Less Alcohol - January 2019 - One Day at a Time
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HeatherT929 wrote: »I had a SINGLE glass of wine the other night. First one yet this year. This Thursday I’ll likely have two glasses when I go out with a GF, but I don’t feel bad about it. I feel like I’m KILLIN’ my goal to drink less - I *AM* killin’ it. I’m amazed at how I’m really getting used to not drinking wine. It’s on my mind less and less and I’m just happily surprised by it. My FitBit is also logging better sleep which has been a plus I didn’t think about, but now it makes total sense. My mood is also so much better. This group is becoming a game changer for me and I’m so thankful! For the past few years, I had more nights than not throughout a week, on average, where I would have a couple of glasses of wine. And then the snacking that went along with it. GAH!!! It bothered me but I just couldn’t snap myself out of it. I really didn’t think I could stop. But something has clicked for me and I want to cling to this because I truly feel like I AM finally snapping out of it. WOOHOOOOO!!!
Awesome! I feel the same way as wine in the evenings has been a stable for me for a very long time. Not anymore and I feel great! 👍😊💃3 -
@womona. Great AF weekend! Woke up Saturday morning ready to go workout! I spent wonderful quality time with my husband.5
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Went out to dinner and stuck to just one beer! Pretty happy about it
that’s AF 12/14 days for January for me. Right on track! 7 -
I made it through the weekend! I had cravings on Friday night and today but was able to improvise with mocktails (sparkling water, bitters and lime is my go-to). On to day 14!6
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Well this weekend was much easier than the first weekend of January. I didn't think about it near as often. It feels good to make it thru two weekends AF!7
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springsweet wrote: »I caved Friday and had 1 beer. My homelife has become stressful and I’m not handling it well. Stress is definitely a trigger for me. Oh well, I guess I can’t let 1 beer derail me. Crappy thing is I weighed today and have gained 2 lbs. I guess I haven’t been watching what I’ve been eating on my fasting schedule (silly me, I thought cutting out all alcohol and sticking to the fast would work). I guess I just have to work harder. Story of my life.
Hope everyone has a nice Sunday.
Aww. Stress will sometimes make one's body hold on to weight. I sure do have days where I just wish that I could live normally without counting every mouthful, this weight thing sucks, but if we want to be our best we will just have to stick with it. Sorry about your stress : - (1 -
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
January 9th - AF - 8 days out of 9
January 10th - 1 champagne, later on 3 drinks
January 11th - 2 drinks - 8 out of 11 AF. I am pleased with that.
January 12th - 3 drinks - 8 out of 12 AF. Going to rack up some more AF days.
January 13th - AF - 8 days out of 13
January 14th -
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January 31st -0 -
I made it through the weekend! I had cravings on Friday night and today but was able to improvise with mocktails (sparkling water, bitters and lime is my go-to). On to day 14!
@Sub4_2018 You are just cruising through January!dawnbgethealthy wrote: »springsweet wrote: »I caved Friday and had 1 beer. My homelife has become stressful and I’m not handling it well. Stress is definitely a trigger for me. Oh well, I guess I can’t let 1 beer derail me. Crappy thing is I weighed today and have gained 2 lbs. I guess I haven’t been watching what I’ve been eating on my fasting schedule (silly me, I thought cutting out all alcohol and sticking to the fast would work). I guess I just have to work harder. Story of my life.
Hope everyone has a nice Sunday.
Aww. Stress will sometimes make one's body hold on to weight. I sure do have days where I just wish that I could live normally without counting every mouthful, this weight thing sucks, but if we want to be our best we will just have to stick with it. Sorry about your stress : - (
@springsweet Yes, @dawnbgethealthy is right, stress definitely affects weight. To do with cortisol levels.
And sometimes "working harder" on your diet just adds to the stress.
Also female cycles affect water weight. My weight is up for the second half of the cycle, then this month dropped 2 lb right before the new one began.
Then there's sodium, medications, hard workouts - all these are just some of the things can make your body hold onto water.
Using a weight-trending app like Happy Scale or Libra and logging weight daily lets you get used to these ups and downs, and the apps give you your weight trend.
(I've been using MFP nearly 4 years. I lost 80 lbs in the first year, and have maintained my goal weight since then.)5 -
@Kiyomoo welcome. These are some good powerful goals for a young person your age.Keep it up.
So many people that kept to their limits this weekend. And @HeatherT929 WOW your post had me doing the happy dance right with you!
Congrats to each and everyone. I feel you all did a win win weekend even through stress, significant others and weather.
Saturday I had to travel in a car with some other people. The choice of music they decided to "blare" was horrible, plus the fact no one would turn it down even though everyone had to keep repeating themselves. Over an hour of that and I seriously was on a sheet of thin ice that could have ended badly at a bar. Note to self, no more car sharing with said friends.
Happy Monday.4 -
So I made it through another weekend AF which was pleasing. I can't say it's getting particularity easier but conversely I didn't find it any more difficult than when I started which is somewhat of a pleasant surprise.
It's only been two weeks but I'd say on balance it's still harder not to drink than it would be to drink if that makes sense. The "habit" is still there. Although my wife it still drinking she's definitely cut down as I've abstained. Having drinks in the house hasn't been the temptation I thought it would be. This time its like a switch has flicked in my head and I just let the fleeting temptations pass with no real intention of breaking my plan.
I must admit that as a man I feel like somewhat of an interloper on this thread is there are very few male posters and most of the references to men are in the form of un-supportive husbands/partners
So I hope you all don't mind me posting occasionally.
I've actually found several of the links in the original post quite useful and many resonate with me even if they are again not really aimed at men.
Anyway that's me. On wards and upwards and good luck for the week everyone!!!!!8 -
January accountability ~13 day so far
Me (no alcohol): 8 days
Alcohol: 5 days (11 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 - Used 3/4 cup of the 1 bottle of white for cooking the Risotto. 2 smaller glasses. Success in that everyone else had 1 drink before I started pouring wine for myself and DH with dinner.
Jan 13 - AF - proud that I did not just join the crowd this evening
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Jan 16 - Bookclub - limit 1 glass wine or beer
Jan 17 - Bingo fundraiser @ winery - limit 1 glass wine
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Jan 21 - Bookclub - limit 1 glass wine
Jan 22 - Dining out club - limit 1 glass wine
Jan 23 -
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Jan 31 - Retiring from company after 30 years - plan to celebrate but limit 2 glasses
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Today I woke up feeling better than I have in a long time. Usually I'll hit the snooze 2 or 3 times (a habit I started when I started drinking a lot but didn't even realize it until now) but I didn't today. Looking forward to my workout!8
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@Stockholm_Andy we have had this same point brought up in the distance past about men posting and such. And as soon as a man mentioned it, LOADS of men came out of the wood work claiming to be following, yet not posting. Not gender specific here you will find, in fact some profile user names do not reflect either way. And my post above yours referenced significant other.
Glad to hear that your week two was no more difficult than the week before. Resetting our habits is a big part of it. 👍1 -
Traditionally men have been brought up to not admit to having "difficulties" and to not share feelings or struggles. Kudos to those who are breaking that barrier. Hope that posting or even just lurking here is helpful to you all.
Decades ago I bought some cheap earplugs to use in loud music venues and on car rides with my almost deaf [and too vain to admit it ] son-in-law. If I forget my earplugs, a twist of tissue or bar napkin make efficient "concert earplugs". No more stress or headaches from thumping bass or blaring television.
We all know stress is NOT our friend....
Completed an AF long weekend. Waiting a bit longer before dipping back into the Chianti. Fear of failure is a great motivator for me.1 -
dawnbgethealthy wrote: »springsweet wrote: »I caved Friday and had 1 beer. My homelife has become stressful and I’m not handling it well. Stress is definitely a trigger for me. Oh well, I guess I can’t let 1 beer derail me. Crappy thing is I weighed today and have gained 2 lbs. I guess I haven’t been watching what I’ve been eating on my fasting schedule (silly me, I thought cutting out all alcohol and sticking to the fast would work). I guess I just have to work harder. Story of my life.
Hope everyone has a nice Sunday.
Aww. Stress will sometimes make one's body hold on to weight. I sure do have days where I just wish that I could live normally without counting every mouthful, this weight thing sucks, but if we want to be our best we will just have to stick with it. Sorry about your stress : - (
I didn't realize that, but you're right. I've got to work on reducing the stress levels at home for sure. I plan to start working out today, which is always a stress reliever. So hopefully that will help.
I also figured out a couple of tweaks to the fast that will help.
Good job everyone!0 -
Today I woke up feeling better than I have in a long time. Usually I'll hit the snooze 2 or 3 times (a habit I started when I started drinking a lot but didn't even realize it until now) but I didn't today. Looking forward to my workout!
This is a goal for me. I'm a snooze queen! I know it's not good for you though. Or doesn't help, I should say.1 -
Free will is taken by anything that consumes you. Stay on the path you are all bright fight the good fight. Your not alone.0
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Kudos to everyone who kept AF this weekend if that was your goal, or moderate if that was the aim. I'm trying to stay AF for January. Saturdays are the hardest for me-and this weekend was no acception. I got hit with an urge, even texted my SO telling him I was breaking the no-alcohol rule, and he told me "ok, as long as it's just one". (We're each others' cheerleaders as we both are trying to lose weight). The thoughts passed and I ended up going to the store and buying a bunch of sparkling waters, iced teas, and kombuchas.
So another AF weekend in the books!
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Got through my first AF weekend, and really didn’t miss the wine at all! Should say “our” weekend as DH stayed off the alcohol with me. We even went to the pub and had soft drinks!
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Stockholm_Andy wrote: »So I made it through another weekend AF which was pleasing. I can't say it's getting particularity easier but conversely I didn't find it any more difficult than when I started which is somewhat of a pleasant surprise.
It's only been two weeks but I'd say on balance it's still harder not to drink than it would be to drink if that makes sense. The "habit" is still there. Although my wife it still drinking she's definitely cut down as I've abstained. Having drinks in the house hasn't been the temptation I thought it would be. This time its like a switch has flicked in my head and I just let the fleeting temptations pass with no real intention of breaking my plan.
I must admit that as a man I feel like somewhat of an interloper on this thread is there are very few male posters and most of the references to men are in the form of un-supportive husbands/partners So I hope you all don't mind me posting occasionally.
I've actually found several of the links in the original post quite useful and many resonate with me even if they are again not really aimed at men.
Anyway that's me. On wards and upwards and good luck for the week everyone!!!!!
I have been a faithful reader here following this particular thread for about a year. I rarely and mean RARELY post. I am also MALE.
I know the people that keep this thread active and alive without fail are Saints. And without my daily read here I would be so far gone with over drinking, I would not be able to type.
What I am saying is in all that time I never took offense to women on here commenting on their neighbor, Mother, S.I.L, co-workers or husbands as negativity or slamming as unsupportive.
And there are plenty of men posting here, maybe just not as often as these fine ladies.
Good work Gals.
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All great job to all the females and males on their way!! I have been alcohol free in January and very happy with my choice! I am a bit surprised as Monday’s are my weigh in days. I know it’s just a number; however, my scale did not go down from last week. I have cut out alcohol, eating healthy (no cheating) and working out! I think my body may be in shock with no alcohol. I am drinking a lot of water and hot tea.
I am a bit disappointed; however, I feel the best I have for a really long time and that out weighs the scale!! I know I am doing all the right things. It took me awhile to put on my additional 14lbs over the years and it will take time and not a week to take off.
Best to all! Happy Monday!5 -
@VeggieGirlforLife - I'm still AF and agree that getting through this weekend was easier. We'll be halfway through the month soon. I'm feeling really good - sleeping better, etc.2
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Fitness327wk wrote: »All great job to all the females and males on their way!! I have been alcohol free in January and very happy with my choice! I am a bit surprised as Monday’s are my weigh in days. I know it’s just a number; however, my scale did not go down from last week. I have cut out alcohol, eating healthy (no cheating) and working out! I think my body may be in shock with no alcohol. I am drinking a lot of water and hot tea.
I am a bit disappointed; however, I feel the best I have for a really long time and that out weighs the scale!! I know I am doing all the right things. It took me awhile to put on my additional 14lbs over the years and it will take time and not a week to take off.
Best to all! Happy Monday!
I feel you! I've been AF since Jan 3rd (minus 2 beers this weekend) plus I've also cut out dairy and been trying Intermittent Fasting but I've barely lost any weight. 2-3 lbs tops. Makes me irate when people *cough cough men cough* can just decide to cut out sodas and BAM 15 lbs just melts off them. I don't even drink sodas!
Whatever. Just have to be patient I guess. SMH1 -
springsweet wrote: »
I feel you! I've been AF since Jan 3rd (minus 2 beers this weekend) plus I've also cut out dairy and been trying Intermittent Fasting but I've barely lost any weight. 2-3 lbs tops. Makes me irate when people *cough cough men cough* can just decide to cut out sodas and BAM 15 lbs just melts off them. I don't even drink sodas!
Whatever. Just have to be patient I guess. SMH
@springsweet It's only been a week and a half since January 3rd; 2-3 pounds is a fantastic loss in that amount of time and should be celebrated!4 -
Congrats all on getting through the weekend! Halfway through the month and I’m AF 13/15 and super happy about it!
Aside from the better sleep I’ve already noticed, I’ve noticed I’m so much more productive with cleaning and getting stuff done. Good stuff all around!
My weigh in day is tomorrow. My cycle just started (sorry if that’s TMI gentlemen
) so I’m crossing my fingers that I’m not retaining water. This is generally a time of month for me where I tend to either stall out or gain which would be super discouraging for me based on my progress this month otherwise! 3 -
I’m Happy to have men on this thread! Please don’t feel like an interloper @Stockholm_Andy!!!!! Personally it makes me feel better knowing the desire to cut back on drinking isn’t “just a girl thing”. I’m so inspired reading everyone’s posts. It’s really helping me go AF during the week and cut way back on weekends.
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Day fourteen~
Me (AF): 14*
Drinking days: 0
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I think the “unsupportive husband” etc comments are just indicative of who posts regularly. I’m sure there are plenty of unsupportive wives!
At the end of the day this thread is for support and somewhere to discuss the journey regarding cutting back on alcohol and sometimes that might come know the form of dealing with those who aren’t being supportive.1 -
As planned had a few drinks at the weekend to celebrate the birth of my new beautiful niece. Also had a few nice meals out so healthy eating was put on hold for the weekend. Weigh in day tomorrow but only hoping for maintain.
Hoping to go AF until 16th February which is our next evening out with friends, its also hubby's birthday so planning on having a few glasses of wine. Its my long term plan to only having a few drinks sociable and not to go full teetotal.3
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