AlisalGal Member

Gosh it sounds like it's been a rough week for many of us! Me too. I've been in a funk and haven't been tracking or posting. I'm pulling myself together and will get back to work. Best wishes to everyone who is struggling with sadness and loss. Life can be a real b!tch sometimes.

There's almost nothing I enjoy more than being sleepy at the end of the day (my days start SO early, around 4:30 am), going through my evening routine of laying out tomorrow's clothes and packing my breakfast/lunch, washing my face, brushing my teeth, getting into bed and delude myself that I'm going to read but falling…

@trailgirl777 don't judge yourself any more harshly than you would judge any of us... which I suspect is not at all! Be kind to yourself. Every day is a new day and a fresh start.

I like the sound of that, I'll give it a try!

@RaeBeeBaby thank you for all those tea suggestions. I'm a creature of habit and usually only drink the same teas over and over - Constant Comment, green tea, a couple herbal teas I've come to enjoy. I find a lot of herbal teas taste "soapy" to me, I don't know how else to describe it, but I'd like to expand my list. I…

Good morning! I live in Spokane WA. When people hear Washington they think Seattle, but Spokane is on the eastern border. I'm much closer to Canada than Seattle. We get all four distinct seasons, which is really nice because each season is quite beautiful. I'm sorry your crocuses didn't make it! How disappointing! I am…

I felt motivated today! I tracked all my meals and snacks, did some fun new exercise videos on YouTube and hopped on the stationary bike for an episode of "Rectify" on NetFlix. The crocuses are blooming! The sun is shining (between cloudbursts). I'm feeling downright cheerful -- thank you, spring!

I really like kombucha, I'm glad I've never looked it up on Wiki and got scared off (and I'm not gonna look now!). I've been on a real tea kick lately, trying to have herbal tea in the evening to stave off the desire for a drink.

Kim, I'm so sorry for your loss! I hope all is well with you. @aleahurst, I'm in Spokane WA, and until recently had snow and ice (literally! just last week! but it's pretty much melted away now). The bees are not out yet at all. The only time anyone has been stung is when harvesting honey, and my husband likes to work…

@minimel_99 I'm so sorry to hear about your recent diagnosis. That's a tough one! My son has been Type 1 diabetic since he was a tiny guy, only 3 years old, and I know how exhausting it is to always be diligent and keep it under control. Good luck! My beautiful behavior plan today: Focus on eating mindfully, tasting and…

Great job, @RaeBeeBaby! I'm going to see Mama Mia with a group next Wednesday and am planning in advance what to eat/drink to avoid the inevitable bottles of wine at the pre-show dinner. Everyone at work was talking about Pi Day (always March 14- 3.14, mathematical formula for pi) and I thought about pie all day - lemon…

That's a wonderful point of view, donimfp. Be as kind to myself as I would be to others. I asked myself today, why did I drink when I've committed to a 30 day challenge? Because I wanted a buzz. There's no other reason. That's really something to think about.

Well my grand plan of being able to have "just a sip" whenever I darn well please completely flopped last night. No more of that. It was a stupid thing anyway, I know full well I am an "all or nothing" person. I'm pretty disappointed in myself but am dusting myself off and starting anew.

@aleahurst What kind of bee boxes? Decorative boxes, or actual beehives? I've a backyard beekeeper; it's a great hobby!

Oh lordy here's an honest answer why: today during yoga I did a shoulder stand and all I saw in my line of vision was boobs and belly. :'( Feeling a little low but motivated.

@donimfp I've been focusing on distractions and tea as well. Last night we had Mexican food and all I could think was how good a cold beer would taste. No sips for me last night, I was NOT feeling mighty. Odd how some days are a piece of cake and others are such a struggle. Welcome @serenity1097! It sounds like you've…

Way to go! Yoga is my lifesaver on stressful days. I practice at home to save money and because my arthritis causes me to make a lot of funky adaptations. But I have a great collection of dvds and YouTube channels, and have created a nice studio area in my basement. If only the dogs understood the concept of personal…

Good job at the sip & see, @donimfp! I've never heard that expression, but it sounds like a good tradition. :) I was cooking dinner last dinner and turned around to see that my husband had prepared a vodka-tonic for me when he made one for himself. I will admit I had a few sips while I finished cooking, then put it in the…

@donimfp: Is it too early for diamond earrings?? That must be a rhetorical question! Haha. Of course not. At least not too early for a really fun pair of CZ earrings. The weekend is here, the temptation is real. I am going to schedule some knitting time and yoga time - two things I cannot do with a buzz.

I too like ALL these answers. I want to wear an awesome suede skirt that lives in the very back of my closet, one of the few "skinny clothes" I've saved. I figured, when I get to my goal weight and feel amazing, I'm buying myself new clothes. But that suede skirt... I really want to wear it.

I too appreciate the honesty that everyone is sharing with. I actually feel fine not drinking, but I do think about it. Like right now, a little after five, it occurs to me that a vodka-tonic sounds delicious. But I never have ONE vodka-tonic. Why is it easier for me to have absolutely none, instead of drinking moderately…

@aleahurst I sympathize! I have arthritis in my knees and one hip, and weirdly in both my big toes. My mom and sisters all had arthritis in their hands, and it was sad for them to give up the needlework they enjoyed so much. Today's beautiful behavior: plenty of walking, giving lots of positive reinforcement to a new…

Another excellent book is "Unwasted: My Lush Sobriety" by Sacha Scoblic. I really recommend it - like "Drinking, A Love Story", the author was seriously out of control. But I definitely appreciated her introspection and points of view, and even saw a little of myself in her.

Hello everyone! Sounds like everyone is fighting the good fight today. This is one area that I truly believe we get A+ for effort. Today I planned out all my meals, prepped and brought my breakfast and lunch from home, and realized everything in my meal plan today is whole, real fresh food. Nothing packaged or canned....…

I love all these reasons. Congratulations on being a cancer survivor! My feet and knees hurt so I really understand that comment.

Today I wanted to do something different for my exercise. So I pulled out my SharQui-The Bellydance Workout dvd. It's really quite a workout, my thighs are burning and I really feel my obliques. But it's fun and the dancers are just lovely to watch. I know I look like a klutz compared to them, but I FEEL graceful and…

I'll admit it, vanity is a big part. Equally important is improve my current health (reduce pain & inflammation in my arthritic knees) and my future health (reduce blood pressure to stay off medication and to hopefully prevent stroke and other dire medical events). Also, I want to hang around with my grandkids for a long,…

I meant to say, @HappySheri, I hope you had happy memories of your mom on her birthday. It seems the older I get, the more things I like to do that remind me of my mom. Do some canning in the summer? Hang clothes on the clothesline? Listen to Nat King Cole? It all reminds me of mom, and makes me very happy.

Hi @aleahurst - I am in Spokane, Washington (eastern side of the Cascades). We've had SO MUCH SNOW this winter! And colder temperatures that are continuing well into spring. I'm trying not to whine about it - so boring to complain about the weather. Nothing I can do about it! I started journaling again this weekend and am…