Less Alcohol - JULY 2020 - One Day at a Time

MissMay · July 2020

@forestdweller1 you have a handsome Grandson. The photo has so much depth. I hope he is enjoyed his time up here in our great state.
Give Catpuccino a pat on the head from me. Your allergic to dogs and I am allergic to cats, isn't that funny.
A few AF is better than no AF.😉

MissMay · July 2020

@LoveyChar what is on your darling little hat in your profile picture. I swear you look just like a gal we had in here a while back, she was heavy into golfing. I was so confused looking at your name but thinking it was her. Does anyone remember that woman's name?

MissMay · July 2020

@mainelylisa another couple of pounds melted away......FANTASTIC!
It is an aw ha moment when your body no longer hoards those empty calories from alcohol.
Good for you for hitting the pavement and running.

MissMay · July 2020

@shorepine keep checking in with accountability for July, that way you can see that 20AF mark or possibly even more. You are doing super.

MissMay · July 2020

FeelinFooFoo wrote: »

globalhiker wrote: »

0 drinks/1 day....looking forward to losing another 3 lbs this month by avoiding alcohol. I lost 2.5 lbs in June, mostly from reducing alcohol. I did notice the 4 days I did drink that it caused me to overindulge in food.

This month I also want to focus on eating more antioxidant rich foods. Pomegranate, watermelon, and berries are replacing chocolate, cheese, and popcorn.....my 3 other addictions!

My diet is terrible right now. I am including healthy options, but I have such a bad craving for junk food and takeaway foods. I have to get a grip on it soon.

I have been on this train lately to. What is it about the chocolate? I think because I HATE going into our local grocery these days I am stuffing all kinds of junk in my mouth from the family dollar store.
Note to self: Go to the farm stand today.
Thanks @globalhiker and @FeelinFooFoo for making me see my own junk food faults.

MissMay · July 2020

~JULY~
AF- 2
A - 0

globalhiker · July 2020

0 drinks/2 days....been doing a lot of reading lately about how different foods affect different hormones and some do in fact create imbalances as well as have addictive qualities. This month I started an anti-inflammatory diet to see what affect it has on me. Really curious to measure what outcomes I have on both # of wine drinks and # of snacks and weight loss etc.

So far taking high quality fish oil, 1/2 tsp before lunch and dinner as well as turmeric, I think this is having the most impact on "dampening" my appetite & cravings so far.

Samand303 · July 2020

@darshah555 Welcome! I’m only a couple of months on the thread. I’m not setting any goals, just following along. I have found lots of ideas for AF options, so my fridge now has things like ginger beer and cranberry juice. These have given me some choices to consider. The theme here is Less Alcohol and it’s nice to have a space to consider that.

I think the biggest change for me: I stop and consider IF I want alcohol. That pause of mindfulness has been wonderful. Thanks all!

shorepine · July 2020

Good morning! Long weekend has arrived. We aren't doing anything but hunkering down a bit, adhering to the pleas from elected officials to stay home. Although, a quick trip to town yesterday revealed that many people were disregarding that message. Out of state license plates abounded and the highway from the interior of the state that arrives here at the coastline was backed up for a mile with tourists descending on our small coastal town.

The lack of festivities for me personally should make it easier to stick with my health goals this weekend.

Last night I enjoyed a cup of tea and I wanted wine, but I didnt indulge.

July 1: shared a bottle of wine
July 2: AF

So far in July: 1/2 days AF

shorepine · July 2020

In keeping with the Less Alcohol More Dogs theme, here is one of my dogs from a walkabout we went on last night. His name is Enzo, he's a mixed breed shelter pup. He's my favorite. It's okay to have a favorite dog right? He is just "my" dog. In our family he has decided I am his person, and we are close. Our other dog is more of the kids' and husband dog.

shorepine · July 2020

Ok, and here is our other dog! He is also a mixed breed shelter pup, "Ollie". Ollie is super mellow and slow to respond when I call his name. He prefers hanging with the kids and let's my daughter dress him up in costumes and stuff like that. I once saw a toddler at a gathering we were having use Ollie's head as a stool to reach something, and he patiently and quite comfortably laid still so the kid could get the task accomplished. Both of our pups were adopted at 10 weeks when one of our own kids was in the toddler stage so as a result they grew up to be kidproof!

whitpauly · July 2020

MissMay wrote: »

@LoveyChar what is on your darling little hat in your profile picture. I swear you look just like a gal we had in here a while back, she was heavy into golfing. I was so confused looking at your name but thinking it was her. Does anyone remember that woman's name?

Ahh,I remember her but not the name! Or maybe it was FeelinFooFoo? Seems like so long ago yet it was only last year she was here I believe, everyone sounds great 👍🏼 6:34 am in Vegas another 24 💖

LoveyChar · July 2020

MissMay wrote: »

@LoveyChar what is on your darling little hat in your profile picture. I swear you look just like a gal we had in here a while back, she was heavy into golfing. I was so confused looking at your name but thinking it was her. Does anyone remember that woman's name?

It's just a ball cap, that's it. But from the angle I took it at, it looks different. I was gardening and got a sunburn on the back of my neck so I put a handkerchief on and tied. No no no way could I golf. Tried it once and it was too boring so it's only mini putt putt golf for me.

LoveyChar · July 2020

@shorepine They are beautiful dogs. You are a wonderful person for rescuing. I would never in a million years purchase a dog from anyone, especially a breeder, when there are so many shelter dogs in need of a good home. I wish I wish I wish there were more people out there like you!!!

Womona · July 2020

Last night we saw a really small, socially distant jazz concert. Venue was the garden of a local architectural salvage store. With the columns, old doorways, fountains, etc, it’s a really nice venue. They only sold 20 tickets. Such a great night out! Shared a bottle of wine with my husband as we snacked on some yummies out of our picnic basket.

Tonight, even though I wanted a glass of something cold and alcoholic after a day of weeding for 2.5 hours in the hot sun, I stuck to my AF seltzer/ cranberry. I swear I sweat off 5 pounds today! I haven’t been that dirty since I was a little kid!

So far 2/3 days AF! Tomorrow we have my hubby’s family for a BBQ so I will pace myself with the gin and tonics!

dawnbgethealthy · July 2020

@shorepine
Beautiful boys, and beautiful settings!!!
Thank you for sharing : - )

dawnbgethealthy · July 2020

Hi. I am Dawn. Turning 60 in September.
I live in SE BC, Canada.
I started on this thread November 28.18 - at that time I was having drinks every day. That first AF day was very hard! I vowed to have 1AF day per week to start, then progressed to 2AF days per week etc.
My goal now (that is working for me) is 16-20 AF days per month. I have been keeping within that since last October. I am comfortable and happy with that goal. If I exceed that, then great.
I have never ever been able to exceed 3 drinks or I throw up. Moderation is thrust upon me.

Wednesday July 01 - AF - Happy Canada Day.
Thursday July 02 - AF - Super long day at work. I kept thinking about having drinks tonight if I could ever get through the day. I used the delay tactic when I finally did arrive home so hungry and tired. I'm sure tomorrow will be better for having abstained.
Friday July 03 - AF - Scheduled Mojitos with a gf tomorrow after garage Sale-ing and the farmer's market. Would have liked to have a couple today after being up a ladder painting in the hot sun, but saving it up.

Rolling total: 3AF days out of 3 days.

forestdweller1 · July 2020

Thank you all for the positive comments on G'son's photo. "Handsome" ?? He would crawl under the nearest inanimate object to hide. His Mom & Aunt have been squirrelling away his photos for years, hoping that if he deleted them, the Louisiana bayou, Maine beach, and Da'Burgh snow\tree\sun studies would not be lost.
His Dad is still a drunk, and G'son is still his caretaker. He is aware that his Aunt and I have struggles with alcohol, and lately have been going months and years AF, without preaching. It is what it is, we can only lead by example. Middle Daughter's "I quit" a a couple years ago resounds a bit more strongly than my half hearted attempts , but since I only imbibe at home , alone, nobody knows the extent of my failure or success. Maybe you guys....
July is good, but the "ignore it for 6 minutes [hours] and it will go away" rule ?? Nah, not really happening here. Hanging on by my fingernails.
Covid cases here have increased by 6 X in one week. Hot spots are Oakland [colleges] and South Side Flats [prime bar and trendy restaurants]. Living just up hill from SSF, I know that there is no way I'll be able to hop on a free City Bus to visit the drug store, grocery, doctor, without being in genuine fear for my safety. Gone [hopefully not forever] are the carefree evenings when I would hang with my daughters lingering over one drink in an open air bar, or sitting on a wide store windowsill overlooking the main street, or slowly munching on Hindu carryout on a park bench....indulging in our mutual hobby of people watching.
My heroes are the delivery people. Who knew how much stuff could be ordered online ?? Jelly-drugs-brown rice-collagen-wine-kitty litter- and on and on...
Even after this *kitten* is over, I may never set foot in a grocery store again. InstaCart keeps me fed . My last order, with a new store, was quite the experience. The shopper & I exchanged many texts about my insistence that I would only accept the exact product I had ordered. The product size had changed , the packaging had changed, she sent photos of the product that was available...which, was actually what I wanted. She coulda' just said,,,,"it's not available, sorry., But, no. When she showed up at my door with her [masked] 7/8 year old son in tow, I had a memory of bringing my 6&7 year old daughters on my Miami L'eggs route when school was out ...Yeah, she got a big upgrade on her tip..
July 3 AF...but barely

shorepine · July 2020

Good evening! My day is nearly done so I'm checking in with my daily.

July 1: shared a bottle of wine
July 2: AF
July 3: AF

So far in July: 2/3 days AF

It was easy to be alcohol free today, for some reason. I barely thought about it. There is talk of having our "germ family" as we call them over for a bbq tomorrow. If that happens I'll probably have a drink or two, but we will see. Maybe I won't be in the mood again.

Sometimes I wonder if it would almost be easier to just never drink alcohol. The amount of energy I spend thinking about it is a lot. I do love it though and it's hard to imagine never having a glass of wine again.

I'm just going to continue to moderate this year and see where it takes me. Thanks to all of you for riding along with me in this! I'm grateful for you.

Hope those celebrating a holiday this weekend have a wonderful and safe time!

Doxmum · July 2020

I have a lot to say. I know, that is sooo unusual for me. But it's late, I'm tired, and I will catch up manana. But before I go, @shorepine your dogs rock! Kenzo looks like a fiesty, "Come on mum! We have adventures to go on and neither of us is getting any younger." And Ollie, oh Ollie. He looks like an ancient soul in a dog's body. What stories he could tell.

Less Alcohol - JULY 2020 - One Day at a Time

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