LESS Alcohol ~ NOVEMBER 2024 ~ One Day at A Time
MissMay
Posts: 3,737 Member
Do you want to drink LESS? Completely stop or just cut back?
Cutting back can mean ONE less drink a day, week or month. Or deciding to drink on only weekends or at special occasions.
On the flip side, maybe you could use this nudge to finally get to that completely sober point and be all in-alcohol free.
Join us in drinking LESS (whatever that means for you) as we continue to support and learn from each other.
Cutting back can mean ONE less drink a day, week or month. Or deciding to drink on only weekends or at special occasions.
On the flip side, maybe you could use this nudge to finally get to that completely sober point and be all in-alcohol free.
Join us in drinking LESS (whatever that means for you) as we continue to support and learn from each other.
2
Replies
-
■ 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".
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 2017~1 -
LINKS:
▪▪▪▪
•General Information/Blog Sites:
https://thesoberschool.com/
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/
2 -
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
0 -
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
0 -
Hello my LESS alcohol friends.
Welcome to yet another great month of support in drinking LESS going down your own path. October 2024 was a record breaking October support month in posts. It just goes to show you don't have to follow a trend such as dry January to be successful with cutting back or stopping at drinking.
I encourage any person out there struggling with alcohol at any level to either follow us or join in on conversation.
YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
Now let's get started5 -
I'm in with both feet!9
-
I hope to be joining in on the conversations here more often. October was a bit wet... I'm going to work on a dryer November...
Something that has been helping me the past few days... don't buy more spirits when the bottle goes empty! There are still plenty of choices at home, but all whisky type, I don't like whisky, so those bottles are safe from me. We do however also have the hard seltzers, my favorite right now if Nector brand, only 4.7% and 90 calories per can. It is very bubbly and takes me a good long time to drink one. Doesn't make me feel tipsy, maybe just a little relaxed. Doesn't interrupt my sleep, and I still feel energetic the next morning... so not AF, but LA is my way to go right now.6 -
I’ll be here for November! I am on track to exceed Septembers record with 5-6 more dry days achieved in the month of October. Would like to improve upon October by a few more AF days in November.5
-
Continuing liver values discussion from last month, here is an online calculator to plug in your AST and ALT values with interpretation.
https://www.omnicalculator.com/health/ast-alt-ratio
Thank you MM for continuing this group.5 -
SunnyDays930 wrote: »Continuing liver values discussion from last month, here is an online calculator to plug in your AST and ALT values with interpretation.
https://www.omnicalculator.com/health/ast-alt-ratio
@SunnyDays930 I haven't tried it yet...But that is really cool!3 -
In for November, I really do like the awareness this accountability check forces me to have. Plus, I get the added benefit of seeing everyone else’s journey. 😁4
-
Turning the calender to November also turns to heavy drinking months with the holidays approaching. How do you want to remember the 2024 seasons?
Try some new ways alcohol free.
7 -
I'm in for Nov.! My goal is no alcohol and also to add a new, simple habit. Adding new habits helps replace the bad ones that need to go. I started watching at least 15 min of comedy and/or watching people sing on youtube before bed and after laughing, I find I sleep way better. I wish to do the same during a late lunch break. Laugh more=stress less=drink less.9
-
In for November 🦃
I had 1 night of drinking in October at a Gala.
I’m am SO proud of that. The second half of the year up until September 30 was way to alcohol filled and I felt bad habits creeping in and felt horrible overall.
Big milestones this month: Dry birthday for me, football Sundays dry, dry Halloween tonight! ❤️8 -
@brittanynotaroberta I hear ya on feeling horrible overall. I did pretty good in April and August. But the last couple of months there have been WAY too many A days for me!
I plan on a dry Halloween tonight myself. And I'm in for November 😀9 -
When I moved into a private beach community in the mid-80's I purchased a large amount of tiny boxes of Lemon Heads for anticipated trick or treaters. More than 25 years later, I still had not had the first wee ghost or princess rap on my door. The Lemon Heads were long gone anyway. Obviously I lived way too far out in the countryside.
Been in Da'Burgh for a decade and a half...still no trick or treaters, and only a mile walk from downtown. Good thing cause I don't have any candy anymore....maybe if the unthinkable happens, I'll go to the kitchen and fetch an apple.
Lost most of the weight I intended by being AF [all my skirts are now "swishy"] so I ordered some wine late last night. The wine devil caused it to be scheduled to arrive Saturday morning...4 days before I "need" it.
Changing that "need" it to "intend to drink it".
New month = new habits.
6 -
NOTE to self -
11 -
@globalhiker You are really Rockin' it! I too am aiming for an AF November. The holidays won't bother me. I feel like the holidays are a stupid reason to drink. You most likely remember from some of my previous posts, living in a state where the liquor stores are closed on the major holidays, I would always stock up and overdo it...not this year!
I'm really impressed with your commitment. Keep it up!4 -
@MissMay Thanks for keeping this going. You did very well in October despite all the challenging time with the hubby and your friend. How do these people not get wicked hangovers after day drinking, night drinking and then getting back into the alcohol the next morning?
When I go away for the weekend with friends, because of all the day drinking, I notice everyone takes naps in the afternoon. Me, I go and get a nice coffee.5 -
Welcome to November 1st....let's do this!
7 -
Good morning! Happy November! I would like to lose around 10 lbs this month so staying AF will be critical to that goal. We are going to a wedding tomorrow, an hour away, in the evening. I already told my husband I will be the driver so he can indulge if he wants to. I have been to several weddings in the past 5 years where I have remained sober and I find it makes no difference on whether I found the occasion merry or not. In fact, I am guaranteed not to embarrass myself so that is a plus. Happy weekend and set your clocks back tomorrow night!10
-
Hello all!
I'm moving on from the less alcohol group because I'm not doing less, I am doing none...
I am at peace with myself finally and don't need to numb my feelings anymore like the old me did.
I am over the hump and will coast my way through life now. So, dam refreshing its amazing!
I wish you all the best and I may check in from time to time to see how it's going.
cheers!15 -
@SurferGirl1982 thank you for your motivating words. You are making solid progress and I see this as being a good month for us all.
@xbowhunter Congrats and job Well Done to you! In charge of driving our own lives is where we all need to be.
Month 3 AF is here. I follow the "Drink NA" philosophy.10 -
Hello everyone. I am returning after missing August (when I said I'd return after vacation), then September and October happened! Yikes....
At any rate, it's time to focus on ALL things, including less alcohol.
My goal for November is a lot less wine. Let's do this!
I did a two week experiment in October with a blood glucose monitor (I'm not diabetic but wanted to see what spiked my blood sugar as it might pertain to weight loss). Well, it confirmed the burning alcohol calories theory. (You're body can't burn fat when its too busy burning alcohol).
When I had a drink or two, I could see my blood sugar dip in the wee hours of the night. I think that's when my body had finished burning the alcohol and was beginning to work on fat calories....but with only a couple hours left...it couldn't complete the job! Very eye-opening!
@globalhiker ~ I like your idea of finding something funny to distract you when stressed. Laugh more=stress less=drink less. YES!
9 -
@SunnyDays930 Thanks for the reminder to set the clocks back tomorrow night...I completely forgot!
@xbowhunter I'm glad you've found your "happy" spot.
@globalhiker You're welcome. Your progress is very inspiring!
My November goal is to be AF all month long. And to lose 10 to 12 pounds. I still can't wear my winter jackets. My weight creeped up while I was drinking daily and I didn't even notice. Now I have a whole lot of clothes that are too small. But I'll get back into them 😀 Fortunately, my husband bought a large "Cowboys" jacket at a yard sale years ago. He's not even a football fan. But lucky for me, I have a jacket that I can wear on cold days!
Thanks @MissMay for keeping these threads going! I like that a new one starts every month. It's like a fresh start. Particularly, since I didn't do that well the last two months 😕6 -
@xbowhunter I am so excited for the new and improved YOU. Totally get you are outta here and moving on. Like kids leaving the nest we will miss you and your motivating posts, but we understand you need to grow elsewhere.
Appreciate all you brought to our thread. Your amazing and inspiring.
Be well6 -
This month on top of drinking LESS, I have begun drastically cutting down on sugar and sweets consumption.
Especially at night. The nightly ice-cream goodie while watching our favorite show has certainly caused some pounds to creep on me. I am NOT buying larger clothes, not happening, NO WAY.
This morning I joined the local athletic center only half mile from my place. The outdoor walking path (cement not dirt) is awesome. I took in all it had to offer on my first outing. Found it hysterical that I needed to figure out quickly how to maneuver around the rotating in ground sprinkler systems. It kept my feet and my brain sharp at the same time.
This will be my alone time place I go to unwind and reflect. I love walking on the beach with my gal pals but the non stop talking some time interferes with me trying to think and plan, so I will keep them separate.
I hope to shed these 6 pounds because I know I will eventually be putting on long pants here in Florida and I don't want to look like a twice stuffed potato.7 -
Welcome November! Cooler months, and cozy sweater weather coming soon.
A new month = new habits to quote our dedicated LA friend, thank you @forestdweller1!
Isn’t that the truth, we can always change our old habits into new ones.
I’m going to read a couple of new books this month by James Clear. He believes what we measure we can improve. https://jamesclear.com/measuring
Looking back at what has been achieved in the past can propel us even further - many of you have achieved SO much this year! I hope you pause to give yourselves a big hug for doing so.
My plan is to decrease wine days through the end of the year and focus on sticking to MFP weight loss goals.
“Looking back” nearly two years, I went from having wine daily to 33-67 % Less days and less glasses month over month. I will keep working on it!
May you find your best resolve during this upcoming autumn season!
🦃 🍁 🥧
9 -
I already broke down and bought a pint of whiskey. I just get really bored. I could have replaced the filters in the refrigerator, cleaned the bathroom or dusted. But I didn't feel like it.
I may just wait to post when I have a three-day AF streak. After I get three days, I should be able to continue.9 -
AF = 0
A = 1
I wasn’t really planning to have wine tonight, but hubby said he wanted to sit on the porch and drink wine with me. Well, I was about halfway through my 2-glass pour, and he had already finished his 2-1/2-glass pour and was drunk.
I’ve sent him to bed while I sip on mine watching TikTok.😉6
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.2K Introduce Yourself
- 43.8K Getting Started
- 260.2K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.9K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.5K Fitness and Exercise
- 421 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.7K MyFitnessPal Information
- 23 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions