Less Alcohol - JULY 2020 - One Day at a Time

globalhiker · July 2020

0 drinks/3 days....Happy 4th to al1! No planned drinking today. I am feeling good

.

@forestdweller1, I can relate to your post as Covid is wearing on me. Sending you strength......
I did manage to connect with my daughter yesterday, she wore a mask and we kept a bit apart as we went out for a long walk near the mountains. Then I practically sterilized the house after she left. It's a lot of work. But I am glad I got to see her. My son works at a hospital and is dating an ICU nurse, so we have to stay apart, that is really tough but we are doing a facetime this weekend.

@shorepine : Love your dogs and thanks for sharing such neat pix.....!!

Tesha231 · July 2020

Being more intentional on reading/re-reading peer posts today.
@dawnbgethealthy and @MissMay The 70's music is my go-to also. Just realized I really like it because of pleasant memories of more carefree days because of your posts.
@forestdweller1 my heart goes out to your pain and isolation. I have family genes that hooked me into the "alcohol solution". Started out for me as being "cool" in hs and college. Years later I learned some of our family tendencies. Now, like the rest of us here, I am trying to rethink my relationship with the habit/addiction...whatever it has become. Like @feelinFooFoo, I am grateful for not missing any days over the last week of my vacation due to feeling poorly, tired or just plain mad at me.
@shorepine I'm starting to think that not drinking at all may be my answer, although not ready to commit to that. It does weigh heavy on the mind, especially when I became so good at "hiding my habit" for the longest time. Now I am beginning to look more forward to sharing a bottle of ginger beer spiked with 100% cranberry or cherry juice with the hubs most every night. Along with our 11 year old baby pup, Ping!

Happy Indepedence Day America!

MissMay · July 2020

Good morning ..
These dog photos are so wonderful. @shorepine that is a pony not a dog!, both are beautiful. As yours to @Tesha231, such a fuzzy face.

I have to zip out quickly, as we are doing a last minute adventure and need to go.
I will catch up when I return.

Keep motivated, remember your goals and think about waking up refreshed and not needing to lay down because the room is spiinnning. That graphic alone should keep us all from over doing it.😃
Be safe 🇺🇸

Samand303 · July 2020

I love fireworks and because I try and see them in person, that means I’m usually driving and so no alcohol. Tonight I can only watch them on TV. I’m sure I’ll drink, but I guess I don’t need to start quite yet. Maybe a ginger beer and cranberry for happy hour? Please celebrate safely! 🇺🇸🎇

LoveyChar · July 2020

Thank you, and Happy Independence Day to everyone 🇺🇸! We're going to enjoy pina coladas and watch fireworks from our backyard (they're close this year) 🎆! It's full on Marathon training after today and I'm not drinking until after I run it (9/26 Texas Trail Running Festival). So I'll enjoy this Independence Day and be grateful for the blessings in my life ❤️.

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.
Saturday July 04 - Mojitos and stuff.

Rolling total: 3AF days out of 4 days.

globalhiker · July 2020

0 drinks/4 days....happy to report another 1.5 lb weight loss! No drinking plus anti-inflammatory diet is working! And on a holiday weekend nonetheless....this is a first

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.
Saturday July 04 - Mojitos and stuff.
Sunday July 05 - AF - Felt like having drinks though.

Rolling total: 4AF days out of 5 days.

MissMay · July 2020

Monday Monday. That weekend went fast. Too bad the weather here was not better. So had it with FOG all day and night.
Happy to report that there were no hangovers during my adventures this weekend. I did have some drink, but nothing that caused me grief.
Good food, beach trail walks and fresh air were a much needed break.

Still counting on July to have fewer drinking days for me compared to April and May.

PLEASE SEND SUN🌫🌚

shorepine · July 2020

Hello everyone, hope you all had a good weekend. It was pretty relaxing for me, lots of time being a homebody. The tourists descended on our little coastal town en masse, so we thought it safest to stay around the house. I got some projects done I've been meaning to do for a while, so that was good. On the 4th of July, we went over a friend's house for dinner. It was so good, fresh crab as my husband and son went out in the boat crabbing, fresh salmon as my friend's husband had gone ocean fishing the day before, and for dessert I made a lemon blueberry cake that was delicious. All of the public fireworks displays were cancelled due to covid but there were plenty of illegal fireworks displays happening, and we had a great view of that mayhem from our friends' deck. So, it ended up being a good night. We did make our way through a substantial amount of sparkling wine. It was all of really good quality though so I actually woke up yesterday feeling super good!

I'm committed to not drinking much this week. I'm really needing to shed a few pounds and that is an easy source of useless calories to eliminate.

July 1: shared a bottle of wine
July 2: AF
July 3: AF
July 4: a lot of wine at a friends house for the 4th
July 5: AF

So far in July: 3/5 days AF

shorepine · July 2020

@FeelinFooFoo great job on the pub yesterday! That would have been a huge trigger for me, too. But I know what you mean about having a drink at lunch, it usually doesn't end with that one drink at lunch. How wonderful that your partner is so supportive. I think of this thread, too, when faced with choices sometimes. It is satisfying to me to come on here and report that I had an AF day, and that seems to help motivate me.

RubyRed427 · July 2020

Hi there! I am 80+ days sober since Good Friday. On my birthday, I will be 90 days sober; I won't be drinking on my birthday because when I'm with family I don't drink. I may however have some wine this Friday with friends. I am sure I"ll regret it and break my streak. But my alcoholic sister once told me "If you are 99 percent sober, then you are doing just fine." I applaud all of you for being honest about your journey.

I tell my own friends, I don't mind at all if you drink, I just know I can't be a normal drinker. I sometimes wish I could be normal and not marvel at people who leave a glass half full of alcohol and walk away.

I love reading your posts and about your own less alcohol journeys. Have a great day!

RubyRed427 · July 2020

One more note.... I have noticed a direct correlation to an increase in hot flashes and alcohol when I drink. It is a terrible increase in hot flashes. I once heard that happens as women get older, their bodies just can't handle wine like they used to. It's true in my case.

Samand303 · July 2020

First day back in the public library for work. Stressed about how it would go, but luckily it went pretty smoothly. Celebrated with a good gin and tonic. Then switched to a grapefruit sparkling water. Refreshing and avoiding excess calories and snacking. Good Monday!

mainelylisa · July 2020

Isn't it ironic how, in a world so divided, we find commonalities in our struggles and successes with alcohol? I too have gotten increasingly red in the face from drinking (I could--and have--snuck wine at times and used breath freshener to cover it up, but my face will never lie). I also am craving sweets. I got into my M&M's this afternoon. Not planned--just overwhelming craving. I've learned to be gentle with myself with food choices while I'm breaking from alcohol.

I watched boats all weekend whoopin it up with booze, and after going out fishing TWICE for THREE HOURS EACH TIME, I WANTED WINE about an hour in. But I played a mind game with myself (you gotta do what you gotta do!) and thought--you'll get your payback for all this "fun" you're having! While my partner went out fishing and the whooper-uppers were feeling like *kitten* Sunday morning, I leisurely had coffee at 6 am. I was gonna sleep in but my body said get up! (And I said, "Who am I???") Then went out for a 2.5 mile jog.

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.
Saturday July 04 - Mojitos and stuff.
Sunday July 05 - AF - Felt like having drinks though.
Monday July 06 - AF - I might have drinks at band practice tomorrow, we'll see.

Rolling total: 5AF days out of 6 days.

globalhiker · July 2020

0 drinks/6 days.....everyone is on a roll!! Here I've started to drink Matcha green tea, supposedly the real ceremonial grade from Japan. It did dampen my appetite and I had no cravings for anything. This aside, I am filling myself up with organic strawberries. Zero desire for alcohol at night....

@MissMay : come to Arizona, we have all the sun you could ever want!

Womona · July 2020

RubyRed427 wrote: »

One more note.... I have noticed a direct correlation to an increase in hot flashes and alcohol when I drink. It is a terrible increase in hot flashes. I once heard that happens as women get older, their bodies just can't handle wine like they used to. It's true in my case.

Yes!!! I noticed the same thing too. Also when I eat a lot of bread. Maybe all the sugar in our systems triggers hot flashes?

Womona · July 2020

Oh boy, July 4th did not go according to plan. We hosted a family BBQ. I drank way too much over the course of the day, had a hangover on Sunday. Even the Jersey Girl cure of pork roll, egg and cheese sandwich the next morning didn’t quite dispel the queasiness, but helped.

Hmmm. I think I get thrown off when I’m the one hosting a party. I can moderate at a normal dinner or at home (if I have a drink at all during the week), but something about a party that lasts 10 hours means my normal cues for a “meal being done/drink time over” are out the window. There is constant food the whole time. Plus I’m on my feet the whole time, prepping and cleaning and hosting so I’m doubly exhausted the next day. So this is a good thought exercise for next time.

MissMay · July 2020

@Womona I know exactly what you mean about hosting and having to drink during it. That used to be me. No matter if it were just another couple over for pizza or if I had a party going on. My anxiety flared up last October when I hosted a bon fire party at our property. 50 people invited, thank goodness not even half showed up and the pressure to drink was very low by the time people started to arrive. I do recall having a few sips of cider with rum in it from my husbands glass.
Sorry you were feeling poorly. You wil be back on your feet and on track again...I just know it.

Great job on all the personal success this weekend, you guys ROCK!

😩😩😩 my poor garden took a huge hit last night from a herd of deer that wandered onto the property. A stunning lily plant that had over 40 stems with probably 3-5 buds on each stem got TOTALY eaten. I am thinking they are chewing on my neighbors marijuana plants first, on their rounds, then getting the munchies and coming to my gardens. UGH!

@Globalhiker, funny Arizonia IS my state of choice if I would move. I checked into it very seriously last year when I had issues with my house and the weather had me over the edge. Still in the corner of my mind.

Day 6 AF

Less Alcohol - JULY 2020 - One Day at a Time

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