LESS Alcohol ~ JANUARY 2023 ~ One Day At A Time
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Happy MLK to those of you in the US. Such an inspiring orator and writer. A human being with flaws, like all of us, but with extraordinary gifts as well.
@joans1976 What a relief for the clear scans! Honestly, please don't dwell on how you caused your own cancer. I've noticed when someone is diagnosed, people tend to ask questions about the diagnosed one's behaviors so that the questioner can pinpoint a factor and say to himself, "Whew, I don't have that factor so I'm safe." It's a mind game. Common, maybe natural, but not very helpful. Cells mutate. We all will get cancer eventually if we live long enough. Sure there are things we can do to lower our odds, but at the end of the day, it is a numbers game. Give yourself some grace, there. Roger is irresistible. Inspiring reflection about what you like about being AF. Good on you for all the good things you have done for yourself.
All your updates are fun to read, so thanks for that!
Saturday went to a new place in the neighborhood DH has been wanting to try, and it was nice. I had a drink there and liked the drink. Came home and opened a bottle of wine which wasn't really necessary but I didn't have a plan and just went with it. After the 2nd wine I started snacking which wasn't really necessary either. Last night I had one drink before dinner and stuck to chocolate after dinner. Plan to be AF M-Th this week.
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Robyn here. I have been a part of this group for a few months and have significantly reduced my alcohol intake. I'm drinking less for health and weight loss.
Goal: 16-20 AF days monthly. Last Month: 16 AF days. I post the next morning
1/15: I had more drinks/food than planned over the weekend during our travels and my weight is up this morning. I'm staying AF until Thursday and getting back on track today.
Rolling Total: 9 AF Days out of 15
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Happy Monday
AF last night so yeah to that
@joans1976 what great news.
This next week I am really going to have to watch my snacking. It seems when I am not indulging in alcohol my sweet tooth meter goes off the rails. Not sure how to rein it in or if it will fade out on its own......
this will be short right now so much going on with DH finding his 'sea legs' as I call it in his semi retirement. He is just looking for things to do that don't involve our house LOL. Oh well. Today he is finishing up a few things at the 'sold' building he wanted to take care of for the new owner. Who btw seems to have mutual friendlyness with DH. He is letting us store our 40' shipping container on his property until we find our forever home and can have it moved.
I will be back6 -
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 15 - AF - Ankle was sore, so didn't go to the public skating. Our roads after several days of thaw are ice covered in deep puddles of water. The trails would be treacherous. I had a nice day puttering around. No split shifts scheduled for this week so far, the first time in almost 2 years, so planning on earlier dinners and catching up on a few things. Plan for this week is to have drinks on the weekend and maybe a midweek day.
Rolling total: 8AF days out of 15 days.6 -
mfowler883 wrote: »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?
-m
@mfowler883 Your words strike home to me. I've been trying to change my approach to food and alcohol as well and agree that the NA beers are very helpful in filling "that place of having a beer with dinner." I wouldn't mind finding a good NA stout. On Friday night, I overdid it on the alcohol and also failed resist that urge to stuff my face. I haven't done that in a while.
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@joans1976 I am so happy for you about the news on your scans! Yay! That is such good news! And a big Awwww on the new kitty! He is very handsome. I love the paws. I like all the names you've suggested! Maybe he'll fit into one more than the others as you get to know him better.4
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@joans1976 Addendum... I was behind in reading. Roger seems to be a good fit. It makes me want to add a second cat to our family. Maybe I will when we move back to Florida later this year.6
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[quote="
@mfowler883 Your words strike home to me. I've been trying to change my approach to food and alcohol as well and agree that the NA beers are very helpful in filling "that place of having a beer with dinner." I wouldn't mind finding a good NA stout. On Friday night, I overdid it on the alcohol and also failed resist that urge to stuff my face. I haven't done that in a while.
[/quote]RockinRobyn672 wrote: »mfowler883 wrote: »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?
-m
@mfowler883 Your words strike home to me. I've been trying to change my approach to food and alcohol as well and agree that the NA beers are very helpful in filling "that place of having a beer with dinner." I wouldn't mind finding a good NA stout. On Friday night, I overdid it on the alcohol and also failed resist that urge to stuff my face. I haven't done that in a while.
I haven't tried the Gruvi stout yet; the Bravus tasted good but seemed flat. I've got a couple Black Butte porters in the fridge for tonight, I know it's not a stout proper, but should scratch that itch. I'll let y'all know how I like it - reviewers seem to give it pretty good ratings.
-m6 -
The weekend somehow got away from me but I'm back. I have 7/15 days AF. Today will be AF for sure, need to get the balance in the other direction, more AF days than A days. Hope everyone is having a great day! We finally got some sun here so I took a nice walk with my mom up to the Abbey in our town.8
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More than half way through January
Woooooooooo
Love'n the furbaby pics. I so miss all mine from the past. UGH, 32 straight years of pups and now none.
I do though frequent our near by doggie park and get my puppy fix in that way. If you go into the gated area and sit on the bench it will not take long to be surround by wagging tails and slurpy kisses.
Today I began training at a job. No big shakes and certainly not a future career. It is for me to keep busy, get out of the town house and meet and mingle with the public.
The huge selling points for me to apply was this company will NOT hire anyone that smokes.
And it is indoors, so it has air conditioning. I wont fry in the Florida sun.
Oh and I can walk to work in 8 minutes from my house.
I can still do my art and work at art gallery 1 day a month.
LIFE IS GOOD!
AF 16 and counting
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@joans1976 don’t go down the “i gave myself cancer” road because who knows if you did and and what would it matter if you did? I did that to myself too when I had cancer (among other things blaming myself for living in TriBeCa after 9/11 with all the aftermath still there). You have to focus on what is ahead and organizing your life/health in ways that will serve you well for the future. The statistics that jumped out at me in the article were not the cancer ones, but the ones linked to liver disease which has no symptoms until its too late. I don’t remember the exact statistic but it was something like 90% of people who are daily drinkers for 5 years even at FDA limits show some signs of damage.The other comment that struck me was that if you stop for dry January and feel better, or if you stop for a few days even and feel better, your body is telling you something. Mostly because those at least tell you something actionable (that and it is really surprising). I always claimed I didn’t get hangovers (which is a sign of a problem in and of itself apparently) but every time I stopped drinking for a while before I quit for good I definitely felt better. I agree about all the benefits you mention you are enjoying - and trust me chemo and cocktails are not a great combo … so just cuddle Roger and enjoy looking forward to all the things you’ll be able to do even stronger than before when all this cancer nonsense is completely in the rear view mirror.
ETA this is not a pitch for folks to stop drinking entirely. I am just commenting that i was shocked by the statistic. And commenting that it rang true to my personal experience when stopping10 -
January accountability: 7 days AF
Alcohol: 9 days (24 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!
1/16 - AF @ 📚
Easy peasy. The other ladies drinking at book club doesn't bother me at the restaurant because I don't want to pay $12-15 for a cheap glass of wine. DH had bourbon & coke before I left but that too I could brush aside knowing I was racking up another AF day ... need to catch up with my A days.10 -
Okay the Deschutes Black Butte NA is really good, if you're looking for a good dark NA beer this one is worth checking out.
AF today.
-m7 -
Lilylady3k wrote: »Easy peasy. The other ladies drinking at book club doesn't bother me at the restaurant because I don't want to pay $12-15 for a cheap glass of wine. DH had bourbon & coke before I left but that too I could brush aside knowing I was racking up another AF day ... need to catch up with my A days.
Great Attitude LL! Nice work ignoring the temptations.
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16 days AF for January.
If anything I think it's getting easier this time around so far. It seems I'm 100% better at abstinence than moderation and both are much easier when we are both doing it LOL
It'd be nice to think I can make this my new normal. Drinking maybe a couple of times per month as a conscious decision rather than out of daily habit. Sure my liver would thank me also.
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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
1/8-1/14: 7 out of 7 AF
1/15: AF
1/16: AF
So you all could have almost seen me on the news last night “Woman sticks pen in her eye;driven by stress from her boss.” Seriously. I hate, hate, hate that my health insurance is connected to her.
Well, I’m just a bucket of sunshine this morning aren’t I?
Love to you all, everyone is doing so well. Have a great Tuesday 🫠
24 days AF
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@GeeBee08505 Kramer is….suspicious. They have come nose to nose a few times but there is definitely no sharing of the bed or couch. Kramer is doing better than I thought he would be at this point, he’s a sensitive little soul.
@MissMay Congrats on the non-frying job! Thank you for keeping us all going here!
I would have re-named that puppy too, geez. I had a cat I adopted come with the name Muriel. I changed it to Daphne but for some reason she became Peanut.5 -
Stockholm_Andy wrote: »16 days AF for January.
If anything I think it's getting easier this time around so far. It seems I'm 100% better at abstinence than moderation and both are much easier when we are both doing it LOL
I've always done much better at abstinence than moderation with everything.
I can't find an original blog post regarding abstainers vs moderators but I did find it interesting, this is a recap of it https://gretchenrubin.com/articles/abstainer-vs-moderator/
A summary of the concept https://www.pbfingers.com/abstainers-vs-moderators/
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tiptoethruthetulips wrote: »Stockholm_Andy wrote: »16 days AF for January.
If anything I think it's getting easier this time around so far. It seems I'm 100% better at abstinence than moderation and both are much easier when we are both doing it LOL
I've always done much better at abstinence than moderation with everything.
I can't find an original blog post regarding abstainers vs moderators but I did find it interesting, this is a recap of it https://gretchenrubin.com/articles/abstainer-vs-moderator/
A summary of the concept https://www.pbfingers.com/abstainers-vs-moderators/
Great reads.
I have the same feeling. Abstinence has been really kind of a smooth process. For me, it's the will power to stick to Dry January... which hasn't been too challenging (surprisingly). As I said, I will see how February goes. I am an accountant and tax (hell) season is fast approaching. Which means a combo of crazy work hours, squeezing in meals and sleep and typically -bad choices. Trying to develop a new approach this year with preparation, routine and consistency. I am looking for more ways to deal with stress that isn't a nice, big glass of Pinot Grigio when I get home.
Happy Tuesday.
-Georgia
AF Jan 1-168 -
@mfowler883 Thanks for the Deschutes Black Butte NA recommendation. I'm looking for it but haven't yet found it.5
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