LESS Alcohol ~ SEPTEMBER 2024 ~ One Day at A Time

Aug 2024 - Tally: 19 AF / 4 A I messed up the last 3 days of August
Sep 2024 - Tally: 1 AF / -0- A

Playing catch-up again, it's been a hectic week. I will type more later, I hurt my left hand yesterday, and need the swelling to go down. Plan on NA today.

Today would have been my mom's 97th birthday. So I went gambling at the little establishment across the street. She liked to go to the casinos. I ended up drinking two beers ☹️

I feel like last month when I had trouble getting my first AF day. But it's back to normal tomorrow and I'll be on a roll again!

AF - 0
A - 2

September:
AF=2
A=0
Got two days under my belt - had a bit of temptation creep in as we passed the grocery store last night but was pretty easily able to (almost) ignore it. The same might happen tonight, but I'm going to get through it. I haven't had 3 days in a row AF for a long time, so it would be a success for me so far this month.
Speaking of success, @SurferGirl1982 I know from your past posts that limiting yourself to just two drinks is quite a success for you - nice job

AF so far. First 48 hrs done and slept fine. The next 48 hours possibly unpleasant and it's about managing cravings for me but thereafter it gets easy for me, like I don't think about drinks at all and the more I stay busy, the better. But right now I really, really crave a diet doctor pepper and pizza.

@SurferGirl1982 that sounds like a victory to me, it was an emotional day and you stopped at 2. I find stopping once started far harder than not starting.

I'm 3 AF for September, and not struggling yet, despite my husband having gone back on his "not on a work night" pledge this week.

Tonight will be a challenge, we're going to a gig. I'm driving, to limit temptation, but live music and drinks usually go hand in hand...

@Alatariel75 Yes, it's definitely harder to stop drinking midstream than not drinking at all. Especially for me 😕 Normally I would have gone to the liquor store before gambling so I'd have something when I got home. But I wasn't intending to drink any beer. But I was doing pretty good and went ahead and bought one. By the time I left I didn't feel like bothering and just went home. I don't know if you can call leaving up by $20 winning? But, at least, I didn't lose 🙂

@NonnieDoiron Congrats on the weight loss 🎉

AF - 1
A - 2

Checking in to say that I haven't had one AF day yet in September. Blah. I did keep it to a minimum last night which is a win for me. I had 2 (6 oz) glasses of Pinot Noir and 1 glass of Matua Lighter Sauvignon Blanc (DELICIOUS!). Yes, that's my minimum...lol. Anything less than a whole bottle or more is less for me.

Glad to see you all doing well!!

@Pokey4321 Congrats on 3 days AF.

You posted last month in response to a post of mine. It seems, at the time, we had similar drinking habits. We both have problems with moderation. I can refrain from drinking for a few days and then figure that I can have just one A day. And, the next thing I know, I'm drinking daily again. You also mentioned that, at times, you would wake up in the middle of the night and drink (like me) and then go back to bed. I haven't been doing that lately because I don't keep alcohol in the house overnight. Sorry everyone 😲 It goes down the drain before bedtime.

If you've been drinking daily you may want to take a couple of sick days. I find that after about five days, I start feeling normal again.

Keep up the good work. Drinking will just postpone the pain. I know that from "experience".

I arrived home last night at 8 p.m. after helping my mother with a lot of administrative business yesterday. That was a lot of interaction and time spent on me trying to get her to come back to each task at hand. She’s heading to age 90, and gets overwhelmed easily and constantly tells me to stop talking (as I am explaining what we’re doing). But I know she appreciates the help.

I stopped at Trader Joe’s and picked up some salads and a bottle of white wine. Had 2-6 oz. glasses of unplanned wine after a very long day. It’s going to hit 102 degrees here today, AF tonight for sure!

Sept. Goal:
AF days - 12-14
A days - 17-19

Current:
AF days - 2
A days - 2

I went gambling again today. I also have a gambling addiction. I lost more than I would have liked. So I'm going to give that up again. Until last night, I hadn't gambled in several months. I just have to stay away. It's such a waste of money. The good thing is that I didn't drink any beer 🙂

So AF today.

AF - 2
A - 2

@forestdweller1, the answer depends, a walking taco or pizza doesn't have less calories if it's consumed with alcohol. I skipped the pizza, taco, and booze yesterday though.

3 days AF done. So hard to let go of my excuses (too hot, too tired, too hungry, too stressed, no sleep, etc.). But it has to be done.

I ended up buying diet A&W Root Beer as my drink substitute. How on earth did soda get so expensive while wine prices held steady or dropped????

@globalhiker "I skipped the pizza, taco, and booze yesterday though. 3 days AF done. " 👋👋👋
And soda has sneakily crept up in price and wine is more affordable....is the world conspiring against my sobriety ??

@NonnieDoiron ....Less is still less. With your multiple stressors I'd be having a bottle rather than a glass. Good for you , quitting at a glass or two.

@SurferGirl1982 ...controlling more more than one "addiction" at a time means you are a super heroine !! Wear your cape proudly !! 🦸‍♀️

A 4-way e-mail Convo today between myself and my 3 daughters that began with one expressing her dislike for purple peppers evolved into Eldest Daughter putting a hold on a booking for a Bermuda cruise for all of us. How easily we spiral into insanity. We've all been to Bermuda, so eventually backed down to a Spring trip to Knoebel's Park so we can ride the wooden roller coasters. I'm terr-i-fied of heights, but have an insane love of clickity clackity wooden coasters. Go figure....

September
A - 1
AF - 4

Good Morning All - I've been following this thread intermittently for the past couple years - back when I decided to start to make some changes with my relationship with wine. I love it too much!

Since then i've tried various apps, joined some facebook groups, read some books, and continue to reinforce that alcohol is essentially a poison and a bunch of empty calories.

Despite my wanting to change, everyday seems to be the same - i wake up full of resolve to not have a drink, but come the bewitching hour of 5 pm (sometimes earlier) i succumb to the the cravings, then feel guilty the next day.

My daily intake is pretty consistent with 15-18 ozs per day - however last night was a "win" with 8 oz. My ultimate goal is to moderate and limit drinking days to the weekend and maybe someday feel like i don't want/need it at all.

Reading all your guys' posts filled with successes, failures, self forgiveness, and support is inspiring.

I haven't had more than a handful of AF days yet this year. I think i need some accountability and this group seems like a safe place to do that.

So here it goes, for the remainder of this week, my goal is to keep the intake < 10 oz (<2 drinks of white wine).

Sun: 20 oz
Mon: 1 bottle (25 oz) - ugg- total binge
Tues: 15 oz
Weds: 8 oz

Hope you all have a great day and I'll check in tomorrow (or later today )