Less alcohol- January 2018- one day at a time

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Replies

  • Skyweigh
    Skyweigh Posts: 113 Member
    edited January 2018
    I'm on Day 7 with wine o'clock hasn't come around. I'm very happy with my Dry January choice.

    Reading This Naked Mind provides a lot of valuable information, and additional motivation. I do not agree, however, that people cannot tell the difference tasting cheap wine and good wine. But I do know from previous experiences (with short periods of leaving wine alone) that often wine I used to like doesn't taste good, at first.
  • Moxie42
    Moxie42 Posts: 1,400 Member
    Yesterday- 2 coffees with amaretto around lunch at the in-laws, and a beer. Definitely stayed in control but still- it wasn't the zero drinks I had planned. Now my husband is travelling for the week and there is a huge open bottle of red on the counter. I really think I'm going to have to dump it if I want to prevent myself from having it.
  • SabrinaG1986
    SabrinaG1986 Posts: 135 Member
    erikNJ wrote: »
    MonkeyMel21 wrote: »
    No heartburn now for like 6 days, lol. That's enough reason to abstain by itself! Day 7 for me, a whole week! My weekend went by without a hitch and I'm feeling really good.

    Yes! Being heartburn free is a hugely overlooked benefit!

    The heartburn is the whole reason I decided to cut back, it gets SO bad... My boyfriend never gets it so he doesn't understand at all how painful it can be.
  • MaryBethHempel
    MaryBethHempel Posts: 513 Member
    kittybenn wrote: »
    @donimfpdonimfp One other thing about the sleeping. I have an app called Insight Timer, and it's a lifesaver when I can't sleep. I just put my phone under my pillow, plug the headphones in and pick a meditation. You can look for them by issue, such as sleep problems. Just about any will work. I can almost guarantee you will be sawing logs before the thing ends.

    Wow, thank you for mentioning the app for sleep...I didn't even think about looking for apps for that...very cool!
  • SanDiegofitmom
    SanDiegofitmom Posts: 303 Member

    Reading This Naked Mind provides a lot of valuable information, and additional motivation. I do not agree, however, that people cannot tell the difference tasting cheap wine and good wine. But I do know from previous experiences (with short periods of leaving wine alone) that often wine I used to like doesn't taste good, at first.[/quote]

    Me too! I read that and thought ok maybe not the difference between a 20 dollar bottle and a 40 dollar bottle but good wine is amazing. I will be curious about my taste buds when dry Jan is over. I would really like to drink better quality in much smaller quantity and frequency when the month is up.
  • justlog
    justlog Posts: 125 Member
    Wow.. so many people have joined in.

    Interesting to see / know what portion is working towards more "sustainable" moderation versus abstaining completely.

    Also would be interesting to see what % of people are in the process of losing weight versus maintaining and if they are working towards abstaining or sustainable moderation.

    I'm definitely in the "sustainable" camp (for now anyways). Fortunately, I've never had an issue of needing to keep going once I start. I'm generally done after 1 or perhaps 2 bottles of good beer. I never make it to 3 by desire... no interest.
  • kedoyle77
    kedoyle77 Posts: 1 Member
    How is everyone doing with this challenge? I started off Jan 1 wanting to go for 21 days abstaining, but have not. I have been able to cut way back, which I am proud of. I am so tired of the extra calories derailing my nutrition plans, and I hope to be able to cut out the alcohol to a point where it's a 'cheat' here and there, and not such a common habit. It's especially hard with all the locally made beers and that fun trend being everywhere now. I'd love to read your progress, and I'll chime in soon too!
  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
    justlog wrote: »
    Wow.. so many people have joined in.

    Interesting to see / know what portion is working towards more "sustainable" moderation versus abstaining completely.

    Also would be interesting to see what % of people are in the process of losing weight versus maintaining and if they are working towards abstaining or sustainable moderation.

    I'm definitely in the "sustainable" camp (for now anyways). Fortunately, I've never had an issue of needing to keep going once I start. I'm generally done after 1 or perhaps 2 bottles of good beer. I never make it to 3 by desire... no interest.

    I am going for sustainable moderation, but I thought I would see if I could make it a dry January. Turns out the answer is no, but I have definitely done a much better job at the "moderation" part since joining this thread in November. I am maintaining my weight. Unlike a lot of people on this thread, I don't generally equate my alcohol consumption with weight gain, but I am extremely active and also don't tend to eat more when I drink in general.
  • justlog
    justlog Posts: 125 Member
    lporter229 wrote: »
    justlog wrote: »
    Wow.. so many people have joined in.

    Interesting to see / know what portion is working towards more "sustainable" moderation versus abstaining completely.

    Also would be interesting to see what % of people are in the process of losing weight versus maintaining and if they are working towards abstaining or sustainable moderation.

    I'm definitely in the "sustainable" camp (for now anyways). Fortunately, I've never had an issue of needing to keep going once I start. I'm generally done after 1 or perhaps 2 bottles of good beer. I never make it to 3 by desire... no interest.

    I am going for sustainable moderation, but I thought I would see if I could make it a dry January. Turns out the answer is no, but I have definitely done a much better job at the "moderation" part since joining this thread in November. I am maintaining my weight. Unlike a lot of people on this thread, I don't generally equate my alcohol consumption with weight gain, but I am extremely active and also don't tend to eat more when I drink in general.

    That's awesome that you are improving moderation! That in and of itself is a big victory. Like yourself, I don't generally equate alcohol with weight gain. I'm very active as well and I think that provides a calorie "cushion".

    I think I consumed much more before I began losing and when I cut way back, I think it became a little easier to drop lbs at a faster rate. After dropping about 50lbs, I no longer have the appetite as I did prior and as a result consume much less by that aspect.
  • Will_Run_for_Food
    Will_Run_for_Food Posts: 561 Member
    Well the first week was halfway successful. I was dry all week, and the plan was to not go overboard on the weekend, but I definitely had too much on Saturday. So Sunday was a write-off.

    Anyway, day two of week two. I’m dreading the commute home – took me almost two hours getting in today because of a snowstorm. I anticipate more of the same tonight. Hoping that doesn’t derail my efforts – I can already feel the I-need-a-glass-of-wine headache coming on.
  • slimbyjune18
    slimbyjune18 Posts: 101 Member
    justlog wrote: »
    Wow.. so many people have joined in.

    Interesting to see / know what portion is working towards more "sustainable" moderation versus abstaining completely.

    Also would be interesting to see what % of people are in the process of losing weight versus maintaining and if they are working towards abstaining or sustainable moderation.

    I'm definitely in the "sustainable" camp (for now anyways). Fortunately, I've never had an issue of needing to keep going once I start. I'm generally done after 1 or perhaps 2 bottles of good beer. I never make it to 3 by desire... no interest.

    I think sustainable moderation will be my end point, I am also doing it for weight loss and marathon training. Genuinely surprised how different running feels with 7 days off. Intending on remaining dry for as long as I can. Race is mi-March which a week in, no longer feels impossible. I suspect I’ll have the odd glass or two between now & then.
  • SanDiegofitmom
    SanDiegofitmom Posts: 303 Member
    I don’t have trouble stopping drinking once I start. My problem is frequency/ daily (it all adds up!) I am doing Dry January both for weight and for overall health reasons. I’ve never had to worry about my weight but it crept up this year with all the travel I did and I know as I get older it’s just going to get worse if I don’t work on moderation. My goal after January is to cut way way down. Knowing that I can go this long without and have fun and not suffer (too much haha) I feel like will be so great for keeping it up! Enjoying reading everyone’s posts!
  • justlog
    justlog Posts: 125 Member
    MonkeyMel21 wrote: »
    I want "sustainable moderation" as my lifestyle but still plan on a completely dry January. To know that I can as well as to maybe lower my tolerance because I like a good buzz but don't want to have to drink so much to get it. I've been maintaining my weight for years but the past 9 months has been bad (family issues) and I've let go a bit and just need to shed around 8 pounds to get back to my maintenance weight. My high alcohol consumption (and general melancholy) over that time has left me uncaring of either fitness nor weight goals.

    Anyway, my main point is that I feel really good about 2018 and want to start it off right!!

    Give em hell!
  • mmccool719
    mmccool719 Posts: 28 Member
    Someone here mentioned Pukka tea. I bought the Detox tea and it’s very nice. Also stocked up on sparkling cranberry juice and Ice sparkling waters. Trying, I really am.
  • MonkeyMel21
    MonkeyMel21 Posts: 2,396 Member
    I would normally have a rum with sparkling water and lime right now but instead I got on the treadmill for a little walk before dinner. Trying not to think about it, lol.
  • RubyRed427
    RubyRed427 Posts: 4,410 Member
    mmccool719 wrote: »
    Someone here mentioned Pukka tea. I bought the Detox tea and it’s very nice. Also stocked up on sparkling cranberry juice and Ice sparkling waters. Trying, I really am.

    I just went on Amazon and bought two boxes of Pukka tea. Thanks for the tip ! I am finding that i"ll buy some tea at the grocery store and it seems bland and not very flavorful when I make it. I'll give Pukka a try.
  • RubyRed427
    RubyRed427 Posts: 4,410 Member
    MonkeyMel21 wrote: »
    I would normally have a rum with sparkling water and lime right now but instead I got on the treadmill for a little walk before dinner. Trying not to think about it, lol.

    I know ! Hang in there. Remember in about 6 minutes your craving can pass. Also, I read that when you have a craving, visualize a wave. Admit you crave, but watch the craving rise like a wave and then fall..... It sounded better when the author of a blog wrote it:) LOL
  • MichelleWithMoxie
    MichelleWithMoxie Posts: 1,817 Member
    Yep I’m in for moderate/sustainable drinking. I only drink on Saturdays, so just need to moderate those a little lol
  • machchic
    machchic Posts: 229 Member
    mmccool719 wrote: »
    Someone here mentioned Pukka tea. I bought the Detox tea and it’s very nice. Also stocked up on sparkling cranberry juice and Ice sparkling waters. Trying, I really am.

    I was the one with the Pukka tea, I love it I am glad you guys are trying it. Yaaaaa
  • machchic
    machchic Posts: 229 Member
    JulieAL1969 wrote: »
    mmccool719 wrote: »
    Someone here mentioned Pukka tea. I bought the Detox tea and it’s very nice. Also stocked up on sparkling cranberry juice and Ice sparkling waters. Trying, I really am.

    I just went on Amazon and bought two boxes of Pukka tea. Thanks for the tip ! I am finding that i"ll buy some tea at the grocery store and it seems bland and not very flavorful when I make it. I'll give Pukka a try.

    You can get at Wholefoods too!
  • machchic
    machchic Posts: 229 Member
    NormInv wrote: »
    Today is Day 8 of dry January and I am doing OK. My resting heart rate is down from 75 to 60 (this happened over a month since i cut back on alcohol in December). I replaced it with La Croix and teas

    I have a fitbit and when I drink and don't work out my HR is resting is pushing 75, not drinking (2 out of 8 only in January so far) I am already down to 68. Add exercise and few more weeks I will seen it get to 58. (I have done it before)
  • RubyRed427
    RubyRed427 Posts: 4,410 Member
    NormInv wrote: »
    Today is Day 8 of dry January and I am doing OK. My resting heart rate is down from 75 to 60 (this happened over a month since i cut back on alcohol in December). I replaced it with La Croix and teas. Only real temptation happened on Friday after work but havent thought about it much. I have so much extra alert time in the evenings and calorie room to eat more foods...

    Sleep was an issue and still is a bit.....Chamomile tea really helps with that

    I love La Croix as well. Great work! It gets a little easier every day I think. I'm on Day 8, too. This Friday, I will have to be as strong as steel. Going out with friends who love to drink. We're going to a bar to hear a band. I will resist drinking however. Don't want to break my streak!
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