Less Alcohol - January 2019 - One Day at a Time

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  • Stockholm_Andy
    Stockholm_Andy Posts: 803 Member
    kittybenn wrote: »
    I found last year when I did this that people who'd had too much to drink were really annoying to be around. Of course, that's been me, many times.

    That made me laugh out loud. I can't see myself there at all honestly.....
  • Squish815
    Squish815 Posts: 150 Member
    I'm late to this thread but I'm going to join in! I don't want to stop drinking (I do like my beer) but I really should cut down in frequency and volume, especially as I did indulge quite a bit of Christmas and New Year.

    So my aim for this month is to only drink once a week - so far so good. I had a couple of drinks last Friday (and much less than I would usually consume on a Friday night) and probably won't drink until this Saturday when we're possibly going out to celebrate a friends engagement!
  • dawnbgethealthy
    dawnbgethealthy Posts: 7,514 Member
    My aim is regulation. I am not doing "dry January", but good for all of you that are!
    Having this thread keeps me accountable.
    I'm not really into deprivation, just trying to be more moderate with food and alcohol.
    My primary reason for AF days is weight loss. Once alcohol is in our bodies our liver concentrates on only that and not on metabolising fat or anything else. Also, being puffy is not ideal : - )
    My goal is 4 - 5 AF days per week.
    I was 16 day AF out of 30 for December, not counting the 31st. Up until October 27th.18 I was having drinks every single day. I have cut back for sure.
    I do plan to have champagne NYE.

    December 31st - 1 pumpkin spice cream liqueur, 2 mixed drinks. I did not get to the champagne.
    January 1st - AF
    January 2nd - AF
    January 3rd - AF
    January 4th - 3 drinks Friday night. I actually had 4, but then threw up lol. This is the reason that I never have more than 3 if I choose to have drinks. Good reminder. Yes, I can never be "drunk" because I can't have more than 3.
    January 5th - AF So curious that each and every day that I have drinks I am down 2 pounds the following day. I think that I read somewhere on this post that it dehydrates you. It comes back the next day of course : - )
    I don't log my AF or not AF until the following morning for the night before.
    January 6th - AF - 5 days out of 6. Very busy week, so more AF days to come.
    January 7th - AF - 6 days out of 7 for the month
    January 8th - AF - 7 days our of 8 for the month so far
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  • kittybenn
    kittybenn Posts: 444 Member
    @Womona - wow, talk about reinforcement for creating better habits! Congrats on your weight loss. That is awesome. You might like this video about pairing habits by Gretchen Rubin. It's helped me.
  • Womona
    Womona Posts: 1,582 Member
    @kittyben Thank you! Insightful video.
  • cupotea
    cupotea Posts: 89 Member
    That's great @Womona I am really hoping to see similar things happen. The thing about drinking is it's not just the extra calories from a glass or two of wine but the junk you eat to go along with it, or the lack of control when it comes to food, so I totally get you.

    It's interesting to see people mention their "triggers" or habits when it comes to alcohol too. It's funny how it can become such a part of your day to day life. I know my husband and I almost without discussing it now have a virtual calendar entry for a Friday night to have a few glasses together as a reward at the end of a busy week. Would be interested to know how people successfully break those habits.
  • gymbunny09
    gymbunny09 Posts: 69 Member
    Planning on having just a small celebratory drink at the weekend, going up to my sisters which is 300 miles away, my niece is due to have her baby on friday but only going to have a few champagnes. Trying to only drink on special occasions.
  • anmille8
    anmille8 Posts: 50 Member
    Last night I was almost angry about not being able to drink. I had a crappy work day and I was feeling stressed out. The grocery store I stopped at had two giant wine displays that I had to walk by, but I kept going, although I was irritated by it. After working out, I sat down to catch up on some TV and nearly every show had people drinking at some point. My sparkling water just isn't the same! Dry January is my choice, but some evenings are harder than others for me.

    Thanks for letting me vent!

    After reading this thread I really feel for people with alcoholism and realize how ingrained alcohol is into society. Special occasions are celebrated with drinks, night out with friends go to a bar, grocery shopping walk by the alcohol, watching tv everyone is drinking wine or beer, had hard day relax with a drink, just got off work go to happy hour. I think it helps to remember how toxic alcohol is to our bodies just like we are trying to stay away junk food.
  • BuffMom84
    BuffMom84 Posts: 180 Member
    @kittybenn

    I'm interested in knowing where you found that a craving lasts only 6 minutes?
    I'd like to believe that is true, but last year after a rough day I would get it in my head that I would want to drink and would not stop thinking about it until I drank.

    I'm doing much better than I thought I would only drinking once per week. Then again I started off this way last year and I eventually went to drinking 2-3 days per week a lot of weeks. My husband is a big drinker as I mentioned and I'm glad he's finally starting to cut back too because he's tired of the hangovers. On nights when I feel like drinking and see that he isn't, then it makes me not want to drink.

    A problem I have is buying alcohol in bulk. The liquor store I go to has sales for like 6 bottles of wine for a discounted price so then I'll buy 6 thinking it'll last me 6 weeks and I'm "saving money". Nope. Having that much alcohol in the house just makes me want to drink more often, even if it is in the garage fridge and out of sight. From now on I'm only buying enough alcohol for one night of drinking and when it runs out, too bad for me (and I don't care if it "costs a little more")!
  • cupotea
    cupotea Posts: 89 Member
    BuffMom84 wrote: »
    @kittybenn

    I'm interested in knowing where you found that a craving lasts only 6 minutes?
    I'd like to believe that is true, but last year after a rough day I would get it in my head that I would want to drink and would not stop thinking about it until I drank.

    I'm doing much better than I thought I would only drinking once per week. Then again I started off this way last year and I eventually went to drinking 2-3 days per week a lot of weeks. My husband is a big drinker as I mentioned and I'm glad he's finally starting to cut back too because he's tired of the hangovers. On nights when I feel like drinking and see that he isn't, then it makes me not want to drink.

    A problem I have is buying alcohol in bulk. The liquor store I go to has sales for like 6 bottles of wine for a discounted price so then I'll buy 6 thinking it'll last me 6 weeks and I'm "saving money". Nope. Having that much alcohol in the house just makes me want to drink more often, even if it is in the garage fridge and out of sight. From now on I'm only buying enough alcohol for one night of drinking and when it runs out, too bad for me (and I don't care if it "costs a little more")!

    I hear you!
  • Sub4_2018
    Sub4_2018 Posts: 52 Member
    Last night I was almost angry about not being able to drink. I had a crappy work day and I was feeling stressed out. The grocery store I stopped at had two giant wine displays that I had to walk by, but I kept going, although I was irritated by it. After working out, I sat down to catch up on some TV and nearly every show had people drinking at some point. My sparkling water just isn't the same! Dry January is my choice, but some evenings are harder than others for me.

    Thanks for letting me vent!

    @VeggieGirlforLife I don't have any advice but wanted to say I totally understand this! Especially after I have been dry for a bit and start feeling better, I get frustrated that I "can't" drink. I have cut a few past attempts at dry months short for that reason. Not this time! I have a list of reasons why I want to complete the month and I'm hopeful that those reasons will still resonate with me through the next few weeks.