Less Alcohol - October 2018 - One Day at a Time

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  • Stephaniev51697
    Stephaniev51697 Posts: 163 Member
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    USCBMOM22 wrote: »
    I was itchy yesterday too. Did not scratch it. I'm finding that changing up my evening routine is helping. I'm keeping busy and not just coming home after work to indulge in wine o'clock. It seems to be helping.

    This is what I need to do @USCBMOM22 !! I was coming straight home from work and pouring myself a glass of wine every night.. The last few nights I've had something else to do or somewhere else to go and it's been too late when I get home to even think about having a drink.
  • Stephaniev51697
    Stephaniev51697 Posts: 163 Member
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    I happened upon this thread while reading another in an entirely different category...
    I don't know that I've ever even clicked on "Challenges" before tonight.
    I'm in for this. 4 days late, but in. I really appreciated Miss May's list of accomplishment for the past month, & made a screen shot so I could refer back easily.
    I read through all the posts, & it sure does seem that that I drink more than anyone else..
    Not exactly what I want to be "good at".
    Glad to be here.

    I was very close to drinking a bottle of wine a night. I would come straight home from work and start drinking... I didnt even want to do anything else after work because it would interfere in my wine...It scared the crap out of me because I come from an alcoholic family. Like you, I found this challenge and lurked for a while before I had the courage to post. This is week 2 for me, but I'm taking it day by day. :)
  • jhilkene
    jhilkene Posts: 104 Member
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    Had the itch yesterday, but was able to ignore it. Another day down. :)

    Yes! Awesome! B)

    Let's do it today too!
  • Venus_88
    Venus_88 Posts: 112 Member
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    Good morning :)
    I would like to join you guys.
    This summer was very BIG for me in terms of alcohol. I had a glass of wine or a beer almost every day since the temperature started to go up in spring and I'm not even mentioning weekends and vacation. Don't feel very comfortable thinking of the frequency and the ammounts of consumption.
    So ... I decided to down it to social events and even then to avoid drinking too much. So it would be 1-3 times a month or so. The hardest would be the weekends to me. I often need to tell myself that Friday is not a reason to drink.
    Hope that will work out well me and I'll be cheering your success here :)
  • CCgal2018
    CCgal2018 Posts: 64 Member
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    I'm on day 5 of not drinking and although I told my husband it would be non-drinking for 30 days, my real ambition is to quit entirely. I've quit in the past, the longest time for 18 years, but being alcoholic, it just took a few drinks and I was off to the races and now, after too much time wasted drinking (easily a bottle of wine a night), it's just time for me to quit.

    My eating habits have always been pretty healthy, but now I have the wine-belly and I'm curious how long it will take for it to go. Last time I quit drinking for about 3 months I think I noticed a distinct difference about a month in.

    My go to drinks of choice now are green tea and La Croix. The craving still hits every day about 3:30pm, but I've noticed it passes in about 10 minutes. So far, I went to the neighbors and just had iced tea instead of the 3 - 4 glasses of wine, and yesterday I had lunch with a great friend who had a martini and I stuck to ice tea. :):)



    You’re doing great! You’ve done it before so you know this is totally possible. What an inspiration. You got this!!
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
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    Venus_88 wrote: »
    Good morning :)
    I would like to join you guys.
    This summer was very BIG for me in terms of alcohol. I had a glass of wine or a beer almost every day since the temperature started to go up in spring and I'm not even mentioning weekends and vacation. Don't feel very comfortable thinking of the frequency and the ammounts of consumption.
    So ... I decided to down it to social events and even then to avoid drinking too much. So it would be 1-3 times a month or so. The hardest would be the weekends to me. I often need to tell myself that Friday is not a reason to drink.
    Hope that will work out well me and I'll be cheering your success here :)

    @Venus_88

    Looking back, I can see that:

    The warm weather made me feel bad because I was hungover from the day before, and never got a good sleep;
    I drank daily because I felt like crap and it gave me about an hour feeling "better" but kept making me feel worse and worse;
    I drank because I was addicted to drinking.

    I used to love the Tim Minchin song, "White Wine in the Sun", but it is tinged with sad memories of not drinking for a special occasion, but because it was a bad habit.
  • Venus_88
    Venus_88 Posts: 112 Member
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    Orphia wrote: »
    Venus_88 wrote: »
    Good morning :)
    I would like to join you guys.
    This summer was very BIG for me in terms of alcohol. I had a glass of wine or a beer almost every day since the temperature started to go up in spring and I'm not even mentioning weekends and vacation. Don't feel very comfortable thinking of the frequency and the ammounts of consumption.
    So ... I decided to down it to social events and even then to avoid drinking too much. So it would be 1-3 times a month or so. The hardest would be the weekends to me. I often need to tell myself that Friday is not a reason to drink.
    Hope that will work out well me and I'll be cheering your success here :)

    @Venus_88

    Looking back, I can see that:

    The warm weather made me feel bad because I was hungover from the day before, and never got a good sleep;
    I drank daily because I felt like crap and it gave me about an hour feeling "better" but kept making me feel worse and worse;
    I drank because I was addicted to drinking.

    I used to love the Tim Minchin song, "White Wine in the Sun", but it is tinged with sad memories of not drinking for a special occasion, but because it was a bad habit.

    Hmmm I have trouble to admit that I'm addicted or something. I see myself ( or I want to ) as a strong person who can say no before things go downhill. I think my problem is ... I don't take time to stop and think over my actions. I'm one of those who's doing something and then ask myself why the hell I did it?! So it is not just drinking for me it is trying to be mindful in every aspect of my life.
    Today I told my BF about my plan to stick to social events drinking. He thought it is a bit harsh but it is my decission to make afterall. And then he mentioned that he was off all the summer and that might be a reason we were drinking more. I agree he was kinda in vacation mode but I have my on head on my shoulders. I'm responsable for my own actions.
    So I'm still in the mood to stick to my plan and maybe to set a good example for BF.
  • Beka3695
    Beka3695 Posts: 4,126 Member
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    Day 5 complete with no cravings. Day 6 is underway.

    TMI question:
    Anyone else less regular when they don’t drink?
  • MissMay
    MissMay Posts: 3,548 Member
    edited October 2018
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    The brain is a complex machine. Like a computer. I have found with my own journey of less alcohol my brain seemed preprogrammed for years.
    *It liked doing things at certain times ( a drink the minute I got through the door after work, happy hours, drink with dinner)
    *Responding to situations good and bad with certain "rewards" or "comforts" (party or celebrations GET DRUNK - bad day or bad news GET DRUNK)
    There are many comparisons.
    Any how what I am trying to say is when it seems very difficult and you are having a hair pulling moment. Step back, "unplug" and try thinking in a different mode. Use the other part of your brain that is not set on auto and allows you to make good and right decisions on what you want.

    Tonight will me a planned alcoholic beverage (no more than 2) evening. I already plan to not get all crazy and order something again that will bring great disappointment in taste like the other night. A fancy name highlighting a signature drink for me would always end in disaster. Not all bartenders are mixologists. So a standard glass or two of prosecco will be my choice.

    Hello again to all our new additions out there. Love reading your posts.

    Keep strong.
  • jhilkene
    jhilkene Posts: 104 Member
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    Beka3695 wrote: »
    Day 5 complete with no cravings. Day 6 is underway.

    TMI question:
    Anyone else less regular when they don’t drink?



    I haven't noticed if that's the case for me.. I just figured any irregularities were from being super close to 40. :D
  • MissMay
    MissMay Posts: 3,548 Member
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    Nice to see this thread is back to supporting and not completely demonizing alcohol.

    I forgot to include this in my earlier post in response to yours. YES...ME TO .
    As the saying goes " to each his own".
    And fantastic goal you are striving for. 😊