200 days alcohol-free- the second thread!

[FeelingLessTired]

Hello!

1000 messages snuck up on me on the first thread!!

@Goandygo

@paintcolourchart

@88expertprocastinator

any anyone else who wishes to join or return you are MOST welcome.

The aim is 200 days AF and/or beyond. There is no judgment here and we are supportive of all of us who wish to change their relationship with alcohol.

I stopped at Day 43 and have been drinking since then but am committed to getting back on this wonderful wagon.

Look forward to the next thread with all our wonderful MNetters.

@Goandygo 150 days is pretty incredible- I hope the people around you really appreciate how far you have come! In January last year I was reading stories of people at this stage and never ever believed that I could do the same - I am thankful every single day that I’ve managed to stop abusing alcohol.

and like you, I drank to get drunk so what’s the point of starting that again?

@88expertprocastinator exactly, there is no point !
It was nice at the party, drinking af beers and knowing that I could go home sober. I often made a show of myself at parties 😣
My family is so proud of me. Dh especially and my sister said she gets quite emotional thinking how far I've come.
I never thought I could get this far either. Just goes to show really what one is capable of 💪

Sorry I'm behind on here again but I'm sitting here on what's going to be a late night session to finish my paper, trying to ration the large chocolate buttons because the whole pack is 500 calories and I couldn't possibly consume that amount in chocolate. Then it occurred to me that I wouldn't think twice about consuming 600 calories of wine, so I'm giving myself permission to eat the whole bag 😅 (on this occasion!)

Hoping you're all well x

Im exactly the same - why do I think a pizza is the devil when I’d easily have had 2 bottles of wine? It’s so illogical but I’m there with you!

Same!

Last night I had a box of (delicious) battered mushrooms from the fish and chip shop. I felt slightly sick and disgusted with myself. But... wine? Nah, no calories there. Nor beer either.

Morning, tribe !
@paintcolourchart I was always like that with the money side. I shop around for everything but thought nothing of spending £50 on wine and beer for a Friday night. All that money and all I got was a headache for it.
I've cut down massively on the chocolate. I was going quite mad. Pleased to say I'm now in another Stone Zone (12st 13).
So, 151 days later and I've lost a stone.
I'm really happy with not drinking. So many benefits but mainly, I'm just really happy.
Have a lovely day, folks ❤️

I hope you will forgive me but I am about to have a bit of a ramble.

As I have mentioned before, I went vegetarian on September 1st 'for my health' ** and it's going fabulously well. I am really enjoying it- so much so that after alot of research I removed dairy and eggs as of last week. I am finding it really fun, and feel so positive about it all. Very occasionally I have a yen for meat (mainly chicken which I love and cook for the Dcs) but I think 'No, I don't do that anymore' and my mind moves on easily. I am happy to look for milk alternatives and am enjoying the process. I've had great fun with meat alternatives as well and rate some of the no-meat chicken pies I have found for example.

It's a mind shift that I need to bring to drinking. 'No, I don't do that anymore' and then relish looking for alternatives (not feel slightly guilty about AF options) etc. Not feel that I am 'missing out' and 'poor me' (which I do, to be honest) but to just think 'I'm doing it differently now'.

So today I will stock up on the AF drinks I love (which I have also been scaling back worried about calories.... usually less than half the alcohol version!) and just lean into it with delight. Which even if I have to fake my delight for a bit then that's fine.

**seems mad to focus on food and nutrition yet ignore the elephant in the toom- a bottle of wine (plus) a night....

Day 17.

Cross post @Goandygo !

Congrats on the weightloss!

Lord I hear you about shopping around to save money then spending money on wine! In pubs! Somehow okay in my mind. Madness!

@FeelingLessTired well done on Day 17.
What I get from your post is exactly what I've done. It needs, like most things you want to change, a different mindset.
I used to say I wasn't drinking af drinks. I was almost stubborn about it. Now I've done a bit of research and I've found my favourites. They are perfect for Summer days, holidays, sitting in the garden, etc. All these scenarios worried me when I tried before.
I can't believe I actually love af drinks. It fascinates me 🤣

For the record, my favourites :

1. af perroni. Sometimes with a dash of lime cordial.
2. Aldi's Rose nozecco. £2.99 - great value
3. Freixenet - love this. It's the closest to prosecco I've found (£5 - tesco. 150 calories the bottle !)
4. Crodino and fever tree blood orange tonic, slice of orange. ( Crodino is cheapest when on offer in Tesco. 4 for £5. I got 10 bottles Amazon yesterday, £14)

I need to get me to the shops. Some great recommendations there!

@BountifulPantry I hope you find your af drink 🙏
Some are an acquired taste, but I always remember reading Annie Grace and she was saying that when we first tried whisky ( for example), we probably said yuk. Yet we carried on !

Right there with you all with the money as well as the calories. I can really relate to what you're saying about health @FeelingLessTired - I'm so health consious. I read every food label, take supplements, avoid tox, happy to cut grains/gluten out of my diet etc etc yet I was 'happy' putting a load of wine in my body regularly. It just doesn't make sense. I have definitely changed my thinking towards wine though and despite my recent slip ups I do see it for what it is. It's just going to take a tad longer to align my unconscious thoughts with my conscious ones I think. This is going to sound a little weird, but I'm almost developing a slight fear of wine..?!!

@Goandygo love the positivity and contentment of your post! 🥰

@paintcolourchart thank you. I am feeling super happy today 🤣
I hear you regarding your thoughts aligning - that took me quite a while. Lots of day 1s, lots of mental anguish etc.
For want of a better word, it's definitely a Journey.

Morning, folks, how are we all faring ?
Not too bad here.
Fancied a drink yesterday. Came out of nowhere but when I thought about it, I've had an eventful few days.
More worry with brother and the disaster in Jamaica affects us massively. Not just because we're going in 2 weeks (?), but because dh has most of his family there 😪
Everyone is OK, but it's been stressful.
Anyway, after work ( boring. Another trigger), we had to go shopping, and it occurred to me when I got home that I didn't even look at the wine. Got af drinks though.
Also, we're going away for the weekend to a place where I always drank. This is the first time I've been since abstaining so that's been on my mind.
But I'm ready for it. I'm ready for it all to be honest 💪

Oh @Goandygo I am glad the family are all fine in Jamaica, but what a stress. Thinking of you all.

Hope the weekend goes well.

Not much to report here. I am in 'wanting to drink cos I'm bored' mode. I might have to get back to knitting again in the evenings!

best wishes.

34 days sober and found another good reason to stop drinking- vanity! 😆

Skin is defo less red and overall better. If I do say so myself! 😂😂😂

@BountifulPantry well done on 34 days!
Gawd, I am so vain - my skin is lovely when I'm sober ❤️

I’m so incredibly vain I think this is my main motivation 🙈 sod the liver 😂

whatever keeps me going eh?

165 days for me. I’ve been feeling quite anxious the last few weeks and keep thinking a drink would take the edge off, but I know it wouldn’t afterwards!

Ive decided I now need to cut back on sugar as I seem to have swapped alcohol for chocolate and fizzy drinks (mainly coke) So, for the last couple of days I’ve cut out the drinks. I went out to dinner last night and had water as Im not keen on fruit juice, so need to think about that.

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend. Glad you’re family is ok, sounds very stressful@Goandygo

Morning all. Hi to everyone and welcome @hannah258 !

I weighed myself in and have lost a single pound in 1 month. Bah Humbug!

I am not well though- shivery cold yesterday and was asleep soon after 6 pm.

I need to not drink calories also, @hannah258 . I quite like fizzy lemon with a squeeze of lemon in. DH when he first stopped drinking used to thinly peel cucumber and put that in with lemon. I might try it this week.

@FeelingLessTired don't worry about the weight. Just carry on and it will happen. Focus on the 'non scale victories' ( I swear slimming world brainwashed me !!).
Hope you're feeling better soon.
@hannah258 165 days is brilliant, well done.
I've been feeling anxious too, for various reasons. What works for me is playing it forward. If I did cave, I'd be annoyed with myself, with a hangover to boot.
Unless I'm having an af drink, it's sparkling water for me.
I've massively cut down on treats too. Yesterday I only had 1 slice of oreo cheesecake 😋
I've got my af drinks for my weekend away. I know I'm going to have to be prepared mentally. The Lodge we stay in has a wine rack. I'll probably do more hiking than is normal 💪

Oh have a WONDERFUL trip away!!

I am all about the holidays. I need to divert my not-drinking money to my holiday account I think. A Lodge and hiking- bliss!

ah, hope you’re feeling better asap! I was thinking of adding some actual fruit and ice to my water, dress it up a bit!

Once slice of cheesecake is great!
I’m definitely eating too many sugary snacks. If I don’t have them I feel lightheaded, irritable and a bit shaky tbh. Think I need to keep a diary and cut down slowly. Ah, I would love a weekend away right now, enjoy!