globalhiker Member

Have a good AF weekend all! 4 months + 17 days AF done. Not drinking creates so much space in my mind to be able to do a million other things. I'm digging the productivity benefit. I really don't think I will drink again.

@chicbuc I hear you're planning your first AF trip in 20 years. I did mine last Fall. I really thought it could never be possible. I really loved to drink while away and try all kinds of wines I don't have locally. Like that was the center of my trips (the hikes were just to work off the calories). But I was challenged by…

Day 15 AF done so far. Congrats to all of you - ON A ROLL! I am turning 60 this year - also not bald yet but the hair keeps falling out, not sure what is up with that. Guys, the last thing we need in our life is something to make us age faster, so for me, alcohol can go. "Quit lit" does indeed help a ton. So did youtube…

I am really SUPER PROUD of everybody here! @SurferGirl1982 your new wonderful life has begun! YAY!! And you're in good company with the rest of the AF streakers. You inspire me to keep going because yes, that 1 future drink (or 2 or 3 or 4) will set me back to square one. I'm very happy with my new AF self. @Sunnydays930…

4 months and 13 days AF done. Monday was uneventful, long work day. Got in 50min of RPM class and my heart rate was in the 120-130s the whole time. Today I have half-hour walk/run before hour long kickboxing class. I have to do a better job of my math. I use math for business but I am terrible at measuring calorie output…

@SurferGirl1982 WAY TO GO!!! I too am behind you 100%. This is the best decision you'll ever make. The whiskey devil can put up a mean and sneaky fight but you are able to win the game and take your self control back. There is a bright, wonderful life on the other side. Definitely watch your BP, heart rate etc and good you…

Day 11 AF of January done. Drinking decaf coffee tonight. Curling up on the couch under blankets watching movies and trying to stretch out Sunday night as long as I can.

11 days AF done for Jan. Working on developing the skill of "how to sit at the bar and have a good time without alcohol". I sat at the bar today - we had a planned "date" day so husband and I went on a 3 hour hike/run together (during the time when he'd habitually start day-drinking) then off to our old Mexican happy hour…

@NonnieDoiron HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I would totally come over but alas I am too far away. It's your 50th, right? I'll bet your homemade lasagna sauce is delicious. ENJOY! @tmbg1 I like how you're tracking LA. I used to only track "A" days and "AF" days. And my past "A" days sometimes were "all you can drink" A days. It's very…

Day 9 AF of January done. Hot chocolate last night was my perfect alcohol alternative but I did wake up at 2 am. Happy AF Friday to all.

Happy AF or Less A Friday! Day 9 AF done. I had a sugary hot chocolate drink last night (oops still very addicted to that chocolate). @SunnyDays930 totally agree with everything you said and once we're past those first few miserable AF days the daily reinforcement is key. It can be 5-10 min or less a day. I check in here…

8 days AF done. Glad to see several of you along with me. You may not know it, but you're really helping me. There is such a thing as strength in numbers. @itladyee you are a winner! 8 lbs weight loss and AF streak. I love it! Going AF does give us an added weight loss bonus. Today I am feeling very sad and nervous about…

8 days AF YTD done. @LowTechForever and @SunnyDays930 congrats to both of you - the hardest part is really over. It's lovely when the bloated tummy starts to go down and that inflammation goes away even with not being on a diet. You'll feel so amazing after 30 days AF, it's so worth it.

AF day 7 of 2024 done. I had a decaf coffee with cinnamon for my nightly "drink" just because it's freezing here and I wanted something warm. @NonnieDoiron congrats on landing the job! @surananc, wow congrats on 8 years AF! @SurferGirl1982 I wish the US had a way better rail system (bullet trains, etc.) like Europe and…

@SunnyDays930 that's very nicely said - out in the sun is a good place to be! TIP for all of you self-improvers: change is way easier when you replace deprivation (whatever you want to remove from your life) with something else you enjoy. Fill up your life with happy activities and happy things, try to reduce the things…

AF yesterday, same for today. @SunnyDays930 I am cheating on the no-chocolate diet by putting 10 calorie herseys dark cocoa powder in my yogurts to make myself a "chocolate pudding". I think this is OK since the chocolate powder doesn't have the saturated fat, sugar or chemicals of the real stuff. What do you think?…

@Michieb125 thanks for your supportive words and it's cool folks like you and all the others that keep me going. You are so right time is precious. Looking back, I see lost time, wasted time. I could have gone snowboarding, rollerskating, learned to ski, traveled to Australia, hiked in Scotland, gotten a home with a bigger…

Still AF strong but I did eat 2 chocolates yesterday and went over the calorie limit. It's cool you guys are Zumba masters! One day when I learn how to properly Zumba, I would love to go on a Zumba cruise (do they have ones where booze is not part of the package?). And image returning from a cruise vacation with weight…

4 months and 4 days AF done. I just realized today that I used to spend 25 hours a week under the influence of wine. 3 hours a day during the weekdays (15 days) and 5 hours a day each for Sat and Sun. Then Sat and Sun I would nap 2 hrs each day due to alcohol fatigue. I don't nap like this anymore and fatigue is gone. Now…

@robsgurl I too have friends whose social life exists in bars and sitting around drinking. All my close friends drink regularly and more heavily on weekends.They just want to go to restaurants to eat and drink. Eat and drink. Eat and drink and continue eating and drinking. Then they talk about weight gain as they keep…

Still going AF strong. I tried a new Zumba class yesterday and it was fun. Actually, I was mostly entertained by some of the superstar dancers in the class. They were amazing, like on TV. I will try it again and give it some time. Today I have 2 hikes in the lineup so total will be 4.5 hours. I am going out to lunch after…

@SunnyDays930 congrats to you for making to day 5. That's when things get much easier! Success is all in your hands and you can take full control. My sense of relaxation, true natural relaxation, is so precious that it keeps me from drinking and I can't wait to experience what month 6 AF will feel like.

Still going AF strong here. I did hear about that surgeon general article in the news and was very, very surprised. I mean, that was a bold step. Trying to get the American population to drink even a bit less is a big endeavor. 70 percent of Americans drink. Probably a portion of the rest of the population lied/in denial…

@akshemsley can you add me to your group? I did want to also make a correction that my BMI is 29 but body fat % is 36%. Thank you!

Day 2 AF for Jan. done. Background: I was trying to reduce drinking for 7 years. Each time I tried to moderate while dieting didn't work at all. I could not deal with slight hunger or food cravings AND cravings for wine. WAY too much deprivation for my brain to handle. So back in September 2024 when I went AF cold turkey,…

Day 2 AF done for Jan. I think it's good to have many complimentary mini-goals if they are easy and do-able and give one a better overall schedule that supports not drinking. For example, my past drinking was often related to increased stress on Saturdays. I'd burn myself out and come Saturday the house was a disaster and…

New Years Day 1 AF done! I can't believe I am turning 60 this year. I don't want to!! Day 2 AF is here and up for grabs for anyone who wants it! @SurferGirl1982 I do think my knees are falling apart. Sometimes the top of one of my knees swells up and sometimes I have pain on the sides of my knees. One of my big motivators…

good article here - and so true - replacing one bad habit with one good one is key

New Years Day AF done. I'm now in month 5 AF. I went to my gym class and in the afternoon my husband asked if I wanted to join him for a hike and we ended up hiking 3.5 hours. It was hard but good for me. I slept 8 hours straight (for once!). I'm staying AF this month just because it's effortless now and I don't want to go…

Hello, I would like to join this group if you have space. I am a 59 y.o. female who is disciplined to go to the gym, eats generally healthy, reads all science under the sun, but need team support and direction to take me to the next health level. Hormones are gone and I have a different body! I need to re-learn how to…