Where do I concentrate? Lose wt or AF?

[Orimus]

Where do I concentrate? Lose wt or AF?

Short term goal is just managing my blood pressure TMH. That and a little more energy would be nice. Most days I'm a bit of a slug when I need to be practicing Kung Fu other wise I'll be a white belt forever.

[ToMyHealth]

Where do I concentrate? Lose wt or AF?

Yest I needed more steps so used ET for 35 min, burned 300 calories and ended day at about 15K. Last night wasn't the greatest sleep wise so turned off alarm clock knowing I was able to sleep in if sleep came early a.m. It did. We had a 10:00 conf call so I didn't get out while still cool enough. However, after call went to FC and ran more than walked 3.75 miles. Yay! Weight still fluctuating, but I am not concentrating on eating all that healthfully. Still you would think no drinks would move it a bit. Do feel less bloated.

Ok, up to the weekend and a holiday weekend at that. Not worried about tonight, not worried about Sat. night even though we plan to go to church then out to dinner at a great little restaurant close by. First time we went we sat outdoors and ate breakfast. Last time it was pouring rain, but did enjoy a lush tropical view while having a couple glasses of wine before dinner. Still, not worried. Sunday we plan to go to a veterans ceremony and then probably play golf later in afternoon. Now this is strange. Usually I don't plan as much because it's like oh great just another thing to put on the calendar. Reason? Because I was tired! However, friend is flying in Memorial Day and mutual friends are planning a tentative BBQ. This is the drinking crowd. The one we had a b.d. dinner for recently. That may be more of a challenge.

Last night I wavered a bit in that dh had hurt himself out running. I was expecting him to say he was going to have a drink "for medicinal purposes". I played it over in my mind and asked myself, ok, what will you do? He did not say that, however, wanted to postpone dinner (trigger for me). I made Chicken Enchiladas and lucky for that because I thought beer goes well with Mexican food, and I have a drawer full of O'Doul's. Still working it.

TMH
Day 5

[NoSugar]

Where do I concentrate? Lose wt or AF?

You're doing a great job wrapping your head around this, TMH. Keeping in mind how you want to wake up and what you want to have as your first thoughts should help you get past any temptations. Have a nice holiday weekend!

[ToMyHealth]

Where do I concentrate? Lose wt or AF?

Hope I can explain what I feel to be happening. Early evenings admit to a little discontent, i.e. boredom, listlessness, this isn't much fun, etc. Been cooking some new dishes, last night made popovers for the first time. As soon as I get busy it disappears, and I feel happy again. Love how the kitchen gets cleaned up, get in p.j.s early.

Had a great night's sleep! Have a Super Saturday!

TMH
Day 6

[NoSugar]

Where do I concentrate? Lose wt or AF?

Good morning, TMH

It is a bit tricky not to take the easy way out, isn't it? After enough tasty and interesting dinners, rewarding activities, books read and movies watched (and remembered), not taking the sure route to relaxation becomes the default choice. There is some discomfort like you described but it is nothing like the pain of being tired and unmotivated the next day. If you golf today, I hope you shoot well - you deserve it!

[Ginger999]

Where do I concentrate? Lose wt or AF?

Good morning! Hoping to get up to the mountains for a hike today but before I leave I wanted to share something with you.... Yesterday I remembered a number! What you say? Me and hubs had gone to pick up a part for the lawn mower. I had the part number written on paper and in my pocket. Without looking at the paper I found the part we needed based on the number I remembered (645324). I double checked the paper in my pocket just to make sure and it was correct! There is no way in the world I'd have been able to do that two weeks ago. Little blessings of giving up the AL.

Hope you have a great AF weekend. I will have a couple of challenges but I have a plan. :0)

[ToMyHealth]

Where do I concentrate? Lose wt or AF?

Ginger, yay on improved memory! You are doing so well!

Update: Did not make it through the restaurant dinner without a couple glasses of wine. Really, really thought about it. What a difference in how I felt yesterday. The familiar tiredness returned. I wasn't terribly disappointed in myself, imagine I would be if I was looking at this to be my last quit. I do know I want to be a better modder!

NS - it's been about 1-1/2 yr for you, right? How do you remember so clearly that tired, unmotivated feeling????

Last night was no issue. Can't tell you how good my almond milk tasted with dinner, and I slept pretty well.

TMH
AF Day 1-5, 2 gl on Day 6, AF Day 7
Today is Day 8

[Ginger999]

Where do I concentrate? Lose wt or AF?

Made it through the challeges AF. Yeah!! But.... I feel like crap. I never feel like crap. My knee started hurting toward the end of my hike and it's still killing me. My head is still roaring with this noise. What the heck?? I'm never sick and usually feel great. This has all started happening since I quit AL. I feel like I'm falling apart. And now I'm starting to be depressed. UGH..... This sucks.

[ToMyHealth]

Where do I concentrate? Lose wt or AF?

Good job being AF, Ginger! Sorry to hear you are not feeling well. You'd think it would be the opposite. Did you ever go to the dr. about the ear? Hiking downhill is hard on the knees. And quads. Wrap your ankle. It should help stabilize your knee.

Had a great workout today. 300 calories burned on ET; then 2.25 mile run/walk for almost 500 calories burned.

Going to take a big mug of water and O'Douls with me today. Need to remember I have an early a.m. tee time and want to feel good and play well.

Hope everyone has a great AF or within bounds Mod Memorial Day!

TMH

[Ginger999]

Where do I concentrate? Lose wt or AF?

TMH, I did see the doc and he said to take decongestants. They didn't help. I'm going to an ENT but can't see him until 6/3. I'm going to call an acupuncturist next. I'll try anything at this point! Just finished a 2 mile walk. Took it real easy on the knee. Thanks for the tip on the ankle. I broke this ankle last winter (hiking). Maybe that's what it stems from. Hmmmm....

Thanks for letting me be a whiner baby. Sometimes just doing that helps.

[NoSugar]

Where do I concentrate? Lose wt or AF?

ToMyHealth;1664845 wrote:
NS - it's been about 1-1/2 yr for you, right? How do you remember so clearly that tired, unmotivated feeling????

A little less than that but it feels like my normal life now. In fact, it is hard for me to believe that that was me before in some ways but I force myself to remember that it was and how I felt.

During the first few months, I obviously felt better than I had drinking but it takes more than a few days or weeks AF to feel back to normal or even better than I remember normal being.

Each day, I think about and am grateful for having the energy to do various things, for wanting to do them, and for doing them as well as I can. I mentally contrast those with how I used to feel. So, I kind of remind myself about it all day. This isn't a big production or a burden -- just thoughts of gratitude.

Also, on the occasions I've actually been run down or had a headache or stomach ache, I've thought about how glad I was that it was "real" and nothing I had to blame myself for or feel guilty about. And I think about how crazy it would be to deliberately make myself feel that way ever again.

The improvement you notice after a few days AF is a glimpse of how much better you can feel if you give it enough time.

All the best, NS

[Ginger999]

Where do I concentrate? Lose wt or AF?

NS, Today I will focus on thoughts of gratitude. Thank you for the reminder.

[NoSugar]

Where do I concentrate? Lose wt or AF?

Ginger999;1665201 wrote: NS, Today I will focus on thoughts of gratitude. Thank you for the reminder.

It makes a huge difference for me, Ginger. The constant negative 'thinking about (not) drinking' was driving me crazy but I knew it was important to stay very alert to what was going on. So developing the positive, gratitude-based approach has been a life saver. So I DO still think about not drinking often each day, but they are good thoughts.This is one habit that I'm happy to have developed .

[Stewarts]

Where do I concentrate? Lose wt or AF?

I'm posting here because my weight has been a problem lately. I really shouldn't complain, if I go on a five mile run right now (which I think I might), I'll probably lose five pounds.

I have been teetering on going from moderating to abstaining for quite some time now. I was drinking last night with some friends, just beer, watching the rangers game...no anxiety or crazy mental feelings the next day, just bloated. I feel out of shape and my weight is not where I'd like it.

I like this reason better than the mental anguish. It's kind of funny though. I was running up in Rhode Island at my family summer house. We have a new neighbor now. She asked my mom, "Did you son just graduate college?" My mom said, "Um, he's been out of college for quite some time now." So I can't be looking that bad. LOL!

[ToMyHealth]

Where do I concentrate? Lose wt or AF?

Well, I had a within bounds Mod Day. Golf was tough though as tee time wasn't until 10:50 and it was hot. Normally, I can take a lot of heat and humidity. Last night no drinking thoughts whatsoever. Turned off light for final time at 1:30a. Blah!

Ginger, is knee doing better now?

NS, do you live inside my head or what??!!! Even today after picking up just a few groceries and sliding in and out of car seat, my thoughts were, "see, this doesn't take so much energy, this is what normal is". Should be using my L-Glut as days w/o alcohol seem to be turning into high sugar days.

Stewart's - so true. Title of thread was resonating with you. I'm sure you look great; it's just that we know how much better we can be, look, and feel.

Waiting to do my weekly call with dd, then off to FC for another workout. I'm all alone in there and enjoy that time. Sometimes worries me something could happen but wear an ID necklace and always have my cell phone.

And then tonight another club dinner with Memorial Day friends. I am not uptight, in fact, should relax even more and enjoy even more, with being AF or not. I did ask dh for a favor this a.m., though, and said if I have 1 or 2 and we get home and I want more, gently remind me no, I don't. I will comply. He agreed. Then our anniversary is Saturday. On and on and on and on..........

TMH