The Sober Squad- Alcohol Free Living
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Hi all. I had an interesting and gorgeous day! I hiked a local peak, over 1,700 ft in elevation gain in about 2.5 miles (and back down), and kinda kicked my hiking partner's butt! Not that it's a race, of course, but I was surprised that this new friend, a more experienced great hiker, had so much trouble. I think laying off the booze has given me strength and energy is unexpected ways. Also, at the top my friend heated up some of his special coffee and I had a sip... holy cow! It had Irish cream in it. Thankfully, it didn't effect me, but I certainly didn't have any more. Thankfully my drinking issue isn't like a severe chemical dependency like I've seen in other folks, but ... phew. I was glad to have spent a gorgeous day, one I got to have I think b/c I've kicked my booze-y habits, and I find it ironic that I had to confront it and at the peak of a mountain, no less!4
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Thanku for sharing your experience with us. However I am struggling with that idea, not having fun without alcohol. Also seeing others drinking and enjoying themselves is a trigger for me.
It takes time for new habits to be comfortable and feel like one's natural state. There maybe moments when one must take it one minute at a time.
"Friends" that have issues with alcohol may also try to sabotage because they don't don't want to deal with it.
We can only control our own choices.
Swimming is a better drug than alcohol ever was for me. None of the nasty side effects. Ha!
Just one minute, one hour, one day at a time.
That's great!!,
personally I have had issues, so know all abt the consequences but have learnt its not the best for me.
I have backed it off dramatically. Ive gone from having it everyday to still struggling with triggers. I have to do a lot of talking myself out and substituting it.
I live with drinkers that, as u say, 'don't want to deal with it'. So Im really loving the support and ideas from these alcohol threads.
First hand advice is awesome, thanku again much appreciated !!..2 -
Hi all. I had an interesting and gorgeous day! I hiked a local peak, over 1,700 ft in elevation gain in about 2.5 miles (and back down), and kinda kicked my hiking partner's butt! Not that it's a race, of course, but I was surprised that this new friend, a more experienced great hiker, had so much trouble. I think laying off the booze has given me strength and energy is unexpected ways. Also, at the top my friend heated up some of his special coffee and I had a sip... holy cow! It had Irish cream in it. Thankfully, it didn't effect me, but I certainly didn't have any more. Thankfully my drinking issue isn't like a severe chemical dependency like I've seen in other folks, but ... phew. I was glad to have spent a gorgeous day, one I got to have I think b/c I've kicked my booze-y habits, and I find it ironic that I had to confront it and at the peak of a mountain, no less!
It's good to experience the extra strength from not having alcohol. I found that too.. I hope u are able to continue..2 -
@EIC_76 I totally get it. I have felt the same way. For years. Like @RubyRed427 says, these habits are ingrained. You think, "how can I possibly have fun without it??" It helped me to envision alcohol as a bad boyfriend. Yes, he is fun and sexy for a while, but eventually the bad outweighs the good and you don't want to put up with him anymore.
Maybe this video will help. I have also ordered the book, "The unexpected Joy of being Sober." It has a lot of positive feedback and I am looking forward to reading it. Good luck. We are here for you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCvdq4RVZPk
Thanks Jen same/ same.. great to know I'm not the only one3 -
Woke up at 5:10 am becuase my daughter is getting sunrise pictures for her senior year. Have you ever woke up and thought “That’s right. I didn’t drink last night!”?
I feel great! No headache, hangover, bad sleep, ....
So happy at the moment! Wishing you all a peaceful Sunday!9 -
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Listening to one of my fav videos - Craig Ferguson speaks about sobriety and getting sober. If you haven’t seen it, you will benefit from it. It’s only 7 minutes long.
https://youtu.be/kJ-kW0bgPHY5 -
Hello all.... today I have decided I need to get my life in order and healthy. A very beautiful soul, who was roughly my age of 52 died unexpectedly of a blood clot. Someone I, and many, considered very giving, loving and just a wonderful person. I cannot make sense of it at times. I guess sometimes it takes tragedy to wake you up?? I have been very cruel to this body God has given me. I drink alcohol daily, eat unhealthy and do not "move". I weigh around 350 pounds (how I got there is beyond me). It has been years since I did things I enjoy, as simple as crotchet and craft. But today, I take my life back. I am not ready to die! I have children still in school. I have not been a very good role model to them, and that needs to change!! I joined MFP and strapped in a Fit Bit today. I'm just trying to find the support to help me through this. Thank you and God Bless.13
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Thistimeisit wrote: »Hello all.... today I have decided I need to get my life in order and healthy. A very beautiful soul, who was roughly my age of 52 died unexpectedly of a blood clot. Someone I, and many, considered very giving, loving and just a wonderful person. I cannot make sense of it at times. I guess sometimes it takes tragedy to wake you up?? I have been very cruel to this body God has given me. I drink alcohol daily, eat unhealthy and do not "move". I weigh around 350 pounds (how I got there is beyond me). It has been years since I did things I enjoy, as simple as crotchet and craft. But today, I take my life back. I am not ready to die! I have children still in school. I have not been a very good role model to them, and that needs to change!! I joined MFP and strapped in a Fit Bit today. I'm just trying to find the support to help me through this. Thank you and God Bless.
We are here for you. I’m so sorry someone you love passed away. Take one day at a time. Be kind to yourself. I love my fitbit! I’m happy you got one. I would recommend you friend some people on MFP. You can send a friend request and then you can see what they post. Kind of like a facebook wall. Read peoples thoughts and goals, etc.
Alcohol is sugar. So, your brain depends on it for happiness in a way. It provides a fast dopamine kick. I think I read alcohol and drugs provide a dopamine kick ten times as fast as food. So, your brain is used to that. Also, alcohol can cause depression and anxiety and getting off of it can also cause these things.
There is a thread called “less alcohol- November 2018” you should check out their first page. It has a ton of resources for quitting or moderating alcohol. Videos, book suggestions, advice, etc. There’s a treasure trove on that first page. When I started thinking about quitting, I treated my goal like a college course. Learned as much as I can. WAtched and read about getting free of alcohol.
You will find great people on this thread. We all are striving to be alcohol free. For some of us, moderation is a thing of the past. I’m like that.
We are in this together. I know that alcohol has made my life worse not better. It’s a toxic poison although some may not agree with that statement.
Take it all one day at a time. You are so worth it!6 -
I love that video @RubyRed427. He cracks me up on something we know to be serious. It is hard to tell here, but I love to joke around a lot. I could see telling my story in a funny way someday. I have been asked to speak when I had just a few days sober and I passed. So my day is coming. I hate public speaking, but I can be good at it. I have been planning what to say for awhile. He does it well. Ha ha, lol.3
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@Thistimeisit Welcome!! I'm sorry for your loss
Here's to taking your life back You CAN do this! @RubyRed427 made some great suggestions. I especially like when she suggests treating alcohol education like a college course. Absorb yourself in learning about alcohol's negative effect on our brains & bodies & the positive effects of detoxing & cleansing ourselves from the poisonous nature of alcohol. Once you have a couple of weeks of sobriety, you'll be feeling so much better & will continue to going forward.
@RubyRed427 Thank you for sharing Craig Ferguson's experience. I love how he shared that he doesn't have a drinking problem, he has a thinking problem!! He's one of my fave comics...I so love his raw honesty. And great sign! Yes, sobriety has a way of revealing our true friendships. What a blessing!
Hope everyone has a great week ahead!4 -
@salleewins and @lorrainequiche59 Love hearing from you. Craig Ferguson is great! I also like how he said if you had kidney problems you would have to go to dialysis. If we have a drinking problem, we have to do something to help that.
Yes, it is a thinking problem!
Wishing you both and all our new and old friends a strong, positive week. With this time change, today has been a long day. When you quit drinking, you have so much more time to do things in a typical day- love it!4 -
We had a block party on our little court today (a lot of us are new) and not ONE person brought alcohol! I was so pleasantly surprised and happy. We grilled burgers and talked and laughed and threw the football. It was so nice to meet our neighbors, young, old, and in between. I told my sister in law this morning when she stopped over for coffee that I am not drinking anymore...she is one of my long time drinking pals, but she was so supportive and said she will have lots of stuff for mocktails at her election return party Tuesday night. I feel so strong and happy with my decision to be sober. I give a lot of the credit for it to this forum and you fine people. To those of you struggling with sobriety, keep going. Watch the videos, read the books, try the 30 day challenge on-line, The Alcohol Experiment. It took me many, many tries to get sober but I know I am over the hump now and I am not looking back. I'm determined to make the most of what's left of this life.9
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Thistimeisit wrote: »Hello all.... today I have decided I need to get my life in order and healthy. A very beautiful soul, who was roughly my age of 52 died unexpectedly of a blood clot. Someone I, and many, considered very giving, loving and just a wonderful person. I cannot make sense of it at times. I guess sometimes it takes tragedy to wake you up?? I have been very cruel to this body God has given me. I drink alcohol daily, eat unhealthy and do not "move". I weigh around 350 pounds (how I got there is beyond me). It has been years since I did things I enjoy, as simple as crotchet and craft. But today, I take my life back. I am not ready to die! I have children still in school. I have not been a very good role model to them, and that needs to change!! I joined MFP and strapped in a Fit Bit today. I'm just trying to find the support to help me through this. Thank you and God Bless.
I am very sorry about your loss. I am happy to hear about your resolve to change. With the way you sound, I believe you will make the changes that you need. p.s. I love crocheting and just bought some yarn today on sale to make a summer tank as I want to go sleeveless once these pounds are FINALLY off. Darn yarn was still pricey, but hey with what I spent on alcohol before, I should care less......It is a nice cotton blend. A pretty, purple-blue and white.4 -
Clean and Sober since September 4th, 2016. The last two years and two months have been the best of my life.11
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Happy AF Monday all!4
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@whitpauly ... happy AF Monday to you too! This day feels fabulous so far.4
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Morning all
for those of you on the 12 step path, youtube has lots of open speaker meetings and workshops. i follow the odomtology channel.
i love it
if you feel affected by someone elses drinking or if you want to know the other side of the coin they have shares from friend and family too.
i am mostly AF because i don't like not feeling like me. my husband drank, he said, because he didn't want to feel like himself. to feel like himself was unbearable. much of his recovery was working on him being ok with himself. my own journey was the same. that i was not defined by my relationship with others.7 -
Morning all
for those of you on the 12 step path, youtube has lots of open speaker meetings and workshops. i follow the odomtology channel.
i love it
if you feel affected by someone elses drinking or if you want to know the other side of the coin they have shares from friend and family too.
i am mostly AF because i don't like not feeling like me. my husband drank, he said, because he didn't want to feel like himself. to feel like himself was unbearable. much of his recovery was working on him being ok with himself. my own journey was the same. that i was not defined by my relationship with others.
Wow, your overcoming what could be a powerful influence. Well done!!2
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