Less Alcohol ~ APRIL 2022 ~ One Day At A Time

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  • lmlmrn
    lmlmrn Posts: 788 Member
    Oh man I just forgot to Post my Post and it went away.....sad

    @MissMay I think I did not know what your destination vacation will be. Where ya goin?

    AF tonight and I just realized this is been 1 yr and 2 months +/- since I joined this thread and I have been reflecting.
    I no longer stress during the week being AF
    I am comfortable having a few (2) beers out and that be it for the rest of the day/evening.
    I can sit at home and not really seek out alcohol or do the pacing, poking and general trying to find something to take the lack of alcohol edge off.
    And....and.....I made my first cheese cake tonight and tasted one. Recipe from tiktok nutritionist. So low cal high protein. I like cheese cake. Why have I never wanted/tasted one before???

    sometimes I am just too weird
  • globalhiker
    globalhiker Posts: 1,691 Member
    @MissMay, this link is for your trip:
    https://vegas.eater.com/maps/best-mocktails-boozeless-cocktails-nonalcoholic-restaurant-bar-las-vegas
    Send us pix!

    AF here (and yes I did eat 3 squares of Cadbury Fruit and Nut chocolate since that keeps me from drinking). It also really puts me in a good mood!
  • MissMay
    MissMay Posts: 3,751 Member
    @globalhiker put your face real close to the screen because I want to give you a peck on the cheek for your link to the mocktails. THANK YOU THANK YOU. Not a bad price for them out there, the one that caught my eye was The Dorsey, ( green apple juice, cucumber juice, lime juice, simple syrup, and mint leaves)

    @lmlmrn happy anniversary with us! Is is exciting to see how you have listed all the positives since you have been accountable and conscious of wanting to drink less.
    You missed my travel destination 🤣? Sorry it can't be Washington state this go around to hook up with you and your husband, we are headed back to Las Vegas for a week.

    The 12 week weighted workout ended Sunday. I had to add on one more week because I was ill with gallbladder issues and missed out on 5 days.

    The 31 day March paint challenge is over to( bonus @lmlmrn is still talking to me after I roped her into doing it 🤣🤣🤣)

    AF last night and only a few snacks after dinner. I really need to have a supply of healthly minded quick grab items prepared in the frig so I don't put lots of junk food in my mouth. Working on that!!!

    Have a fantastic day group.




  • dawnbgethealthy
    dawnbgethealthy Posts: 7,895 Member
    My usual goal, 16-20AF days for the month. Diary style.
    I had 21AF days for March, but it was a longer month.

    Friday April 1st - Drinks. I hadn't planned on having any on the first day of the month. A friend that I hadn't seen since Covid was driving by as I was arriving home from work to start my days off. He said "let's go for a drink", so we did. I jumped in his car and we went to a place like 150 steps from my house lol. It was good to catch up, but honestly I had been having some work stress that after I jogged home came slamming back to me, alcohol may have exacerbated it, not sure. Contemplating a change. Saturday was my planned day with a small bottle of prosecco chilled in the fridge and a flute in the freezer to be frosty. We'll see whether I do or not.
    Saturday April 2nd - AF - Turns out I lost my Monday shift to my Manager at the restaurant that decided that she wanted it, so I am off on Monday too. Prosecco is still in the fridge, it is not going anywhere. May or may not have it Sunday afternoon.
    Sunday April 3rd - Drinks. I didn't have my Prosecco, to me that is an afternoon thing and it was 7pm by the time that I finished raking and playing in the yard.
    Monday April 4th - AF - Planned AF for Tuesday also.
    Tuesday April 5th - AF - I might have drinks Wednesday night after my split shift
    Wednesday April 6th - 2 drinks. It was lovely to kick back and enjoy that warm feeling of a couple of drinks. It has been a very busy work week for me. No plans for alcohol again until Saturday afternoon when I plan to have my little bottle of prosecco.

    Rolling total: 3AF day out of 6 days.
  • lmlmrn
    lmlmrn Posts: 788 Member
    MissMay wrote: »
    @globalhiker put your face real close to the screen because I want to give you a peck on the cheek for your link to the mocktails. THANK YOU THANK YOU. Not a bad price for them out there, the one that caught my eye was The Dorsey, ( green apple juice, cucumber juice, lime juice, simple syrup, and mint leaves)

    @lmlmrn happy anniversary with us! Is is exciting to see how you have listed all the positives since you have been accountable and conscious of wanting to drink less.
    You missed my travel destination 🤣? Sorry it can't be Washington state this go around to hook up with you and your husband, we are headed back to Las Vegas for a week.

    The 12 week weighted workout ended Sunday. I had to add on one more week because I was ill with gallbladder issues and missed out on 5 days.

    The 31 day March paint challenge is over to( bonus @lmlmrn is still talking to me after I roped her into doing it 🤣🤣🤣)

    AF last night and only a few snacks after dinner. I really need to have a supply of healthly minded quick grab items prepared in the frig so I don't put lots of junk food in my mouth. Working on that!!!

    Have a fantastic day group.

    Yep AF last night.
    @MissMay Gee I guess had I been paying more attention I would have known about Vegas! Send me a message on the dates you will be there. You know flights from SEA to LAV are sometimes really cheap (less than $200 round trip) if you take the less than desirable flights. It is only a little over a 2hr flight for me. Practically a day trip LOL.

    @globalhiker I love that link and description of the mocktails. I think I have spotted another two or three that are now must tries!

    Ok I am off to try and paint and continue the painting lessons I learned at the insistence of @MissMay
    Todays painting? Some kind of flower I don't know the name, looks like purple/lavendar/white and white/yellow tube like flowers that hang down. I am sure someone on here is much smarter than me when it comes to plants.


  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,053 Member
    edited April 2022
    MissMay wrote: »
    ahoy_m8 wrote: »
    MissMay wrote: »
    Another 24 ( as @whitpauly used to say to us, miss her)

    AF 5/5

    Could I really pull off an AF month of April with a vacation thrown in???? 🤤🤔

    Haven't you done it before? I could be misremembering...

    You mean AF during a vacation? I HAVE done AF during a get-a-way....but never a REAL (fly on a plane for 7 hours to get there) vacation. Plus it is sin city, will be interesting to see how many places offer non-alcoholic drink options on the menus.

    Not to be a cynic, but... if there is money to be made offering mocktails, methinks they will be on offer. I definitely think they are trendy.

    @globalhiker you remind me of a customer I had once upon a time. She had this cute tin on her desk that said "It's hard to have a bad day with a mouth full of candy." I concur!
  • dawnbgethealthy
    dawnbgethealthy Posts: 7,895 Member
    My usual goal, 16-20AF days for the month. Diary style.
    I had 21AF days for March, but it was a longer month.


    Wednesday April 6th - 2 drinks. It was lovely to kick back and enjoy that warm feeling of a couple of drinks. It has been a very busy work week for me. No plans for alcohol again until Saturday afternoon when I plan to have my little bottle of prosecco.
    Thursday April 7th - AF - Spring is flirting with us up here, +14 (Celsius) in the afternoons, but -2 in the mornings still. Planned AF for Friday.

    Rolling total: 4AF day out of 7 days.
  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,053 Member
    AF so far this week. Driving to Austin for parents' weekend this afternoon. Hoping to have a nice wine with dinner. An idea circulated a while ago was going to a game arcade after dinner. I do not love that place. Dark, noisy, definitely not a place conducive to mingling with other parents. Plus it only serves alcoholic cider. Like a million kinds of cider. Honestly, I do not love the taste of hard cider and it is definitely not worth the calories to me. Another idea circulated was to go on a long riverside walk Saturday morning before the crawfish boil, and that sounds really fun to me!

    Dawn, I feel for your cold nights. Meanwhile the heat is already upon us. Our Saturday forecast is 32C.
  • MissMay
    MissMay Posts: 3,751 Member
    @ahoy_m8 I am raising my hand for your second idea. I love crab boils and long walks. Yes everyone does try to make a buck where they can and mocktails are very high on the list.

    Had an awaking moment today. I had not even realized I am at 22 days consecutive AF. When not thinking about it time flew by. Well now equipped with that knowledge, I can have 34 days straight AF before going away.

    Enjoy your weekend.
    Remember:
    Fridays are not an excuse to over drink.
    Saturdays can happen without a hangover.
    Sundays don't need to always include bloody Mary's or mimosas. ( just saying)

  • MissMay
    MissMay Posts: 3,751 Member
    WOW 🤤

    Already a week chunked out of April. How are your beginning of the month goals going?
    If your new to us(or even a seasoned poster to LESS ALCOHOL GROUP) there is no harm in tweaking your beginning goal for the upcoming weeks. You may have had intentions of a stricter goal and it could be a bit too much to try and follow....TWEAK IT! Make the whole drinking LESS process comfortable for you to adjust to. You do not have to pull your hair out and become stressed over wanting LESS in your life. 😁😁😁

    @KNoceros great job on the ONE pint. You sound very achieved with yiur number.👍

    AF for me yesterday.

    What plans are in store for all of our followers today? I would like to get out into my own water drenched gardens and do some Spring clean up. Since the deer think it is their job to do it in the mid night hours and my gardens look like a cattle ranch with hoof prints every where.

    Have a wonderful day/evening.

  • globalhiker
    globalhiker Posts: 1,691 Member
    @ahoy_m8 you make me laugh about the candy and I do believe a few squares of good chocolate would've given me a good mood correction...

    @MissMay, I see Skybar in Las Vegas has a drink called Cucumber Watermelon Fresca and I want to make this at home: lemongrass syrup, watermelon juice, cucumber, ginger ale, lemon, lime. This could be my summer drink since it should have that thick consistency I am seeking (I'd blend the fruit). It could be made low-cal., hydrating, and would take care of my munchies (I hope).

    @dawnbgethealthy incredible you have weather below freezing at night. We have the A/C on already!

    Ok, I need to go out and get a hike around the 'hood in before it gets too hot. Plan is to behave today and treat myself right :)
  • dawnbgethealthy
    dawnbgethealthy Posts: 7,895 Member
    edited April 2022
    @Womona

    I think there are probably things all over the place named "Baker". That Colonel Baker got around!
    Our Mt. Baker here is quite small in comparison to the Rockies which I can also see from my house. More like a hill really in comparison. I have been up to the top of it, although that was a mistake because a friend and I were lost and ended up there ;)
    You used to live around the Mt. Rainier area right? And some other Mt. Baker : - )
  • dawnbgethealthy
    dawnbgethealthy Posts: 7,895 Member
    edited April 2022
    This would have been the day that I would have been in Corpus Christi for a week if my holiday time had been approved. Feeling a bit jelly of those of you already getting the heat.
    I love winter a great deal, but these in between muddy times not so much. Itching to get at my garden, but raining today and the forecast is for rain Sunday as well.
    @MissMay I know that you will get your beautiful gardens in to shape, it is a bit early for those of us in Northern-ish climes.

    @globalhiker
    Please don't beat yourself up. It is like losing weight, we all know what we need to do, just not all of the time. We do have to give ourselves a break from time to time.
  • dawnbgethealthy
    dawnbgethealthy Posts: 7,895 Member
    My usual goal, 16-20AF days for the month. Diary style.
    I had 21AF days for March, but it was a longer month.


    Wednesday April 6th - 2 drinks. It was lovely to kick back and enjoy that warm feeling of a couple of drinks. It has been a very busy work week for me. No plans for alcohol again until Saturday afternoon when I plan to have my little bottle of prosecco.
    Thursday April 7th - AF - Spring is flirting with us up here, +14 (Celsius) in the afternoons, but -2 in the mornings still. Planned AF for Friday.
    Friday April 8th - AF - As planned. Planning on having my Prosecco in the afternoon Saturday, but we'll see.

    Rolling total: 5AF day out of 8 days.
  • KNoceros
    KNoceros Posts: 326 Member
    Went a little off track yesterday. Serves me right for having felt smug on Friday!

    Went for a walk and stopped at a pub when we were nearly home. I had planned for two pints but husband got settled in and the conversation was rattling along well (at home chat tends to be about domestic stuff, when we’re out we talk about different stuff), and I wound up with an extra half that I hadn’t intended. Oh well, today is another day. And it could have been a whole pint I guess.
  • MissMay
    MissMay Posts: 3,751 Member
    @globalhiker you are an extremely hard working woman, we can tell from your posts. The consecutive hours you put in make my head spin. It must throw off your entire balance of life, yes...including that darn little drink devil that wants to party after a strenuous work loaded day.

    We have all done it, do what brings you back to ground zero and gives you better focus. Like your running.

    Oh doesn't the cucumber based mocktails sound scrumptious???(BTW a little known fact, cucumbers do not need to be refrigerated, just saying)

  • MissMay
    MissMay Posts: 3,751 Member
    KNoceros wrote: »
    Went a little off track yesterday. Serves me right for having felt smug on Friday!

    Went for a walk and stopped at a pub when we were nearly home. I had planned for two pints but husband got settled in and the conversation was rattling along well (at home chat tends to be about domestic stuff, when we’re out we talk about different stuff), and I wound up with an extra half that I hadn’t intended. Oh well, today is another day. And it could have been a whole pint I guess.

    Thanks for coming in and being very accountable for your pub walk yesterday. This is very normal for our brains to say "HEY, I was super good the past few days, cut me some slack and lets have drinks"
    ( well anyhow that is how my inner drinking brain used to sound 🤣)

    NEW DAY NEW START. You got this


    WE ALL GOT THIS!
  • MissMay
    MissMay Posts: 3,751 Member
    As I sit this morning and look over my meal planning from the previous 2-3 months, I now see why I had that gallbladder attack issue back around St.Patty's Day.

    I had been trying to not cook the same boring meals. Went off track with that idea and might as well put a slab of butter on my plate and ate it.

    Once again my eating brain said " Dont worry Chica, you exercise everyday, barely drink booze...go ahead have some fatty meals"

    UGH they caught up with me hard, I had been doing so good with my sluggish gallbladder issue from over 15 years ago. Now thinking WAY far in advance to my trip on how to eat healthy while away from home. (Or I could have been subconsciously thinking it when I did not book an all-inclusive vacation)

    I CAN DO THIS! I have no choice, that tiny silly organ has a huge important function for over health.

    BLUEBERRY ALMOND MILK SMOOTHIE for breakfast coming up.

    AF last night

  • lmlmrn
    lmlmrn Posts: 788 Member
    Wow miss a day (or two) and you all go wild!
    @globalhiker Girl if you can get the recipe for that mocktail I neeeeeeeeeed it so much LOL All my favorite flavors.
    @dawnbgethealthy Mr. Rainier is pretty much in my back yard. I just need to drive to a tad higher ground and it is in my face. (I live in what I refer to as the cereal bowl, road bumps or small rises in the landscape)
    @MissMay If you happen to get that recipe while you are in Vegas ......OMG crab boils and walks my favorite things how ever crab boils are pretty rare on this side of the world. I leave my cucumber out all the time. xxoo

    See I figure if the grocery stores don't keep cucumber, tomatoes, etc. cold why should I?

    Anyway Last night we celebrated our anniversary early (26 years) and did it a bit different. Last 2 years made it not possible to really travel so we decided we won't. Got take out, street taco's. Watched 2 disney movies and a pitcher of margarita's. This morning reminded me why I have cut back drinking. I have definitely gone from being a heavy weight to a light weight. It could have been so much worse. But I did have the presence of mind to know when I really should stop and I did. So only slightly uncomfortable this morning.

  • dawnbgethealthy
    dawnbgethealthy Posts: 7,895 Member
    I heard an interesting radio show that I thought pertained to us.
    I listen to every science show that I can, I am a geek that way.

    Anyway, one of them (the Canadian one called "Quirks and Quarks) talked about the Drunken Monkey Hypothesis, which I was unfamiliar with. So interesting.
    Fermented fruit produces ethanol, and monkeys (and humans) have been imbibing for a very long time. It contains more calories than fruit that is not fermented and they definitely need more calories to swing through trees. They don't consume to excess.

    Here is a cut and paste:
    Can an evolutionary perspective on our relationship to booze help us understand the apparently insoluble problem of addiction to alcohol? At the very least, recognition of an ancient and persistent dietary exposure to the molecule suggests that today’s drinking behavior is motivated, in part, by deeply rooted reward pathways within our brain. And these responses we share with creatures as diverse as fruit bats, flies and our nearest living relatives, the chimpanzees.

    Wow.

    Also listened to a science show out of Germany "Science Unscripted" where they talk about Drunkorexia
    About how people don't eat in order to make room for the calories of booze!!
  • dawnbgethealthy
    dawnbgethealthy Posts: 7,895 Member
    @lorib642

    Yes, we are "drinking less" on this forum. Be that 2 instead of 3, including AF days or what have you. We each have our own goals.

    Glad that you are joining us.
  • dawnbgethealthy
    dawnbgethealthy Posts: 7,895 Member
    My usual goal, 16-20AF days for the month. Diary style.
    I had 21AF days for March, but it was a longer month.


    Wednesday April 6th - 2 drinks. It was lovely to kick back and enjoy that warm feeling of a couple of drinks. It has been a very busy work week for me. No plans for alcohol again until Saturday afternoon when I plan to have my little bottle of prosecco.
    Thursday April 7th - AF - Spring is flirting with us up here, +14 (Celsius) in the afternoons, but -2 in the mornings still. Planned AF for Friday.
    Friday April 8th - AF - As planned. Planning on having my Prosecco in the afternoon Saturday, but we'll see.
    Saturday April 9th - Drinks. I still didn't have my Prosecco, maybe next weekend. I had a couple of drinks between 7 and 7:30, then drank diet Cran Rose. I stayed up way later than usual binging HGTV, and then listened to quite a few of my fave overnight international radio shows which come on Saturday night/Sunday morning. Planned AF until Wednesday.

    Rolling total: 5AF day out of 9 days.
  • lorib642
    lorib642 Posts: 1,942 Member
    Thanks for the welcome
  • sfharvey07
    sfharvey07 Posts: 17 Member
    Good morning everyone,
    I’m breaking even 5 AF days/ 5 A days for the month so far🤷🏻‍♀️

    I saw this ad on Facebook and wondered if anyone has tried the Clear Minds hypnotherapy and if so, what are your thoughts on it? It looked interesting but not sure how effective it is and if it’s worth the $. Anyway, just wondering if anyone here has tried it.

    Have a good week everyone 🙋🏻‍♀️