Brave Babes - Wrapping up for a Wonderful Winter

[venusandmars]

Hi, I am venusandmars and I've been on these threads for many years.

It can be tough at this time of year when the adverts are full of families cheerfully opening bottles of wine and good cheer, when work parties are alcohol fuelled, when distant friends call round with a bottle in hand.

Maybe you're trying to cut down a little in the pre-Christmas weeks, maybe you are struggling to know how to continue with a longer period of abstinence, maybe you are waking up after a Christmas Party feeling sick and covered in shame (or even feeling shame and covered in sick).

Whatever, whenever, if you want to stop, or cut down, or simply share your struggle with others who also feel the tug..... please join us.

Usually our lovely mouseface opens these threads, but the poor mouse is sick in hospital and so I am overcoming the technophobia that a 50-something feels.... (well done me ). Our last thread is here if you want to read the last few posts

And if you want to read the story from the beginning (you'll need a few weeks) HERE is where it all started when Jesuswhatnext posted in May 2010.

Welcome one and all x

Glad I'm not the only one who's put weight on this week
Got on the scales this morning feeling a tiny bit thinner but alas I was at least a pound heavier.
However - when I looked in the mirror I could see my face was a bit slimmer and I'm definitely not as bloated as I was on Monday.
Feeling like I'm coming down with a cold but think that might just be a side-effect of toxins coming out.
I'm actually beginning to enjoy this journey - and a lot of that is down to you guys. Thanks

Spring .. Omg OMG what you posted re 84 units of ethanol ??!! Omg lightbulb moment , thank you so so much ! That is what a 175ml glass of wine is - 3 units of poison and loads of sugar !! Wow, no wonder I have been feeling so so ohysically crap. I honestly think I had a real moment of clarity reading that. Thank you so much !!
Whistle... Bound to be heavier aren't we, not dehydrated the whole time??? I rkn like another lovely poster said it'll start coming off after first week of body wondering wtf is going on!!!! I'm SO careful with diet and exercise, can't believe have been poisoning poor body on a daily basis for so long . Awful

How many people are having a party tonight? I thought it was just South

Anyway, whoever it is, I won't say good luck, I will say good planning because if you plan your evening you will be so much better prepared for when the ww comes a-calling.

Get your own drinks sorted so that you know exactly what you're going to have. Make sure you eat before you feel hungry because that can be a trigger. Have excuses ready in case anyone asks you why you're not drinking or, even worse, tries to force a drink on you.

Bear in mind HALT (hungry, angry, lonely, tired) as these are common recognised triggers too. And, of course, always play that movie through to the end.

Plan on another lovely night's sleep, waking up feeling rested and refreshed

Another bonus to sleeping well is that our bodies tend to do most of their healing whilst we sleep, so all those organs that have been poisoned (thank you for the reminder Isinde) can be repairing overnight because they are having a break from working hard to stop the poison killing us.

Anyone not managing an AF day yet, don't despair. The sidecar is still fully stocked with comforting snacks and warm, fluffy blankets. Come and post anyway or just snuggle down and ride along.

Isinde looking forward to hearing about your trip, hope it goes well. You are very brave taking the dts on a 4.5 hour journey. Gulp!

I'm not having a party but think it's all got a bit confusing ! My nutribullet is still with John Lewis and not me so I have bought hotel chocolate salted caramel chocolate and am going to slightly pig out then go for a god damn run in the morning - haven't don't that for 6 months ! Weirdly looking forward to an AF Friday night. Sure makes a change and perhaps I'll actually have some energy tomorrow. Looking forward to face pack selfies if anyone is brave enough. Funnily enough my colleague asked if my face was swollen this morning. FFS!!!

Grr, sorry, it was me muddling up the parties. South - I hope it goes as well as well can be for you. Pop enjoy your party for one: waving at you from my own.

^hotel chocolate salted caramel chocolate

hello, can I join you please.

My drinking has increased quite a bit although I have always been fairly heavy drinker but recently I have been managing to drink 2 or 3 glasses every night and more on a Friday. On a Saturday I manage to drink at least a bottle if not 2. I have blackouts and there are lots of night outs I cant remember.
I wake the next morning and wonder if I've upset DH or what I did or said in the pub the night before. Had a dew embarrassing moments over the last year or so.
I spend most weekends nursing a hangover and recently on a few occasions I've had to pull car over to be sick.
My "d"F was an alcoholic as is my brother alto nc. I do not want to carry on like this.
I haven't had a drink since NYE under the "I'm doing dry January" and I have mentioned to DH I'm worried about my drinking and don't want to keep forgetting everything.

Hi Racmactac and welcome. Do you think you are a 'Rac', 'Mac', 'Tac' or all three? We're sometimes quite fond of shortening names on here, but don't want to presume!

Anyway, the most important thing is that you found us. This is a lovely, supportive and honest place where we will do all we can to help - be that offering metaphorical shoulders to cry on, kicks up the bum, or fist pumps of triumph. You will get great advice and support here - so take it one day at a time: you've made a massive first step by coming on here, and you've already done a fab 7 days AF white knuckling it on your own. Which considering how much I've been moaning and whingeing on here for all of those days, is a pretty cool achievement!

You're really welcome here and I look forward to getting to know you.

Hi smallfox. Rac is fine lol
I haven't quite been alone, I've posted on penguins and dry 10 but need all the help I can get.
It's Friday evening and normally I would be half way down a bottle of white!

Welcome Rac! Well done on being on Day 8! Fab achievement.
I've taken my DDs swim training tonight and we won't get home until normally 9.45pm. I'd usually be desperate to get home to get a bottle of wine down me before bedtime. Tonight there's no pressure, I'm sat in my gym kit and will go for a run in a bit.
Good luck with parties and face packs babes

Well done Whistle, it can be great to have all that extra time if you've got the energy to with it can't it

Welcome to the bus Rac. I know the Dry thread but what's penguins?

How's it going foxy?

Fairenuff. There is dry January penguin thread in chat

Ahem. Am I the only person with a facepack on????

I'm having a great party, Pop - am pushing the boat out with my third Becks Blue (its Friday, so I started drinking mid-pm, ok?), I've got my twinkly fairy lights on, some cheery Nick Cave playing (I never said it was going to be a particularly lively party), Elena Ferrente to read accompanied by some nibbles and dips and a large box of leftover chocolates .. oh and a green face slathered in avocadoey gunk. You ?

DP has gone out in bewildered bafflement.

Well bless my soul, so there is Rac, I hadn't spotted that.

Quote from OP: 'Penguins in a huddle, each taking it in turn to shelter each other when times got tough...'

What a great idea, I love that

Well done for reporting in with face packs on ma and Fox. I'll go and do mine now.

ma

I may report myself in a couple of hours, but here I am, face pack Friday.

Love it sweet. Will anyone else have the courage to post?
My face is all clean and smooth now...

Ah sweet you look lovely

This is not really me

Mine is a clear peel off one so not putting a piccie up just yet.

By far my best ever selfie, Faire

Ma, I thought about it, then thought, fuck it, I'm a work in progress! All fresh and pink here now too.

You look great in your pic sweet. I was scared to smile in case it all cracked lo!

If you're on fb Sweet that could be your new profile pic

I'm definitely smooth and soft and also a bit tingly.