LESS Alcohol ~ FEBRUARY 2023 ~ One Day at A Time
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Way to go everyone for staying accountable in February. I’m sure many have met or exceeded goals and some are coming in slightly under goal (or over depending upon how it’s framed). But, no matter where each of us end up, I feel this is a worthwhile journey!
March will be a challenge for me as part of February I was sick with a bad cold which helped me easily refrain from A earlier in the month.
I’m starting new volunteer work and getting busy with a couple of other commitments that start in the mornings.
I have found that coming here daily is so helpful. We are all working to attain less alcohol in some fashion - this is so commendable.
February accountability and stats:
AF - 17
A - 9
Goals: no more than two glasses of wine per A day. I have stayed within my personal 2 glass rule for health and weight loss goals.
Planning to remain AF during the weekdays until Friday night.
See you on March 1st!
4 -
February accountability: 13 days AF
Alcohol: 14 days (26 drinks)
Goal: Limit 2 glasses per day; 12-16 AF days this month.
2/27 - AF5 -
About to wrap up another month. I've found that while I may fall short, being here helps me to at least be more cognizant of it, and over time that is helpful in staying motivated to try and do better.
Today I started logging food again; dinner started out as a marginally not so healthy choice but something that wasn't so bad that I would have refused it, but then wife sent son to the bar next door for fries, and I made an active decision to prepare a separate meal for myself. We ate together, but I had a salad, shrimp and cauliflower. I felt better for it, and son said my meal looked better than his. As he finished his fries, he commented on how eating unhealthy foods leaves him feeling less than great, and he's using that knowledge as a reason to eat healthier.
I'm not AF today, but stress levels have been manageable and I'm keeping it moderate. For March, I'm going to focus on getting back on track with diet and alcohol - I haven't really lost since Thanksgiving and that vexes me. It's been one excuse after another: oh, it's a holiday, oh, we're celebrating a thing, oh we're on a road trip oh we're busy with this that or the other oh excuse excuse excuse and pretty soon we're back in the old habits, hey, wanna go grab lunch? wanna go grab dinner? wanna order UberEats? And we go to the restaurant and I say, we should just split an entree, but we wind up with appetizers and sides and this and that and it's way more than I ever wanted and I weigh in the next day and I've gained two pounds. ENOUGH.
Rant over.
Bentley peed on himself not once, but twice today, despite being walked frequently. Of course that meant bathing and drying. I decided the blow dryer was not efficient, so I set up the Kirby to blow. (It's been sitting in the closet since we got a Roomba.) It moves a lot more air, and dries dogs quite well although neither of them is a fan. I think I heard B mumble something about how he was going to get well and walk again if only so he could kick my *kitten* for subjecting him to such infuriating treatment.
Overcast grackle:
-m6 -
So that's the shortest month of the year just about up. I hope you all feel like you met your goals or at least made some progress.
I'm giving myself a D- for February. It wasn't a complete blow out and I have drank much less that I would in a normal month but I drank much more (often) than I planned to.
As of last nigh 15 AF and 12 A so by the end of the day that'll be 16AF.10 -
Like some of you, I didn't do as well as I had hoped for February. The beginning of a new month is a fresh start. The days are getting longer and the sun stronger and Spring is nearly here. I always love the time of renewal and re-birth that the season brings. Instead of disappointment in myself, I will focus on gratitude for what I have and what I DO get right.
March goals:
Continue daily meditation. This has become as routine as brushing my teeth. I love starting my day like this.
Try to see the bright side of things. Less negativity.
Think before speaking or acting.
Less TV, more reading.
Doing what needs to be done instead of putting it off.
And of course, less alcohol, more tea.
See you all on the March thread. Thanks to @MissMay for keeping it going!
7 -
2/1- 2/2- 2/3 -2/4 - A
2/5 - AF
2/6 - AF
2/7 - AF
2/8 - AF
2/9 - A - 2/10 - 2/11 -A
2/12 - AF
2/13 - A
2/14 - AF
2/15 - 2/16- 2/17- 2/18- A -- more A days this month so far but logging anyway to keep accountability going. Love this judgement-free space!
2/19 - AF
2/20 - AF
2/21 - AF
2/22 - AF
2/23 - A
2/24 - A
2/25 - A
2/26 - AF
2/27 - AF
2/28 - AF6 -
Hey everyone, I’m Amanda. I live in Michigan and it is freezing and gray here but at least it’s staying light out past 5 pm now. ☀️
I joined this lovely thread in the summer of 2022 and it has made a huge difference in my life! I’ve gone from being 25% AF to 98% AF.
The people here are kind and real and smart and fun! Welcome to all newcomers!
2/1-2/7: 6 out of 7 AF
2/8-2/14: 7 out of 7 AF
2/15-2/22: 7 out of 7 AF
2/23-2/28: 6 out of 6 AF
Total: 27 out of 28 AF
2/27 & 2/28: AF
Such a short month! I always say this but I love this group, you guys are the bestest!
Radiation is officially kicking my *kitten*! I went to bed last night at 5:15! I vaguely remember seeing my boss calling me but I was only scheduled to work until 3 so yeah, I let that go to voicemail.
Here’s hoping March brings healing and maybe the sprouting of green things from the earth to give me renewed hope! 🌱8 -
5
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AF last night, and didn’t even want any despite a bush day at work. Tonight I’m hosting book club, so I’ll keep it to no more than two. Now to get my house ready!3
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Hi - Robyn here in SE Virginia. My goal is 16+ AF days per month. I had 18 AF days last month. I'm drinking less for health and weight loss. I post the next morning.
2/27: AF - Monday was a hungry day. I went bust on my calorie budget but tracked everything and still kept pie-hole-intake under control better than usual. I also worked late and didn't get in a planned Peloton workout (boo).
Tonight DH wants to check out taco night at a local gastropub that specializes in martinis. I'm going to try again to research the menu and plan my intake. I will have a martini or two. This month I'll be 2 days sly of my goal, but still it's a win - 14 AF days in February. That's a lot more in a month than before I joined this group. And I agree that this group is amazing! You all inspire me daily.
Rolling Total: 14 AF Days out of 27
Rolling Total after today: 14 Days out of 28
@mfowler883 I know what you mean regarding not loosing weight since before Thanksgiving. Me too. I'm trying out a new strategy, which is to strictly track my food but only weigh-in every 10 days or so. I have found that I reward myself with food when my weight goes down on a day. BTW, good job eating healthy and skipping the fries, and it actually influenced your son. Cool! Love the blackbird photo. Keep 'em coming.
@joans1976 When is your radiation over? We will all celebrate! I'm glad you allowed your boss's call go to voicemail. Good for you! You needed the rest. And regarding the "sprouting of green things" giving you hope, I'm all for that! I'm ready for it too.
@Stockholm_Andy No way is your February a D! It's at least in the Bs or maybe even an A- in my book!
@SunnyDays930 IMHO we've all done well during this short month. I believe the staying accountable thing will win out in the long run.
@dawnbgethealthy I hope you're starting to feel more like yourself!
@MissMay Thanks, as always, for keeping this thread going!6 -
yeah AF last night but I think a big part of it was I was not feeling 100% yesterday. I really believe the symptoms I had were alcohol related from those previous days (Thur, Fri, Sat, Sun) So for the month I bring in one of my lower numbers of 15 AF for the month. March will be busy and better. It's a mindset
@mfowler883 I have been researching and trying basically one pot/skillet type meals we can make on the road. Since we plan to take 3-4 weeks to travel from one coast to the other. Last night was a 'chicken stew' and I cooked it in a 2qt pot on an induction burner in my kitchen. For me I need to know what exactly I need to pack and what I can skip to complete meals in a hotel room and a quick trip to a local grocery store for a protein and fresh veggie if needed.
Today's experiment will be can I cook biscuits in a skillet? to eat with the stew? or with other soup/stew type foods? So I am off for that
Oh as far as this whole A & Food and weight gaining .......I am so with everyone who is monitoring themselves. The downhill slide started at the end of October and has kept going. I am up 10lb since then...always a pound or two each month......So focus back on food and logging for me. I hate logging food.7 -
@lmlmrn ...I've made biscuits in my electric skillet using regular recipe. Preheat the skillet at 450 with lid on, put biscuits in a pan on a bake rack in the skillet, [quickly !] add the lid & bake 15 - 20 minutes, til done. Don't know if electric skillet is among your travel equipment.
Have a safe & fun cross country adventure.3 -
Got caught up on Sunday evening and had wine, a bit too much actually. New plan started. Did well with exercise AND food, but just the wine wasn't scheduled or on plan.
On target on Monday and was 100% on plan and no alcohol.
I finished the month at 29% AF. Jan was 53% and December was 0%.
I'm ready for March. In addition to all the online tracking, I bought an organizer (paper) to write about all things health wise. Typing is fine, but there's something cathartic about writing..... Even when reflecting, your handwriting can even add more to the story!
I'm feeling positive and that alone feels good!
2/1 AF
2/2 AF
2/3 A
2/4 A
2/5 A
2/6 A
2/7 A
2/8 AF
2/9 A
2/10 A
2/11 A
2/12 A
2/13 A
2/14 A
2/15 A
2/17 A
2/18 A
2/19 A
2/20 AF
2/21 A
2/22 A
2/23 A
2/24 A
2/25 A
2/26 A
2/27 AF
2/28 AF - Projection
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February - Projection
AF = 29%
A = 71%
30 day experiment - My 30 days ended on 2/17
AF = 16 days or 53%
A = 14 days or 47%
@joans1976 ~ Kudos to you for getting through your social events and resisting the temptation. Sounds like you had a good time and even relaxed a bit with 10 hours of sleep!! WOW! I bet you felt great on that ride home too! Congrats to you!
@dawnbgethealthy ~ I hope you are feeling better! Did you take paxlovid by chance? Just curious. I had covid in October of 2021 and I don't think they have developed meds at that time.
@mfowler883 ~ I totally agree with you.mfowler883 wrote: »I've found that while I may fall short, being here helps me to at least be more cognizant of it, and over time that is helpful in staying motivated to try and do better.
I wish everyone success in the month of March!6 -
Stockholm_Andy wrote: »So that's the shortest month of the year just about up. I hope you all feel like you met your goals or at least made some progress.
I'm giving myself a D- for February. It wasn't a complete blow out and I have drank much less that I would in a normal month but I drank much more (often) than I planned to.
As of last nigh 15 AF and 12 A so by the end of the day that'll be 16AF.
That's not a D-, dude. You did way better than I did. Give yourself a better grade than that.
I don't have much alcohol in the house, and I'm going to try to avoid buying for now, get back out of the routine of having something available. I do much better when I practice self control at the store or even before I get to the store - having a plan, knowing what I will buy and what I will not buy.
Another night of yelling and crying, unproductive walks in the middle of the night and not a lot of quality sleep. He had been fed, got his meds, drank his fill, been walked before bed, the whole nine yards. I don't know what he gets going on about. I eventually pulled the crate out, put it together and moved it into the gym closet, and migrated Bentley to the crate; I pulled out my wireless earbuds and fired up SimplyNoise on my phone, covered the earbuds with my Walker's shooting muffs and finally got a little bit of sleep just after dawn.
(Ears perk up) I think there's a squirrel in the ceiling. I took out six of them last summer with an air rifle. I really do like squirrels just fine, as long as they stay outside in the trees where they belong. The property manager has been aware of the issue for ages, there are holes in the soffits all over the complex where critters come and go. One spring, there was a family of opossums living in a vacant apartment. Maybe this time I can take care of it before it becomes a whole family up there again.
-m6 -
Now my skillet meals, well I have experimenting I think I can pull them off. We just need to plan small trips to local grocery stores to pick up the protein of choice and fresh veggies. Very doable.
This web site has great, easy skillet meals: https://downshiftology.com/
I promise I have no connection to this site other than discovering some good recipes.4 -
I agree with the others @Stockholm_Andy you earned for more than D-. I would say anyone who follows, reads, posts or skims over our thread goes no lower than B- just for showing up listening and being accountable.
It is nice to have you more full time than in past years jumping in and out. We VALUE you highly.7 -
@dawnbgethealthy your comment is spot on. That is me, in my +60's in a two-piece making fun of the thirtysome year olds on the beach with band aides for bathing suits. It is entertaining. Feel better soon.4
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So my accountability for February I am pleased with considering a trip to Vegas thrown in.
24 AF
4 A
This is what I really need to drop the hammer on. UGH ever since moving to Florida every Mexican place has chips and salsa on the table in front of you before you can even get settled in your chair. But look at this fact:
How many calories in a basket of chips at a Mexican restaurant?
A portion of fast-food chips can contain between 280 and 570 calories, while a sit-down restaurant portion can clock in at as many as 910 calories
Onward to March.......follow the link below. It is NEVER to late to start drinking LESS
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10885242/less-alcohol-march-2023-one-day-at-a-time#latest6 -
February accountability: 14 days AF
Alcohol: 14 days (26 drinks)
Days over 2 glasses: 2
Goal: Limit 2 glasses per day; 12-16 AF days this month.
2/1 - AF; Orange La Croix Sparkling Water; DH had bourbon & coke but I passed
2/2 - AF; DH too
2/3 - 2 drinks; bourbon & Diet Coke
2/4 - 2 wine; small glasses DH & I got 6 glasses out of the bottle
2/5 - 1 wine; 1 bottle 4 people
2/6 - 1 wine; gumbo & wine dinner with our daughter’s while her husband was out of town
2/7 - 2 wine; Central Market Cooking School Sauteing and French Pan Sauces with 1 glass of white and red wine each.
2/8 - AF; DH wanted to go out and buy wine for dinner. I asked that we not and hold off on buying wine until Friday so I could have another couple of AF evenings. So he had bourbon & sprite while I drank Betty Buzz Sparkling Grapefruit
2/9 - 2 wine
2/10 - 1 drink; Blackberry Creme de Mure Liqueur with club soda
2/11 - 1 wine; hard to pass up an open bottle of wine at my daughter’s
2/12 - AF; Super Bowl and the wine, beer & mixed drinks were flowing at my house. I enjoyed Fever Tree Blood Orange Ginger Beer with a lime slice in a pretty glass and skipped the vodka.
2/13 - 2 wine
2/14 - AF; DH too. I relied on my Betty Buzz with a squeeze of lime.
2/15 - AF @ 📚; DH too
2/16 - AF; DH too
2/17 - AF; long 5 hr drive at night to my mom’s
2/18 - 2 Gin & Tonic; poured 11 bottles of old bad wine down the drain and ditched the bottles without 1 glass of wine.
2/19 - 3 drinks ; 2 Gin & Tonic + 1 wine
2/20 - AF @ 📚
2/21 - AF; DH too; Mardi Gras / Fat Tuesday
2/22 - AF; Fever Tree Lime & Yuzu. DH AF too. Ash Wednesday
2/23 - 2 wine; Dining out with DH & friends
2/24 - AF; DH too;
2/25 - 2 drinks; 1 mimosa + 1 wine … both small. Granddaughter’s baptism reception brunch. Skipped drinks in the evening.
2/26 - 3 wine ; dinner at my sister’s home
2/27 - AF
2/28 - AF
Didn't join DH in the bourbon & coke and instead opted for Betty Buzz again both Monday & Tuesday night to help my overall totals!
Now on to March ... and lots of distractions that could be challenging but I've got my plan.
Ya'll are all doing GREAT in my book!
@Stockholm_Andy ... it is not a bad month if you record even a few days of less alcohol!
Hope everyone will check in with us again in March!!3 -
So my accountability for February I am pleased with considering a trip to Vegas thrown in.
24 AF
4 A
This is what I really need to drop the hammer on. UGH ever since moving to Florida every Mexican place has chips and salsa on the table in front of you before you can even get settled in your chair. But look at this fact:
How many calories in a basket of chips at a Mexican restaurant?
A portion of fast-food chips can contain between 280 and 570 calories, while a sit-down restaurant portion can clock in at as many as 910 calories
Onward to March.......follow the link below. It is NEVER to late to start drinking LESS
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10885242/less-alcohol-march-2023-one-day-at-a-time#latest
Chips are a hard one for me; I've probably mentioned the salty crunchy cravings. When we're being BAD, we'll eat the chips. When we're really trying to be good, we'll wave the waiter away and skip the chips, and split an entree. Most salsas aren't too bad, but one of my favorite TexMex joints has this creamy jalapeno ranch type dip that is addictive and loaded with a billion calories. In the past, we've been known to each get our own basket of chips and bowls of salsa and dip.
I grabbed a Bota Mini for tonight, finish off Feb with a bang. Tomorrow is March. Onward and upward.
I've discovered ChatGPT...
-m5 -
I literally can't keep up with all these posts but I will read later. I wanted to do my last post of Feb. I met my goal of 16AF days. I was sick for a week so not really sure if I would have made it otherwise. Still contemplating March goal but I think I will stick with 16 since I was able to do that for Jan. I kept some stats this month and definitely have achieved the goal of Less Alcohol with fewer drinks when I have had them and also drinking beers with lower alcohol content than my usual. Even though I am not able to post often, I find that being a part of this group has helped me keep myself accountable. Hope to see you all again in March!
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@MissMay Great job on your AF days that includes the Vegas trip! And oh yeah! Tortilla chips ....2
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"Hi - Robyn here in SE Virginia. My goal is 16+ AF days per month. I had 18 AF days last month. I'm drinking less for health and weight loss. I post the next morning.
2/28: AF - Taco night didn't pan out so we stayed in. I'm adding one more day to my AF total. I felt bad all day due to side effects from my first shingles vax. Why is it that you want to eat junk when feeling bad? I did some unplanned snacking, but I logged it. Instead of cooking I ate a low-cal frozen meal, which helped keep the calories lower but still over plan.
Rolling Total: 15 AF Days out of 28
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@RubyRed427 I know this is an old post but, I recently took Naltrexone for an alcohol problem. My pharmacist actually warned me that many don't like the drug and recommended that I only take half at first.
I did that at 9 pm one night. It made me extremely tired, nauseous, and I had diarrhea. I thought the side effects would never end. Never again!
I just thought I'd add this to possibly help others considering this drug.0 -
SurferGirl1982 wrote: »@RubyRed427 I know this is an old post but, I recently took Naltrexone for an alcohol problem. My pharmacist actually warned me that many don't like the drug and recommended that I only take half at first.
I did that at 9 pm one night. It made me extremely tired, nauseous, and I had diarrhea. I thought the side effects would never end. Never again!
I just thought I'd add this to possibly help others considering this drug.
Thanks for your comment. I don't know if I mentioned but it also gave me a weird feeling like I needed to stretch my legs often- just weird.
A few years ago I was on it and didn't have too many issues, but this time around, it was not good (just like you said).1
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