High functioning and ready to cut down ? Anyone want to join me ?

[Tinkerbellx]

Hi
I'm not ready to go AF hence a separate thread ( yes I know I should do so sorry just being honest ) , but I'm in my late 40's, single parent and full time professional job .
2 at uni and 1 in 6th form and one still at primary . I'm juggling as many of us are .... the career/family/house / car . Along the way I'm now drinking a bottle of wine most nights . It's become a habit and I know it's making me ill .
I guess I leaned on alcohol throughout a long unhappy marriage / then the divorce and now it's become a habit .
The first thing mummy does when I get home is pour a glass of wine and then I feel myself start to unwind . Except I carry on .
My face is now feels puffy , my clothes are tight , my sleep quality is crap and so on .
I'm at a point in my life where I really need to take control as its my first opportunity in almost 27 years that I actually can .
I have an amazing partner now and we're planning on selling our homes imminently to move in together as a family . I want to have taken back control of this before then .
So I plan on not drinking during he week starting tomorrow .
I've stopped before and after the first night I remember actually enjoying it so I don't know why I'm so panicky ?
Does anyone else want to join me please ?

Well done op and everyone else whether today has been wholly or partly successful or you’re just close to making a go if a change. Af this evening and looking forward to a remarkably early night and good sleep. Support.

Well done all.

When getting the catfood pouch earlier, my nose almost touched the bottles of lager. I didn't half fancy one. Then a bit later my (D)H annoyed me in my premenstrual state and I really wanted to knock back a glass of wine.

Luckily..... I had you lot and this thread. (I did almost go for the lager though, until I remembered it's only Tuesday and I've only had 2 AF days in a row. And that was all a bit pathetic.) So I'm now 3 days AF by bedtime.

Evening all. Thanks for the book recommendations Northernsoullover and hello new AF buddies (comrades?, partners in virtue?). I am AF tonight. This isn’t much of an achievement for me as Tuesday is usually about the one night a week I manage not to drink, but taking it a day at a time. Have just eaten my body weight in plum crumble and custard but that’s a different issue. Catonaroof I think cutting back on holiday would be great. Perhaps if you just drink half what you would normally it would be very positive. On holiday this year I spotted a family all sitting at the evening entertainment at 10pm with hot chocolates. I made some snidey ‘look at the Waltons over there’ comment to DH (not nice I know). But really what I was thinking was how lovely for them to be so happy on holiday without touching alcohol. Does anyone else remember how good it was before alcohol that you would go out and enjoy things without it? Anyway, enough of my ramblings. I hope you all have a lovely day tomorrow. Wednesday a weak spot for me as it’s dreaded gym night and I usually stop for beers on the way home....I hope you are all about tomorrow night to keep me strong. PS. I didn’t start the thread - it’s Tinkerbells! I just talk too much x

Oh no ringsender are your beers in the fridge? I couldn’t cope with that temptation and would need to hide them at the back of a warm cupboard. missfliss it’s great to hear your story, especially that you have a busy stressful life too. There is hope for us all...

Managed AF last night -wow!

I joined both of these last year and they send me regular emails which I delete without reading , I might start taking notice of them and see if I can manage more days AF or at least settle for mindful drinking rather than just pouring it down my neck until the bottle is empty.

soberistas.com

joinclubsoda.com/

just eaten my body weight in plum crumble and custard
Oooh I have lots of plums on my tree that need picking, will make some later.

Well done to everyone waking up less groggy today!

I also managed AF last night . I shouldn't be as pleased about this as I am . I know if I mentioned to anyone at work that I didn't have a drink for one night they would think 'so what' . And that I guess is why I know I am drinking too much.
Another AF day today ahead

I have to say my 15yr old ds did not make it easy last night. Typical teen just now

Well done to everyone for an AF night yesterday. I've not had a glass of wine since Saturday and would definitely have had one by now if it wasn't for this thread. Thanks to you all

@Halfthesky5 me too.

I actually wriggled out of a long standing meet up at the pub tonight as I really didn't want the temptation...

Was sooooo productive today!!

Thank you iamyourequal, I actually think halving my holiday drinking sounds pretty achievable. And it'll be nice to make the most of the mornings with the evenings being darker. I'd raise a glass to your suggestion, but... 😂

And I continue to be proud of everyone rlse who is cutting down. We're all stars!

I cracked! At 10.30 this evening. I worked late, got home and had dinner with family (water with). Felt v twitchy and kept going into kitchen on different errands (or none). Working at laptop while DH read/dozed/watched telly, then could take it no more.

Glass of red wine. Still not empty. First sip I think gave me a headache. Not enjoying it massively but am persevering. Poo.

How's everyone else? Asleep I hope?

It’s ok to fall off ring, just get back on tomorrow.

I drank the last can of beer last night, so I’m planning AF from today. I’ve got becks blue, so I’ll continue the shandy to keep the sugar up for now.

I started this a month ago when my drinking crept up. I usually go AF Mon-Thur but it's school holidays here and dh is off too so it's crept up again.

Just to point point out, I'm not on holiday, but that hasn't stopped me

Hi all, am late to the party but I am also doing an AF week, so from Sunday until today I haven't touched a drop . I was really hard pushed not to have a glass on Tues after a complicated pick up / drop off / homework with kids session (after a long complicated day at work) but RESISTED! Yay. I do need something other than water though to get through that 5-7pm stage. After 7pm I'm good. I can do it. But if I need to do it, does that mean I'm actually addicted in the 1st place? Do most people manage weeks on end without a drop? Are we the unusual ones?

I'm normally ok after 7ish but find 4pm until 7pm the hardest. I've finished all of the bottles of sparkling water in the house so there's only fruit teas for tonight. Well done for yesterday mumsiedarlingrevolta, i'm glad that I'm not the only one who relies on this thread

I’m in. Weekend boozing has morphed into weekday boozing. I also feel sluggish and chubby.

It’s gradually happened over the last 4 years since I met DP. He was a big drinker and says I have been a good influence on him but we’ve met in the middle of our drinking habits and he has been a bad influence on me.

I am in. Been here before and had cut down but crept up so need to go back to basics.
I find the club soda mindful drinking facebook group useful for inspiration.

Last time I cut down i did th following. Had a month off - was hard at the start but got easier and started to actually enjoy it. Then once a month had 12 nights af. I usually only drink on the weekends so this meant one af free a month.
Then when i do drink i try to stick to two drinks as a norm and three on occasions ( much less success with this but will try again)

Going to start in october with a month off.
Will check in and great to have some support. Good luck everyone

I used to have a drink every night like yourself OP, then I cut it out midweek altogether, felt so sluggish every day I just got fed up of it, substituted it in the evening with some camomile tea and started doing crosswords etc to keep me occupied, eating early also took the craving away, still have a drink at the weekend but I feel so much better, good luck!

I’ve found I e dropped hobbies as I stay in with DP and drink and watch tv. I actually spoke to him about it at the weekend and he has agreed not to bring booze home during the week. Next step is weekends - instead of staying in and drinking I’d like to go out to places I’ll drive to as that will stop me drinking.

Just becks blue for me tonight, it tastes just the same as beer, especially as i drink it as shandy.

I’m impressed with myself...and everyone else!

My fingers were twitching, but just read these msgs and found the strength to refrain. We can do this!

Tinkerbellx how is it going?

Howlontillbedtime I know what you mean about mentioning it to people at work. Like ‘ a night AF..... so what?’

Halfthesky5 no wine since Sat is great!

Mackerz will DH be supportive or will he tempt you?

Pollydocket I’m not sure I could handle drinking something that tasted of alcohol without giving me the usual buzz. Well done!

Mythreeknights well done, keep resisting!

How is everyone else doing?

I’m usually AF tonight anyway due to work tomorrow. Friday night is usually a very large drink night but, having swapped for someone to have a hol, I am now working early Sat so AF free tomorrow night too! DH has just mentioned booking a table for sat night which means I will drink.....a lot....but that will be once in a week which I can live with for now.

It’s great to have a bit of company to help with the motivation.

So today I brought a bottle of red, thinking I'll have a glass or two tonight. It's been a tough day as my adults son is having chemo and I'm his company for the 4 hours . Didn't get back from the hospital untill 6.30 and once dinner was done for my younger kids, I would normally crack that bad boy open , but tonight I just don't fancy it - I do believe this is the first time in my adult life I have turned down wine . Feeling proud and confused

My goodness well done bert (And I hope and pray your sons treatment is super successful) and all others who have stayed AF all week.
I truly take my hat off to you as I haven’t managed myself. I had one small vodka and a mini bottle of Prosecco last night, on which I was meant to be AF. I am trying to see the positive which is that I had a Diet Coke for drink no 2 instead of my usual post-gym and bath , pre-dinner beer. I didn’t want to log on and confess last night as I didn’t want to drag anyone else down with me . I will keep trying and am so impressed with your progress folks. OP if you are a single parent of 4 managing all you do you are doing great! Holiday weekend up here so no work tomorrow for me. Yippeee

@Itsallpetetong

We’ll see whether or not he will help or not, as he likes a drink. He does have a recently separated friend though and I’ve hinted that I am very happy for him to socialise with his friend more and help him through his split by going round/out more. Hoping that they’ll go out for beers together.