Less Alcohol- April 2018- One Day at a Time

runtodayamyrun · April 2018

JenT304 wrote: »

@SouthernCountryGirl Thank you for those most inspiring words of encouragement and personal reflections.

I agree that was a very inspiring post to read.

nickiwalsh5 · April 2018

I’m new and I’m in! I’m not new to MFP having used it before to lose 15kg. However I’ve put it all back on so I’m back. Since last time I was here my husband has pointed out to me that I have a problem with alcohol. I don’t know what you call it, whether it falls into alcoholism or not, but when I am out socially and have a few drinks, I can’t stop and end up getting ridiculously blackout drunk. I don’t drink at home much, and if I do, it’s a max of 1-2 drinks maybe 1-2 days a week, but it’s the social setting that kills me! So my goal will be AF Monday-Thursday and max 2 drinks at home/social occasions Friday-Sunday.

RubyRed427 · April 2018

nickiwalsh5 wrote: »

I’m new and I’m in! I’m not new to MFP having used it before to lose 15kg. However I’ve put it all back on so I’m back. Since last time I was here my husband has pointed out to me that I have a problem with alcohol. I don’t know what you call it, whether it falls into alcoholism or not, but when I am out socially and have a few drinks, I can’t stop and end up getting ridiculously blackout drunk. I don’t drink at home much, and if I do, it’s a max of 1-2 drinks maybe 1-2 days a week, but it’s the social setting that kills me! So my goal will be AF Monday-Thursday and max 2 drinks at home/social occasions Friday-Sunday.

Welcome! I am happy you set some healthy goals for yourself. It really is for overall wellness and truly is a better lifestyle. I've read when you drink alcohol, the Body goes straight to metabolizing that alcohol and focuses all body organs on that, so the food is not metabolized effectively. Hence, the bigger belly, etc.
Keep updating us on your journey!

RubyRed427 · April 2018

ehseeker wrote: »

Made it through this week. Tonight is the 5th day AF. When watching TV and people are drinking, in the past I'd think, 'Mmm', I likey. This week, a show had people drinking wine with dinner, something I enjoy, and I found myself looking at the glass of wine and thinking, 'oh no.' A nice change re the thought process instead of craving it.

Sometimes, I think how come every one else can drink a few with dinner, but I cant seem to handle that or it turns into more or many days of nightly drinking. BUT it really is an illusion that we have been fooled into thinking that it's so harmless and so natural to have a few drinks of wine. Congrats on 5 AF days. Keep up the good work!

RubyRed427 · April 2018

@SouthernCountryGirl Thanks for your beautiful insights. You are an inspiration.

lporter229 · April 2018

ehseeker wrote: »

Made it through this week. Tonight is the 5th day AF. When watching TV and people are drinking, in the past I'd think, 'Mmm', I likey. This week, a show had people drinking wine with dinner, something I enjoy, and I found myself looking at the glass of wine and thinking, 'oh no.' A nice change re the thought process instead of craving it.

I know exactly what you mean. I am working on changing my thought process too. Understanding how our mind is being controlled by all of these little subtleties is important, I think.

I am also on day 5. I am trying to recognize the things that trigger my urge for a drink. Last night we cooked on the grill. Immediately my mind says grilling out=cocktail. So I asked myself why I need a cocktail just because we are grilling. What is the benefit there? And I realized there really is none. It was purely habit. And the habit probably evolved from seeing all of these ads and TV shows with cookouts and beer and wine and everyone having fun. But beer and wine are not what makes the fun. It's the company. I had water with my dinner and enjoyed it just the same.

SpanishFusion · April 2018

@SouthernCountryGirl Love your wisdom and encouragement.

@ehseeker Don't watch Mad Men then. That show is reeking with bad habits with drinking at the top.

Kickez · April 2018

Hi, I’ve had one drink since 1st week in Feb. I was a 2 or 3 drink a night before that for many years. I knew I had to quit, but it was my way to relax and unwind in the evenings (I have 2 autistic kids). Hubby and I started Keto diet, and well alcohol doesn’t really work on the plan. While having that one drink I was like, dang we gotta do this once a month! But the next morning I felt nah, I’m good for a bit, I got goals! We plan to celebrate every 20 lbs with a small drink.

ehseeker · April 2018

Leeg5656 wrote: »

@SouthernCountryGirl Love your wisdom and encouragement.

@ehseeker Don't watch Mad Men then. That show is reeking with bad habits with drinking at the top.

I think Peaky Blinders is even worse. They're drinking straight whiskey constantly. My son asked 'How do they get anything done?"

kittybenn · April 2018

@JulieAL1969 - always appreciate these videos and, believe me, am passing them on to my son, his girlfriend and other people I know who are trying to moderate or become AF.

BTW, congrats on your amazing victory the other night when you had only one drink. Way to go and work that moderation muscle. You rock!

kittybenn · April 2018

@donimfp - I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your job. I'm not trying to sugarcoat anything here, and I'm sure you're bummed and probably in a bit of a panic, BUT . . . I can't tell you how many people I know who've been through this who come out the other end in a better situation: better pay, more fulfilling work, etc. I have many friends who've said losing their jobs is the best thing that ever happened to them. Again, not trying to by Pollyanna here and for sure this is rough. Just trying to be encouraging. Thinking of you!

RubyRed427 · April 2018

After watching a few tea videos, I learned that those trianglular tea bags are best, because they left the tea move around while steeping. Call CNN- big tea news. LOL

Tonight, I'm going to an upscale bar for a friend's 50th birthday party. The irony is that she and her husband do not drink. That's the good news; I won't be the only one not drinking.
The bad news is lately I've been feeling a little left out of the fun when I attend social functions. It's like I'm trying to have fun but just not quite enjoying myself. I'm still of the mind that I'm being punished by not letting myself have any alcohol. Oh well! That's for me and my mind to work through. On the positive side, I'll wake up refreshed and energetic without a hangover.

@Leeg5656 and @ehseeker Yes, Mad Men is the worst show you can watch while quitting alcohol. Haha. They are constantly pouring a stiff drink and yet still able to work at the office. Except for Don Draper, it is not working for him after awhile.

Cleosweetie · April 2018

JulieAL1969 wrote: »

@Leeg5656 and @ehseeker Yes, Mad Men is the worst show you can watch while quitting alcohol. Haha. They are constantly pouring a stiff drink and yet still able to work at the office. Except for Don Draper, it is not working for him after awhile.

Agreed about Mad Men! I stuck it out for four episodes because of all the rave reviews but one of the main reasons I stopped watching is that I found the constant drinking, smoking, and sexual harassing to be distracting and ultimately, tiresome! Ok, we get it! They drank and smoke and harassed women! All the time! Constantly! We get it! Lol.

SanDiegofitmom · April 2018

Hello from Sayulita Mexico - it’s been a great week. The food and margaritas have been fabulous, but I definitely feel like I need a good long break from eating and drinking. I get home Sunday and then have to go to SF a week later for work so my goal is AF until then. I don’t feel bad about what I’ve have this week. Last fall in Costa Rica I definitely “thought” more about drinking - when I would get to have a glass of wine and how much I would have. This trip I feel very relaxed and tonight my husband poured me a Pacifico to have to watch the sunset and I ended up just giving it to him. It just didn’t seem necessary. This is a nice change! But I feel like it might be a tough week to transition out of vacation mode next week!

SanDiegofitmom · April 2018

@Cleosweetie I felt the same way about Mad Men!

SanDiegofitmom · April 2018

@JulieAL1969 you have been inspiring! I hope the party was fun AF. I went to a wedding in Jan when I was dry. It was fun but not “as” fun, mostly because of that mental thought process - like feeling punished. The next day I was so grateful to feel awesome, but I definitely didn’t want to stay late at the party by any means. I also hung out at the dessert table a little too much ha!

RubyRed427 · April 2018

SanDiegofitmom wrote: »

@JulieAL1969 you have been inspiring! I hope the party was fun AF. I went to a wedding in Jan when I was dry. It was fun but not “as” fun, mostly because of that mental thought process - like feeling punished. The next day I was so grateful to feel awesome, but I definitely didn’t want to stay late at the party by any means. I also hung out at the dessert table a little too much ha!

I am laughing because I did hang out at the food and dessert table, too!

I am happy to hear you're having a wonderful time in Mexico! And I bet the margaritas taste amazing; I imagine them being a real one and no mix involved. Xo

The birthday girl and her husband do not drink. He is also an alcohol addiction counselor as well as a member of AA for about 10 years now. I wanted to pick his brain and share with our group what worked for him. But at the party, there wasnt time.
I did tell him that it feels like a punishment sometimes being AF, and he said that feeling definitely fades. Now, he rarely ever think about alcohol. But he also does still attend AA once in awhile.

RubyRed427 · April 2018

Cleosweetie wrote: »

JulieAL1969 wrote: »

@Leeg5656 and @ehseeker Yes, Mad Men is the worst show you can watch while quitting alcohol. Haha. They are constantly pouring a stiff drink and yet still able to work at the office. Except for Don Draper, it is not working for him after awhile.

Agreed about Mad Men! I stuck it out for four episodes because of all the rave reviews but one of the main reasons I stopped watching is that I found the constant drinking, smoking, and sexual harassing to be distracting and ultimately, tiresome! Ok, we get it! They drank and smoke and harassed women! All the time! Constantly! We get it! Lol.

Nice to hear from you:)

Orphia · April 2018

After drinking 1-3 drinks pretty much every day for at least 3 years, I now haven't had any alcohol since January 31st this year.

Some of you may know me from other threads. Brief bio: I'm Australian. I lost 80 lbs from April 2015 to April 2016, and have since maintained my goal weight. I started running in September 2015 and ran my first marathon in August 2017. I'm madly obsessed with parkrun and running.

I've popped into this thread a couple of times in March and liked seeing the community here.

How I stopped drinking:

On January 31 an MFP running friend posted a status about being kind to "Tomorrow You". Then I was posting about my alcohol consumption to one of my two running friends who'd done "Dry January", and another friend somehow said I could go alcohol free for "Feb Fast" as a challenge that might suit me.

I decided to take that as a dare, but also see how I'd go, because my birthday was in February and I didn't want to be a martyr.

I actually found it really easy! Instead of my nightly ritual of a drinkie, I had a sparkling mineral water with fruit juice. Bit of sweetness, laughing!

I kept thinking of "Tomorrow Me" and looked at a day off alcohol not as a difficult thing, but a lovely thing I am doing for myself.

I'm not lumbering myself with headaches or guilt to deal with the next day. New day, hooray!

When I got to my birthday near the end of February, I felt like it would be a nice thing if I didn't drink on it for the first time since I started drinking 30+ years ago. Instead I had alcohol-free bubbly, and it was lovely.

I kept going in March because I couldn't remember if I hadn't gone that long without drinking since age 18 (apart from pregnancy).

Now I'm on a streak of the longest I've gone in 30+ years I'm not sure how to start drinking again!

I don't want to be a martyr and give something pleasurable up forever. I'm pretty anti-AA, to be honest, and find a lot of what I know of them to be woo. I believe in moderation. I'm not an alcoholic. I'm whatever I want to be.

I want to be able to have a couple of bubblies to celebrate a special occasion, then go back to being alcohol-free till I have another special reason to celebrate.

I'm working out the plan of attack for that. Maybe when I finish painting my room soon. Or when I do my 50 km run hopefully in June. Hmm. Thinking while I type, that could be the plan. Have two events planned, rather than an open-ended once that isn't specific enough. Drink once, then again later, as something to look forward to. Ooh, I'm liking this thread already!

salleewins · April 2018

Thank you @Orphia for telling us your story! I would like to celebrate like that with alcohol, but I am not sure it really is possible for me. I have been down too many wrong paths with it and personally at this point don't want to find out I can't moderate again. If I am ever not under so much stress, maybe I will see. Probably not, however, it is not necessary for my life. I like the positive mindset that you have about it. I wish you the best with everything in your journey. How did you lose that weight, btw, like that? Your story is impressive. Is your story on that on another thread? I got 35 lbs off and maintained for about a year. I want to do it again. Thanks for sharing.

I don't like being called an alcoholic, but if that is what keeps me dry then I can deal with it, lol (mostly). I am getting back into running and am training to do my first 5k for Domestic Violence in May in honor of my 2 late sons--yes you read it right--2--1984 and 2015. I am up to run/walking it at this point and that is probably what I will be doing for it. I sustained a back injury in 2011, so this training is a miracle in itself. I have done a half-marathon before and walking 5ks prior to the injury. I am excited about it. This would NOT be happening if I was drinking the way I was.

Thank you @JulieAL1969 for being you and also for being honest. It seems like you are trying to find out what is best for you. You have made some remarkable accomplishments with your goals. It is inspiring to see you working it out for yourself as it is with all of us here. Thank you for sharing it with all of us! This thread has helped me in so many ways. Thank you for your work in encouraging us!

Less Alcohol- April 2018- One Day at a Time

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