Less Alcohol ~ DECEMBER 2022 ~ One Day At A Time
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Stuck at 11 AF days. 1.5 Coors light. Light beer tastes so flavorless I added OJ. I was just hungry and had no snacks, husband went to bed early and I stayed up and I simply guess I needed something to calm me. But at the time, my brain didn't think of a better option.
@dawnbgethealthy hope you feel better my friend....getting better in time for ice-skating season and cross-country ski is a priority. Hope you have a speedy return to normal before the holidays.
@RubyRed427 good and welcoming to see your posts, please stick around.
We are all about motivation and support. To me, this means lifting others. It means progressing towards self-improvement and happiness. It means introspection and reflection and planning I always ask myself, what could I have done better or differently?
In 2023, I am wanting to go totally AF for a long stretch, like 6 mo. I am happier that way, simply (after the first 5 miserable days). I was able to do 3 months and so know I can do 6.8 -
AF today. I stopped by the grocery for a few things, picked up a Real Ale Bomber sampler 6-pack, two each of the Black Quad, Real Heavy and Commissar imperial stout. The quads are in the fridge for tomorrow, but that doesn't necessarily mean that I'll drink them. We'll see. I also found a 6-pack of Karbach Free & Easy NA IPA. I haven't really bought any Karbach since they sold out to AB InBev, but decided to try this one. It's pretty decent, better than the Lagunitas if you're into IPAs and in an area where you can get Karbach. I don't know what their distribution is like outside of Houston...
It's getting chilly here, but I went out and had one on the porch while smoking a Djarum Black. I don't smoke much anymore, but every now and then I get a hankering.
The new boots showed up today, and there's a blem in the dye. I would probably be irritated at that with a moderately priced department store shoe, but there's no way I'm willing to accept that in something on the level of Allen Edmonds. Tomorrow, I'll drive them over to the local store and see what my options are. Other than the blem, they're fabulous!
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@dawnbgethealthy I hope you feel better soon! Apparently all kinds of illnesses are rampant this year. I still need the newer covid shot though I have already had 4. The problem is I am one of those that get sick as a dog for at least 24 hours after and I really don't have time before Xmas to sacrifice a day for that.
This morning we are going to a tea party with Mrs. Claus. My granddaughters, age 4 and 6, absolutely love this. This will be the older one's 3rd time and we treasure this little tradition.
I'm on Day 17 AF now. Yesterday was easier than the day before. When I tell my husband I feel tempted to drink he uses my own words back to me. "Play the whole movie. How does it end?" This irritates me but he is right lol.8 -
Hello all! I’m still Amanda, I’m from Michigan. I am still a crazy cat lady and work for a veterinarian. This will be my sixth month with this group and it has helped me cut back on my drinking so much! I am not ready to say I am 100% sober but last month I had 30 days alcohol free 😃
12/1-12/7: 7 out of 7 AF
12/8-12/14: 7 out of 7 AF
Rolling total: 14 out of 14 AF
12/15: AF
My dad always buys a giant bottle of Baileys over the holidays and we put it in coffee and top it with whipped cream (if you want) or pour it over ice. I just perused the interwebz a bit and I don’t see AF Baileys. You can make it but it looks like such a pain in my behind I think I’ll just skip it this year or just have one.
So proud of everyone for their AF streaks, especially during this season that can be tricky.
12/16: AF
Back to my pre-surgical weight today! I gained 5 pounds with that surgery. I’m still not anywhere near where I want to be but any loss in December for me is a win!6 -
@mfowler883 You would be from the useful corner of Reddit if you were a regular Reddit user. I think I assumed because you get your point across with the typed word and are witty.
Very cool shoes. Unacceptable to have a blem!
@SunnyDays930 Im cheering for you! Tea sounds lovely.
@dawnbgethealthy Im thinking of you, hope your flu or whatever it turns out to be isn’t too severe. Keep hydrated!6 -
RubyRed427 wrote: »I am currently living the "less alcohol" life. Cutting down a lot but not eliminating enough to make me feel healthy every morning. I do notice that after a few drinks, my Fitbit shows my heart rate during the night is all above resting. When I don't drink in the evening, my night's heart rate is under the resting heart rate. This is significant to me but not enough deterrent to stop drinking. Sigh.
I do read all your posts and love that you have a wonderful, close group.
Welp, that explains why my sleep was terrible with that extra half glass of wine! I don’t have a Fitbit but I imagine poor sleep was due to increased heart rate!
This is an awesome group!6 -
Dec 1- 2- 3 A
Dec 4 - AF
Dec 5-6 -A
Dec 7- AF
Dec 8-9 -10 A
Dec 11- 12 - 13- AF
Dec 14- 15 - 16- 17 -A but only 1 glass each night instead of my usual 3 so that's progress6 -
dawnbgethealthy wrote: »Wednesday December 14 - AF - I was really craving a drink last night after work, but figured that I had to hang tough for a couple of more days. First Wednesday public skating at a local arena during my break, they finally opened back up. I walk there from work and bring my skates into work so that they are not too cold to put on my feet. Looking forward to doing that every Wednesday between my split shift : - )
Thursday December 15 - AF - Planned a long Friday workday with X-Country skiing during my 2 hour afternoon break. Good reason to not have drinks Thursday night. Then woke up very sick this Friday morning. I am not going anywhere, can barely stand up. Flu-ish
@dawnbgethealthy - Lovely that you are once again able to enjoy your favorite form of exercise. I think it is wonderful that you can take breaks to skate and x-country ski.
Hope that this cold doesn't keep you down for very long. Take care.
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December accountability: 7 days AF
Alcohol: 9 days (21 drinks)
Goal: Limit 2 glasses per day; 12-16 AF days per month.
12/16 - AF, DH too
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@mfowler883 You would be from the useful corner of Reddit if you were a regular Reddit user. I think I assumed because you get your point across with the typed word and are witty.
Very cool shoes. Unacceptable to have a blem!
Thanks! I'm not terrible with spoken word but I'm better at the keyboard - I was a socially inept loner and a BBSer kid back in the late 80s and early 90s, ran a WWIV system with lots of mods and all the games, was the one of the first boards in my area to get up and running with WWIVnet, etc., so I learned pretty early on to convey ideas and meanings effectively online. I've always read a lot, and I think devouring books helps us to develop our use of the language. I'm also a creative, and have spent a lot of time honing my crafts - in visual arts I'm mostly a dabbler, but music and writing have always been a part of my life. Again, the more you write, the better you get at it, kind of like eating right or drinking less. Gotta flex those muscles routinely to keep them in shape.
I've decided to keep the boots. I was looking at some discussions and videos from cobblers and really thinking about where Allen Edmonds sits in the spectrum - they are a handmade shoe that doesn't cost $1000. The blem is cosmetic and will not affect the longevity or integrity of the shoe. The blem is in a spot that most people will never see, and the first time I strip them it's likely to resolve itself - it's not in the base coat, it's a splash of the color they used to burnish the boots, so it's on top of the base coat and beneath the finish. I already know I'll strip them at some point, if only to refresh them but more likely to try to dye them a slightly deeper shade and push them away from the orangy-browns more toward the purply-reds.
They look awesome, and fit well, but oh man are they stiff. I get the feeling these are going to be hard to break in - the only shoe I can think of offhand that was worse in the beginning was my Doc Marten's 1460s from just after they moved production to Asia. Not even the same shoe as a UK-made version. Hmm....maybe my Underground 20-eyelets were worse. Maybe. I miss those boots.
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@mfowler883 Wow I can't not tell you how pretty those wingtips are!!! I have a pair of black tip and houndstooth pattern (not leather drats) heels that I will wear with my jeans. And I am a huge IPA fan. Finding an af one's that have any flavor is tough in our area.
Today we are driving up to Seattle to visit my MIL and bring her her Christmas gifts. This will be an all day even ....ugg.
my A and AF days are not quite where I would like them but that is part of my journey. Life choices. I am going to find some time today to calm my mind and reflect on goals for the upcoming weeks and months. I don't want my A days to overpower my AF days as I am seeing an old pattern starting to emerge. The stress of FIL death, DH's family, the homeless, the sale of the building, my mothers failing health. These things weigh heavy on me at times.
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@lmlmrn thanks, these are my first wingtips. I've had cap toes before on jump boots and my 20-eyelets, and I recently grabbed a pair of Florsheim derbies with cap toes, but I never really considered anything more elaborate than that.
Sorry that you have so many stressors in your life right now. Sometimes it seems like there's no end to the things that just start piling up until we're buried in it, doesn't it? At times, it can feel like the things are like breakers crashing over us and, just as we get to our feet and catch our breath, another wave comes to knock us to our knees again...once in a while, the big swells come and it feels like we will never make it up for air....but eventually, the seas will calm.
The homeless....where to even start. Unpopular opinion time:I was homeless for a while. Mid 90s, NAFTA passed, GM said screw the UAW and started moving shops to Mexico where the people would appreciate the jobs instead of trying to strongarm the company despite having it made, the ripple was huge. It wasn't just the union guys that lost their jobs - the contractors, the vendors, the suppliers, all the little outlying shops that provided parts and services, and with those jobs went the money, nobody had it to spend anymore, the economy tanked and I went from steady factory work to not being able to find a job washing dishes for minimum wage. Anywhere was better than where I was, so I saved up what I could scrape together, emptied my accounts, pulled what small investments I had in mutual funds, collected my tax return and bailed for New Orleans. It didn't take long for the money to run out, and I hadn't found steady work or a place to stay yet, so I found myself on the street. I wouldn't trade the experience, I found strength I didn't know I had, I made some very good friends, mixed in with the hard times were some really good times. But the whole while, I was taking advantage of every resource I could find. I didn't leave a trail of garbage or a mountain of garbage, I never used the bathroom on somebody's doorstep or behind their trash can, I never destroyed property, I never got wasted and passed out on the street, I never gave passers-by any grief, I never stuck around where I wasn't wanted, I never behaved obnoxiously. I didn't want to be seen as subhuman scum, so I didn't act like subhuman scum. Sure, I had my baggage and demons. So what? Me and my demons are a lot more comfortable with a roof over our heads, thankyouverymuch. I never LOOKED homeless, I kept myself clean and well groomed and nicely dressed because I was still looking for work EVERY DAY. I didn't stay homeless for long, because I never WANTED to be homeless. I eventually found work, I saved my money, and I quickly found an apartment I could afford. It wasn't nice, it was in a rough neighborhood, I had no furniture and slept on the floor but that's better than a lot of places I'd slept; it was a long walk to get to work and back every day and work was no fun, but it was an end to my homelessness.Dunno if tonight will be A or AF. I've got those quads in the fridge, but I've got a couple Stellas and Karbachs in there, too.
I see people now who are homeless, and I can't help asking myself, what are they doing to change their situation? I find it hard to be sympathetic with people that I see day after day, week after week, month after month, sometimes years, never appearing to be putting an effort into getting unhomelessed. Hard times happen, I get it. We fall down, I get it. You don't drown by falling in the river, you drown by staying there. Get up, put one foot in front of the other, find resources and take advantage of them.
So that's my take on the homeless. I guess that turned into a longer rant than intended, that's okay...
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This group really helps me hold myself accountable, plus everyone is absolutely great. My monthly goal is 16-19 AF days (3A days max weekly) for weight loss and overall health. I post in the mornings about the previous day.
12/12: Drinks (2.5)
12/13: AF
12/14: Drinks (2.5)
12/15: Drinks (2)
12/16: AF - I've done my 3A days this week. I'm staying AF until Thursday (date night), which helped us avoid stopping at a microbrewery on the way home after a run last night. I walked/ran and now I have an injured knee (boo!). The knee was already was partially injured, so I just topped it off last night (drats!). Calorie-wise though, we ordered a Mello Mushroom pizza and I ate two instead of the one slice, plus a salad. The walk/run kept me from gaining, but I won't be able to do it again for a while.
Rolling Total: 8 AF Days out of 164 -
@dawnbgethealthy - I'm sorry you're sick and hope you recover soon!3
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@mfowler883 love love love the new boots! Just beautiful. Wear them proudly. Thanks for sharing your story, I’ll bet you met people from all walks of life! You have a great work ethic. I don’t think it’s an unpopular opinion if one finds themself homeless, there is no reason to scatter your stuff everywhere and leave someone else’s space a big mess.4
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@lmlmrn hang in there. You’ve had such a stressful time lately. “These are the times that try men’s souls,” indeed! I count it as a huge win that you’re at least thinking about your alcohol intake vs. just mindlessly drinking.
@dawnbgethealthy i hope you feel better and can get back to fun eintet activities soon!
@joans1976 Nice! Hopefully that’s a bright spot while you’re healing!3 -
mfowler883 wrote: »I can't say for sure, but I think that had I not taken the time to sit at my desktop and write here as I did, I may well have gone next door to find something to drink. This group is really helpful for both accountability and support.
@mfowler883 I am with you on the above and your other note about habits. I joined this group before and met my goals for a couple months, then thought I had it down but fell back into old habits pretty quickly. I really do appreciate the accountability, camaraderie and support. Also, I had to look up Krav Maga, which looks like fun. The added benefit IMHO is that it would be in a group setting or with an instructor. That's another thing that has helped me stay consistent with my workouts. I used to run after work with a group and I did it for years and years until I moved away. I never stopped after that, not until I started having issues with my feet and now my knees. I can still get in great Peloton and weight workouts until I get some of these other issues resolved.I am finding my go to spots that offer up Heinekin00 or other NA cocktails. I even had a frozen margarita made at an authentic Mexican place without booze and it was awesome!(pictured above)
@MissMay I agree with @mfowler883 Your NA cocktail does look awesome! Did you ask for it or did they have it on the menu? @mfowler883 I agree that making your own can be so much better. You're making me hungry too! LOL
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@lmlmrn - That's hilarious about the stack. I wonder what they plan to do with it? Also, I think you're doing great especially the "limiting to two" and especially this time of year.3
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Thanks all for your well wishes : - )
Yep, not indestructible, maybe I needed that reminder lol.
I pushed so much water yesterday that I was actually up more than 3 pounds this morning.
I woke feeling fantastic! Got out for a nice cross country ski on Elizabeth Lake, listened to one of my fave Science shows (and 2 comedy shows) on the radio, chipped away the large lump of ice that had formed where I park because soon it will be minus 20 here, washed the floor of my porch before it gets too cold. Shovelled until dark, then made a Manhattan with 1/2 shot of rye and an 1/8th shot of sweet vermouth, a few dashes of orange bitters and a maraschino cherry. I think now that the bitters is what wrecks it. Anyway, had just a sip and then put it in the freezer. Then I made sort of a Stinger, actually a Prince, Rye and Peppermint schnapps. Having that now, 1/2 shot of Rye, 1/4 shot of peppermint schnapps.
Such a fantastic day.
Yesterday was a write off, couldn't go to work, could barely stand up, accomplished little. I was getting maudlin thinking of how NOT invulnerable I am etc.
All good today : - )
Going to relax tonight.7 -
@mfowler883 good shoes really matter if they make you feel happy and your feet feel really good. Thumbs up!
Friends, help me out, I am in need of some good Christmas mocktail recipes since half my gang coming over for Xmas are no-alcohol and they don't go for zero alcohol beer and wine. I need some cool mocktails please.
And I need recipes for a serious homemade apple pie with green apple filling (gluten-free). I will try to but the crust but want to make the filling from scratch.
@dawnbegethealthy, I am caving and we are doing BBQ pork spareribs on the charcoal, because it's once a year and worth it. Good BBQ ribs once a year won't kill us.
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I am Dawn, I live in SE BC Canada
My primary motivation for drinking less is weight loss.
I throw up if I have more than 3 drinks, so moderation on drink days is rarely an issue for me lol.
My recurring goal is 16-20 AF days per month. I squeaked to 16 last month.
I like to do this diary style to keep track.
Wednesday December 14 - AF - I was really craving a drink last night after work, but figured that I had to hang tough for a couple of more days. First Wednesday public skating at a local arena during my break, they finally opened back up. I walk there from work and bring my skates into work so that they are not too cold to put on my feet. Looking forward to doing that every Wednesday between my split shift : - )
Thursday December 15 - AF - Planned a long Friday workday with X-Country skiing during my 2 hour afternoon break. Good reason to not have drinks Thursday night. Then woke up very sick this Friday morning. I am not going anywhere, can barely stand up. Flu-ish
Friday December 16 - AF - Sick with the flu or something, no energy to Covid test until Saturday morning...negative.
Saturday December 17 - Drinks, made in small measures.
Rolling total - 11AF day out of 17 days5 -
Not even close to AF tonight, spinning off into a dark place again. Somehow almost missed that my son would've been 21 yesterday. Catch y'all tomorrow.
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Hello all! I’m still Amanda, I’m from Michigan. I am still a crazy cat lady and work for a veterinarian. This will be my sixth month with this group and it has helped me cut back on my drinking so much! I am not ready to say I am 100% sober but last month I had 30 days alcohol free 😃
12/1-12/7: 7 out of 7 AF
12/8-12/14: 7 out of 7 AF
Rolling total: 14 out of 14 AF
12/15: AF
My dad always buys a giant bottle of Baileys over the holidays and we put it in coffee and top it with whipped cream (if you want) or pour it over ice. I just perused the interwebz a bit and I don’t see AF Baileys. You can make it but it looks like such a pain in my behind I think I’ll just skip it this year or just have one.
So proud of everyone for their AF streaks, especially during this season that can be tricky.
12/16: AF
Back to my pre-surgical weight today! I gained 5 pounds with that surgery. I’m still not anywhere near where I want to be but any loss in December for me is a win!
12/17: AF
I did way too much yesterday and am paying for it with soreness today. 12 days out from surgery and ready to be back to normal!
I made like 4 million cookies with my mom yesterday, a tradition. She did not start drinking before noon which helped the process go smoother. My dad got pretty toasted before dinner which is odd and I didn’t necessarily like it. I’m kind of at a cross roads with saying something about their drinking. For one, they are going to keep drinking if they want to. And they are still getting used to me not drinking with them. However, they are already unsteady on their feet and adding alcohol makes their fall risk go up. I know a lot of you deal with partners drinking but have/did/are any of you dealing with an elderly parent drinking?
I am 50 days AF.8 -
The suicide of Ellen's beloved sidekick, Twitch, has me rattled. Everyone saying how happy he seemed, how much he loved his family etc. My very wise, late father often reminded me that, "we all carry an invisible bucket of tears." This is so true. We do not know what the stranger walking past us is suffering, or maybe even those close to us. We must do our best to be kind and compassionate to all. Most of all, we must try to muster up gratitude for what blessings we DO have.
The Christmas season can be very difficult for those that are in grief for whatever reason. Life is never like a Hallmark movie for most of us. We are all just doing the best we can.
I admire every single one of you for sharing your honesty and struggles here. I am sure there are those following this thread silently that feel the same.7 -
@mfowler883 I went into college thinking I was going to be a great novelist. Here I am 25 years later, a vet tech and loving the medical field. I won a bunch of awards for writing in high school and was awarded grants for college. I’ve kept journals over the years of things I’ve seen in vet med but I really do not think anyone would want to read it!
I hope you got some rest after your spiral, I’m sorry you are dealing with that.
@lmlmrn Im sorry to hear things are getting crowded in your head. This sounds cliche but you can only do what you can do. I’m glad you have the sale of DH business behind you but you may both have some trauma to deal with from that. I’ll be thinking of you!
@tmbg1 Amazing! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 That’s a big deal I’m glad you shared that! I think you said you’re a teacher, so do you have some time off here? Plans? Recovery mode?7 -
I forgot to ask the folks who have been here from the start….does this thread get a lot of new people at the beginning of the year due to resolutions?2
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Hi All! I’m in!6
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Dec 1- 2- 3 A
Dec 4 - AF
Dec 5-6 -A
Dec 7- AF
Dec 8-9 -10 A
Dec 11- 12 - 13- AF
Dec 14- 15 - 16- 17 -A
Dec 18 - AF- four more work days til holiday break 🙌 can't wait to destress (hopefully in a healthy way)5
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