Less alcohol- January 2018- one day at a time
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@MaryBethHempel I hear you! I was really bored yesterday, and nearly opened the liquor cabinet and took a swig:) LOL
For me, it's been so gloomy this winter, cold and dreary. I live in Ohio. Today, it rained nearly all day. I think the weather doesn't help. Xoxo3 -
My husband had a rough day at work and usually on Mondays he comes home with a 12 pack of beer. Which he will drink mostly himself if I have my own bottle of wine. Good thing I don't have any wine right now. If I help him drink his beer then usually one of us runs to the store to get more. I do NOT want to start this week off with one drink let alone six or seven!
Maybe you can go shopping or go somewhere to work out this evening. I bet if you left the house for a little while, the craving or temptation may pass. Or watch Tony Robbins youtube video for motivation. Sending you hugs.5 -
An inspiring read: The Ultimate Free Life Hack? I Quit Drinking for Three Months
From the article: "For me, it’s a life hack that requires no purchases, improves my health, and saves me money."
Great article. Motivating and inspiring. Thanks for sharing! I like how she talks about decision fatigue. Very true!
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I think I need this group. I think it has stalled me and I would like to stop and just for health issues. I've never had significant issues personally related to alcohol but have blacked out several times in my lifetime. I have a problem with sugars I know. My son is an alcoholic. My dad was for part of my life until he quit cold turkey. My problem is my hubby enjoys social drinking and I think it might be a problem. How does anyone handle if their significant other continues to drink?
I just let him drink. At first he used to bully me and say I need to get the stick out of my A. But then I had to get really stern with him supporting me in what I am trying to accomplish and he backed off. I have decided to have ONE day where I will have 2 glasses of wine when we go out to dinner. That seems to be working well for me so far. I know I will not stop drinking I am really practicing moderation.3 -
JulieAL1969 wrote: »I think I need this group. I think it has stalled me and I would like to stop and just for health issues. I've never had significant issues personally related to alcohol but have blacked out several times in my lifetime. I have a problem with sugars I know. My son is an alcoholic. My dad was for part of my life until he quit cold turkey. My problem is my hubby enjoys social drinking and I think it might be a problem. How does anyone handle if their significant other continues to drink?
I have a partner who drinks steadily all evening. For example, he'll have a beer when he gets home, wine with dinner, and two-three scotches late in the evening. Now that I've quit , I am seeing that he drinks a lot! He is never drunk, but must always be buzzed. Who knows.
It's really bugging me at times, because I feel like I'm being punished by not drinking. I get jealous.
I've been chugging tea like crazy. I also drinking lots of sparkling water with flavors. I love social drinking, too. But for me and my body, alcohol is not good. So, I'm just putting up with others around me drinking, and doing a lot of positive self talk. Reminding myself that it is a poison and hard on my organs. It's just a habit; I can change any habit. Look how great I am feeling every morning with no headache or hangover or lethargy when I wake up.
I think you'll have to decide for yourself if you want to continue drinking despite everyone around you. Listen to your intuition and heart. It isn't easy when everyone around me is drinking, but I am on a streak now 22 days without, and I don't want to break it:)
Keep reading the thread. Try some nights without alcohol and after awhile, you'll know if it's time to quit or not.
My hubby drinks every day beer, but mostly wine. He will have occasional whiskey or something. He starts about 2 and drank until bed, which is what I did also. He recently stopped before bed because it makes him snore so loud that I have to go to our guest room to sleep. We make our own wine and have over 100 bottles in our basement, with more to be bottles tomorrow.
I had my first social Saturday....both he and another offered me wine, but I drank my sugar-free orange drink from Sam's Club, and then tea.
There is a lot of insights in "This Naked Mind" and The Alcohol Experiment that this Annie Grace has put together, besides this site on MyFitnessPal. These all have helped me tremendously. I am on day 20, today is a down day which I would have drank, for sure, in the past. I feel stronger, healthier, happier, and find that I feel things....I genuinely feel things...joy, interest, love, ---much more being alcohol free. I also get much more accomplished.
It is a process....start small and take is slow....Be KIND to yourself...super important!4 -
MaryBethHempel wrote: »There is a lot of insights in "This Naked Mind" and The Alcohol Experiment that this Annie Grace has put together, besides this site on MyFitnessPal. These all have helped me tremendously. I am on day 20, today is a down day which I would have drank, for sure, in the past. I feel stronger, healthier, happier, and find that I feel things....I genuinely feel things...joy, interest, love, ---much more being alcohol free. I also get much more accomplished.
It is a process....start small and take is slow....Be KIND to yourself...super important!
Yes to all of this and double yes to the last sentence! I am usually up by 7am so I get my coffee and sit down for my daily exercise with The Alcohol Experiment and it really, really is a good way to be mindful of what I am trying to achieve and it sets the tone for the day. Today was a pretty down day for me as well and I would have had a bottle of wine nearly gone by now. Instead I got going on my to-do list and reasoned on why I did not want to self-medicate. It's only day 3 but the tools she gives have been pretty effective so far
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I love how strong and supportive everyone is.
Everyone has their own struggle. For some, just the first week is the key and then its easy, for others its a lifetime battle. But I am learning that your body will expect what you teach it. If you teach it to expect a drink after work, guess what it will make you miserable if you dont give it that drink.
My friend was trying to do Dry January, he's religious so he said to me he asked himself, what would Jesus do.....turn water to wine of course....so he had to look for a different motivation.
It appears to me that they did drink in moderation then but for those that had a hard time controlling things, I think the following was given as a call for abstinence from things that are wrecking a person:
Matt 18:8 Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.
9 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.
Abstinence is doable and is much better than continually trying to fight the problem if it is difficult to control. There are also lots of other scriptures in the bible that warn against drinking or over drinking. Religious conviction can be a good motivator to abstain.
Sorry if I offended, wasn't my intent, thank you.
There was zero offense taken. I took it as a joke and did think it was funny! I did want to make a point though that if a person does have the idea that God doesn't want them to drink (at least not to excess) that can help. I do think it is better to do total abstinence than constantly having to make decisions that are hard for some.6 -
Too late to join this group? I just found this today. I have been reading some of the post. I actually downloaded a free trial for Audiable, and have "The Naked Mind" ready to play while on the treadmill. I don't need to loose much weight, but I sure need to quit drinking everynight, and start working out!6
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Day 22 in the bag - no temptation. Helps that I am suffering from the worst flu of recent memory.
Quittig alcohol was too easy. I have other issues I need to face head on and other cycles to break. This process has given me the hope to even think about it but its a daunting task....I do not trust myself that I will be able to break away9 -
pawprintsigns63 wrote: »Too late to join this group? I just found this today. I have been reading some of the post. I actually downloaded a free trial for Audiable, and have "The Naked Mind" ready to play while on the treadmill. I don't need to loose much weight, but I sure need to quit drinking everynight, and start working out!
Join us! We are all in it together. I think you'll enjoy This Naked Mind. Best wishes. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.2 -
I’m late to the party! Also trying to cut back. I drink 2 nights (at least) a week pretty religiously for years. I’m hoping I can make it one, and then hopefully none! It makes me less energetic at work, affects my relationships and ruins my weekends (hangovers).4
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JulieAL1969 wrote: »My husband had a rough day at work and usually on Mondays he comes home with a 12 pack of beer. Which he will drink mostly himself if I have my own bottle of wine. Good thing I don't have any wine right now. If I help him drink his beer then usually one of us runs to the store to get more. I do NOT want to start this week off with one drink let alone six or seven!
Maybe you can go shopping or go somewhere to work out this evening. I bet if you left the house for a little while, the craving or temptation may pass. Or watch Tony Robbins youtube video for motivation. Sending you hugs.
Thanks. I bought the book you recommended, The Naked Mind, and started reading it. I also did yoga and cleaned a bit. Haven't even wanted a drink tonight and husband is on his 6th or 7th beer. He can have the hangover for both of us tomorrow, I'm drinking some tea!6 -
Katzedernacht wrote: »I love a good craft beer, sadly most IPA's and stouts are heavy on alcohol = high in calories, so what I am doing now is choose beers with alc. % of around 4-5.5 tops and saving the big ones for very special occasions. I'm not gonna stop drinking but I have greatly reduced the quantity, last year I'd drink a lot with my friends, mostly cos I got bored (that's another whole different subject) but now that's solved, so once a week or every 2 weeks works for me, fitting it within my macros and calories of course.
Sounds exactly like me. I have cut down to one day a week. I start with one good stout or ipa. Then i drink lower abv the rest of the night. I have actually been finding a way to enjoy light beer, which is something i thought was impossible for me4 -
pawprintsigns63 wrote: »Too late to join this group? I just found this today. I have been reading some of the post. I actually downloaded a free trial for Audiable, and have "The Naked Mind" ready to play while on the treadmill. I don't need to loose much weight, but I sure need to quit drinking everynight, and start working out!
Not too late.. i think we are going to have a February dry season..
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Hello, i like this challenge here very much! Reading all your posts is very helpfull in understanding what is going wrong! Any chance fro me to join and participate here? I would be very helpfull for me. Greetins from Germany 5
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FlottenAdmiral69 wrote: »Hello, i like this challenge here very much! Reading all your posts is very helpfull in understanding what is going wrong! Any chance fro me to join and participate here? I would be very helpfull for me. Greetins from Germany
Welcome..1 -
Day 13 for me. As I said earlier, I cannot moderate. Everyone is doing so well. Let's keep on keeping on. 4
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Morning, everyone!
I come to this thread every morning while having my coffee, and all your posts inspire me for the day! I have continued to be alcohol-free this month beyond those first couple of days of January. I started the challenge just wanting to be damp, but it quickly turned dry for me. I plan on continuing it into February and beyond, and I'm excited about the challenge as well as the positive changes I've seen in myself since abstaining.
I've definitely created new habits for myself...a cup of tea and a snack ~4pm before leaving work; knitting in the evenings to keep my hands and mind busy; getting things done that I've been putting off forever; better quality time with my family.
Whenever I have random thoughts of having a glass or two of wine in the evening, I internally ask myself what it is I want from the act of drinking a glass of wine. Is it to relax? To socialize? To escape mentally? Is it because it is a habit? Once I've figured out the why, it's much easier to fix the how with something other than alcohol.
I hope you all have a wonderful day today!11 -
Good morning everyone, it's nice to wake up and not have a hangover. Although I'm sore because my husband took over the entire bed when he finally passed out last night so I moved to the couch. Watching him drink those 12 beers last night made me realize that this is how I also look sometimes when I get drunk. He was depressed, drunk crying, stayed up too late and also very annoying when he finally did come to bed. Then he overslept and went to work an hour late today.
Last night he told me that he was depressed and that he hasn't been depressed in a very long time. I told him, well you know, alcohol IS a depressant. And he said, no, alcohol makes me feel better.
Neither of us are like that every time we drink, but it did make me think about how that can look to the kids.
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@kcn2bluesky - Love this insightful post, and most of all this:kcn2bluesky wrote: »Whenever I have random thoughts of having a glass or two of wine in the evening, I internally ask myself what it is I want from the act of drinking a glass of wine. Is it to relax? To socialize? To escape mentally? Is it because it is a habit? Once I've figured out the why, it's much easier to fix the how with something other than alcohol.
Day 23 begins. Hard to impossible for me to imagine saying this on Dec. 31. We've come a long way since day 1 of this inspiring discussion.
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