Less alcohol- February 2018- one day at a time
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Doing good MFP! Work stress was bad today but no drink for this guy....the building I live in has a wine social event tomorrow from 6 to 7....I plan to go in there with a printout of this thread and start reading it out loud until they call the cops.....watch the news tomorrow at 816
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Well not really helping (including myself) but...
http://www.techtimes.com/articles/221438/20180220/drinking-alcohol-helps-better-than-exercise-if-you-want-to-live-past-90-years-old.htmDrinking alcohol helps more than exercise in allowing people to live beyond 90 years old, according to long-term research known as The 90+ Study.
I can think of a few anecdotes...1 -
There is a new study every day. I believe that if you can moderate, you can benefit. Many of us are here because we were not moderating.6 -
angelacatheart wrote: »Just checking in. Up to 15 days alcohol free, and I am focusing on my weight loss goals. When I drink, I eat too much and I put on weight. So cutting out the alcohol for weight loss is a huge motivator, but there are many other reasons for me to reduce/abstain. Last year, I made it 82 days without alcohol, and I regret touching it again at my birthday, because I started drinking between October and February again, and the weight came back on. Lesson learned ( I hope! )
Awesome !!! 15 days is wonderful!
@MaryBethHempel Congrats on 49!
I also love reading about everyone's moderation goals. This is such an inspiring thread; I know I could not have done AF Jan. And Feb. without it! Xoxo3 -
AlainaKayy wrote: »I'm up to 3 days AF for February, sounds like nothing, but I don't know the last month that I could say that.
I remember day 3! That felt like 30! You are doing awesome! Keep it up. At Day 10, they say you make a breakthrough in the way you feel.3 -
Hello everyone... I've been reading the posts the last week or so. Tomorrow will be 1 week AF. I stopped 2 days before (2/11), but had a planned Valentine's dinner and I enjoyed the wine. 8 of 9 days AF
I've been wanting to quit for awhile now. I like to say it's to lose weight, but I think in the back of mind I wonder... "Can I do it?!" I can easily go the work week without a drink and I can easily drink a bottle of wine while cooking dinner. Just because it's 5 o'clock somewhere and I'm cooking dinner, have some wine or playing music in the band, drink some beers or out with the guys, drink many beers.
Also, other factors that have me wanting to do this... I had a nasty spill while snow skiing a few weeks ago in Lake Tahoe. I went to my Dr. for a check up and he read me the riot act to lose weight as I had high BP. I've never had high BP or been this overweight in my life(30 lbs). I go to the Dr. regularly, the weight and high BP happened in a year. It's time to do some things to get back on track.
I'm a winemaker, so I literally have 75 cases and barrels(60 gallons)of red wines. Different years and varietals to choose from, some better than others.
Friday started off with the GF walking in....."What a stressful week!!" Walks in with a bottle of champagne in hand. That is how Fridays tended to start. Share a bottle of champagne or 2 while cooking up a gourmet meal, then pop open a nice red or 2. Saturday and Sunday usually had drinking in the evenings too....She drank the champagne and I opened some wine for her afterwards and she passed out (fell asleep - it WAS a TOUGH week ) on the couch. I felt great that night and in the morning, no headache, no hangover
This was a Big test this past weekend, a 3 day weekend and going into San Francisco to see Dark Star Orchestra at the Warfield Theater with my band-mate drummer on Saturday night. I think he was a little shocked when earlier in the week, I volunteered to drive and be the DD. . Before that, He was already trying to figure a way to get us home without driving. "Can your daughter pick us up in the City?. We'll pay her "
My cousin (Who I haven't seen in years, probably the last time was at a Grateful Dead concert many years ago) saw on Facebook that I was attending the show. He said come by the Wharf Rat table, I'm working it, look for the yellow balloons. We hug it out when we find each other, catch up with each other, etc. Soooo, I ask what's the Wharf Rat thing...... (drum roll) It's all about enjoying concerts CLEAN and SOBER. He has 13 years of sobriety.. The stars couldn't have aligned much better. By the way, since weed is now legal in California, the smoke was SOOO thick, you could cut it with a knife and the contact high was inevitable.
As the Wharf Rat folks say....... One Show At A Time
Thank you all for being here.
Loved reading your post! Great narrative! Sounds like you are determined to get back to your healthy self again. Never heard of a Wharf Rat table. Will look it up. I agree the stars were aligned and you got some great motivation and encouragement from your cousin. Xo
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Well, after drinking on Sunday, I'm thinking moderation probably just won't work for me. Alcohol makes me depressed! I guess I've been walking around depressed for awhile and haven't realized it, but I could really feel the difference after drinking this time. My problem is (well, ONE of my problems is) that I do indeed find a good wine a thing of delight. I'm going to Italy on March 14 (Beware the Ides of March!), and I am planning to try the famed Tuscan chianti. Maybe if I moderate only when in Italy?? Which is basically never.
I think I come by my fondness for good wine honestly. I once accompanied my mom to the hospital for a day surgery. When they asked her to list her allergies so they could put them on her bracelet, she wrote "Penicillin, cheap champagne." When they started laughing, she said, "No, really. The cheap stuff gives me a headache but I can drink expensive champagne." They assured her that should champagne become necessary during surgery they would make sure it was the good stuff. She does enjoy her drinks, but somehow she can put the brakes on in a way I can't seem to. Sigh.
You have a funny mom! That was a cute story!
I know that my mood has really stabilized these last few weeks. Just feeling quite calm even when problems arise or stress at work. I have been noticing that when something stressful happens, I think to myself how the old me would have reacted and panicked or flew off the handle. The new me just shrugs and thinks clearly before speaking.6 -
Doing good MFP! Work stress was bad today but no drink for this guy....the building I live in has a wine social event tomorrow from 6 to 7....I plan to go in there with a printout of this thread and start reading it out loud until they call the cops.....watch the news tomorrow at 8
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@JulieAL1969 you continue to be an inspiration and our fearless leader. You have done a world of good by starting this group. Thanks!
For a soulful riff on drinking check out Mary Gauthier’s “I Drink.” Easy to find on YouTube.6 -
And if you do listen to Mary Gauthier’s haunting song, here are her thoughts about having to be sober in order to write it. http://www.marygauthier.com/news/behind-the-song-i-drink3
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Habits are hard to break. During weekdays I used to come home and have a g&t with hubby and then wine. Now, in that fateful period between coming home and dinner ( around 2 hours) I ask him to make me a strong cappuccino with his beloved Expresso machine. I sit and talk to him and then go and take a long bath. This breaks the "must have a drink" cycle, and then makes him have to consider if he wants a drink without me..... I am keeping a diary about what triggers me to drink and when I can leave it alone. Home alone I find it MUCH easier to resist temptation. There is often half a bottle in the fridge during the week where husband has indulged. I look at it, think about it, have a glass of water, distract myself and then don't get tempted. It is a struggle and scary how easy it is to slip back into old ways! Both at home tonight so will be a challenge.7
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FattieBabs wrote: »Habits are hard to break. During weekdays I used to come home and have a g&t with hubby and then wine. Now, in that fateful period between coming home and dinner ( around 2 hours) I ask him to make me a strong cappuccino with his beloved Expresso machine. I sit and talk to him and then go and take a long bath. This breaks the "must have a drink" cycle, and then makes him have to consider if he wants a drink without me..... I am keeping a diary about what triggers me to drink and when I can leave it alone. Home alone I find it MUCH easier to resist temptation. There is often half a bottle in the fridge during the week where husband has indulged. I look at it, think about it, have a glass of water, distract myself and then don't get tempted. It is a struggle and scary how easy it is to slip back into old ways! Both at home tonight so will be a challenge.
Hey, that's an excellent idea!!!,.. and you are doing great. Please keep sharing your experiences.
Ive been stuggling alot this evening. Things are changing in our family and have a bit of anxiety etc. The amount off times i had to turn myself away. Funniest thing was I remembered the pic i posted each time I had to laughed to myself. That helped alot.
But i say your idea is tops, the next thing would be to sit down and work out strategies to over come the triggers..
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FATTIEBABS I can hear myself saying many of the things you mentioned in your last post. Easier not to be tempted when alone....exchanging alcohol for java....etc. stay strong.
So I had not even realised that I had 3 AF days in a row, what a great feeling that is. Especially over a weekend. Last evening was a social gathering at a local reastraurnt. One of my allowed "get out of jail free" nights as I say in my own head. Lol. Had a glass of champagne and a Mich Ultra. Not a great combo when you think about it, but I truly did not want any more than one champagne, yet I wanted something other than a mocktail. At 95 calories the Ultra was not bad.
I brought up at the table to friends about the calories associated with different drinks. WOW..... I opened up a bee's nest with that subject. The reaction I found the most disturbing was the one from a married couple. They both claim they have set drinking DAYS, every other day at which time they DON'T eat meals on those days. I asked why and what at the same time and their answer was because we don't want to kill our buzz we get started. So they felt justified in skipping nutrious food calories every other day to drink empty calories to save their buzz. I am sure the entire reastraunt saw my eyes roll on those comments.
Back to completely filling out my food diary in MFP again. Geeze, I had forgotten how time consuming it is to fill in every morsel of food. Oh well..nothing is an easy path.
Good day to all on this thread.9 -
I found when I would overindulge my appetite actually is not the same. But I feel it made me drunk quicker and feeling much more awful afterwards! Not worth it. I'm so glad to b able to express my thoughts on this. Sure nice to know I'm not the only one going thru struggles. On my 11th day AF! Can't believe how much better I feel. I'm not saying I won't ever drink again. Just feel this helping me b much more aware. My plan is Friday and Saturdays only when hubby's home which is twice a month...3
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Had a really good day at work yesterday and decided to make myself a very special dinner - a steak, sweet potato and asparagus. Thought long and hard about whether I wanted a glass of red wine to go with the steak. Decided I did, and opened the bottle, drank the glass really slowly with my dinner, did not refill it, made a tea as part of my new ritual before bed.
Felt really, really good to open a bottle and only have one glass. I have a couple of social events left this week: work happy hour and team dinner tonight and then my book club tomorrow night - those will be tough to keep things limited to just one or two drinks but I still feel really good about my moderate intake this month.15 -
Top of the Morning to you all! On my drive home from a stressful day at work, I kept thinking about how nice it would be to have a drink or 2 or 3... however the decision was totally up to me, and in the back of my mind, I knew I really didn't want to drink. So I read several of your posts, gave me the strength to get through one more AF day/night. Feeling great this morning, am up early getting some work done. If I had given in, I would most likely still be in bed, not feeling so good! Thank you for sharing, this is really a great motivator.
Tonight might be a little more of a problem, I will be home alone for a few hours, or as someone said a while back, "left un-supervised". My thoughts go to, I can drink, no one is looking... What I should be saying to myself is, I am doing this for myself, I can have a drink if I really want to, but I really don't want to! I am now AF for 3 full days, and seeing the benefits of AF definitely outweigh the alternative. I will find a way to get through this.8 -
And if you do listen to Mary Gauthier’s haunting song, here are her thoughts about having to be sober in order to write it. http://www.marygauthier.com/news/behind-the-song-i-drink
Very haunting and moving! thanks for sharing! We are capable of achieving any goals we have. I continue to learn this, and this song reinforces it. xo
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6 days AF. Haven't refrained for this long for a while. Feels good. Think I'm going to take the rest of the box of red wine I have and freeze it as ice cubes to use for cooking so I get the best use out of it - the flavor!9
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Last night I had a beer. Just a beer. It has been ages since I could say that. Well, mostly because I rarely drink beer since I am gluten free. But last night was good because it was a beautiful, unseasonably warm evening in Ohio. My husband is out of town and I was thinking about going home and hanging out on my patio playing with the dog. Normally, this would involve wine. But I did not have a bottle of wine and I did not want to stop and buy one because I did not want to give in to the temptation. Instead, I remembered that I had a couple of gluten free craft beers that some friends from Wisconsin had so thoughtfully brought for me when they visited a few weekends ago. I opened one of them and enjoyed every sip of it while playing with the dog. Then we went for a long walk and I made dinner and drank water. It was a good night.16
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@lporter229, that is a WIN!2
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