feeling really invested in TAE, I got the book from the library and following the daily videos online. It's one day at a time for me though right now, I'm not really feeling confident enough to get my hopes up for a dry January, but day three AF! Yay!

Fit_Happens_2021

Xellercin wrote: »

Fit_Happens_2021 wrote: »

Thanks for the responses regarding alcohol in the house. It is interesting to see everyone has a different take on it. If I were living alone I probably would prefer not to have any in, but my husband likes an occasional drink so we will have some.

I have started the 'Alcohol Experiment' on 'This Naked Mind' and I am feeling really inspired!
It has even kindled a tiny glimmer of hope inside me that maybe I could go dry for January, but I am realistic and don't have a high expectation that will happen. Just a cautious wish really, like a little secret desire that feels too grand for someone like me, with all the resolve of a wet tissue in the evenings.

Jan 2022
01/01 - AF

That's my favourite thing about the Alcohol Experiment, it doesn't require you to be sober to benefit. It has totally different, but equally good benefits whether you drink during it or not.

I highly recommend reading This Naked Mind alongside the experiment if you are enjoying it. It's a great companion to the process and it's an easy read. I read it in the evenings as a relaxing alternative to drinking, because the one drinking rule with the experiment and the book are that you can still drink, just not while doing the experiment or reading the book. So since I was enjoying the book and couldn't drink while reading it, it helped me get through those first two weeks.

Thank you, yes I got the audio version of This Naked Mind, really like it so far!

Fit_Happens_2021

looneycatblue wrote: »

He is getting creepy! 🤣
AF today, however slightly tempted. The socks stayed on again. 😎

What is TAE?

The Alcohol Experiment - it is a free 30 program, I just started so I don't know that much about it yet, @MissMay linked it on the first page I think, that is where I saw it.

JodiSW

January was a bit damp until today. AF!

I'm going to check out the Alcohol Experiment - I appreciate all the references to that, I'd never heard of it.

And now, when I feel like drinking, I'm just gonna look down at my socks and think about ya'll.

dawnbgethealthy

My usual goal, 16-20 AF days per month.

My schedule pretty much dictates my AF days. It will be different until March, our local 3 arenas opened up!! There is senior/parent tot skating from 9-10am Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at the biggest arena, the ice surface is sunken down, so quite warm for skating. The other 2 are the temperature of the outside.
I will be AF on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays for the next few months.

Diary style is how I keep track

Saturday January 1st - Grand Marnier in a heated snifter at 3pm with some cashews. So lovely and fragrant, warm going down and all the way to my knees and toes. It was minus 27C outside, so I puttered around inside the house all day. I had a couple more different drinks later. NYE I had a piccolo of Henkell Trocken (200 ml) and then an AF beer later on. I do have prosecco that is 375ml, but didn't feel like having that much quantity and the fizz would be gone if I tried to just have half.
Sunday January 2nd - AF - no regrets about having drinks over the holidays.
Monday January 3rd - AF - The weather really turned yesterday, perfect temperature today and snowing those big fluffy flakes all day. It took me awhile to clear off my car to drive to the arena, then I had just a little under 1/2 an hour to shovel before going to work at the restaurant. When I got home from work I shoveled for hours. I really felt like having a nice Benedictine or something of that nature. I took a gazillion photos today.

Rolling total: 2AF days out of 3 days.

dawnbgethealthy

My very happy place.

Out my front door this morning 15 minutes after daylight began, it had been snowing all night:





Carving a path in my backyard so that I can take my Christmas decorations to my shed:





Not a very flattering selfie, but just love that there is ice in my hair



This is the snowbank that I created digging out a nice spot for my car.
The shovel lends perspective as to how high I was throwing it by the end:





Finished up on my porch with the heater and a hot chocolate instead of a liquer which was sort of the plan. That was like a gazillion squats getting under and throwing that snow so high up. Love love love shoveling, euphoric for me.