AF Daily - Thur 13th November

[speedster]

Today is AF Day #4. yay...

I dreamed last night that I had a glass of wine somehere and was on my way home and stopped at a liquor store. I wandered around debating what to do, wishing I hadn't had that one glass of wine and knowing I'd regret buying a bottle. I walked out of the store, empty handed.

I woke thinking "OK was that real? It seemed so real" I was soooo happy it happened in a dream state.

It's raining hard this a.m. I normally walk the dog at this time so this is extra time.

I hope everyone is doing well. I made myself a scrambled egg with brocolli and am having a bowl of homemade granola. I encourage everyone to have a good breakfast today and enjoy another AF day!!!

I'll start to get to know everyone this next week. It's a lot to read and keep sorted out! You're a wonderful group of peope!

speedster

[Cinders]

AF Daily - Thur 13th November

Hi Speedster,

Thanks for starting the thread today.

Day 4 means you are almost through the worst of any physical withdrawals you might be having.

A good healthy breakfast is the best way to start the day. I agree. As a matter of fact, I like my breakfast better than any other meal. Years ago, I used to skip breakfast but I had a doctor tell me I needed to insure I ate a good solid breakfast and I could skip dinner if I wanted to. So, now I am in the habit of eating breakfast and I do feel better through the day for it.

I am suffering with my headache today. I got very little sleep last night, unfortunately. However, I already have a doctor's appt for it today, so I won't have to hang on too long. My head has been bothering me a bit more recently.

I travel next week and totally not looking forward to it.

I hope everyone won't mind if I bug you guys more than normal at night. Travel, being alone in the hotel, etc, are really tough on me.

Anyhow, hope all to come have a great AF day!!

Love,
Cindi

[Glenno69]

AF Daily - Thur 13th November

Speedster good start m8;Cindee i agree keeping ya own company is tough but you have all of us to chat to Good will to you
:

[Doggygirl]

AF Daily - Thur 13th November

Good morning unhung(over) people! Thank you speedster for getting us started today. Your breakfast description is making me hungry. I'm a recovering notorious breakfast skipper. I do wait until after I work out to eat breakfast. A Body For Life trick, although I admit he does NOT promote the length of time I generally wait. Curves just doesn't open early enough for me! My "trick" for making sure I DO eat breakfast after my workout is to always keep deviled eggs on hand. That way if I don't feel particularly hungry which = don't feel like cooking up something, I've got protein sitting right in front of me ready to go. Speedster what kind of dog do you have? Those drinking dreams are really bizarre aren't they? I don't have those very often, but when I quit smoking I sure had some doozies in the early months.

Cindi I'm so sorry to hear that the headache is bad today. I hope the doc can fix you right up. I take it you are leaving town after your doc appointment? I don't know how you stand all that travel especially with the headaches and the eye problem and all that going on right now. :l

Hi again Glenn! Great to see you here.

Yesterdays thread was so awesome. Thanks everyone for contributing. I wrote a note that I think will be worthwhile for me to remember - that there is a big difference between worrying about drinking/not drinking and PLANNING for not drinking.

I think part of a good plan is knowing what we will say if we are asked why we're not drinking. I do think the people care a whole lot less than we think they do about what we drink or don't drink. I'm not talking about the first visit with the former drinking buddies - more the casual acquaintance types. The truly "normal" drinkers (those not addicted to alcohol) can take it or leave it easily, and don't seem to think much about others taking or leaving it. The "problem" drinkers just want to have the peace of mind that comes with knowing THEY can drink. Let's face it - did you ever really care what other people were drinking so long as YOU could drink? I was always busy feeling relieved if MY drinking could go according to my "needs" - too busy with that to care about others.

Peace - you raise what I think is a very good point about staying away from toxic people and situations, and also treating this early sobriety time as a time for *us.* I think success will be much easier if we are selfish about making sobriety our #1 priority, and staying out of bad situations even if it upsets somebody. Even though it's almost 6 months sober for me, there are STILL some situations that I simply will not put myself into, no matter what. If that upsets someone, oh well. I have yet to spend an evening hanging out in a bar with friends. I just don't want to put myself there, and I refuse. Real friends understand.

Well, I need to get my own dogs awake and out for their morning potty. Then I'm heading to Curves for some Endorphin Power. Deter you still haven't told me what your avatar means because I'm too dense to figure it out! If you like my disgusting diet book - sure to ruin your life - The Vodka and Gummy Bear Diet, then you will LOVE the movies I play in my head where I am the star. They are real life events that are NOT pretty. I play these movies when AL comes chattering away in my head. They are my Vodkapades. Where the temperaments are sour and the hangovers are bad.

I just checked out a book from the library that was highly recommended to me by a woman who really turned her health around several years ago. She had several addiction problems (alcohol and cigarettes included) and also was over 100 pounds over weight. She thought I'd like The Diet Cure by Julia Ross. Just from the little I've heard of the book, I think the underlying principles are based on some of the same research as the MWO program when it comes to brain chemistry imbalances. I can't wait to get started on it!

OK - I gotta run. Hello to all the unhung people yet to come!

DG

[Cinders]

AF Daily - Thur 13th November

DG,

Let me know what you think about the book. I am going book shopping this weekend anyway.

The headache and the eye pain are one in the same. It is all the same problem. I just have to deal with it as best I can.

I will travel next week, hopefully won't have to be there until Tuesday.

Have fun at Curves!!

Cindi

[Cinders]

AF Daily - Thur 13th November

After reading DG's post about the book and reading something from LVT about eating or drinking something to help with cravings (hypoglycemia), I am wondering if anyone has any good ideas on a low carb snack I can carry around when traveling, etc?

I do not like the low sugar snack bars, they hurt my tummy.

Ideas, anyone?

Thanks!!
Cindi

[A Work in Progress]

AF Daily - Thur 13th November

Good morning, folks! One of my doggies got me up at 4am, and I couldn't get back to sleep... I started thinking about problems involving my mother (she is 88, and has dementia), and I couldn't shake it off, so I got up, got dressed, started some laundry, fed all the critters, and here I am. Today I have a large stack of papers to grade, and class to get ready to teach, tonight.

DG, I'm with you, there are still situations I just won't get into, but the thing is--it doesn't feel like a deprivation. The people I once drank so heavily with are not people I really want to spend time with, any more. I realized that my friendships with some folks were simply not healthy, and unfortunately never will be. Now, I recognize I need to build some healthy relationships with people who are not addicted to alcohol, OR to negative thinking. And, going to bars stopped being attractive to me, long ago. I was mostly a drink-alone-at-home drinker. Now, I find I can meet people in a bar (in a business-related sort of situation) and it does not trigger me at all... but I never stay very long.

DG... Det's avatar... look at it again! Remember the thing that we tell children? Never run with scissors! Det is not an obedient child.

wip

I hope everyone has a great day!

[A Work in Progress]

AF Daily - Thur 13th November

Cinders;467048 wrote: After reading DG's post about the book and reading something from LVT about eating or drinking something to help with cravings (hypoglycemia), I am wondering if anyone has any good ideas on a low carb snack I can carry around when traveling, etc?

I do not like the low sugar snack bars, they hurt my tummy.

Ideas, anyone?

Thanks!!
Cindi

How about nuts? A jar of mixed nuts?

[Beaches]

AF Daily - Thur 13th November

Good morning all, I am ready to join the AF group is you will have me! It's been long coming and after the past month I need to get my ass back on track. My husband keeps asking what I am upset about and why am I drinking and honest to dog I can not come up with a reason. I am not sad or depressed. Drinking makes me happy, up to a point then I start forgetting things, asking the same questions over and over. If the roles were reversed I would have to beat my husband. He's a good man to put up with me.
I just need to get my triggers in check and ride them out. For example a big one is when all 3 kids are home (6 and under/1 who has autism) and they are all whining or needing something and I just reach for the wine to calm down and then I am happy. But that is not a reason to drink. There are millions of other mothers who deal with more than I do who don't have to grab the wine and I want to be one of them.
DG I am interested to see what you think about the book.

So here's to Day 1.

[MormonMom]

AF Daily - Thur 13th November

Good morning Everyone!
Made it through Day 2, on to Day 3. I need to look back at my posts, as I don't remember the first week being so hard. I remember the second week being tough. The good thing is that I'm not dousing my body with sugar this time around.
Cindi- Carry around a trail mix, with fruit in it. The nuts have good protein for you and the fruit has energy. Plus, you don't have to eat a lot for it to do the trick.
Speed- I have had a lot of user dreams in my day. Most of the time, I realize it in the dream and then feel guilty. Once I wake up, I feel grateful. Since you can't drink in the here and now, I guess it's your mind drinking in lala land instead.
DG- let me know what you think of that book. Didn't you switch up a lot of your foods? And how did you gain knowledge on what to eat and what not to?
Someone (Either Work in Progress or Caysea) told me about the book The Ab Diet. They said it's worth while just because of the food information you get out of it. I bought a book from the same author, called "Eat This Not That". It's a great lil' handbook to have when out 'n' about. I actually can eat at Taco Bell or McDonalds: I just have to order specific items. And no they're not the salads!
Cinders-I hope the head feels better. Hopefully it's not a sinus infection, as that would keep ya from flying.
WIP - As always love your input.
And Glenn- Hello!
I think I got everyone. Though, this thread has gained a bit more traffic, so by the time I post this, someone else will have posted. So hello to them too.
Have a GROOVY day!

[MormonMom]

AF Daily - Thur 13th November

Welcome Beaches! There are a lot of us moms here who run to the bottle just like you. They're our lil' triggers. We love them and they don't do it on purpose, but sometimes it's hard to keep up. Mine are 6, 4, and 1. Trigger, Trigger, Trigger! Two of our members have children with autism as well. So you're not alone. And don't think just because other moms have it harder, your daily situation isn't hard. We're all different, with different coping and dealing skills.
You're in good company though. Keep coming back for accountability and the days will start to add up.

[Beaches]

AF Daily - Thur 13th November

I will and thank you. Mine are 6,6,and 3. I appreciate the nice welcome and accountability is what I need.

[retteacher]

AF Daily - Thur 13th November

Hi Everyone: What an early start w/plenty of participation on this thread. I'm finding that people don't care whether I drink or not. I'm the only what that's obssessing about it. I've got to run right now but will be back later. Mary

[Janice]

AF Daily - Thur 13th November

Hi everyone - what a busy thread!!! Speedster, I always, always have very vivid dreams when I first go AF!! I think it must be something to do with the alcohol leaving our system. I love going to bed when I'm not drinking though, I just love being able to sleep peacefully right through the night - well maybe I shouldn't say peacefully - its a bit like going to the cinema, quite entertaining, I quite enjoy it!!!

Cindi, you're always so caring and thoughtful to others; I do hope you're feeling well soon and you know there'll always be someone here for you when you're away working.

DG always good to hear from you and I'm going to look out for that book. I love to read in the early days to get my motivation going and I've got quite a collection of "drinking" books now so this will be interesting!

Beaches, drinking always makes me sad, down, and depressed too. We think we're drinking because we sad, down, and depressed but its not the answer its the cause!! Its only when we stop drinking that we realise it though. Staying positive is key to me not reaching for that drink. And exercise is key to me staying positive so I know what I have to do.

MMom, during my 120 days I really craved desserts/sugar. I've never been a "sweet" person really, always a starter for me but I had cravings for cheesecakes, chocolate, icecream, you name it and would have to nip out to the corner shop for something. I always told myself it was my reward for staying off the booze. This time I'm tackling it from the beginning and trying to get my blood sugar on an even keel by keeping to the healthy stuff.

Mary, WiP and Glenn, good to see you!!!

Today - day 3 - I've been back to work. Felt a bit shaky but I'm feeling positive and motivated. I'm off food shopping and looking forward to buying lots of healthy stuff!! I shall also be putting a couple of bottles of wine in the basket for hubby for the weekend and some tonic water and a big bag lemons for moi!!!!

Will be back later!

love Janicexxx

[LVT25]

AF Daily - Thur 13th November

Hi everyone-wow! For the record my short term memory ain't what it used to be, so if i don't reply to all of you by name, please don't be offended! Great to see so many here!

Beaches-good to see you too.

Cindi--my snacks aren't always the healthiest. I'm a big M & M fan, I keep a dish of the dark chocolate ones by my chair in the living room. But the trail mix is a good idea, and nuts for sure. Little cans of V-8 or tomato juice if you like that. I went through a pistachio and sunflower seed phase--kept my hands busy as well.

As hard as I try NOT to WORRY about my upcoming trip and the AL/ciggies I will be surrounded by for 3 entire days--at times I can't help myself. In the past, I think I'm all prepared to drink tonic and lime, or something, and then--well, they are drunk, I am grumpy, I need to drink to be on their level happens. My problem isn't the drinking so much--but whenever I even THINK about a beer--the thoughts of cigarettes become REALLY strong. And I truly DON'T want to go back there. Anyway, with the support of you all and some important tools I'm going to try to do this with the right attitude.

Had more to say, but with my memory issues--I forgot. (I do think my brain function is a little better since I've gotten off the sauce though)!

later, friends