Day 31 and Beyond: Hello, I'm a non-drinker

[BELIEVE]

Day 31 and Beyond: Hello, I'm a non-drinker

No Wonder, just the opposite. I'm saying that getting carried away with cutting carbs (and fats) will slow your metabolism down. Combine that with a severly calorie-restricted diet and your body will begin to catabolize (sp?) muscle in an attempt to preserve fat. We don't want that! We need protiens, carbs, and fats every meal. People take them in different ratios...personally I do 40/40/20 which is popular (and effective). Carb depletion also leads to ketosis and that will make it harder to get to where you want to go.

[bootcampbarbie]

Day 31 and Beyond: Hello, I'm a non-drinker

hey you all just catching up and checking in. i love the sober thread. i'm just going to be sober girl no former alcoholic.... too much branding.. hahahaaha well i know that i'm feeling the cravings for chocolate and stuff and now as of tomorrow. new day. i get to start my candidas diet and cleanse so no sugar or potatoes etc...... it is a strict diet to kill off all that yeast in my stomach that well alcohol helped me grow.. and it wants sugar like crazy to thrive. so blood test confirms it and now for 30 days i get to do this plan but i know that it will make me feel really good. i can have fish and brown rice too. and well lots of veges.
i was thinking of MM last nite when i was in steve maddon store buying shoes going hummm now i'm doing other things. buying shoes, i closed a deal so bought myself some clothes, humm. i have those triggers. but last nite i went to dinner and actually stared at wine section to see which one i'd want and nothing. i wanted nothing. so i ordered tea with my spaghetti. god that lenair thing really worked. can't wait to go back to her for sugar, cigs and the child abuse to have all of that recalibrated as well. whoop whoop can't wait... i don't want to replace one addiction of al with others .......
so, i love you all am so happy you are here and i'm just about to day 60 oh my gosh... 5 days more... this is thrilling.... it is nice to start to get to know you all.
bootsie

[meditation mama]

Day 31 and Beyond: Hello, I'm a non-drinker

Oh, Wonder... I could just dip you in my coffee, you are so sweet!

Thank you for that amazing post. Especially this: "I think it's a natural reflex to ask "what am I doing wrong?" when I feel anxious or uncomfortable. But this thinking can lead to painful self-judgment, perfectionism and more neurosis. And it turns self-realization into an annoying "project". It's the notion that the feeling needs to be "fixed" that's problematic (I know you know this). It is what it is. And it's just a feeling, as powerful as it may seem in the moment. And yet, you need, want and deserve relief!" - THAT is what I needed to hear! Yes, I do know these things, but I am human and I know how to hide them with the best of us...

Believe.. I haven't done the cheat night.. I will. I have been doing the cheat last few nights and that bums me out. I do know that one night won't do a thing, I remember that - so thank you for reminding me. Great idea.

I also agree with Beleive on the Carb thing.. I watched my carbs for years. I would have great success with keeping the weight down or lose, but when I would go back to regular eating it would come back on like I jsut smeared the damn bread on my ass! I do the 40/30/30, similar, but a bit more healthy fat, and just a few less carbs, but I do have them now. I have lost 2 pounds a week slowly and kept it off, so I like it much better and - like everything - I am enjoying carbs in mofderation.

Living - Try getting some outdoor therapy - it has helped me today... I also live in snow country - in fact I have about 5 feet in my yard! But a quick walk around the block gave me a great boost today..

Thanks all.. xoxoxoxxoxoxoxox

Mm

[BELIEVE]

Day 31 and Beyond: Hello, I'm a non-drinker

Lol I have a freind doing the 40/30/30...he says it works well for him. Well just get back on track there MM and I think you'll be fine, 2 lbs./week is just about right so I think you'll be fine! I will look for you on the cover of Womens Health later this summer

[bootcampbarbie]

Day 31 and Beyond: Hello, I'm a non-drinker

ah good to see you are doing better mm. you know ups and downs are a part of the everyday life. so a few days having a few extra goodies is going to be okay. i'm headed on the big eat nothing diet. so i'm relishing my take home pizza and big salad today. then well i eat air for a month. and at least back to the gym which i haven't been able to do in 6 months. so am very excited to get back and tone up said flabby body. and even at being a size 0 it is still flabbbyyyy.. god but on leg has gone to but on thigh. soon if not to gym it will be butt on calf and that is just never a pretty site. cheers you all happy day in sober ville.

[wonderworld]

Day 31 and Beyond: Hello, I'm a non-drinker

Milk and Sugar please!!!!!

I hear you on the carb/protein/fat balance Believe. Sounds like you've got a good program going. I'm working a slightly different food plan, but also trying to get back in good shape. Had a good walk outside both yesterday and today. They gym membership that I pay for every month will hopefully get back to being used soon Here's to a sexy Spring for all of us!!!

Bootsie - so good to see you lady! You sound good! And your cleanse sounds really good too. I know it will super revitalize you! and congratulations on closing that deal. That's fabulous. And 5 more days to 60? Look at you!!!!!! Amazing!!!!! I just love it.
WW xx

[livingfree]

Day 31 and Beyond: Hello, I'm a non-drinker

To a Great Week ahead

Ok Believe - you sound like you know what your talking about - Give me a general 40/30/30 picture here (what a typical breakfast /lunch/dinner) looks like. The carbs I'm needing to get away from are in the Junk food variety. However I Love bread to the point where I could get down and worship it. I mean hey - I've given up every thing else except bread and sex. And lately the topa has me to dopa for great sex - so the bread is my lust. But I am looking for a better eating style. My old life consisted of coffee, alcohol and food when it was socially necessary!! I'm actually looking forward to cooking more again. Something I haven't been doing much of the past few years! Also - I'm wanting to lose these 5 (or more) pounds by my 47th Birthday in April so I need to get busy! I have been working out - but need to step it up!

MM - can't wait to talk more - so strange how our lives are so similar. Wow. And here we are trying to take care of everyone else ... we need someone to take care of us!!!!:l

Wonder, your Avatar kills me! Your user name kills me bootcampBarbie - I think I need to change my avatar again and look stronger - I now feel like orphan annie - my husband told me this morning I need to start getting BOLD - I'm not sure what he meant - but my Avatar doesn't look very BOLD. Humm ... But in real life I'm not very bold looking.

Hope everyone gets off to a great week ahead! We're expecting another snow storm. I am really going to be ready for Spring this year. In so many ways! Here's to an AF Monday.
Love to all
Liv

[BELIEVE]

Day 31 and Beyond: Hello, I'm a non-drinker

Living I can jot down some guidlines and PM them to you sometime in the near future if that would be ok. I don't want to hijack the thread...but I'm glad to help if I can. I'll just need a little time here..

[TiredofHiding]

Day 31 and Beyond: Hello, I'm a non-drinker

Checking in

Good morning -
I'm glad I found this thread - I needed the support to continue AF and the discussion on diet is timely. Today is day 47 AF for me. I've been South Beaching since right after Thanksgiving with about a week and a half off at Christmas and have lost 27 pounds.

BUT - Friday night I had a breakdown about staying AF and I have plateaued on the weightloss for the last 2 weeks.

first - Al. I went by a friend's to drop off something and they had two other couples over and nice Reidels of wine and cheese and fruit. Life looked so good and relaxed. I got to thinking - will I ever be able to moderate and enjoy a nice Friday evening with friends like that? I came home and cried and talked to my husband about all the questions - do I want that evening because I want AL and the buzz or the relaxed fellowship with friends? Can I stop at one glass ever? Can I imagine life without another glass of wine? I don't know the answers and am not ready to try so for now I stay AF. I want to see 60 days and then 90 days. and then who knows?

Diet - I am sure I have plateaued because I've lost quite a bit in a fairly short time period. But its frustring for the scale not to move for two weeks in a row (didn't go up either). I am eating a little bit on the carbs - choosing high fiber, multi grains and absolutely no white flour. I haven't touched bread or potatoes or rice (I'm not a huge fan so that's ok) and no cake or cookies or junk (I'm the Cookie Mom for Girl Scouts and have had cookies all over my house for over a month - not a one has touched my lips!). I probably need to cut the fat a little more and eat a few more carbs but sometimes its easy to get in a groove and not mess with it.

Fortunatley - no snow here. It was 77 degrees yesterday so I washed the car outside and went on a short bikeride with my daughter. Perfect exercising weather.

Thanks for listening - I need to stay focused on the positive of AF and the diet and how good I feel and how my clothes are falling off my hips and butt and how I have energy and a clear head to bike ride. And stop feelign sorry for myself that I didn't get to wine Friday night.

Here's looking at a good week!

[Thankful]

Day 31 and Beyond: Hello, I'm a non-drinker

Goodmorning, my fellow Abers!

Sorry I didn't check in yesterday. Seemed everytime I got on-line and was able to read a couple of posts, I had to go do something else.

MM ~ Thanks for starting the diet discussion. I have been craving sweets big time! I've always been a huge carb eater (bread, pasta, potato) and have been trying to cut back for a while. I used to only want something sweet when I ate something spicy. Literally 1 Hersay's Kiss would satisfy me. My family used to laugh at the fact that Valentines candy could easily last 2-3 months with me. Now I can't get enough sugar. Just now realizing it's because I gave up AL. It's so not fair. We try to get healthier and then...WHAM! Here's another problem to battle! I've been house sitting for almost 2 weeks now and spent 90% of the time completely alone. And I have been loving every second, expect for the snacking. I have had one and half pkgs of Oreos and two bags of potato chips!! It seems I crave something sweet, then before I know it I want something salty. I'm hoping when I get home I can put a stop to this cycle. I hope maybe a lot of the eating is out of bordom. So unfortunatley, I don't have any advise for you. But just wanted to let you know that the sugar cravings have been with me as well.

Believe ~ I wouldn't worry about "hijacking" the thread. The whole thread is what we are going through at certain stages and we all seem to have some issues with diet. So (if you don't mind) please feel free to post your reply to Livingfree here. I'd be interested also.

Wonder ~ loved your reply to MM. When we need a cheerleader you are always there girl!! :h

Livingfree ~ you found us! Yay! You've got a friend right here, hun! And being bold has nothing to do with what you look like on the outside. Just being here admitting you need help is a bold move. Very brave.

Bootcamp ~ I loved reading "i'm just going to be sober girl no former alcoholic.... too much branding.." Good for you.

TOH ~ Congrats on your 47 days!! WTG!! Any chance of spending time with your friends when they are not drinking. Perhaps go out to breakfast some Sunday morning? Just an idea.

Stay strong, my friends!! Keep up the fantasitc work! You are my rock.

BTW, can I still post here on "30 to 60..." seeing how on my way to 90!!! Woohoo!!! Day 61!!!

Love, Me
:l

[wonderworld]

Day 31 and Beyond: Hello, I'm a non-drinker

um......... excuse me?!?!?!?!?!??!!?!?! um, I have to go do something ..... he he he
ww xx

[wonderworld]

Day 31 and Beyond: Hello, I'm a non-drinker

And as far as posting here after 60 days Thankful - are you nuts?!?!?! Of course!!! We're not losing you now!!! We're in this all together!!! Everybody in the pool !! Don't even think about leaving us......:upset:

And where's Mya?

And I agree with Thankful, Believe - this thread is not just for good times. It's for EVERYTHING. That's the only way it will 'work'. I have no problem reading (or writing) "I feel so fucked up I'm going to scream" posts. They're just as important, even more important. No judgments here whatsoever.

You all are my rock too. I am so grateful!

love wonder xx

[KateH1]

Day 31 and Beyond: Hello, I'm a non-drinker

Hi All!
I like this thread..........the living sober thread! Yeah! I am so grateful to have finally succeeded in staying AF for 30 days.....38 days today! With each day, I find my mind getting so much more clear. Yep.......there are moments of "High Anxiety".....I am learning how to work through those times. I realize that years of conditioning myself to reach for a drink to drive the anxiety down, is just one of those triggers that are so subtle and sneaky. what I find helps me at these times is to just stop and ask myself, what am I feeling, why and I write a few sentences (or a page!) in my journal. I just take an action, any action and I do not dwell..............It does help!

The other thing that helps me is reading here......I am not alone in this!!! This thread is Awsome!!

Bootsie! So glad to see you here! Wow! Approaching 60 Days!!!! You go girl!!! MM......you rock! And......WW what can I say? You rock my world!!! All of you......I admire your courage, comittment and pure love!!

Carpe Diem All!

Love,
KateH
XXXXXXXX

[bootcampbarbie]

Day 31 and Beyond: Hello, I'm a non-drinker

okay, i had a way heavy day yesterday of sugar land. i mean carb land as well. and i woke up today after sleeping 12 hours. so yes it reminded me of those days of drinking. the hang over from sugar makes me tired, lathargic and last nite i noticed how eating the stuff and carbs was making me edgey. and i said wow, like drinking.. so i removed al from life. so now looking at other addiction patterns and i noticed since i don't have them anymore around al. now they are surfacing around sugar, sex and money. i never noticed and i don't of anyone who would get this but you all. so hopefully tis okay to talk about it here. but i'm going to handle them too as i'm committed to being free from all these chains that bound me. this food plan starting today is really like a white knuckle plan but tis doctor recomended so will also be once i gt thru the first 2 weeks an easy plan. no sugars, and that means my beloved bread and potatoes and such as well. clearing that out i'll see more of what occupies that mind of mine like the money thing. so so funny. i wake up thinking about it and then go spend outside my budget even though i created one. it's really funny. i knew that it wouldn't be in one area only. i was wired for things. but wow, subtle. hope this is making some kind of sense. i'm just committed to having a life that is filled with my vision and my dreams and the life i'm so aching for and stopping going down the roads that are based on some version of me that i'm not committed to. the one that doesn't even care or like the outcomes. i want to wake up in the morning and cheer me on knowing that my life is about raw, deep integrity in every way with my self and my heart and my creativity. and when i'm thrown off track thinking about money all day and worrying about it, eating sugars in all ways to dumb and numb me out, and then avoiding sex or having it as another sugar plan really. well, it is all the same... the dreams seem to be all stuffed underneath all of this and i'm just waking up to it... layers down. i keep saying i give it all up to the universe and release control and then i get gripped and grab the reins again. ah well, perhaps you all haven't a clue what i'm saying. i wish someone did. love you all..... and yes here's to the unveiling group. unveiling ourselves to who we truly are as magnificant human beings tackling life head on...
yes, yes, and change avatars every chance you get to create a future yet unseen i say. hahaahaha i think i'll change mine again. and my bootcampbarbie is my nickname in real life. or bootsie or barbie. long story. hahahaah cheers all. and thanks for listening

[KateH1]

Day 31 and Beyond: Hello, I'm a non-drinker

Bootsie, I hear you! You know, I think being sober is like going through puberty again! In that, we are developing our true selves. So many feelings and desires that have been repressed and confused while numbing out with AL......are now welling up!! I say.....yippee! At least we are truly getting in touch with ourselves. Both our bodies and our minds have been poluted for years with alcohol, no wonder we are having to retrain both to get in balance! Bootsie........I am so happy that you are getting well.....physicly and yes mentally.....All I can say is...Lookout world.............here we come!!!

XXXXX Kate