LESS Alcohol ~ May 2025 ~ One Day at A Time

SurferGirl1982

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 only on 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.

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 or ribbon 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!

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.
• Reduction of high blood pressure
• Lower resting heart rate
• Retention of vital vitamins and minerals
• Less Acid Re-flux and improved gut health
• Significant financial savings
• Better relationships with family and friends

Life with Less Alcohol:

• It can be helpful to educate yourself with books and web research.
• 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 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.
• 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.

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.
• You may find that filling the time you drink with other activities like exercise or hobbies can be a helpful distraction.
• You may have initial/increased sugar cravings.
• Celebrate the smaller victories too. Less alcohol is still less alcohol even if your goal was zero at that moment.
• Failure is not giving in and drinking. Failure is to stop trying to accomplish your goals.

itladyee

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/

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~

itladyee

Good Morning @SurferGirl1982

I was also in college in the late 70's and I am very much aware of the punch cards. I actually had a part-time job at the library, where my responsibilities included using the reader to validating the punch cards. I also got to write my own programs when I took a data processing class. I did not major in computer science or anything similar, I was a business major. I got into programming and IT-related activities about 10 years later.

Doing what you enjoy is the best part of "work" as it no longer is work. I'm sure you have several stories to tell!

Thanks for sharing a little more about you.

SurferGirl1982

Good Morning @itladyee

I thought that you may be younger than me. And, yes, the punch cards. The younger people have no idea. When I started with computers, there was no such thing as Windows. The cool thing is that I actually saved some of the old floppy disks…you remember the ones that were soft and about 5" square? I have no way of reading them now. But, I'm glad that I saved them because they're kind of collector items. I just looked and the last OS that I was using was MS DOS Version 3.2. Funny, huh? But, I am glad that I saved them. I imagine most people threw them away.

I will tell you a very funny meter reader story soon. I have a million. But, the one I'm thinking about really stands out!

Have a nice day!

Womona

Thanks for setting up the May thread. I’ll still use the April one until the start of May, but at least I found it and it’s bookmarked!

SparkSpringtime69

Thank you both for starting this thread. I'll be here on the first!

globalhiker

Checking in to make sure I am in the right place! See y'all May 1!

SurferGirl1982

Yep…see y'all on May 1st! I'm hoping for a much better month. Well, at least, I can't do any worse then I did in April 😕