Who's with me?
Replies
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change agent - that's awesome!
I think the fact that there is a support group here just cheering you on for a win but not scorning you when a glass is drunk is a massive help!!!
I also think just being more concious and wanting to change is a great step and often results in leaving that glass of wine, or not getting the fourth!
I know these last two nights and now tonight I've found it much easier not drinking, I've realised I can do it and I have a hold on it not the other way around!!!
Well done everyone, big high fives to all for trying and succeeding!!!
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I've been derailed lately... stress, PMS excuses excuses excuses. I got back into my old habits and found myself craving that glass of wine to take the edge off today. I also stopped losing and think I might have gained, don't want to check,its depressing.:^) I am happy to report I am typing this and having my tea. I did not indulge.0
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I've been derailed lately... stress, PMS excuses excuses excuses. I got back into my old habits and found myself craving that glass of wine to take the edge off today. I also stopped losing and think I might have gained, don't want to check,its depressing.:^) I am happy to report I am typing this and having my tea. I did not indulge.
I think that's great. If you can go thru all of that and settle on a cup of tea, then I think you should feel good about your progress. I am pretty much dreading about a week from now when my PMS will likely be in full sail. It is awful - and usually derails me too. Just get back on the horse I say. (And then remind me I said it in a week+!)0 -
change agent - that's awesome!
I think the fact that there is a support group here just cheering you on for a win but not scorning you when a glass is drunk is a massive help!!!
I also think just being more concious and wanting to change is a great step and often results in leaving that glass of wine, or not getting the fourth!
I know these last two nights and now tonight I've found it much easier not drinking, I've realised I can do it and I have a hold on it not the other way around!!!
Well done everyone, big high fives to all for trying and succeeding!!!
:glasses:
Agreed! High fives all around!0 -
I've been derailed lately... stress, PMS excuses excuses excuses. I got back into my old habits and found myself craving that glass of wine to take the edge off today. I also stopped losing and think I might have gained, don't want to check,its depressing.:^) I am happy to report I am typing this and having my tea. I did not indulge.
Good for you for getting back on track!! We've all been there, done that - and we're all here to help out when one of us does it again!
Enjoy the tea - and keep up the good work!0 -
Oh, and congratulations to those amazing people who've discovered when you can stop - I still daren't take the step of trying that, so I really admire you for it. One day.........0
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Hi all my name is Ashleigh. And I love wine (and beer and spirits). But wine is my drink of choice. On Monday I made a decision to stop drinking until I reach my goal weight, and then I will reward myself with wine. It's very hard for me, not only do I enjoy a couple glasses of wine when I'm alone but I also drink during social events. All my will power goes out the window when I drink. I allow myself to have a few bites of some "forbidden food", and then before I know, I've eaten hundreds of calories worth! Eating too much while drinking has gotten to the point of being habitual. I have to put my foot down. Now.
Only 6 months ago I was at my goal weight for the first time in my life. I was so happy, fitting into size 4's and being able to wear a bikini without being embarrassed. Then I started eating more and more. I broke out in acne and hid myself away for 2 months, being depressed and reverting back to my old patterns of emotional eating. These last 2 months of holidays packed on 10 lbs for me. I've officially gained 25 lbs since July.
I've been on MFP for years, but never really utilized the community forums, until now. I started counting my calories and logging my exercise yesterday, and I am committed to losing 25 lbs, the healthy way. I'm also detoxing from caffeine, sugar and grains.. so this next week is going to be really tough for me. I'm looking forward to the support of this group!!0 -
Hi Ashleigh - Welcome to the group! It sounds like you are making some big changes. I don't know if you have read any of the posts going back the last couple of weeks but I think a lot of us have found cutting back on or cutting out the wine has been more liberating (um... pleasant seems like the wrong word?) than we thought. I know it has been for me. It'll be interesting to hear what your experience is.
(BTW, feeling generally liberated doesn't mean I don't very occasionally crave a drink of wine. Tonight I did but luckily didn't have any in the house. I think I am just really tired and that would have been a way for me to relax.)
Same for me vz the inner-leash: one drink and I am face down in a side order of fries or what have you. Not good.0 -
Hi Ashleigh - good to have you on board, and good for you for taking that big step. And yes, I'm another one who gets straight into the food excesses once I break open the wine, so am glad to have cut it right out.
Oh, and I've just posted a blog, so I'll share here as well, committing myself to no alcohol until 1 January 2013 (which will be 365 days) or until I reach goal, whichever comes later! Gulp............ Think I'm going to need all the support I can get!0 -
Hi there,
Opal24 -- that's great that you started a blog! I am going to read it.
For first day in many, I really had to wrestle with wanting a glass of wine. I am feeling just a bit worn down and work was "jangly" for lack of a better word - nothing major just constant interruptions and low key stress and chatter and distractions and endless fricking noise. This usually wouldn't bug me much but today it did. so after work really wanted to go out for a complete shovel-fest at a thai restaurant and down some cold white wine with my pad thai but did not. for one thing, was feeling too cheap. for another thing didn't want to wake up with my fingers and face all puffy and my head clogged. and then also had an anxiety attack that i would promptly fall back into old ways. i can still feel the possibility of that out there like something i could literally bump into - hard. going to bed soon and reading - and right now that sounds even better than a glass of wine. fancy that.0 -
Good for you for resisting! Those bad days are just sent to try us :-)
Isn't it great though, being able to imagine the effects of giving in to the blow-out craving and then use that image to resist - it's such a huge step forward. And it is difficult still living with that fear of falling back into old habits. But, as they say, one day at a time - and you won the battle today!
Have to say that early bed and a book do tend to appeal to me - and I'm doing that a lot more these days!0 -
Woohoo! 28 days down and still going strong.0
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That's fantastic, opal24! I am about to go out to dinner and have been contemplating drinking some wine mostly because i am really, really tired (weird connection perhaps) and I want to relax. My back is aching (pms, arthritis) and I really want to down something. But! Your post has inspired me to watch myself. Indeed, I am generally feeling great so why ruin it now? Might have a half glass or even full glass with food but that's all I am going to permit myself at MOST. Thanks for leading the way here.0
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No, not a weird connection at all. It's when I'm feeling tired and achy that I'm most tempted - I know alcohol is meant to be a depressant, but I find that when I'm feeling like that it actually livens me up. I have no idea how that works, but there you are! Good luck with your dinner - I'm sure you'll do fine.
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Hey again - just checking in to report that it DID go fine! thanks for the words of encouragement. Once again, I found I just really didn't want it. I think this must be some very weird perimenopausal hormones thing. It does not taste the same any more. But - yes - it's when I'm wiped out that I want it the most. Going to bed - think that's the real ticket.0
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Glad you achieved what you wanted. Every win (NOT wine) counts!0
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Hi Opal
You are an inspiration to me for some reason! I think our connection could be our vino habit! One glass is never enough for me...I keep a food journal (my trainer will look it over today...YIKES.. she won't like the many days wine made it in)... Did you ever notice a bad sugar craving after the wine was eliminated? Last night I ate 1000 calories of cookies and chex mix at 9:00... am I crazy! I was hungry and the sweet snack put me right to sleep! I think the sugar and wine entertain the same pleasure center in the brain.. maybe I just answered my own question! I admire you for committing to 365 days with no alcohol!!0 -
Hi goodadvice - Yes, I think the vino habit definitely creates a connection. You know, I hadn't really thought about the sugar craving, but when I read that I remembered that in my first week of not drinking I realised that I had some bags of chocolate coins left over from Christmas. You know, those little mesh bags with different sized gold covered chocolate coins in them? Well, two nights running I took one of those bags and sat there and ate every single coin in it, to the point where I felt slightly sick. It was so much chocolate that I woke up the next morning with a chocolate hangover! After the second (and last, thankfully) bag was gone, I realised that that had to be it! So I went cold turkey on that as well........ It has improved though - I can now eat a very small portion of something sweet and not want any more. Doesn't seem fair though, does it?
Christine
(my MFP name - opal is my birthstone and 24 my birthdate. Not very original, I'm afraid)0 -
omg!!! So that's what it was! When I gave up for those two weeks, I craved chocolate, and when I go without wine for a bit now, I crave it, thought I was pregnant for a moment!! ha ha0
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So glad I found this group! I'm not quite ready for complete abstinence, but I have been cutting WAY back on my wine. It's really hard, as I'm married to a fellow wine lover who also happens to be naturally slim and never needs to watch his calories!
I've cut back quite a bit over all, and I'm paying a lot more attention to portion size (since I have to log it into MFP). I took a Sharpie and made ounce lines on my favorite wine glass at 4oz, 6oz & 8oz. That makes it super-easy to keep track and not to over-pour.
Like others in this group, I've noticed a very strong correlation between food cravings and wine consumption.... especially cravings for sweet and salty foods. And cheese. Why does wine have to go SO well with cheese...and not carrots???0 -
In England on Monday evening there was a panorama special talking about wine drinking in middle class and how it's no longer the working class that have the drink problems it's working professionals.
95% of drinkers drink at home, and it's usually a glass of wine whilst making diner then three or four whilst relaxing in the evening.
Was a really interesting program. It's really not uncommon amongst people to be drinking too much.
I'm still contemplating giving it up for lent....0 -
Hey all,
That's interesting to hear about middle class drinking starting to become a problem - though less visible because kept at home (and kept so classy indeed). My teenaged daughter often notices (and decries) all the Wino Paraphenalia to be had for the middle class home: the little kitchen towels with the funny sayings about how much a person drinks, the endless coasters and earrings and stuff made to give to all one's girlfriends who also love to sit around and drink lots of wine together. It's true: it's a whole culture of celebrating the little-bit-of-excess thing. It's kind of depressing when you look at it with that lens.
I think I am going to make a set of little towels and all that say things like "Thanks anyway, I have Spinning at 6 a.m." or "Water - The Miracle Drug" or something. Maybe those will take off!
Glad everyone is still fighting the good fight. I had 2.5 glasses of red last night and 2.5 of white on Sunday. This is the most I have had in MONTHS but in both cases it went down to easy. Back to abstinence for me. It's like the Overindulge button is only ever the gentlest push away from activating.
Martha0 -
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
I'm so glad I'm not alone! I don't crave food and I eat well but I've turned to wine/beer for relieve stress and now it's become a habit. I really need this support group to help me through this, so thank you! I can't believe I'm going to admit this but I was drinking approx 918 calories a day!!!!! I've gone a few days without drinking and I felt great and sleep better than usual.
Starting today, when I get off work instead of grabbing a beer or pouring a glass of wine I'm opening this group for encouragement.
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Hi all my name is Ashleigh. And I love wine (and beer and spirits). But wine is my drink of choice. On Monday I made a decision to stop drinking until I reach my goal weight, and then I will reward myself with wine. It's very hard for me, not only do I enjoy a couple glasses of wine when I'm alone but I also drink during social events. All my will power goes out the window when I drink. I allow myself to have a few bites of some "forbidden food", and then before I know, I've eaten hundreds of calories worth! Eating too much while drinking has gotten to the point of being habitual. I have to put my foot down. Now.
Only 6 months ago I was at my goal weight for the first time in my life. I was so happy, fitting into size 4's and being able to wear a bikini without being embarrassed. Then I started eating more and more. I broke out in acne and hid myself away for 2 months, being depressed and reverting back to my old patterns of emotional eating. These last 2 months of holidays packed on 10 lbs for me. I've officially gained 25 lbs since July.
I've been on MFP for years, but never really utilized the community forums, until now. I started counting my calories and logging my exercise yesterday, and I am committed to losing 25 lbs, the healthy way. I'm also detoxing from caffeine, sugar and grains.. so this next week is going to be really tough for me. I'm looking forward to the support of this group!!
I'm right here with you girl! I'm glad I'm not alone in this! Wine/beer are my problem and I need the support to help me kick my bad habit of drinking...pretty much daily, ugh!!! I will be turning to this group daily for support. We can do it!!!!0 -
Opal and Martha you inspire me! I need this group more than you know! Thanks! :flowerforyou:0
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It's great to have new members - good luck with your lifestyle changes! Today marks 8 weeks wine-free for me and I can honestly say that I don't miss it and I feel just so much better since I stopped. It's funny, when I read something about someone arriving home from work and pouring a glass of wine I do get a bit of a twinge, but that's really all it is........ it's gone as soon as it hits.
The stuff about middle class drinking is really interesting, and I'm sure it's true. I was talking to one of the guys I work with (he happens to be our managing director, but we're a pretty relaxed small organisation, so it was OK) about the fact that I'd decided to give up for a year and he was saying pretty much the same thing. He said the term he'd heard used for people in this situation was 'functioning alcoholics' - so we function perfectly well at work and in our professional lives, but we rely on the alcohol (and I think it's often wine, particularly for women) to de-stress. It was certainly where I was - and I'm so glad I've broken the cycle. The fact that we can break the cycle makes me think that for most of us it's a habit rather than an addiction. He also told me about his brother, who apparently decided to give up alcohol for a year, then who suddenly realised 14 months later that the year was long gone and he hadn't even thought about it! Wonder if I'll be like that? I have to say that I do wonder how I'll feel about drinking once my year is up - it's an intriguing thought!
I'm looking forward to sharing the journey with you all. 0 -
Opal24 you are such an inspiration! It is actually like you are our guinea pig. Letting you try it for us before we sign up for it lol!
I've given up alcohol for lent. I did say at the start it was just wine, but I thought let's see if I can do 46 (yep not 40, lent is 46) days of
not drinking at all.
At the beginning I was actually really nervous but I do feel like I have been training for this. I have slowly but steadily cut down and gone for longer periods without. This is day 5 for me and to be perfectly honest it's not as hard as it was as the beginning of the year when day crept in, hangover gone and I was dying for a drink and coming to this forum every night for motivation.
I will keep using this forum as it so brilliant for motivation and inspiration and here's to Easter Sunday!!
:drinker:0 -
Hey all!
Back on track after a weird week where I found myself saying "Oh but just this time..." 3 different nights! This is after weeks of barely having anything (like 2-3 glasses over the course of the whole time) and in most of those weeks having no alcohol at all and loving that feeling. What gives? I don't know. As I suspected, it was just too easy to fall right back into the 1 becomes 2 becomes 3. (Well, actually, that scenario only happened once but the other two nights it was 2 down like water.) I think I had told myself enough times that I don't have to work at this anymore because I don't have cravings but then - guess what! - I went out and rekindled my cravings by giving in. No more. I am not having any alcohol at ALL for the next two weeks minimum - maybe longer.
Just reread my own post (weird, yes) from 2/22/2012 and realize it was 2.5 glasses those nights but it was good to see that was in fact first time in about a month. It's harder to track something you're not doing than to track something you are doing!
Back on the horse. Back on the horse. Thank you all for listening.
Great to see you here jenniegeo! Hope you are well.
Martha0 -
Hello!
I made a New Year Resolution not to drink this year until my birthday, which is in mid Oct. I can't say I have enjoyed it so far because I love drinking, but I really needed to do it for weight loss and general health reasons; obviously it's just empty calories, plus it makes you crave nasty food and, worst of all, it leaves you too wrecked to exercise the next day. The other thing that has made it difficult is the fact that my husband is a massive drinker - until about a week ago, when he decided he needed to stop as well, there was a constant supply of alcohol in the house and he was glugging in front of me every night. HOWEVER, despite this, I have managed to do almost 2 months without - woo-hoo!
I still find every day quite difficult - not so much the morning and afternoon, but definitely coming home in the evening. It's also hard turning down pub invitations - being a non-drinker in a pub, and paying handsomely for the privilege via extortionate fruit juices and bottled waters, is not fun. BUT I have lost weight! And I am hoping that, sometime in the near future, my skin will remember that I am not a hormonal 14 year old and correct itself to reflect my pure living!
Please add me as a friend because I could do with some boozeless cheerleaders (and am willing to be one myself) - I find talking about it motivates me to go on. I haven't read every post on this thread yet but will do now and am looking forward to reading some tips on how to keep going!
V xxx0
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