Less alcohol- January 2018- one day at a time

Options
1…4546485051…71

Replies

  • MaryBethHempel
    MaryBethHempel Posts: 513 Member
    Options

    Goal — January under 7 drinks a week- for my health.....my mind.....my body....Freedom from alcohol ruling my life!

    1/1 =alcohol free
    1/2 = 4 wine spritzers
    1/3 =alcohol free
    1/4 =alcohol free
    1/5 =alcohol free while my husband must of drank almost 2 bottles of wine....I wasn't tempted, which was great!
    1/6 =alcohol free while my husband must of drank almost 2 bottles of wine
    1/7 =alcohol free while my husband must of drank almost 2 bottles of wine-I copy and paste! Rerun! :) I feel that now I don't even want one drink as it is never enough...I always want more! I will see how long I can be FREE from alcohol. Losing weight and feeling great!
    1/8 =DITTO...I slept better last night--had an Atkins bar around 8...maybe that was it...I also had to go to my guest room again for my husbands snoring started again! :)
    1/9 =DITTO and lost another pound---Wow! 7 days alcohol FREE!! This is the longest I have gone for years!
    1/10 =8 days freedom
    1/11 =9 days freedom- looking forward to reading my new books...This Naked Mind and Blackout-Remembering The Things I Drank to Forget...
    1/12 =10 days clean! My hubby only drank during the day, not last night. He didn't snore last night, so I didn't have to go to our guest room to sleep. Read the first 2 1/2 chapters of This Naked Mind and finding it interesting.
    1/13 =11 Days freedom! It is actually getting easier at this point...I just ordered some liver detox....
    1/14 =12 Days freedom! It really helps to have all you on MFP for support! Thank you all!! :)
    1/15 =13 days---Wow! I am finally sleeping in my own bed now because my husband cuts off his drinking at night and he doesn't snore so loud to make me go into our guest room! LOL! He didn't like me going into the guest room, so he cut down... :)
    1/16 =14 days freedom! 2 weeks!! YAY! I have to note how yesterday was a bit interesting when my hubby just bottle a bunch of wine and said to me, "Taste this, it is better than the usual Concord that we make". I told him immediately that I was just drinking green tea and it wouldn't taste good. I was so glad that I was drinking tea, as I would have been tempted to taste it. I feel that if it happens again that I am prepared now and will decline. I am going to tell him today not even to ask me to taste. :)

    1/17 =15th day freedom! Had another great morning of working out...ready to play some music!
    1/18 =16th day freedom! I am going for a month!! I joined the "Alcohol Experiment" Super informational...I have been just reading and listening..this weekend I am going to start writing in the journal. I recommend this to you all, if just to read and listen to all the interesting information.
    1/19 =
    1/20 =
    1/21 =
    1/22 =
    1/23 =
    1/24 =
    1/25 =
    1/26 =
    1/27 =
    1/28 =
    1/29 =
    1/30 =
    1/31 =
  • snoo61
    snoo61 Posts: 549 Member
    Options
    Alzzi76 wrote: »
    Hey guys.. i am trying to talk myself out of a drink tonight. Some things have gone pear shaped and i feel really sad. i even have some spare cals i could use.. but i am thinking of you all.. And thinking if they can do it i have to. So i come here to tell u to make me go to bed without one sip :|
    Thanks again every1 for being here

    How did you do? I hope you made it!
  • islandbeez
    islandbeez Posts: 162 Member
    Options
    I've almost finished listening to TNM. It's a great source of hope and so much information on this poison we love so much. I have to get the actual book and read it myself. I have not had a very dry January but the cut back has been very successful. I hope to finish out these last days stronger, especially with all the reading I have done and the inspiration of all of you in this thread. I start every day here, then move on to read a little of Drinking: A Love Story, then move to listening to TNM while I clean around the house. This has helped me NOT have a glass of wine during the day...I am home most of the time so it's very simple to get in the mindset that I just did a load of laundry and emptied the dishwasher so *reward*....which we know is not a reward, after all. Really looking forward to the next month(s)!! Thank you all so much!
  • justlog
    justlog Posts: 125 Member
    edited January 2018
    Options
    Skyweigh wrote: »
    If you have a drink because you are feeling blue --- no biggie. If you don't have a drink when you are tempted to deal with your sadness, blueness, then you will have gained ground with yourself. At the very least, this exercise clarifies our "reasons" for drinking. If it is sadness, I guess there may be other ways to deal with it. Or maybe, even though it doesn't feel good to be passive, one can just let it be and let it pass. It will.

    This is a great perspective!
    islandbeez wrote: »
    I've almost finished listening to TNM. It's a great source of hope and so much information on this poison we love so much. I have to get the actual book and read it myself. I have not had a very dry January but the cut back has been very successful. I hope to finish out these last days stronger, especially with all the reading I have done and the inspiration of all of you in this thread. I start every day here, then move on to read a little of Drinking: A Love Story, then move to listening to TNM while I clean around the house. This has helped me NOT have a glass of wine during the day...I am home most of the time so it's very simple to get in the mindset that I just did a load of laundry and emptied the dishwasher so *reward*....which we know is not a reward, after all. Really looking forward to the next month(s)!! Thank you all so much!

    Being home all day with it is a challenge. Sounds like you are on a great new path!
  • dbanks80
    dbanks80 Posts: 3,685 Member
    Options
    Alzzi76 wrote: »
    Hey guys.. i am trying to talk myself out of a drink tonight. Some things have gone pear shaped and i feel really sad. i even have some spare cals i could use.. but i am thinking of you all.. And thinking if they can do it i have to. So i come here to tell u to make me go to bed without one sip :|
    Thanks again every1 for being here

    Did you go straight to bed??? Without a drink???
  • Skyweigh
    Skyweigh Posts: 113 Member
    edited January 2018
    Options
    "You learn a lot about yourself when you don’t self medicate. In moments of anxiety this month I’ve been trying to treat it like an opportunity to have a healthier way of coping. Honestly, I feel more upbeat overall without wine. I am really conflicted about what to do in February. On the one hand I miss wine, on the other hand I feel so free without. "


    This sounds a bit like me, too. In my case, a lot of it is about pleasant associations together with habits. I used to want to have a drink of wine when I'd see people raising their glasses on TV! There are several triggers which would encourage me to just dampen things after Dry January. However, I don't think I've given not drinking enough of a chance after only one month, so my challenge is now for 90 days. I did not drink, well --hardly ever, in younger adulthood but really have developed a liking for wine over the last 25 years. In that time, I have gone without never more than a month at a time, so I want to see how things might change going longer.
  • RubyRed427
    RubyRed427 Posts: 4,170 Member
    Options
    islandbeez wrote: »
    I've almost finished listening to TNM. It's a great source of hope and so much information on this poison we love so much. I have to get the actual book and read it myself. I have not had a very dry January but the cut back has been very successful. I hope to finish out these last days stronger, especially with all the reading I have done and the inspiration of all of you in this thread. I start every day here, then move on to read a little of Drinking: A Love Story, then move to listening to TNM while I clean around the house. This has helped me NOT have a glass of wine during the day...I am home most of the time so it's very simple to get in the mindset that I just did a load of laundry and emptied the dishwasher so *reward*....which we know is not a reward, after all. Really looking forward to the next month(s)!! Thank you all so much!

    I'm reading both of those books currently, too. I have seen a lot of myself in the lady of A Love Story. The looking at others thinking well I'm not thaaaaat bad. Or the drinking one or two glasses before going to a party, and then drinking more at the party I've done. So, many weird habits. However, I wasn't fooling myself. Day 19 will be dry. I will also try Dry February.
  • slimbyjune18
    slimbyjune18 Posts: 101 Member
    Options
    Another Friday & day 18 dry. It’s strange how I’m rarely I’m thinking about it now. It does feel like a habit has been broken. Grateful for the thread and the ongoing motivation.
  • MonkeyMel21
    MonkeyMel21 Posts: 2,388 Member
    Options
    kittybenn wrote: »
    Day 19 begins. For the first day I've noticed my skin looking better. Heard so many people talk about that here, but hadn't seen it til today. I was kind of startled.

    Sometimes on Fridays I will just wear mascara to work (it’s only 4 hour shift and I always go home and nap with hubs right after before he goes to work) and today I really noticed how much better my face looks without make up.
  • Alzzi76
    Alzzi76 Posts: 504 Member
    Options
    JulieAL1969 wrote: »
    Skyweigh wrote: »
    Alzzi76 wrote: »
    Hey guys.. i am trying to talk myself out of a drink tonight. Some things have gone pear shaped and i feel really sad. i even have some spare cals i could use.. but i am thinking of you all.. And thinking if they can do it i have to. So i come here to tell u to make me go to bed without one sip :|
    Thanks again every1 for being here

    If you have a drink because you are feeling blue --- no biggie. If you don't have a drink when you are tempted to deal with your sadness, blueness, then you will have gained ground with yourself. At the very least, this exercise clarifies our "reasons" for drinking. If it is sadness, I guess there may be other ways to deal with it. Or maybe, even though it doesn't feel good to be passive, one can just let it be and let it pass. It will.

    @Alzzi76 Annie Grace book says after you drink and dopamine wears off, you will feel
    Sadder. Distract yourself with something funny on YouTube or put on some music. They even say if you meditate , imagine every part of you is smiling. Sending you a big hug. You are stronger than you think.

    Yes u r right!. Im glad i stayed focused.
  • MonkeyMel21
    MonkeyMel21 Posts: 2,388 Member
    Options
    Dry January has turned in to damp January for me. I went the first two weeks without, then finished the rest of our rum last weekend (probably three mixed drinks Saturday and Sunday). Today on the way home from work I bought a 6 pack of one of my favorite local IPA’s to indulge this weekend. I don’t know quite how I feel about it yet but I have cut back so much this month that ether way it’s a great thing. I really want to keep moderating past this month and continue my healthy habits. I’m glad to have this thread to talk it out a bit and know I’m not alone.
  • Alzzi76
    Alzzi76 Posts: 504 Member
    Options
    MonkeyMel21 wrote: »
    Dry January has turned in to damp January for me. I went the first two weeks without, then finished the rest of our rum last weekend (probably three mixed drinks Saturday and Sunday). Today on the way home from work I bought a 6 pack of one of my favorite local IPA’s to indulge this weekend. I don’t know quite how I feel about it yet but I have cut back so much this month that ether way it’s a great thing. I really want to keep moderating past this month and continue my healthy habits. I’m glad to have this thread to talk it out a bit and know I’m not alone.

    You could just look at it as u having 2 weeks off and 2 weeks on.. then have another 2 weeks off looking forward to joining your friends in 2 weeks.... :) just an idea.
  • islandbeez
    islandbeez Posts: 162 Member
    edited January 2018
    Options
    MaryBethHempel wrote: »

    1/18 =16th day freedom! I am going for a month!! I joined the "Alcohol Experiment" Super informational...I have been just reading and listening..this weekend I am going to start writing in the journal. I recommend this to you all, if just to read and listen to all the interesting information.

    Thanks for this :smile:
    I just joined! It's something, to read what everyone is going through.....the feels are strong tonight!

Categories