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

Morning, tis me, Mouse

I'M BACK!!!!

Things are looking much brighter and I am on a huge health drive and just off for a swim.

I'll be back later to catch up. xxx

Oh mouse that is lovely to see a bright post from you Sometimes when everything around you feels out of your control, it is empowering to remember that there are things you CAN take control over. Enjoy your swim.

Hi everyone.

Faire, that is really impressive weight loss - I managed four pounds, but I've been stuffing my face this week, so stalled a bit.

I managed to get through yesterday's cravings, and oh boy is the reward good? I have a definite case of the 'boing' today; I have been smiling at strangers, and filled in for a sick colleague in a way that would have sent me into melt-down last semester.

Claret, Blar another healthy eating (vegetarian) here, just unhealthy drinking.

Mouse good to see you back on form.

Lots of positive vibes going on today ladies! Hurray for us all. Best version of ourselves. Just for today.

isinde glad your trip went well despite not seeing anything of the city!

I was horribly ill with everything going in the later part of last year - alcohol definitely suppresses the immune system like you say!

good to hear you're feeling more positive mouse

Still on board and still reading your posts .
Day 14 today .
Went on a date last night ( was married at 18 for over 23 years ) so all very new ! Had one glass of red which I enjoyed as planned and a G&T when I got back .
Date was nice guy just absolutely didn't feel any attraction and it was apparent that he did .
Managed to dodge a kiss in the car park ( phew ) and somehow ended up nervously patting his back
All down to experience and was well proud of myself for actually going !
Date no. 2 Mon eve and really looking forward to this one !
Just made dinner and really fancied a drink as its my weakness time ... Having a brew instead x

Tink, you are one, brave, babe.

Isinde, welcome home, snuggle up and look after yourself.

Pop, hip hip hurrah!

tink well done love! Nice tonic and lime with prawn chilli stir fry in the pop household back in my dry Jan stride for now. Friday night is a different prospect but I'm not thinking about that yet!

isinde someone doing a homeopathy course just told me to talk FOUR GRAMMES of vitamin C for my cold. !!!

AF Monday night and AF tonight!
My baby is 14 today! Where did the years go???

ma congrats on your AF days that's ace. Years fly by. Gradually and suddenly. All at once.

Well what a day!! I swam a kilometer!! In 40 mins!

I did 20 25m lengths and then had a break to do 200 cycle resistance (basically using a woggle float, popped in between ones legs, rather like riding a bike and really kicking in a circular motion whilst punching the water in the same way) kicks.

Then I did another 20 lengths in one go, then warmed down.

I have never felt so positive about myself. So many people suggested swimming because of my disabilities, and I just never thought I'd be strong enough.

I use floats to help protect my spine, and a woggle (curved float) so that the water and the floats are taking my weight but I'm loving the new me!!

I've started using Myfitnesspal and it's great for logging what you are eating, drinking and also the amount of exercise you are doing.

I sleep better, have a better mood, get up and OUT OF BED instead of going back to bed, even if I've been the one up with Nemo.

Have you ever woken up and thought 'today, I want it to be different?' as in YOU are in control? YOU are calling the shots?

Sack the washing, it can be done later, it'll still be there. Go for a walk - weather dependant! - go for a swim! Do just one room in the house of a deep clean? Anything to keep you busy!

If you change position every 20 minutes, you'll keep your metabolism going. Swing your legs under your desk at work, take the stairs instead of the left to get to the floor you're on?

Do more as you drink less and start to look at your diet and you'll all be/feel/look soo much better in no time.

I promise! :) xx

Great news mouse what a positive post.

So here we are at the last weekend of DJ, who knows what Feb brings but for now I'll pat myself on the back for doing this month dry (still have a couple of days to go so only a tentative pat at the moment!)

Started the 30 day shred today - lost a chunk of baby weight doing it last year so hoping this helps to shift the remaining 10lbs or so. Onwards and upwards!

Well done mouse

It sounds lovely mouse I find swimming so relaxing but I hate all the getting changed palaver - especially when it's cold and I've got layers of clothes. I long for summer days of my younger self when I would have bare legs, flip-flops and a light summer dress...

I'm off on holiday for the next couple of weeks and hoping that there will be signs of spring when I return. See you all then x

Has everyone sailed off to sea in a pea green boat? I've got toothache.

No evil but I wish I could. Snow is driving sideways past the window, fanbelt broken on car, I have yet another urine infection, work is shit and things are generally crap. Sailing off to sea sounds like a plan right now...

I'm here pop. What's up with the tooth? I hope it's not an infection, they are horribly painful. Get yourself some painkillers and see your dentist asap x

How is dry January going for those that are doing it? Last day tomorrow and then what? I'd quite like to do another whole month sometime but first I want to do Lent. So I'm thinking 10th Feb to 24th March then maybe alternate months - May, July, September all dry months. But that's aaaaaages away so I'll still be doing just one day at a time.

Mouse well done, it sounds like the swimming did you the world of good x

Sweet good to hear you having some reallly positive experiences, makes all the not drinking worthwhile doesn't it. It's not every day but it's often enough to see the difference

It's been so long since I suffered side effects from drink that I'd started to forget about them. Things like waking up in the middle of the night with a racing heart and wondering if this is it

And being so worried about liver damage.

What else? I can't even remember! I've got so used to a mainly sober life that I've started taking it for granted.

Isinde I hope you're starting to feel better. I think Berocca is supposed to be good for getting some vitamins and an energy boost?

Tink do tell us more about your date on Monday. Some of us like to live vicarously. How very brave of you. I wouldn't know what to do with a new man, so glued am I to the one I have.

Have a lovely holiday Venus, am very jealous x

Joey how's your weekend going?

ma it sounds like it's not really clearing up inbetween infections. Maybe you need a longer course of abs. Scary to think that they are becoming less and less effective isn't it.

Yay for snow though, wish we had some.

Hey faire. Went to dentist last week got to have a back tooth out next week. She called it a 'hopeless tooth'. Think that's a technical term. Had a cold for a week so haven't thought too much about booze although weekends still feel a bit flat without it. No highs , but then again no lows. Got a memorial service for an old client on Monday. He gave up everything - crack, heroin , booze ..... Then dropped dead aged 53 after a decade of abstinence. But at least he had a decade of knowing himself and confronting his demons I suppose. Life sure is fragile. Reminds me to hug my kids and live every moment. It's hard balancing that ' live for now' mentality with sobriety. I think that's the core of it , the real trick.

I am planning to stay on dry Jan until 5th Feb ,tonight to commit to no booze Monday to Thursday , to do a dry lent to 24 March except for a wedding weekend , a hen ( different wedding) and a big party. Too many excuses?

Pop you summed it up for me: It's hard balancing that 'live for now' mentality with sobriety. I think that's the core of it, the real trick.

I am having a real struggle deciding whether to have a drink tomorrow or not, we've got a family lunch for SIL's birthday, it's the last day of DJ and my wine witch isn't whispering, she's screaming very loudly "you deserve it" over and over again in my head.

But I am the person who sat in AA only 3 days ago and told a whole lot of strangers that I'm an alcoholic. Which suggests it's not a good idea. Fuck...what shall I do?

Mouse great to hear you sounding so positive.

Ma chin up buttercup...you ok?

I think if you plan for those events and accept them, they are less likely to derail your long term goals pop

Margie are you going out for lunch? How long will it last? If it's just two or three hours, I would be inclined to white knuckle it through. You will be so glad that you did. Eating will help. You can have a fizzy soda or something to start you off, you will be fine whilst you're eating, then you can splurge on an indulgent pudding and have a coffee afterwards.

You will be too full to want anything else.

margie I think if you can think of it as just another january day and do it dry you will feel amazing afterwards. Make the decision before you go and treat it as a done deal. Nice soft drink - pre agreed with yourself - good food , coffee, and don't linger as long as it's not perceived as rude. You can always announce / crow loudly about having done DJ and not wanting to ruin it now and hopefully you will get support and not even get offered booze. There's also the playing the film through to the end trick. Do you think you will really stick to one or two?