Less Alcohol ~ JANUARY 2022 ~ One Day At A Time
Options
Replies
-
4/4 AF
Something I just realized this morning on my walk, my hips aren't hurting! I have arthritis in both and am usually feeling it. This is one of the reasons the I have a shot before bowling, to help loosen up the joints and deaden the pain a bit. However I am now realizing that this is only a temporary solution, and most likely making the inflammation worse!
I have studied (aka Googled
) about the relationship between OA and Alcohol consumption, there are some very polar opposite studies/opinions on this.
I am going to do my own evaluation, and see if going AF / or Less of it, helps in the reduced inflammation & pain. It might also have something to do with me eating less sugar. I don't do as much mindless munching when sober.7 -
@ahoy_m8 - description #2 is sooooo me! After one I always want the second. Last night I was craving and went on a sugar binge instead! So mad at myself. So today I am craving carbs like crazy. I don't know kept thinking eating cookies is better than drinking wine but not so sure. My grandkids are back to vitual learning this week so helping with that. I am out of my normal routine. I really want to make it a whole month. I am hoping I can do that and love the support all you give.
@Lilylady3k congrats on the beautiful granddaughter.
Pray I get through today without another food binge! Ugh.
Well, to be honest, I do agree overdoing it on sweets probably is better than drinking wine up to a certain extent. Annie Grace in TAE mentions she gave herself grace to have sweets (I think she kept hard candy handy?) when she was in the early stages of adjusting. My version of that is I just don't log my mocktails. My mocktails aren't very caloric (usually lemon or lime juice sweetened with a bit of sugar free soft drink, maybe spiked with fresh ginger root or some such), but I take them as a freebee. And if I feel like extra sweets I have them.
All that is to say give yourself grace as you change habits. And good luck with the virtual learning. It's a bummer for kids.7 -
Fit_Happens_2021 wrote: »
@Xellercin Thank you for the info, really eye opening, and quite scary
How is your journey now? Did TAE produce results for you long term?
I hit two years alcohol free just a few days ago, and would never go back.
I did okay with The Alcohol Experiment and This Naked Mind, but it was really Allen Carr's Easy Way to Quit Drinking that really resonated with me, but that's because I'm an ultra-direct, no nonsense, blunt person and I respond better to no-nonsense, blunt people like Allen Carr and found Annie Grace too nice. If you read both, you will note that Annie Grace's entire content is just a next-step evolution of Allen Carr's. Her's is WAY better as a resource for the sober-curious who don't necessarily want to quit, while Allen Carr's can be quite off-putting for anyone who isn't already wanting to quit completely. Hence why I never refer people to Allen Carr, but am happy to share that his book helped me more than Annie's.
Quit Like A Woman is also a great book. It's not a self help book, it's a raging rant against the alcohol industry for specifically targeting women, and for AA failing to meet the needs of women. It's a well researched, well crafted piece of feminist literature, and has really helped solidify my stance of not finding alcohol "fun" or "cool" anymore. Now I just find it all creepy.
10 -
Hi all, I think I'll keep an eye on this thread. A little about me...
I drink too much. Wine, almost exclusively. Anything stronger makes me feel very sick, and has done since I had a child 8yrs ago. I don't want to stop, I enjoy a glass (ok, bottle) of the stuff, but I *do* need to cut down.
Things that need addressing:
If I decide in the morning it will be an AF day, that needs to actually happen. Generally it doesn't.
Opening a bottle shouldn't always mean finishing it.
I need to stop finding excuses to drink (examples: "Tonight's dinner will be nicer with a bottle", "it's the end of a run of shifts/the weekend/a day with a Y in it...."
On the plus side (some may call this denial but it is a positive to me):
I have no problem getting up at 5.30 for work (generally don't finish a bottle before an early start!)
I still get out running on days I don't work
Running has increased to "earn" my wine calories.
I never even think about alcohol when I'm on night shifts, and have never been one to have a drink the morning after a rough night at work. This means 7 days a month are automatically AF.
Today I succeeded. Declared it to be an AF day this morning, I'm in work early tomorrow. Recently, I'd have got to starting to prep dinner and opened a bottle anyway out of habit. Today I did not. I decided I would not for the next hour. Then the next hour. Then the next and now it's nearly bedtime 😊.
Tomorrow we shall see. It's a "dinner that would go with wine" night, but I also know I will drink at the weekend since I'm not on duty. Less than half a bottle will be the aim.
Little by little....
13 -
Jan 1 AF
Jan 2 AF
Jan 3 AF
Jan 4 AF
Jan 5 AF - Today's craving was moderate - herbal tea and a cbd gummy did the job tonight5 -
Day 12 of my current AF streak is in the books.
Accountability
12/25-12/31 AF
1/-1/5 AF
Went out for dinner with my husband to a little family owned Italian restaurant. I normally would enjoy a glass or 2 of a nice Cabarnet, but happily drank my sparkling water. And on the "it's a small world front" I am in Mesa, AZ (a town of 500k) and was seated next to gal from our golf course 1400 miles a way in Sioux Falls, SD. Crazy that we were there at the same day, time and seated one table apart!
Happy day to all of you!9 -
@Xellercin Thank you so much for sharing your experience with The Alcohol Experiment. At your suggestion I am also going to look at Allen Curr's book.
since I just started the series so far I like it, but here it is day 3 of watching and the video quit playing. No matter what tricks I try so guess I will have to pick it up tomorrow.
@GiveHerGrace congrats on your progress
@Turtlemummy the only way I can get by is one hour at a time in the evening, so congrats to you!
Well the witching hours are here for me, hence my logging in. But Sock guy is going on the town...jerk
8 -
dawnbgethealthy wrote: »
yes I guess you could call the gummies medicinal. I have been experimenting trying to find a good combination that does not have that 'buzz' but still gives that mild relaxed feeling yet helps with the arthritis in my hands. I made some oil infused with medicinal herbs and have some more herbs coming from amazon (they are late, first order they lost) to add to the oil I already made with low THC and a higher CBD. The inflammation in my fingers is getting less swollen and I am able to move them better. But wearing my wedding set, nope that won't ever happen again.
That is exactly what I need in a gummie. Kudos to you for making your own!
I did buy a CBD roll on/stick, and it worked wonders for my arthritic fingers, but it is very very expensive. I bought some CBD sleep drops at the same time, but I felt groggy the next day, so that was a bit of a wash.
I will take a cue from you and try to make something on my own in a lotion or cream.
How do you know how much to put in a gummie though? I am not that handy in the kitchen really, I don't think that I would attempt to make gummies, I could foresee a sticky disaster : - )
(I once tried to make hard-boiled eggs which exploded all over the walls and ceiling)
I think that you make your own soap or detergent or something like that right? You are a marvel!4 -
2
-
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
Tuesday January 4th - AF - Skating at an arena in the morning before work, and in a different one after work, so no booze for me tonight. Many lunges that skating...I am going to count again how many of them are in each minute, just for fun. Glutes and Quads were definitely singing today after skating and all of that fun shoveling yesterday.
Wednesday January 5th - AF - I was planning on having a couple of drinks tonight, but I have to go up the mountain to Kimberley BC for a job tomorrow. They always get at least double or triple the snow that we get here, so I will need to be as sharp as possible to drive back home in the dark, thus AF tonight. This morning's skate was a bust, got there and there was a sign on the door saying "closed due to a scheduled power outage". I had a very nice skate at a different arena after work though : - ) And I will be skating at the Kimberley arena after my job
Rolling total: 4AF days out of 5 days.7 -
It's nice to hear people getting honest with themselves....meaning starting to define what goals they want, what progress means to them. Introspection is important...meaning where you are and where you want to go...and being okay with the slow pace of success. How fast you get there is not critical. What is very important is just allowing yourself to go....and have no fear...in case you fall many times over just know it's human and we get really good at adapting and getting better.9
-
@Lilylady3k - she is just gorgeous, you. It’s all be so proud and in love 😍 thanks for sharing the pictures
So far I’m 5AF, this evening was a bit of a struggle…but….. done!8 -
QUICK CHECK IN:
I need 3 step program to get me off the goodies people have dropped off for us during the holidays.
I thought I had frozen most of the cookies, candies, breads. Then last night I saw another goodie in the cupboard.
Today I feel yucky for eating something so yummy and sweet so late in the evening.
I should have slid a sock over it!
AF 5/5
Sweets and goodies ~ not good9 -
mom2kateRH wrote: »Reading all these comments is inspirational. I definitely struggle with the "just one" drink as well, so I'm just going AF. So far, I feel really good. I'm sleeping SO much better. I wake up early (before my alarm), but sleep through the night. Which is new for me! I'm used to waking up several times a night.
The witching hour is tough. I need to find a hobby that uses my hands to distract me (both from snacking and drinking)
The sleep with less alcohol is amazing! I notice it too. Bliss!
Have you tried knitting or crocheting? Or needlepoint?6 -
[
Happy new year, all. My goal, broadly, has been to drink less and enjoy more. The way I have framed it, specifically, is still pretty challenging to me. 2 parts:
1) drinks on weekends- I think abstaining during the week has helped me enjoy more on weekends, like it is more of an occasion. It has become habit enough that it's not too challenging because I mostly don't even think about it. E.g. a vacuvin-ed bottle of wine on the kitchen counter left over from the weekend isn't bothersome. But come the weekend...
2) 2 drinks limit- I suck at this. I make the same old excuses to give myself "permission" go drink more-- I have calories for it, I'm not driving, kids aren't around... come on! These are terrible reasons to overconsume. After one drink I want another, but honestly, after 2 drinks I want another. And after 3 drinks sometimes too. Like the feeling at the end of the glass isn't variable. I'm playing with the idea of just trying a 1 drink limit for a while to see if I have more success -- and overall enjoyment-- with that. It can be a big or fancy drink, but just one. And no argument with myself after that. I don't know. Undecided.
Oh man, I totally hear you! It is so easy to justify drinking. You’re not alone- the struggle is real!6 -
@lmlmrn - Love our mascot with his plastic glass hat ... implying empty cup and no more drinking cause the bottle is socked??? LOL
Last night my sister dropped by and DH went to SPECS to pick up wine. Needless to say ... 3 glasses of wine later for me. If I had stopped at 2 then I would not have broken any of my self imposed rules. But you know how it goes ...
First you take a drink, then the drink takes a drink, then the drink takes you.
10 -
4 AF days done. Valentine's chocolates are out in the stores already. I wonder if I should start grocery delivery so the stores don't tempt me to buy junk on impulse. It would help keep me away from the wine too. I guess it will cost more but then again I'd buy less - and avoid temptation. Hmm...7
-
@Fit_Happens_2021 oh geez, you’re testing my memory here. I think it’s been almost two years since I did the alcohol experiment. One thing that registered with me is the whole dopamine cycle issue she discusses early on, and how when you try to sleep your body is trying to get back to equilibrium. Hence, bad sleep. I always think of that. Also, it really got me thinking about the fact that My drinking was a mindless habit, vs. a conscious choice. On the whole, it was a worthwhile exercise, but I never stopped drinking. I even drank during TAE if that tells you anything about my state of mind back then! But, it did have a lasting impression on me that I continued to ask myself “do I really want alcohol, or is this just a habit” many more times than not.
I did really well with the 21 Day Sugar Detox (I believe the website is www.21dsd.com) by Diane Sanfillipo. No alcohol, and depending on a questionnaire, there are three levels and types of carbs. The theory is most of us eat way more sugar (found in food and alcohol) than we need for energy, and all that extra glucose leads to inflammation. Of course alcohol is a big inflammatory!
Where I have difficulty is re-incorporating alcohol and anything in the bread family back into my diet afterwards. I know the befits of keeping these at arms length, yet resolve crumbles.
Yesterday was a very busy and stressful day at work. I was mentioning at work how I can’t wait to get home and have a glass of wine. So, when I got home, I made the choice to have a glass, and I hate to say it, but it helped! I stopped at one, which is great, but I’m a big girl and consciously made the choice to pour the wine. My goal is less alcohol, not “no alcohol”, so the fact that I made a choice vs. mindlessly drinking out of habit, and stopping at only one, is actually a win for me!13 -
@Womona I definitely hear you on the sleep issue! I am struggling with sleep still, but I think it was quite a bit better last night, and now day 5 AF is behind me. I am interested to see if cutting out alcohol helps with my joint issues as I am being tested for rheumatoid arthritis, and I have osteo in my hips, spine, and hands. TAE has been really eye opening for me, I didn't know about the dopamine and all the chemical cycles in our brains, now it all makes sense! Having lots of 'Aha' moments
@Xellercin Congratulations on two years AF!!! I will look up Allen Carr, I am receptive to a blunt approach as it gels well with my own approach to life, but I also understand that could be off putting for some. I am at the point now of wondering how I have drank almost daily for so many years without ever looking into what is really going on inside me. Feels like an awakening, almost like an epiphany (coincidence that I feel this on the 6th Jan? Maybe ) but I am nothing if not realistic. I know that I am 'riding the wave' right now, and it has limited milage. I'll milk what I can out of it while it lasts and try to lay solid groundwork for when it peters out.
Jan 1-5 AF6 -
Is TAE the same as The Naked Mind by Annie Grace?1
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 391.4K Introduce Yourself
- 43.5K Getting Started
- 259.7K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.6K Food and Nutrition
- 47.3K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 389 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.7K Motivation and Support
- 7.8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.2K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.2K MyFitnessPal Information
- 22 News and Announcements
- 918 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.3K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions