30 Day No Booze Challenge in April
su11378
Posts: 17
Who's in for a 30 Day no booze challenge for the month of April?? I love beer and wine, but it's wreaked havoc on my body and mental state over this horrible winter we've had these past few months. I'm on day 6 of no alcohol and feel fabulous and would love to continue this challenge for the month of April to help shed some extra weight around my stomach and use MFP as a tool. I need all the support I can get! I feel so alone out here and would love to have some new friends to do this with me. Just in time for summer!! Anyone out there who wants to do this with me??
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I'm in. I love beer, especially after work, believe it or not, the weekends are easy for me, it's after a great day at work, that I want a beer. I have surgery in a week in a half, and would like to not drink anymore before that.
I'm on day 2, and need to make it to April 9.0 -
I am so doing this,, with one exception and that is Easter and 2 date nights witht he husband. Other than that, dry as the desert my friend!0
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Let's do it! I hope to be able to do the full 30. I have a ten mile race on May 4th that is hanging over my head. I've let myself go as well as my running over the winter so it's crunch time. Any goal to put in place is better then no goal. Sounds like we all have a good plan!!!!0
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LadyMud, just realized that you and I are the exact same weight with similar goals!0
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Sweet!! Lets do this
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I'm ready to do this! I have a 6 day jump start and I'm feeling great!! I hope I can continue without the temptation...so far I've been OK, but have also been spending time at my mom's house and haven't been back in the city where I live...0
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Done and done 0
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I'd like to join in !
I agree with the above post, drinking (and eating junk after a few drinks) has stalled my progress.
April 1st is a good place to start !0 -
2 days, going for a third! Go all you fabulous folks!!:flowerforyou:0
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Woohoo! I'm on day 8 and I'm feeling so much better. I'm more clear headed, not as depressed, anxious and paranoid. Hope I can continue because I am feeling fab!0
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Congratulations to all of you for making a pledge to reduce or quit for a while. Great stuff! I love booze and wine and beer but I don't like how it interfered with Meds and how it packed on the calories. So I quit Oct 13, 2012, and now I serve my friends, and have plenty of Club Soda or mineral water on hand for my favorite substitute libation.
Cheers!0 -
That's Awesome Jacques! Good work! I think it will get easier down the road to be around people who are drinking but I've noticed I feel a little uncomfortable. This past weekend I was with family and I realized how annoyed I was with people because they were getting tipsy and I wasn't. I can only imagine how I act after my excessive wine drinking...really made me think...0
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Darn,, I fell off the wagon,, so I make a U turn and start again,, Day 1. I can do this, no one said it was going to be easy, but this week is already better than last week. I am turning to mediation to try to figure this out, quiet the nosy mind What do others do instead of drinking? 0
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For me, the best substitute is carbonated mineral water. I pretend it feels like beer going down, and I still get to eructate! (belch)
My main motivation comes from the sentiment best described by the cover page of this group, which goes something like this: "Dear alcohol, remember the deal we made where you would make me funnier and a better dancer? Well I saw the video from last night and we need to talk." The last time I drank to excess I was up all night vomiting and nearly pulled a Jimi Hendrix. Never again. Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant (so no wonder we feel bluer when we drink routinely and feel better when we don't) and a source of empty sugar calories; it is also a bad overlap with Lithium and Wellbutrin. I confess to having enjoyed a REALLY good beer on three occasions (end of very long desert hikes) and one very expensive bourbon given to me by a friend after my first time performing at the Magic Castle - I didn't drink them dry, but I enjoyed the flavors, but not that much. I got reinforcement that drinking (even for purely degustatory reasons) is not that important to me. Lately I have been drinking NA beers when I go out. Buckler, St Pauli, and even O'Doul's are pretty good and I am satisfied and want no more after 1 or 2, at most.
As to watching your friends get under the affluence of incahol, what better way to be a friend than to be the DD.
Happy Friday!0 -
Hi Lady Mud -
ITS OK !
( i posted some of this already but I'm re-stating)
This might be long but
I saw a therapist recently, to mostly talk about my cycle of eating and booze issues.
First of all, she told me not to try to go 100%, but to shoot for 30% in Week 1, and so on. When you think about it, that does make sense. It's really hard to go from 0 to 100 overnight, but i know when I go off track, it's hard to get back on, and soon the bad habit takes over.
So, like you, I'm trying to do the 100% sober for the month, with the realization that it might end up at 40% , 50% --- The closer to 100% the better
I think the important thing is to say, " Ok, I fell off the wagon yesterday, but TODAY i'm back on!"
Also, as the drinking is an escape.......... I also am trying to work in better, good escapes -- - some of mine are:
Cooking healthy meals - making a list, walking to / from the store, cooking something new (like spaghetti squash)
Reading... joined a book club
Walking my dog an extra few blocks
Hitting the gym! Motivating myself to go to the gym when sober is a lot more effective..... who knew ?
Watching a show On Demand or on Netflix, such as True Detective / House of Cards / Breaking Bad
** Especially with the nice weather coming -
Farmer's markets
Volunteer programs ( I'm in a beekeeping program)
Meditation is a great one, too! I will look into it more too! Thank you !0 -
The meal thing Bethany mentioned helped me. I'm just not into a beer after I eat. And the taking time to cook a new recipe distracted me from drinking.
Another thing I did was take a shower right when I got home from work. I am so wound up when I get home from work, the shower/meditation really helped me.
Bethany, I keep meaning to mention to you I like your Bichon...I got one of those, too. There is nothing like a Bichon! What a great picture!0 -
I saw a therapist recently, to mostly talk about my cycle of eating and booze issues.
First of all, she told me not to try to go 100%, but to shoot for 30% in Week 1, and so on. When you think about it, that does make sense. It's really hard to go from 0 to 100 overnight, but i know when I go off track, it's hard to get back on, and soon the bad habit takes over.
THE guidebook for why this is a great approach to changing your life is called "One Small Step can Change Your Life" by Robert Maurer, PhD. I encourage you to find it and use it as I do nearly every day.0 -
I know I got to eat when dinner time comes,, Witht the littles I tend not eat, then I have a nice empty tummy by the time dinner prep, a drink during dinner prep,, then it is all down hill. Maybe a snack,, and I will check out that book "One small step" Thanks!!
You only fail if you don't keep trying 0 -
I need to pick up that book Jacques! I agree LadyMud about eating when dinner time arrives. I used to get into the cycle of going out to happy hour (I live in Philadelphia and there are about 10 bars in walking distance) and OVER indulging for a few hrs and then I'd be drunk and not want to cook so I'd pick up a few slices of pizza on the walk home. It was a vicious cycle! I could never go out and have just one either so I'd keep pushing the limit and my tolerance got so high that I'd have to consume about 3-4 glasses before even starting to get a buzz. UGHH!! I'm on day 12 of no booze and its taken me this "dry out" period to really reflect on my life!!!0
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Sjtoby-
Thank you!
He is actually a Lhasa Poo, but very close to a Bichon!
His name is Macho Man
Also, I do the shower thing too! I'm so hyped up when I get home from work, either annoyed or excited from the day. and that's the time I usually reach for a drink.
Jumping in the shower help, it makes me feel organized, focused, fresh!
Keep sharing the "good" activities, I've looked up lists online like "100 things to do instead of drinking"
Yes, those lists actually exist, some of the stuff is actually helpful too!0 -
Just checking in with every, seeing how they did over the weekend 0
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Hi Guys ----
I did good, I'm still on track.
I packed my weekend full of good/ wholesome activities:
went to an early movie with my cousin on Friday after work
did my taxes
got a mani AND pedi
watched final 4 games at home with my dog
took the bus downtown and went shopping, bought some makeup and clothes
took a walk and bought myself flowers
went to see Captain America 2 with a friend on Sunday afternoon
I did well, but I'm running out of ideas.!!!!
Usually I would not go to see 2 movies in one weekend, but.......
How is everyone else doing, what works for you ?0 -
I'm out. I am trying to change too many things at once. No drinking, no smoking, eating right. Right now I'm focusing on staying under calorie goal, eating right and moving. While this has helped me cut back, I still would like to go at least 30 days.
Have surgery soon, and will definitely not be drinking during to recovery!
You guys are doing awesome!
Bethany-that sooooo looks like a Bichon in that pic! I saw the other pics though, and I can see the difference now0 -
I'm on day 14 and I'm starting to get bored! Luckily this weekend my mom was in town and we went to a show and out to eat…was sooooo tempted to have just one glass of wine but did not. It IS getting easier as the days go by but I have two events this week with friends (including a Phillies game) that has me highly panicked that I'll cave!!!0
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Molly -
I'm in the same boat, a friend invited me to box seats for White Sox next week.
(I'm a Yankees fan) Let's be realistic, I'm not gonna go to a baseball game and not have a few beers.
I'm just not!
If you can go and not drink , that's great. But this is life, and things come up.
Maybe it will be a good test for yourself, to see if you can drink in moderation, and get right back into the grind the next day without getting into a bad cycle.
One lesson we have learned while calorie counting., on MFP, etc. is that one day off track isn't the end of the world.
But if we let one day snowball into many days, that's when we get in trouble whether it be food, drinking, or any other weakness.
SO easier said than done.
I'm still on the fence about going or skipping it. But if i go... I'm going to enjoy and jump right back on the wagon the next day. At least, THAT i know for sure!
good luck!
I'm here for support !0 -
Joining in a little late, but it's never too late to start, right? Although I do have a few beers left in the fridge, lets see how long I can stay away from them! One day at a time!
Anyone else find it extremely hard to fall asleep without drinking?0 -
I am here, I admit I am not doing well, but I am doing better than I was. I love the support and the the stories here, and they do help. Thanks so much to everyone!!0
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Stazzy-
I've been OFF the booze since April 1.. and I was having horrible sleep issues. I mostly just feel wide awake, and with no booze, I'm going into my bedroom a lot earlier..... i try to read, watch TV... wide awake
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I have been getting between 2-4 hours of sleep a night.
( When i drank - i fell asleep fine but then woke up a few hours later.- not that much better)
Just last night, on the 8th was a bit better, so I'm going to hang in there 0 -
Hang in there Beth!!
and Thank you to who ever recomended the Kaizen method (ONe small step). I think this is the way to go for me! Thank you everyone for all the support, stories and success!0 -
Hi All!
I have to update my post from yesterday. I had been having a rough time sleeping,
well, last night I got an amazing night's sleep, finally ! First time in a while.
Hopefully this continues!
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Agreed ^ One step at a time!
Nobody expects you to go from 0 to 100 overnight, so don't put that on yourself.
If you shoot for a little progress each week, that's success!
Thanks to all! Faith and Keep hanging in there 0
