Less Alcohol - January 2019 - One Day at a Time

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  • Will_Run_for_Food
    Will_Run_for_Food Posts: 561 Member
    BuffMom84 wrote: »
    Tomorrow there is a meet n greet at our local neighborhood bar. I'm looking forward to it, as I've wanted to meet people in our new hood but have had a hard time. I told myself I'd just have a sprite but now I'm wondering if I should just say f it and have a glass of wine. Especially considering the calories. They'd probably be about the same anyway. SMH...

    @Springsweet I guess that depends on how committed you are to your goals and why you decided to go AF for January. There is a Sprite Zero which doesn't have any calories. Also, have you ever thought about ordering a mocktail instead? Since you like Sprite, maybe a Virgin Mojito? Practically no calories, light, refreshing and no guilt from sabotaging your AF goal. Just something to think about before you make your decision... :wink:

    I'm going AF mainly to cut out the calories and hopefully lose some weight. Although I haven't been too successful yet. I've lost like 2 lbs.
    But I also wanted to break the habit of having wine every day after work.
    I was thinking the sprite could be like a mocktail? I don't know, I don't usually drink liquor. I mainly stick to wine and beer.
    I would feel much more motivated if I had lost say, 5 lbs at this point. (i'm rolling my eyes.)
    I really thought cutting out the alcohol would result in more weight loss.

    Losing two pounds sounds awesome to me, great job! Haven't weighed myself in a while but I think I have GAINED weight since cutting way back on alcohol. Now that I'm not drinking on Thursdays and/or Saturday nights, I find I am snacking way more (I usually don't snack while I'm drinking). Even on healthier foods all the calories add up.

    I quit drinking for 8 months back in 2011. All that time I indulged in sweets to get the sugar my body was missing and craving. So I didn't lose any weight then. But that wasn't why I quit drinking.

    I hear ya, sister. I've lost maybe 1.5 lbs since quitting drinking, and while that is pretty good for two weeks, I thought it would be more since I was consuming ALL THE CALORIES from wine and beer.

    Based on a few books I've read, and on the experience of a couple of people close to me who have quit drinking, the weight loss is slow and steady. I think it's common to maintain or even gain a little weight in the beginning, especially for those of us who crave sugar to replace the booze! I think you'll start to see weight loss in the longer term. I know it's hard to be patient. Just hang in there.

    As for your neighbourhood party: is there an AF beer you can have handy?
  • Will_Run_for_Food
    Will_Run_for_Food Posts: 561 Member
    htimpaired wrote: »
    So much for Dryjanuary. I drank last night-four shots of tequila mixed with diet blueberry and lemon over the course of four hours. I was stressed. I have so much on my plate right now and my anxiety was awful. I know I need to learn from this and start working through anxiety without the booze. I suppose I should still take it as a win-this was the longest stretch AF I've had in months. And overall I drank less than I would before.
    Didn't feel the best this AM though. But I still got up and exercised, and let myself remember how that felt so I hopefully will be less likely to drink that much when I have a workout in the AM.

    This happens to the best of us! The important thing is you've acknowledged it, accepted it and are now moving on. It's important to remember the negative feelings to act as a deterrent when you need it, but it's also important to remember the good feelings associated with not drinking. Do you have a journal or something to help you keep track?

    I don't mean to sound all Pollyanna, especially because I know exactly how you feel, I've been there, and I may very well feel like that again. But today is a good day, and I want to remind you that this icky feeling doesn't last forever.
  • springsweet
    springsweet Posts: 184 Member
    BuffMom84 wrote: »
    BuffMom84 wrote: »
    Tomorrow there is a meet n greet at our local neighborhood bar. I'm looking forward to it, as I've wanted to meet people in our new hood but have had a hard time. I told myself I'd just have a sprite but now I'm wondering if I should just say f it and have a glass of wine. Especially considering the calories. They'd probably be about the same anyway. SMH...

    @Springsweet I guess that depends on how committed you are to your goals and why you decided to go AF for January. There is a Sprite Zero which doesn't have any calories. Also, have you ever thought about ordering a mocktail instead? Since you like Sprite, maybe a Virgin Mojito? Practically no calories, light, refreshing and no guilt from sabotaging your AF goal. Just something to think about before you make your decision... :wink:

    I'm going AF mainly to cut out the calories and hopefully lose some weight. Although I haven't been too successful yet. I've lost like 2 lbs.
    But I also wanted to break the habit of having wine every day after work.
    I was thinking the sprite could be like a mocktail? I don't know, I don't usually drink liquor. I mainly stick to wine and beer.
    I would feel much more motivated if I had lost say, 5 lbs at this point. (i'm rolling my eyes.)
    I really thought cutting out the alcohol would result in more weight loss.

    Losing two pounds sounds awesome to me, great job! Haven't weighed myself in a while but I think I have GAINED weight since cutting way back on alcohol. Now that I'm not drinking on Thursdays and/or Saturday nights, I find I am snacking way more (I usually don't snack while I'm drinking). Even on healthier foods all the calories add up.

    Thanks. It's frustrating isn't it? I'm trying to add more (ok, some) exercise in this week bc I think that may help. I'm doing a 16/8 fast every day so snacking isn't my issue. Maybe it really is my age. I never had a great metabolism but maybe being 43 is working against me. :(

    When I was drinking 4-5 times per week, I was also trying to lose weight and ended up losing 30 lbs over five months just by counting calories. I would drink gin and sparkling water and I did track every drink! I guess what i'm wondering is if losing weight is your only reason for going AF this month?

    It is my main reason, yes. But I also wanted to break the habit of having wine after work every evening. But man oh man, I really want to lose these extra pounds I've watched slowly tack on for the past few years!

    @VeggieGirlforLife good point, I really should focus more on how my clothes fit, how my face looks, etc and less on the scale. I should know better by now! ;) Oh and I've been having those sparkling ICE drinks every day after work and into the evening. They're tasty and no calories.
  • springsweet
    springsweet Posts: 184 Member
    BuffMom84 wrote: »
    Tomorrow there is a meet n greet at our local neighborhood bar. I'm looking forward to it, as I've wanted to meet people in our new hood but have had a hard time. I told myself I'd just have a sprite but now I'm wondering if I should just say f it and have a glass of wine. Especially considering the calories. They'd probably be about the same anyway. SMH...

    @Springsweet I guess that depends on how committed you are to your goals and why you decided to go AF for January. There is a Sprite Zero which doesn't have any calories. Also, have you ever thought about ordering a mocktail instead? Since you like Sprite, maybe a Virgin Mojito? Practically no calories, light, refreshing and no guilt from sabotaging your AF goal. Just something to think about before you make your decision... :wink:

    I'm going AF mainly to cut out the calories and hopefully lose some weight. Although I haven't been too successful yet. I've lost like 2 lbs.
    But I also wanted to break the habit of having wine every day after work.
    I was thinking the sprite could be like a mocktail? I don't know, I don't usually drink liquor. I mainly stick to wine and beer.
    I would feel much more motivated if I had lost say, 5 lbs at this point. (i'm rolling my eyes.)
    I really thought cutting out the alcohol would result in more weight loss.

    Losing two pounds sounds awesome to me, great job! Haven't weighed myself in a while but I think I have GAINED weight since cutting way back on alcohol. Now that I'm not drinking on Thursdays and/or Saturday nights, I find I am snacking way more (I usually don't snack while I'm drinking). Even on healthier foods all the calories add up.

    I quit drinking for 8 months back in 2011. All that time I indulged in sweets to get the sugar my body was missing and craving. So I didn't lose any weight then. But that wasn't why I quit drinking.

    I hear ya, sister. I've lost maybe 1.5 lbs since quitting drinking, and while that is pretty good for two weeks, I thought it would be more since I was consuming ALL THE CALORIES from wine and beer.

    Based on a few books I've read, and on the experience of a couple of people close to me who have quit drinking, the weight loss is slow and steady. I think it's common to maintain or even gain a little weight in the beginning, especially for those of us who crave sugar to replace the booze! I think you'll start to see weight loss in the longer term. I know it's hard to be patient. Just hang in there.

    As for your neighbourhood party: is there an AF beer you can have handy?

    That's good news! Slow and steady wins the race right? :) I just need to be more patient.
    There probably is a non alcoholic beer, but again, the CALORIES. :( I'll end up getting some kind of mocktail or something mainly just to have something to do with my hands... isn't that so weird? The hand thing? lol
  • SallyLuvsFitness
    SallyLuvsFitness Posts: 13,724 Member
    I was a bit frustrated as mentioned yesterday when I weighed myself and the scale hadn’t moved. I am not drinking (was drinking quite a bit of wine on a daily basis), eating healthy (not cheating and staying away from processed foods) and working out! I know that it took awhile to add 14 pounds over the last three years and it’s not going to come off overnight. Still??!!!

    I DO have positive news!! I weighed in this morning and bam, down .8 pounds. I do think my body is in a bit of shock of no alcohol, hydrating and eating healthy (in the past ate pretty healthy as well). I was reading give your body 2-3 weeks when you make big changes before you rely on the scale IF you know you are making all the right choices. Progress and patience!

    I remind myself that if I continue to keep drinking and still eating well I was not hitting my goals back then. It didn’t work. Yea, I could over drink one night and weigh myself in the morning and be down 3lbs because I was dehydrated. I want to lose the real weight for good!
    Best to all! We are all in this together!
  • MissMay
    MissMay Posts: 3,532 Member
    edited January 2019
    No one ever wants to hear this reason for the scale number not dropping even if your doing all the right things such as healthy eating, exercise and cutting alcohol.
    It could be a stress hormone.

    I was training a woman for 6 months. 5 days a week, streangth training, HIIT workouts, boxing and kicking, etc. She was super frustrated because her scale was not moving downward.
    I kept telling her that after listening to her home, work and family life stories daily that she has a high level of stress which can cause your body to hoard calories.

    Luckily at the end of the 6 months I was able to make her feel better with taking her body measurements and comparing them to the measurements at the beginning of the 6 months. She had lost over all inches on her body even though the scale said the same number. Muscle weighs more than fat yet it is in a smaller mass.
  • SallyLuvsFitness
    SallyLuvsFitness Posts: 13,724 Member
    I’m experiencing some triggers today that would normally lead me to have a two or even three (my max) glasses of wine tonight. I don’t want to do that so I’m going to try to work through the discomfort. Posting this for accountability. Want to get through a tough day. Thx all.

    Proud of you Heather!!! You will feel better after you workout and even better tmo morning with no alcohol tonight!
  • MissMay
    MissMay Posts: 3,532 Member
    I’m experiencing some triggers today that would normally lead me to have a two or even three (my max) glasses of wine tonight. I don’t want to do that so I’m going to try to work through the discomfort. Posting this for accountability. Want to get through a tough day. Thx all.
    @HeatherT929 , just saw this. Lots of good vibes your way to help you through your tough day.
  • cathipa
    cathipa Posts: 2,992 Member
    Tomorrow there is a meet n greet at our local neighborhood bar. I'm looking forward to it, as I've wanted to meet people in our new hood but have had a hard time. I told myself I'd just have a sprite but now I'm wondering if I should just say f it and have a glass of wine. Especially considering the calories. They'd probably be about the same anyway. SMH...

    @Springsweet I guess that depends on how committed you are to your goals and why you decided to go AF for January. There is a Sprite Zero which doesn't have any calories. Also, have you ever thought about ordering a mocktail instead? Since you like Sprite, maybe a Virgin Mojito? Practically no calories, light, refreshing and no guilt from sabotaging your AF goal. Just something to think about before you make your decision... :wink:

    I'm going AF mainly to cut out the calories and hopefully lose some weight. Although I haven't been too successful yet. I've lost like 2 lbs.
    But I also wanted to break the habit of having wine every day after work.
    I was thinking the sprite could be like a mocktail? I don't know, I don't usually drink liquor. I mainly stick to wine and beer.
    I would feel much more motivated if I had lost say, 5 lbs at this point. (i'm rolling my eyes.)
    I really thought cutting out the alcohol would result in more weight loss.

    Sorry... getting negative again. :(

    2 pounds in 15 days is great! Congrats to that and AF!!
  • springsweet
    springsweet Posts: 184 Member
    edited January 2019
    MissMay wrote: »
    No one ever wants to hear this reason for the scale number not dropping even if your doing all the right things such as healthy eating, exercise and cutting alcohol.
    It could be a stress hormone.

    I was training a woman for 6 months. 5 days a week, streangth training, HIIT workouts, boxing and kicking, etc. She was super frustrated because her scale was not moving downward.
    I kept telling her that after listening to her home, work and family life stories daily that she has a high level of stress which can cause your body to hoard calories.

    Luckily at the end of the 6 months I was able to make her feel better with taking her body measurements and comparing them to the measurements at the beginning of the 6 months. She had lost over all inches on her body even though the scale said the same number. Muscle weighs more than fat yet it is in a smaller mass.

    My homelife has been chaotic recently due to us getting a new dog - excuse me, a puppy. We didn't mean to adopt a puppy. We wanted an adult dog, which we thought we were getting. Turns out he's more than likely under a year old and DEFINITELY acts like a puppy. He has the energy of a Jack Russell terrier but he's about 30 lbs. He's sweet as he can be, but we had to ship him off to obedience boarding school for some help with basic behavior. Add to that, I have two cats who used to be perfectly content in our quiet home but are now all in an uproar over the dog. He chases the cats any time he sees them (wants to play, not kill thank god) but that makes them hate him. IT also makes them perpetually nervous. Also, one of the cats has turned on the other for some unknown reason. Everything is just messed up and chaotic and out of order. I've had to move the litter box and feeding station for the cats to the upstairs guest bathroom (so now I no longer have a nice clean guest bathroom :( ). I keep telling (hoping) myself this is temporary. But I basically cannot relax at home anymore unless I barricade myself in my bedroom. But even then I sometimes have to break up a random cat fight. :(

    And did I mention stress is a big trigger for me? I obviously drink to relieve it when I drink.

    So It may be a far fetch, but stress could have something to do with my weight not dipping down as far as I had hoped?

    Oh and thank you @cathipa !
  • MissMay
    MissMay Posts: 3,532 Member
    edited January 2019
    dog/puppy
    GIRLIE......you did good to lay it all out in here. Feel free to do as much of that as you like. Because hell, ya gotta get it all out to relieve some of that tension.
    I know what you mean about super active dog. Mine is 11+ years old and she still acts like she is 3 months.
    Giant hug to you.
  • gridirongrrl
    gridirongrrl Posts: 69 Member
    I tell people all the time I feel like having a puppy is kind of like childbirth... after a couple of years all you remember is the good stuff! Then enough time passes and you think to yourself “I’m ready for another puppy”. And then you quickly realize that it kind of actually sucked a lot of the time. I have a 2 year old Doberman. I feel your pain!
  • dawnbgethealthy
    dawnbgethealthy Posts: 7,514 Member
    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 - AF - 9 days out of 14. Began logging at night before bed instead of waiting until the next morning. No danger of sleep drinking I don't think : - )
    January 15th - AF - 10 days out of 15.
    January 16th -
    January 17th -
    January 18th -
    January 19th -
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    January 21st -
    January 22nd -
    January 23rd -
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  • dawnbgethealthy
    dawnbgethealthy Posts: 7,514 Member
    edited January 2019
    Tomorrow there is a meet n greet at our local neighborhood bar. I'm looking forward to it, as I've wanted to meet people in our new hood but have had a hard time. I told myself I'd just have a sprite but now I'm wondering if I should just say f it and have a glass of wine. Especially considering the calories. They'd probably be about the same anyway. SMH...

    And about the pot roast...yes, wine probably would have enhanced it.

    That dreaded metabolism, tell me about it! I am 58, work out every day, keep my calories low, have vastly reduced my alcohol intake (like you, in an effort to drop some lbs) and am just not losing. December saw many big meals, parties, alcohol, yet I still lost 5 pounds. This month I am being very "good" and have put on 1/2 pound instead of losing. Crazy hard to drop the fat! I feel you, it is so frustrating. We just have to stick with it.

    Good luck with the meet 'n greet at the bar. I am sure that you will play it by ear. There will likely be someone else there who isn't having alcohol. Now that you are "dry" you will recognize them.
    Yes, Sprite probably does have more calories than wine. A mock Mojito has 2 tsp of sugar, the bar lime that they mix it with has a tonne of sugar, the simple syrup, ginger ale etc. If you made one at home you would use fresh stuff, but in a bar they don't. Club Soda with a tiny splash of cranberry juice? Maybe 2 calories. It will look like a cocktail, only the bartender will know.

    If you have committed to a dry January then stick with it, you are halfway there!
    If you committed to less alcohol than usual, then yeah, it could be the event to allow yourself some wine.

    Meeting new people for the first time could be nice with a clear head, making your first impressions of the people, and them of you. A glass of wine might loosen you up. Pros and cons.

    It is a nice idea to meet in a bar, so that people can come and go, no homeowner has the commitment of having a bunch of people over and then to have to entertain and clean up afterward. If you are trying to be AF it could be a tough place.
    Please do let us know how it goes : - )
  • kittybenn
    kittybenn Posts: 444 Member
    edited January 2019
    @gridirongrrl - I can so relate. We're empty nesters now, but have been on kid and dog overload many many times. So that means that with my basically serene life now I have no excuse to screw up Dry January, LOL. Just like everybody else, I'm a bit frustrated with my weight, but am down a couple pounds since the beginning of the month. I've been allowing my calories to drift up to about 1400 plus grabbing a few bites of things (Hershey's kisses!) here and there. Today I'm going to really tighten up to 1300 and stop picking at sweets. Hey! Today's 1/16, which means we're on the downhill side of Dry January. We made it this far and can't quit now!
  • MonkeyMel21
    MonkeyMel21 Posts: 2,388 Member
    I've made it 15 days AF! Last night was the hardest. My husband doesn't drink often but when he cooks sometimes he'll have a few beers and we've always enjoyed drinking together. I really wanted a drink last night with him but I knew that one wouldn't be enough and then I'd end up having to mess around with the calories I had left for the day, not to mention let myself down by not completing my goal. My goal is to not have any alcohol till I hit my goal weight (only 6 more pounds!). And I am in the same boat as some of you all right now where I lost a good amount the first week and now reality is hitting and it's going to be slow going (.5 pounds a week).

    There's an office going-away party tomorrow evening with free food and alcohol. I'm still debating whether I will go ahead and have a few drinks or maybe instead have a dessert or bigger dinner. If I have a few drinks, I'm not sure if that will derail me and I'll end up giving in at a future, unplanned time. That's what has happened in the past. My birthday is also coming up in a few weeks and I want to go to my fav German restaurant that happens to also be a brewery, so I do want to have a few beers there. I think I would be happy if I go AF till that night and then continue on after that night till I hit my goal weight.

    I know this is getting long, but I was reading about the pet problems and I can relate right now. I have been worried about one of my kitties who has increased her water intake recently but otherwise seems fine, and now my other kitty had a GI issue last night that has never happened before and now I'm worried about her! Not to mention my husband has been feeling ill (mostly sinus issues) since Thanksgiving and my son just missed 3 days of school due to strep throat. I know these are normal life things and it could be much worse, I just wish everything could be perfect all the time so we can enjoy life every single day (one reason why I drank so much for so long, it lets me forget about all those things and just focus on the "now").

    Thank you all for this thread and the much needed support!
  • springsweet
    springsweet Posts: 184 Member
    Tomorrow there is a meet n greet at our local neighborhood bar. I'm looking forward to it, as I've wanted to meet people in our new hood but have had a hard time. I told myself I'd just have a sprite but now I'm wondering if I should just say f it and have a glass of wine. Especially considering the calories. They'd probably be about the same anyway. SMH...

    And about the pot roast...yes, wine probably would have enhanced it.

    That dreaded metabolism, tell me about it! I am 58, work out every day, keep my calories low, have vastly reduced my alcohol intake (like you, in an effort to drop some lbs) and am just not losing. December saw many big meals, parties, alcohol, yet I still lost 5 pounds. This month I am being very "good" and have put on 1/2 pound instead of losing. Crazy hard to drop the fat! I feel you, it is so frustrating. We just have to stick with it.

    Good luck with the meet 'n greet at the bar. I am sure that you will play it by ear. There will likely be someone else there who isn't having alcohol. Now that you are "dry" you will recognize them.
    Yes, Sprite probably does have more calories than wine. A mock Mojito has 2 tsp of sugar, the bar lime that they mix it with has a tonne of sugar, the simple syrup, ginger ale etc. If you made one at home you would use fresh stuff, but in a bar they don't. Club Soda with a tiny splash of cranberry juice? Maybe 2 calories. It will look like a cocktail, only the bartender will know.

    If you have committed to a dry January then stick with it, you are halfway there!
    If you committed to less alcohol than usual, then yeah, it could be the event to allow yourself some wine.

    Meeting new people for the first time could be nice with a clear head, making your first impressions of the people, and them of you. A glass of wine might loosen you up. Pros and cons.

    It is a nice idea to meet in a bar, so that people can come and go, no homeowner has the commitment of having a bunch of people over and then to have to entertain and clean up afterward. If you are trying to be AF it could be a tough place.
    Please do let us know how it goes : - )

    Great idea about the club soda with a splash of cranberry! See, I told yall I don't drink liquor so I didn't even think of that lol. Thank you! And yes to all of this. ^^ I am trying for a Dry January, so I'm pretty committed to not drinking tonight.
    And thanks @MissMay & @gridirongrrl ... I really did kind of unleash there. :o Thanks for letting me. He is a sweet spirited puppy, so I know he will grow into a good dog. Like you said, it's just tough right now.

    I hope everyone has a good humpday!
  • cathipa
    cathipa Posts: 2,992 Member
    Half way through January!!! Congrats everyone who's still hanging in!! Almost there :) Anyone else going to see how long they can go after this month?