Happy Monday Check-In/Accountability & Goal Setting!

13

Replies

  • Jeep_This
    Jeep_This Posts: 819 Member
    Hey guys! Happy Monday! Still going to forge ahead with this!

    This week I drank on Monday, started my 30 days on Tuesday and also kicked smoking on Tuesday.

    My alcohol calories for last week (Monday): 934 calories
    I was over my calorie goal for the week by 308 calories. Not bad for first week in. Now that it's almost been a week, I think I can reign it in a bit.

    This week I intend to have 0 drinks and I intend to not be over my weekly calories. Hoping exercise, even just extra walking, will help me get there!

    Still have to fit in that wedding dress in under three months!

    How's everyone else doing??! How was the week and weekend?

    You go! Don't think of it as depravation, it is your choice. You are not depriving yourself of beer, you are making a choice not to "relax" in it. Same with smokes. You can do this!
  • Thanks! Yeah! I'm feeling pretty damn good!
  • Hey! How's it going, everyone? Just wanted to let you know I'm reading a book called "Controlling your Drinking: Tools to Make Moderation Work for You." It's written by William Miller and Ricardo Munoz. I'm 79 pages in and it's making a lot of sense to me. Still won't be drinking anything for a while, but now's a good time to establish some good habits and secure some tools for success!

    Have a great weekend!
  • Anyone out there having a Sober September? If so, how's it going? Today is the 15th! Half-way point for many! Mine is tomorrow! I feel really fantastic! We're having fun at home and cooking so many wonderfully healthy things! Eating lots of treats! Amazing what you can enjoy when you're not filling up your calories with beer!

    Anyway, 0 drinks last week and I was 1189 calories under my goal for the week! I have my annual physical tomorrow and I'm so excited to finally tell my doctor that I am a non-smoker. She asks about it every year and every year I say: "We're planning to quit, I really want to quit, etc." Ohhhhhhh it's going to be juicy. I also want to jump on her scale. My Mom gave me her crappy old scale. Or let me borrow it, anyway. I want to know how 'off' it is/may be. If it's at all accurate then I'm one pound off of my original goal when I joined in June! Will find out tomorrow!

    Anyway....who ever is out there reading, how all's well!! Happy Monday : )
  • Yay! Good for you. You're doing great. Yeah I also tried to play the game of still drinking but still staying under my calorie goal, which I could sometimes do, but all too often everything goes out the window. So right now I'm on day three of a 30 day no alcohol challenge, and so far so good! Yes it's amazing how much more you can eat and/or how much lower your calories are when you're not drinking! :drinker:
  • jacques57
    jacques57 Posts: 2,129 Member

    Anyway....who ever is out there reading, how all's well!! Happy Monday : )

    All is well. Zero alcohol for me this September, so far. You sound like you are doing great. Keep it up!
  • You keep it up too!!!!
  • ajs2mf
    ajs2mf Posts: 97 Member
    The first half of September hasn't gone super well for me. :( Hopefully, the next couple of weeks will be better.

    I put up a little calendar in my living room, and I write the number of drinks I have per day. There are a lot of X s for days with no drinks, so that's good. But I haven't been sticking to only three... Just having the calendar there though has been helping me to keep moderation in mind.
  • Don't forget to celebrate the X's! Good for you!!
  • Happy Monday! Hope everyone is well! Still going strong over here...
  • jacques57
    jacques57 Posts: 2,129 Member
    Good morning and TGIM! ( I know I am sick)
    I got the strong jones-ing for beer over the weekend so I bought a 6 of non-alcoholic Beck's and it did the trick. No alcohol.

    Now I have to make it through this week at the annual meeting of my profession in Scottsdale AZ. Geologists are a life form based on alcohol, not carbon, so this will be a lot of temptation to face. Practicing my "no" responses now will make temptation less spontaneous. Knowing you are all out there (my portable meeting) also helps.
  • Will be sending you positive "no" strength and energy! I had a tempting afternoon after work yesterday. We had a busy brunch at work and my co-workers were sitting and having a pint (or two), it was a nice, balmy afternoon...sigh. BUT I stayed strong! You will too! If we carried Beck's or something similar, I totally would've stayed. We don't carry any Non/low alcoholic beer, which I think is wrong.

    Anyway....hang in there! I'm learning about "No" practicing and statements in the book I'm reading right now. It'll be the true test when these 30 days are complete and I have to practice my hand (and mouth) at moderation! If I can't keep it in check, I'll just have to consider benching it again.
  • I'm at the end of day 9 of my 30 day no alcohol challenge. I lost five pounds my first week off of alcohol.
  • Sweet! Feels great eh? I'm having to really focus on eating more. Between running/working out and not drinking, it's a struggle to meet my daily requirements for calories and I can't stand to drop much more weight. It's amazing though, the mess that is my skin. Three weeks in with not drinking and smoking - still detoxing through my face. Haha
  • teknosprite
    teknosprite Posts: 50 Member
    Hello all! I'm new to the board, thought I'd join in on the check in. To put it bluntly, I drink too much and I dont wanna. I've been losing weight but know I could lose it so much faster if I didn't drink. Regardless, I want to cut down. Sometimes I can just have one or two, but most of the time if I have that I will have some more. It's become kind of a habit/routine to get some drinks after work or class, and I want to break that routine. I know I will be having drinks at a music festival this sat ... So I'll start small - no drinks Thursday/fri, no drink Sunday (even with football!) then I'll try to only drink 1 day out of the next mon-Thursday. I'm more apt to work out if I don't drink (of course). I want to burn calories not drink them up!! I'd love some support and accountability :)
  • Hey Teknosprite! Welcome! You are now supported and accountable. I can relate to a lot of what you're saying. I'm on a 30 day clean out right now. Day #25. It's going well. I'm hoping to return to drinking with some new tools for moderation. I've been reading a book/workbook called "Controlling Your Drinking" and I'm hoping all the work I am doing will serve me. My fiance and I do 30 days every fall and always say the same about moderating but eventually we slide back into old habits. This time IS a bit different though as we've also quit smoking and intend to remain non-smokers. That involves minding our drinking because we've both made mistakes in the past with quitting smoking for over a year then having that stupid drunk cigarette. ALso, I've never read a book to set myself up for success and tools for moderating. Always just assumed I could moderate just through willpower. So we will see....as the last stretch is upon us, I feel nervous because I'm excited to have a nice glass of red. But excitement is normal. I cannot over drink with red wine, I get woozy after two glasses of red and paranoid about my teeth/mouth, etc. So that's going to be my jam for a little while as I know I have limits with it.

    Going home to visit my Mom this weekend. That's going to be tricky without drinks. And being so close to the end I'm oh so tempted to end it early, but I don't think my fella will allow for that, thankfully. My Mom DID pick us up some Becks fake beer, which is adorable. That'll get us through, I hope.

    Teknosprite, your goals sound attainable and realistic! Please keep me/us posted and goooooood luck!!! Where do you live? My Mom's a football nut too. Not me, I'm missing that gene.
  • jacques57
    jacques57 Posts: 2,129 Member
    I broke my pledge.

    I was out of town at a conference of geologists (a different kind of life form based on alcohol rather than carbon), and went out to dinner and had a bottle of wine between two of us, and 4 ports after dinner.

    I hurt the next morning. DUH!

    SO I am now two days sober and it will stay that way.
  • Jeep_This
    Jeep_This Posts: 819 Member
    I broke my pledge.

    I was out of town at a conference of geologists (a different kind of life form based on alcohol rather than carbon), and went out to dinner and had a bottle of wine between two of us, and 4 ports after dinner.

    I hurt the next morning. DUH!

    SO I am now two days sober and it will stay that way.

    Jaques - how long were you sober before that?
  • Jeep_This
    Jeep_This Posts: 819 Member
    but I don't think my fella will allow for that, thankfully.

    He's a keeper!!!! Sounds like you have support from your fella and family. That is great!:happy:
  • Hey guys! Morning! Happy Monday!

    Day 28 for me over here! Good week - had one free day up at Mom's house. 976 calories under my goal for the week! Mom's wasn't too bad! Had a couple of Beck's Non-alcoholic. Not too shabby!

    Got to chill on the sugar consumption. Quitting smoking and my 30 days booze free acted as a passage to eat dessert nightly. Can't keep that up. I've also been waiting for my skin to clear up, it's worse than before I quit smoking and stopped drinking. I think it's the ice cream, candies, etc. Unless my skin is still reacting to the detox...but 28 days later?

    How's it going, everyone?

    Have you bounced back, Jacques? That's what I need to learn....if I have a night where I give in and have a couple extra, just dust myself off and keep going with my goals. Getting those goals prepared for later this week.
  • teknosprite
    teknosprite Posts: 50 Member
    Im not doing so hot ... I think i set my goals to high ... Im kinda just beginning. Its not just a calorie thing for me, its a little more. Sometimes i drink because of the occasion, like this weekend when i went to a music fest - but sometimes its more of a compulsion. I didnt make it through sunday with no drinks, but i only had three. Didnt go over my mom and step dad's bc i know if i do ill drink tons of wine ... But i drank mon :( then yesterday (tues) i didnt drink ... So today i was like "ok i had one day, i can treat myself to one or two ... Which turned into ... 4 so far. Not having anymore, and still going to the gym in a bit but taking it easy. Surprisingly i can last at the gym a while being buzzed ... But upset at myself. I guess. Sunday with only a few and tuesday with none is something right? *sigh* i dont know what to think of myself.
  • jacques57
    jacques57 Posts: 2,129 Member
    Hello. I am still doing zero drinking. Lots of water and soda water and horchata to be naughty (Don't drink your calories, right?).

    I stopped because I almost killed myself three years ago drinking to excess. I need to remind myself of that night when the compulsion and memory are tricking me in to remembering all the parts of booze I liked. Thanks for asking about me. I am thinking of you all and read the posts about once a week.

    Cheers! (raises glass of ice water)
  • teknosprite
    teknosprite Posts: 50 Member
    Today is going to be alcohol free - now I am accountable!
  • How'd yesterday go, Teknosprite?
  • Hey guys!
    Happy Monday!

    Hope everyone is well. I don't want to write this right now, but gotta be brave and accountable. So, finished drinking break last week. Thursday night was nice. Made a good dinner, had 3.5 standard drinks over 3.5 hours, so not too bad. Certainly buzzy headed by end of evening. Friday I worked, had a glass of wine after work, at 11:30pm, then went home. Saturday was good. No drinks.

    Then there's last night....had a mini binge episode that ended poorly. SO, I worked ALL weekend, pretty much. That's always a recipe for disaster. But I need to work on changing that. Started with me making a cocktail for one of my guests, twice. Both times there was some left in the shaker (first time making particular cocktail). So, I drank the leftovers. NO biggie. Then I met my sister right after work and had a glass of wine. After that we walked home. The walk helped, as I was having trouble focusing on the conversation. Got home, she cracked a Strongbow, but I waited about 25 minutes, as I wanted to get dinner moving and wanted to wait until fella was home to open it. He did. We all had a drink. I really should've stopped there. I started getting selfish. Cracked a guinness, shared it with my sister. Drank it really quickly. Then with dinner we all have about a 4oz glass of wine. I was a bit drunk at this point.

    So, not a crazy amount. 6 standard/proper drinks (as I'm learning how to count them properly as best I can) in 4.5hours. Lord knows I've had way more than that before. But....empty stomach, exhausted and my tolerance is way low right now. It was a bad scene.

    Ended in tears and frustration after my sister left. I was frustrated because I was drunk and craving a cigarette. I was going on about how drinking isn't enjoyable anymore because the evening just gets ruined by my inward battle with my craving to smoke. THen I was on about how I couldn't even focus on having a good conversation with my sister because I was buzzed so quickly due to my low tolerance. I went to bed sad and frustrated. Today is a new one. New week. I am trying to learn from last night. I didn't dig that. I think I need to slow it down again. I just don't want to be a binge drinker. Bah. Anyway...my goals are as follows:

    15 drinks/week
    2 sober days
    To not surpass the 80mg% BAC level (as it relates to the book I've just read)

    So last week I didn't drink until Thursday but here are my stats for the week:

    Drink-free days: 4
    Standard drinks consumed: 10.5
    Kept myself under 80mg% on Thursday and Friday. Not on Sunday though.
    Alcohol calories: 1330


    Anyway....just wanted to share my victories and defeats for the week. Dusting myself off! Moving on!
  • Jeep_This
    Jeep_This Posts: 819 Member
    Hey guys!
    Happy Monday!

    Hope everyone is well. I don't want to write this right now, but gotta be brave and accountable. So, finished drinking break last week. Thursday night was nice. Made a good dinner, had 3.5 standard drinks over 3.5 hours, so not too bad. Certainly buzzy headed by end of evening. Friday I worked, had a glass of wine after work, at 11:30pm, then went home. Saturday was good. No drinks.

    Then there's last night....had a mini binge episode that ended poorly. SO, I worked ALL weekend, pretty much. That's always a recipe for disaster. But I need to work on changing that. Started with me making a cocktail for one of my guests, twice. Both times there was some left in the shaker (first time making particular cocktail). So, I drank the leftovers. NO biggie. Then I met my sister right after work and had a glass of wine. After that we walked home. The walk helped, as I was having trouble focusing on the conversation. Got home, she cracked a Strongbow, but I waited about 25 minutes, as I wanted to get dinner moving and wanted to wait until fella was home to open it. He did. We all had a drink. I really should've stopped there. I started getting selfish. Cracked a guinness, shared it with my sister. Drank it really quickly. Then with dinner we all have about a 4oz glass of wine. I was a bit drunk at this point.

    So, not a crazy amount. 6 standard/proper drinks (as I'm learning how to count them properly as best I can) in 4.5hours. Lord knows I've had way more than that before. But....empty stomach, exhausted and my tolerance is way low right now. It was a bad scene.

    Ended in tears and frustration after my sister left. I was frustrated because I was drunk and craving a cigarette. I was going on about how drinking isn't enjoyable anymore because the evening just gets ruined by my inward battle with my craving to smoke. THen I was on about how I couldn't even focus on having a good conversation with my sister because I was buzzed so quickly due to my low tolerance. I went to bed sad and frustrated. Today is a new one. New week. I am trying to learn from last night. I didn't dig that. I think I need to slow it down again. I just don't want to be a binge drinker. Bah. Anyway...my goals are as follows:

    15 drinks/week
    2 sober days
    To not surpass the 80mg% BAC level (as it relates to the book I've just read)

    So last week I didn't drink until Thursday but here are my stats for the week:

    Drink-free days: 4
    Standard drinks consumed: 10.5
    Kept myself under 80mg% on Thursday and Friday. Not on Sunday though.
    Alcohol calories: 1330


    Anyway....just wanted to share my victories and defeats for the week. Dusting myself off! Moving on!

    God, You are so honest of what you are going through, the good, the bad, and the ugly. I don't think I could be as honest as you are!! But I do have a few comments. As I am older than you, have waited tables, and had 9-5 job.

    First, there is absolutely no difference between the stress of waiting tables, and having a 9-5 job. You will want to drink at 5:15, just like you want to drink at closing time at the bar.

    I've got 12 years on you. I can only count on one hand the great times I had drinking. All the other times, and I mean all the other times, either I regretted something, AND I woke up like crap the next day.

    There is just no benefit. Have you ever read "Kick the Drink...Easily!", by Jason Vale? There is absolutely no benefit to drinking.

    I'm not saying I am an awesome/stuck-up non-drinker, as a matter of fact, I struggle just as you do. But counting drinks and ounces is not the solution. By counting, you are just making yourself feel deprived.

    We need to enjoy life :glasses:
  • jacques57
    jacques57 Posts: 2,129 Member
    JEEP_this has given us some sound insight and experience. I am going to put it to use this October. Tomorrow I am going to my old hometown for a family and high school reunion. Three of my sisters will be there. One is an alcoholic. I will not drink. I will not need to drink to have a good time. I will enjoy the people I came to visit and not think about the drink. Thank you JEEP!

    Here is to a good start on a good October for all!
  • Hope you enjoy the weekend, Jacques57! It's Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada. Weee! Gobble gobble.
  • Had a great week! Four sober days. Held my own in usually tempting company and situations. Had one drink after work one night, one drink with a friend and one drink during Thanksgiving dinner at the in-laws. ONE. IN-LAWS. Hell ya! I'm learning tips and tricks which are serving me. I'm still enjoying myself and am still able to socialize! How's everyone doing? How was the HS/family reunion, Jacques?
  • jacques57
    jacques57 Posts: 2,129 Member
    Hello Nadamandar.

    The reunion was a big blast. My sister was surprised I showed up, and my old town had not changed over the decades. Only thing was all my old pals that I expected to see were MIA. All I saw was a bunch of old people with the same names....

    I had dinner with one classmate that had been my buddy since we were 2 y.o. We were in class together, plays together, and she was the most beautiful girl in the 8th and 9th grade. I left town after the 9th grade and came back to visit 8 years later. She had graduated Cornell, and me from Brown. I was there to go to a convention in Pittsburgh. We went on a date and then I went back to Saudi Arabia. Stayed overseas 3 more years. Never saw her again until this last weekend. She's married, 3 grown kids, and she picks me up at the airport and says "I thought I met the man I was going to marry when you were here in 1980." It was a lot to take in. Especially with the lack of life in my current marriage. So we had a fun night with her husband, told stories of growing up (She told me my mom taught her to wipe....TMI!!!!), and said goodbye.

    And the next night at the reunion banquet I drank. I drank to "no regrets" and to "I have wonderful kids" and to "my wife is the right wife". Two beers, and three glasses of wine. Excellent wine. Wine made by relatives in Yakima. It was special. I shouldn't drink, and I haven't since that Saturday night. I did what I did, and there are no regrets. Reunions are sure complicated.