Less Alcohol - JULY 2019 - One Day at a Time

Have we now turned into NA beer conny-sewers ?? If the AF Coors or Amber O'D keeps me from going down to my wine cellar to fetch a bottle of Chianti, pass me my brass fish church key one more time !! It seems to help me to KNOW I have a few bottles stashed down there...allays the panicky " want-it-don't-have-it-and-I've-already-drunk-the-sherry-I-store-my-fresh-ginger-in " feeling.
Stopped counting days since I had alcohol. It's been weeks and now I wish I had marked a calendar so I could pat myself on the back like I used to when I had about 7 months AF. [smiling and shaking my head at my own stupid]. Then I tried moderation a few times and found that THAT is sometimes harder than abstinence.

About the mint. One year I had a bumper crop [Ha !! when is mint NOT a bumper crop] and hung huge stems of it under a porch roof to dry. Now it goes on an ironing board in an unused room where I dry my oregano and thyme...Makes a terrific tea. Especially when combined with loose Belgian Chocolate tea. Maybe will try to grow more "flavors" if summer lasts a few more weeks here.

@NotButtUgly ...love your avatar ...LOL...water is your friend...I actually kept a 24 ounce glass on my kitchen counter at all times when I lost 30 pounds during my 7 month AF period. Very Alice In Wonderland DRINK ME on the side. Sip, refill, repeat.

Finally a few cool days, time to go out and stack some more wood for the winter.

I am going to continue into July with a goal of 4-5 AF days per week. It is great to be able to check in here each day. Thank you for looking after us @MissMay : - )

May - 18 AF days
June - 16 AF days - Really had to backload that one! It was nearing the end of the month and I was only at 12 AF days. Maybe going to try to get more in at the beginning of the month this time, so if invited for wine or a cocktail party with gfs later in the month I can actually go.

July 01 - AF
July 02 - AF - Guess that I will start my tally at the bottom : - ) I realize now that 16AF days (4 per week) in a 31 day month is like having drinks every second day!
July 03 - AF - Today was no problem to be AF, but yesterday was a long hard day and I really felt like kicking back and having a couple of drinks - I just didn't. I even bought some of that fake beer that I have heard some of you talking about (I got Grolsch) - but it didn't occur to me to go to the fridge and have it. I am not a beer drinker, so I guess that it wouldn't have really been a substitute for a brandy or a glass of red wine : - P
July 04 - 3 drinks
July 05 - AF
July 06 - 3 drinks
July 07 - AF
July 08 - AF - Um, I saw Kombucha being made on a TV show, sorry y'all that like it, but whoa, ick! : - P
July 09 - AF
July 10 - AF - I had a nice steak for dinner and wanted a glass of Merlot or Cab with it, but didn't want to open a whole bottle (partially to prevent having drinks 2 days in a row) to have a glass or two. So I remembered the fake beer that I bought, the Grolsch and thought that might be a different thing to have. Firstly, it is 150 calories for one! I don't really drink beer anyway, but a light beer has like half of the calories of that. I figured maybe I would just drink half of it to save calories. Anyway, I poured out a bit in a glass and tasted it. Oh my, it was a Radler! I didn't like it, so didn't drink it. I may buy some more fake beer, but will be more careful at looking at the label. is there fake wine? Lol, I know that there can't be fake brandy, which is what I really prefer.
July 11 - 3 drinks
July 12 - AF - Had a fake beer, Labbatt Blue. It was actually pretty good. 50 calories, so it didn't break the bank. Mojitos planned for tomrrow, my mint is perfect in my garden. By this time last year I had many many Mojitos. This will be the first for this summer.
July 13 - 3 drinks - haven't had the mojitos with my own mint yet, maybe next weekend.
July 14 - AF
July 15 - AF
July 16 - 3 drinks - I think that if I am going to have a few drinks a couple of days a week Tuesdays have to be included. It is my long tough day of the week, and I have so far not allowed myself to have drinks on Tuesdays even though that is the day where I really really feel like it. I must say that it was really nice to have a few. Good taste, nice relaxing feeling, great sleep. It was better than a chamomile tea. Time to rack up some ore AF days now. I feel confident that I will reach the 16-20 AF days for the month.
July 17 - AF
July 18 - 3 drinks - It showed on the scale this morning. My objective for drinking less is to lose weight, and this affirms it.
July 19 - AF - I always feel like having drinks the day after having drinks, but I like not having a puffy face and belly better and I have somewhere to go tomorrow, plus I have tentative plans for Mojitos some time this weekend so needed to rack up an AF day. Also, no drinks 2 days in a row or the 3rd day is really tough to accomplish.
July 20 - AF - Had another fake beer. Pretty good. The Labatt kind comes in a 6 pack bottles and is $7.99, which is way cheaper than real beer in Canada. I think for the real Labatt Blue it might be around $14.00, but I am not sure, I don't think that I have ever bought it. Booze is very expensive in Canada for those of you that didn't know that. I may just have another, kind of thirsty and only 50 calories ; - )
July 21 - 4 drinks! - They were spaced out, but anything over 3 drinks and I puke usually. Of course I feel yucky today. I did not throw up, but had to lay down with bed spins. I definitely did not eat enough yesterday which contributed.
July 22 - AF
July 23 - AF - still haven't had a Mojito yet, I had probably had 50 of them by this time last summer. Hopefully the mint doesn't wilt before I finally have one. I have tried them with grocery store mint, and it does not taste good. The mint in my garden is so much better. This year on top of my perrenial mint, I am growing some interesting varieties in pots, like Strawberry mint and Berries and Cream, along with the usual Orange Mint and Chocolate mint. I have been chewing it all, just haven't turned any of them into a cocktail yet. Not the same without the rum. Hmm, maybe rum extract? I will think about that.
July 24 - 3 drinks
July 25 - AF - I have passed my AF tally of last month which ended with 16AF days. Planned Mojito making on Saturday, so want to be AF tomorrow too.
July 26 - 3 drinks. Had planned on AF, but didn't. All of you in the East have been having a heat wave all summer and we pretty much just got summer here in the West today. Will power failed. Planned Mojito day tomorrow, so it will be two in a row which should be avoided because then day 3 it is too easy to have drinks. But yay, we finally got summer here! Went to the lake, resisted the first 5 drinks that I was offered, but then just decided to have a few. All good.

Running total: 17 AF days out of 26 days so far.

7/4 - AF
7/5 - bad
7/6 - kept to my goal of waiting till night time for 2 drinks
7/7 - AF
7/8 - 3 drinks
7/9 - AF - YAY!
7/10 - 1 small drink
7/11 - drank
7/12 - drank
7/13 - AF
7/14 - AF
7/15 - AF
7/16 - 1.5 drinks!
7/17 - AF
7/18 - 1.5 drinks
7/19 - 1.5 drinks
7/20 - 😶 bad
7/21 - 1 😕
Reboot!
7/22 - AF
7/23 - AF
7/24 - AF
7/25 - AF - woohoo! Feeling good and proud of not drinking all week.
7/26 - 3.5ish drinks
7/27 - 3 drinks

Okay so I was going to do M-F alcohol free but decided along with my husband to do Sun-Th and have our allowed drinking days Friday and Saturday that way we wouldn't be drinking on a work night Sunday. I did allow some drinks over the weekend and did alright. Waited till the evening and only had a few, I should have done a little less on Friday but I still felt find the next morning. No drinks today and into the week. Back to the workouts today (took yesterday off).

Hope everyone had a good weekend! 🤗

NotButtUgly wrote: »

I had good intentions of not drinking anything over the weekend with an Epic fail! It's a new day and I plan to get on board in August!

I didnt do too hot either. Like you said it's a new day for us! We can do it! 😬🙌🏻💥

I just returned from a long and stressful work trip and while I was good the first day, I was not yet ready to be in that situation, you know the kind where it's required to show up to the late dinner event that drags on for too many hours and you get handed glasses of wine. I wanted to stay in my hotel room and not go because at the end of a long day and stressful trip, willpower for me weakened and I knew I would cave in. Anyway, I am back to my normal routine and plan to get back to doubling my "AF" days. I see it's almost August so good time to pick myself up and get going.

mainelylisa wrote: »

Hi everyone. I love how everyone here is sharing...the Good, Bad, and yes, Ugly, or even reading others' stories. It means you've become aware of alcohol being a little too mainstream in your life for your comfort level. I started off here this month with a pretty ugly story.

Since then, I've been on a drinking break. I knew that putting down the glass (ok, who are we kidding--bottle) meant picking up something else. I've been stuck for years in this mid-life funk. So, I've made a few changes that I really don't think I could have/would have made if still drinking an average of 3ish drinks a day. Eating and exercising more healthfully. Discovering Kombucha. Sleeping late without guilt. Bought a NICE camera and getting back to my creative outlet. Camping unplugged (but not uncorked!) I probably would have missed the moose crossing the lake had I been digging for an opener (oh, who are we kidding again--I switched to screwtops a year ago to ensure easy access). Started a Meetup series on Midlife Design (first meeting tonight!).

So if you're feeling a little stuck, consider picking something up for those times you're putting down a glass or bottle. Even if it's just glorious sleep!

Love it!!! Good for you Lisa!

I am going to continue into July with a goal of 4-5 AF days per week. It is great to be able to check in here each day. Thank you for looking after us @MissMay : - )

May - 18 AF days
June - 16 AF days - Really had to backload that one! It was nearing the end of the month and I was only at 12 AF days. Maybe going to try to get more in at the beginning of the month this time, so if invited for wine or a cocktail party with gfs later in the month I can actually go.

July 01 - AF
July 02 - AF - Guess that I will start my tally at the bottom : - ) I realize now that 16AF days (4 per week) in a 31 day month is like having drinks every second day!
July 03 - AF - Today was no problem to be AF, but yesterday was a long hard day and I really felt like kicking back and having a couple of drinks - I just didn't. I even bought some of that fake beer that I have heard some of you talking about (I got Grolsch) - but it didn't occur to me to go to the fridge and have it. I am not a beer drinker, so I guess that it wouldn't have really been a substitute for a brandy or a glass of red wine : - P
July 04 - 3 drinks
July 05 - AF
July 06 - 3 drinks
July 07 - AF
July 08 - AF - Um, I saw Kombucha being made on a TV show, sorry y'all that like it, but whoa, ick! : - P
July 09 - AF
July 10 - AF - I had a nice steak for dinner and wanted a glass of Merlot or Cab with it, but didn't want to open a whole bottle (partially to prevent having drinks 2 days in a row) to have a glass or two. So I remembered the fake beer that I bought, the Grolsch and thought that might be a different thing to have. Firstly, it is 150 calories for one! I don't really drink beer anyway, but a light beer has like half of the calories of that. I figured maybe I would just drink half of it to save calories. Anyway, I poured out a bit in a glass and tasted it. Oh my, it was a Radler! I didn't like it, so didn't drink it. I may buy some more fake beer, but will be more careful at looking at the label. is there fake wine? Lol, I know that there can't be fake brandy, which is what I really prefer.
July 11 - 3 drinks
July 12 - AF - Had a fake beer, Labbatt Blue. It was actually pretty good. 50 calories, so it didn't break the bank. Mojitos planned for tomrrow, my mint is perfect in my garden. By this time last year I had many many Mojitos. This will be the first for this summer.
July 13 - 3 drinks - haven't had the mojitos with my own mint yet, maybe next weekend.
July 14 - AF
July 15 - AF
July 16 - 3 drinks - I think that if I am going to have a few drinks a couple of days a week Tuesdays have to be included. It is my long tough day of the week, and I have so far not allowed myself to have drinks on Tuesdays even though that is the day where I really really feel like it. I must say that it was really nice to have a few. Good taste, nice relaxing feeling, great sleep. It was better than a chamomile tea. Time to rack up some ore AF days now. I feel confident that I will reach the 16-20 AF days for the month.
July 17 - AF
July 18 - 3 drinks - It showed on the scale this morning. My objective for drinking less is to lose weight, and this affirms it.
July 19 - AF - I always feel like having drinks the day after having drinks, but I like not having a puffy face and belly better and I have somewhere to go tomorrow, plus I have tentative plans for Mojitos some time this weekend so needed to rack up an AF day. Also, no drinks 2 days in a row or the 3rd day is really tough to accomplish.
July 20 - AF - Had another fake beer. Pretty good. The Labatt kind comes in a 6 pack bottles and is $7.99, which is way cheaper than real beer in Canada. I think for the real Labatt Blue it might be around $14.00, but I am not sure, I don't think that I have ever bought it. Booze is very expensive in Canada for those of you that didn't know that. I may just have another, kind of thirsty and only 50 calories ; - )
July 21 - 4 drinks! - They were spaced out, but anything over 3 drinks and I puke usually. Of course I feel yucky today. I did not throw up, but had to lay down with bed spins. I definitely did not eat enough yesterday which contributed.
July 22 - AF
July 23 - AF - still haven't had a Mojito yet, I had probably had 50 of them by this time last summer. Hopefully the mint doesn't wilt before I finally have one. I have tried them with grocery store mint, and it does not taste good. The mint in my garden is so much better. This year on top of my perrenial mint, I am growing some interesting varieties in pots, like Strawberry mint and Berries and Cream, along with the usual Orange Mint and Chocolate mint. I have been chewing it all, just haven't turned any of them into a cocktail yet. Not the same without the rum. Hmm, maybe rum extract? I will think about that.
July 24 - 3 drinks
July 25 - AF - I have passed my AF tally of last month which ended with 16AF days. Planned Mojito making on Saturday, so want to be AF tomorrow too.
July 26 - 3 drinks. Had planned on AF, but didn't. All of you in the East have been having a heat wave all summer and we pretty much just got summer here in the West today. Will power failed. Planned Mojito day tomorrow, so it will be two in a row which should be avoided because then day 3 it is too easy to have drinks. But yay, we finally got summer here! Went to the lake, resisted the first 5 drinks that I was offered, but then just decided to have a few. All good.
July 27 - 3+? drinks. 3 types of Mojitos - Strawberry mint, chocolate mint, Berries and cream mint - but I poured less rum into my shakers, later on I have a couple of other things. So from noon until 10pm, I am not sure exactly how much I consumed. I had water in between and after, and feel okay today. The strawberry mint was getting to the flower stage, so that was the end of that. By this time last summer I had probably had more than 50 Mojitos, so I have definitely used some discipline.
July 28 - AF
July 29 - AF
July 30 - AF - So 20 AF days for the month. I had factored in having drinks on Tuesdays, my super early, long, and stressful day. It is Tuesday, but tomorrow morning is also the last weigh in for the month, so I abstained. Pleased with 20 AF days, up from 16 last month. It is the long weekend coming up, visitors in town, so I might cut myself a little slack, have some bbq and some drinks. We'll see.

Running total: 20 AF days out of 30 days so far.

You know how there is Sober January? Well, next year, I need a Dry July! I only had 8 AF days in all of this July. Way under my goal. I justified it all because we had a lot of parties and dinners out to go to. When we stayed in and cooked, well, hubby opened my favorite wine and of course I “had” to have one. Granted, most nights I only had one glass, but still, totally blew my goal of 4 AF per week. The nights I had 2-3 glasses of wine, well, I felt it the next day!

I'm sure most of y'all are social drinkers, and that's cool. But if you think you've got a problem, don't hesitate to reach out to Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous (depending on the specifics of your problem) for help. I've been clean/sober for 24+ years and I know it works One Day at a Time. The rest of you, enjoy a beer for me