Less Alcohol - NOVEMBER 2019 - One Day at a Time

MissMay
MissMay Posts: 3,749 Member
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▪

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.
•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!

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.
•Failure is not giving in and drinking. Failure is to stop trying to accomplish your goals.
•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.

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.
•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 with guilt, headaches, and poor nutrition hangovers in the morning, Think of think how nice it would be not to feel that way tomorrow.
•Worry about "me" and don't let "tomorrow Me" 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) 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:
▪▪▪▪
•Mydrinkaware:
https://www.mydrinkaware.co.uk

•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
«13456710

Replies

  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    Did you intend to remove all the formatting from the intro post? I don't care either way but if you want it back I can help with that.
  • MissMay
    MissMay Posts: 3,749 Member
    edited October 2019
    buoxr4z5mko1.gif

  • MissMay
    MissMay Posts: 3,749 Member
    wigi41 wrote: »
    I’ve been following this thread since January 2018, and still following! Thanks to everyone who contributes and posts.
    January 2019- 0 drinks
    February 2019 - 0 drinks
    March 2019 - couple sips
    April 2019 - 1 drink
    May 2019 - 0 drinks
    June 2019 - 1 drink
    July 2019 - 0 drinks
    August 2019 - 0 drinks
    September 2019 - 0 drinks
    October 2019 - 0 drinks

    @wigi41 you and I have both been in here since Jan 2018. Time flies and in this sense in a better direction. Nice to hear from you again. Bravo on your tallies.
  • MissMay
    MissMay Posts: 3,749 Member
    One more day until November 1st.

    Do you need support DRINKING LESS?

    If so, follow our posts, join in or lurk.

    How ever it helps you in your own journey will ultimately be a win for you.
  • forestdweller1
    forestdweller1 Posts: 415 Member
    Thanks for the encouragement [and I just gave you your damn hug already].
    I've gone way longer than 3 months AF in the past, and tend to forget the benefits, like more energy, more creativity, upbeat attitude, until I uncork the bottle again. Then it's back to Gramma Sloth. I don't like her very much.
    The o:)>:) refer to a political event in the US that I am very intense about...not for this discussion on this site of course.

    Power flickering...either Halloween or the high winds and torrential rain in this area...going to seek out the battery-op lanterns.
  • MissMay
    MissMay Posts: 3,749 Member
    And here we all are in NOVEMBER.

    My October was fun and moderate. I began to get nervous early within the first few days because I kinda let my hair down for my birthday. I did not luckily "let my hair catch on fire" as I have in years past. Then a few other annual celebratory dates were reasons to have one here and there. Yet I still kept in under by two drinks for the month compared to last October in 2018.

    On here... LESS is LESS no matter how you count or calculate it. We are not AA, we do not ask you totaly pledge you will never let alcohol touch you lips ever again. But If you do, that then was your LESS decision.

    Holiday pressure is right around the corner here in North Eastern USA. Having an already clear grasp on alcohol moderation before Thanksgiving arrives will make sliding into Christmas and New Years Eve a smooth trip.
    😊

  • globalhiker
    globalhiker Posts: 1,683 Member
    I'm in for November!!
  • julieat_19
    julieat_19 Posts: 8 Member
    Im in for November!! :)
  • MissMay
    MissMay Posts: 3,749 Member
    edited November 2019
    LoveyChar wrote: »
    Really failed/let myself down last month. I'm sitting here frustrated/angry with something that someone else has done and this, yes this, triggered me to want to drink tonight. What a stupid reason to drink?!? I know in a few days my feelings/thoughts over this person will simmer down... There's a country song (I don't know who sings it) that says "baby, you ain't worth the whiskey..." It's not anyone who really matters to me or that I even care about; I'm just irritated.

    I want one month where I don't eff up... I had almost 4,700 calories consumed on the 30th. Most were not alcohol calories but they were definitely a food/booze binge combination. I think I'm going to go out for a run... I do not know who said it first but I know Oprah Winfrey quoted it that..."living well is the best revenge..."

    Let's help each other through this. It's so hard for me, sometimes, and then the only person I'm pissed at after I've drank is the one that I'm looking at in the mirror. It's such a waste for so many reasons... Thank you for the support...

    Girl.....you are writing what so many of us have gone through. It is not easy and certainly not fair when we try our damnist to reduce our alcohol consumption and some stupid thing messes it up.
    Deep breath, tomorrow is a new day. And you know for sure we are all going to be here. HUGS!
  • MissMay
    MissMay Posts: 3,749 Member
    LoveyChar wrote: »
    @MissMay, thank you... I did end up going for a run and I feel better...I'm going to put on a movie and chillax now. I did not drink, though, so I will go to sleep and wake up and not feel guilty.

    BRAVO. So we can chalk you up for two successful nights in November? Have a good rest, you will feel better in the AM.
  • dawnbgethealthy
    dawnbgethealthy Posts: 7,892 Member
    Way to be strong @LoveyChar