LESS Alcohol ~ MAY 2023 ~ One Day at A Time

MissMay · May 2023

Welcome to our thread @Hopeful0087 you have refuge here. We do not judge nor preach on how much or how often you drink.

I want you to know one very important thing YOU ARE NOT ALONE in your feelings. You may have stepped in here today hearing and reading lots of upbeat posts. It is not always that way and all of us have had bad experiences with alcohol.

Your comment about how your alcohol problem is nobody's problem but yours just took a turn for the positive. We care....all of us care.

We will help as much as we can so feel free to get comfortable.

tmbg1 · May 2023

5/1-5/2-5/3 - AF
5/4-5/5-5/6- A
5/7- AF

SunnyDays930 · May 2023

My hip has stopped chronically hurting since I cut drastically back on alcohol and lost 10 lbs. The Huberman Lab (and my Dr) said alcohol causes inflammation so between the weight loss and less alcohol, I feel better. Much. I did have a glass of pinot grigio when we went out for Indian food last night but it was a normal restaurant pour not a "home pour" which tends to be larger. I did notice even that little amount made me feel anxious around 2 am. I guess I really am getting more sensitive to alcohol as I age.

joans1976 · May 2023

Greetings! I have been partaking in this LA thread since June of ‘22 and it has made such a huge difference in my life. I have met some very kind and smart people on here and hope to continue to be 99% AF.

Thinking of May goals overwhelms me, there’s so much to do, so I’m just going to keep it simple:
99% AF
Weight loss of 4-5 pounds
Get moving

5/1-5/7: 7 out of 7 AF

I am slowly starting to feel normal. I’m not sure where this fatigue is coming from but it’s a real pain in my *kitten*! I have so many things I want to do!
I’ve made it through the first hour of the podcast. It’s pretty loaded. A lot to think about. I am so grateful that I cut back so drastically on A in September of 2022. Either zero drinks per month or one drink per month, except the day I got diagnosed with cancer, I had 2 very strong drinks that night. I am grateful that I cut back but so much damage has been done. The part about genes really interested me as my brother is a recovering alcoholic and my parents are daily drinkers.

joans1976 · May 2023

@Hopeful0087 We are here.

Michieb125 · May 2023

@joans1976 glad you are feeling a bit better. I need to review the Lab podcast about genes but agree a propensity for alcohol in families does exist whether that be addiction or poor habit. My parents were not great role models and drank quite a bit during my childhood/adolescent years.

@Hopeful0087 we are glad you are here. Each of us are on our individual paths. You will find a lot of support and no judgment here.

@SunnyDays930 thanks for sharing your insight about inflammation and alcohol today. I keep thinking about all the ethanol I used to ingest each day. Thankful those days are behind me. But I still love a good wine now and then.

dawnbgethealthy · May 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 in April.

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

Sunday May 07 - AF - Planned AF for tonight. 2A days and I am up 4 pounds!

Rolling total - 5AF day out of 7 days.

2timesacharmmfp · May 2023

BAH May is starting the way April finished (insert facepalm).

DH is starting to travel for work again which can be a trigger for me - once all the chores are done and kids/pets are all tucked in, a glass of wine always sounds appealing. Plan for this week is to resist though...

Vacation coming up next week will be quite a challenge but I'm still planning to stick to my drinks per day rule and dare I say....maybe have a couple AF days?

So far in May 3 AF/ 4 A but those "A" days were heavy. Planning AF this week until Friday.

GaryM_25 · May 2023

Michieb125 wrote: »

Regarding the Huberman lab - I listened to the cancer section and his study’s suggests alcohol can change our cells which is one of the reasons I am much LA these days. I think all diseases are probably related to other things that have to do with too much stress, weight, other disorders and such.

I think this is very insightful. I think there's a lot of indirected effect where chronic alcohol consumption contributes certain effects and then those effects, in turn, contribute to more downstream problems.

For me personally though, alcohol has not been the ultimately upstream issue in some sort of chain or complex network of causation/contribution. For me, the problem has been such a magnifier.

itladyee · May 2023

Goals for May

Self-care and positive vibes!
Zig-zag calorie count - Daily Average 1400
Success = No more than two glasses of wine per night.

Current Streak - AF = 0

Need to get back on track today after a long, fun weekend full of drinks and food! Friday was Cinco de Mayo. Tried hard to make those calories fit within budget and have only 1 margarita #fail. Went to the Zoo on Saturday and walked around for 4 + hours with family (Grandson). It was a cool, wet and rainy day so the animals were VERY active. Usually they are just lying around asleep. After all that walking, we stopped at the Granite City Brewery. Had a burger to die for and a glass of wine. Came home to watch the Kentucky Derby and had a few cocktails. Sunday was back to a "normal" kind of day. Spent the morning cutting bushes and pulling weeds, then relaxed in the evening cooking on the grill (it was beautiful outside) and a couple glasses of wine. Today should be AF for sure and back on calorie budget!

Zoo Pics

I have to get back to the podcast. There were/are a lot of drinkers in my family. My Dad was a pantry drinker...meaning, I rarely recall him sitting down with a beer or cocktail, but he'd go to the pantry (take a shot or two) and become very happy for the rest of the evening. My Mom really didn't drink with the exception of 1 part Mogen David and 7 parts 7-up on New Years Eve!!

@hopeful0087 ~ Welcome to this terrific, supportive group.

The Month recap to stay accountable

5/1 AF ~ Yipee! 💚 - Finished April with 3 days straight AF! I changed a lot of things in the past couple of weeks - I'm not sure which one is working or if it's the combination. I lost 9lbs in April. I can't tell you the last time that happened.

April 1 to April 15 - 3lbs, April 16 to April 30 - 6 lbs!!!

5/2 A ~ 🍷🍷🍷'eh. 1:1 for May but did string a few days in a row. I plan to be AF today and Thursday. Friday is Cinco de Mayo and my husband is already talking about Mexican so there might be a margarita or two.

5/3 AF ~ Yippee! 💚There's this window when I get home from work. About 30 minutes after my arrival for about an hour... If I get past that point, I'm usually ok. When there's nothing really stressing me, then it seems to be just habit for me.

5/4 AF ~ Yippee 💚 Today is Cinco De Mayo. Husband wants Mexican food and Margaritas. 😲😮🤭. I've already plugged planned food/drink into MFP and its going to be a tough one but I'm going to try to stay at my calorie budget. I have a salad planned for lunch which comes in at 300 calories. That leaves me plenty of room for a (one) margarita and a chicken taco meal. That leaves me with 45 calories to spare. Oops, forgot the chips and guacamole. 🤞🏽 I think I will go for an extra walk at lunch today!🙂

5/5 A 🍸🍸🍸
5/6 A 🍸🍸🍸
5/7 A ~ 🍷🍷

My 2023 Stats...

Current Month
AF = 3
A = 4
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
January
AF = 53%
A = 47%
February
AF = 29%
A = 71%
March
AF = 0%
A = 100%
April
AF = 14%
A = 86%
May
AF = 0%
A = 0%
May
AF = 43%
A = 57%

Jthanmyfitnesspal · May 2023

Congratulations on the many successes of people in this thread. We're all struggling to one degree or another. It's not easy!

Uh oh, I imbibed on both Friday and Saturday night. So my "once a week" or "four times a month" goal is challenged unless I can stay AF until something like 5/20. I think I can!

My "anti-drug" is exercise. It leaves me with such a nice relaxed feeling. And the weather in New England is finally starting to cooperate. Here we go!

Best resolve to everyone.

tmbg1 · May 2023

5/1-5/2-5/3 - AF
5/4-5/5-5/6- A
5/7- 5/8 - AF

forestdweller1 · May 2023

May is going to be an easy LA month. Eldest Daughter is up from Louisiana until June & she and her sister will be , as usual, getting up to some mischief the whole time. Gotta stay AF to keep up.

No jet black fillies in the race this year so I didn't pick a favorite...just bet on the hats...OMG!!

@Hopeful0087 ...please feel free to come in and rant at any time. Saving you a seat by the fire. Got marshmallows??
And. Saying. This. For. The. Thousandth. Time.
"FACEBOOK IS THE DEVIL !!" Get off and stay off. Those people are not your "friends". Although it must be tempting to just peek and see the current chatter....no one needs a group of 8th grade Mean Girls.

Think I'll grab a H-00 and finally start that podcast tonight. Preparing to be scared.

Michieb125 · May 2023

Have a few family events this week and planning no A until probably Friday. Like the chatter going on about the podcast which is nice to hear other perspectives. I think it’s been an excellent eye opener and maybe it is Huberman’s style that’s fairly easy to follow. I think we need to find our own paths for whatever will help us achieve LA goals. This group continues to be so very helpful.

Accountability:
A - 2
AF - 5
May goal - 22-23 AF days
Limit to 2 glasses

dawnbgethealthy · May 2023

@itladyee

Really great zoo pics!
Had a chuckle about Mogen David and 7-up : - )

dawnbgethealthy · May 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 in April.

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

Sunday May 07 - AF - Planned AF for tonight. 2A days and I am up 4 pounds!
Monday May 08 - 2 drinks. Planned as of mid-day when I was offered split shifts for Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday upcoming. I felt like it would be a good day for me to have a couple, with nothing pressing for Tuesday.

Rolling total - 5AF day out of 8 days.

Michieb125 · May 2023

@dawnbgethealthy nice planning ahead with your shifts and when you might want to have a couple drinks.

When I have several commitments lined up, that is enough motivation for me to completely avoid drinking wine. This month seems plenty full, so I feel I am doing okay so far. Have had one Stella 0.0 this month (59 calories).

Accountability:
A - 2
AF - 7
May goal - 22-23 AF days
Limit to 2 glasses

andysport1 · May 2023

Is there a thread in the community for people who want to do zero alcohol?
I'm borderline alcoholic

MissMay · May 2023

@andysport1 hi there. Yes there is a thread, not sure if it is still active or not.

The Sober Squad- Alcohol Free Living

tmbg1 · May 2023

5/1-5/2-5/3 - AF
5/4-5/5-5/6- A
5/7- 5/8 - 5/9 - AF

Fursian · May 2023

MissMay wrote: »

The Sober Squad- Alcohol Free Living

I went looking for the thread and found it: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10688061/the-sober-squad-alcohol-free-living/p1

Even though I am personally continuing with LA for now, I'm not ruling out AF, so appreciate you mentioning the thread and will have a good look through.

Quattroneja · May 2023

This is cool.. I'm about to celebrate 18 months. Add me as a friend if you're on the sober journey too.

GaryM_25 · May 2023

andysport1 wrote: »

Is there a thread in the community for people who want to do zero alcohol?
I'm borderline alcoholic

I'm here and pretty close to that myself and can definitely offer support. Was near daily drinking for a good while and have had drinks two days in the last seven weeks. I think I was an alcohol abuser but not necessarily alcohol dependent.

I'm taking it day at a time and thinking I continue down this "MLA" (Much Less Alcohol) path for the time being. I really, really want to lose weight and get in much better shape. I was having waaay too many calories with alcohol.

MissMay · May 2023

@andysport1 even if the sober thread is no longer active, I would recommend starting at page one/day one and reading for as long as you'd like. There are some very powerful posts from people I give much kudos to, Sunny and Ruby to mention a few.

MissMay · May 2023

@dawnbgethealthy and @Womona finally remembered to post the hat I wore to my Kentucky Derby event last Saturday.
Did very well on my horse bet, we all have to enjoy a guilty pleasure and horse betting is mine.
On to the Preakness May 20

dawnbgethealthy · May 2023

@MissMay

Thanks for the hat photo!!
That completely made my day : - )

dawnbgethealthy · May 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 in April.

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

Tuesday May 09 - AF - Planning to be AF until Friday. 6, 10, and 16 are the goals that I like to see reached. Hit 6 so far.

Rolling total - 6AF day out of 9 days.

itladyee · May 2023

Goals for May

Self-care and positive vibes!
Zig-zag calorie count - Daily Average 1400
Success = No more than two glasses of wine per night.

Current Streak - AF = 0

5/9 A 🍷🍷Long day yesterday. Husband had knee replacement surgery and I didn't plan very well for "me". Was hungry most of the day, only remedied by snacks. Couldn't bring outside food into the waiting room and they only had snacks and I didn't want to leave the area in case their were updates.

The Month recap to stay accountable

5/1 AF ~ Yipee! 💚 - Finished April with 3 days straight AF! I changed a lot of things in the past couple of weeks - I'm not sure which one is working or if it's the combination. I lost 9lbs in April. I can't tell you the last time that happened.

April 1 to April 15 - 3lbs, April 16 to April 30 - 6 lbs!!!

5/2 A ~ 🍷🍷🍷'eh. 1:1 for May but did string a few days in a row. I plan to be AF today and Thursday. Friday is Cinco de Mayo and my husband is already talking about Mexican so there might be a margarita or two.

5/3 AF ~ Yippee! 💚There's this window when I get home from work. About 30 minutes after my arrival for about an hour... If I get past that point, I'm usually ok. When there's nothing really stressing me, then it seems to be just habit for me.

5/4 AF ~ Yippee 💚 Today is Cinco De Mayo. Husband wants Mexican food and Margaritas. 😲😮🤭. I've already plugged planned food/drink into MFP and its going to be a tough one but I'm going to try to stay at my calorie budget. I have a salad planned for lunch which comes in at 300 calories. That leaves me plenty of room for a (one) margarita and a chicken taco meal. That leaves me with 45 calories to spare. Oops, forgot the chips and guacamole. 🤞🏽 I think I will go for an extra walk at lunch today!🙂

5/5 A 🍸🍸🍸
5/6 A 🍸🍸🍸
5/7 A 🍷🍷
5/8 A 🍷🍷 Need to get back on track today after a long, fun weekend full of drinks and food! Friday was Cinco de Mayo. Tried hard to make those calories fit within budget and have only 1 margarita #fail. Went to the Zoo on Saturday and walked around for 4 + hours with family (Grandson). It was a cool, wet and rainy day so the animals were VERY active. Usually they are just lying around asleep. After all that walking, we stopped at the Granite City Brewery. Had a burger to die for and a glass of wine. Came home to watch the Kentucky Derby and had a few cocktails. Sunday was back to a "normal" kind of day. Spent the morning cutting bushes and pulling weeds, then relaxed in the evening cooking on the grill (it was beautiful outside) and a couple glasses of wine. Today should be AF for sure and back on calorie budget! Update: Calories ok, but had wine.

My 2023 Stats...

Current Month
AF = 3
A = 6
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
January
AF = 53%
A = 47%
February
AF = 29%
A = 71%
March
AF = 0%
A = 100%
April
AF = 14%
A = 86%
May
AF = 0%
A = 0%
May
AF = 33%
A = 66%

Michieb125 · May 2023

Love the hat @MissMay!

No longer a daily drinker I have cut way back on A - over 75% since Feb. 2023. Planning and tracking are key for me. I’m doing this for weight loss and especially a healthier lifestyle.

Made a choice to have 2 measured glasses of a Pinot Noir last night so will now be AF until Sat or Sun.

Slept well and didn’t wake until 6:15 am. I have found my sleep quality is also way up since I am much LA. I have adopted daily prayer/meditation, Pilates and yoga 1-2 times a week with lots of walking.

Yesterday I read that in the first 30 minutes of exercise, muscles use up the stored glycogen and the next 30 minutes is when we burn fat. So a 60 minute workout is good for fat burning. Do you have an opinion on this?

Accountability (updated)
A - 3
AF - 6
May goal - 22-23 AF days
Limit to 2 glasses

cwolfman13 · May 2023

I've been cutting back since January with some ups and downs. I didn't really feel free trying to moderate, it felt like it was always on my mind...how many drinks have I had...I've gone over my limit, should I stop or keep going...I was going to be dry today but had a couple drinks, etc.

In April I decided to reengage with my AF experiment I went on in 2021. I am currently 24 days AF. My intention was to do 30 days and then re-evaluate my relationship with alcohol and what I want that relationship to be (again). I am feeling absolutely fantastic right now and my sleep quality is out of this world. I feel rested and ready for the day every morning and weekends have been great as I've been able to get out early on Saturday and Sunday mornings for mountain bike rides, hikes, etc with no hangover or sluggishness. My gym workouts have also improved immensely and in general I'm just way more engaged in life.

I hit day 21 on Sunday...3 week mark and decided I'm full in on 90 days and for the first time ever I'm starting to contemplate what 6 months or a year would look like without freaking out about it. I keep imagining what that person would be after a year and thinking that person would probably be pretty friggin' awesome.

This weekend will be interesting as I have my first social outing...the boys wrapped up their Spring soccer season last weekend and one of the families is hosting an end of season party. We have one at the end of each spring and fall season and most people drink (some of them a lot), but the husband and wife hosting the party this time don't drink...well, the husband doesn't drink at all and the wife drinks only very occasionally and they are both health and fitness nuts. I figure I'll be spending most of the afternoon with them and the others that don't really drink much. She's already posted that she'll be providing a team mocktail for the kids and anyone else who doesn't drink as well as an alcohol version, so that's good. I'll probably bring my own supply of refreshment as well.

LESS Alcohol ~ MAY 2023 ~ One Day at A Time

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