Less Alcohol - JANUARY 2021 - One Day At A Time
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I am Dawn, I live in SE BC
I will post with my usual diary style to keep track of my AF days.
Keeping to my usual goal of 16-20 AF days per month, which is manageable for me and doesn't put too much pressure on me.
Wednesday Jan 20 - AF - Managed to get out for a little hike and a little skate after work today. After getting in from the out of doors I really really wanted a Peppermint Schnapps in Cocoa, but I had drinks only yesterday, so talked myself out of it. Hit my 16 today : - )
Thursday Jan 21 - Drinks. Micro sips sort of. Had a fantastic hike, somewhere I hadn't been in years (can't go there spring, summer, or fall because there is a momma bear with cubs each year, and it is her home plus she might kill you). I had half ounces of a few mixtures including espresso baileys with other things mixed in. I measure always since joining this thread. I fell twice on the trail yesterday on ice, I'm okay, but pretty sore.
Friday Jan 22 - AF - I didn't hike much today (30 minutes only), pretty sore from the 3 falls that I have had since last Sunday. Epsom's bath with essential oil added, a glass of champagne would have been nice. Some other time for bubbly in the tub, not today.
Saturday Jan 23 - Drinks - Fell yet again today, this time my friend was on the icy trail with me and witnessed it. It didn't really feel like a hard fall, but I fell mostly on the palm/heel of my hand and it is very sore. Probably not an excuse to drink, but on my second and may or may not have a 3rd while I have a tiny ice pack under a pressure bandage on the area. As much as I have hurt myself in the last 6 days (4 falls now) I truly believe that I am doing less damage to my body than I would have if I was sitting on the couch or at a desk every day all day. All good. Planning AF for the next 2 days.
Sunday Jan 24 - AF, and again for Monday planning AF
Rolling total 18AF days out of 24 days5 -
Another FREAKING night that I put 2 beers up in the cabinet.
Only a four beers night after watching that liver video. If I watch it again it could be a three beers night.
Man that was a eye opener to take in.
Anyone else have nightmares from it?13 -
hello to all
@missmay wow, just wow and you deserve much more than glitter.....maybe some fairy dust too?
Well I am back to AF this week, and I am not sorry for the choices I made over the weekend. BTW yes that video was really something! Made me pause and really think about the abuse I have done to this body of mine.
But small changes! everyone has to move at their own pace and own decisions.
I am still 13 out of 24 days AF and I am going to aim for AF the rest of the month....fingers crossed8 -
@MissMay, @Tesha231, @Womona, @Trish1c, @CMB44512, @lmlmrn
I'm glad you found the video motivating, and yes it is very scary. Sorry if it gave you nightmares!
For me watching that video (and some other similar ones) was my 'AHA moment'. It made me realize that when I am trying to cut down on alcohol I am doing it FOR myself, not TO myself. It really helped me to stop feeling like I was depriving myself of something nice, and instead, I realize that cutting down and being healthier IS the nice thing I am giving to myself!
I have a very close family member who checked herself into a residential rehab facility in October for 6 weeks for alcohol dependency. She has told me so much that I didn't know before, and so many sad stories that we the public are mostly not aware of. The roommate she had in there has died, it was too late for her, she was only 44.
My family member is doing well, she chose to go live in a 'Sober House' temporarily when she got out of rehab instead of moving back home with us. She gets continued support there, and she is 90 days AF today! She can't cut down the way we are, she was physically addicted and had to detox. Her plan is to never drink again, and I want to cut mine so low that it won't bother me to have an alcohol free home when she visits and stays with us.12 -
@dawnbgethealthy I'm so sorry to hear about you hurting yourself, but oh wow you sound like you are having a great time and living your best life!
Amazing to hear about hiking now to avoid the mama bear, I would still be terrified, you are a brave lady
Life is fleeting I love to read about people grabbing it with both hands.5 -
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CryingBlue wrote: »4 days AF in a row. 12 AF out of 24 so far this month. I really messed things up on Wednesday, so I'm not sure I'll ever be allowed to drink again.
4 days mean you are over half way to a full week AF! Something good came out of Wednesday. For me it gets easier to drink something AF at the former trigger time. Now I start looking forward to the new "drink". Keep it up!
I think we can all relate to the behavior differences we may experience when on the spirits and remorse the next day. Many interesting things about this quote:- Acknowledgement that alcohol played into the result you had on Wednesday.
- Worry that the result of what happened on Wednesday were so significant that there may be long term consequences with someone close to you.
- Fear that you may never be allowed to drink again
My thoughts and hopes for you as you continue your AF streak. - Those who love you will forgive and help you in your quest for less.
- Fear. Everyone is different in their relationship with alcohol. For me, I needed to determine the root of my fear of "not being allowed to drink again". Ultimately mine was the fear I was actually physically addicted. But to get to that admission, I first told myself I deserved a drink after {insert excuse}; I liked the taste and looked forward to unwinding every evening (all evening); I need a drink to get me out of my "shy" zone cause it helps my social anxiety...
I notice so many things that make me truly happy when I am not drinking now. I hope you look for those blessings as you continue your AF streak, or drink less in a way that works for you. Keep the faith in yourself, you are not alone.
Thanks so much for all of that. It really resonates with me. I'm getting help. I think I'm going to need a very long break from alcohol (years maybe) before I can consider letting it back into my life. I know I have regulated it before, but currently I can't. Having support helps, I have been a closet drinker in a world of non-drinkers, so there is a lot of guilt tied up with it for me.9 -
@MissMay
Congratulations on 3 years! Pretty awesome. I didn't realize I was part of it when it was so new in 2018. Thanks for keeping this going for all of us.6 -
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Amanda_Brit_Expat wrote: »@dawnbgethealthy I'm so sorry to hear about you hurting yourself, but oh wow you sound like you are having a great time and living your best life!
Amazing to hear about hiking now to avoid the mama bear, I would still be terrified, you are a brave lady
Life is fleeting I love to read about people grabbing it with both hands.
: - )
Taking the week off of the trails to heal up a bit.
Going to be grabbing it with both feet too though when I get back to it!
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@Amanda_Brit_Expat what an eye opening video! I, for one, never considered the possibility of liver disease for anyone who wasn’t a textbook alcoholic. Wow. Who knew it starts so early, and with such alarming test results, with “social” or “moderate” drinkers.
@MissMay , any way to include the video along with the other resources at the top of the thread?
Also stunned at how freaking cheap alcohol is in England!!! I’ve never see those prices here in the US, even at the discount liquor store.
ABSOLUTELY @womona. I will include it starting with the February 2021 thread.4 -
Thank you everyone for the well wishes, glitter, woot woots, fire works and the crown(lol)
BTW.... have you noticed how many pages and posts we have this month? OVER 500 posts, 26 pages !!!!
That has not happened since Summer of 2018
Couldn't do this without ALL OF YOU.
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Poured myself a rum and diet coke and then as the glass got half empty/full depending on your take ... I poured in more diet coke until I finished the can. Much better than drinking 2-3 drinks!10
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Ok peeps big day here for me.
Celebrating my 1095th day (3 years) on the LESS ALCOHOL thread. Can I get some glitter or a woot woot for that?
First time I ever posted on here was January 25, 2018
One of the biggest most significant days of my life.
So many wonderful people to thank over all those days, months and years. I also thank myself for taking the initiative to do what I needed to be happier.
❤
✨🌟Nice Work🌟✨3 -
Yikes.
I spoke to a cousin yesterday. DH & I had given him a 1/2 gal bottle of whiskey for Christmas. He advised that he's 1/2 way through it already. That's about 30 drinks in 30 days since Christmas but I know that is not all he's drinking. He seemed shocked but impressed that we were doing Dry January.
Cravings have definitely lessened. It's mind over matter & not physical which is good. I was afraid that we were already too far gone & would have DTs or some physical withdrawal. Then again, based on the video I may be deluding myself & the damage is already done.
I'm still toying with having the scan done but if the results are high & at my age irreversible, I'm kind of afraid that I'll say the heck with it.7 -
Lilylady3k wrote: »Poured myself a rum and diet coke and then as the glass got half empty/full depending on your take ... I poured in more diet coke until I finished the can. Much better than drinking 2-3 drinks!
I like this technique. That would trick my drinking brain for sure. Thanks for sharing6 -
@dawnbgethealthy those grip-ons are GANGSTER! You should tske a walking stick with you to on the hiking trails. Have to agree the post about the momma bear with cubs is concerning.
Heal quickly6 -
@Trish1c again I am so impressed and happy for you that you have your husband doing dry January along side of you.
When I had done a long dry spell, I did not experience any severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms such as shaking, confusion or hallucinations. I did however become wicked irritable and moody. But that was when I was going at it alone without any support system and told no one I was doing it.
Having others to talk with knowing they are on the same page made it so much easier once I joined this thread.
Thumbs up to you both.7 -
Horrible sleep last night. I watched a TV program before bed last night that got under my skin and my subconscious took it to a whole different level after I fell asleep.
I wish drinking water would rinse those thoughts from my brain.
Good news I did not get up in the middle of the night and have a shot of booze to calm my nerves. Gee I can't even recall the last time I needed to do that, still moving forward.
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