Less Alcohol- June 2018- One Day at a Time

Hi there! I'm looking to be AF for all of June. I had started drinking 4 years ago after 20 years of not. There's been some weeks and months these past 4 years that I have gone with out but then get back into it. February and March this year I had gone AF, but I started my Ancestry journey and got my DNA results and have been learning all kinds of things since. Which has led me on a roller coaster of drinking the last couple months with all the excitement and revealed secrets! I got matched up with a first cousin who had been adopted out, and will be going to meet her and visiting family I haven't seen in over 20 years this Summer, so the weightloss from not drinking will be awesome!

Looking to be AF this month! I’ve also signed up for the Alcohol Experiment (day 2 today) to help me along this journey. Looking forward to chatting with you this month!

I can't believe this is our 6th month! Where does the time go? My goal is to be completely alcohol free. I have fooled myself too long, pretending I can actually be a moderate drinker. I need to be completely present at this time in my life. Welcome to all the new people! You will love this thread.

So last night I had a dream about drinking. I was debating with myself and then decided I was going to do it and I needed to get some vodka chilled in a hurry because my time was running out and I don't like ice in my drink normally. I ran to the kitchen with a full bottle with the idea of dividing it so I could put it in the freezer. When I got there the counters were covered with half bottles of vodka because I apparently had already made that trip many many times. I was confused and then embarrassed about all the bottles.

Doesn't really take a dream expert to figure that one out...

I couldn’t keep up with last month’s thread, but maybe if I get in early on this one I’ll be able to! Haha! So, I’m 229 days sober and in the process I have lost 70 pounds (Through counting calories, but I was such a binge drinker before that I was never able to count calories or stick with any plan to form healthier habits.). I’ve gone from a 5x to a 2x, but even better is that I’m living my life instead of drinking myself to death. I used to drink to self-medicate depression and anxiety, but eventually I realized that it had become something else entirely. I was drinking to cope with everything and I could barely go a day without drinking 2-3 bottles of wine. Sometimes I would get it together for about a month, but that was it. October of last year I looked in the mirror while I was drunk and I didn’t know the face that was looking back at me anymore. Her eyes were so sad. The face was round and swollen. The double chin could no longer be hidden from clever angles. But the eyes. That’s what really got me. I couldn’t believe those sad eyes were my own eyes looking back at me. And that was it. That was the last time I drank. Anyway, I just got new labs done and I will find out how much I have improved my health tomorrow. I’m nervous. My cholesterol was insane and I was pre-diabetic this same time last year. Even though my doctor was trying to get my attention and showing me that I couldn’t go on like this it still took me 6 more months before I would stop drinking and start facing reality. I just hope I hear some good news tomorrow...like hey, you might actually be decreasing your chances of having a stroke or heart attack (Both of which run rampant in my obese family.).

I'm in for June again!

I have a specific weight loss goal for the end of June. I think I'm dropping my 3 days of Moderation down to just 1 day, and if I can do it, none.

NovusDies wrote: »

So last night I had a dream about drinking. I was debating with myself and then decided I was going to do it and I needed to get some vodka chilled in a hurry because my time was running out and I don't like ice in my drink normally. I ran to the kitchen with a full bottle with the idea of dividing it so I could put it in the freezer. When I got there the counters were covered with half bottles of vodka because I apparently had already made that trip many many times. I was confused and then embarrassed about all the bottles.

Doesn't really take a dream expert to figure that one out...

Dang. That’s deep! I sometimes have dreams where I forget I’m sober and so I drink. Then, I suddenly remember my sobriety and I’m absolutely crushed that I drank again. This last time, though, I didn’t forget and I didn’t drink. So, that was nice. But the other times I would wake up in a panic until I realized it was just a dream and that I had not had a drink.

I am in again. No drinks in June. Going on vacation June 30th. Not sure if I will drink or not.

Leeg5656 wrote: »

I'm in for June again!

I have a specific weight loss goal for the end of June. I think I'm dropping my 3 days of Moderation down to just 1 day, and if I can do it, none.

Same here! My weight loss hit a wall the past month and a half. Now I joined a weight loss challenge for June, and that has my focus back like I was in Jan/Feb.
So my goal is to keep my drinking to moderation only on one weekend day and light beers only. I do have two weekday events where I will allow myself some drinks as well. So I am hoping when I report at the end of June I only had 6 or 7 days where I had any alcohol.

I’ve been lurking this thread for a while but ready to join in! I come from a hard drinking town, and both me and my husband are heavy drinkers. New Years Day 2017 I decided to seriously cut down my alcohol, and I came up with some “rules” to regulate my drinking (Stopping altogether is not an option for me; booze is the one vice I have left!). When I’m on the wagon- so to speak- I only “socially” drink: if I’m out, or if people come by my house. Social drinking does not include just me and my hubby drinking at home. It helps that I’m not a terribly social person lol.
I was able to cut down my alcohol use probably about 50-60% doing this- it not only makes me feel better but it’s ALOT easier to lose a pound here and there if I’m not mixing 300-500 alcohol calories into the daily mix.
I want this to be my normal, so that I can (for the most part) cut out all no-damn-good-reason drinking.

My mind is so sneaky, it tried to convince me last night that as it was only 29th May and not June 1st, I could mix some Chivas in my sparkling water. I spoiled its night by not going to the bar and drinking just the water. F!!! my lazy mind.

This was a good read this morning. As some of you know, The Sober school is a great resource.
https://thesoberschool.com/give-up-on-your-alcohol-free-goals/

As I have been following this awesome thread (and commenting occasionally), I am again in for the month! I have made a lot of excuses and am finally facing them. Here is to a mainly dry month.

Here’s to June, everyone! Great to see newcomers joining in. I think you will find a warm welcome and tons of non-judgey support here.

At the end of the May thread, three of us who are grandmothers (but so young in spirit!) shared experiences of having our children express some concern about our care for our grandchildren because of our struggles with alcohol. Nothing drastic in any case but just the hint of any unfitness when it comes to those most precious to us can be devastating.

I know one of my primary motivations to get control is my love for 2 little girls whom I hope to see grow up, graduate, marry, or whatever life holds for them.

I’ve been on this thread since January and don’t think I’ve ever given “advice”. I’m way too fragile for that. Maybe I’ve recommended a book or two. But in all humility may I urge you guys who are way too young to be grandparents yet not to let this opportunity slip away? This thread and group is a great blessing and I so wish I’d been aware of something like this at a much earlier time in my life.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m delighted to have it now, but I’m even more delighted that YOU have it and hopefully will have profited from these ups and downs and decisions so that alcohol struggles won’t be a blip on your radar by the time you hold your first grandchild.

Ok. Enough elder-speak from me. Back to “Help, guys!”