Less Alcohol - MAY 2021 - One Day At A Time

globalhiker · May 2021

Very pretty and colorful!! Hope those flowers last awhile into summer... they're lovely!
Busy here watching over husband cooking some new burmese chicken stir fry. Today we decided to go off the AF plan (he's done great his AF streak, breaking it for today was my idea since it was mid-month). I bought one itty bitty 50ml Hennessey since I can micro-sip that but yukky...I really don't like it and going back to just OJ on ice. Seriously. He's on his 5th IPA so I need to leave now and make sure he doesn't burn dinner or start a fire...LOL.

dawnbgethealthy · May 2021

@MissMay What kind of flower bushes are those?

dawnbgethealthy · May 2021

Burmese chicken!!!
What is in that?
Any photos?

dawnbgethealthy · May 2021

My May Goals:
16-20 AF days per month.
Changing my goals as my schedule is changing, but sticking to the 16-20 AF days.

My daily check in:
Saturday May 01 - AF - Working a split tomorrow at the restaurant.
Sunday May 02 - AF - Planning on AF until Thursday
Monday May 03 - AF - Early and long day tomorrow, going to try not to have a wee drink afterward.
Tuesday May 04 - 2 drinks. I didn't make it my 5AF in a row this week like I did the 2 or 3 previous weeks.
Wednesday May 05 - AF - I had planned to have drinks tomorrow, Thursday, but since I had 2 last night I am re-evaluating.
Thursday May 06 - 2 drinks. Planned drinks with friends outside tomorrow too. We'll see how I feel after my 1st vaccine of course.
Friday May 07 - Drinks. No side effects from the Pfizer vaccine : - ) Planned AF until at least Tuesday.
Saturday May 08 - AF
Sunday May 09 - AF - Super happy that I was AF last night, turns out I needed to be sharp. I was scheduled 12-3 at the restaurant, ended up staying until 5, went for a hike with quite a bit of elevation, and then went back to work because it was so super busy, like all restaurants are for Mother's Day. We have take-out only in most parts of Canada. Nobody wants Mom's to have to cook today, regardless if it is out for a sit down dinner or takeout. Happy Mother's Day to all, those who have kids and everyone else, because we all had/have Mothers.
Monday May 10 - AF - Early and possibly long work day tomorrow, easy to be AF tonight. I might have a couple of drinks tomorrow night, we'll see.
Tuesday May 11 - Drinks. Just in from work, but going to have a couple. Big big changes in my work schedules for 3-4 weeks starting next Monday.
Wednesday May 12 - AF - Planned drinks for Friday eve.
Thursday May 13 - AF
Friday May 14 - 2 drinks. It was lovely. I got home around 9 from my one-off gas station re-planogram and thoroughly enjoyed having those drinks and watching Lakefront Bargain Hunt on HGTV : - )
Saturday May 15 - AF, and will be for the foreseeable future. The Census job doesn't start until June 1st I found out today, so I will be at least halfway through the 5 day a week post office training by then (on top of my regular merchandising companies and the restaurant). Made a dent in the yard today, I will grab little bits of time to continue that. Split shift tomorrow, so I will definitely get the grass cut in the morning and get the mint uncovered. I will take a photo : - )

Rolling total: 10AF out of 15 days

Lilylady3k · May 2021

So the past couple of years April - July I just gave up and quit counting and let it all slide on my accountability toward both food and alcohol. Something about this timeframe. Far enough after New Years resolutions and not nearly close enough toward the next year to feel like I need to buckle down.

BUT I'm still here being accountable ... even though it is not pretty. The good news is that journaling my food and alcohol keeps me accountable enough so that I'm not gaining 10+ pounds like I have in the past.

Another BUT ... the accountability is an ugly mess this month. Posting and then moving forward toward recovering some sense of my personal challenge.
Goal: Limit 1-2 glasses per day; 12-16 AF days per month. Aim to drink no more than 2 nights in a row.

May accountability: 3/31 days AF
Alcohol: 12 days (32 drinks)

5/1 - 4 … 1 beer + 3 wine
5/2 - 1 margarita
5/3 - AF
5/4 - 3 … 2 wine + 1 rum & diet coke
5/5 - 2 … 1 Morejito + 1 tequila shot. Meeting up this evening with “Sisters Who Sip” for Cinco de Mayo at Be More Pacific - Filipino Kitchen and Bar. Our first monthly gathering in over a year. https://www.bemorepacifickitchenandbar.com/covid-19-menu
5/6 - 3 … 1 whisky + 2 wine; Virtual Whiskey Experience Tasting w/ DH’s team from work (samples provided)
5/7 - AF
5/8 - 5 … Hosted Mimosa Brunch Bridal Shower. 1 mimosa w/ champagne then AF mimosas (YEA for Spanish Zero Codorniu non alcoholic champagne /cava). However, the evening I decided to drain the fridge of leftover alcohol but did not pour it down the sink. Evening 2 glasses wine + 2 glasses champagne
5/9 - AF mimosas for Mother’s Day Brunch; AF in the evening too!
5/10 - 1 wine
5/11 - 2 wine
5/12 - 3 … 2 wine + 1 rum & diet coke
5/13 - 3 … 2 wine + 1 bourbon & diet coke
5/14 - 1 Torchy’s Tini
5/15 - 4 … 1 St Arnold’s Summer Pils lunch + 3 wine at dinner

Halfway through the month ... 16 days left. I can and will do better the rest of May!

RubyRed427 · May 2021

globalhiker · May 2021

I like that..Eating Well is a Form of Self Respect....I'd agree this applies to everything that is consumed too...

AF to date: 14 AF/ 1 non-AF
Drinks to date: 3 yesterday, over my limit of 2.
This leaves me with 1 drink left in my non-AF "bank" for this month.

What happened: Burmese chicken cooked in an outside wok was somewhat burnt and tasted like fish sauce (not my thing), I was mad husband drank too much and fell asleep at the kitchen island...at 7:30pm. I didn't like my one little mini Hennessey bottle, too strong, and feeling mad at him, I mixed myself 2 of his whiskey's with OJ while he was snoozed out. So I had a total of 2.5 drinks (I rounded up to 3)...and what did I get from this irrational behavior...ummm emergency run to the bathroom at midnight....my system sounded off all toxic alarm bells. Thanks to my good liver for doing that- since I woke up feeling pretty good.

I apologized to my husband this morning. I was the one with the bright idea of "let's drink" so I got him started.

Sorry no pix of Burmese chicken! It was so bad I actually had to rinse some it to remove the char.LOL.

Gotta laugh....forgive.....learn....and not repeat insanity

! Happily back to AF at least through this upcoming week.

dethstar77 · May 2021

Weekly update. So far the 75 day challenge is going well, havent had any alcohol so far. But in all honesty this week was challenging. Have a few personal things going on that I am trying to fix and there were triggers that made me actually feel like having a drink. However, I am grateful that I was able to resist the temptation and refocus. I know its not over and have a couple of days more to get through. I find reading your stories and sharing with all of you helps me. Thank you for the inspiration... Stay Strong Stay Blessed.

RubyRed427 · May 2021

globalhiker wrote: »

I like that..Eating Well is a Form of Self Respect....I'd agree this applies to everything that is consumed too...

AF to date: 14 AF/ 1 non-AF
Drinks to date: 3 yesterday, over my limit of 2.
This leaves me with 1 drink left in my non-AF "bank" for this month.

What happened: Burmese chicken cooked in an outside wok was somewhat burnt and tasted like fish sauce (not my thing), I was mad husband drank too much and fell asleep at the kitchen island...at 7:30pm. I didn't like my one little mini Hennessey bottle, too strong, and feeling mad at him, I mixed myself 2 of his whiskey's with OJ while he was snoozed out. So I had a total of 2.5 drinks (I rounded up to 3)...and what did I get from this irrational behavior...ummm emergency run to the bathroom at midnight....my system sounded off all toxic alarm bells. Thanks to my good liver for doing that- since I woke up feeling pretty good.

I apologized to my husband this morning. I was the one with the bright idea of "let's drink" so I got him started.

Sorry no pix of Burmese chicken! It was so bad I actually had to rinse some it to remove the char.LOL.

Gotta laugh....forgive.....learn....and not repeat insanity ! Happily back to AF at least through this upcoming week.

oopps I posted that quote in the wrong place! So sorry but I guess it applies to many things. I meant to post it on a weight loss thread I am on!

MissMay · May 2021

@RubyRed427 WORKS FOR US!

@globalhiker like that, "And not repeat insanity". Sorry your chicken got ruined.

@dawnbgethealthy those shrubs are both azaleas, they are Spring bloomers and will drop the flowers before June. Purple hyacinth bulbs in front of stone bird bath, triple headed daffodils in the background. That is only a third of this garden the rest is not bloomed out very much yet. Hope you found your mint.

@Lilylady3k LOVE your thinking
"Halfway through the month ... 16 days left. I can and will do better the rest of May!" YOU GOT THIS.

Me- AF weekend but I have been eating dinner to late on Thurs, Friday and Sat and that made my sleep not restful. Work in progress.

Lilylady3k · May 2021

AF this evening ... determined to get a few days racked up toward my monthly count.

dawnbgethealthy · May 2021

My May Goals:
16-20 AF days per month.
Changing my goals as my schedule is changing, but sticking to the 16-20 AF days.

My daily check in:

Sunday May 16 - AF - I begin the Canada Post training tomorrow morning, for 3-4 weeks on top of my other jobs. Need to have a clear head.

Rolling total: 11AF out of 16 days

dawnbgethealthy · May 2021

The Mint has come back nicely!

Potatoes are beginning to sprout : - )

And sugar snap peas are coming along quite well:

Peppers and tomatoes will go in when I get some time.

Love those Azaleas @MissMay

lmlmrn · May 2021

hello/good eve or time of day of all

AF last night but not tonight, I felt the need to have 2 spirits. So far 1 is down may have a second.
Sore throat saga? well it is still here, was feeling better this am, until this eve after I ate food guess that stirred things up.

Love all the picture

btw, have I said thank you to all of you that post? this thread has changed my outlook on when and why I drink

MissMay · May 2021

Womona · May 2021

Hi all, Happy Monday!

Beautiful weekend, but I clearly need a better strategy than “*kitten* it” when it comes to drinking. Had 2-3 drinks each day this past weekend. Zero discipline with either food or drinks. I can’t keep doing this. I used to pride myself on being able to stop at just one drink, but lately I’m riding that buzzed, “this feels good” wave. The nice weather, being outside, general celebratory mood of spring into summer means I’m not requiring more of myself. Discipline and moderation are going out the window, and of course my weight is creeping up.

Sorry for the pity party, I just feel badly about myself today, and not particularly full of the gumption required to reset the start button- again.

Lilylady3k · May 2021

Totally get this ... after the first or second it seems harder to stop.

lmlmrn · May 2021

@Lilylady3k I very much resonate with the quote from F. Scoot Fitzgerald, so much so I put it on a power point slide and printed it. It is on my closet door in my office along with two poster sized photo's I took to 'change your path' both showing a path through the trees to bright sunlight

I had my 2 drinks last night and I lived LOL actually it did not bother my sleeping or waking this am. So running total this month 14 of 17 AF days for the month of May so far. I may have another drink next weekend just don't know yet

chocolate_owl · May 2021

5/1 - 5/7: 7 drinks, 4 AF days
5/8 - 5/14: 11 drinks, 3 AF days
5/15: 2 drinks
5/16: 5 drinks

Saturday was really lovely. We did our errands early because my MIL's birthday was on Sunday and we planned to be with her most of the day. After I got back from the gym we watched the Preakness (great race btw), and then husband and I had a perfect date night. I had a glass of wine with dinner and a glass at the wine bar after. I was done drinking before 9, I never started focusing on the drinking instead of my partner's company, my drinks were delicious and an enhancement to the evening without being a distraction or the entire point... If I'm going to drink, I want it to be like that 99% of the time.

Yesterday our cat woke us up at 5:45, hollering in pain. He gets constipated from time to time, but this time was really bad. He threw up twice in the process of trying to get the poop out, at which point we took him to the emergency vet. They told us to wait a few minutes in the lobby on these hard concrete benches, and when he got a room we could go back. He never got a room, they treated him in a mass holding area, and we sat on these accursed concrete benches for two hours. My back was extremely unhappy. Husband asked me to stay home and keep an eye on that cat while he went to MIL's, so between the pain and having not much to do, all my drinking triggers hit and I sipped my Sunday away. First a light beer, then a whole bottle of rosé. This is how I want to drink 0% of the time. Kitty is fine, I'm mildly dehydrated today.

Idk what I'm doing tonight. The recipe calls for a cup of red wine, so a bottle will be open, and I'm feeling a lot like a rebellious teenager. I don't want to do any of the things I'm supposed to do. I'm tired and I want to be indulgent. But the months are slipping away and the weight isn't coming off and my friend's wedding is still going to happen...

Lilylady3k · May 2021

@MissMay - Thank you for the encouragement. Positive side ... the poor choices might just might be behind me this month and the good choices ahead. Time will tell.

@lmlmrn - It hit me as well ... I put it in the picture folder where my screen savers pick up pictures as a little reminder down the road.

@dawnbgethealthy - Love the progress on your garden! My tomatoes are starting to attract the wildlife (birds and rabbits) ... thinking I need to use some netting like you have in one of the pictures.

@chocolate_owl - I'm in a same but different boat this evening. Heading to a restaurant for book club for the first meeting in a while ... wine will be available if I choose. Not sure if I'll be tempted or if I'll pass. Thinking AF ... we'll see when I report back in tomorrow.

Less Alcohol - MAY 2021 - One Day At A Time

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