Less Alcohol ~ NOVEMBER 2021 ~ One Day At A Time

@ahoy_m8

Foster Grant is my other job, I am a Field Rep/Merchandiser, I basically maintain displays, set planograms, order sunglasses and reading glasses, that type of thing. I have worked for them for quite a long time, very nice International Company.
I have weekly stores, bi-weekly stores, and monthly stores. My out of town job is a monthly, it is in Kimberley BC. I am very excited to take @globalhiker to see that area when she comes for a visit. Gorgeous there.
It is a small sort of Bavarian town, with a ski hill and copious amounts of hiking and biking and stuff.

Before I decided in April (at 60 years old) to begin a waitress job, I was working for many Merchandising companies - I liked the lifestyle because I could for the most part get all of my jobs for the week and decide when I wanted to fit them in - I definitely could take an hour off to ice skate any time that I wanted.
I have quit them all now except for Foster Grant, which I will never quit. When I go to the main portal to order office supplies to be sent to my home, there is a Country drop down menu for where they should ship to you, including Jamaica, Maldives etc. If I ever decided to move somewhere tropical (unlikely because there wouldn't be any lakes to skate on) I could transfer, make a little scratch and keep doing a job that I really like part time. Every time that I need to order supplies I do a little dreaming : - )

Lilylady3k wrote: »

I'm with you Dawn. Felt like drinks but let DH enjoy the bottle of wine and the bourbon & cokes on his own. I took that night off and was AF. Willpower

This is a big part of why I never returned to drinking after taking my 90 day break. After awhile, not drinking didn't require me to use any will power.

I knew if I started again, I would have to go back to thinking about whether ot not I would drink any given day and utilize willpower not to.

I have a sobriety app that I log in every day quickly, I don't need it, but I like it because it keeps track of my sobriety milestones.

But for it I wrote a list of the reasons I don't drink and it shows me that list every morning, although I haven't actually read it in forever.

But on that list is "I'm fed up with thinking about alcohol every day"

ETA: note, I'm not preaching that anyone who wants to moderate should quit, I'm just reminiscing about how challenging I found it to have to use willpower ever day I wanted to not drink.

It's been a long time so I forget, but the quoted post brought back vividly those "happy hour" struggles when I was trying to cut back.

@Lilylady3k you and your girls are gorgeous! What a lovely picture. Can you cater my next party? Food and decor are amazing!

Two drinks each day Fri-Sun. Sunday I was just super crabby and reached for a dinner time drink because I needed to relax. Between all the alcohol, food and bread this weekend, of course my weight is up. AF last night after work, and will stay that way until this weekend.

I need to get back to what I was eating during my recently completed no sugar/no alcohol challenge. I dropped a ton of weight and looked great, now it’s all creeping back up. I am bloated and pouffy. It’s only been about 2 weeks off this challenge and I realize that bready carbs and alcohol simply don’t agree with me. I feel sluggish right now.

I do feel great eating lots of veggies and keeping alcohol to an absolute bare minimum- I’m talking one to two glasses per week, vs 2 per night all weekend long. So, I’m back at being a better advocate for my little self!

Hope everyone has a great week. I love reading all of your posts!

Lilylady3k wrote: »

@Xellercin - Thank you for sharing your success and one of the benefits ... not having to think about whether or not you want to drink!

I had a M-Th AF plan which I did well with in 2019 but then DH started drinking more and it derailed me. I liked my not having to think about it on M-Th. Why not impose that on myself again. It made it easier to not have to make decisions.
After this first glass I no longer thought about it because I had made the decision to be AF and just did it.

@Xellercin 's point about not having to think about it or argue with yourself resonates for me. I've been AF on weeknights long enough that I don't think about it during the week. Even with a vacuvin-ed bottle on the kitchen counter, it just doesn't cross my mind. Also, a couple years ago I stopped banking calories during the week for alcohol on the weekend, and since then I eat a little more during the week, and I genuinely enjoy that. It's small but enjoyable nonetheless. So I guess I'm splitting the baby because I do think about it -- what I'm going to have and how much -- on weekends.

I disagree with @Xellercin , however, about the Great British Baking Show. I want to taste it all!

Been AF since January of 1994

Going to a social this evening for an alumnae group ... they requested that we bring wine bottles to share. Instead I'm taking leftover sweets (pear cake and cookies) from the baby shower this weekend.
Planning an AF evening!

Nov 1,2,3,4 - AF
Nov 5 - two bottles of wine
Nov 6,7,8,9 - AF

MissMay wrote: »

Here is one of the groups favorite quotes about drinks.
This is for those struggling with keeping to a number you have in mind for a goal.
This is for those who are confused as to WHY they can't stop once started.
We've all been there.
It gets easier.

Needed to see this today, thank you @MissMay
6AF days out of 9, sounds good but the 3days turned into binges. So angry with myself! Thousands of empty calories, all un-doing the 40lb loss I’ve achieved so far.
Been some really inspirational postings on here, thank you all!
Time for a reset.