October 30 Days AF

[greeneyes]

October 30 Days AF

LOL evergreen!

[evergreen]

October 30 Days AF

onthe road - would LOVE a copilot!!!! PS love the quiet voice quote!!

Quick post all . . . . off to a football game with my home from college girls)!!

[cuckoosnest83]

October 30 Days AF

Good morning everyone. A quick post because I am headed out of town until Monday. Last night I had a real close call and almost bought a bottle of gin. Someone said something to me which hurt my feelings. I had to run to the grocery store and was seriously considering stopping at the liquor store as I was replaying the event in my mind. I started thinking why should I allow this person to have such power over me? I can either take what they said personally or I can put it back on them and say it is their issue. I chose to put it back on them and I chose not to drink. I'm not sure who on this thread mentioned empowerment but that is exactly how I felt. I really don't know if I was using it as an excuse to drink or if we do put so much power in the hand's of others. Either way it felt great coming home from the grocery store with just groceries. Hope you all have a great weekend and I will be thinking of you.

Cuckoo

[Whoosh]

October 30 Days AF

Hi all

Havnt been able to get on the computer for a couple of days.....Pressure of work. It tends to rule my life.

Well done ccnest for turning the other cheek. I always let other people control how im feelings. Must just let go and believe in myself.

Day 22 AF and feeling more positive. Couldnt string more than 2 days together till i came here.

Im going away for 3 weeks in the middle of November & want to stay AF till then. Not sure what I will do on holiday but until then its ODAT.

Keep up the good work & thanks for the support.
Whoosh

[happydog]

October 30 Days AF

Just popping in to say hello everyone, just read cuckoosnest post and had to log in and say well done for being that strong person. what a great feeling that must feel. well done.

friday night is always the hardest for me i hope as the weeks go pass they will get easy(they did before) once i get pass friday, saturday seems to be ok . i said to myself i would not buy no af wine but did...... dont know why its like i have to buy a bottle that looks like a bottle of wine and also when pouring it out looks like the colour of wine, it funny only had two glasses and watch the whole of scarface film and was very tired afterwards..the tiredness i felt was a good tiredness it was pure and natural and had nothing to do with AL.. and that felt good. Have to go back out my front door again busy day.

Have a good weekend everyone.

Take care

Love
Teardrop.x

[evergreen]

October 30 Days AF

Yohoo Cuckoo!!! (that rhymes) I would say that is a GREAT success!! You cannot control what people say but you can control how they make you feel. I agree it is CLEARLY her problem . . . what can you do some people have issues!!!

Whoosh - 22 days . . . I am half way to you!! Way to go!!

Teardrop Happy Saturday night. Way to get thru Friday!

Hi all - greenie, on the road

Just a quick post!! Busy weekend!! Feeling a little tempted not craving just tempted. Danger!! Danger!! Trying to stay busy and find alternative activities!!

EG

[SAUSAGE]

October 30 Days AF

Hi all
Day 41 for me - doing OK - still miss it - could just do with a nice glass of wine tonight - just the one (if only!!) as my husband is away over the weekend and the kids on my own have been really hard work, but instead here I am sipping an AF beer!! Some of you may have spotted that I've started a new thread on the "monthly abstinence" section about "going on holiday - worried I may start drinking". Have just booked a holiday for later this month - a week in Spain - and this will be the BIG test as it will be so tempting to drink on holiday ......

[evergreen]

October 30 Days AF

Sausage

41 days - WOW!! Don't let holiday thoughts sabotage you now (which is what I usually do). Take it ODAT!!!

EG

[KAT20]

October 30 Days AF

Good Morning Friends, About half way there.:thumbs:

Evergreen, How was that football game ? I don't have children, nor are my step children in school any more but I sure love a home town football game. I guess your getting old when you go to the local high school football game and you are not a student and have no kids in school. So what.

CCNest, great job on not letting a trigger get to you. I'm guilty of that one.

Whoosh, a holiday sounds great. My sister and I are going to Vegas for 3 days next week and I am determined to remain AF.

Teardrop, I'm with you on the bottle thing. I have a good stock of AF wine as well and the pretty glasses to go with it. Croft posted a couple months ago that they should put wine in milk cartons or other containers to make it no so visually appealing.

Sausage, I'm an AF beer fan as well. Some at my AA meeting said it still has alittle alcohol in it so I should'nt have it. Well, to me it beats getting blasted, especially if I'm sitting around with friends I can down regular pretty fast.

I drank this weekend. Just an observation of myself, It was not bad. I felt like for the first time in a long time in my life I drank for the right reasons. I know that sounds counter to what we are suppose to do, but I think each of our situations are slightly different and yet still the same. Alcohol abuse is not healthy no matter if its everyday, all day, binge, or alone. Anyway, I went out for dinner with my husband and sister for her birthday. The reason I said I drank for the right reasons is I was not lonely, depressed, angry, sad, bored, pressured or alone. Yes I had more that I planned to but I felt for that evening I had a moment of sort or normal. I still chose to remain AF most of the time but I definetly have to watch my triggers. I want to have a drink because I would like one, not because I need one. Who knows where this will lead, I still consider myself an alcoholic no matter how you dice it up or classify it. Just glad to become more aware of myself.

Take care all. Have a lovely day

[evergreen]

October 30 Days AF

Kat20,

You must be psychic . . . I am making a quick check in before I host a social event this evening in which the vino will be served. I got myself some really good tea and would like to remain AF but I am feeling that little tug . . . .what would one glass hurt?? I have come so far and want to carry it a little further. ODAT!! Shipmates think of me and send me mental resilience!! Either way, I am determined not to BINGE!!! You are right awareness is key!!

Thanks for asking about the football game. We got slaughtered but it was fun. I love high school football. When my kids graduate I will have to find some other kids to go watch!!

All other Octoberites!! Kat is right we are approaching the halfway mark to this month. However you have done the fact that you are here and coming back is key!!! This is a process. It took us a while to get here and it will take some effort to heal!!

EG

PS: I would have to say that they have now put some wine in rather cute boxes . . . . either the boxes are cute or I am worse than I thought!!!

[SAUSAGE]

October 30 Days AF

Hi everyone - just starting day 44 - feeling OK, hope you all have a good AF day.

Kat 20 regarding AF drinks and beers- I read something which may help;
In UK there are different classifications of alcohol free drinks
Non alcoholic drink - contains no alcohol at all
Alcohol freee is up to 0.05% alcohol or less
Dealcolised is up to O.5% alcohol or less - this may sound higher but put into context; - remember a glass of fresh orange juice can naturally contain up to 0.5% alcohol. Malt vinegar which you put on chips is 0.2% alcohol - therefore in MY OPINION these drinks are permissable in an AF diet
However there are drinks classed as low alcohol - these are greater than 0.5% alcohol but no more than 1.2% - I personally wouldn't drink these as they definitely contain more alcohol than in naturally occuring drinks / products eg orange - which is where I draw the line really. It's obviously a matter of personal choice what you are prepared to accept. At o.5% or less you'd have to drink incredible unrealistic amounts to get drunk and there are naturally occuring products / drinks in the diet that have this level anyway so I feel I can justify it to myself. not sure what others think?
The Cobra beer I drink in UK is called Cobra Zero and is described as zero % - the lowest of all the AF beers I have found and I find it tastes the best.

On a different note - have just read an article in a UK newspaper about Britney Spears recently giving up alcohol to get her figure back (she looks great in the picture - like she did in the early 90's ) and she's lost 10lbs by quitting Alcohol! I too have lost about 10lbs as well in the last three months or so - but have been exercising too - however quitting the Alcohol really helps,

Have a great AF day everyone - will check in later

[evergreen]

October 30 Days AF

Hi everyone,

Sausage, thanks for the wisdom! I have not tried any of the AF beers or wine. I usually sub with teas or sparkling water. I may try them. I keep hoping that the weight will drop going AF. It should based on all those calories I was consuming!! But it has not yet!!!

My shipmates must have really sent me positive vibes!!! Not only did I remain AF at my social event last night but one of my other friends who usually drinks with me did as well. We were playing mahjongg, a tile game. We usually go through almost a bottle of wine a person. We had three rather than our usual 4 players and 2 of us did not drink. The other one, who is actually not a big drinker, had 2 glasses of wine. I poured the rest the bottle out after she left rather than keeping it in the fridge. Did not finish the bottle alone while I was cleaning up as I have done in the past. I won 4 games - much easier with a clear head!! We all had a great time and are ready for the day today!!

Today is Day 14 - the second longest that I have done since trying this!! (I did 11 days in August and have done 17 days months and months ago.) Shipmates, we are almost half way to our goal!!!!!!

Kat, Teardrop, lilmichelle, rustop, trgls, all others hope you are well!!

EG

[KAT20]

October 30 Days AF

Good Morning October bunch, Where is everyone ?

Sausage, Thanks so much for the information on AF beverages. It sounds like you you have a much better selection there than we do in the US.

Evergreen, Good job on resisting the temptation. I have had two off the wagon evenings but I'm not gonna beat myself up over it. The have been more evenings where I didn't.

Have a great day everyone and stay strong.

[evergreen]

October 30 Days AF

Hi October Bunch!!

I thought the thread had died. Thanks for reviving us Kat!

Kat . . 2 off the wagon evenings that still means 5 in the last week on board . . . and still posting strong. For me in the past 2 has turned into 4 . . . into a week and then I am right back where I started from. Now I am trying to almost say out loud what I enjoy about each experience AF and then when I slip really look at my triggers and again say out loud what I don't like about how I feel. Trying to reprogram the old noggin. The other night was my first real temptation but I have quite a few more coming up in the next 10 days or so.

Sausage, I did not realize there was so much variance in AF wines and beers. I have not tried any of them yet. Thanks for the info!!

Hope the rest of the crew is doing well!!!

We are halfway to 30 days of trying ODAT!!

EG