LESS Alcohol ~ FEBRUARY 2024 ~ One Day at A Time

Jthanmyfitnesspal · February 2

I’ve been challenging myself with a number of things lately

- AF since 1/1/2024
- 16/8 IF since ~9/1/2023 (aka “skip breakfast, no snacks after dinner”)
- Instagram and Facebook apps removed from my phone (since 1/1/2024, both still available via computer)

I echo the reports of other members of this group that, despite the above, I’m not losing any weight! At least I’m not gaining any, either. Well, it’s not when you eat, it’s what you eat. My goal is to lose about 10lbs in the next few months. I I’ve started back up with logging to see what’s what. I still find 16/8 IF to have benefits beyond weight loss. I have more alertness, which I cherish.

Alcohol goals for February: one boozy night on the 10th. Just one. And not a bender, but a celebration of Valentine’s Day.

Best resolve to everyone!

OllyBooBoo · February 2

In for February to keep the momentum going...

AF - 1
A - 0

gillespp · February 2

Happy ground hog day! Read through all the posts and love the honesty! No alcohol last night ; kept saying to myself to wake up this morning to a new me! I plan to place small hearts on the calendar so i have a visual of my af days..i had listened to one of Annie grace’s podcasts and she talked about success with precentages..thanks to all of you who speak about af and alcohol. And i can relate to the facial redness and changes that alcohol can cause..not pretty!

Michieb125 · February 2

Happy weekend! It is great to see early posters checking in for the month. Very motivating!

@lmlmrn It’s SO great to hear from you and thank you for sharing your personal journey to LA! Your story is inspiring.

@lisalouc Glad you’re joining us!

lbpfahler · February 2

Had more than my limit of wine last night so not a stellar start to Feb. I plan for that to be the last over my limit day (> 2 drinks). My Feb goal is to have 3-4 days with "as planned" drinks and NO more "over limit" days. Good luck to everyone!

Results for Feb 1
(# of days)
AF: 0
A (as planned): 0
A (over limit): 1

2timesacharmmfp · February 2

@lbpfahler I could have written your exact post.

Supposed to be dry yesterday but shared some wine with DH. He suggested in the morning as a post work treat and I considered sticking to my goals yesterday but ultimately the wine won. My goals are similar to yours - I have my planned days for the month and sticking to AF the rest of the month with all days under my limit.

lmlmrn · February 3

Hello everyone!
How time flies. I was talking to DH this am about how me getting back to lifting weights this past 1.5 weeks has done wonders for my mental health as well as my devils whispering in my ears. Snarky things never seem to actually go away they just pick and choose a time when they know you are not paying attention.
Anyway AF today, was considering gong out to our 'beer place' but then got distracted and didn't go...oh well.
So I just booked and escape room for us and my DD and family so total of 6. It is DH and SIL birthday this month so it is a gift for all of us. The the following weekend I am cooking a turkey as that is our tradition for DH birthday. I know it is a tad odd but he likes turkey.

winking and waving!

pettycoatjunction · February 3

Went out to dinner and a tribute band concert to The Eagles, which was fantastic by the way! I stuck to one cocktail with my dinner! Not bad for a 5 hour evening!!!

AF 🟰 1
🍷 🟰 1

ScienceofTeaching · February 3

Hello everyone! I vanished from the January thread mid-month, but I'm back!
For January, I started with a goal of a totally dry month. That went out the window two weeks in, when I got some medical news that we're still anxiously waiting for an answer (follow-up appt is FINALLY almost here, so hopefully we will get good news from that).
So I pivoted to a "damp" January option, and had 5 total A days and 26 AF days. Instead of being mad at myself for the A days, I'm trying to be proud of myself for the 26 AF days (way more than any month between Sept. and Dec.)
For February, we have some family parties and other things, so I'm going to aim for a similar damp month. I've had 1 A day and 1 AF day so far, but I'm going to try to limit myself to 5 A days for the month again. Hopefully I can stick to this one! That gives me leeway for a family birthday party today and anniversary/valentines dates next week.

Echoing the sentiments from many people above that I am so grateful for this thread being posted every month. Even though this is only my 2nd month posting, like someone else mentioned, I have been seeing this thread for months (years?) and always feeling like maybe I should join. It just took me a while to get brave enough to post.

lbpfahler · February 3

Quick post - heading out to visit DS. Was AF last night!

Results Feb 1 -2
(# of days):
AF: 1
A (as planned): 0
A (over limit): 1

LoveyChar · February 3

"It’s almost easier for me to have none at all vs. a glass." - This is very much the case for me as well.

I could go all week without a drink, plan to have one glass of wine and before you know it, the whole bottle is gone! Gone, and I still want more so I'll make myself a mixed drink using husband's whiskey and I don't even like whiskey... ridiculous.

Friday night alcohol free is a hard one for me. My last day of the work week and 20/20 and Dateline are both on. If they're not, I'll find a good documentary or docuseries and relax for a change, actually get to sit down for a few hours, something I usually don't get to do throughout the week.

Last night, I started a docuseries, no wine. And, I stopped eating before 7:00. My mom has lost 18 pounds since September by watching the times she eats and cutting out sweets. This worked for her. She's always been thin and now she's very thin. I'm trying not to eat past 7:00 but I did eat a little ice cream last night.

"I echo the reports of other members of this group that, despite the above, I’m not losing any weight! At least I’m not gaining any, either." This is also my case but I'm doing better and I know I will see positive results soon.

Michieb125 · February 3

Welcome back to the newer “returnees” from January and grateful for those of you experienced folks who trail blazed this topic on MFP quite awhile back - glad I found it one year ago this month.

It’s already the 3rd of February!
I thought January would never end, and now I have a funny feeling this month is going to fly by!
Going out to an early Italian dinner for my DS and DIL’s birthday’s this evening. I do plan to enjoy a nice glass or two of wine either tonight or with a steak dinner at home tomorrow. For this month, I would like to be mindful of enjoying wine with a celebration i.e., birthdays, Super Bowl, Valentines and my girls vacation. I am still working my LA lifestyle and noticing new ways of looking at things.

February Goals:
AF - 19-20 days
A- 9-10 days
Limit: 2 glasses 🍷

Actual:
AF - 1
A - 1
Limits - Y

globalhiker · February 3

99% AF is WORKING! Scale says 147 lbs today. That's 2.1 lbs down from 2 weeks ago and now 10.1 lbs down since Nov. when I seriously committed.

AND I had a high sodium lunch and dinner yesterday so the loss is not water.

I attribute the no alcohol to improving the state of my fat burning machine (liver). And maybe it's balancing out my hormones which have been a disaster.

I'm aiming to report another 2 lb. drop or more by end of Feb. It's all in my power to do it.

Michieb125 · February 3

@globalhiker CONGRATULATIONS! Wow, wow you should be so proud of your accomplishments!

I listened to a neuropsychologist from NYU speak on Doctor’s radio a couple of days ago (reflections of a Dry January) and he explained something really interesting.

His opinion is there are many, many, many levels of alcohol consumption (from occasional, and mild to excessive and serious) and his research indicates that individuals fall into one of four buckets of what they get out of drinking. They are: high reward, low reward, high relief and low relief.

I know I am mostly high reward, meaning I include wine (associate with) fun and celebrations and the act of drinking escalates my reward of doing so. Doesn’t mean it’s necessarily a good thing.

Then I can fall into the high relief when I have used A to cope with stressful situations. I think a low relief person is drinking but not finding enjoyment or relief anymore.

I usually don’t like to quote things without citing the source so I’m going to see if I can find the research or article and share it.

Have a great weekend my LA friends.

itladyee · February 4

Goals for February
Kinda Dry February
Limit drinking to weekends and special occasions
Drink Friday or Saturday, None on Sunday (exception Superbowl)

Weekend 2/2
Anniversary Dinner 2/7
Weekend 2/9 ~ Superbowl
Weekend 2/16
Weekend 2/23
Goal AF = 23 +

Current Streak - AF = 5
Longest Streak - AF = 16

Off to a good start.
I decided to have some wine today, but with two caveats!
1. I drink 80+ ounces of water first (almost there....)
2. There's room left in my calorie budget ....there is

A = 0
W = 1
AF = 2
A=Non Wine Alcohol
Month Recap by Day
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2/1 ✅️
2/2 ✅️
2/3 🍷
2/4
2/5
2/6
2/7
2/8
2/9
2/10
2/11
2/12
2/13
2/14
2/15
2/16
2/17
2/18
2/19
2/20
2/21
2/22
2/23
2/24
2/25
2/26
2/27
2/28
2/29

2024 Stats
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

January
AF = 87%
A = 13%
February
AF =
A =

2023 Stats Detailed
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

January
AF = 53%
A = 47%
February
AF = 29%
A = 71%
March
AF = 0%
A = 100%
April
AF = 14%
A = 86%
May
AF = 23%
A = 77%
June
AF = 27%
A = 73%
July
AF = 0%
A = 100%
August
AF = 0%
A = 100%
September
AF= 0%
A= 100%
October
AF= 0%
Wine=100%
A= 100%
November - Assumed
AF= 0%
Wine=100%
A= 100%
December - Assumed
AF= 0%
Wine=100%
A= 100%

pettycoatjunction · February 4

Yikes.

AF 🟰 1
🍷 🟰 2

henrymayor24 · February 4

Let’s go!🔥

MissMay · February 4

Good morning LESS alcohol group

Last night we dined at a new swanky Italian place we have been passing for 18 months. They had no beverage choices I wanted which blew me away. So I ordered the same Italian IPA my husband ordered. Glad I did, one sip in and I found it nasty. Slid my glass over to my husband to consume. Then I had lemon water brought to the table for me to drink.

On a positive note, my mushroom ravioli was out of this world.

Here is a link to an interesting way to unwind without alcohol in your beverage. It is Aplos, made of hemp. Forgive me if someone here or past already posted this and I did not see that info.

https://aplos.world/

February accountability:

3-AF I am not counting the sip of that nasty IPA

LoveyChar · February 4

I'm one of those people who happen to think Valentine's Day is the stupidest "holiday" on earth. I'll do a few extras for my kids because they're kids and they buy into the stupid one day a year Cupid and hearts.

And, I don't like professional football so I don't care about going to or getting drunk to watch a stupid game.

There are no great reasons for me to celebrate with alcohol this month. Is there ever? Maybe, maybe not.

Michieb125 · February 4

It’s raining and storming here today…a good day to stay inside and get organized for the week ahead.

Had a lovely early night out at a beautiful Italian restaurant with family yesterday. I did enjoy a delicious planned Chardonnay with a flavorful meal - grilled salmon over spinach with lemon and olive oil. Skipped the dessert which I’m avoiding altogether. Had an extra glass and a half when I returned home and am okay with it. Today, I’ll be back to AF until end of next week.

DH and I are completely off all sugar and it seems to be making a big difference in sleep and weight loss for us. Giving up the good chocolate (temporarily) is super hard because I was having it almost everyday but am baking with monk fruit and GF flour for the occasional treat this month.

Take care of yourself today!

LESS Alcohol ~ FEBRUARY 2024 ~ One Day at A Time

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