LESS Alcohol ~ JANUARY 2023 ~ One Day At A Time
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@mfowler883 that is quite the knife collection I must say.
And I thought you were speaking of sharpening your kitchen knives. SILLY ME!
Oh, I was, that was the Calphalon Katanas. They're not in the picture. Not silly....well, okay, maybe silly but not for that.
AF today. Eating better and feeling good, getting rid of some of the vacation weight gain already, slowly but steadily. Sat out on the patio with an okay cigar (Partagas Anejo Esplendido), a Heineken 0.0 and a good book - still plodding through American Insurgents, American Patriots. I really wish it was easier for me to find time to just sit and read.
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mfowler883 wrote: »- still plodding through American Insurgents, American Patriots. I really wish it was easier for me to find time to just sit and read.
-m
Good book but a really sad ending when the colonists end up accidentally leaving the greatest Empire of the time
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12 Days AF for January and still going strong. This time around things seem to be going really smoothly.
I have been snacking a little bit in the evening though which I need to knock on the head. I guess my body is craving the calories I'm missing from the booze.8 -
@forestdweller1 - wow, wow, wow. Amazing post. Thank you for your insights and a couple of giggles. I, too, have a complicated/colorful family history when it comes to alcoholism and alcohol in general. I guess that’s why I am almost afraid to look too deeply into my own relationship with it.
Last night was another easy AF night. Still a bit under the weather, in bed early.
TGIF! -Georgia5 -
Hello! It’s Amanda, I’m back. It’s a new month and a new year! I’ve been thinking about 2022 and 2023. I’ve got some goals for the year and staying 98% AF is one of them. I love this group, I love this thread, it really works.
1/1-1/7: 7 out of 7 AF
1/8: AF
1/9: AF
1/10: AF
Had some cravings yesterday. Just one little drink. Then I thought about the dry mouth, the racing heart beat, the nausea and heartburn and kicked the craving right out of my head!
18 days AF
1/11: AF
More cravings yesterday. I feel like the more I lose control of things around me, the more I want a drink. I joined a cancer support group yesterday, I had to be interviewed for it, to make sure I was “the right fit.” This must be one helluva group! I have an MRI and CT scan tonight after work, yeehaw! I’m going to do my best to not drink when I get home. Maybe I’ll be too tired.
1/12: AF
Well, the cravings were real until I vomited at the MRI and then had to drink two of those barium drinks for the CT scan. Let’s just say I had some stomach issues after that and all throughout the night, so drinking was not an option.
I am going to look at a cat to adopt today, he’s an adult, orange and white. Polydactyl. My other cat’s name is Kramer so I’m tempted to stick with the Seinfeld theme. What do you guys thing? Currently his name is Roger.
20 days AF7 -
@mfowler883 that’s an impressive collection! “Stabby cutty “ had me laughing. I’m glad we are your peeps, you are ours too!
@forestdweller1 thank you for sharing your story. It is a slippery slope to go from social drinking, to finishing a whole bottle. My great-granddad was known as “a nasty drunk”, so to me, “alcoholic” sounds much
more PC!
@joans1976 getting a cat sounds like the perfect thing for you right now! The one you have your eye on sounds adorable. There has got to be an obscure Seinfeld character named Roger, but I can’t think of it. Way better than “Mikva”. Haha! And hey, cats can chill at the kennel while you enjoy Bali! Sorry to hear you had tummy issues with your tests, I forgot all about that stuff you have to drink for the CT. Gak!
@Sinisterbarbie1 glad to hear you are doing more by not drinking! What kind of things? My husband and I are still on the couch reading or watching TV even when it’s an AF night.
My weight is finally coming down. I’ve been good about logging my food, cutting back on alcohol and things in the baked goods category. Not totally eliminated, but really scaled back. Had one glass of wine at wine night, came home and collapsed into bed. This weekend my goal is only one glass per day max.
Off to the gym!
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@joans1976 - I love the Seinfield cat name idea!! My friend had Kramer and Newman!
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1/12: AF - AF last night. We did not go out for date night. After dinner, hubby had a couple of shots of whisky and I had a second Lagunitas IPNA, which helped me avoid late the night snacking (the opposite affect as with the Lagunitas IPAs ha!). We're heading out tomorrow for an overnight stay in NC to purchase a car (if the stars align!) and see family. I've planned for A days over the weekend.
Rolling Total: 9 AF Days out of 12
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I am Dawn, I live in SE BC Canada
My ongoing goal remains, 16-20 AF days per month.
Last month I had 18AF days
I do this diary style to keep track, and post the next morning
Sunday January 08 - AF - Back to work this Monday morning. Ankle is feeling pretty much like it did before the steroid shot, but I was told 2-6 weeks to feel full results. My plan is to have drinks on the weekend and one weeknight.
Monday January 09 - AF - Hoping to go to public skating at the arena on Wednesday during my split shift break. Even when it was really hurting, skates on made it feel comfortable. Hockey skates have a great deal of support.
Tuesday January 10 - AF - As usual, when AF my weight drops after a couple of days
Wednesay January 11 - 2 drinks - Got off of work much earlier than usual. Enjoyed the drinks
Thursday January 12 - AF - Planning on drinks over the weekend
Rolling total: 7AF days out of 12 days.5 -
I get so distracted reading everyone's posts that I forget to post my numbers. I am currently 7/12 AF, which is right on track. Hope everyone is ready for the weekend!8
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@Stockholm_Andy I am so glad you wrote this in your last post
"Starting to think about how I tackle the rest of 2023. Last time i did a month AF I then dived straight back into my old ways once I'd completed the challenge to myself."
The word challenge as you see is the key.
I moved the LESS Alcohol thread out of the challenges category on MFP as of Dec 2020 into the MOTIVATION AND SUPPORT category.
It was originally started in challenges back in 2017 and I noticed over years of participating that so many people took it as a short term fix and would do a crash course then be right back where they started or even worse.
Drinking LESS needs to be approached as a life style change for the long run. Challenges are fun and sometimes cliché (ex:ice bucket challenge LOL)
Thank you for sparking that thought in my head with your post.
Thank you for sparking that
Thank you for these thoughtful posts. It has gotten me thinking too, I noticed that this thread was NOT in the challenge section and I have to say that I think it makes more sense, at least for me. I am trying to practice moderation and mindfulness about when and why I consume alcohol so calling it a challenge doesn't feel right to me. Challenge implies a fight or resistance to something and I don't want to feel like I am fighting or resisting alcohol. I want to feel motivated to practice moderation.
Thank you for sharing this thought. Meaningful nuance. [ETA: very zen, too]6 -
Hello! It’s Amanda, I’m back. It’s a new month and a new year! I’ve been thinking about 2022 and 2023. I’ve got some goals for the year and staying 98% AF is one of them. I love this group, I love this thread, it really works.
1/1-1/7: 7 out of 7 AF
1/8: AF
1/9: AF
1/10: AF
Had some cravings yesterday. Just one little drink. Then I thought about the dry mouth, the racing heart beat, the nausea and heartburn and kicked the craving right out of my head!
18 days AF
1/11: AF
More cravings yesterday. I feel like the more I lose control of things around me, the more I want a drink. I joined a cancer support group yesterday, I had to be interviewed for it, to make sure I was “the right fit.” This must be one helluva group! I have an MRI and CT scan tonight after work, yeehaw! I’m going to do my best to not drink when I get home. Maybe I’ll be too tired.
Ha! I hope the group proves to be every bit of the buildup! Hang in there for the scans. Hope they turn up "nothing interesting." (That's what my doctor says.)
[ETA punctuation]5 -
@forestdweller1 Thank you for sharing, not "rambling" at all. I really appreciated your perspective. The part where abstinence and moderation are working for a while and then out of nowhere a whole bottle of wine... I recognize myself in that. TBH I'm not sure if it is the definition of insanity or not. I put a lot of stock in the power of habits, and habits can take a long time to change.
@GeeBee08505 Echoing all who said avoiding the setting of habits you want to change sounds like a good strategy. Good on ya! It's nice DH realized his comment didn't land well, too. I understand the irritation, though. I notice I get irritated when other are drinking and talking loud when I'm abstaining (like on weeknights) and when the family is sharing a bottle but I never get a glass of it because everyone drank it all when I was still serving. Honestly, when we go out, I prefer ordering by the glass so I don't have to share.
Apologies for multiple posts (catching up on several pages). AF M-Th. And stuck to the strength routine, too, such as it is. Will have drinks tonight, probably wine. Got an eldercare issue to deal with that will not be pleasant this weekend, but I will be glad when it's handled.
Happy Friday, everyone!8 -
HAPPY belated BIRTHDAY WISHES TO @lmlmrn!!!3
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@mfowler883 Wow! at your collection. I learn from you. I had to look up the "Belgian coticule". That's a great story and nice to have that heirloom.4
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@joans1976 You should definitely stick with the Seinfeld theme (I'm a big fan)! So "Jerry" or "George", or "Georgie" of course, or "Frank" after George's dad (who had orange hair since he's an orange cat, heh, heh). Or "Newman" but only if you say his name with the same enthusiasm as Jerry
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I am new to this group and have enjoyed reading everyone's comments. I have never had a problem with alcohol and thus have never felt the need to go AF, but hubby and I decided to do so this year for a few reasons:
- He's been diagnosed with high blood pressure, and alcohol is a contributing factor.
- We both want to lose weight. Cutting the extra calories from alcohol is a no-brainer.
- I've been reading a lot about metabolic disorders, gut health, liver function, and the like. Alcohol is a bad guy in all of them.
- Ditto for sleep. Sleep is crucial to health (and weight loss), and alcohol interferes with restorative sleep.
- Cost! With the money we save not buying alcohol, especially my go-to, red wine, we can afford to purchase more organic foods.
I think we started on Jan 6; that seems about right, anyway, so it's been a week. I haven't noticed anything dramatic, but then again, I often go a week or more without drinking. Next weekend will be a test as I have dinners out with friends on both Friday and Saturday. I will have to keep reminding myself of these reasons so I don't feel I'm missing out when I'm toasting with my glass of water! LOL11 -
I had a productive meeting with my therapist. She said you know it takes about 30 days for the cravings to lessen and 6 months for the brain to rewire.
The problem I have is getting to 30 days.
I am with my new husband for a weekend getaway. So, I am not going to stay AF but I will try to stick to 2 glasses with dinner and lots of coffee.7 -
RockinRobyn672 wrote: »@tiptoethruthetulips I know what you mean by 'two left feet" but line dancing sounds like a lot of fun. I laugh at myself every time I try to do one of the short cardio dance routines that @dawnbgethealthy shared with us.
First class is on Monday, my may not be so keen afterwards lol. Great to try those dance routines you get a double benefit a bit of exercise and the mental health aspect of laughing!6 -
Yeah, habits and routines are really a powerful thing to try to change. I've been trying to change the way I approach food since, I dunno, I guess mid-August with the real changes starting around September. I'm over four months into this leg of my journey and I still struggle with the urge to stuff my face. Lessening alcohol is the same thing, I'm good until I'm not and all of a sudden I want to drink ALL the drinks.
The whole NA beer thing is still really a curiosity to me, it fills that place of having a beer with dinner, and somehow it doesn't trigger that compulsive drive to drink more and get blitzed. As long as it tastes good, it satisfies my desire to drink beer because I like the taste of beer, in stark contrast to my desire to drink beer because I crave the alcohol. When I've tried to drink less or not at all in the past, I didn't even consider NA beers, and I really did miss having a nice beer with meals or at the end of the day, not because I missed the alcohol but because I do actually like a good beer. Having several solid options now between the Karbach, Stella, and Heineken is really nice, and I'm curious to see how this is going to play out in the long run. I really wish the Guiness didn't taste so wrong...does anybody have a recommendation for a good NA stout?
-m5 -
My goal is to be AF at home, so far for January that's 12 days AF (up to and including 13 Jan) and 8 days AF outside the home. Have one been tempted once with drinking at home, which I did give into, but with other things to focus on it I am just not thinking about it....hopefully that sticks!
I've joined the gym and had my first session on Thursday evening, feeling sore but not too badly. Did a Saturday morning walk at the beautiful Launceston Gorge, its already 23degC at 10.30am in the morning. My first line dancing class is Monday evening.
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@mfowler883 I had the some of same thoughts about the NA beers and almost didn't bother even buying any thinking it was a waste of money however, your praises for some of the ones you have tried inspired me to try some myself and I have been pleasantly surprised. I also was afraid that it would trigger me to want a "real" beer but so far it has not and I am proud to say that I like beer and not only for the alcohol.
I have also been looking for beers with lower alcohol content than the beer I usually drink (7.2). I have found a couple that are 4.2 that are very good, one is Breakside Brewery Rainbows & Unicorns (yes, this is a real beer!) and Founders All Day IPA. I have found these to be a good alternative for when I want more than just the flavor of beer. 6 -
Ahem...if you've been known as " Roger" all your cat-life, and someone starts addressing you as "George" or "Newman", wouldn't that be a wee bit off-putting ? Would take a whole lot of kitty treats to start to answer to some other cat's name. Best be some premium treats.
Has anyone bothered to consult Roger on this issue ?
Jes' sayin"...
Catpuccino [and don't snitch that I been on the 'puter .] 🐱6 -
@Womona we do a lot of reading too - less tv, but plenty of movies, but we have picked up some interesting pastimes like birdwatching (which requires going out to look for birds to add to your life list), and since we both had great olfactory senses from our wine tasting days we have applied it to perfume. We are signed up to a perfume making course (!) we have both upped our volunteer work in the community too and now that the pandemic is not shuttering all the performance venues I subscribed us to season tickets to a few things we enjoy. We also go out for walks and set silly agendas for ourselves like to go wherever the crossing signals take us or to walk every block in a certain neighborhood or we ride the subway out to a neighborhood we don’t usually go to and walk there/back home.
@mfowler883 and @zensome I was going to recommend the guiness 0 bc my husband likes it but I see you have already tried it and don’t like it. I didn’t think it tasted like guiness, but i dont think anything tastes like guiness unless you get it on tap from a pub in dublin. I have never been a beer drinker but that was the one time I really loved a beer! There is also a stout by a company caled gruvi but that seemed sweeter to me if i remember correctly. I have only tasted sips. my husband mixes that one as a black and tan with the athletic brewing company beers.
For ex or sometime wine drinkers I have been drinking the various Leitz dealcoholized wines. They have a riesling, a blanc de blanc and a pinot noir marketed as eins zwei zero. It is the closest I have found to wine taste and mouthfeel. Oddbird wines are also decent. For stuff that doesn’t pretend to be wine (its tea and juice) but works with food I like proxies. I buy these through specialty NA stores and some gourmet food gift shops or order on line. They are in the $20-30/range.
@joans1976 i am sure you know that cat purrs are very healing, so bring that boy home and start cuddling him. He will reveal at least one of his names to you in due course, but his true name - his “ineffeable effable deep and inscrutable singular name” — will remain known only to him. https://allpoetry.com/the-naming-of-cats
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(A difficult matter...)Sinisterbarbie1 wrote: »@mfowler883 and @zensome I was going to recommend the guiness 0 bc my husband likes it but I see you have already tried it and don’t like it. I didn’t think it tasted like guiness, but i dont think anything tastes like guiness unless you get it on tap from a pub in dublin. I have never been a beer drinker but that was the one time I really loved a beer! There is also a stout by a company caled gruvi but that seemed sweeter to me if i remember correctly. I have only tasted sips. my husband mixes that one as a black and tan with the athletic brewing company beers.
I've not had Guinness in Dublin. I've not been to Dublin, or ever left the continent although I travel more these days than I have in the past. I do like Guinness in all forms I've tried, however. (Except for the NA, it's got a sickly sweet funk to it that really put me off.) I pour quite a mean black & tan, although it's not something I do often. Does he float them? (Is it REALLY a black & tan if one doesn't?)
I just rolled in from Total Wine with some Gruvi Stout and Bravus Breakfast Dark - I even made it out of the store without any whiskey. I put a couple of the Bravus in the fridge for tomorrow. I saw several offerings from Athletic there, as well, but figured I'd keep it reasonable. Opinions will be forthcoming, of course.
Oh yeah, AF today. I think that makes 9/12 AF.
-m
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I hope you all are OK and have to be honest that I haven't been keeping up on reading posts.
Survived Friday the 13th AF and it was a struggle.
You know like I do, sometimes it takes a struggle and dealing with discomfort to break-through and change.
Self talk here: I hope you put yourself first tomorrow and all of the rest of your days, because you are the most important one. Do what you need to do to make yourself successful.
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Okay, so I caved and cracked one of the Bravus.
It's not bad. I dunno if I'll buy more. It's....a little flat, maybe? The flavor is actually quite good, the body is pleasant but it's missing some bubbles. At 110 calories per can, it's not one I can make much room for in the calorie budget, either. So close, but not quite there. I'd be willing to at least try other styles from the brand.
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@mfowler883 my husband also had the bravus but i did not try any of it. I am afraid you will find the gruvi too sweet if the guiness was too sweet for you. But unlike guiness it doesn’t come with a particular taste expectation so you can appreciate it for what it is.
I think that is why people have trouble with NA wines and spirits - you can’t expect them to taste or smell like the real thing because of the chemical properties involved. But now that it has been over a year since I have even tasted alcohol I am appreciating the nuances of the different spices and juices and teas in every type of proxy and identifying them like the flavor profiles of different wines. I often try to imagine what a glass of wine might taste like and the only taste I can summon is actually the pure alcohol bite that is missing from the drinks that I am consuming - not the taste of a glass of wine. So the thought of having a glass of wine is really off putting. Never in a million years did i think i would ever say that!6 -
January accountability: 6 days AF
Alcohol: 7 days (20 drinks)
Goal: Limit 2 glasses per day; 20-25 AF days this month. I usually target 12-16 AF days each month which is usually a challenge … hitting 20 days since DH backed out of his dry January commitment is definitely influencing me to join him on weekdays I had not planned when setting the goal. Going for it anyway!
1/13 - 4 wine ; opened 2 bottles … totally my fault
Planning to be dry this rest of this weekend.
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