AL Detox Time

[Hippy Chick]

AL Detox Time

Hey Meech.
Well done on resisting all those urges.... no cold beer after golf! I can relate to that one as that usually goes hand in hand with a golf club.... although I tend not to drink too much on the course (because of there being no loo close by if you know what I mean... plus i dont need anything else to make me hit worse than i usually do).
For me I think the sugar craving was to act as a replacement for the feeling AL gave me... almost like a comfort food. If I couldnt have what I really wanted then sugar would be a close second. Instead of "rewarding" myself with AL, I used sugar instead. Unfortunately I am finding it hard not to continue doing the same thing even now!
You really should be proud of yourself. Two week without alcohol is fantastic. Remember the feeling of strenght that comes from saying no thanks. It is worth putting in the memory bank for future reference.
Keep it up Meech.
HC xx

[Meech]

AL Detox Time

Day 14AF

Well here I am at two weeks. They have gone by so quickly. Had a few tough nights but really keeping focussed on my 6 week goal and know I will be so happy if I can reach it. :wd:

Hi Accountable, I do feel very fortunate to live here for sure!! Especially when I'm sober!! What a great place we are in.

Hippy Chick
Yes I have never been one to drink while golfing. Half a beer and my golf game goes downhill in a hurry. Problem is I usually make up for it on the 19th Hole. I may have to get a few sweet things. Don't want to get carried away but it's a great alternative to alcohol.

I sure hope I don't have cravings tonight like I did last night. That was brutal. I could feel myself weakening under the pressure. Argggggghhh. I can't let that happen. I am sure I will have more days like that but I hope they are spaced out. I had such a busy day yesterday that I didn't get any CD listening in and only took supps once.

Back on track today. I swim tonight so that will keep me occupied until at least 8:30pm so I am hoping the biggest cravings (which are usually around 5-7pm) won't rear their ugly heads tonight (the beast has many ugly heads I find).

Busy with errands now. Little fatigued today after yesterday's activities. Better make a coffee and get on with it!

[papmom3]

AL Detox Time

Hi Meech,
I've never been a gum chewer but I am now and I find it's really helping with the sugar AND AL cravings. I chew sugarless in the strongest minty flavor I can find.
Glad you had a great day yesterday and more so that you were able to get through the cravings. I know how bad they can be but the 2 times i caved over the past 2 months I sorely regretted it the next day so no more for me. My big challenge will be next Sunday at my sister's pool party for my graduating nephew and my niece's 13th birthday celebration. There will be LOTS of AL but also lots of soda and water. My saving grace will be 1. I will have to drive home and 2. I have to work the next day. I'll be sure to have plenty of gum on hand!!

[skempy]

AL Detox Time

Hi Meech!

I have not been here in sooo long, but yours was the first post I read catching up this evening and WOW! Sounds like we have a lot in common! Congrats on your AF days! I, too am trying to get my act together (I don't mean to hijack your thread!) I had my last drink on April 30, so today is day 17. The first week went pretty easy for me, but since then it has been more of a challenge. Tonight I'm having a non-alcohol beer, and that has taken the edge off. (I'm pretty sure that is frowned upon in AA, but I'm doing what I have to do!)

I am with you in how this has greatly improved my time with my kids (16, 10 and 7) -- I am more engaged, I'm enjoying my time with them more, and my temper is not as short. I also have TONS more energy, and like you am using it for good: I've been running 3 days a week, doing hot yoga 2-3 times a week and taking a weight/circuit training class 3 days a week. Our pool opened today, so soon I'll start training for my first triathlon!!! The girls I run with and I have also signed up for a trail running clinic (6 weeks and ends with a race) to begin in June. While I've always exercised, I've never been able to really focus on a hard-core regimen and stick to it before, because I would get tired, not feel 100%, etc. etc. Now all those excuses are out the window!

What is your plan once the 6 weeks are up? Will you try and moderate (wouldn't that be great?) or will you go AF for the long haul? I would LOVE to try and drink like a "normal" person instead of trying to "numb out," but I worry that if and when I do try that, I'll find myself back at a bottle of wine a night, so I'm scared. I think I can do it -- I used to be able to -- but I'm afraid.

I will keep up with this thread with interest! (Now I need to go back and read some of the pages I skipped over Take care; you are doing great!

Skempy

[Hippy Chick]

AL Detox Time

Hi Meech. i just had a funny vision when I read your post..... having a glass in your hand when you are trying to swim!!! Although I do, oops did, have a glass in my hand often while lazing on a water bed in the pool but certainly not while trying to do laps!
Sounds like you are continuing to be really busy. Please dont forget to take time to do something really important - like take your supps or listen to the CD's. I would be lost without the supps. They make my body feel so much better. I had a week where i had used all my AllOne and forgot to take the others and my body ached!
Keep up the hard work and remember - No Regrets!
Take care.
Hi too Skempy, PapMom and Accountable.
Hippy

[Hippy Chick]

AL Detox Time

Morning Meech. Have been singing your praises in Papmoms journal, as to how good an athelete you sound like, so am off to the gym in a while.
Hope you are surviving the cravings. You are a third of the way thru your six week goal. I think once you get past that first month, you will be well on your way to staying AF. You sound really focused so I know you will get there.
Take care and i'll pop in again this afternoon.
Hipster

[Meech]

AL Detox Time

Just got home don't have time to read anything or even put down a lot of thoughts till tomorrow. Just checking in to say I am still AF. No worries, no regrets!

Day AF 16 tomorrow here I come!

[Hippy Chick]

AL Detox Time

YAY!
xx

[Meech]

AL Detox Time

Day 16AF

Again, no time to read or post much.

Tomorrow I'll post how I am doing over the past few days. Made it through another day AF and not much for cravings thank goodness. Had too much on the go!

Tuckered, bed time.

[Meech]

AL Detox Time

Time to catch up

Hi all,

I have been so busy the last few days, so now I'm catching up with all the threads, posts not to mention my own.

Day 17AF. I did one stretch back in February that was 16-18?? Af can't remember. So I am going to surpass it. I feel much stronger and FOCUSSED this time. Motivation is much higher.

Pretty exhausted today after the first part of the week. It's really windy and cool today - PERFECT I can catch up on MWO and do some much needed housework. :bananacomputer:

Hippy Chick - Yes I have been pretty good about keeping up with the supps this week. Might have missed one afternoon. I never did get the All in one. I looked for a similar drink at the health food store with lots of antioxidants and it was crazy expensive ( $90.00 for a medium size jar - yikes). I may order some from MWO it's cheaper. I have been pretty strict with my diet. Lots of veggies (greens), fruits, whole grains. I have always had a healthy diet (except for the excessive beer drinking!). I eat a tonne of food but it is mostly healthy and made from scratch.

The CD's I am sure are helping me BIG TIME! I really think this part of the program is having a huge effect on my sobriety. I know for me it is really a mental game.

When they say you are in a hypnotic state I really don't know what that is.
T.V. shows have really warped that image for me. I think I should be some zombie possessed by the man's voice on the CD or something ready to walk naked down the street and stop traffic or something LOL. :alf:

I think I am starting to realize it is just a deep meditation type of therapy. Whatever it is It is really changing my thinking and my motivation for AF has hit an all time high.

I did manage to listen to the short 16 minute (track 2) hypnosis CD the last couple of nights as I jumped into bed. Will try to listen to more tonight as I have a bit more time (I think). I haven't listened to the subliminal or sleep ones much. Funny I find the sleep one keeps me awake! I may put it on in the early morning when I wake up... but not quite ready to jump out of bed. It's quiet then and no one is bothering me. If I fall asleep no big deal if I stay awake, well I gotta get up soon anyway.

TONIGHT'S PLAN: Early evening I have a 90 minute trail hike that I lead (work). So that will keep me distracted till 8pm or so. Making some homemade lasagna today, so will eat that with a nice salad when I get home. Squash out those AL cravings with good food!

Well time to clean up my messy home. Funny it doesn't self clean when I'm away.:H

:h

[Meech]

AL Detox Time

Skempy,

Sounds like you are as obsessed with working out as I am. I love to race as it increases motivation.

Once you sign up and pay your entry it's much harder to procrastinate. This year is going to be a great year because I won't be adding 3 hangovers or so to my weekly training schedule!!! I work, manage the kids and still STICK to my training regime. No more days in bed depressed, guilt ridden and training cancelled for me.

I think we have changed our addictions. Better to be exercise than Alcohol! I find I am playing with the kids sooooo much more now too.

Good job Skempy!

[Hippy Chick]

AL Detox Time

Morning Meech.
You sound fantastic! Well done. You really are getting on top of this and make huge headway into staying sober. I think exercise as an addiction is far healthier than AL.
The AllOne is expensive on this site too but the way it makes me feel is worth it. I have to pay as much in freight that it costs to buy it but..... How much does wine cost?
I'm not too sure what a hypnotic state actually is either. I have been "hypnotised" by proper therapists and the way I feel when I am 'under' is just a total relaxation. Like I can wake up at any moment however it is all too hard to do so and it feels nicer to stay where I am. But if it is working then it doesnt really matter. Even just total relaxation is a good thing.
Gotta get organised for work (wish I had a job like yours - sounds great). I am so pleased you are doing well and have such great motivation. Keep it up.
Take care and I will pop in again later.
HC

[papmom3]

AL Detox Time

Echoing HC Meech!! I'm thinking the combo of the supplements, exercise, CDs and the great food you are eating are slowly by surely changing your brain chemistry so the cravings are going away.

My local very small natural nutrition/health food store orders my AllOne for me and gives me 10% off as I buy all my supps there, plus I don't have to pay shipping. He actually carries the original formula but I don't need all that iron so I use the fruit antioxidant formula that doesn't include iron. Maybe your local health food store can order it for you?

I think it's so cool that the CDs are working for you. I do love the sleep learning one-I turn it way down and by the time it shuts off I'm asleep. I've also used it as my alarm sound. These days however, I'm going to sleep to the subliminal CD as I have a hankering for ocean sounds. Must be because it's almost summer!!

Keep up the good work Meech. You are reaping so many wonderful benefits now-your family must be so proud and so happy to have you back.

I'll check in again tomorrow from work.

:l

[Meech]

AL Detox Time

Tonight the cravings came a calling

Well last night went pretty much without a craving so I figured tonight might be different.

I ran out of time to make lasagna - too much laundry and children ordering me around!! :H

So after my trail hike I was walking into my home and the beast was really trying...

"You deserve it. just tonight and then go AF again. Just tonight it's okay, you are in control".

Luckily my husband had supper all ready to go and the kids were just finished eating. So I grabbed a plate and ate as fast as I could so i could kill the AL craving. Normally I would have avoided the food and eventually skipped to the corner liquor store for a 6 pack of beers. I jumped all over the plate of food first before the AL Beast could talk me into a binge I would have totally regretted. And I was really scared if I listened to him a few more minutes I might have been lured into temptation.

Phew! I still have some cravings right now and the Beast is still talking to me but he is not going to win tonight.

There is no such thing as moderation for me (especially after going AF for 17 days). If I cave I WILL BINGE. I have no doubt in my mind.

No regrets tomorrow morning when I wake up!

[Hippy Chick]

AL Detox Time

Well done Meech.

You sound like you are doing really well.

It's amazing how different every day is. When you think you are winning the battle one day, next day is completely different. Even after this long for me I still have to fight it.

Keep up with the daily planning. It just reinforces your goals.

Take care and will be back tomorrow.

HC