Less Alcohol - December 2018 - One Day at a Time
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dawnbgethealthy wrote: »raindogmaa wrote: »Last night, I was visiting with my daughter who is in her 2nd month of AA. I am thanking God that she is trying to clean up her act and get herself together because she had a real problem. She told me she had been struggling with her sobriety. She was out and about and kept thinking of a bottle of wine she knew was at her home. Her old rebellious self wanted to just go home, turn on a movie and drink the bottle... but this is what stopped her.
She has been listening to a podcast for sober living and the advice was "Follow the Drink". Meaning that she sat and thought about how she would feel after she had done this... and she realized that all her plans for the rest of the day would have canceled because she would feel bad about her self and highly disappointed. It kept her from it and she was able to enjoy a visit with a friend, dinner with me and her boyfriend... and a comedy date with him last night. I am proud of her but know myself just how much work this takes. Here's to Following the Drink!
Wow, that's an awesome tip!
I remember something similar in my early days of not drinking. Before getting home from work, I'd imagine things I'd do instead of drinking as soon as I get home.
This has led to the following habits:- Clean up the kitchen before dinner.
- Prep my breakfast things.
- Check the next morning's weather and lay out my exercise clothes for the morning.
Yes, that lovely feeling of having a glass of wine or a drink when arriving home from work. Relaxing, but definitely habitual.
Changing habits is what we are all doing here, drinking less, tracking our food and exercise, trying to be healthier inside and out.
Hell, yeah, we ARE being healthier!
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Hi everyone. @dawnbgethealthy I had written a post to you a few days ago, but I guess it disappeared from the board. Anyways you are doing much better than before you got in here and started making accountability. We have all voiced what we would like to see, meaning personal goals for weekdays or weekends. I did to, and I had many many many slips. At some point, I can't recall when for me, but it does get easier to follow through. Don't get disappointed.1
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Yesterday I needed to pick up a gift certificate at a new restaurant in town. One we have gone to probably 8 times in the past 45 days.
Anyhow it was 11:30 am when they opened for lunch. A good time to stop in since it was not busy yet. We walked in and said we were there to get a gift certificate, the hostess directed us to go to the lounge they had them back there. So we did, went back and the girl came over with the certificate to fill out. In the mean time she asked what we wanted to drink, even though we were not there for that reason. My husband said beer for him, the girl looked at me and asked iced tea? Immediately theother girl/ bar manager turned her head and NOT in a soft voice asked if I quit drinking?? I was dumb founded . I returned a glare and said first it is still morning, I came in to get a gift certificate and besides why would you even ask someone a question like that?
I have not been that bent out of shape in a long time about someone asking that question.
24 days N.A. (no alcohol) and damn proud of it.8 -
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SanDiegofitmom wrote: »
I’m doing Dry Jan again in case anything else is planning to do it!
Thanks @SanDiegofitmom.
I have had lots of days one too.....they prove to us we want to move forward with our goals. How is your other challange going?
Yes I think a completely dry January is going to work for me as well.
I 'm not sure "when" I will have my next planned alcoholic drink. At this point I am clearly a minority in our group of friends, family and this small town. I see that none of us here where I live ever thought they themselves (me included) drank too much. Because we see 99% of the town all drinking everyday way beyond the standard recommended daily consumption. And they assume it is normal.
Have a good start to this new week. One day at a time..
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Hi all,
Checking in mid way through December which so far has included a work trip to France (not gonna lie - the wine was phenomenal) and so far one social event with friends. I did drink quite a bit throughout the course of that evening but am proud to say that as the night progressed and the group decisions started becoming more and more questionable: “Let’s just get another bottle, it’s actually cheaper” “the night is young let’s go to that one bar that has a great DJ” “who wants to do shots!?” I recognized that it was a very slippery slope to a rough morning and lots of regrets so I opted out of shots, looked at my husband and said “we should leave now I’m not feeling great” and departed the event a full hour before the others. So while I drank more than my new normal, I drank less than I would have a year ago and woke up without a terrible hangover. Still feel in control of my mindful moderation even with more indulgences than in the last few months.
I hope everyone else is still feeling great about their choices this month. And even if you do indulge - whether it be too much alcohol, too much food, etc - try not to beat yourself up during this holiday season. It’s a time for celebration and enjoyment and guilt/remorse help very little with getting back on track. Even being here, checking in, is a reminder of the fact that we are all making an effort and that’s amazing!6 -
So, I came on here in October, read through the posts, & was horrified to realize that I drank a lot more than the majority of people here. Don't get me wrong... I was well aware that i drink too much, i just thought I'd see many stories similar to mine. I really didn't.
I expressed the desire to join & try to be AF for Oct. I was welcomed... and then I just went right on & kept drinking.
On Nov 18th, I decided I wouldn't have a drink until Thanksgiving. And then, I realized Thanksgiving was only 4 days away. It was still hard. Nov 19th was my first day AF.
I was scared to death & braced myself for for horrible physical withdrawals. By some strange miracle, I didn't really experience any. I'm still shocked about it. I quickly decided that I would try to go through Christmas, & then "Not until next year"... whatever day that may be.
Oh, also, I have an open bottle of Seersucker gin in the freezer with at least 2 good shots in it, and a completely full unopened bottle in the cabinet. I open the doors to each & look at them every so often. The past couple of days I have been really angry & annoyed with everything.. you know, when you go through those days when you can't stand to hear your SO even breathe. That's been my state. I don't even know why. Bless my bf... he really puts up with a lot.
So, at the end of today, I will have 29 days in. It hasn't been excruciating, but I definitely think of it every single day, and often. I don't know if I'll continue through Jan. I'll figure it out when it comes. I don't plan to be AF forever, but I definitely want to change how I drink, including amount & frequency. I don't know that I won't go right back to slamming shots, but I hope not. Oh, and I haven't really lost weight, but I've maintained. I've definitely eaten my share of cherry sours & mini hershey bars.To be fair, I haven't counted calories all year, either, so that doesn't help. At any rate, at least I haven't been so *kitten*, haven't picked as many fights with my bf, and I hope that I look a little better. I do wish that I had set the money "saved" from not drinking aside. However, I think I've pretty much given it to Amazon. All in all, doing well so far.
My apologies for the novel.
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Hi everyone. @dawnbgethealthy I had written a post to you a few days ago, but I guess it disappeared from the board. Anyways you are doing much better than before you got in here and started making accountability. We have all voiced what we would like to see, meaning personal goals for weekdays or weekends. I did to, and I had many many many slips. At some point, I can't recall when for me, but it does get easier to follow through. Don't get disappointed.
Thanks MissMay : - )
Yes, when I started MFP on October 27.18 I had imbibed every single day since late May.
AF days make such a difference on the scale and the calorie count. If nothing else, I am using that as motivation.
My usual was 3 drinks per day.
My goal is really to have 4 AF days per week. 5 would be a bonus. But quite frankly, even 2 AF days per week is so much better than where I was at.
I appreciate you!
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Dec 01 - Cocktails
Dec 02 - AF
Dec 03 - AF
Dec 04 - AF
Dec 05 - 2 drinks. Can't lie, it was lovely. No regrets. Still within my calorie range today.
Dec 06 - AF
Dec 07 - 3 drinks, so AF 4 days out of 7. I was shooting for 4 or 5, but was counting Sunday to Saturday. I am up a whole pound this morning, so it is obvious that drinks should be avoided often.
Dec 08 - 1 glass of wine, 2 mixed drinks.
Dec 09 - 1 glass of champagne, 2 mixed drinks. I don't normally have drinks on Sundays, so if I want to go 4 or 5 AF this week the workdays will have to be AF. Way under calories for today even with the drinks.
Dec 10 - AF
Dec 11 - AF
Dec 12 - Cocktails. I obviously didn't make it through the week AF. Six AF days in 12 days. Not what I was shooting for. I will just have to try harder.
Dec 13 - AF
Dec 14 - 2 Bailey's, 2 cocktails
Dec 15 - 2 drinks Saturday night. My scale doesn't budge no matter what if I have had drinks. Really need to string together some AF days. At least marking it in here is making me mindful.
Dec 16 - AF. Sunday, the beginning of my week.
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Kudos, @stephanne13
Your goals seem like mine. I just took a day at a time. No pressure.
@SanDiegofitmom If I keep going till the end of January that will be 12 months.
I think Dry January might be a plan, with the caveat that this is not a goal or putting pressure on myself.
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Dry January was really huge for me last year. I was a daily drinker - wine and never took a break unless I was sick. I never really got drunk or wanted to drink to excess but just the habitual daily wine I knew wasn’t healthy. It helped me lose some weight and realize that I could go for long stretches without wine and really not “suffer” once the habit was broken I didn’t really mind. But I did find that after January it was harder to once again take days off. Next year my goal is to be even more mindful with twice as many AF days.4
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@stephanne13 of course we recall you from October...nice to see you are have great success with your less alcohol journey. You sound like you are a strong person with strong convictions. Love hearing stories like this.
@WinoGelato I am glad you keep popping in letting us know your progress. Good job going home early to keep things from getting out of control. Mindful moderation and enjoying yourself. WIN-WIN.
Earlier today I had some incrediblely happy news. I was so excited on the 45 minute drive home I thought about going right home and opening up a bottle of prosecco that has been in the frig for over a month unopened. By the time I got home my thought was pretty much gone about the prosecco but I wanted something to celebrate. Giant bowl of ice cream in the middle of the afternoon. Why not? I workout really hard everyday and I needed a reward. Good decision.6 -
SanDiegofitmom wrote: »Dry January was really huge for me last year. I was a daily drinker - Next year my goal is to be even more mindful with twice as many AF days.
Behind you 100 percent. 👍
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@MissMay Well done on your alternative reward!
@WinoGelato It always brightens my day when you post in here. 0 -
A recent thought I should post in here:
When you drink to celebrate, or when you don't drink, you still need to spend 99.9% of the time enjoying the moment.
The act of drinking (putting a glass to your lips) isn't really the celebration.1 -
I have only just found this thread! wish I had found it sooner.
I have had a very heavy year with alcohol, it all started at Download festival which is 5 days drinking sun up to sun down. Then I went on holiday to Turkey which involved a lot of drinking. This has led to me drinking beer everyday, last night I had 7 cans of Coors light (on a Monday night!!!) this is not acceptable behavior and has led to me putting on 14lbs in weight since September. I am now aiming to go AF for two days a week (baby steps) and then look to increase that over time so that I can cut out Alcohol during the week all together.
I love a beer and really don't want to give it up all together but definitely looking to cut WAAAAY down.4 -
Just reporting in with a milestone. 100 days sober. The road is not easy but the reward is great!
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@raindogmaa gigantic milestone for you. Break it down. Over 3 months, over 14 weeks and my favorite -> 2,400 hours.
Welcome @danielmcpherson877. We are so glad you have found this group. If you have not seen page one of this thread, go take a peek. There is a lot of helpful information to refer back to now and again. Sorry your road has been so heavy recently. Go at your own pace, we all have our own less alcohol journeys.
@Orphia that is a very good thought indeed. We all need to breathe that one in deeply.
330 days for me of checking in, reading and commenting for accountability.4 -
Dec 01 - Cocktails
Dec 02 - AF
Dec 03 - AF
Dec 04 - AF
Dec 05 - 2 drinks. Can't lie, it was lovely. No regrets. Still within my calorie range today.
Dec 06 - AF
Dec 07 - 3 drinks, so AF 4 days out of 7. I was shooting for 4 or 5, but was counting Sunday to Saturday. I am up a whole pound this morning, so it is obvious that drinks should be avoided often.
Dec 08 - 1 glass of wine, 2 mixed drinks.
Dec 09 - 1 glass of champagne, 2 mixed drinks. I don't normally have drinks on Sundays, so if I want to go 4 or 5 AF this week the workdays will have to be AF. Way under calories for today even with the drinks.
Dec 10 - AF
Dec 11 - AF
Dec 12 - Cocktails. I obviously didn't make it through the week AF. Six AF days in 12 days. Not what I was shooting for. I will just have to try harder.
Dec 13 - AF
Dec 14 - 2 Bailey's, 2 cocktails
Dec 15 - 2 drinks Saturday night. My scale doesn't budge no matter what if I have had drinks. Really need to string together some AF days. At least marking it in here is making me mindful.
Dec 16 - AF. Sunday, the beginning of my week.
Dec 17 - AF
Dec 18 - AF - that counts 10 AF days out of the month so far.
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@dawnbgethealthy 10 days AF out of 18 days so far is EXCELLENT! Good work girl.3
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