LESS Alcohol ~ NOVEMBER 2023 ~ One Day at A Time

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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:
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•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:
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•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:
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•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)
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•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:
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•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":
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•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:
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•General Information/Blog Sites:
https://thesoberschool.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:
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•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:
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•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:
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•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~
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Replies

  • RockinRobyn672
    RockinRobyn672 Posts: 907 Member
    edited November 2023
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    Hi all! It's good to see familiar names. I really appreciate this group! Thank you again, @MissMay, for keeping us going and starting the new month.

    I have not been disciplined since June and my weight has been inching up. It's time to reset. I've had a couple of successful days. It encourages me to keep it up! I had two glasses of wine last night and successfully stopped after that. For Halloween, we went to the Virginia Beach haunted house, which is something we've been planning to do. We weren't disappointed! :scream:

    btw: What's up with MFP changing the spacing on these posts?!?
  • RockinRobyn672
    RockinRobyn672 Posts: 907 Member
    edited November 2023
    Options
    @Jthanmyfitnesspal My goals are lofty as well for November (and similar to @Michieb125 and @Lilylady3k), which is to limit drinks to two in a day, with no more than 2 A-days weekly, and to lose 5 pounds by the end of this month. My plan is to make sure I have a stash of NA beers at home and while traveling.

    For anyone who likes beer I have a new discovery, which is a variety 12-pack of Brewdog NAs at Total wine. They're not bad and very low in calories.

    @itladyee Wishing you a great cruise! Where are you going?

    @michieb125 Wishing you safe and happy travels over the next 10 days. Vacation?
  • 2timesacharmmfp
    2timesacharmmfp Posts: 75 Member
    Options
    I have been waiting for November to pop up! I also am trying out some lofty goals for this month. I feel like I consistently start off "well this month didn't go so well...blah blah blah" :smiley: so I'm really focused on this month staying on track and being grateful that I have the mindset to commit to my health.

    I loved the comprehensive and HONEST overview that @Lilylady3k posted and will be following that approach this month- will check in occasionally but post the totals at the end.

    12 A days
    18 LA/AF days
    1 full consecutive week or more NA (including weekends)
    Down 5 lbs by end of month

    I do have a few identified "planned" days - Friendsgiving this weekend, Wed-Sat of Thanksgiving week as we will be on vacation. I am participating in a Turkey Trot 5K on Thanksgiving which will help Wed night and Thanksgiving day!
  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,053 Member
    Options
    Thank you @MissMay and congrats on winning.

    Goal:
    M-Th AF
    F-Su <2
  • RockinRobyn672
    RockinRobyn672 Posts: 907 Member
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    @MissMay - Congrats on winning the Halloween contest! Yay! Do you have a photo to share?
  • forestdweller1
    forestdweller1 Posts: 360 Member
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    @MissMay ....WHAT ?? There's no ROFLMAO button ?? Consider it pushed.
  • Womona
    Womona Posts: 1,605 Member
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    @lmlmrn nice to see the sock family again!
    @MissMay congrats on the win!

    I’m in for November (how is it November already??). Had only one glass of wine even though I’d love a other half a glass more. This weight isn’t going to come off itself!
  • Michieb125
    Michieb125 Posts: 513 Member
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    Love all the new posts for November and am excited to be here.

    Vacation to Greece is official….

    Current:
    0-AF
    2-A

    Kept to my personal limit! This is LA for me on this type of vacation.

    First day, 2 glasses of Proseco and 2nd day, 2 glasses of dry white wine.

    Tonight is an anniversary celebration so expect wine with a nice dinner. Am anticipating early mornings up and out to explore which will help me with my LA goals! My aim
    Is also to burn the calories we are indulging in while away and little (very) weight gain.

    Caio!

  • MissMay
    MissMay Posts: 3,554 Member
    Options
    Michieb125 wrote: »
    Love all the new posts for November and am excited to be here.

    Vacation to Greece is official….

    Current:
    0-AF
    2-A

    Kept to my personal limit! This is LA for me on this type of vacation.

    First day, 2 glasses of Proseco and 2nd day, 2 glasses of dry white wine.

    Tonight is an anniversary celebration so expect wine with a nice dinner. Am anticipating early mornings up and out to explore which will help me with my LA goals! My aim
    Is also to burn the calories we are indulging in while away and little (very) weight gain.

    Caio!

    Oh my gosh have FUN!

    Show us pics of Greece and some pics of that wonderful food!!!