Less Alcohol - February 2019 - One Day at a Time
Replies
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Well I did not do good this weekend! It was a bit of a celebratory weekend and I enjoyed it. However, it being Monday I am more determined now to have a super good/clean week of not only drinking but eating as well. I noticed this weekend drinking tends trigger some anxiety for me the day after and I much prefer how much better I feel if I dont have anything. That being said this whole week I am determined to make AF!
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Goal: 4AF days per week. It is a short month.
February 1 - 3 drinks
February 2 - AF
February 3 - 3 drinks - Superbowl was boring this year. I have to rack up some AF days!
February 4 - AF
February 5 - AF
February 6 - AF
February 7 - 3 drinks
February 8 - AF, but was planning on some champagne in the bubble bath. I had such a nice dinner that I didn't have any calories left for champagne - heavy whipping cream chicken pesto with linguine. Lots of calories, but all within my range for the day.
February 9 - AF
February 10 - 3 drinks
February 11 - AF
February 12 - AF
February 13 - 3 drinks
February 14 - AF
February 15 - AF -
Mulled wine at my house tomorrow, in between the snowmobile events, bands and fireworks. (We will be out standing in the snow, the streets are closed for the event). The mulled wine will simmer all day. Really looking forward to some wintery fun and the smell that my house will take on from the cinnamon and cloves, oranges, port and wine. I like that I have known about it for weeks and am happy to have racked up AF days this month. If I don't feel well Sunday morning I will just stay in bed.
February 16 - Mulled wine over the course of 8 hours. Kept it topped up every time we came back to my house out of the snow in between events. I actually am not sure how much I had. It was delicious. I don't mind having mulled wine once a year. There is a bunch left over though...
February 17 - 1/2 of a Caesar out at dinner, then 3 drinks later. Plus I ate a bunch of the strained oranges out of the leftover mulled wine lol. 2 glasses of that left, planning to drink them on Wednesday, put it in the fridge. It has been a really fun BC family day weekend. I do feel good to be moderating. I still feel like having drinks every day, but just don't anymore.
February 18 - AF
February 19 - AF
February 20 - AF
February 21 - AF
February 22 - planned night out - Over the 8 hours: 1 glass of the leftover mulled wine (there is still more) then 2 glasses of wine and 2 drinks. Up almost 2 pounds the next morning, all the more reason for lots of AF days.
February 23 - AF
February 24 - 3 drinks
February 25
February 26
February 27
February 28
Running tab: 15 AF days out of 24 days - need at least 1 more AF days to hit my goal for the month. Having a goal helps so much with accountability.2 -
FeelinFooFoo wrote: »My first time being out with my brother for food and not ordering alcohol....
Complete ! 😎 another wee milestone for me. Dining out without alcohol. Didn't think it was possible only a couple months back.
Way to go @FeelinFooFoo. YES it really is possible. Big congrats to you. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟3 -
Thank you for sharing your journeys. Some of you have this down, some are doing one step forward, one step back, but we are all in this together. I can’t tell you how much it means to me!
I need a better plan for weekends. Friday night I stayed in and cooked- and drank 3 glasses of wine. Saturday night at a wedding I had 4 drinks. That 2.5 lb weight loss from last week? GONE! Back to my original weight. I know I am only trying to lose those last 5 pounds but I keep screwing this up and sabotaging my hard work all week. Im frustrated with myself.
I seemed to have conquered the weekdays with going AF, but weekends I’m over drinking, then overeating, waking up puffy and heavier! *beats head against wall*.
Sigh. This weekend I am going to limit to 2 wines Friday night, 2 Saturday, one Sunday tops. Pray for me!
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Thank you for sharing your journeys. Some of you have this down, some are doing one step forward, one step back, but we are all in this together. I can’t tell you how much it means to me!
I need a better plan for weekends. Friday night I stayed in and cooked- and drank 3 glasses of wine. Saturday night at a wedding I had 4 drinks. That 2.5 lb weight loss from last week? GONE! Back to my original weight. I know I am only trying to lose those last 5 pounds but I keep screwing this up and sabotaging my hard work all week. Im frustrated with myself.
I seemed to have conquered the weekdays with going AF, but weekends I’m over drinking, then overeating, waking up puffy and heavier! *beats head against wall*.
Sigh. This weekend I am going to limit to 2 wines Friday night, 2 Saturday, one Sunday tops. Pray for me!
I hear ya! I think that's why were all here.
But here's what I felt today.... I see AF and want that! I have felt like I've failed when I can't achieve that, but today I remembered, this thread is "less" alcohol. That I am getting better at.
Overall, that 2.5 pounds will be dropped again.
You will make better strides in the future.
🙏🙏6 -
Goal: 4AF days per week. It is a short month.
February 1 - 3 drinks
February 2 - AF
February 3 - 3 drinks - Superbowl was boring this year. I have to rack up some AF days!
February 4 - AF
February 5 - AF
February 6 - AF
February 7 - 3 drinks
February 8 - AF, but was planning on some champagne in the bubble bath. I had such a nice dinner that I didn't have any calories left for champagne - heavy whipping cream chicken pesto with linguine. Lots of calories, but all within my range for the day.
February 9 - AF
February 10 - 3 drinks
February 11 - AF
February 12 - AF
February 13 - 3 drinks
February 14 - AF
February 15 - AF -
Mulled wine at my house tomorrow, in between the snowmobile events, bands and fireworks. (We will be out standing in the snow, the streets are closed for the event). The mulled wine will simmer all day. Really looking forward to some wintery fun and the smell that my house will take on from the cinnamon and cloves, oranges, port and wine. I like that I have known about it for weeks and am happy to have racked up AF days this month. If I don't feel well Sunday morning I will just stay in bed.
February 16 - Mulled wine over the course of 8 hours. Kept it topped up every time we came back to my house out of the snow in between events. I actually am not sure how much I had. It was delicious. I don't mind having mulled wine once a year. There is a bunch left over though...
February 17 - 1/2 of a Caesar out at dinner, then 3 drinks later. Plus I ate a bunch of the strained oranges out of the leftover mulled wine lol. 2 glasses of that left, planning to drink them on Wednesday, put it in the fridge. It has been a really fun BC family day weekend. I do feel good to be moderating. I still feel like having drinks every day, but just don't anymore.
February 18 - AF
February 19 - AF
February 20 - AF
February 21 - AF
February 22 - planned night out - Over the 8 hours: 1 glass of the leftover mulled wine (there is still more) then 2 glasses of wine and 2 drinks. Up almost 2 pounds the next morning, all the more reason for lots of AF days.
February 23 - AF
February 24 - 3 drinks
February 25 - AF
February 26
February 27
February 28
Running tab: 16 AF days out of 25 days - hit my goal for the month. Having a goal helps so much with accountability.3 -
Here is a reminder what our thread is all about (taken from page 1 at the beginning of every new month).
We have always encouraged people to seek their own path and goals. Please do not feel failure if you are not to where you would like to be yet. Rome was not built in a day.
Also having the word "less" instead of "no" is our deal breaker. A good example is a person that drinks twice a month ( to many that is not much alcohol at all, but to that person it IS), if they choose less, then once a month or none a month is their path. 😊
Life with Less Alcohol:
*There is no benefit to comparing yourself to others because this is a personal journey.
*You may often feel conflicted. You will know that there are numerous real benefits to sticking to your goal while at the same time think that alcohol is an important part of stress relief, relaxation, celebration, etc.
*You may feel punished by not drinking or drinking less but that feeling usually fades with time.
*Sometimes drinking less or quitting will strain friendships that centered around alcohol.
*Having a list of reasons to stick to your goals handy for yourself can be helpful. Some lists have included remembering how bad it feels to have a hangover, excess/unwanted calories, having a racing heart during the night, sleeplessness, anxiety, and depression.
*It is a good idea to have a plan for how you might deal with various tempting scenarios before engaging in a social situation.
*Self-Reflection is an important part of the journey. Once we figure out why we drink we can hopefully use that information to form new habits and make better and more mindful decisions.
*Sometimes doing something nice for yourself like a little reward for a success makes the journey easier.
*You will see many helpful suggestions and ideas that work for some people. However, finding what tactics work for you may involve some trial and error.
*It is not uncommon for certain activities that were once combined with alcohol to trigger temptation. Many have said that outdoor activities in warmer weather made alcohol very tempting.
*Many that have spent time with no alcohol after drinking again realized that it doesn't enhance experiences like they once believed it did. Some have said they no longer like the taste.
*Don't forget how sticking to your goal has made your life better and remember it to motivate you again if you fall off your path
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*If you begin drinking daily again whether planned like a vacation or unplanned you may once again face a struggle to get it under control.
*For some people it is easier to not drink than it is to moderate drinking. Others have found moderating impossible.
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February accountability ~25 days so far
No Alcohol: 14 days
Alcohol: 11 days (21 drinks)
Goal: AF days 4 per week / 16 per month
You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine. - John C. MaxwellIncluding the last few days of January to monitor my weekly goal which I surpassed!Starting this week I need 3 days to reach my 16 AF days for this month! I can do it!
Jan 28 - AF
Jan 29 - AF ! Yeah me! Dining Out group.
Jan 30 - AF Office celebration mexican restaurant without margaritas
Jan 31 - Planned 2 but kept to 1 glass wine! Celebrating retirement from company after 30 years
Feb 1 - AF
Feb 2 - AF Brunch without mimosas
Feb 3 - AF
Hit my target of 4 AF days per week again! This is getting easier. It is all about balancing my life choices.
Feb 4 - AF
Feb 5 - AF - I wanted a bottle of wine but we didn’t buy it.
Feb 6 - AF - DH wanted a bottle of wine but we passed.
Feb 7 - Bunco: 2 glasses wine (planned for 1 but poured myself a 2nd out of habit)
Feb 8 - 2 glasses wine
Feb 9 - AF
Feb 10 - AF
Not a good week. Only 2 AF days when the target it 4 for the week. But I’m still good for achieving the monthly goal. And the previous 2 weeks I was 5-6 AF days each week. The camp is definitely a challenge!
Feb 11 - AF
Feb 12 - AF
Feb 13 - 3 glasses wine. DD moving day. DD’s thank you for us caring for their dog for 3 days while they packed and then helping with the move all day … was wine, pizza & Randazzo’s king cake. DH & my first date Feb 13 seems like a zillion years ago.
Note: Challenging weekend ahead (next 4 nights). Usually I have 3-5 drinks per night at the fishing camp. Plus my sister will be there and she brought bottles of wine. Plan 1 drink per evening.
Feb 14 - 2 beers sunset at the fishing camp this weekend
Feb 15 - 1 glass of wine with Mom's 82nd birthday dinner
Feb 16 - 1 beer
Feb 17 - 2 beer
Missing my goal for this week again. That does not mean that I cannot get closer. Another chance tonight for no wine! Will power since we have company for dinner.
Feb 18 - 3 glasses of wine. Bookclub: Turned out the hostess had a company come in and do a surprise wine tasting session.
Feb 19 - AF
Feb 20 - AF Bookclub & annual physical
Feb 21 - 2 glasses of wine - Alumnae Meeting called For the Love of Wine & Girl Scout Cookies … this pairing tasting could be a real challenge!
Feb 22 - 2 glasses of wine - dinner & movie celebrate daughter’s bday
Feb 23 - 1 glass of wine
Feb 24 - AF
Feb 25 - AF
Feb 26 -
Feb 27 -
Feb 28 - @ fishing camp for long weekend
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AbandondedKSCharger wrote: »Good morning, question, do we continue on this thread for March, or do you create a new discussion group?
There is a new separate thread each month. I started here around the last few days of December and stuck with it through the Jan and Feb thread. I'll be back too for March!
You are doing a great job in being accountable. I love your comment about being clear headed.
I too feel that way given I went 2017-2018 with a drink in hand every day. I could count on one hand AF each year. Now I have this goal of 16 days per month and it feels so good to work toward it with the weekly goal of 4 per week edging me closer so I'm not having to give up alcohol for the 2nd half of the month LOL.
I see that you are doing similar goals!! CONGRATULATIONS on reaching 16 AF days this month!
Good luck! Baby steps!!2 -
Thank you for sharing your journeys. Some of you have this down, some are doing one step forward, one step back, but we are all in this together. I can’t tell you how much it means to me!
I need a better plan for weekends. Friday night I stayed in and cooked- and drank 3 glasses of wine. Saturday night at a wedding I had 4 drinks. That 2.5 lb weight loss from last week? GONE! Back to my original weight. I know I am only trying to lose those last 5 pounds but I keep screwing this up and sabotaging my hard work all week. Im frustrated with myself.
I seemed to have conquered the weekdays with going AF, but weekends I’m over drinking, then overeating, waking up puffy and heavier! *beats head against wall*.
Sigh. This weekend I am going to limit to 2 wines Friday night, 2 Saturday, one Sunday tops. Pray for me!
Good luck!!! I like your plan for next weekend!!! I need a plan since I'll be facing 4 nights at the fishing camp again where we use to drink heavily. I struggle too with limiting my wine to 1 glass or even 2. DH and I started only buying 1 bottle when we decided to have wine instead of refilling our wine rack each week. This next weekend I'm thinking about drinking PEACE Tea Caddyshack which is tea & lemonade in my wine glass and try that out a couple of nights. The stemless wine glasses at the camp are tinged teal so really only I would know and I would still maybe feel like I'm part of the gang.
Weight loss and wine consumption (additional calories) go hand in hand with my weekly weight loss as well. I'm now down 10 lbs this year!!! 2 weeks of small gains when I drank more than expected (which also meant I was eating more) need to be taken out of my habits. I gain each time I'm at the fishing camp and since we go often ... this is something I need to tackle head on!
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The end of February is in two days and I have drank 6 days in total this month. I was more mindful about my drinking and never once had a hangover! I didn't lose any weight because I think I was overcompensating for the lack of alcohol with food and I wasn't that strict with my logging. My goal for next month is to keep my number of drinking days to 4 and really get my logging back on track.5
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Good Morning, @Lilylady3k and @MissMay. Wow I just want to give you a hug! You are so inspirational.
So here is my excitement from yesterday.
I started the day saying I was going to go AF. Because I wanted it.
But remembering my success does not have to be AF. I had started this journey with the goal of limiting myself to 2 or 3 beers per weeknight.
So I decided it was ok to stop and buy a 12 pack. Even though there was an underlying anxiousness that I would have 5 or 6.
But I had enough errands after work to get me home an hour later, which helps.
But, although I had a stressed day, again, I DID IT!! I had only 3 beers. It felt great! I was tired when ready for bed. Thought about getting that 4th one, but didn't. I felt so good. And today too
Making those baby steps
Thank you for listening 6 -
AbandondedKSCharger wrote: »Good Morning, @Lilylady3k and @MissMay. Wow I just want to give you a hug! You are so inspirational.
So here is my excitement from yesterday.
I started the day saying I was going to go AF. Because I wanted it.
But remembering my success does not have to be AF. I had started this journey with the goal of limiting myself to 2 or 3 beers per weeknight.
So I decided it was ok to stop and buy a 12 pack. Even though there was an underlying anxiousness that I would have 5 or 6.
But I had enough errands after work to get me home an hour later, which helps.
But, although I had a stressed day, again, I DID IT!! I had only 3 beers. It felt great! I was tired when ready for bed. Thought about getting that 4th one, but didn't. I felt so good. And today too
Making those baby steps
Thank you for listening
Way to go @AbandondedKSCharger. See, you don't need to put extra stress on yourself by trying to live up to unrealistic goals. Less is less. It could be that you decided to drink only half a can or bottle of beer instead of an entire one. And that would be less. Baby steps absolutely. No pressure here. Go at your own pace like you did yesterday. Woot-woot!4 -
AbandondedKSCharger wrote: »Good Morning, @Lilylady3k and @MissMay. Wow I just want to give you a hug! You are so inspirational.
So here is my excitement from yesterday.
I started the day saying I was going to go AF. Because I wanted it.
But remembering my success does not have to be AF. I had started this journey with the goal of limiting myself to 2 or 3 beers per weeknight.
So I decided it was ok to stop and buy a 12 pack. Even though there was an underlying anxiousness that I would have 5 or 6.
But I had enough errands after work to get me home an hour later, which helps.
But, although I had a stressed day, again, I DID IT!! I had only 3 beers. It felt great! I was tired when ready for bed. Thought about getting that 4th one, but didn't. I felt so good. And today too
Making those baby steps
Thank you for listening
Baby steps indeed! Congrats on not feeling the need to polish off what you purchased!1 -
Trying so hard to find out how to add myself to this but cannot find it lol. What I struggle with most with weightloss is beer.
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So far, 13 AF days this month. Had 4 In December and 5 in January....think i'm on the right track!
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@Smalltownfamilyof6 Me too. On the up side of that. I started drinking home alone about 15 years ago. Kids went to college and hubby was on the road. I was now ready to relive my 20's that I spent parenting. I started with the weekend milk and kahlua, some rum, then visiting wineries. Then it was on. I spent a good 10 years drinking wine almost every night, unless I was still hungover. Yes, all while maintaining my job. Crazy. Just crazy. Who knew then it would be such a long bumpy road. Anyways, two years ago, I can remember wanting so bad to quit craving wine. It haunted me. Slowly, over time, all of a sudden, I found I was having only one bottle of wine a week, then I have even gone a Friday night without it. Of course something had to take it's place though. BEER! But, I WILL over time, also get this in control. Because of this group here. I am finding progress in just the short month we've been here.Smalltownfamilyof6 wrote: »Trying so hard to find out how to add myself to this but cannot find it lol. What I struggle with most with weightloss is beer.
Also, I want to make sure I understand what you're saying when you said, "trying so hard to find out how to add myself". Do you mean to the March thread? If so, I don't think it's been created yet. Have a great day/evening. You have a great hiking trip to look forward to
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Smalltownfamilyof6 wrote: »Trying so hard to find out how to add myself to this but cannot find it lol. What I struggle with most with weightloss is beer.
@Smalltownfamilyof6 your already added!!! All you had to do was post. WELCOME.
If you have not seen page one of this thread...check it out. There are so many helpful resources that cover everyone's different roads they want to travel down to drink LESS.
Post as often as you want.3 -
mabelsdaddy wrote: »So far, 13 AF days this month. Had 4 In December and 5 in January....think i'm on the right track!
That is a very impressive number indeed. It keeps going up every month since December. The train has left the station and taken the right track for sure. Nice work!2 -
nvasquez41 wrote: »The end of February is in two days and I have drank 6 days in total this month. I was more mindful about my drinking and never once had a hangover! I didn't lose any weight because I think I was overcompensating for the lack of alcohol with food and I wasn't that strict with my logging. My goal for next month is to keep my number of drinking days to 4 and really get my logging back on track.
Awesome goals. Congrats on your 6 day total for the month. So great to know your still following in here.0
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