LESS Alcohol ~ DECEMBER 2024 ~ One Day at A Time

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  • Michieb125
    Michieb125 Posts: 862 Member
    @xbowhunter great experiment to solidify your choices for continuing NA!

    I have a fairly low key week again which I am honestly relishing in 🙏🎁🎄. Only a luncheon (no A) tomorrow and will see my DS and DIL on Thursday for a little visit at their home (no A).

    Drink targets are set up for the new week!
  • NonnieDoiron
    NonnieDoiron Posts: 352 Member
    SurferGirl1982 wrote: »

    I'm so happy for you! I'm a bit of an optimist and I thought everything would work out 😀 Not sure about opening the wallet part HaHa!

    I’m glad you’re an optimist! I try to be but fall short too often.

    The wallet is very hard to pry open! I asked him last night about a budget. He asked how much I needed. Lol… I’m an event planner for the military, I don’t create the budgets… I plan within them. He looked at me with a straight face and said, “$200?” 🤣 🤣🤣🤣 I told him that wouldn’t even cover the food! He cringed.

    He openly admits he is no good at planning parties, and I told him that’s why I’m planning it. I just have to know my “real” budget, so I can plan accordingly. I’m going to give him some time to mull it over.

  • Angel3167
    Angel3167 Posts: 2 Member
    Hi Friends! I don't think I have ever posted in the community before.

    Drinking is such a slippery slope. It became quite habitual during COVID and the low rumble depression that has been present in and out since. I have gained quite a bit of weight and I think primarily from that.

    I really wish alcohol wasn't so pervasive in our society....when I am having a hard day it's like a siren's call to "slip into something more comfortable".

    I have given up almost all social media (to help with stress etc) but I hope that this can take hold and I can get some peer support here. I was happy to find the group.

    What tips tricks or other methods to help you stay on track?
  • SurferGirl1982
    SurferGirl1982 Posts: 454 Member
    @NonnieDoiron To pry open that wallet, you just need to get a larger crowbar 🙂
  • SurferGirl1982
    SurferGirl1982 Posts: 454 Member
    edited December 17
    @itladyee Shorter moves are much easier because you can somewhat take your time moving the small stuff. But, we would still need help moving the heavier stuff. I'll be keeping my eyes open. But, I may just stay here. Hmmm? A chauffer would nice 🤔 I doubt that will happen! Besides, I already have one...my husband 🙂
  • SurferGirl1982
    SurferGirl1982 Posts: 454 Member
    edited December 17
    @Angel3167 I can't help you much because I'm not doing that well myself. There are others on this site that can give you helpful, useful advice.

    The only thing that I can suggest that worked for me, is if you get a few days AF (alcohol free), just keep going! For me, once I get on a roll, it gets pretty easy. I've gone weeks and even months without drinking, But, once I decide that it's OK to have a drink, then that's all she wrote!

    BTW...your cat has a pretty smile 😺 Good luck to you!
  • SurferGirl1982
    SurferGirl1982 Posts: 454 Member
    @Angel3167 One other thing that you mentioned is, for me, drinking does cause me to gain weight. It's weird because when I'm drinking, I really don't eat that much. I really don't want to eat. But, then later in the evening, I would get hungry. And, pretty much, eat whatever was around. And, usually not the healthiest choices.

    A couple of years ago, I quit drinking for four months (due to a medical issue). I didn't diet or exercise. I meant to exercise, but never really never did. And, I lost 30 to 35 lbs without even trying.

    Anyways, hopefully some of the others on here can give you more advice or suggestions.
  • tmbg1
    tmbg1 Posts: 1,449 Member
    20 AF days in a row
    @Angel3167 not really a tip that would work for everyone but I'm treating the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve like Lent. Just trying to give it up for the season of advent and the spiritual aspect is helping me keep to it.
  • Michieb125
    Michieb125 Posts: 862 Member
    @tmbg1 - I love your reason and approach to AF this month! You are doing great!

    @Angel3167 - welcome! This Less Alcohol thread has many wonderful people who can relate to your story. You might find it helpful to check out some of the resources at the beginning of the thread, or read tons of posts of what others are doing. Many here have been successfully cutting back for 1,2,3,5 years and more!

    We all have very individual and personal goals! Some want abstinence and others want to cut back.
    For me, I plan drink targets or goals each month (and week) and set an intention that I’m going to have so many AF days. Sometimes I hit my goals and many times I don’t get there. But being here regularly is super helpful for support and accountability! Hope to see you here again!
  • SurferGirl1982
    SurferGirl1982 Posts: 454 Member
    I finished off my whiskey last night. So there was none in the house this morning. That didn't work out so well. I felt very sick. And almost vomited a couple of times. So my husband went down to the store at 9 am and bought me a pint. I'm secretly hoping that he bought me a pint for tomorrow and has it hidden.

    In the past, when I was only drinking a pint (375 ml) for a few days, I could quit pretty easily. But, I've been drinking 750 ml or more a day for some time. I had that three week streak back in August. And, I really regret staring up again!

    @Michieb125 I like your plan of setting your goals weekly. I makes it seem more manageable. Except for me ☹️, just about anyone can decide to drink only two days a week for just one week!
  • NonnieDoiron
    NonnieDoiron Posts: 352 Member
    AF - 13
    A - 4

    I took about a week long break for walking because my hip was hurting so bad. But, I couldn’t do it anymore. I had to start walking again. The pain isn’t there when I walk. It’s just when I sit down.

    I’ve started taking my vitamins and meds again, too. I’m horrible at doing it. I’ve set alarms and asked my family to remind me. I’ve put the pills where I see them regularly. I just don’t take them. Hoping I can stick to it this time. I really need to do better with them.

    I’m glad most of you are doing so well this holiday season. I didn’t make it to my Christmas goal. I caved. But, I only had 2 glasses each of those 4 nights. Far better than Thanksgiving when I was back to drinking a bottle a night.
  • globalhiker
    globalhiker Posts: 1,726 Member
    @Angel3167 what I have learned is that this a journey of self-discovery and life improvement.

    Here is a list of ideas, many that I have used but the easiest of all, hands down, is to stop drinking alcohol entirely just because after the initial 2 weeks, it gets much easier.

    1-tapering: measure out what you plan to drink that day and every 2 days, reduce it.
    2-don't keep alcohol in the house
    3-stick your goals on the fridge
    4-check in here or elsewhere to check in with yourself and set your intention for the day
    5-join a free online support group (smart recovery - haven't tried them but they have tons of virtual mtgs.)
    6-change what you drink, shift to lower alcohol volume
    7-start drinking MORE of the liquids that are non-alcoholic - mocktails, water, NA beer, etc. The list is endless of what you CAN drink.
    8-find something nonalcoholic that you really like
    9-eat chocolate
    10-drink herbal tea to relax, make ice tea from herbal tea
    11-get a workbook on cognitive-behavioral therapy off Amazon, helps to understand how to talk back to irrational thoughts and get in control of behavior
    12-watch youtube videos on sobriety and drinking less to learn how the successful did it, while you exercise in the morning
    13-Fill your time and your mind with a new activity or hobby to fill in that space alcohol consumes.
    14-read online 5 min before bed: anything on drinking less or sobriety - when in this relaxed mind
    15-make your own PLAN - list what you are going to do and how and when
    16-accept failures - understand that the process tends to be a bumpy ride and when we fail, it's normal but the successful dust themselves off and go right back to working their plan asap.
    17-self-assessment: why are you drinking? self medicating? depression? feel nervous? bored? making a list of this and figuring our OTHER solutions (there are many) will help to address the "root cause".
    18-What are your triggers? When do they set you off? Make plan of what you will do when the triggers show up.
    19-Be kind to yourself and love yourself. Know you are wonderful. It's the alcohol devil that is bad, not us.
    20-Realize alcohol warps our thinking and makes us think we can't do things. It controls us. Going AF for a stretch will change your thinking pattern and this will create MOTIVATION.
    21-Don't worry about diet when starting to go AF. It's hard to do this when hungry. Plus the weight tends to come off anyway.
  • SurferGirl1982
    SurferGirl1982 Posts: 454 Member
    @globalhiker Wow...well said!

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