LESS Alcohol ~ APRIL 2023 ~ One Day at A Time
MissMay
Posts: 3,783 Member
Do you want to drink LESS?
Then join us in drinking LESS (whatever that means for you) as we continue to support and learn from each other.
■ LESS ALCOHOL RESOURCE & GENERAL INFORMATION LIST ■
USING THIS THREAD:
▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
•Join us at any time.
•Set your own goal - this thread is about drinking less and you decide what that means to you.
•There are no scheduled check-ins - post as often or as little as you want or need.
•AF is an acronym for Alcohol Free. For others commonly used on this site see - https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1069278/acronyms-and-terms-for-new-mfp-members-v-6/p1
•To follow this thread easily, bookmark it by clicking on the star at the top right of this thread.
•Remember that we are here for you and care about you. Check in with us when you have time and let us know what you need!
TIPS & OBSERVATIONS FROM OUR USERS:
▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
•Getting Started or Starting Over.
•Some people find it easier to set small attainable goals at the beginning to help boost confidence.
•If you have been drinking daily the first days will be some of the hardest and drinking again will feel like a cure but it delays the relief that only time can provide.
•There will always be a reason to delay the start/restart of your journey.
•For those ready to commit to being alcohol-free permanently, the videos on YouTube by Craig Beck will help. He also has a program you can join.
•You may experience mood swings and anxiety during your first two weeks. It is suggested you try and focus on the benefits of your goal.
•Cravings are said to last only 6 minutes, so find something to distract you like arming yourself with alternatives: tea, mock-tails, activities, etc.
•You may find that filling the time you drink with other activities like exercise or hobbies can be a helpful distraction.
•If you find them tempting try and avoid events/outings that will have drinking for a time.
•Don't let pride or shame keep you from asking for the help you need.
•Sometimes talking it out or posting your thoughts/feelings/struggles may help you work things out for yourself.
•It is okay that you don't always have all the answers.
•Some days will be easier than others.
•You may have initial/increased sugar cravings.
•You should never take a day that you have lived up to your goals for granted.
•Celebrate the smaller victories too. Less alcohol is still less alcohol even if your goal was zero at that moment.
•Once you begin sticking to your goals for one day to many days you should believe you are capable of the same and more because you are.
•Failure is not giving in and drinking. Failure is to stop trying to accomplish your goals.
•Annie Grace (This Naked Mind author) has a free program on her website (https://www.alcoholexperiment.com/) called the 30 day experiment which can be joined anonymously.
Life with Less Alcohol:
▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
•It can be helpful to educate yourself with books and web research (Some suggested books and links listed below).
•There is no benefit to comparing yourself to others because this is a personal journey.
•You may often feel conflicted. You will know that there are numerous real benefits to sticking to your goal while at the same time think that alcohol is an important part of stress relief, relaxation, celebration, etc.
•You may feel punished by not drinking or drinking less but that feeling usually fades with time.
•Sometimes drinking less or quitting will strain friendships that centered around alcohol.
•Having a list of reasons to stick to your goals handy for yourself can be helpful. Some lists have included remembering how bad it feels to have a hangover, excess/unwanted calories, having a racing heart during the night, sleeplessness, anxiety, and depression.
•It is a good idea to have a plan for how you might deal with various tempting scenarios before engaging in a social situation.
•Self-Reflection is an important part of the journey. Once we figure out why we drink we can hopefully use that information to form new habits and make better and more mindful decisions.
•Sometimes doing something nice for yourself like a little reward for a success makes the journey easier.
•You will see many helpful suggestions and ideas that work for some people. However, finding what tactics work for you may involve some trial and error.
•It is not uncommon for certain activities that were once combined with alcohol to trigger temptation. Many have said that outdoor activities in warmer weather made alcohol very tempting.
•Many that have spent time with no alcohol after drinking again realized that it doesn't enhance experiences like they once believed it did. Some have said they no longer like the taste.
•Don't forget how sticking to your goal has made your life better and remember it to motivate you again if you fall off your path.
•If you begin drinking daily again whether planned like a vacation or unplanned you may once again face a struggle to get it under control.
•For some people it is easier to not drink than it is to moderate drinking. Others have found moderating impossible.
Reported Benefits of Less or No Drinking: (Results may be incremental, and/or they may vary)
▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
•Improved sleep after 2,4,7,10,& 60 days
•Improved skin/complexion after 10 days
•Improved ease in weight loss. Not only from the savings of alcohol calories but some report making poor food choices after drinking.
•Increased energy after as few as 2 days
•Increase in other fun activities. Some have found that daily drinking became their main recreational activity and their world was decreased in size.
•Increased productivity
•Reduction of high blood pressure
•Lower resting heart rate
•Less Acid Re-flux
•Significant financial savings
•More creativity
•More productivity
•Better relationships with family
When Alcohol Is Used for Avoidance:
▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
•We drink to ease the stress of the working day, to avoid it.
•We drink to avoid anxiety in social situations.
•We drink to avoid making decisions about not drinking.
•The Takeaway on Avoidance, our problems don't go away if we avoid them. We need to learn to face them.
•Having a clear head makes our problems seem much smaller.
•Having a clear head makes problems easier to solve.
How to Be Kind to "Tomorrow You":
▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
•Instead of lumbering with guilt, headaches, and poor nutrition hangovers in the morning, Think of think how nice it would be not to feel that way tomorrow.
•Worry about "me" and don't let "tomorrow Me" feel awful.
•Instead of thinking alcohol is something nice to have *now*, think of *NOT drinking* as something nice we can do for the person we are when we awaken in the morning.
•Do you bank calories for a festive occasion? (Handy tactic) We can bank a good mood for when we wake up.
•We need to have sympathy for "Tomorrow You" and be kind to her/him.
•Don't look at a day without alcohol as a punishment for being bad or having no willpower.
•Not drinking is a lovely, sympathetic gesture towards the person we are now, and whom we will wake up as.
•You’d be kind to a stranger. Be kind to "Tomorrow You".
LINKS:
▪▪▪▪
•Mydrinkaware:
https://www.mydrinkaware.co.uk
•A Sharing Site for Women:
http://www.drinkingdiaries.com/about/
•General Information/Blog Sites:
https://thesoberschool.com/
http://www.hipsobriety.com/
https://joinclubsoda.co.uk/
https://thisnakedmind.com/blog/
https://alcoholmastery.com/blog/
•Sobriety Blog:
http://mummywasasecretdrinker.blogspot.com/
•The Thirty Day Experiment:
https://www.alcoholexperiment.com/
•Ten Things That Helped Me Quit Booze:
https://unpickledblog.com/2017/01/04/replacement-behaviours-ten-things-that-helped-me-kick-booze/?wref=tp
•The Neuroscience Behind How We Make Decisions:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/201505/the-neuroscience-making-decision
•Summary of Book on Addiction:
https://drgabormate.com/book/in-the-realm-of-hungry-ghosts/
•Article on the Difference Between Being an Alcoholic and Really Liking to Drink:
https://www.self.com/story/alcoholic-or-just-really-like-to-drink
•To the Mom questioning her drinking habits:
http://www.scarymommy.com/questioning-drinking-habits/
•Guided Meditations:
http://marc.ucla.edu/mindful-meditations
ALTERNATIVE DRINKS:
▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
•Overnight Cold Brew Iced Tea:
https://www.splendidtable.org/story/you-can-cold-brew-iced-tea-while-you-sleep
•Mocktail Recipes:
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipes/1822/drinks/mocktails/
https://www.foodandwine.com/cocktails-spirits/mocktails
https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/drinks/how-to/g785/best-mocktail-recipes/
APPS:
▪▪▪▪
•Daybreak iOS link. A Deakin University study of hundreds of health apps found that Daybreak is one of only four that have proven effective and provide quality assistance.
•Dry Days by AlcoChange iOS is for those who want to cut down or cut out the booze throughout the year, while seeing the impact it has on your health and wallet.
•nomo - Sobriety Clocks iOS - In addition to an alcohol clock and monetary savings this app lets you check in and do a sobriety exercise if you're tempted, and connect with accountability partners.
•Sobriety Counter - Stop Drinking (Sobriety Counter - EasyQuit pro version) Android- Provides health stats, money saved, games to distract you, motivational tips, and several other features
BOOKS:
▪▪▪▪
•Quit Like a Woman: The Radical Choice to Not Drink in a Culture Obsessed with Alcohol
by Holly Whitaker
•The Naked Mind by Annie Grace
•Alcohol Lied to Me by Craig Beck
•Rational Recovery by Jack Trimpey
•The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober by Catherine Gray
•The Liars Club, Cherry, and Lit by Mary Karr (3 different publications)
•Kick the Drink...Easily by Jason Vale
•Drinking: A Love Story by Caroline Knapp
•Being Sober: A Step-by-Step Guide to Getting To, Getting Through, and Living in Recovery by Harry Haroutunian
•The Easy, Illustrated Way to Quit Drinking by Alan Carr
•Alcohol Explained by William Porter
Credit and thanks to the MFP Less Alcohol One Day at a Time participants
For their willingness to share their insights and resourcefulness in finding this information
~Established 2017~
Then join us in drinking LESS (whatever that means for you) as we continue to support and learn from each other.
■ LESS ALCOHOL RESOURCE & GENERAL INFORMATION LIST ■
USING THIS THREAD:
▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
•Join us at any time.
•Set your own goal - this thread is about drinking less and you decide what that means to you.
•There are no scheduled check-ins - post as often or as little as you want or need.
•AF is an acronym for Alcohol Free. For others commonly used on this site see - https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1069278/acronyms-and-terms-for-new-mfp-members-v-6/p1
•To follow this thread easily, bookmark it by clicking on the star at the top right of this thread.
•Remember that we are here for you and care about you. Check in with us when you have time and let us know what you need!
TIPS & OBSERVATIONS FROM OUR USERS:
▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
•Getting Started or Starting Over.
•Some people find it easier to set small attainable goals at the beginning to help boost confidence.
•If you have been drinking daily the first days will be some of the hardest and drinking again will feel like a cure but it delays the relief that only time can provide.
•There will always be a reason to delay the start/restart of your journey.
•For those ready to commit to being alcohol-free permanently, the videos on YouTube by Craig Beck will help. He also has a program you can join.
•You may experience mood swings and anxiety during your first two weeks. It is suggested you try and focus on the benefits of your goal.
•Cravings are said to last only 6 minutes, so find something to distract you like arming yourself with alternatives: tea, mock-tails, activities, etc.
•You may find that filling the time you drink with other activities like exercise or hobbies can be a helpful distraction.
•If you find them tempting try and avoid events/outings that will have drinking for a time.
•Don't let pride or shame keep you from asking for the help you need.
•Sometimes talking it out or posting your thoughts/feelings/struggles may help you work things out for yourself.
•It is okay that you don't always have all the answers.
•Some days will be easier than others.
•You may have initial/increased sugar cravings.
•You should never take a day that you have lived up to your goals for granted.
•Celebrate the smaller victories too. Less alcohol is still less alcohol even if your goal was zero at that moment.
•Once you begin sticking to your goals for one day to many days you should believe you are capable of the same and more because you are.
•Failure is not giving in and drinking. Failure is to stop trying to accomplish your goals.
•Annie Grace (This Naked Mind author) has a free program on her website (https://www.alcoholexperiment.com/) called the 30 day experiment which can be joined anonymously.
Life with Less Alcohol:
▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
•It can be helpful to educate yourself with books and web research (Some suggested books and links listed below).
•There is no benefit to comparing yourself to others because this is a personal journey.
•You may often feel conflicted. You will know that there are numerous real benefits to sticking to your goal while at the same time think that alcohol is an important part of stress relief, relaxation, celebration, etc.
•You may feel punished by not drinking or drinking less but that feeling usually fades with time.
•Sometimes drinking less or quitting will strain friendships that centered around alcohol.
•Having a list of reasons to stick to your goals handy for yourself can be helpful. Some lists have included remembering how bad it feels to have a hangover, excess/unwanted calories, having a racing heart during the night, sleeplessness, anxiety, and depression.
•It is a good idea to have a plan for how you might deal with various tempting scenarios before engaging in a social situation.
•Self-Reflection is an important part of the journey. Once we figure out why we drink we can hopefully use that information to form new habits and make better and more mindful decisions.
•Sometimes doing something nice for yourself like a little reward for a success makes the journey easier.
•You will see many helpful suggestions and ideas that work for some people. However, finding what tactics work for you may involve some trial and error.
•It is not uncommon for certain activities that were once combined with alcohol to trigger temptation. Many have said that outdoor activities in warmer weather made alcohol very tempting.
•Many that have spent time with no alcohol after drinking again realized that it doesn't enhance experiences like they once believed it did. Some have said they no longer like the taste.
•Don't forget how sticking to your goal has made your life better and remember it to motivate you again if you fall off your path.
•If you begin drinking daily again whether planned like a vacation or unplanned you may once again face a struggle to get it under control.
•For some people it is easier to not drink than it is to moderate drinking. Others have found moderating impossible.
Reported Benefits of Less or No Drinking: (Results may be incremental, and/or they may vary)
▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
•Improved sleep after 2,4,7,10,& 60 days
•Improved skin/complexion after 10 days
•Improved ease in weight loss. Not only from the savings of alcohol calories but some report making poor food choices after drinking.
•Increased energy after as few as 2 days
•Increase in other fun activities. Some have found that daily drinking became their main recreational activity and their world was decreased in size.
•Increased productivity
•Reduction of high blood pressure
•Lower resting heart rate
•Less Acid Re-flux
•Significant financial savings
•More creativity
•More productivity
•Better relationships with family
When Alcohol Is Used for Avoidance:
▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
•We drink to ease the stress of the working day, to avoid it.
•We drink to avoid anxiety in social situations.
•We drink to avoid making decisions about not drinking.
•The Takeaway on Avoidance, our problems don't go away if we avoid them. We need to learn to face them.
•Having a clear head makes our problems seem much smaller.
•Having a clear head makes problems easier to solve.
How to Be Kind to "Tomorrow You":
▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
•Instead of lumbering with guilt, headaches, and poor nutrition hangovers in the morning, Think of think how nice it would be not to feel that way tomorrow.
•Worry about "me" and don't let "tomorrow Me" feel awful.
•Instead of thinking alcohol is something nice to have *now*, think of *NOT drinking* as something nice we can do for the person we are when we awaken in the morning.
•Do you bank calories for a festive occasion? (Handy tactic) We can bank a good mood for when we wake up.
•We need to have sympathy for "Tomorrow You" and be kind to her/him.
•Don't look at a day without alcohol as a punishment for being bad or having no willpower.
•Not drinking is a lovely, sympathetic gesture towards the person we are now, and whom we will wake up as.
•You’d be kind to a stranger. Be kind to "Tomorrow You".
LINKS:
▪▪▪▪
•Mydrinkaware:
https://www.mydrinkaware.co.uk
•A Sharing Site for Women:
http://www.drinkingdiaries.com/about/
•General Information/Blog Sites:
https://thesoberschool.com/
http://www.hipsobriety.com/
https://joinclubsoda.co.uk/
https://thisnakedmind.com/blog/
https://alcoholmastery.com/blog/
•Sobriety Blog:
http://mummywasasecretdrinker.blogspot.com/
•The Thirty Day Experiment:
https://www.alcoholexperiment.com/
•Ten Things That Helped Me Quit Booze:
https://unpickledblog.com/2017/01/04/replacement-behaviours-ten-things-that-helped-me-kick-booze/?wref=tp
•The Neuroscience Behind How We Make Decisions:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/201505/the-neuroscience-making-decision
•Summary of Book on Addiction:
https://drgabormate.com/book/in-the-realm-of-hungry-ghosts/
•Article on the Difference Between Being an Alcoholic and Really Liking to Drink:
https://www.self.com/story/alcoholic-or-just-really-like-to-drink
•To the Mom questioning her drinking habits:
http://www.scarymommy.com/questioning-drinking-habits/
•Guided Meditations:
http://marc.ucla.edu/mindful-meditations
ALTERNATIVE DRINKS:
▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
•Overnight Cold Brew Iced Tea:
https://www.splendidtable.org/story/you-can-cold-brew-iced-tea-while-you-sleep
•Mocktail Recipes:
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipes/1822/drinks/mocktails/
https://www.foodandwine.com/cocktails-spirits/mocktails
https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/drinks/how-to/g785/best-mocktail-recipes/
APPS:
▪▪▪▪
•Daybreak iOS link. A Deakin University study of hundreds of health apps found that Daybreak is one of only four that have proven effective and provide quality assistance.
•Dry Days by AlcoChange iOS is for those who want to cut down or cut out the booze throughout the year, while seeing the impact it has on your health and wallet.
•nomo - Sobriety Clocks iOS - In addition to an alcohol clock and monetary savings this app lets you check in and do a sobriety exercise if you're tempted, and connect with accountability partners.
•Sobriety Counter - Stop Drinking (Sobriety Counter - EasyQuit pro version) Android- Provides health stats, money saved, games to distract you, motivational tips, and several other features
BOOKS:
▪▪▪▪
•Quit Like a Woman: The Radical Choice to Not Drink in a Culture Obsessed with Alcohol
by Holly Whitaker
•The Naked Mind by Annie Grace
•Alcohol Lied to Me by Craig Beck
•Rational Recovery by Jack Trimpey
•The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober by Catherine Gray
•The Liars Club, Cherry, and Lit by Mary Karr (3 different publications)
•Kick the Drink...Easily by Jason Vale
•Drinking: A Love Story by Caroline Knapp
•Being Sober: A Step-by-Step Guide to Getting To, Getting Through, and Living in Recovery by Harry Haroutunian
•The Easy, Illustrated Way to Quit Drinking by Alan Carr
•Alcohol Explained by William Porter
Credit and thanks to the MFP Less Alcohol One Day at a Time participants
For their willingness to share their insights and resourcefulness in finding this information
~Established 2017~
2
Replies
-
Thanks for keeping us going @MissMay!
Hi All - I'm in for April. Since joining this group mid-Nov 2022 I no longer drink on a daily basis. My April goal remains 16 AF days, plus I'm adding a 2-drink-limit-any-day goal because I overdid it a bit on several of my planned A days last month. I'm drinking less for weight loss and overall health. I usually post next morning.8 -
Count me in too! Thanks @MissMay
4 -
I'm in! Sticking to my previous goals, 12-16 AF days in April, low to moderate drink counts (ideally 3 is high). I hit my goal in March with 15 AF days so feeling optimistic
8 -
Having gone a few years without serious focus on diet and exercise, this week, I start an intense 12-week challenge.
One of my big problems was too much alcohol. It contributed directly and indirectly to weight gain and more problems.
As of today, it's been five days without alcohol.
For this twelve-week challenge, I'm still deciding what to do. The program I'm using has a once-a-week free day.
I'm deciding between two options. Do I go completely alcohol free, or do I just have a couple drinks on my free day. Or maybe is it that I don't beat myself up for having a couple drinks on my free day.
And beyond just the notion of beating myself up, I'd really like to ensure I get the health benefits of not drinking.
I'll take a look at some of the links shared and may have some questions and comments. I'll be checking in here as I proceed.11 -
@MissMay thanks for the new thread for April! Appreciate you doing this for us.
I am ready for a new month. Will strive to continue better habits for health and wellness, weight loss and the prevention of disease.
I was a daily wine drinker until February 1, 2023 so am fairly new here. Checking in daily has helped me live with LA in measurable ways.
April Goal (30 day month)
AF days = 20-22
A days = 8-10
Personal best: 1-2 glasses on A days which would be less than my regular 2 glasses on an A day.
6 -
@GaryM_25 welcome! There is a lot of support and encouragement here. Congrats on 5 days of no alcohol! On your challenge with a ‘free day’ I would say consider the one in which you think you can achieve for the next 30 days.
You can get a good feel for the best approach for yourself by reading what others are doing if you look at
the March 2023 thread too.5 -
Hello everyone! I have been on MFP for years and was a part of this thread quite a while ago. I have not been doing well with either less alcohol nor keeping in shape. I have found that drinking too much has a direct correlation to whether I work out routinely or not. I don't sleep well, don't perform great at work, and am too tired in the afternoon to engage much with my family. On top of all that I am very concerned with my health with regard to alcohol consumption.
My main goals for this month are to have more AF days than drinking days and work out at least 3 times a week. Also, when I do drink I want to consume less alcohol over all with consideration for "tomorrow me".
I had only two beers tonight which is less than a normal Friday night and I purchased some NA beer in preparation for the upcoming cravings! Hope to interact with you all soon! I'm thankful for this thread!14 -
Many thanks, @MissMay. Reflecting on all the major life change you have had, and still kept us going on this thread, well, it's amazing. Thank you.
Welcome, @MonkeyMel21 & @GaryM_25. Nice seeing your contributions. [ETA: should have said "welcome back" to @MonkeyMel21 ]
Last month I had 18 AF days (mostly because it was a long month with lots of week days) and 12 A days. I'm a weekend drinker (cutting weeknights has been the single thing that has helped me drink less overall), but there is a wide range of consumption on weekends. My goal is to stop at 2 of whatever it is I'm having. Sometimes I do. Sometimes I don't. I'm more successful with weekday abstinence than weekend moderation. Work in progress.
Goal:
M-Th AF
F-Su<29 -
I'm in for April! Big thanks to @MissMay for keeping this thread going!
Big hugs for @dawnbgethealthy - having to got to know you personally was wonderful. You have so much to offer to the world and I see you putting all your drive and creativity into the next best thing you want for yourself.
Husband is AF and on a roll for 4 days straight and he's been super-nice and wow. His big motivation is that his running speed went up close to 2 min per mile not drinking and he is like a new person. At almost age 60.
He is motivating me now too to join him in AF April. I am happy to be AF if he will do it also because he is like the guy I used to date and I want that experience back. That's my motivation!
Trying for AF April...ambitious yes...but we live once and have to do it well.9 -
Here for April. Last month sucked out loud and I let it get me into a bad space. I'm working my way out of that one day at a time. Going to try to have a better month A:AF wise.
-m10 -
Hello LA community! I am Amanda, I’m from Michigan and excited for Spring to get here! This thread is my favorite bunch of people! I have been practicing LA since June ‘22.
My April goals are to be 99-100% AF,
continue healing from my cancer diagnosis and all the baggage from that and to work on my weight.10 -
Hello to April. March was mixed. Didn't meet my goals. Did get 6 AF days which was better than February. Three days drank excessive amounts. Exercise was good and in general doing 5 to 6 days hard cardio a week. Again, the beer sabotaged any really weight loss, lost one pound. I'm obese so that is not going to cut it.
Washington Post today has an article today reviewing a study that essentially says any amount of alcohol lowers life expectancy over people who do not drink.
Started back doing something I did a few years ago, get outside a pick-up some litter. Being a runner it's so sad to see so many cans/bottles/paper waste thrown along our roads and neighborhoods. I work on a large international defense program with lots of foreign nationals working in our offices and they all say how surprised how much litter is in America and our team visiting their countries saying how clean they are compared to here.
My thoughts this week to my wife's ex-husband who is very seriously ill. Our relationship over twenty years was very friendly. He like me drinks too much. His problems with alcohol were worse than mine and they caught up with him. A bad mix of alcohol and sleeping pills caused a fall and head injury. He was in poor health to begin with. He has had several setbacks and is mostly in a sedated state. His prospects are mixed, and best case faces several years of assisted care just to get back some semblance of a life. Alcohol abuse is a terrible disease.
@mfowler883: me too.
@globalhiker: good luck on AF April
@ahoy_m8: I am the opposite, weekends are easier, as weekdays I drink to numb work pressures.
So April here I come, get 7 AF days to beat March, continue to exercise, and pick up one garbage bag of litter a week.
10 -
Started back doing something I did a few years ago, get outside a pick-up some litter. Being a runner it's so sad to see so many cans/bottles/paper waste thrown along our roads and neighborhoods. I work on a large international defense program with lots of foreign nationals working in our offices and they all say how surprised how much litter is in America and our team visiting their countries saying how clean they are compared to here.
When we were little, they used to hammer it into our heads....lots of things that are missing today, really, but on topic, we were taught not to litter. I don't know what happened to that.
-m6 -
Happy April, everyone! March was rough on me, but I hope April will be better.6
-
@GaryM_25 and @MonkeyMel21 This is a great group and very supportive. I've learned a lot here, one of which is that there are so many NA choices now. My favorite NA beers are Lagunitas IPNA, Clausthaler Dry Hopped, Guinness NA, Brew Dog Hazy NA (only 20 calories for this one), and I've liked the different varieties that I've tried of Athletic Brewing's NA beers. I have found that most restaurants now carry at least one decent NA beer option (that isn't O'Doul's). Total Wine is a good place to find many of these. My other low calorie tricks when eating out (or in) that are also satisfying are either a virgin Cape Cod (club soda with a splash of cranberry) or a virgin Bloody Mary (can't tell the difference between A and non-A ones).
I'm adding one more tip that helped me TREMENDOUSLY that came from @dawnbgethealthy. Dawn, in one of your posts, you mentioned as part of your goals that you were going for 3 A-days weekly. Stating it that way made THE difference for me. Thinking of it that way, for me, made/makes it easy to do and keep track, and then the monthly goals automatically work out. So if I plan on having drinks on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, but I end up drinking on a Monday, then I will switch one of those planned A-days to an AF day, usually Friday. This month, my general planned A-days are going to be Thursdays and Saturdays.7 -
I've been thinking about it since I posted yesterday. I'm really frustrated with myself for not losing weight for many months now. I'll lose a few but but then gain it back. I want to lose 10 - 15 pounds but I'm just basically maintaining because of going off track a few days every week. I eat healthy whole foods (most of the time) but go over calorie budget frequently. Last month some of those off-track days included three to four high-calorie alcoholic beverages (one day was five). Bottom line: I'm changing up my April goals a little more and think it will still be manageable for me. I'm going to shoot for two A-Days weekly instead of the three that I've been successfully managing since last November. I'm also going to do my best to limit my drinks to no more than two on those days. That will make it 22 AF days for April.5
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Thank you to everyone for your sympathy about Foster Grant terminating 100% of the Canadian staff.
To some that were in bigger cities it was a 40 hour per week job. For me it was part time, but my plan was to continue doing it right through retirement, not to mention that it is worldwide, so if I ever decided to move to say...Jamaica, I could have easily transferred.
I can't speak on it much (signed a ND) let's just say that there was a merger, and they realized that they were paying Canadian staff so much more money than other countries were. Foster Grant the brand will remain, but 3rd parties will be handling the operation. I was offered a job to continue doing it, at $10 per hour less, so declined.
I will be 63 this year, I am not interested in a new career, but I still need to work to afford my house (I am on my own). I will pick up something for sure, if it is not fulfilling in the same way, so be it.
I will try to be grateful that I had all of those years doing something that I loved and was good at. I developed very good working relationships over the years with the back of house receivers, claims people, managers. I will miss those relationships. I will miss the actual work.
I love what you said @ahoy_m8 about needing to empty out a bit to refill. I am going to keep that in mind as I continue to wrap my head around this change in my identity. Best laid plans right?9 -
@RockinRobyn672 I love how this journey is full of trial and error for us, and we always have the chance to tweak what we want to accomplish.
Also great tips from @dawnbgethealthy on tracking weekly/monthly A vs. AF days — super helpful. My goals are similar (including healthy Whole Foods) and because I’m so busy during weekdays now, I find AF days slightly easier.
2 -
Well, as I had just finished posting the phone rang.
I had dropped a couple of cover letters around town and just got a call back from Fenwick and Baker (a pub downtown) for an interview next week. They are cool if I want to keep my Spice Hut job and are flexible to work around my schedule, they are open 8am-midnight which I didn't know.
I do love to waitress, started it back up at 60 years of age lol. Fits in with me needing to run around constantly lol. Better money than most jobs around here because of tips.
I could never ever sit at a desk all day.11 -
This is definitely a goal of mine!! Not that i drink alot but i use to have wine Friday and Saturday nights but this weekend i am staying dry….. time for a change!10
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@dawnbgethealthy ...So nice to hear that your partially emptied glass has [hopefully] received a nice "glug" to top it off.
Planning to April Fool myself into staying mostly moderate this month. If It doesn't fit into my calorie count, it doesn't get poured. Hello, AF beer.
And @RockinRobyn672 , about O'Doul's...back in the Dark Ages, that and Sharp's were the only options. We've come a l o n g way, baby. Now what I want for Christmas is a drinkable AF Chianti !!
Please, guys, no suggestions for a "good" AF wine...drank all that, spit it out.
I was watching a TV show recently where, in the background, a woman was sweeping a dirt lot with a large handmade broom. A question was asked " Why is she sweeping the ground ?" Answer from someone from that lived in that Asian country "It's a clean place, it's a clean mind." English not perfect, but sentiment perfect.
@MissMay might have noticed that in Florida there are more cans & bottles by the roadside than in Maine. Maine has vending machines that you feed those items, and get back $$$.
It's getting late, maybe I'll just make a smoothie for dinner...non-compatible with either wine or beer. Win-win. 🥤
8 -
Ready for April
My plan starts/restarts tomorrow.... Mayo Clinic "diet" . Today wasn't so bad. Had 6 ounce filet and asparagus and two glasses of wine for dinner. I have only one bottle of wine left in my house and I don't plan to buy any more this month.....AF = 0
A = 1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
January
AF = 53%
A = 47%
February
AF = 29%
A = 71%
March
AF = 0%
A = 100%
April
AF = 0%
A = 100%7 -
Chaotic day. Got dragged into the office kicking and screaming the whole way, I really prefer to work from home but it is what it is, sometimes. Got home and threw myself straight into the studio project again. I started moving things around again, trying to make the best use of the space. Looking around, I realized that one speaker fires straight at bare wall which is easy enough to treat, but the other fires at a bookshelf. Guess what got moved...
This studio is going to make me crazy, broke or both.
Reached a stopping point and ate a healthy dinner, salmon and veggies. Washed it down with two homemade peach bellinis. (That spelling looks incredibly wrong but I can't be bothered to figure out if it is.) Nothing too much or heavy, anyway, that comes out to less than a glass of prosecco. I'll call it less and run with it. The fun part was bashing big ice into small enough pieces to fit into flutes with a mortar and pestle.
Time to relax for a bit.
-m6 -
Having gone a few years without serious focus on diet and exercise, this week, I start an intense 12-week challenge.
One of my big problems was too much alcohol. It contributed directly and indirectly to weight gain and more problems.
As of today, it's been five days without alcohol.
For this twelve-week challenge, I'm still deciding what to do. The program I'm using has a once-a-week free day.
I'm deciding between two options. Do I go completely alcohol free, or do I just have a couple drinks on my free day. Or maybe is it that I don't beat myself up for having a couple drinks on my free day.
And beyond just the notion of beating myself up, I'd really like to ensure I get the health benefits of not drinking.
I'll take a look at some of the links shared and may have some questions and comments. I'll be checking in here as I proceed.
Welcome!!!! Sounds like your program will be a great reset. Gosh, you really can’t go wrong with either decision. One of the great things about this thread, and the resources at the top, is it helps us to question WHY we are reaching for a drink. Nothing wrong with enjoying some, but it should be because we chose it, not that it chose us!4 -
Hello LA community! I am Amanda, I’m from Michigan and excited for Spring to get here! This thread is my favorite bunch of people! I have been practicing LA since June ‘22.
My April goals are to be 99-100% AF,
continue healing from my cancer diagnosis and all the baggage from that and to work on my weight.
4/1: A-1
I went out to dinner last night for my mom’s birthday and decided to order a drink. It was some sort of dragonfruit/lemonade/vodka thing. It tasted like Kool-Aid and wasn’t very good. Definitely not worth it.8 -
@dawnbgethealthy so sorry to hear about the FG job!!! I know you loved it. Hope the pub job works out!
@MonkeyMel21 welcome (back)!!!!
@_mytime_ welcome as well!
@itladyee your dinner sounds amazing, actually!
@mfowler883 we will, of course, need pictures of your new studio!
I only had 1.5 glasses of wine last night. I am going to get back to having a goal of 3 AF days per week. You know, actually count them. I did that back in January and my weight came down.
Basically, nothing fits me anymore, and now I have to either double down, or just realize my body has changed and go up a size in my pants! I’m also going to start HRT this month- my prescription is from a compound pharmacy and it’s not done yet. So who knows what that’s going to do to my weight. Hopefully I’ll get some symptom relief from bad peri-menopause PMS! Fingers crossed!
7 -
@mfowler883 Im glad you recognized bashing the ice apart as cathartic. If I had to go into the office I would want to bash something too. There is a place close to my house where you can rent a room by the hour and they provide safety glasses and things like sledgehammers or hammers and a bunch of old junk and you get to smash the *kitten* out of it to your hearts content. I know people do work parties there because you can bring in booze and food and rent it for the night. I don’t have as much pent up rage now as I did when I looked it up but I’m glad to know it exists if I need it.8
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April accountability: 0 days AF
Alcohol: 1 = days (2 drinks)
Days over 2 glasses: 0
Goal: Limit 2 glasses per day; 12-16 AF days this month.
4/1 - 2 wine
5 -
Hi All! Since joining this group Nov '22 I no longer drink on a daily basis. I haven't been losing weight, so targeting 2 A-days weekly (22 AF Days) and a 2-drink daily limit. I'm drinking less for weight loss and overall health. I usually post the next morning.
Sat 4/1: Drinks (3) - I have stopped tracking food for now. I'm burnt out with it because I haven't made any real progress since November. I know what to do to lose weight, so need to do it. So what did I do? I had one more drink than planned (an IPA while cooking and then two glasses of cabernet with dinner). However, I was mindful of my food intake and wanted to but did not snack after dinner (win). I also got in hard spinning and Pilates workouts (another win).
My weight is down this morning.
Rolling Total: 0 AF Days out of 17
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