LESS Alcohol ~ MAY 2023 ~ One Day at A Time
MissMay
Posts: 3,737 Member
Do you want to drink LESS?
Then join us in drinking LESS (whatever that means for you) as we continue to support and learn from each other.
■ LESS ALCOHOL RESOURCE & GENERAL INFORMATION LIST ■
USING THIS THREAD:
▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
•Join us at any time.
•Set your own goal - this thread is about drinking less and you decide what that means to you.
•There are no scheduled check-ins - post as often or as little as you want or need.
•AF is an acronym for Alcohol Free. For others commonly used on this site see - https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1069278/acronyms-and-terms-for-new-mfp-members-v-6/p1
•To follow this thread easily, bookmark it by clicking on the star at the top right of this thread.
•Remember that we are here for you and care about you. Check in with us when you have time and let us know what you need!
TIPS & OBSERVATIONS FROM OUR USERS:
▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
•Getting Started or Starting Over.
•Some people find it easier to set small attainable goals at the beginning to help boost confidence.
•If you have been drinking daily the first days will be some of the hardest and drinking again will feel like a cure but it delays the relief that only time can provide.
•There will always be a reason to delay the start/restart of your journey.
•For those ready to commit to being alcohol-free permanently, the videos on YouTube by Craig Beck will help. He also has a program you can join.
•You may experience mood swings and anxiety during your first two weeks. It is suggested you try and focus on the benefits of your goal.
•Cravings are said to last only 6 minutes, so find something to distract you like arming yourself with alternatives: tea, mock-tails, activities, etc.
•You may find that filling the time you drink with other activities like exercise or hobbies can be a helpful distraction.
•If you find them tempting try and avoid events/outings that will have drinking for a time.
•Don't let pride or shame keep you from asking for the help you need.
•Sometimes talking it out or posting your thoughts/feelings/struggles may help you work things out for yourself.
•It is okay that you don't always have all the answers.
•Some days will be easier than others.
•You may have initial/increased sugar cravings.
•You should never take a day that you have lived up to your goals for granted.
•Celebrate the smaller victories too. Less alcohol is still less alcohol even if your goal was zero at that moment.
•Once you begin sticking to your goals for one day to many days you should believe you are capable of the same and more because you are.
•Failure is not giving in and drinking. Failure is to stop trying to accomplish your goals.
•Annie Grace (This Naked Mind author) has a free program on her website (https://www.alcoholexperiment.com/) called the 30 day experiment which can be joined anonymously.
Life with Less Alcohol:
▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
•It can be helpful to educate yourself with books and web research (Some suggested books and links listed below).
•There is no benefit to comparing yourself to others because this is a personal journey.
•You may often feel conflicted. You will know that there are numerous real benefits to sticking to your goal while at the same time think that alcohol is an important part of stress relief, relaxation, celebration, etc.
•You may feel punished by not drinking or drinking less but that feeling usually fades with time.
•Sometimes drinking less or quitting will strain friendships that centered around alcohol.
•Having a list of reasons to stick to your goals handy for yourself can be helpful. Some lists have included remembering how bad it feels to have a hangover, excess/unwanted calories, having a racing heart during the night, sleeplessness, anxiety, and depression.
•It is a good idea to have a plan for how you might deal with various tempting scenarios before engaging in a social situation.
•Self-Reflection is an important part of the journey. Once we figure out why we drink we can hopefully use that information to form new habits and make better and more mindful decisions.
•Sometimes doing something nice for yourself like a little reward for a success makes the journey easier.
•You will see many helpful suggestions and ideas that work for some people. However, finding what tactics work for you may involve some trial and error.
•It is not uncommon for certain activities that were once combined with alcohol to trigger temptation. Many have said that outdoor activities in warmer weather made alcohol very tempting.
•Many that have spent time with no alcohol after drinking again realized that it doesn't enhance experiences like they once believed it did. Some have said they no longer like the taste.
•Don't forget how sticking to your goal has made your life better and remember it to motivate you again if you fall off your path.
•If you begin drinking daily again whether planned like a vacation or unplanned you may once again face a struggle to get it under control.
•For some people it is easier to not drink than it is to moderate drinking. Others have found moderating impossible.
Reported Benefits of Less or No Drinking: (Results may be incremental, and/or they may vary)
▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
•Improved sleep after 2,4,7,10,& 60 days
•Improved skin/complexion after 10 days
•Improved ease in weight loss. Not only from the savings of alcohol calories but some report making poor food choices after drinking.
•Increased energy after as few as 2 days
•Increase in other fun activities. Some have found that daily drinking became their main recreational activity and their world was decreased in size.
•Increased productivity
•Reduction of high blood pressure
•Lower resting heart rate
•Less Acid Re-flux
•Significant financial savings
•More creativity
•More productivity
•Better relationships with family
When Alcohol Is Used for Avoidance:
▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
•We drink to ease the stress of the working day, to avoid it.
•We drink to avoid anxiety in social situations.
•We drink to avoid making decisions about not drinking.
•The Takeaway on Avoidance, our problems don't go away if we avoid them. We need to learn to face them.
•Having a clear head makes our problems seem much smaller.
•Having a clear head makes problems easier to solve.
How to Be Kind to "Tomorrow You":
▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
•Instead of lumbering with guilt, headaches, and poor nutrition hangovers in the morning, Think of think how nice it would be not to feel that way tomorrow.
•Worry about "me" and don't let "tomorrow Me" feel awful.
•Instead of thinking alcohol is something nice to have *now*, think of *NOT drinking* as something nice we can do for the person we are when we awaken in the morning.
•Do you bank calories for a festive occasion? (Handy tactic) We can bank a good mood for when we wake up.
•We need to have sympathy for "Tomorrow You" and be kind to her/him.
•Don't look at a day without alcohol as a punishment for being bad or having no willpower.
•Not drinking is a lovely, sympathetic gesture towards the person we are now, and whom we will wake up as.
•You’d be kind to a stranger. Be kind to "Tomorrow You".
LINKS:
▪▪▪▪
•Mydrinkaware:
https://www.mydrinkaware.co.uk
•A Sharing Site for Women:
http://www.drinkingdiaries.com/about/
•General Information/Blog Sites:
https://thesoberschool.com/
http://www.hipsobriety.com/
https://joinclubsoda.co.uk/
https://thisnakedmind.com/blog/
https://alcoholmastery.com/blog/
•Sobriety Blog:
http://mummywasasecretdrinker.blogspot.com/
•The Thirty Day Experiment:
https://www.alcoholexperiment.com/
•Ten Things That Helped Me Quit Booze:
https://unpickledblog.com/2017/01/04/replacement-behaviours-ten-things-that-helped-me-kick-booze/?wref=tp
•The Neuroscience Behind How We Make Decisions:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/201505/the-neuroscience-making-decision
•Summary of Book on Addiction:
https://drgabormate.com/book/in-the-realm-of-hungry-ghosts/
•Article on the Difference Between Being an Alcoholic and Really Liking to Drink:
https://www.self.com/story/alcoholic-or-just-really-like-to-drink
•To the Mom questioning her drinking habits:
http://www.scarymommy.com/questioning-drinking-habits/
•Guided Meditations:
http://marc.ucla.edu/mindful-meditations
ALTERNATIVE DRINKS:
▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
•Overnight Cold Brew Iced Tea:
https://www.splendidtable.org/story/you-can-cold-brew-iced-tea-while-you-sleep
•Mocktail Recipes:
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipes/1822/drinks/mocktails/
https://www.foodandwine.com/cocktails-spirits/mocktails
https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/drinks/how-to/g785/best-mocktail-recipes/
APPS:
▪▪▪▪
•Daybreak iOS link. A Deakin University study of hundreds of health apps found that Daybreak is one of only four that have proven effective and provide quality assistance.
•Dry Days by AlcoChange iOS is for those who want to cut down or cut out the booze throughout the year, while seeing the impact it has on your health and wallet.
•nomo - Sobriety Clocks iOS - In addition to an alcohol clock and monetary savings this app lets you check in and do a sobriety exercise if you're tempted, and connect with accountability partners.
•Sobriety Counter - Stop Drinking (Sobriety Counter - EasyQuit pro version) Android- Provides health stats, money saved, games to distract you, motivational tips, and several other features
BOOKS:
▪▪▪▪
•Quit Like a Woman: The Radical Choice to Not Drink in a Culture Obsessed with Alcohol
by Holly Whitaker
•The Naked Mind by Annie Grace
•Alcohol Lied to Me by Craig Beck
•Rational Recovery by Jack Trimpey
•The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober by Catherine Gray
•The Liars Club, Cherry, and Lit by Mary Karr (3 different publications)
•Kick the Drink...Easily by Jason Vale
•Drinking: A Love Story by Caroline Knapp
•Being Sober: A Step-by-Step Guide to Getting To, Getting Through, and Living in Recovery by Harry Haroutunian
•The Easy, Illustrated Way to Quit Drinking by Alan Carr
•Alcohol Explained by William Porter
Credit and thanks to the MFP Less Alcohol One Day at a Time participants
For their willingness to share their insights and resourcefulness in finding this information
~Established 2017~
Then join us in drinking LESS (whatever that means for you) as we continue to support and learn from each other.
■ LESS ALCOHOL RESOURCE & GENERAL INFORMATION LIST ■
USING THIS THREAD:
▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
•Join us at any time.
•Set your own goal - this thread is about drinking less and you decide what that means to you.
•There are no scheduled check-ins - post as often or as little as you want or need.
•AF is an acronym for Alcohol Free. For others commonly used on this site see - https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1069278/acronyms-and-terms-for-new-mfp-members-v-6/p1
•To follow this thread easily, bookmark it by clicking on the star at the top right of this thread.
•Remember that we are here for you and care about you. Check in with us when you have time and let us know what you need!
TIPS & OBSERVATIONS FROM OUR USERS:
▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
•Getting Started or Starting Over.
•Some people find it easier to set small attainable goals at the beginning to help boost confidence.
•If you have been drinking daily the first days will be some of the hardest and drinking again will feel like a cure but it delays the relief that only time can provide.
•There will always be a reason to delay the start/restart of your journey.
•For those ready to commit to being alcohol-free permanently, the videos on YouTube by Craig Beck will help. He also has a program you can join.
•You may experience mood swings and anxiety during your first two weeks. It is suggested you try and focus on the benefits of your goal.
•Cravings are said to last only 6 minutes, so find something to distract you like arming yourself with alternatives: tea, mock-tails, activities, etc.
•You may find that filling the time you drink with other activities like exercise or hobbies can be a helpful distraction.
•If you find them tempting try and avoid events/outings that will have drinking for a time.
•Don't let pride or shame keep you from asking for the help you need.
•Sometimes talking it out or posting your thoughts/feelings/struggles may help you work things out for yourself.
•It is okay that you don't always have all the answers.
•Some days will be easier than others.
•You may have initial/increased sugar cravings.
•You should never take a day that you have lived up to your goals for granted.
•Celebrate the smaller victories too. Less alcohol is still less alcohol even if your goal was zero at that moment.
•Once you begin sticking to your goals for one day to many days you should believe you are capable of the same and more because you are.
•Failure is not giving in and drinking. Failure is to stop trying to accomplish your goals.
•Annie Grace (This Naked Mind author) has a free program on her website (https://www.alcoholexperiment.com/) called the 30 day experiment which can be joined anonymously.
Life with Less Alcohol:
▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
•It can be helpful to educate yourself with books and web research (Some suggested books and links listed below).
•There is no benefit to comparing yourself to others because this is a personal journey.
•You may often feel conflicted. You will know that there are numerous real benefits to sticking to your goal while at the same time think that alcohol is an important part of stress relief, relaxation, celebration, etc.
•You may feel punished by not drinking or drinking less but that feeling usually fades with time.
•Sometimes drinking less or quitting will strain friendships that centered around alcohol.
•Having a list of reasons to stick to your goals handy for yourself can be helpful. Some lists have included remembering how bad it feels to have a hangover, excess/unwanted calories, having a racing heart during the night, sleeplessness, anxiety, and depression.
•It is a good idea to have a plan for how you might deal with various tempting scenarios before engaging in a social situation.
•Self-Reflection is an important part of the journey. Once we figure out why we drink we can hopefully use that information to form new habits and make better and more mindful decisions.
•Sometimes doing something nice for yourself like a little reward for a success makes the journey easier.
•You will see many helpful suggestions and ideas that work for some people. However, finding what tactics work for you may involve some trial and error.
•It is not uncommon for certain activities that were once combined with alcohol to trigger temptation. Many have said that outdoor activities in warmer weather made alcohol very tempting.
•Many that have spent time with no alcohol after drinking again realized that it doesn't enhance experiences like they once believed it did. Some have said they no longer like the taste.
•Don't forget how sticking to your goal has made your life better and remember it to motivate you again if you fall off your path.
•If you begin drinking daily again whether planned like a vacation or unplanned you may once again face a struggle to get it under control.
•For some people it is easier to not drink than it is to moderate drinking. Others have found moderating impossible.
Reported Benefits of Less or No Drinking: (Results may be incremental, and/or they may vary)
▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
•Improved sleep after 2,4,7,10,& 60 days
•Improved skin/complexion after 10 days
•Improved ease in weight loss. Not only from the savings of alcohol calories but some report making poor food choices after drinking.
•Increased energy after as few as 2 days
•Increase in other fun activities. Some have found that daily drinking became their main recreational activity and their world was decreased in size.
•Increased productivity
•Reduction of high blood pressure
•Lower resting heart rate
•Less Acid Re-flux
•Significant financial savings
•More creativity
•More productivity
•Better relationships with family
When Alcohol Is Used for Avoidance:
▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
•We drink to ease the stress of the working day, to avoid it.
•We drink to avoid anxiety in social situations.
•We drink to avoid making decisions about not drinking.
•The Takeaway on Avoidance, our problems don't go away if we avoid them. We need to learn to face them.
•Having a clear head makes our problems seem much smaller.
•Having a clear head makes problems easier to solve.
How to Be Kind to "Tomorrow You":
▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
•Instead of lumbering with guilt, headaches, and poor nutrition hangovers in the morning, Think of think how nice it would be not to feel that way tomorrow.
•Worry about "me" and don't let "tomorrow Me" feel awful.
•Instead of thinking alcohol is something nice to have *now*, think of *NOT drinking* as something nice we can do for the person we are when we awaken in the morning.
•Do you bank calories for a festive occasion? (Handy tactic) We can bank a good mood for when we wake up.
•We need to have sympathy for "Tomorrow You" and be kind to her/him.
•Don't look at a day without alcohol as a punishment for being bad or having no willpower.
•Not drinking is a lovely, sympathetic gesture towards the person we are now, and whom we will wake up as.
•You’d be kind to a stranger. Be kind to "Tomorrow You".
LINKS:
▪▪▪▪
•Mydrinkaware:
https://www.mydrinkaware.co.uk
•A Sharing Site for Women:
http://www.drinkingdiaries.com/about/
•General Information/Blog Sites:
https://thesoberschool.com/
http://www.hipsobriety.com/
https://joinclubsoda.co.uk/
https://thisnakedmind.com/blog/
https://alcoholmastery.com/blog/
•Sobriety Blog:
http://mummywasasecretdrinker.blogspot.com/
•The Thirty Day Experiment:
https://www.alcoholexperiment.com/
•Ten Things That Helped Me Quit Booze:
https://unpickledblog.com/2017/01/04/replacement-behaviours-ten-things-that-helped-me-kick-booze/?wref=tp
•The Neuroscience Behind How We Make Decisions:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/201505/the-neuroscience-making-decision
•Summary of Book on Addiction:
https://drgabormate.com/book/in-the-realm-of-hungry-ghosts/
•Article on the Difference Between Being an Alcoholic and Really Liking to Drink:
https://www.self.com/story/alcoholic-or-just-really-like-to-drink
•To the Mom questioning her drinking habits:
http://www.scarymommy.com/questioning-drinking-habits/
•Guided Meditations:
http://marc.ucla.edu/mindful-meditations
ALTERNATIVE DRINKS:
▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
•Overnight Cold Brew Iced Tea:
https://www.splendidtable.org/story/you-can-cold-brew-iced-tea-while-you-sleep
•Mocktail Recipes:
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipes/1822/drinks/mocktails/
https://www.foodandwine.com/cocktails-spirits/mocktails
https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/drinks/how-to/g785/best-mocktail-recipes/
APPS:
▪▪▪▪
•Daybreak iOS link. A Deakin University study of hundreds of health apps found that Daybreak is one of only four that have proven effective and provide quality assistance.
•Dry Days by AlcoChange iOS is for those who want to cut down or cut out the booze throughout the year, while seeing the impact it has on your health and wallet.
•nomo - Sobriety Clocks iOS - In addition to an alcohol clock and monetary savings this app lets you check in and do a sobriety exercise if you're tempted, and connect with accountability partners.
•Sobriety Counter - Stop Drinking (Sobriety Counter - EasyQuit pro version) Android- Provides health stats, money saved, games to distract you, motivational tips, and several other features
BOOKS:
▪▪▪▪
•Quit Like a Woman: The Radical Choice to Not Drink in a Culture Obsessed with Alcohol
by Holly Whitaker
•The Naked Mind by Annie Grace
•Alcohol Lied to Me by Craig Beck
•Rational Recovery by Jack Trimpey
•The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober by Catherine Gray
•The Liars Club, Cherry, and Lit by Mary Karr (3 different publications)
•Kick the Drink...Easily by Jason Vale
•Drinking: A Love Story by Caroline Knapp
•Being Sober: A Step-by-Step Guide to Getting To, Getting Through, and Living in Recovery by Harry Haroutunian
•The Easy, Illustrated Way to Quit Drinking by Alan Carr
•Alcohol Explained by William Porter
Credit and thanks to the MFP Less Alcohol One Day at a Time participants
For their willingness to share their insights and resourcefulness in finding this information
~Established 2017~
3
Replies
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I am in.4
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I’ll be here!4
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I would like to join in the fun! I have been stressed with work and all, and have been indulging most days. Drinks are only a temporary solution to the stress, and for me, if I over indulge, make it even harder the next day... vicious cycle.
My goal for May is to only indulge (without overdoing it), Fri/Sat evenings, and AF Sun-Thu. I need to make this a rule for me to follow, and not waver. (I'm usually a pretty good rule follower). In doing so, I hope to get back on a healthier track and loose some lbs too!
I will check in tomorrow morning, hopefully with a smiley face!
Good luck everyone on you own personal journeys.7 -
I am so looking forward to this month!
Some travel back to 'almost no longer home state' to 'almost future home state'. But while staying at my sisters home, is pretty easy to be AF. They rarely have any drinks, DH will have his usual when he wants it (whiskey) but bless him, he can take it or leave it.....(Sh**t not me some/most of the time). This coming week we have no real plans yet.
Saturday we are driving the three hours to take grand kids to the zoo, then drive 3 hours back to sisters house.
May 23 we fly back to soon to be former home. The drive back early part of June to take possession of the house.
I am really excited to start this next chapter8 -
Ended April with 14 AF and 16 A - heading into May feeling pretty good.6
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Yes I am in! My goal is to exercise or move 2 hours a day at least 6 days a week. Huge difference in my mental state and motivation when I exercise in the morning. It's always been the case when I do this, I do take good care of myself the rest of the day and eat right and drink right.
I'm not setting a goal for eating or drinking this month. But moving 2 hrs a day, every day and particularly in the morning. I will measure my drink and eating intake and see what comes of it.
7 -
This is the podcast: What Alcohol Does to Your Body, Brain & Health.
I haven't started it yet and plan to tomorrow with it being May.
I had a busy weekend with my dad's 80th birthday. We drove about eight hours Friday and another eight today with the birthday on Saturday. Road trips are really hard. I was able to stick to my calorie limit while Twizzlers, jerky, and more were being consumed around me in the car.
To stay awake driving, I had plenty of sunflower seeds. While I know which brand has the least sodium, it's still a fair bit. I'll give it a couple days before I hop on the scale.
Friday, I was able to get in a weights workout before hitting the road. Saturday was a planned "free" day and then today, I was able to get in 10,000 steps of cardio with my wife and dogs after getting home.
I finished April with a total of one drink. Feels surreal.
For bringing Grandma to my son's graduation, I have to do that drive once or twice more in the next couple weeks and then the two weeks after I have business trips planned.
Too much life happening!!! All of this makes the dieting and exercise harder.7 -
Hi everyone, and welcome newcomers! I hope you'll find these LA threads useful.
For the experiences of everyone here alone, and a place to share, it's really been doing me some good.
Monthly recap so far,
January: 22 AF, 9 A
February: 20 AF. 8 A
March: 20 AF, 11 A
April: 22 AF, 8 A
I don't know whats gotten into me this past week, but whatever it is, I want to capture it and study it in a lab! I've been in an interesting headspace, and somehow these last two drinking sessions I've managed to cut my intake in half. Still over the daily recommended limit, but I'm taking these as wins and remain hopeful I can further reduce my daily intake in the future.
Plans and experiments that are in motion: I've placed hard caps on spirits, only allowing singles. My theory, and perhaps a fools errand, is as with salt and sugar after I've lowered it for a while, my brain starts to accept the changes. I'm hoping this same, consistent approach to the alcohol can lower my tolerance, and from there I can maybe stand half a chance at reducing my intake further.
Under a microscope, I unfortunately don't recall ever being able to stop at just two or three drinks in a session and do fear that I will have to stop with spirits at least if I ever want to reach the recommended daily limit. Low% ABV explorations are underway. Onwards and upwards!
Thanks everyone for your posts and for these threads and apologies, this turned out to be a long one lol 8 -
HAPPY MAY 1st everyone
and welcome to LESS Alcohol 2023
Going to be an incredible successful month for all of us, I can feel it already.
I am going to start today with an interesting fact I read about weight loss attempts and drinking.
~When you drink, your body uses the alcohol calories for energy, meaning the food you eat is automatically stored as fat. So even if you have a chicken salad for dinner, if you also have a glass of wine that means you are actually gaining weight from eating a chicken salad, just because you are combining it with alcohol. ~
Let's combine all our positive energies and motivation for a goal setting month!!9 -
6 -
I'm IN! April was not great...those darn weekends! Also allowed a few Thursdays slip in to my "no weekday rule" - overall wrapped with 12 AF/ 18 A.
May is going to interesting...my birthday, Mother's day, weeklong vacation with lots of friends who are also drinking buddies, and Memorial Day weekend to kick off summer. Still, upping my goal to 13 or more AF days, and trying to get back to sticking with no more than 3 drinks in a day (not at the same time!) and alternating each with a glass of water.
@Fursian I've had a similar though lately re: spirits. I seem to be in much greater control when I stick to wine or beer - when I start with a cocktail, I find myself reaching for more in general- drinks, snacks, dessert, whatever the case may be!
6 -
Thank you @MissMay for keeping us going : - )
I am Dawn, I live in South Eastern British Columbia.
I joined this thread in November of 2018, a daily drinker at the time
My primary goal with drinking less is weight loss.
My usual goal is 16-20 AF days for the month,
I had 16AF days in April.
I do this diary style, I normally post the next morning.5 -
I am going to start today with an interesting fact I read about weight loss attempts and drinking.
~When you drink, your body uses the alcohol calories for energy, meaning the food you eat is automatically stored as fat. So even if you have a chicken salad for dinner, if you also have a glass of wine that means you are actually gaining weight from eating a chicken salad, just because you are combining it with alcohol. ~
@MissMay
And combine that with the fact that alcohol tends to lower our inhibitions and support over eating and consumption of more snacks....for me...usually cheese and crackers. This makes so much sense as I was pondering how a liquid could be so detrimental. Think of that experiment with the rocks in the jar, then sand, then water... seems like the "wine" should just fill in the cracks and not cause weigh gain
Thanks for sharing.7 -
Goals for MaySelf-care and positive vibes!
Zig-zag calorie count - Daily Average 1400
Success = No more than two glasses of wine per night.
Finished April with 3 days straight AF! I changed a lot of things in the past couple of weeks - I'm not sure which one is working or if it's the combination. I lost 9lbs in April. I can't tell you the last time that happened.
April 1 to April 15 - 3lbs, April 16 to April 30 - 6 lbs!!!
The Month recap to stay accountable My 2023 Stats...Current Month
AF =
A =
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
January
AF = 53%
A = 47%
February
AF = 29%
A = 71%
March
AF = 0%
A = 100%
April
AF = 14%
A = 86%
May
AF = 0%
A = 0%4 -
Looking forward to this new month of May, thank you @MissMay for keeping it going!
My goal for May is to keep up the better habits that I am developing with alcohol (wine only) and food. My resolve for May is to 1. maintain or reduce the number of days I plan for wine this month, 2. stay within my daily caloric range using MFP to track, and 3. Limit to 2 glasses max.
For me, there has been a a long-standing, now clear correlation between my stalled weight loss and liquid calories, followed by added mindless snacking.
May will be filled with celebrations with many opportunities to choose my beverages wisely, both non-alcoholic and bubbly. Mother’s Day, family reunion in Denver, and a backyard bbq leading to Memorial Day.
I try to check in each morning and am doing LA for greater health benefits, increased energy, and to achieve my weight loss goals this year.
@MissMay thanks for your your insightful comments about how food and alcohol are processed in our bodies. I’m looking forward to learning more about this as well.
2023 Stats:
FEB - 19 AF / 9 A
MARCH - 22 AF / 9 A
APRIL - 20 AF / 10 A
MAY GOAL - 22-23 AF days6 -
Welcome back, and welcome newcomers!
@Fursian your monthly recaps looks great!
@2timesacharmmfp this month always seems to bring loads of celebrations doesn’t it?
@itladyee congrats on the big weight loss and ending April AF strong, wow!
@GaryM_25 thanks for posting the podcast! You had an incredible month in April, way to go.
A bit of my own inspiration to kick me in gear - from the alcohol experiment:
“It’s not what we give up, it is what we will gain.”
6 -
While walking on the treadmill, I just listened to the first 40 minutes of the podcast. Wow, it's intense. I have a lot to learn. I think I'll restart from the beginning.4
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@2timesacharmmfp Yeah, cocktails are risky as well definitely! We'll sometimes get Long Island Iced Teas, just too easy to keep going with, and when we get home, my brain still wants to party. I'm hopeful about the transition to wine or beer, preferably anything with more volume to help with pacing the drinks. Happy Birthday soon to you!
@Michieb125 Thank you! Yours look great, and your goals for May with the continuing habits are looking good! I hear you about the weight loss and liquid calories. While looking over my weight loss trend data, spanning months, it suggests I've been losing about 0.3 lbs per week on average. I am happy it's at least something, but yeah alcohol is certainly not a benefit here.
Good luck to you both on your goals for May!6 -
May 1- AF4
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So yesterday went out with a bang on my end.....Don't know what possessed me but I had a few shots in a coffee mug LOL how boring is that????
New month, not start.
Thank you @MissMay as always.
Will be AF I hope for the next few weeks before we fly out of here. We actually went to a bar today for lunch and it was no problem to just have water with our meal....win win.6 -
Greetings! I am Amanda. I have been partaking in this LA thread since June of ‘22 and it has made such a huge difference in my life. I have met some very kind and smart people on here and hope to continue to be 99% AF.
Thinking of May goals overwhelms me, there’s so much to do, so I’m just going to keep it simple:
99% AF
Weight loss of 4-5 pounds
Get moving
5/1: AF
Worked my tail off yesterday. Narcissa wasn’t the issue. Springtime and everyone coming out of hiding from COVID/winter was. And aaaaalllll the new puppies and kittens 🥰6 -
@GaryM_25 You had a great April! What you did on that business trip was nothing short of amazing. When you say start from the beginning do you mean the beginning of the podcast or the beginning of all you’ve been working on? Sending LA internet stranger hugs if you need them!
—————————————————————-
I looked at @Lilylady3k s profile (it’s private) and it said she hasn’t logged on in about 18 days. I hope she is okay! Maybe she needed a break.3 -
I downloaded the podcast, can’t wait to dive into it. Thanks @GaryM_25 for reposting! I have a feeling it’s going to re-motivate me. I only had four AF days in April.
Last night I wasn’t even craving it, but there was my husband’s abandoned half glass of wine, just sitting there on the kitchen table. So I topped it off and had it with a late dinner. I was just thinking this morning that I should just accept that I’m a daily drinker, and “less” for me means not reaching for that second glass of wine. I struggle with this, honestly.
My newly graduated son comes home this week. Between Mother’s Day, a Wedding, his upcoming graduation dinner, and the start of golf and boating season, I have lots more alcohol around me until October. It is very hard to resist. The culture is to “celebrate “ a round of golf with drinks. High Noons are the perfect boat drink. And then of course dinner with wine afterwards. I’m very torn.
I’m almost through my first cycle of HRT, and I have a lot more energy. Even though my weight is up preparing for my TOM, overall I am less pouffy. I can’t explain it, but my clothes feel better and I look better in them.
Hope everyone has a great day! You’re all so inspirational.5 -
@Womona you speak the truth! Not a golfer myself, but starting in May with all the events and then boating season and summer in general tend to be more lazy days with a beverage in hand. I'm trying to really focus on developing those good habits NOW to make it easier to grab an NA beer or sparkling water when I would normally have something with alcohol.3
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@joans1976 - I was referring to starting from the beginning of the podcast, to re-listen. It's very informational. There's much I can learn.
4 -
I am Dawn, I live in South Eastern British Columbia.
I joined this thread in November of 2018, a daily drinker at the time
My primary goal with drinking less is weight loss.
My usual goal is 16-20 AF days for the month,
I had 16AF days in April.
I do this diary style, I normally post the next morning.
Monday May 01 - AF - I wanted drinks, it seems that I pretty much always do. Willpower won out, so that is a good thing. I don't want to repeat last month's behaviour where I toploaded the month with daily drinking and wasn't really able to try hard enough not to, and then I found myself trying to play catch up nearing the end of the month to get those AF days in. A short-lived 2nd job kept me AF for 4 days. When I don't have anything pressing the next day, that is when I struggle to not have drinks. Suc will be the case this week, I will endeavour to dig deep and not give in to the craving.
Rolling total - 1AF day out of 1 day.3 -
You all have worked so hard to get to this point. I'm really excited for you, too!I am really excited to start this next chapter
Thanks, @MissMay! Love the "Less drinking More thinking" thought. May it become my mantra.
@GaryM_25 I Have seen the HubermanLab video and agree it was good. Factual and dense with information. It was a while back but what I recall is the blood brain barrier stuff is .... sobering.
@Womona I am right there with you on that culture of celebrating. I can identify with @dawnbgethealthy also with respect to associating drinks with happy occasions (vs. drowning sorrows or stress relief.... both of which I used to do as well). If I'm honest, limiting drinks to celebratory occasions *is* less for me. I really appreciate Dawn putting that thought out there because it helped me to become more like her. Unfortunately, my twisted mind can come up with something to celebrate anytime I'm in the mood for one. That's where weekday abstinence helps me. Not foolproof, by any means, but helpful. And like @dawnbgethealthy indicated, willpower can work in a pinch, but it is a limited resource and not a reliable long term strategy.
goal:
M-Th AF
F-Su <2
Last month I was 100% on weeknight abstinence and 14% on moderation (stopped at 1 or 2 drinks twice out of 14 A days). That is just pitiful when I put it that way. Last weekend was a perfect example. HS reunion #2. Long days with alcohol served at every event. I declined until 5PM just to keep myself off that slippery slope, but it was still many hours and many drinks. Never felt tipsy, but it added up. This weekend will be even worse at DD#3 graduation.
Opportunities to improve abound!5 -
Goals for MaySelf-care and positive vibes!
Zig-zag calorie count - Daily Average 1400
Success = No more than two glasses of wine per night.
5/2 AF ~ Yippee! 💚
Current Streak - AF = 4
The Month recap to stay accountable5/1 - Finished April with 3 days straight AF! I changed a lot of things in the past couple of weeks - I'm not sure which one is working or if it's the combination. I lost 9lbs in April. I can't tell you the last time that happened.My 2023 Stats... April 1 to April 15 - 3lbs, April 16 to April 30 - 6 lbs!!!Current Month
AF = 1
A = 0
5/1 AF ~ Yippee! 💚
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
January
AF = 53%
A = 47%
February
AF = 29%
A = 71%
March
AF = 0%
A = 100%
April
AF = 14%
A = 86%
May
AF = 0%
A = 0%
May
AF = 100%
A = 0%6
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