Happy Monday Check-In/Accountability & Goal Setting!

teknosprite

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

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

Today is going to be alcohol free - now I am accountable!

nadamandar

How'd yesterday go, Teknosprite?

nadamandar

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

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

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!

nadamandar

Hope you enjoy the weekend, Jacques57! It's Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada. Weee! Gobble gobble.

nadamandar

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

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.

nadamandar

Thanks for sharing the experience! Sounds special! Happy to hear "no regrets!" I think the important thing is the back on track part, which I sense you're pretty good at realigning with your goals! Wonderful : )

nadamandar

Hope all's well!

ariannes225

Hi everyone, haven't checked in for awhile (I know), but doing well. The idea of buying any wine to keep in the house during the week (M-Th) is basically a foreign concept to me now. The only challenge I've had is that I do go out a lot to happy hours after work, etc, and I ALWAYS have between 2-4 drinks per. So, maybe the net effect is the same? I don't know.