LESS Alcohol ~ November 2025 ~ One Day at a Time

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  • chicbuc
    chicbuc Posts: 810 Member

    Good morning, all!

    @itladyee I'm so pissed for you! Thanksgiving is our jam in this house, too, and my children know it. My Army son is getting stationed back near home starting next April, which I'm thrilled about, but I see a lot of situations like yours in my future. I won't go into too many details. I love my DIL, but mainly because she is a wonderful mother and good wife and my son loves her. Suffice it to say when they "eloped", her mother, who I also love, was the only one in attendance because she was on the trip with them. That one will hurt until the day I die. I hope you can have a productive conversation with them and get a resolution to the situation. I may be old fashioned, but I think kids should respect our traditions. Clearly, the tradition is at your house since it has been for the last 8 years!

    @WestCoastGirl_1 It was a Buccaneers game. We have season tickets, but I think I'd be ok with dropping them next year. It's becoming exhausting being over run by the other team's fans week after week after week. It doesn't help when you play like poop and lose to them as well. Glad your streak is safe! Keep going!

    @NonnieDoiron Sorry about your tootsie stash. I tend to lean on the side of no dyes as well, though. My niece is a staunch "no dyes" mom for her daughter and I'm telling you my great niece's behavior is like night and day when she accidentally gets dyes. Thank that with a grain of salt from someone who will skip the dyes but poison her liver 😅Hope your BIL steps up and at least offers some positive solutions to your MIL problem. Keeping you all in my prayers 🙏

    @nbruns83 Nice to see you and nice numbers!

    @Michieb125 Ooooh!! I can't wait to hear some of the mocktails you come up with! Lavender sounds lovely! Good job on your intentional AF evenings!

    I did have wine at the game yesterday. I needed it after the way we played. I'm only half kidding. BUT, I'll be wine free this week. It's starting to become a routine to crack open a flavored seltzer while I cook dinner instead of pouring a glass of wine. I sleep so much better when I don't drink. So much! I don't even like how I feel when I drink anymore, so we're getting there.

    Have a great Monday, all!!

  • GGinCA
    GGinCA Posts: 19 Member

    Good morning and happy Monday all!!! Wow! Made it to Monday and I’m so glad I made my NA weekend pledge here - it helped me stay on track!!! Well done to those that also did it (or tried it) with me as well. I know that @WestCoastGirl_1 and @SparkSpringtime69 were, and I think others as well.


    Had a lovely Lavendar Fizz mocktail out at dinner last night. I used to shy away from mocktails because of the calories, but after a strong seal-examination I realized that I could no longer deny the correlation between eating way more than I planned and alcohol (which normally also included having more alcohol than planned, which is also more calories!) My favorite at home mocktail is just a G+T without the G - I take nice tonic water but put it in a good glass with one of my fancy square ice cubes - add fresh rosemary from my garden and a slice of lime and that’s my treat! I’ll have to look at playing with lower calorie syrups as some here have noted - can’t wait to hear how they turn out.


    Anyway, here’s my report for November:


    AF - 9 (goal 25, streak 15 - wow 15!)

    A - 0

  • globalhiker
    globalhiker Posts: 2,036 Member

    So moving on to a better week, I welcome people's ideas for the holidays, especially "lower cal" recipes and "less sugar" ideas for drinks and food. Plus, focusing on something like new recipes is fun.

    Everyone in my family is trying to lose weight including me so I want to provide better food and drink options. Needs to be gluten free, lower cal, no additives. A challenge indeed.

    @Michieb125 I really like the hibiscus tea idea. You're onto something. I did buy different canned flavored fizzy waters but they taste weird to me. Still stuck on my Santa Cruz brand lime juice but I want more flavors without chemicals or sugar. Hard!

  • GGinCA
    GGinCA Posts: 19 Member

    @Walela617 way to go with your streak! I love seeing you post your badges from the app.

    On the topic of streaks… I wanted to share that I have been reflecting that I think they work in both directions. Let me explain…

    I’m sure several people have read Atomic Habits and have heard how people love to keep a streak going. Totally agree!! But in that book he also mentions the “never miss twice” idea. In a nutshell, for our purposes it boils down to avoiding “drinking streaks” is as important as building “sober streaks.” With the holidays coming I’m really trying to keep this in mind. I know I will drink in November and in December, but I don’t want it fall into to a general “it’s the holidays” drinking every day thing…


    Anyway, wishing a wonderful day to all!

  • GGinCA
    GGinCA Posts: 19 Member

    @globalhiker sending compassion your way. It was one day and as you said it is a new week. One day is an accident, and you got this!

  • GGinCA
    GGinCA Posts: 19 Member

    @itladyee so sorry you are dealing with family drama. I hope things look better after a good night of sleep. 🫶🏻

  • eddiesmith1
    eddiesmith1 Posts: 1,561 Member
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/48826588#Comment_48826588

    I definitely am interested. the shop is convenient for sure and since i am now in busy season at work i may wait for the crash course but would love to save

  • WestCoastGirl_1
    WestCoastGirl_1 Posts: 117 Member

    @chicbuc I forgot all about Tampa Bay. I saw Jacksonville was playing in Houston, so I figured you weren't going to that game. My team, the Seattle Seahawks, are doing well this year. They've only lost 2 games, but, they did lose to Tampa Bay earlier this season. They play the Rams next Sunday. Oh, Boy!

    The dyes in the foods should be going away soon. They will be replacing them with natural ingredients. Like blueberry for blue, there are many choice for red…any ways, we'll see what they come up with.

    @globalhiker Sorry you slipped up. But today is a new day and a new week! Sometimes, it takes a slip-up to give us the resolve we need. You've got this!

    @GGinCA You're doing great! Keep up the good work! I've never read the book, Atomic Habits. But I do believe that avoiding "drinking streaks" is very important. You haven't been around long enough to know my story, but "drinking streaks" were what messed me up the most. For me, those streaks would increase my dependence. Then it would be more difficult to stop. Many years ago, I used to go to a neighborhood bar where I lived. One day, a lady was sitting next to me. She was close friends with the bartender. Anyways, we had a very nice conversation. When she left, I said, "See you tomorrow!" And, she said, "Oh, I never drink two days in a row". I've never forgotten that and that idea was always included in my plans to moderate. My most infamous plan (probably everyone is sick and tired of hearing about it) was to only drink on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. It's a perfect plan on paper…no drinking two days in a row and less A days compared to AF days. But I just could never stick to it. After trying for about 10 years or more, I realized that I'm not one that can moderate.

    At this point, I don't miss drinking. I was in pretty bad shape. I couldn't make it to appointments (I was constantly cancelling). I feel really good lately…like a human! I really can't see any pluses to alcohol. If I drink, I will continue to gain weight by being lazy and making bad food choices. I tend to skip meals and then get hungry and just reach for the easiest thing I see (my weight has been dropping lately). I'll have disrupted sleep, hangxiety in the morning, etc. Although, I know I'll most likely have a drink (or drinks…I can't have just one 😁) at some point. Right now, I'm thinking that I will remain AF until I get to a weight that I'm comfortable with. Then, if I'm not able to moderate (2 A days max per week), well, back I go to AF!

    Have a great Monday everyone!

  • Michieb125
    Michieb125 Posts: 1,556 Member

    @GGinCA Thank you for sharing a concept from Atomic Habits! I am a big habit person like many here too. My daily wine habit has changed big time since 2022 after we came out of the pandemic drinking games!! I was so over it and more than ready for Less!

    Right now, and leading up to the holiday season, I find it easier to focus on smaller healthier habits each week (gym, walk, self-care) over drinking “streaks” - it’s the way my brain is wired but everyone is different. For me, it’s the little changes over time that make all the difference.

    I like this too:

    Why Should You Care About Habits?

    Charles Duhigg, author of “The Power of Habit”:

    “Most of the choices we make each day may feel like the products of well-considered decision making, but they’re not. They’re habits. And though each habit means relatively little on its own, over time, the meals we order, what we say to our kids each night, whether we save or spend, how often we exercise, and the way we organize our thoughts and work routines have enormous impacts on our health, productivity, financial security, and happiness.”

  • WestCoastGirl_1
    WestCoastGirl_1 Posts: 117 Member

    @itladyee That's sad! My first thought was to have Thanksgiving at your house anyways and invite everyone. But, I guess, that wouldn't work if your son and DIL have already committed. You don't want to miss being with your son on Thanksgiving.

    Take care!

  • WestCoastGirl_1
    WestCoastGirl_1 Posts: 117 Member
    edited November 10

    @StepWise123 You're doing great! If you're only having one glass a day, that is good definitely LA! For me, I couldn't stop at one glass…it would be a tease 😕

  • WestCoastGirl_1
    WestCoastGirl_1 Posts: 117 Member
    edited November 10

    @NonnieDoiron That's a tough one. I really don't have any words of wisdom for you. I think the others are better at that type of thing…I think I'll leave it to the them 🤔

    Congrats on your streak no matter what you decide!

  • GGinCA
    GGinCA Posts: 19 Member

    @NonnieDoiron - congratulations on 100 days. Wow!!!

  • WestCoastGirl_1
    WestCoastGirl_1 Posts: 117 Member

    I have a very busy day. I will catch up with everyone later.

    Have a great day everyone!

  • WestCoastGirl_1
    WestCoastGirl_1 Posts: 117 Member

    Thank you everyone for your support!

    @globalhiker I don't have to worry about skipping exercise because I haven't started exercising again yet. When I do, it will only be walking, step-ups, floor exercises (mainly core & hip), and a few WT and bodyweight exercises. I'm in my upper 60's and have had total knee replacement, so I'm limited to what I can do. I've listed my worst and best liver enzyme levels below:

    AST & ALT: Normal AST (12-37), Normal ALT (12-78)

    Worst: 06/03/2021: AST 294, ALT 108 - Yikes! - (I had been drinking daily for three months)
    Best: 04/27/2022: AST 34, ALT 41 (Normal) - (AF for almost 5 months)
    04/06/2023: AST 32, ALT 41 (Normal) - (AF for a little over 2 months)

    There are several other tests that they use to evaluate liver health (bilirubin being one), but AST and ALT are the main ones.

    @chicbuc I did not know that the Seahawks were the Buccaneers sister expansion team. Seattle IS doing good this year! It's nice for a change ~ LOL

    @Michieb125 Thanks! As you can see the from the numbers above, going as long as I can before my labs is very important.

    @xbowhunter I was also wondering what had happened to you. I guess I missed your post saying you were going on vacation.

    I hope everyone meets their goals today and in the coming days!

    Have a good evening!

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