Newbies Nest

[Guitarista]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hola friends,

Warning: Nutrition waffle.....I'm on stevia now NS instead of sugar, replacing the 1 teaspoon of sugar in my 2 morning coffee's. I've turfed cookies and all processed foods. No fast food, no dairy, no wheat/gluten. All organic fruit and veggies. Organic canned beans and lentils for now until i source non tinned stuff (i'm researching and still learning about metal contamination). No plastic bottled stuff (plastic chemical contamination). I dunno if i can avoid all contaminants and processed sugars but i can try. My purpose with this eating regime is to detox my body of previous poisons, and supercharge my immune system to give it the best chance of fighting any future potential chronic disease. Feeling a little lighter with more energy although also a little tired early evening probably from my body detoxing and changing. the system's sure getting a good flushing!

Hope your weekend is a relaxing one Byrdy. Take good care of yourself friend. You raawk and we love and appreciate you. Hope this week's a bewdy for you and all there.

xpost. Have a gr8 week Ava!

Big waves to evabody.

[NoSugar]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hugs to all my friends here! Funny, Im closer to the people in this nest than I am to anyone, and never met a single one of you! Bah! Byrdie

We’ll meet one of these days, [MENTION=11704]Byrdlady[/MENTION] :hug:. Isn’t it funny that our anonymity here allows us to actually become closer? Once we’ve confessed what was for many of us our greatest shame, there’s really no point in trying to maintain all of the other social norms/masks that prevent us from really knowing or being known by our “real-life” friends. Learning here how much more meaningful and rewarding honest friendships are has led me to open myself up a little more in my day to day life - not really about drinking but admitting that I’m not always ok or large and in charge, as I pretended to be for years. It’s a huge relief!

Take me care of yourself, Byrdie. You’re worth it. xx

[Lavande]

Re: Newbies Nest

Good evening Nesters,

Really nice day weather wise around here. It's such a shame that I am afraid to go out & touch any plants in my garden beds. At least not until I find out what is causing me so much grief!

Byrdie, I guess we can't redo the past few months although personally I would love to do so. I am sure you would as well.
Hang in there friend, we will get thru all this nonsense together :hug:
I am so grateful that we have our strong quits & each other to lean on when needed!

NS, my normal sugar intake is normally quite low. I am one of those people who prefer salty stuff & that's bad for my B/P. It's always something, right? I do have a tendency to go over board a bit with things like bread, pasta, starchy veggies which all turn into sugar eventually. I know this but haven't quite been able to take control on my own. So, joining a program where others are also struggling just seems to make sense

Hello to Pav, LC, Choices, Narilly & everyone!
Let's all have a supremely safe night in the nest.

Lav

[narilly]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hello everyone, I am in bed and just reading your posts.
Byrdie, thank you for the post. I really hope your job gets better, it sucks having a job you don’t like. I am glad you are here everyday, we all appreciate you so much.
Lucky you have nice weather there Lav, it is -2 here already, and it feels really cold.
Pav, my job is good, but I have to drive to work. I had an interview at another place on Friday, hopefully I get that one. Then I can walk to work.
Hello G, it always sounds nice where you are.
Ava, hello my friend and NS, I am with you on the low sugar train.
Rava, nice to read your posts, and you too Life.

Goodnight everyone.
Xo

[Slo]

Re: Newbies Nest

Yes, sugar & alcohol are very related, and those of us who struggle with alcohol addiction are left with sugar problems & cravings when we quit alcohol. I disappointed myself yesterday at a family gathering at my daughter’s house by overdoing sugar big time there and afterwards -just a big binge. I was casting about for a replacement for the alcoholic beverages that everyone else was enjoying. And that after doing so well for a week with low sugar and lots of vegetables. Then I couldn’t sleep at night. Plus I’ve upset my apple cart by messing with my caffeine intake, then overdoing it on that yesterday. And it has to do with funky emotions being stirred up, like [MENTION=22540]Choices[/MENTION] says. But -at least I didn’t drink!

Byrdie, I have been shocked by how much you are having to go through all at once. The hurricane is over and your house is safe, but there’s still all the destruction and struggling people surrounding you. And that job has been just a terrible source of stress. At least the new boss can see some of what is wrong there the way you can, so there is that sliver of hope. I hope things settle down there for you a bit now that the fiscal year is over.

Best wishes to everyone as we head into October!

[NoSugar]

Re: Newbies Nest

I'm sorry you're feeling down on yourself today, @Slo, but it is great that you successfully protected your quit and don't have to deal with all the physical and mental anguish that would have been waiting for you this morning :hug:. I've read some articles to the effect that alcoholism is the extreme manifestation of carbohydrate intolerance. I'm not sure I buy that argument entirely but it is noteworthy how much fructose and alcohol metabolism have in common! Their effects on the liver are almost identical, with fatty liver incidence increasing now even in children (who obviously have not been drinking alcohol) because of their high sugar intakes. Luckily, fructose doesn't cross the blood-brain-barrier like alcohol does or we'd really be in a mess!!

@Guitarista, is sounds like your new dietary pattern is supporting your quit, which is great! Plus, it sounds like you are learning a lot about nutrition (without the million years of grad school I endured :haha. I found that being engaged in a learning everything I could about addiction in my early AF days was really interesting, fun, and rewarding. Finally my mind was clear enough to undertake such a project in the evening!
It is great to hear about how good you are feeling with the changes you are making. xx

[KENSHO]

Re: Newbies Nest

Narily, sushi is one of my favorites! So many fresh and interesting flavors - we can skip the sake and enjoy the fish more! Best wishes for the new job prospect!

LAV, I just got done with a round of SIBO treatment. I do believe there is a strong correlation between food sensitivities and gut imbalances. I hope that makes an improvement for you - keep us updated!

I am ALSO craving heavy, starch-laden, gooey, high-fat and high-sugar foods. I think my body is preparing to hibernate - as it does this time of year. And the more sugar I eat, the more I crave. My joints are not happy with me!

Byrdie, I applaud your positive attitude. We are here for you. I see in you a familiar desire to push through hard things and keep the chin up and stay positive, and I think this is SO important (though I never underestimate the value of a good long cry)! Let us know how we can help you. You are loved and appreciated!

PAV, your statement about you knowing you will have a better week if you get your work done today reminds me of when I used to sit for hours and stare at a computer because I didn’t WANT to do the work. Then I would start drinking early to cope. That has been one of the things that has improved for me being AF. I either just take the time off because I recognize that I need it, or have the wisdom and discipline to know that I just need to get it done. Love that about being alcohol free!

AVA, I will remember that you miss your child-rearing days! It feels like chaos to me now with a 9 yr. and 12 yr. old, but I know I will miss much about it. Crazy about the alcohol delivery. Exploiting anything to make a buck!

It’s cool and cloudy here - the mountains were lovely. Back to work and the grind as autumn sets in. I did my pilates, and have a run on the schedule today, as well as billing. Looking forward to feeling accomplished and spent this evening - so I’d better get to it!

Strength to everyone - Hi to Slo, NS, G, Lifechange, Rava and Choices - and everyone lurking in the quiet. Thanks for being here!

[Guitarista]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hi nesters,

Yes, that alcohol delivery service. I remember ringing them and giving them a spray coz they didn't deliver on sundays! :egad:

Byrdy. Are you able to get quality time out for yourself at home?

All good here and beginning day fkn 22! Ole! Still munching on organic plant food. Hi Narilly. It is good here, although Melbourne can be gloomy and is noted for having 4 seasons in one day, but spring is here and much more blue sky around. Have a gr8 week good buddy. Big waves to evabody.

Take it easy out there.

[Rava]

Re: Newbies Nest

Just jumping on during the witching hour to check in. Spent big part of my morning going thru the toolbox and building my strategy to stay AF. I am reminding myself that “I Dont Drink” every time a craving comes on. Staying close and reading as much as I can has helped. I also found a link in the toolbox about free meditation. So I started a free 7 day course today. Hope everyone is doing well.

[Byrdlady]

Re: Newbies Nest

I should count days on the job like I do for my sobriety! Made it thru another day. We had a team call today that lasted over 2 hours. Today we start a new fiscal year. Blech.
I asked for some help from our hag admin today and copied my new boss, we’ll see what smart remark she has to say. If she cant help me I will have to do these 30 forms myself. I hate paperwork, especially anything to do with an excel spreadsheet. I know I will screw them up, I get tangled up on the Save As thing.
I am so grateful for everyone’s kind words, you guys are the best! Hugs to all, Byrdie

[Lavande]

Re: Newbies Nest

Good evening Nesters,

Our newly arrived Fall season is about to heat up again but stay dry, no rain. Don't need anymore rain, for sure!

Byrdie, so what exactly is the HAG's job anyway?? As an administrative assistant I would think she should be doing reports
Hang in there friend, everything is going to be OK!

Kensho, more than just the GI stuff I really hope the weird skin inflammation goes away on this SIBO protocol. I also wouldn't mind if I lost a few pounds, ha ha!! Hope your day was good.

Slo, I used L-Glutamine to help kick those nasty sugar cravings when I quit & it worked great. It kind of bothered my delicate gut a bit so I didn't take it too long but it certainly did the trick.

NS, one way or the other we are all going to work to heal ourselves. I don't have much faith left in the medical community & don't go looking for a doctor unless there's no other way. I've witnessed too many people suffer at the hands of their trusted physicians. Do I sound like a typical retired nurse? Yep!!!!

G, glad you are doing well! Enjoy your nice weather

Rava, I enjoy the guided meditations every night as I go to bed

Narilly, I'd much rather have your weather, LOL
Good luck & hope you get the new job.

Wishing everyone a safe night in the nest!

Lav

[Choices]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hi everyone,

I've been busy with my daughter (it is school holidays, so she is off for two weeks). We are on day four technically day two as the first two days was the weekend. Its good but wow, does she have A LOT of energy! Today we did tie-dye in the morning, lunch on a trolly, went to the beach, then she did a bunch of painting stencils on her flower pressing book. I have just sat her down with utube on my phone. So I can make dinner for everybody! Yay! (I'm a bit sarcastic).

Instead, I decided to take some me time and check in here. I've been enjoying reading all the nutrition posts. I saw my nutritionist last week, and we are working on gut health too! I find that the healthier I eat, the less I have cravings of any kind for lots of reasons but I think the main one is I am in a better mood when I eat well. Junk makes me feel like junk!

I'm glad you found the meditation course Rava. I hope it helps, I love meditation sometimes I fall asleep but I love sleep too, and all of that is better than any icky drinking thoughts!

I'm feeling a lot better than I did last week. I'm listening to lots of bubble hour podcasts and have followed so many sober lifestyle people on Instagram and Facebook that my feed is filled with reinforcement. I can't go to AA over school holidays, but I want to go when my daughter is back in school.

I'm also totally stoked because I found out the result of my term paper and I got a solid A. I worked hard on it, and it feels good that my grade reflected it. The paper was on Rongoa Maori medicine, and it was fascinating doing the research.

Peace and love to everyone here in the nest, it is an excellent place to be. xx

[Guitarista]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hey Byrdy. Here are some basic tutorials on saving excel spreadsheets and more. I'm not sure what level ur at, but hope these are useful. Plenty of free tutorials on you tube if u google.

Excel 216: Saving and Sharing - YouTube

The Beginner's Guide to Excel - Excel Basics 217 Tutorial - YouTube

[LostWoman]

Coming back

Hmmmm…. so this is where we start... again.

Been laying awake for 2 hours thinking, struggling and feeling like a failure. I was on my phone looking at quit drinking hypnosis and remembered that MWO worked for me years ago. So here I am again.

Quick version of my story - lifetime struggling with alcohol. I hit rock bottom in 2007 or so and found this. I read the book, use the cds, bought the supplements, and spent a lot of time on these forums. I went 5 years AF! And thought I had grown up and beaten AL and could drink socially in 2012. It went ok for a while.... and it creeps up on you. In 2014 I was in the midst of trying to get out of a failing marriage and used alcohol to cope. After a great fight one night when I just had to get out of the house, I got pulled over and arrested for DWI. You'd think THAT would have been the rock bottom this time? I did my time, had an interlock, spent a ton of money on fines and all the stuff for a first time. And I was moderate for a while.

And here I am again. Drinking way way too much. I've gained so much weight. I feel OLD physically and I'm only in my late 40s. I feel fat and lethargic and bloated and my body has aches and pains I really hate. I was diagnosed with fatty liver almost a year ago and what have I done to fix that? nothing. Every Monday, every first of the month, every "after this special event" I promise to get strict on exercise and cutting alcohol and focusing on health. And yesterday was October 1... and my birthday month... and I was ready to get started... and I drink half a liter of rum last night. sigh.

So here I am again.... starting over and recognizing that I can't do it alone. I remember these forums as such a safe place, as such a place of truth and acceptance. I need a safe place where I can talk about how shitty I feel and start finding myself again... OUTSIDE of the bottle because the woman I was and the woman I want to be again are not there but I keep thinking she is.

So step 1.... I got my butt out of bed since I wasn't sleeping anyway and I put on exercise clothes and am going out for a walk as soon as there is a little more light. I poured the rest of the rum down the drain. And I registered for these forums again. Thanks for welcoming me back?


Quick question.... years ago I bought the "system" - downloadable book and CDs. I have the hypnosis CDs which I will listen to..... after I buy a darned CD player today lol. But I gave my printed version of the book to a friend who was struggling and I can't find a place to download it again. I really want to re-read the list of supplements so I can go shopping today. The link for pdf version on the mwo site doesn't work... anyone know where I can get it? amazon says "ships in 1 to 2 months"!


Thanks!

[Slo]

Re: Coming back

LostWoman, welcome back! And thanks for the reminder to all of us to never ever give up a 5-year quit; that we’re never cured! Bummer, but you have shown us the truth, as have so many others. I don’t know where you get the supplements from, but you can get l-glutamine at GNC and similar stores.

[MENTION=22540]Choices[/MENTION], yeah, those little kids have way too much energy! They’re fun though. [MENTION=16186]available[/MENTION], I’m so worn out from raising four children that I don’t even want grandchildren yet. Not at all. But I’m sure I’ll feel differently when our lovely high school-aged daughter leaves home.

Lavande, I did take l-glutamine initially, and it did help a lot. I don’t have bad sugar cravings now after 72 days AF except maybe in a social situation where I’m anxious and missing alcohol. I haven’t quite mastered doing those comfortably sober. Also, I had upset the balance of my fragile mental health last week by trying to reduce caffeine and by going too low sugar, so had a re-bound effect. I have put my beloved cup of coffee back in, but moving it to after food like [MENTION=15430]lifechange[/MENTION], and at the mid-morning slump. Tea before that.

Byrdie, you can count the days until retirement! I hope that option works out for you.

Hello to Narilly, Kensho, Pavati, Rava, G-man, NoSugar, and everyone else!