Less Alcohol - SEPTEMBER 2019 - One Day at a Time
MissMay
Posts: 3,750 Member
in Challenges
Do you want to drink less?
Do it because it's a lovely thing to do for yourself! I bet thinking a day off is a sort of punishment hasn't been working.
Be kind to the person you will wake up as.
Join us in drinking less (whatever that means for you) one day at a time as we continue to support and learn from each other.
MFP LESS ALCOHOL ONE DAY AT A TIME
RESOURCE & GENERAL INFORMATION LIST
Remember that we are here for you and care about you. Check in with us when you have time and let us know what you need!
USING OUR THREAD:
Join us at any time - this is a day to day challenge.
Set your own goal - this thread is about drinking less and you decide what that means to you.
There are no scheduled check-ins - post as often or as little as you want or need.
AF is an acronym for Alcohol Free. For others commonly used on this site see - https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1069278/acronyms-and-terms-for-new-mfp-members-v-6/p1
To follow this thread easily, bookmark it by clicking on the star at the top right of this thread.
TIPS & OBSERVATIONS FROM OUR MEMBERS:
Getting Started or Starting Over - The Early Days
Some people find it easier to set small attainable goals at the beginning to help boost confidence.
If you have been drinking daily the first days will be some of the hardest and drinking again will feel like a cure but it delays the relief that only time can provide.
There will always be a reason to delay the start/restart of your journey.
For those ready to commit to being alcohol-free permanently, the videos on YouTube by Craig Beck will help. He also has a program you can join.
You may experience mood swings and anxiety during your first two weeks. It is suggested you try and focus on the benefits of your goal.
Cravings are said to last only 6 minutes, so find something to distract you like arming yourself with alternatives: tea, mock-tails, activities, etc.
You may find that filling the time you drink with other activities like exercise or hobbies can be a helpful distraction.
If you find them tempting try and avoid events/outings that will have drinking for a time.
Don't let pride or shame keep you from asking for the help you need.
Sometimes talking it out or posting your thoughts/feelings/struggles may help you work things out for yourself.
It is okay that you don't always have all the answers.
Some days will be easier than others.
You may have initial/increased sugar cravings.
You should never take a day that you have lived up to your goals for granted.
Celebrate the smaller victories too. Less alcohol is still less alcohol even if your goal was zero at that moment.
Once you begin sticking to your goals for one day to many days you should believe you are capable of the same and more because you are.
Annie Grace (This Naked Mind author) has a free program on her website (https://www.alcoholexperiment.com/) called the 30 day experiment which can be joined anonymously.
Failure is not giving in and drinking. Failure is to stop trying to accomplish your goals.
Life with Less Alcohol
It can be helpful to educate yourself with books and web research (Some suggested books and links listed below).
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.
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.
Reported Benefits of Less or No Drinking: (Results may be incremental, and/or they may vary)
Improved sleep after 2,4,7,10,& 60 days
Improved skin/complexion after 10 days
Improved ease in weight loss. Not only from the savings of alcohol calories but some report making poor food choices after drinking.
Increased energy after as few as 2 days
Increase in other fun activities. Some have found that daily drinking became their main recreational activity and their world was decreased in size.
Increased productivity
Reduction of high blood pressure
Lower resting heart rate
Less Acid Re-flux
Significant financial savings
More creativity
More productivity
Better relationships with family
When Alcohol Is Used for Avoidance by @Orphia:
We drink to ease the stress of the working day, to avoid it.
We drink to avoid anxiety in social situations.
We drink to avoid making decisions about not drinking.
The Takeaway on Avoidance:
Our problems don't go away if we avoid them. We need to learn to face them.
I've learned that not drinking makes the problems often go away (e.g. drinking out of worry about drinking).
Having a clear head makes our problems seem much smaller.
Having a clear head makes problems easier to solve.
How to Be Kind to "Tomorrow You" by @Orphia
Instead of lumbering myself with guilt, headaches, and poor nutrition hangovers in the morning, I think of think how nice it would be not to feel that way tomorrow.
I worry about "me" and don't want "Tomorrow Me" to feel awful.
Instead of thinking alcohol is something nice to have *now*, think of *NOT drinking* as something nice we can do for the person we are when we awaken in the morning.
Do you bank calories for a festive occasion? (Handy tactic, I might add.)
We can bank a good mood for when we wake up.
We need to have sympathy for "Tomorrow You" and be kind to her/him.
Don't look at a day without alcohol as a punishment for being bad or having no willpower.
Not drinking is a lovely, sympathetic gesture towards the person we are now, and whom we will wake up as.
You’d be kind to a stranger. Be kind to Tomorrow You.
LINKS:
A Sharing Site for Women:
http://www.drinkingdiaries.com/about/
General Information/Blog Sites:
https://thesoberschool.com/
http://www.hipsobriety.com/
https://joinclubsoda.co.uk/
https://thisnakedmind.com/blog/
https://alcoholmastery.com/blog/
Sobriety Blog:
http://mummywasasecretdrinker.blogspot.com/
The Thirty Day Experiment:
https://www.alcoholexperiment.com/
Ten Things That Helped Me Quit Booze:
https://unpickledblog.com/2017/01/04/replacement-behaviours-ten-things-that-helped-me-kick-booze/?wref=tp
The Neuroscience Behind How We Make Decisions:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/201505/the-neuroscience-making-decision
Summary of Book on Addiction:
https://drgabormate.com/book/in-the-realm-of-hungry-ghosts/
Article on the Difference Between Being an Alcoholic and Really Liking to Drink:
https://www.self.com/story/alcoholic-or-just-really-like-to-drink
To the Mom questioning her drinking habits:
http://www.scarymommy.com/questioning-drinking-habits/
Guided Meditations:
http://marc.ucla.edu/mindful-meditations
ALTERNATIVE DRINKS:
Overnight Cold Brew Iced Tea:
https://www.splendidtable.org/story/you-can-cold-brew-iced-tea-while-you-sleep
Mocktail Recipes:
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipes/1822/drinks/mocktails/
https://www.foodandwine.com/cocktails-spirits/mocktails
https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/drinks/how-to/g785/best-mocktail-recipes/
APPS:
Daybreak iOS link. A Deakin University study of hundreds of health apps found that Daybreak is one of only four that have proven effective and provide quality assistance.
Dry Days by AlcoChange iOS is for those who want to cut down or cut out the booze throughout the year, while seeing the impact it has on your health and wallet.
nomo - Sobriety Clocks iOS - In addition to an alcohol clock and monetary savings this app lets you check in and do a sobriety exercise if you're tempted, and connect with accountability partners.
Sobriety Counter - Stop Drinking (Sobriety Counter - EasyQuit pro version) Android- Provides health stats, money saved, games to distract you, motivational tips, and several other features
BOOKS:
The Naked Mind by Annie Grace
Alcohol Lied to Me by Craig Beck
Rational Recovery by Jack Trimpey
The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober by Catherine Gray
The Liars Club, Cherry, and Lit by Mary Karr (3 different publications)
Kick the Drink...Easily by Jason Vale
Drinking: A Love Story by Caroline Knapp
Being Sober: A Step-by-Step Guide to Getting To, Getting Through, and Living in Recovery by Harry Haroutunian
The Easy, Illustrated Way to Quit Drinking by Alan Carr
Alcohol Explained by William Porter
Credit and Thanks to the MFP Less Alcohol One Day at a Time participants for their willingness to share their insights and resourcefulness in finding this information.
Do it because it's a lovely thing to do for yourself! I bet thinking a day off is a sort of punishment hasn't been working.
Be kind to the person you will wake up as.
Join us in drinking less (whatever that means for you) one day at a time as we continue to support and learn from each other.
MFP LESS ALCOHOL ONE DAY AT A TIME
RESOURCE & GENERAL INFORMATION LIST
Remember that we are here for you and care about you. Check in with us when you have time and let us know what you need!
USING OUR THREAD:
Join us at any time - this is a day to day challenge.
Set your own goal - this thread is about drinking less and you decide what that means to you.
There are no scheduled check-ins - post as often or as little as you want or need.
AF is an acronym for Alcohol Free. For others commonly used on this site see - https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1069278/acronyms-and-terms-for-new-mfp-members-v-6/p1
To follow this thread easily, bookmark it by clicking on the star at the top right of this thread.
TIPS & OBSERVATIONS FROM OUR MEMBERS:
Getting Started or Starting Over - The Early Days
Some people find it easier to set small attainable goals at the beginning to help boost confidence.
If you have been drinking daily the first days will be some of the hardest and drinking again will feel like a cure but it delays the relief that only time can provide.
There will always be a reason to delay the start/restart of your journey.
For those ready to commit to being alcohol-free permanently, the videos on YouTube by Craig Beck will help. He also has a program you can join.
You may experience mood swings and anxiety during your first two weeks. It is suggested you try and focus on the benefits of your goal.
Cravings are said to last only 6 minutes, so find something to distract you like arming yourself with alternatives: tea, mock-tails, activities, etc.
You may find that filling the time you drink with other activities like exercise or hobbies can be a helpful distraction.
If you find them tempting try and avoid events/outings that will have drinking for a time.
Don't let pride or shame keep you from asking for the help you need.
Sometimes talking it out or posting your thoughts/feelings/struggles may help you work things out for yourself.
It is okay that you don't always have all the answers.
Some days will be easier than others.
You may have initial/increased sugar cravings.
You should never take a day that you have lived up to your goals for granted.
Celebrate the smaller victories too. Less alcohol is still less alcohol even if your goal was zero at that moment.
Once you begin sticking to your goals for one day to many days you should believe you are capable of the same and more because you are.
Annie Grace (This Naked Mind author) has a free program on her website (https://www.alcoholexperiment.com/) called the 30 day experiment which can be joined anonymously.
Failure is not giving in and drinking. Failure is to stop trying to accomplish your goals.
Life with Less Alcohol
It can be helpful to educate yourself with books and web research (Some suggested books and links listed below).
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.
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.
Reported Benefits of Less or No Drinking: (Results may be incremental, and/or they may vary)
Improved sleep after 2,4,7,10,& 60 days
Improved skin/complexion after 10 days
Improved ease in weight loss. Not only from the savings of alcohol calories but some report making poor food choices after drinking.
Increased energy after as few as 2 days
Increase in other fun activities. Some have found that daily drinking became their main recreational activity and their world was decreased in size.
Increased productivity
Reduction of high blood pressure
Lower resting heart rate
Less Acid Re-flux
Significant financial savings
More creativity
More productivity
Better relationships with family
When Alcohol Is Used for Avoidance by @Orphia:
We drink to ease the stress of the working day, to avoid it.
We drink to avoid anxiety in social situations.
We drink to avoid making decisions about not drinking.
The Takeaway on Avoidance:
Our problems don't go away if we avoid them. We need to learn to face them.
I've learned that not drinking makes the problems often go away (e.g. drinking out of worry about drinking).
Having a clear head makes our problems seem much smaller.
Having a clear head makes problems easier to solve.
How to Be Kind to "Tomorrow You" by @Orphia
Instead of lumbering myself with guilt, headaches, and poor nutrition hangovers in the morning, I think of think how nice it would be not to feel that way tomorrow.
I worry about "me" and don't want "Tomorrow Me" to feel awful.
Instead of thinking alcohol is something nice to have *now*, think of *NOT drinking* as something nice we can do for the person we are when we awaken in the morning.
Do you bank calories for a festive occasion? (Handy tactic, I might add.)
We can bank a good mood for when we wake up.
We need to have sympathy for "Tomorrow You" and be kind to her/him.
Don't look at a day without alcohol as a punishment for being bad or having no willpower.
Not drinking is a lovely, sympathetic gesture towards the person we are now, and whom we will wake up as.
You’d be kind to a stranger. Be kind to Tomorrow You.
LINKS:
A Sharing Site for Women:
http://www.drinkingdiaries.com/about/
General Information/Blog Sites:
https://thesoberschool.com/
http://www.hipsobriety.com/
https://joinclubsoda.co.uk/
https://thisnakedmind.com/blog/
https://alcoholmastery.com/blog/
Sobriety Blog:
http://mummywasasecretdrinker.blogspot.com/
The Thirty Day Experiment:
https://www.alcoholexperiment.com/
Ten Things That Helped Me Quit Booze:
https://unpickledblog.com/2017/01/04/replacement-behaviours-ten-things-that-helped-me-kick-booze/?wref=tp
The Neuroscience Behind How We Make Decisions:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/201505/the-neuroscience-making-decision
Summary of Book on Addiction:
https://drgabormate.com/book/in-the-realm-of-hungry-ghosts/
Article on the Difference Between Being an Alcoholic and Really Liking to Drink:
https://www.self.com/story/alcoholic-or-just-really-like-to-drink
To the Mom questioning her drinking habits:
http://www.scarymommy.com/questioning-drinking-habits/
Guided Meditations:
http://marc.ucla.edu/mindful-meditations
ALTERNATIVE DRINKS:
Overnight Cold Brew Iced Tea:
https://www.splendidtable.org/story/you-can-cold-brew-iced-tea-while-you-sleep
Mocktail Recipes:
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipes/1822/drinks/mocktails/
https://www.foodandwine.com/cocktails-spirits/mocktails
https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/drinks/how-to/g785/best-mocktail-recipes/
APPS:
Daybreak iOS link. A Deakin University study of hundreds of health apps found that Daybreak is one of only four that have proven effective and provide quality assistance.
Dry Days by AlcoChange iOS is for those who want to cut down or cut out the booze throughout the year, while seeing the impact it has on your health and wallet.
nomo - Sobriety Clocks iOS - In addition to an alcohol clock and monetary savings this app lets you check in and do a sobriety exercise if you're tempted, and connect with accountability partners.
Sobriety Counter - Stop Drinking (Sobriety Counter - EasyQuit pro version) Android- Provides health stats, money saved, games to distract you, motivational tips, and several other features
BOOKS:
The Naked Mind by Annie Grace
Alcohol Lied to Me by Craig Beck
Rational Recovery by Jack Trimpey
The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober by Catherine Gray
The Liars Club, Cherry, and Lit by Mary Karr (3 different publications)
Kick the Drink...Easily by Jason Vale
Drinking: A Love Story by Caroline Knapp
Being Sober: A Step-by-Step Guide to Getting To, Getting Through, and Living in Recovery by Harry Haroutunian
The Easy, Illustrated Way to Quit Drinking by Alan Carr
Alcohol Explained by William Porter
Credit and Thanks to the MFP Less Alcohol One Day at a Time participants for their willingness to share their insights and resourcefulness in finding this information.
6
Replies
-
WELCOME
4 -
I'm in!
January-0 drink days
February-2 drink days
March-0 drink days
April-0 drink days
May-0 drink days
June-2 drink days
July-7 drink days!!!😣
August-0 drink days9 -
I'm in. Time to think about me and my future.6
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I'm in too. August was a good comeback -so far AF 9 out of past 10 days. I originally had planned today to be a "drinking day". For what? To reward myself for being good, for putting in a bunch of AF days in a row? Now I realize how illogical my thinking was. No wonder I wasn't getting anywhere, I kept on rewarding my good behavior with drinking days. Drinking today would be too much of a risk at this point, I am now on a roll and want to ride this momentum. It feels really too good to risk.11
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Cool, joining in. Recently started back on cutting drinking in Aug. Will make Sep alcohol free with exception of one day which a special event in my life7
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I'm in! After over indulging my way through august I think I've drunk most days..... in sept I'd like to try and only drink one day per weekend and see how attainable that is.....8
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I'm in! It sounds like a great way to reduce empty calories and be healthier overall.6
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I’m in!5
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New month, new day , new season approaching time for NEW changes for a healthier and happier us.
Last night I ran into a friend I had not seen in several months. He looked incredible. His clothes were hanging off him, but his face was radiant and he was up beat. I asked what was going on? I cut back on everything and lost 40 pounds, I decided to change my life he replied. I have been living it wrong for over 40 years. I want to be happy. I do not drink like I used to he said.
This was a very touching moment for me. Not to long ago this man had been drinking up to 9 coffee brandy pints a night. He would then turn mean. He would try to drive his car. He would lose his drivers license and so on.
Now....there I was having a pleasant normal conversation with this changed man.
It does not happen over night. It happens slowly with lots of thought process. But we get there. WELCOME everyone!11 -
I’m in for September, and am happy to see you all here! 14/31 AF days in August for me, which, considering I was on vacation, is a huge improvement over July!
This AF thing is not always easy, and kudos to us all for even having it on our radar. Sometimes I have wine and say “bleeeech, why did I ever think this tasted good” and other times, it’s delicious and I like how it makes me feel. The only thing that is a constant is the poor quality sleep (even after just one!) and looking haggard the next day. Again, it’s not because I’ve been on a bender, but because of one or two drinks. It’s hard work for our bodies to remove a toxin!5 -
I was tempted to have a gin and tonic after gardening, but knew I’d have wine with dinner out tonight so I just stuck to seltzer and cranberry. Only one glass of wine tonight. Yay!5
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I'm back. I fell off the wagon the last three days of the month completely. But it's a new month, and I've already started it off with 1 day AF. Let's keep going.5
-
yotetrapper wrote: »I'm back. I fell off the wagon the last three days of the month completely. But it's a new month, and I've already started it off with 1 day AF. Let's keep going.
Each new day is a new opportunity to choose what is best for us. Good job on 1 day AF!1 -
Thanks for the thread @MissMay
As usual, I am going to work on 4-5 AF days per week.
I managed 18AF days out of 31 for August somehow.
I am going away the last week of September and first week of October, and I will be in a bathing suit every day, so am wanting to rack up lots of AF days before that.
September 01 - Sunday 5 drinks! (Saturday between 1pm and 1am at the music festival I had 7 drinks and didn't even throw up strangely). Drinks 2 days in a row is such a no-no, it makes it become normal to have drinks on the 3rd day 4th day etc. But I won't.4 -
It’s been awhile since I’ve been on this app but I recalled seeing challenges that supported less alcohol intake and I just knew I wanted to be apart of this come Fall -I want to throw myself behind more healthful ways and I know deep down that means cutting out alcohol-perhaps not fully, but I am 💯 committed to an alcohol-free September-so far so good -going to reset my body and mind over the next month and go from there. Looking forward to sharing my observations and being a part of some like-minded people who all have varying goals.4
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Wanted a glass of wine tonight but didn’t. The feeling passed, and now I’m glad I didn’t go over my calories for the day in the name of a glass of wine.5
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yotetrapper wrote: »I'm back. I fell off the wagon the last three days of the month completely. But it's a new month, and I've already started it off with 1 day AF. Let's keep going.
You can do this!3 -
New fall season is as good a time as any for a reset! Welcome back!SisuMom2019 wrote: »It’s been awhile since I’ve been on this app but I recalled seeing challenges that supported less alcohol intake and I just knew I wanted to be apart of this come Fall -I want to throw myself behind more healthful ways and I know deep down that means cutting out alcohol-perhaps not fully, but I am 💯 committed to an alcohol-free September-so far so good -going to reset my body and mind over the next month and go from there. Looking forward to sharing my observations and being a part of some like-minded people who all have varying goals.
4 -
OH Jezzzz I so need to be here. going to go have a look around and bookmark
3 -
I'm in!
I had stopped drinking alcohol for months until around July this summer and even after two months of periodic social drinking I am noticing I'm sluggish and not feeling as good as I had been earlier this year. Time for a reset!4 -
Thanks for the thread @MissMay
As usual, I am going to work on 4-5 AF days per week.
I managed 18AF days out of 31 for August somehow.
I am going away the last week of September and first week of October, and I will be in a bathing suit every day, so am wanting to rack up lots of AF days before that.
September 01 - Sunday 5 drinks! (Saturday between 1pm and 1am at the music festival I had 7 drinks and didn't even throw up strangely). Drinks 2 days in a row is such a no-no, it makes it become normal to have drinks on the 3rd day 4th day etc. But I won't.
September 02 - AF
Running total: 1 AF days out of 2 days so far4 -
I’m in!
I had a much more moderate August than previous months - finishing with 15 AF days.
September should be similar I only foresee a couple of weeks/events that may be challenging.
Welcome to the new faces - those abstaining and those cutting back. Lots of help and support here.
So far I’m 1/2 for AF days in the month.
2 -
You know what feels an awful similarity to a hang over? A late Summer sinus headache. I will gladly take this sinus pressure verses the other.
Yes welcome to the new faces. 😁
Another meet up with a friend I had not seen in probably 8 or 10 years. We happened to be standing in line together waiting to get into a reastraunt. At first I was in disbelief I was talking with her. She had moved to the other side of the country and we never connected on social media. I introduced her to my new husband. The stories started to fly and with every passing minute and every glass of alcohol she had, I began to step a bit farther away from her. When she went off to the bathroom...we saw our chance to exit without a scene from her.
Outside I told my husband, gee I would have thought over time she would have grown out of the excessive party mood. She was very aged looking yet I know she is only 6 months older than me. I doubt she will even remember we saw each other and talked. Sad.....I really wanted to hangout.
5 -
I'm in!3
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Good morning everyone! I was on the July board but not August. I'm ready for a September reset. I had a bout of food poisoning this weekend ans my stomach is just not wanting much of anything, especially alcohol. 🤢 Plus I always feel better physically and emotionally when I'm not drinking.
I also am impressed with my sister-in-law who used to drink vodka every single day, and now only occasionally has a drink. I'm very proud of her! She seems so much happier and put together now and it's awesome. Unfortunately she also got sick (damn picnic with tainted hamburgers!) so I'm sure she's still avoiding the alcohol too!
I'm grateful for this thread and for everyone's positive attitude. I've joined a different app in the past that focuses solely on sobriety and I found some of the members to be pretentious or think their way is the only way. It was very frustrating and discouraging. Thank you @MissMay for keeping such an awesome thread going every month!7 -
I’m in! Day 1 for me. Been overindulging and can tell it is starting to negatively affect me. Insomnia, anxiety, more hungry, etc.
Have followed this thread in the past and love the support and wise words. Will check in tonight.6 -
Hello everyone I'm back and I'm glad to see these threads are still going. I'm in for September! I went almost two months totally AF in the spring getting ready for an exercise road trip which I went on and it was awesome. I've moved twice (was in the process of buying a house but it didn't work out) and now hopefully won't have to move again for a while.
I drank pretty moderately the whole summer but would still like to keep myself accountable (there were a few days in there when I overindulged). I was drinking once or twice a week and sometimes I skipped weeks altogether. I'd just like to keep drinking to one night per week now. I did the alcohol experiment online and the live experiment on Facebook (twice) and learned a lot. Although even after all that, I don't think a totally alcohol-free existence is for me because I feel I'm at a point in my life now where I can drink moderately. Good luck to all of us with whatever our goals are!5 -
Hi all. This is such an inspiring thread. I've tried before, and I've been lurking, and feel September is my month. I'm going to go week by week. This week my plan is to be AF until Friday. I'll reassess and hopefully have more AF next week. I'm thinking about weight loss, but also about feeling better and having more energy during the week.
Here's to a good week!6 -
My goal for September is to not set any drinking goal. My goal will be enjoying today by not drinking. This will be my goal for the next day and so forth. The key word here is "enjoying". I will continue focusing on my positive mantra at night, in the morning and during the day when I need it for reinforcement: I allow myself success and deserve success.
I am so glad I finally lost the fear (nothing to fear) and did this (nothing to lose). And as a side note, very pleasantly surprised how my hair quality improved, it's so shiny (I can use all the beauty side benefits from this!)
8
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