Less Alcohol - January 2019 - One Day at a Time

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  • gridirongrrl
    gridirongrrl Posts: 69 Member
    Nice work everyone!

    Haven’t checked in for a bit so wanted to update. it’s the 17th and I’m AF 15/17 days! (Going to go ahead and count today because I know I won’t be drinking). Aside from our one cheat meal a week it has been easier for me than I thought. Of course my husband is on board so that is such a HUGE help.

    Stay strong everyone, we’re over halfway there!
  • Sub4_2018
    Sub4_2018 Posts: 52 Member
    @BuffMom84 - I used to keep Advil on my bedside table, too. It took up until very recently for me to wake up and not wait for the headache to hit. I was so used to being hung over that the first couple weeks of dry January, I would wake up EXPECTING to be hung over. I'm not jumping out of bed ready to take on the day, either, but I'm certainly feeling 1000x better than I was. Progress!
  • Sub4_2018
    Sub4_2018 Posts: 52 Member
    @springsweet Awesome job!! I have a part coming up next Friday - hoping to have a similar experience!
  • dawnbgethealthy
    dawnbgethealthy Posts: 7,897 Member
    edited January 2019
    My goal is 4-5 AF days per week.

    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 - AF - 11 days out of 16
    January 17th -
    January 18th -
    January 19th -
    January 20th -
    January 21st -
    January 22nd -
    January 23rd -
    January 24th -
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    January 26th -
    January 27th -
    January 28th -
    January 29th -
    January 30th -
    January 31st
  • MissMay
    MissMay Posts: 3,755 Member
    springsweet wrote: »
    So update about my neighborhood meet n greet last night. My hubby and I went to the dinner/party and neither of us drank. I had water, in fact. Not even a mocktail. I even told a few people I was doing a Dry January and one woman said, "I need to do that too"... It wasn't hard at all to not drink and it felt so good when we got home to wash my face and get in bed without a buzz. :)

    HOORAY for you and your husband. Glad that event is now in your past so you do not need to stress about it any longer.
  • gridirongrrl
    gridirongrrl Posts: 69 Member
    Count me among those who used to keep the ibuprofen handy. The biggest improvement for me by far has been quality of sleep and just my overall fatigue level being less throughout the day. Like someone else said I’m not exactly springing out of bed at 5am but I’m not already counting the hours til I can nap by 5:30 either.
  • kittybenn
    kittybenn Posts: 444 Member
    @Womona - can totally relate to your insights. Making one glass of wine last throughout the meal means microsips for sure, LOL. And I know if I were still drinking and my husband stopped I would feel uncomfortable/uneasy. Not sure why. I guess threatened in some way? Hard to know exactly. Middle of Day 17 for me. We're going out tonight but I know I'm not going to drink. I've come way too far for that!
  • SallyLuvsFitness
    SallyLuvsFitness Posts: 13,724 Member
    Same here! We are headed out with friends tonight and I am sticking with my hot tea and happy about it! Feeling great!
  • SallyLuvsFitness
    SallyLuvsFitness Posts: 13,724 Member
    springsweet wrote: »
    So update about my neighborhood meet n greet last night. My hubby and I went to the dinner/party and neither of us drank. I had water, in fact. Not even a mocktail. I even told a few people I was doing a Dry January and one woman said, "I need to do that too"... It wasn't hard at all to not drink and it felt so good when we got home to wash my face and get in bed without a buzz. :)

    I am feeling the same way!! Awesome! I am so happy I decided to do dry January!
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    NovusDies wrote: »
    So I went to my neighborhood liquor store today. I was asked where I had been and where the rest of me was. I replied with my usual "yeah, I have lost a little weight" and was immediately corrected because I have lost so much I can't get away with saying that anymore.

    My personal moderation plan has been very successful. I am not a weekly or even a monthly drinker anymore. I have 2 nights planned in the next 30 days and then I have no idea when I will drink again.

    I have gotten to a place now where I have almost forgotten that was part of my life. I really do not think about it much at all unless I have something planned for the near future.

    My 1 year anniversary for weight loss and moderation is Feb 15th. Last year at this time I was still fairly soaked. What a difference a year can make.

    @NovusDies Fantastic!! So great to hear an update from you, and such a wonderful update!
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    Womona wrote: »
    For those of you with partners who are not on board with AF, or are actively trying to tempt you/guilt you, stay strong! Most people are uncomfortable with their loved ones making positive changes (happens frequently with weight loss and other life improvements). They aren’t trying to be jerks, it’s just a function of their own issues. Try to understand where they are coming from, but your ultimate commitment is to yourself. Stay strong!

    Yes, it's hard for them to change their thought processes, just as it is for us.

    They aren't used to having to think of treats we would like instead of our old habitual drinks.

    It's often a challenge for US to think of something we'd like that hits the spot, without someone else having to guess!
  • comptonforceten
    comptonforceten Posts: 25 Member
    Wow....great work putting to gether the resources
  • Lilylady3k
    Lilylady3k Posts: 4,011 Member
    January accountability ~17 day so far
    Me (no alcohol): 11 days
    Alcohol: 6 days (13 drinks)

    Jan 17 - AF ; not even a challenge tonight!
  • dawnbgethealthy
    dawnbgethealthy Posts: 7,897 Member
    edited January 2019
    My goal is 4-5 AF days per week.

    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 - AF - 11 days out of 16
    January 17th - AF - 12 days out of 17 - as I look at this I see that I keep including December 31st in the count. We finally got some snow here. I have had all of the ingredients for a steaming pot of mulled wine that I just didn't make since it was not wintery enough. Perhaps this weekend. Love the smell of it in the house after it has been going for many hours. I suppose that I could just put some cinnamon sticks and oranges in simmering water and get the same smell effect : - ) After your comment about the pumpkin spice @MissMay I bought some of the spice to put in my coffee, 0 calories for spices ; - )
    January 18th -
    January 19th -
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    January 21st -
    January 22nd -
    January 23rd -
    January 24th -
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    January 30th -
    January 31st
  • Lilylady3k
    Lilylady3k Posts: 4,011 Member
    @dawnbgethealthy said as I look at this I see that I keep including December 31st in the count.

    I totally get it since you have goal is 4-5 AF days per week. I too have a weekly goal as well as a monthly goal so including that Monday Dec 31 makes sense! It helps to understand when you met your weekly goal.

    You are doing well. Keep it up!
  • kittybenn
    kittybenn Posts: 444 Member
    @NovusDies - Wow, your story was just the inspiration I needed this a.m. Thanks for sharing and congrats on the amazing life changes you've made. 17 days dry for me and 14 to go in January. I like your plan of drinking very occasionally instead of planning to drink on X days of the week, which is what I did after last year's Dry Jan. I need to buckle down and do a Dry Jan and/or Dry Feb. on sugar. It's starting to be a problem, LOL. Yesterday I could not stop picking at gummi bears and Hershey's kisses.
  • HeatherT929
    HeatherT929 Posts: 23 Member
    Dumb question for you all. We know about the scale can have a “fake” and go down after drinking the night before due to dehydration. So wouldn’t drinking water help counter that? I’ve always been one to only have the drink and not the water. Why bother I kind of figured.... but tonight I’m going out with a GF. I’ve already planned I’ll allow myself two glasses of wine. Would I/should I want to drink water with the wine to counter the dehydration? ....And assuming that just seems so obviously right, does anyone know how much water is necessary?
  • VeggieGirlforLife
    VeggieGirlforLife Posts: 777 Member
    HeatherT929 wrote: »
    Dumb question for you all. We know about the scale can have a “fake” and go down after drinking the night before due to dehydration. So wouldn’t drinking water help counter that? I’ve always been one to only have the drink and not the water. Why bother I kind of figured.... but tonight I’m going out with a GF. I’ve already planned I’ll allow myself two glasses of wine. Would I/should I want to drink water with the wine to counter the dehydration? ....And assuming that just seems so obviously right, does anyone know how much water is necessary?

    @heathert929 Alcohol works like a diuretic that makes you lose more liquid than you consume, so it is important to drink water when you are drinking alcohol. My rule of thumb is to drink one glass of water for each glass of wine/beer. It does help keep you hydrated and relatively headache free the next morning. As far as numbers on a scale reflecting that, I have no idea.
  • whitpauly
    whitpauly Posts: 1,483 Member
    edited January 2019
    VeggieGirlforLife wrote: »
    So the weekend is upon us again. I did just fine last weekend, but this past week has been rough. I wanted a drink when I came home last night and the idea stayed with me for a long time, but I did not cave. I've been waking up with a bad headache for two days and sinus pressure which I am sure is due to weather changes, however, it reminds me of how I feel when I wake up after drinking...and that evil little voice says, "if you're going to feel hungover anyway, might as well have a drink!" I'm frustrated that I don't feel all wonderful and amazing like some of you say you do when you stop drinking for awhile. And my skin is still dry and flaky thanks to winter. So, just having a rough go of it today, but planning to stay strong thru the weekend no matter how much I'd like a glass of wine.

    I get this,,,I've been trying to stay AF for years but I just don't feel "great" like other people say they do when they quit/cut back so I get irritated and drink cuz I feel crappy anyways,,at least then i get a small window to feel better haha but I think if i'd just stick with abstaining I'll eventually feel good(I hope) good for you not giving in and hope you enjoy your weekend <3
  • MissMay
    MissMay Posts: 3,755 Member
    Oh those weekends can be a challange both mentally and actively for so many. They have always signified social fun party times, to eat, drink and be merry. Last year at this exact time I was struggling hard to not listen to my fun party brain, to break habits and realize my triggers for drinking to much. I had already had six drinking days in Jan 2018 by now with a count of 11 alcohol beverages.
    Last night we went out to a bar. Stayed for almost 5 hours. I know I was the only dry person there because the bartender commented jokingly that missmay could drive everyone home, so keep drinking. Her comment did not phase me, I had a great time anyhow, well who doesn't at karaoke?
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    kittybenn wrote: »
    @NovusDies - Wow, your story was just the inspiration I needed this a.m. Thanks for sharing and congrats on the amazing life changes you've made. 17 days dry for me and 14 to go in January. I like your plan of drinking very occasionally instead of planning to drink on X days of the week, which is what I did after last year's Dry Jan. I need to buckle down and do a Dry Jan and/or Dry Feb. on sugar. It's starting to be a problem, LOL. Yesterday I could not stop picking at gummi bears and Hershey's kisses.

    I am too prone to form habits when I do things in any type of pattern. If I said I was only going to drink on the 3rd Saturday of every month I would have a hard time breaking the cycle after I did it for a few months. I would feel compelled to drink on that day even when I didn't want to because it was ritual. That is not my definition of moderation because I am not totally free to choose. I am not suggesting this is true of you but it is of me.

    Congrats on the 17 now 18 I suppose. I hope sailing through the rest of this month is smooth for you and for anyone trying to do a dry January.

    I am one of those weird people in the world that doesn't like gummi bears. I don't like the texture and the flavor is kind of meh to me.

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