LESS Alcohol ~ May 2025 ~ One Day at A Time
Replies
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Well, today’s plan was to have a glass or two at the ballpark. Well they have gotten ridiculous. One glass of cheap wine was 14.99 and tax and tip and you’re at $20. $20x2, no way!!!
I bought this setzer thing for 9.99 and 4.5% alcohol. I may have sipped a quarter of it just to help swallow my food.
Because I did have alcohol, I’ll consider it a LA day, but still deciding if I want a glass of wine when I get home.Playing it by ear.
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May
AF: 0
A: 3@globalhiker I like the idea of micro changes. When a craving hits, I need to have a small list of things to do instead to take my mind off of it. Thank you for that inspiration.
I'm starting a weight loss challenge on Wednesday, and am going to be prepping for it today and tomorrow (exercise and menu planning).
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I had wine last night, but no drinks are planned for today.
🍷 Pause Before Pour
Just one of those days: 1 so far
Baseball game this weekend - Yes
Cinco de Mayo
Mother's Day
Book Club
Memorial Day Holiday~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Stats thru May 4
AF: 2
A: 2
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I agree @globalhiker how micro changes over time can lead to very successful new habits.
I have also been using avocado oil and EVOO for their health benefits for quite awhile now. I have found even dark chocolate brownies made with Avo oil are delicious since it’s nearly flavorless. Best wishes as you try new things!6 -
I finished planting my vegetable garden yesterday just in time for the warm weather that’s coming this week. Then, had a nice dinner with DH, as well as planned French Brut that I still had in the garage refrigerator.
Going to take a long walk outdoors while listening to a podcast or two on nutrition then plant the petunias I bought a few days ago.As another member used to say, may we find our best resolve just for today!
Current:
AF - 2
A - 26 -
1 AF
2 A
3 -
@tmbg1 I have to ask - what's up with the rubber ducky in your image? I only ask because I live near Myrtle Beach in South Carolina and apparently the world's largest rubber duck is going to be there next weekend!
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I haven't dropped off the face of the earth, just been beyond swamped. Finally finished with the buildout on the new room in the office, at least the big stuff. Lots of little things now but mostly brain work and not so much heavy lifting. It's a huge step. I feel like somebody's been after my hands with a ball peen hammer, my feet don't want to foot anymore and my back is wound tighter than a [insert chiche of choice here].
Every day has been LA. I no longer remember my stats for April, and can't be bothered to dig back far enough to try and figure them out. First three days of May have been LA, tonight I have a celebratory bottle of Delerium Tremens and a nice little tray I threw together with some hard salami, Drunken Goat cheese, small toasts, cherry tomatoes, capers, banana peppers and garlic stuffed olives. It's not a high gravity brew or anything but I'll call it A anyway just because. Nothing else in the house right now, at least nothing drinkable. Mead that won't be ready for months, Chartreuse that I'm saving because it's unobtainium these days. Let's see how the rest of the month goes.
@Michieb125 - we also planted some veggies a few weeks back, they're doing great, just ask the thieving birds and squirrels.
@itladyee - prices like that would make not drinking VERY easy. LOL
3 LA
1 A
0 AF
-m5 -
AF-2
A-2I lied the other night. I posted early declaring an AF day, but then went to the store for ice cream for the husband and ended up buying a bottle of wine. So, these stats are corrected.
MIL got under everyone’s skin yesterday, and I mean B👏🏻A👏🏻D👏🏻! My oldest son was here with the grands for dinner, and we were trying to serve dinner to my 2 youngest kids and the 2 older grands, so they could go sit at the “kids table”. This is pretty standard practice when we have people sitting at the kitchen table as well as the dining room table which happens A LOT. MIL kept thrusting her plate under the serving utensils as we were trying to fill the kids’ plates. My husband finally said, “Mom, put your plate down! We’re serving the kids first, so they can go sit down!” She acted like this was a news flash, and said, “Oh!”, and put her plate down.
Then, we were trying to encourage the grandbaby to eat, and MIL kept handing her stuff and trying to play with her. My son had to keep taking the stuff away and giving it back to MIL. The baby was getting fussy and refusing to eat because of the over stimulation. We left the baby’s Bluey cartoon on during dinner, so she was trying to watch it and eat which was helping keep her from fussing. But, every time she finally settled while watching it, MIL would stick her big, fat head in the way trying to get her attention and piss her off again!
On top of all that, she was interrupting and interjecting herself into every conversation. We were discussing my travel to TX for work, and she kept talking over me. Not to say anything suitable to the conversation, but to talk real loud to the baby or to tell my son the baby was too tired to eat or wanted the fruit not the lasagna. I couldn’t complete a thought during the entire discussion.
My son was getting very irritated with all of her comments about the baby being tired and her wanting this over that. He knows what the baby is doing. He is with her all the time. She was fussing and not eating because of MIL. That was it! Proven when MIL finally left the table the baby watched Bluey and ate over half her plate of lasagna (which was a full adult serving) and all her fruit without a single gripe.
It’s these instances when I want to call my brother-in-law and his wife and yell into the phone, “TAG! YOU’RE IT, *kitten* HOLE!”😡
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I’m not sure if I will continue contributing to this discussion. I realize it is important to the group to be non-judgmental. But, at the same time, I believe it is also important to be honest.
I believe that most everyone in this group has a problem with alcohol use (otherwise we wouldn’t be here). They are changing the term from alcoholism to alcohol use disorder (AUD).
Anytime we obsess about alcohol…what days of the week that we can drink, or what time of day we can start drinking. We have a drinking problem. When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I think of is, “Do I have whiskey in the cupboard?” I can’t speak for anyone else, but I know deep in my heart that I’m just kidding or trying to fool myself that I can control my drinking.
AUD only gets worse with time. We all know that I’m the least successful person in this group. So don’t discount what I’m saying. I’m 67 years old and I’ve been trying to control my drinking for at least 25 of those years.
There’s one person in this group that has chosen the right path…abstinence! And we all know who that person is.
By cheering someone on because they had one AF day, I think is OK because that’s how you start. But cheering someone on because they only had one glass of wine instead of two, well, I feel that I may be enabling that person.
These days they glamorize wine and whiskey in TV commercials, TV shows, and movies. Everyone is healthy, happy, fit, and having a great time.
What they don’t show is what it really looks like. I once worked at a recycle center in CA. It was just a roll-off trailer in a parking lot of a grocery store. There was an old black man in his 80’s that would hang out there all day. He showed up every day and on time (he didn't actually work there). He would collect a few cans to buy his wine. He never had enough cans to buy his wine. But he helped out around the center…helping customers, sweeping, etc. So, I would give him a little extra out of my pocket so he could buy his wine (yes, I guess enabling). He was very sweet! His name was Noah. One time, he had passed out and I was getting ready to close up. So, I got him in my truck and got the seatbelt on him. I knew he lived close by because he walked there every day. I asked where he lived. I took him home to a very nice home in a nice neighborhood. It was after dark. His daughter came out and thanked me for bringing him home. She had been worried about him because he was out later than normal.
Anyways, just my two cents. Drinking isn’t always as glamorous as it seems!
2 -
May
AF: 0
A: 40 -
We know how hard you work to include your MIL in everything @NonnieDoiron…..caretaking is definitely a challenge!
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@SurferGirl1982 I hope you stick around and I think you are a great contributor. You've experienced success before and you'll experience it again. And yes, I totally believe I have (or had) AUD. I took tests and self diagnosed myself as moderate AUD. I fall in that boat of people where psychologists say it's possible "for some" to moderate drinking AFTER a long period of abstinence.
Some people may fall in the mild category, some may be in the severe range, some may not have a drinking problem but simply a goal to cut down.
I don't obsess about alcohol. I forgot all about MFP this weekend to be honest and actually was obsessing about finding the best tasting protein bars (Quest Raspberry White Chocolate may be the winner).
I do like to check in because it helps me to come to a place with others who want to self-improve. It's also a place for me to come into to check-in on myself, self-reflect, and plan what's next.
I see this community as one of support. It should not be the only means of support however. Depending on the problem, there are dozens of additional solutions outside of MFP. Sometimes we need to hit our problems with several solutions at once to get progress.
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I just wanted to let everyone know that I didn't mean to offend anyone. There are normal (occasional) drinkers out there. But it's very easy to start overdoing it without even realizing it. And, I'm one of those that needs abstinence rather than moderation. I wish it weren't that way. But it is!
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Here is some interesting reading, especially useful if you find this motivating:
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AF=4 days
Happy Cinco de Mayo if you celebrate!
@NonnieDoiron I bought the cutest frosty pink bluetooth noise cancelling earphones and I am taking them with me to my upcoming family trip to hell with the MIL along with my Yogi calming tea, ashwagandha, and magnesium. Yep, I will have my tune-out strategy so I don't go bonkers and start drinking their bourbon.
The cool think about the earphones is that I have long hair so nobody can notice if I am wearing them :).
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@globalhiker I guess you posted while I was typing my last post. I'm not sure what I need at this time. I've actually done well just on my own. But I just can't seem to get it together this time. It is nice to belong to some sort of group though. As I've mentioned before, I do not care for AA (been there, done that!). MFP is cool but it's definitely not in real time. Especially being on the West Coast. By the time I post, everyone else has already posted and on with their day.
MFP can be interesting. I like when people post educational type information. You've may have figured out by now that I'm kind of a science nerd. I do a lot of research, particularly about alcohol and it's effects, nutrition, and exercise. But, I read so much, that I sometimes I forget what I've read. So when someone posts something informational, many times I'm already aware of it, but it brings it back fresh in my mind (like the neuroscience info about the brain that you posted).
I'll read the articles you posted later and I will keep trying! I'll tell you more later.
Thanks (as always) and have a nice rest of your day!
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The giant rubber duck came to our city several years ago…it was really cool!
2 -
2 AF
3 A
0 -
Happy Cinco de Mayo Less Alcohol folks:
Mine will be AF with tacos and a Stella Artois N.A. beer on the menu!Current:
AF - 2
A - 3
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Happy Cinco De Mayo if you observe.
Enjoyed a Mexican-style meal of carnitas, rice, beans, guac, and margaritas. It was very good. The next possible day as planned is Mother's Day. Right now looking at entaining family at my house which includes the little ones, so may be AF that day as well.
Tomorrow's a work day, Urgh…..
Just one of those days: 1 day so far
Baseball game this weekend - Yes
Cinco de Mayo - Yes , 2 margaritas
Mother's Day
Book Club
Memorial Day Holiday~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Stats thru May 5AF: 2
A: 31 -
AF-3
A-2@Michieb125 and @globalhiker thanks for listening. I’m really struggling with everything around here lately. The stressors are real, and I feel like I’m floundering.
I would love to drink a whole bottle of wine right now and forget it all, but it’ll still be here tomorrow. And then, I’ll be in too big of an alcohol fog to want to deal with it.@SurferGirl1982 I know you’re struggling, and I’m sorry. I think I can relate to your more difficult struggle with alcohol, but instead with diet and exercise for me. I did really well for a few years. Lost a bunch of weight. Felt great, was stronger than I’ve ever been. Then, family trauma hit, and that shipped sailed off into the night. And, though I try and try and try and try, I can’t seem to get back into that same motivated space. I can’t seem to keep it going. Sure, I’ll do really well for about a week even a few months, but then I’ll go right back to eating like *kitten*, not exercising, and drinking more. Gain back all the weight, hate myself, get depressed, get mad, try again. It’s a vicious cycle, and it SUCKS!!! And though I get great advice on how to exercise, cut cravings, meal prep, and all that wonderful stuff; I can’t make it stick. I try and try to reset, and it doesn’t work. I don’t know what it is.
I say all that to say, we may not be able to relate to you when it comes to alcohol. But, some of us are here because we do have an addiction lurking somewhere. Maybe we’re just trying to keep the alcohol at bay while fully battling the other addiction. Maybe we’re grasping at straws in here. But, I think the one thing we all have in this group is HOPE! We keep coming back because we hope today will be a better day than yesterday and tomorrow will be better than today, and we need each other (including those who have succeed) to help keep that hope alive and well. I have no doubt you can quit drinking. I have no doubt that moderation is not in your future. I will keep hoping for you even when you feel like you have none. 💕🙏🏻
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@NonnieDoiron Thanks! I know how you feel about the diet and exercise. My weight tends to be directly proportional to my drinking. It's not just the empty calories in the alcohol. I do like you…I eat horribly. I normally eat a very clean and healthy diet. But when I'm drinking, I really don't feel like eating. But, I eventually get hungry and eat garbage. For breakfast this morning, I had two frozen burritos heated in the microwave.
A couple of years ago, a couple of my old high school friends came up to visit. One of them I see quite a bit. But the other, I hadn't seen in about 20 years. When they pulled up, we walked outside. Sue, who I hadn't seen in years, said, "How did you get to be so old?" Then she said she had been practicing saying that all the way here. And, then she said, "You look so young". And, kept repeating that the whole time they were visiting.
Shortly after they left, somehow I gained about 35 lbs. The past two winters I haven't done a lot. I have some very nice, warm jackets and vests, but they are too small. Where I live, the weather doesn't get really extreme (usually). I live about 30 miles from the Pacific Ocean and at an elevation of 550 ft. But, we do occasionally get some snow and for the first time since I've lived here a flood?
Anyways, my wardrobe consists of one pair of linen beach-type pants, three pairs of shorts, and two T-shirts (I do laundry a lot). We have an old Cowboys jacket (parka type) that we bought at a thrift store many years ago and I have a hoodie that fits. You may think, why don't you buy larger clothes. I could. But I don't want to. I have tons of nice clothes that would fit if I just lost 10 lbs or so. I guess I refused to buy bigger clothes…it's like giving in!
I will quit drinking one way or another. And, you keep working on your diet and exercise. You've done it before and when you start seeing results, hopefully, you'll stay motivated.
I need to lose weight. I don't want to go through another winter wearing shorts and a ski parka ☹️
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@NonnieDoiron this is so beautifully said, thank you. We do all have HOPE, and we give it back to each other as well - that's what the support is all about.
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May
AF: 1
A: 41 -
"You may think, why don't you buy larger clothes. I could. But I don't want to. I have tons of nice clothes that would fit if I just lost 10 lbs or so. I guess I refused to buy bigger clothes…it's like giving in!"
@SurferGirl1982 This is so me too! I have a whole drawer and a section in my closet with clothes that "I will fit back into some day".
I even have them grouped into 'almost fit', 'somewhat tight' and 'very tight' LOL
I'm starting a weight loss challenge tomorrow, so I'm hoping - no - I'm planning by the end of 12 weeks to be able to get into some of those 'almost fit' clothes.
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Very well said, @NonnieDoiron This thread of friends is hope!
Sending you hugs, @SurferGirl1982
@SparkSpringtime69 Good luck with your challenge!
I'm still here, but I'm still drinking ~2 glasses of wine per night. A little bit less, so there's that. I'll take small victories.
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@SparkSpringtime69 LOL I also have a bunch of "almost fits". I have a pair of pants that I actually can get on. But, they're just a bit too tight. You still have to be able to breath 🙂
Thanks, as always @chicbuc Honestly, two glasses of wine doesn't sound that bad to me. If I could get down to that amount, I could probably quit easily. Although, the tumbler that I use is 16 oz 😱 Of course, I drink whiskey, so there's also mixer included. Right now, in the morning, I mix a shot with unsweetened iced tea and a lemon wedge. I know it sounds gross. But, it's really not that bad. And, you are all into your fancy glasses. My plastic tumbler is the type that you'd find at a diner. You would all gasp! PS… @chicbuc I wish you would keep posting. It really helps to hear from your little mug 🙂
My problem right now is that my sleep is all messed up. I wake up really early in the morning and then nap during the day. I've been slightly worse. But, I'm beginning to feel nauseated when I first wake up. So, I need to have something in the house in the morning. Maybe, I'll start keeping a half pint for in the morning and then wait to go to the store progressively later.
Another problem has been that wacky tabbaky is legal here and my husband has been partaking. We recently tried the taper method. But, he didn't want to wait to have his party favor. So, he would go right a 9 am when the liquor store opens. That's not how tapering works. You have to start a little later each day and drink a little less. I talked to him last night. I told him that I felt that his vice was more important to him than my health and happiness. He said that wasn't true and that he would flush it down the toilet right now. I told him not to do that. He said, he will stop when it's gone and is going to help me with my tried and true method of tapering.
By the way, I mentioned to @NonnieDoiron that I had frozen burritos for breakfast yesterday. Maybe, I was unknowingly celebrating Cinco de Mayo 😀
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@globalhiker @NonnieDoiron ~ thank you!
Great words of wisdom from you both. You are both correct, this is a group that offers support and no judgment. We are all here to be accountable, do better and be human :)
@globalhiker ~ I love your tune-out strategy!
@NonnieDoiron ~ I am good with exercise, but diet is hit or miss and of course that includes the alcohol, which, with alcohol tends to derail the nutrition side of things tremendously!
@SparkSpringtime69 ~ I love your grouping of clothings…. you can add one more for me… "Don't even think about it"! 😁 Are you in the BLC58 challenge (it starts tomorrow) if yes, which group are you in?
@chicbuc ~ less is less!
@SurferGirl1982 ~ Sorry you're struggling with sleep. For some reason, last night, I had the best night of sleep ever. I had the margarita's early in the day so that might have had something to do with it…and then I also took a hot shower before bed. I normally get up 2 to 3 times to go to the bathroom but I didn't get up once last night!
Have a great day, everyone!!!
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