LESS Alcohol ~ NOVEMBER 2023 ~ One Day at A Time
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@Womona those boots are so cool! I love them and I love Nashville too! It is always so fun to listen to live music and eat the amazing food.
Yesterday was hard for me but I pushed through.
Nov: AF 13 days, A 0 days. Running total 19 days AF.8 -
Well hello everyone!
So much to catch up on! The trip west was great 90% of the time!
A days well yes I did have them each day, but always in moderation. First night off the plane, arrived on west coast late (plane delays), it was raining, dark and we had to get rental car and drive to hotel (40mi). By this time my body said it was 2:30 am and the local time was 3 hours earlier. We stopped and I bought a CHEAP bottle of wine, the only thing I could find that night in a gas station..ooh don't judge!
Had one hotel sized paper cup and gave up. Saturday, great day with family all day, then 2 drinks later in the evening when back in our hotel for the night. Sunday, another great day with family, Sunday night not feeling so great but still had another drink in the hotel ...more of a night cap type thing. Monday, travel day and my tummy was not liking me!
Today all ill effects are gone so yeah!
I had a few ah ha moments while visiting. I realized travel is stressful for me and upsets the eco system of my body with available foods, schedules and stress levels of enjoyment. Next time I am going to try a different approach when we travel again in March.
@Womona I love those boots, just wish I was brave enough to wear them but I bet you rocked it!
@MissMay I know the struggle is real but the ice tea in a wine glass! brilliant while out. I am adopting that.
more later
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Always happy to be back home even after the best of vacations!
Although I planned no A on the 12 hr. international flight, I caved and accepted the complimentary French red wine with meal before and after. I slept nearly 10 hrs. when we arrived home, and then crashed with another 4 hour ‘nap’ yesterday afternoon. Had good sleep last night as well and feel good about adjusting my circadian rhythm so far. Good news is I started my detox plan with pre and probiotics, milk thistle supplements, simple nutritious meals along with the rest. Embracing AF days as Thanksgiving nears.
Worth a mention, the scale is surprisingly down. It was a very physically active vacation, so apparently I was in calorie deficit on many days. Can’t complain about that.
Good to be back here!
For Tuesday
AF - 2
A - 12
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@zensome - Retsina! A white or rose’ (resinated) aroma unique from the practice of sealing bottles with pine resin during ancient times. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retsina
I found the Greek wine to be quite interesting and unique compared to wine made in California. An experience I might say.
@mfowler883 I sure hope you’re feeling better by now! I found your comment quite interesting. “I think there are places in the world where wine is just part of the culture - not in the way we have made drinking part of American culture.” I would agree as I have visited Italy and France as well, and having wine with a meal is a very natural thing which is embedded in their daily culture. And admittedly, I enjoyed joining in the practice at the small restaurants dotted along the back alleyways. Thanks for your insightful comment.
@Womona Love your beautiful boots! Nashville sounds fun.
@rockinrobyn how special to see your son! I like your attitude about there’s no better time than to start now (with anything). I’m with you on this one!
@xbowhunter glad you’re here!
@SunnyDays930 congrats on 17 AF days. You are an inspiration!
@MissMay thanks for always sharing so much wisdom you have along this AF journey.
@tmbg1 way to go on staying accountable! I feel better when I can say (live) that too.4 -
@missmay mentioned thyroid meds. My dosage seems to need to be increased every 12 months! And it does seem to help. (Although I still get tired-- I'm old!
I second all the kudos listed by @Michieb125! Lots of great efforts here!
I have been doing pretty well, although not nearly as AF as planned. I'm kind of settling into one drinking night a week, which is reasonable so long as I don't over do it on that night.
I had a beer and two small glasses of scotch on Friday night for no particular reason other than a nice evening at home with my wife. Dinner was great, too: poke bowls from a local place called Okipoke. Mmmmm...
AF: 11
A: 2 🍻4 -
AF - 8
A - 65 -
Checking in and planning ahead - I am doing LA to enjoy more energy, reduce health risks, achieve greater mental clarity, and improve weight control. Also important is to be a good example for the next generation - to my beautiful grandchildren. Sure feels good to wake up with no residual effects of A hanging around.
AF - 3
A - 127 -
Accountability check-in for mid-November / November 14th
Alcohol FREE 12 days
Consecutive AF streak 10 days
Alcohol 2 days
Number of standard alcohol drinks this month 3 1/2
Feeling good
Feeling honest with myself about how much I do or do not drink.
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So after a 10 day AF streak, I wanted something sweet after dinner last night. Which by the way was amazing. Not sure how many people love green fried tomatoes, Florida people take them to an extremely delicious level.
Green fried tomatoes topped with shredded cheddar cheese, topped with two or three cubed burnt ends drizzled in sweet bbq sauce and a chipotle dip on side. TO DIE FOR!
So like I said, I wanted something sweet after that delightful explosion in my mouth. I happened to look over and saw SALTED CARMEL in a bottle under beautiful bar lights( You know where this is headed, right?). My mouth opens, brain shuts off and someone from deep inside me orders vanilla ice-cream with a shot of SALTED CARMEL BOURBON poured over top of it for us both to share.
It came, we ate it and was incredible. Got home, the little sweet tooth devil was still awake on my shoulder and says, HEY why not make a hot chocolate to take the rainy day chill off and add a half shot of Woodford Reserve Bourbon to it.
Yup I listened to the shoulder devil and had a half shot in my cocoa. Ended that rolling snowball after drinking it and hit the pillow. Was amazed I slept through the night without waking at 2 or 3. thankful & lucky.
Today November 15 will now begin my streak again, going for 11 days.
Only 16 days left so this should set me up pretty sweet for the end of the month,5 -
@missmay : We all need a few treats now and then. I think you stopped at a good time. I do like bourbon, myself, and I sometimes find it hard to stop at 2. 🥴4
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Just a quick fly by
waving at everyone. .... LA is still more LA than A days for me that is a win.
Has been a great few days6 -
21st day AF.
I am staying the course until Thanksgiving then will decide, probably in the moment, if I want to indulge that day. I have to realize that if I do, I will not stop at one and I have to weigh what I want more: continued sobriety or a day (or more) of drinking.6 -
F - 8
A - 7
Had a small glass of wine yesterday. I have found I can just have a small glass once in a while and it doesn't lead to 3 or 4 like in the past. So far so good....7 -
I have a quick question for any of you that watch what you eat (I watch it go in and can't stop myself sometimes LOL)...anyway I picked up this book by Michael Symon Fix it with Food at my local library. It talks about food and relationship with pain/discomfort with your body. He talks about a 10 day reset. So 10 days without dairy, meat, flour and sugar. There are recipes for each of the 10 days for all three meals. All veggie, egg, some rice, legumes, and some fruit.
Then you choose what to add in next, of course there are recipes to try. But you try the omitted foods for a few days, evaluate then either drop it or begin to add more.
Having arthritis I know beer is a trigger for joint pain for me. But I have chosen to drink this knowing the next day could/will be a bit more painful.
Just curious6 -
@lmlmrn I know that certain foods lead to inflammation in the body, and cause a whole host of problems. However, I’ve never really looked into it closely. The book sounds intriguing!
Well, after needing to wring out my liver after my Nashville trip, I am “LA” with only one glass per night since I’ve been home, but I know I should be AF instead. I just look puffy and haggard in the morning lately. I don’t think my body is done processing all the alcohol. My sleep is terrible these last few nights too.
Goood news is that I’m logging my food again and the weight is coming down. Trying to live off some of these fat reserves! Haha! I have a tennis match tomorrow so I hope I sleep well tonight! Wish me luck!3 -
@Womona Good luck in your match!
@lmlmrn I have never undertaken an elimination diet, but did discuss it with DD#2 when we were looking for a Dx for gastric issues before she went to college. Ultimately she decided she wouldn't be able to execute, because of access/control over food available and more so her own commitment to stick to it. I do know it takes commitment because it is a protracted project. If it helps you feel better for the rest of your life, you are worth that commitment! Best of luck getting to the bottom of it.
@Michieb125 Great photos! Must have been fantastic. I love it when extra activity and extra food & wine balance out on a long trip. Good on ya! I had the worst restina when I was in Greece. You must be better at wine selection. Glad to know the good stuff is out there.
@xbowhunter Thanks for sharing the "key" you found to unlock the ability to enjoy a small amount. I am looking for that key. If it is wine being poured, one almost always leads to 2 or 3.
Excited for all the DDs to be home for the holiday tonight & tomorrow! November has been a tad better than Oct, but that isn't saying much, to be fair. Per my usual rut, consistent AF M-Th but weekends over goal. Planned drinks Tuesday and Thursday, so adios to weeknight AF.
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!2 -
@Lmlmrn I haven’t read this book or the science behind it but I found a lot of information on the Arthritis.org website that talks about best eating plans and lifestyle changes. No surprise that alcohol is one of them. I believe it suggests following the Mediterranean diet which has heart benefits as well (lean meat and fish, vegetables, lentils, etc.). The foods you listed from the book sound very reasonable because I believe clean, fresh nutrient dense foods are always better for inflammation than processed or restaurant selections. Good luck!
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AF - 9
A - 7
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Checking in- did not make it through my consecutive dry days but did stick to one "A" day out of 9 which is a definite improvement for me...in the past it would have been more likely to be 5A/4 AF. Also made it through Fri & Sat evening, the reason I gave in Sunday was due to an impromptu football party. DH is traveling for the weekend and last night I was seriously considering polishing off the last of an open bottle from Sunday but ultimately paid attention to what I wanted...which was not wine!
The rest of November I have a few planned "A" days but I feel good about where I am now!6 -
Thanks to everyone for the insights on the eating/elimination type short term diet type thing. I am still looking at the recipes for the first 10 days. There are things I know I will not eat. So I will have to duplicate some meals which is fine. For example for me I do not like squash, ....butternut, spaghetti, zucchini, etc. I am ok with cucumbers, pickles go figure?
Anyway I am still looking at it. And yes @Michieb125 it looks to be very Mediterranean type diet in the begin, but then again if I remember Michael Symon is greek? so that wold make sense.
I think I will try some of the recipes after turkery day.
Did I mention my granddaughter is spending a week with us? So excited. I pick her up tomorrow...Me a 14 yr old girl and DH....IN rual OH what are we going to do???Hahahahaha....I see cooking, learning to sew and making her own (lightweight) cosmetics and skin/hair care.
So today we found a new place to eat / have an adult drink. So had a burger and 2 beers then home for a nap. The cool thing though for me is I don't feel the need to continue drinking the rest of the night??? I know right?
back soon4
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