Less Alcohol - January 2019 - One Day at a Time

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  • cathipa
    cathipa Posts: 2,991 Member
    Start of day 11 here 😊 This is also.the start of the weekend which could bring problems since it's going to be a crummy weekend weather wise and when that happens we usually Netflix and have a few. Luckily my kids have basketball today and tomorrow so I have at least have activity that doesn t involve drinking so maybe once the night hits I won't want it. Fingers crossed to surviving weekend #2! Best of luck to you all!
  • sweetnic
    sweetnic Posts: 66 Member
    cathipa wrote: »
    Start of day 11 here 😊 This is also.the start of the weekend which could bring problems since it's going to be a crummy weekend weather wise and when that happens we usually Netflix and have a few. Luckily my kids have basketball today and tomorrow so I have at least have activity that doesn t involve drinking so maybe once the night hits I won't want it. Fingers crossed to surviving weekend #2! Best of luck to you all!

    I have been been af since January, and have only had a few times when I wanted a glass of wine and didn’t have one. But... I am worried about this weekend, too! I live in Virginia, and snow is coming! I’m going to have to take it day by day for drinking AND snacking.
  • htimpaired
    htimpaired Posts: 1,404 Member
    @cupotea, what app is that?
  • VeggieGirlforLife
    VeggieGirlforLife Posts: 777 Member
    Day 11 AF! I am in the same boat as those of you mentioning bad weather this weekend. We're expecting snow tonight and normally for me that would mean a glass (or 3!) of wine in front of the fireplace. Sparkling water will have to do, although that won't keep my insides nice and warm. I wish I could tolerate warm teas like some of you do, but I just don't like them.
  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
    anglilacs wrote: »
    7/10 days AF. Today was pretty easy to say no. Nice to have those kind of days sprinkled in with the harder ones.

    I am 7/10 as well and I definitely appreciate the easy days too. My husband was out on Wednesday and Thursday evening at a work function that his company does annually where they bring in the employees that work out of town. The second evening is always a drunk fest for them. Wednesday night was pretty easy for me but last night I wanted a glass of wine because I felt good from my evening run and I also knew he would be coming home pretty tipsy (no worries, he took an Uber). I was able to resist, drinking Earl Grey tea instead. It was decaffinated, but I was still awake most of the night.

    I know that many people have claimed better sleep since going alcohol free, but does anyone else find that they actually sleep worse without it? One glass of wine before bed and I usually don't wake up during the night, but on nights that I don't drink, I am up off and on all night long.

    @cupoftea I may have missed this, but is that an app you are using to track your alcohol intake? If so, which one? I like the idea of distinguishing between alcohol days and "heavy drinking". i want to limit my alcohol days but I want to completely eliminate any days that I would classify as "heavy drinking", or more than 3 drinks in one day.
  • VeggieGirlforLife
    VeggieGirlforLife Posts: 777 Member
    @lporter229 My biggest fear doing a Dry January was not being able to sleep. I definitely slept worse without drinking for the first week. It has slowly improved and last night I slept all night except for my dog getting me up one time. But I was the same, a glass of wine before bed and I slept like a baby all night long. I hear a lot of people who drink say they don't sleep well, they toss and turn all night, wake up at 2am, etc, but that was never the case for me.
  • SallyLuvsFitness
    SallyLuvsFitness Posts: 13,724 Member
    I use the app Dry January, it tracks calories, money saved from not drinking and how many days dry. It is also can be used if you do plan to drink. Has a calendar of drinking/non drinking days.
  • htimpaired
    htimpaired Posts: 1,404 Member
    I have that one (Dry January), but it seems to steer towards abstinence, not moderation, which is fine this month, but moving forwards I'd like to be able to track moderate days, etc. I've looked at other apps and they all seem the same-sobriety, not moderation.
  • Eileen_Fiona
    Eileen_Fiona Posts: 89 Member
    htimpaired wrote: »
    @cupotea, what app is that?

    Hey @htimpaired it’s called Drink Less

  • Eileen_Fiona
    Eileen_Fiona Posts: 89 Member
    edited January 2019
    lporter229 wrote: »
    @cupoftea I may have missed this, but is that an app you are using to track your alcohol intake? If so, which one? I like the idea of distinguishing between alcohol days and "heavy drinking". i want to limit my alcohol days but I want to completely eliminate any days that I would classify as "heavy drinking", or more than 3 drinks in one day.

    Hey @lporter229 it is an app, it’s called Drink Less and much like this thread is more for monitoring/cutting back your alcohol intake than complete abstinence (although of course could work well for that too. I’m really liking it!

  • Sub4_2018
    Sub4_2018 Posts: 52 Member
    Good luck to everyone going into the weekend! I have around an hour left at work and the cravings for Friday night wine are in full force. Hoping those lessen as the evening goes on.
  • MissMay
    MissMay Posts: 3,748 Member
    cupotea wrote: »
    our favourite soda on the way home

    That Orange Crush looks delish. Now I have to go buy some tomorrow. THANKS!

  • Eileen_Fiona
    Eileen_Fiona Posts: 89 Member
    MissMay wrote: »
    cupotea wrote: »
    our favourite soda on the way home

    That Orange Crush looks delish. Now I have to go buy some tomorrow. THANKS!

    It’s overtaken diet irn bru as my fave fizzy juice <3
  • MissMay
    MissMay Posts: 3,748 Member
    cupotea wrote: »

    It’s overtaken diet irn bru as my fave fizzy juice <3

    I'm into the "Zero" beverage drinks that are available. Right now I am drinking the Zero Arizona half & half tea. Having it cold and heated up. Messing around this time last year trying to substitute mock tails for alcoholic drinks , only put the calories on me. So the Zero Orange will be a nice change, hope they have that around here.
  • Womona
    Womona Posts: 1,773 Member
    Date night with hubby last night - proud that I wasn’t craving it- even for a Friday night! I did order a glass to go with my steak and I was honestly “meh” about it. I wound up with the extra half glass because waitress screwed up and gave us a round on the house. Took a few sips and then I just couldn’t drink any more- found myself getting a little drunk. Came home, did some drunk eating and today I feel lousy. Didn’t sleep well at all. At least my weight wasn’t up from yesterday! Whew!

    Plan for this weekend is nurse one glass of wine when out with friends tonight, and one when we watch the Eagles/Saints game with friends on Sunday. Not going for that 2nd glass in hopes it helps with the yuck feeling and bad sleep!

    Good luck everyone this weekend- especially those snowbound!
  • MissMay
    MissMay Posts: 3,748 Member
    Womona wrote: »
    ..... and today I feel lousy.

    @Womona sorry to hear your date night left you waking up feeling blah today.
  • Eileen_Fiona
    Eileen_Fiona Posts: 89 Member
    MissMay wrote: »
    cupotea wrote: »

    It’s overtaken diet irn bru as my fave fizzy juice <3

    I'm into the "Zero" beverage drinks that are available. Right now I am drinking the Zero Arizona half & half tea. Having it cold and heated up. Messing around this time last year trying to substitute mock tails for alcoholic drinks , only put the calories on me. So the Zero Orange will be a nice change, hope they have that around here.

    Ooh what’s the Zero Arizona? Is it available in the UK? I feel like I need to try it!
  • Eileen_Fiona
    Eileen_Fiona Posts: 89 Member
    Womona wrote: »
    Date night with hubby last night - proud that I wasn’t craving it- even for a Friday night! I did order a glass to go with my steak and I was honestly “meh” about it. I wound up with the extra half glass because waitress screwed up and gave us a round on the house. Took a few sips and then I just couldn’t drink any more- found myself getting a little drunk. Came home, did some drunk eating and today I feel lousy. Didn’t sleep well at all. At least my weight wasn’t up from yesterday! Whew!

    Plan for this weekend is nurse one glass of wine when out with friends tonight, and one when we watch the Eagles/Saints game with friends on Sunday. Not going for that 2nd glass in hopes it helps with the yuck feeling and bad sleep!

    Good luck everyone this weekend- especially those snowbound!

    @Womona lots of hugs but draw a line under it and learn whatever you need to from it. Another tip is have a wine with soda water in it, that way you can have a couple of glasses but not a lot of actual wine!
  • MissMay
    MissMay Posts: 3,748 Member
    @Womona here it is. The biggest thing for me to get past to even buy it was that it had a picture of a golfer on the container. Lol59b6pedxdsd3.jpg
  • Lilylady3k
    Lilylady3k Posts: 4,004 Member
    edited January 2019
    My personal goal is to drink less alcohol. Targeting 4 nights per week AF usually M-Th ~16 AF nights per month. DH & I are dropping the nightly bottle of wine with dinner. Listing my social challenges and plans to not go with the flow drinking 2-4 glasses of wine when out with friends!

    January

    January accountability ~11 day so far
    Me (no alcohol): 7 days
    Alcohol: 4 days (5 9 drinks)

    To view the weekly count toward 4 ... AF Mon Dec 31!
    Jan 1 - AF
    Jan 2 - Dinner out with hubby after challenging day at work transitioning my role. Looks like it will take weeks to ramp them up. Didn't leave chair for 9 hrs. (excuses) - limited myself to 1 glass of wine
    Jan 3 - Bunco - limit 1 glass wine. Slipped up and had 2-3 (I call it 12 oz 3 if light pour / 2 if heavy pour) What happen to my resolve to drink water after 1 glass?
    Jan 4 - Traveling with my mom & sister 7 hrs today for a funeral Saturday. Plans to limit to 1 glass of wine was blown. I lacked the willpower which I need to work on. 1 margarita at mexican restaurant, 1 glass of wine in hotel suite everyone gathered at after dinner.
    Jan 5 - AF Driving 7 hours return trip
    Jan 6 - AF
    *This past week Monday thru Sunday I hit my 4 days of AF by reigning it in Sat and Sun! No social challenges next week. It will be just me and my own willpower to bank AF days for the month to offset challenging weeks ahead.

    Jan 7 - AF
    Jan 8 - AF
    Jan 9 - AF
    Jan 10 - AF Driving 6 hours this evening
    *Last 3 nights I skipped the beer and bourbon & did not join DH in drinking. Patting myself on the back for the resolve to stick to 4 nights AF this week M-Th. Planning for wine with dinner Fri & Sat but I'm feeling so much more in control these days with this resolve.
    Jan 11 - 4 glasses (2 red, 2 white) Opened 2 bottles of wine with DH should have limited myself to 1 glass from each; almost doubled my number of drinks for the month in one night sitting outside with neighbors looking out over the water and grilling steaks.
    Jan 12 - Plan to limit myself to 1 glass this evening PERIOD; I need to learn this skill
    Jan 13 -

    Jan 14 -
    Jan 15 -
    Jan 16 - Bookclub - limit 1 glass wine or beer
    Jan 17 - Bingo fundraiser @ winery - limit 1 glass wine
    Jan 18 -
    Jan 19 -
    Jan 20 -

    Jan 21 - Bookclub - limit 1 glass wine
    Jan 22 - Dining out club - limit 1 glass wine
    Jan 23 -
    Jan 24 -
    Jan 25 -
    Jan 26 -
    Jan 27 -

    Jan 28 -
    Jan 29 -
    Jan 30 -
    Jan 31 - Retiring from company after 30 years - plan to celebrate but limit 2 glasses
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    edited January 2019

    Day 11 in the books.
    What I find is: When walking between work and home I'll see a happy hour haunt and have a quick hankering (for wine? for socializing?). When I get home, instead of a glass of wine I'll pour a big glass of fresca. I discovered quickly that I am often *thirsty* which surprises me because I drink water all day. But I drink the big fresca and then go on with my evening. That's interesting. Glad hubs had bought some fresca. I don't normally drink sodas, but it's a good replacement for white wine this month.
    Scale is cooperating, so I'm achieving my goals!

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