LESS Alcohol ~ MARCH 2023 ~ One Day at A Time

Sinisterbarbie1 · March 2023

@mfowler883 @joans1976 ”now go adopt two kittens for Harley” … that is how I ended up with my kitties. I had a wonderful black cocker spaniel for 18 years. He was old and I struggled with figuring out whether he was still enjoying life but he always rallied and always enjoyed being around people (me and my sister especially). When I got cancer he saw me through everything up to radiation. All the diagnosis, the 9 mos of different chemos, the hospitalizations, the surgery. When I was home and my sister came to visit he hung out with us in the kitchen for one last week of dancing to 80s music and being silly and watching movies and laughing until we cried. He sat on the couch on both of us at once on a pile of blankets even as a small dog. The day she left to go home after the surgery he couldn’t leave his bed anymore. I took him for one last walk and he kept trying to slink away to hide. I called the vet and made an appointment that afternoon. Afterwards I couldn’t imagine getting another dog. I still can’t. But my house was so empty. Especially the corner where his bed was. I eventually persuaded my husband to get a kitten (my husband was sick with a cold and i capitalized on a moment of weakness) and then about a year later adopted the kitten’s mother from the breeder when she was “retiring” from being a queen.(we had to get cats that are somewhat hypoallergenic bc I am actually allergic to cats.. truly a crazy cat lady). The kitties have colonized our hearts and provide a different but no less sweet and funny kind of love and attachment. They have their own toys and beds but their favorite place to sleep is still Mickey’s old dog bed. I think they have some connection with their departed pet brother from another mother ….
Grief for pets is so different because they are so innocent and trusting and dependent on us. We learn a lot about ourselves as humans from our pets if we are open and alert to it.
Glad folks are doing well following plans and making plans ahead of time for days when the world goes mad for alcohol like st patrcks day. If this wasn’t also a nutrition site I’d suggest lucky charms!

RockinRobyn672 · March 2023

@MissMay I absolutely love the crooked road post! Your words are so true. Do you know where the photo was taken?

@joans1976 I'm SOOOOOOooo glad that you're at the end of your radiation treatments. I'm hoping you start feeling better soon.

@mfowler883 What a great idea to donate the wheels. I know it means so much to hang out with folks who cared about B.

@dawnbgethealthy How was the show?

dawnbgethealthy · March 2023

I am Dawn, I live in South Eastern British Columbia.
I joined this thread in November of 2018, a daily drinker at the time
My primary goal with drinking less is weight loss.

My usual goal is 16-20 AF days for the month,
I had 16AF days for the shortened month of February.

I do this diary style, I normally post the next morning.

Sunday March 12 - AF - I have a few outings this week, a comedy show and a String Quartet Chamber Music show. I am unsure whether I will have drinks at one or both of those.
Monday March 13 - AF - I had my grey roots dyed out after work and had a hankering for a couple of cocktails when I got home, but I didn't because my weight is still way up from the drinks (leading to bad food choices) on the weekend.
Tuesday March 14 - 3 drinks, 1 before the show and 2 after. Planning AF for tonight.
Wednesday March 15 - AF - Early morning video conference and a late night planned at the Theatre, so I knew that I had to remain AF. Not sure if I will have drinks before and after the Chamber Music Concert tonight.

Rolling total: 8AF day out of 15 days.

Michieb125 · March 2023

I am so thankful for this kind and non judgmental group of wonderful people. Knowing I can come here and learn from you and share my experience means so much. I am positive I would not be on the LA path without this thread!

@MissMay love your photo of the twists and turns while on the journey to LA, thanks for sharing!

@joans1976 A big congratulations for making it through to your last treatment! You have inspired me with your strength and courage. Time for a massage, pedicure AND nap!

@RockinRobyn672 I would like to find that Clausthaler (NA) - sounds like a great choice!

@globalhiker great post and way to go on sticking to your personal rules!

Thursday 3/16
March accountability: 20-23 AF days
AF - 12
A - 3
No more than two glasses per A day.
Planning 0 A until the weekend.
I have a NA Stella Artois to try with our Irish dinner tomorrow.
Also have the grandchildren for the weekend!

itladyee · March 2023

@mfowler883 ~ So sorry you had to say goodbye to Bentley. it's difficult I know. Sometimes I wish their lifespan was similar to ours but then again, I would not have met such wonderful pets along the way. Thinking of you! Continue to share the memories. That guy deserved Bentley's "kiss"

@Missmay ~ Love the visual!!

March is turning out to be my WTF month.... Will enjoy my mini vacation and refocus for April

AF = 0
A = 15
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
January
AF = 53%
A = 47%
February
AF = 29%
A = 71%
March
AF = 0%
A = 100%

March goals are going to be a bit more strict as I really want to drop a few pounds before the end of the month.

Week 1 (ending 3/4) = 0
Week 2 (ending 3/11) = 0
Week 3 (ending 3/18) = 2 - 3 of wine per week, less is better
Week 4 (ending 3/25 = 2 - 3 of wine per week, less is better
Week 5 (ending 4/1) = Mini (4 day vacation in Vegas) - No rules

RockinRobyn672 · March 2023

@Michieb125 I found the Clausthaler Dry Hopped and other great NA choices at Total Wine.

joans1976 · March 2023

Hello! I’m Amanda, I’m a crazy cat lady from Michigan! I joined this forum in June of 2022 and since September I have decreased my drinking to one day a month! This is a huge accomplishment from where I was and I absolutely could not have done it without the wonderful mix of people in this group!

March goals: just make it through the month unscathed! (27 doctor appointments)
Alcohol goals: 95-100% AF

3/1-3/7: 7 out of 7 AF
3/8-3/14: 7 out of 7 AF
Rolling total 40 days AF

3/14: AF
I have made it through 13 out of 30 medical appointments for the month. And I’m not even doing chemo! I am thankful for certain things.

3/15: AF
Yes so AF. I wouldn’t have the strength or the will to go to the store to get A. Just so tired. Last day of radiation. Side effects are killer. How to celebrate? I’m thinking a big, fat, luxurious nap!

3/16: AF
IM DONE! I got a certificate of completion and everything! Earlier in the day I was planning on getting some A on my way home but by the time I got to that point in my day, I was too tired. My brain is really telling me I need a couple drinks this weekend to celebrate. I’m not sure what to do.
42 days AF

joans1976 · March 2023

@Sinisterbarbie1 I ❤️ crazy cat ladies, they are my people.

@Michieb125 This is a great group of folks, isn’t it? Thank you for all your support and kind words! It means a lot.

horror_mama · March 2023

I need this! I drink more on Saturday nights or when I socialize, but always drink a tad too much and regret it each time. I’m ready to be AF!

SunnyDays930 · March 2023

We were at lunch the other day and I noticed an employee folding green T shirts to give out today, St. Patrick's Day. Printed on them was "Day Drink". I cannot imagine where I would be comfortable promoting that message but I guess plenty of people will pop them on at that bar today. We may go out to lunch but are definitely staying in and off the roads tonight.

Womona · March 2023

SunnyDays930 wrote: »

We were at lunch the other day and I noticed an employee folding green T shirts to give out today, St. Patrick's Day. Printed on them was "Day Drink". I cannot imagine where I would be comfortable promoting that message but I guess plenty of people will pop them on at that bar today. We may go out to lunch but are definitely staying in and off the roads tonight.

When I started the less alcohol journey, I got rid of all the “wine mom”-type things such as t shirts, dish towels, etc. I, too, wasn’t comfortable putting that message out there.

Womona · March 2023

@joans1976 yay! Woo hoo!!!! You’re done with radiation!!!! That’s so fantastic!!!! Sleep as long as you want!!!!!!!!!

Womona · March 2023

I’ve had a glass of wine every day this week, and my weight has been going down- except today. But, I had pizza for lunch yesterday and that always messes with me. So, I’m treating it as just a blip and continuing to log food and watch alcohol intake. We plan to stay in for St. Patrick’s day, we are too old to fight crowds at a bar! Plus it’s a Friday during Lent, so no corned beef and cabbage for me today anyway.

RockinRobyn672 · March 2023

Hello My "LA" friends! Happy March! I am SO ready for spring! My goal is 16 AF days minimum in a month. I'm drinking less for weight loss and the additional health benefits. I usually post the next morning.

3/16: Drinks (4) - We opened the planned bottle of wine with dinner, but then I had a couple of Ladies Night margaritas at a local bar where they had live music. My pounding heart in the middle of the night was a reminder of how much better I've been feeling since I started drinking less.

Rolling Total: 8 AF Days out of 16

RockinRobyn672 · March 2023

SunnyDays930 wrote: »

We were at lunch the other day and I noticed an employee folding green T shirts to give out today, St. Patrick's Day. Printed on them was "Day Drink". I cannot imagine where I would be comfortable promoting that message but I guess plenty of people will pop them on at that bar today. We may go out to lunch but are definitely staying in and off the roads tonight.

@SunnyDays930 Since I joined this group and have been paying attention to my alcohol intake, I have been noticing things like that more. It's all around us.

RockinRobyn672 · March 2023

@Joans1976 Hooray! So glad you're done! I hope you start feeling better soon!

joans1976 · March 2023

Hi there everyone, I thought I would post some pictures. Im just so proud of my radiation certificate. (I know its just a piece of paper but it feels so good to be done.

A pic of my burnt skin...this is actually a "good" area.

These are some pictures of Lake Michigan on the west side of the state, so on the other side of this lake is Minnesota. Not nearly as beautiful as it it in the summer but still my favorite body of water.

I threw in these two derps for good measure!

joans1976 · March 2023

@Womona I had a few drinking things in my house, oddly all gifts. A sign that said "WTF..wine time finally." A sign for the wall that said "Keep calm and drink wine" and some wine coasters. Threw them all away. Not sad.

@RockinRobyn672 Ah the pounding heart. A reason for me NOT to drink this weekend in celebration!

I completely didnt realize it was St Patricks Day. Ive never been a beer fan but was always grossed out by green beer. In my early 20s we stood outside a bar in downtown Detroit at like 5 am to get in at 7 am for all day drinking. It was the most famous bar in Detroit, that one day of the year. It was actually a dump with a bunch of Irish *kitten* on the walls. I wont be out and about tonight either.

dawnbgethealthy · March 2023

@joans1976

Yippee yahoo for finishing your radiation!!

dawnbgethealthy · March 2023

I am Dawn, I live in South Eastern British Columbia.
I joined this thread in November of 2018, a daily drinker at the time
My primary goal with drinking less is weight loss.

My usual goal is 16-20 AF days for the month,
I had 16AF days for the shortened month of February.

I do this diary style, I normally post the next morning.

Sunday March 12 - AF - I have a few outings this week, a comedy show and a String Quartet Chamber Music show. I am unsure whether I will have drinks at one or both of those.
Monday March 13 - AF - I had my grey roots dyed out after work and had a hankering for a couple of cocktails when I got home, but I didn't because my weight is still way up from the drinks (leading to bad food choices) on the weekend.
Tuesday March 14 - 3 drinks, 1 before the show and 2 after. Planning AF for tonight.
Wednesday March 15 - AF - Early morning video conference and a late night planned at the Theatre, so I knew that I had to remain AF. Not sure if I will have drinks before and after the Chamber Music Concert tonight.
Thursday March 16 - 3 drinks, ditto to Tuesday, 1 before the concert and 2 after. The show was fantastic!

Rolling total: 8AF day out of 16 days.

zensome · March 2023

@joans1976 Congratulations on completing your treatments! I am sure you are relieved and looking forward to regaining your physical health as well as your mental and emotional health.

mfowler883 · March 2023

@joans1976 so awesome that you're done with that!

B came home yesterday. I had a little wine at the end of the night. I feel icky today again, surprise. Anyway that should be the last real development to come where that's concerned so now I can focus on getting back to some semblance of normalcy and balance in my life.

-m

ahoy_m8 · March 2023

OMG YAY!!! for the end of radiation. You know, Amanda, it is a really sweet photo of you even with the burnt skin. Really rooting for clearance for Bali! Love all the other pics. Esp the kitties at the end.

Greetings and happy Friday, all. Apologies for not keeping up with you guys. Happy for all who have received good health news. Good going to everyone staying with it even when things don't go according to plan. Inspirational downsizing progress. Thanks for sharing!

AF so far this week. Had dinner at a friend's house Tuesday. 2 others in the group abstain weekdays but they had wine anyway because it was a special occasion. Both asked me why getting together didn't rank as a special occasion i.e. AF exception for me, and I said every damn week I find reasons it's a special occasion and it would be a slippery slope for me. One laughed knowingly and they both were sufficiently validated by the other. 1 other in the group is sober (12 step style) several years, so I wasn't the only one abstaining. The others don't drink enough to have even giving thought to drinking less on weeknights. I admit I am a little uptight about this: it bugs me when people can't get dinner to the table before 9pm. It was all premade, even, and all she had to do was 20 min in oven. I was the first to leave at 11:30pm! It was a fun evening, though. Wine and eating late are a bad combination for me, so in retrospect I'm glad I stayed AF (and ate a lot before I went).

Need a plan for the weekend. Empty nest. The interns have had their Spring Break and are back at school.

ahoy_m8 · March 2023

@Michieb125 I think I missed a question directly to me about calorie counting. Sorry! Yes, I am a calorie counter. I've been maintaining my weight 30+ years (excluding pregnancy) with more or less style and grace through the years, and so far, calorie counting is by far the easiest way I have found. If I found an easier way, I would do that instead. If I'm not making an effort to eat the right amount, I will eat more than the right amount. Always. And often even when I AM making an effort! Sometimes reigning it in seems like more effort than it should be, but feeling good in my one and only body is always worth the effort to me.

I realize counting is not for everyone, but I'm a numbers person so it works for me. Much easier for me than guessing (which I am proven bad at), reading the tea leaves on the scale, overcorrecting by eating too little, then binging, then boomeranging .... such a head game. If I know I've been counting reasonably accurately and the scale seems anomalous a day or two, I shrug it off and just carry on. Much calmer for me.

sgsurlord · March 2023

Just thought I'd share this:

I had 2 drinks last night and cereal for breakfast. The Inbody scale at the gym said I gained 4 pounds in 1 day... that's motivation enough for me to skip LA and go straight to AF. smh!!!

Not sure I'm ready for that but it will be on my mind this weekend for sure!

itladyee · March 2023

@joans1976

So glad to hear you are done with your radiation treatments! Now get back on that road to recovery!

globalhiker · March 2023

@joans1976 excellent news! super-proud of you! High-Five!! I'll bet your positive spirit had a major part of this very good outcome. Bali and all those exotic places over in the Southeast Pacific are your future!

Long week! Today I did have 2 beers but I stopped and putting myself to bed now so I can hike as much as possible this weekend!

dawnbgethealthy · March 2023

I am Dawn, I live in South Eastern British Columbia.
I joined this thread in November of 2018, a daily drinker at the time
My primary goal with drinking less is weight loss.

My usual goal is 16-20 AF days for the month,
I had 16AF days for the shortened month of February.

I do this diary style, I normally post the next morning.

Sunday March 12 - AF - I have a few outings this week, a comedy show and a String Quartet Chamber Music show. I am unsure whether I will have drinks at one or both of those.
Monday March 13 - AF - I had my grey roots dyed out after work and had a hankering for a couple of cocktails when I got home, but I didn't because my weight is still way up from the drinks (leading to bad food choices) on the weekend.
Tuesday March 14 - 3 drinks, 1 before the show and 2 after. Planning AF for tonight.
Wednesday March 15 - AF - Early morning video conference and a late night planned at the Theatre, so I knew that I had to remain AF. Not sure if I will have drinks before and after the Chamber Music Concert tonight.
Thursday March 16 - 3 drinks, ditto to Tuesday, 1 before the concert and 2 after. The show was fantastic!
Friday March 17 - 2 drinks. Hadn't slept the night before and had my steroid shot in the ankle in the morning. I went into work for just an hour, and was home before the freezing came out. I had a couple of drinks in the afternoon and was in bed by 5pm! Up now at 1am drinking coffee. I'm not sure if I will have drinks today (Saturday) or not yet.

Rolling total: 8AF day out of 17 days.

joans1976 · March 2023

Hello! I’m Amanda, I’m a crazy cat lady from Michigan! I joined this forum in June of 2022 and since September I have decreased my drinking to one day a month! This is a huge accomplishment from where I was and I absolutely could not have done it without the wonderful mix of people in this group!

March goals: just make it through the month unscathed! (27 doctor appointments)
Alcohol goals: 95-100% AF

3/1-3/7: 7 out of 7 AF
3/8-3/14: 7 out of 7 AF
Rolling total 40 days AF

3/14: AF
I have made it through 13 out of 30 medical appointments for the month. And I’m not even doing chemo! I am thankful for certain things.

3/15: AF
Yes so AF. I wouldn’t have the strength or the will to go to the store to get A. Just so tired. Last day of radiation. Side effects are killer. How to celebrate? I’m thinking a big, fat, luxurious nap!

3/16: AF
IM DONE! I got a certificate of completion and everything! Earlier in the day I was planning on getting some A on my way home but by the time I got to that point in my day, I was too tired. My brain is really telling me I need a couple drinks this weekend to celebrate. I’m not sure what to do.
42 days AF

3/17: AF
I bought some alcohol yesterday, mainly because it was there in a store I was at and I felt like I might want some to celebrate. I brought it home and didn’t drink it.

Thank you everyone for the warm wishes and kind words about my treatment and radiation. I couldn’t have done it without your support! ❤️

RockinRobyn672 · March 2023

Hello My "LA" friends! Happy March! I am SO ready for spring! My goal is 16 AF days minimum in a month. I'm drinking less for weight loss and the additional health benefits. I usually post the next morning.

3/17: Drinks (1.5) - I stopped after 1.5 beers while out for St. Paddy's Day. We drove past the crazy-busy Irish pub and landed at a local brewery that had a good band playing. We ordered the special, a shepherd's pie pizza, that turned out to be delicious! I had another Clausthaler Dry Hopped NA when we were back at home. My weight is up a bit but not as much as it normally would be after a couple days of indulgence.

Rolling Total: 8 AF Days out of 17

LESS Alcohol ~ MARCH 2023 ~ One Day at A Time

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