February: FEB FAST ~ AF ~ Week 1

[lilmea]

February: FEB FAST ~ AF ~ Week 1

Hello everyone,

Cyn-I am so glad you checked in. You are missed when you are gone. You really do work to much. Any chance this will slow down a little for you in the future?

Man-Congratulations on your 5 weeks. It feels good when you met your own personal goals doesn't it. Keep up the good work. On word and up word!

Dill-Thank you for the link. That song the Rose was and is one of my all time favorites. The party for my Mom is this Sat. My oldest daughter is going to be able to come so I am looking forward to having her here. Then we leave for Fl. on Tues. where I will be staying a few days with my youngest before heading to the Keys. So I am going to get to see almost all of my family (including extended) within the next week. I am getting a little excited.

Time to get the ball rolling here. Wishing everyone a safe, peaceful, af Hump Day!

[Chillgirl]

February: FEB FAST ~ AF ~ Week 1

Hi again Gang!

I have just been to my mailbox and my wonderful mum has sent me my favorite chocolate which I cant get here in Portugal. For those in the uk, (maybe just sooty) its cadburys mini eggs, the ones with the coloured candy shells. They are only on sale for a few months leading up until Easter.

Anyway she also send me a news clipping which really made me laugh and I wanted to share the link with you The Pup To Go dog carrier is a legs out front carrier that makes it easy to bring the dog. I do like to take my dear dog with me as much as possible but this is maybe taking it too far!

Lilmea you had mentioned a lot of us were pet owners... My pooch is a Portugues mutt rescued from some bins but when people ask i say she's a Belgravian Pinscher, they are always to polite to say theyve never heard of that breed!!!

[Sweaty Betty]

February: FEB FAST ~ AF ~ Week 1

Hi all nice to see some familiar faces! I don't post much any more, I'm doing great AL wise - but I do pop in to catch up and read.

Chillgirl - I'm a displaced Brit and am envious of your Mini Eggs! We see a lot of the dog carriers and strollers here in Singapore, bizarre I know.

I had to retrieve a stuck hide chew from my Italian greyhound's throat tonight - he isn't really allowed them as he's stupid and swallows then whole. However the other dogs were slow and left one around for him to steal. Drama drama.

[Lavande]

February: FEB FAST ~ AF ~ Week 1

Good morning Feb friends!

Looking out at another 2" snowfall. Didn't order this one either

Miss B - so true about changing patterns! It is a must to keep your quit going - just makes sense I think!

cyn- don't overwork yourself friend! Be sure to schedule in some 'me' time - so good for your mental health

Red, speaking of mental health - take a look at this: The ToDo Institute: Mindfulness, Procrastination, and Gratitude using Morita and Naikan Therapies
I have a membership & have done lots of reading there. Morita Therapy & Naikan - alternative approaches to Mindfulness from Japan - very interesting!

Man, congrats on meeting your goal - 5 weeks AF is awesome! Makes such a difference doesn't it?
Glad to hear your chooks are doing well! I have to go out & spiff up the nest boxes today......I get more eggs when they have clean quarters

Chill - love the doggie carrier! Think they make one big enough to stuff my Swissy in???? Probably not - besides I wouldn't be able to carry her 100+ lbs. around!

Dill, I've been looking at all kinds of soup/stew recipes for kale. I found one last night for making Baked Kale Chips - woo hoo! Kale is loaded with vitamins & also a good source of calcium (good for us lactose intolerant folks). I think I will get some seeds & get the plants started.

Greetings to Lil & our bus driver Ms Sooty.
Greetings to everyone who stops in today.

OK, have to get the chores started. Have a Happy Humpday one & all!
Lav

[Lavande]

February: FEB FAST ~ AF ~ Week 1

Hi Bets - cross posted

[ladybirdheart]

February: FEB FAST ~ AF ~ Week 1

Thanks Red, Dill, Chill, Soots, and Lav for the mindfulness resources. I imagine Shelley also has a wealth of them. A collection of simple mindfulness readings I also like is Thich Nhat Hanh?s Peace is Every Step. When I get to a red light, I have learned to automatically think ?breathing in I calm my body, breathing out I smile?. Another meditation I like when I am super stressed (I am not sure where it came from) is ?(breathing in) I am still water, (breathing out) I reflect back all around me?. Helps me find myself in the chaos. For an easily accessible for Western minds and funny approach, Live Life like a Fruit Fly. Super progress Mandalay and Chill. Good on passing by the-end-of-the-really-hard-day-drink, Miss B, new habits are forming! Love, Ladybird.

[Miss Behaving]

February: FEB FAST ~ AF ~ Week 1

Hi all,

I am pretty sure there is something on here (thought it was on the Toolbox thread, but I just had a quick look and cant find it) on mindfulness and not drinking. AWIIP (who used to post a lot but doesn't any more) was a great advocate and I found her posts very elpful in the past.

I had the best nights sleep last night ...... probably the first time I have completely slept through the night in about 4 weeks. Worked really hard at swim squad, hot bath with lavendar bubbles and two hot chocolates afterwards :H:H

LVH - I shall try to remember that "breathing in - calm; breathing out - smile" one! I will get lots of practice at it this weekend as I shall be driving my (very critical) mother north :H:H

Oh, I laughed at the doggy carrier .....!!

Chillgirl and Betty ....... we get those eggs all year round!!! Let me know if you need food parcels!

Dill ...... we do have little touches of paradise, but there is no way that I reckon my office would make the cover of a tourist brochure!!!!

Hope everyone is doing well on their goals and having a good day - :thumbsup

[Sweaty Betty]

February: FEB FAST ~ AF ~ Week 1

Chillgirl and Betty ....... we get those eggs all year round!!! Let me know if you need food parcels!

Ah but Miss B where are they made?? The Southern Hemisphere chocolate tastes different from the stuff made in the UK. Thanks for the offer though - Mr Sweats is in the UK at the minute with an extra bag and a HUGE shopping list

Take Care All,

Bets.
x

[lodestar]

February: FEB FAST ~ AF ~ Week 1

Good evening, friends! So terrific to read through and see many new, but familiar, faces joining this thread. It's like a family here ~ a really functional one! Awesome. Sorry I've not been around for a few days. I had a big deadline yesterday (which I made YAY) and am now just getting caught up on here.

As some of you know I have discussed not being entirely AF after a period of abstinence. My hope was to reset my brain, body, habits, routines, and relationship with alcohol so that it was not a destructive force in my life. After 3+ months AF, I planned to have drinks last night after dinner with friends. I planned for it meaning that I gave the occasion some thought beforehand, analyzed my nervousness about drinking and what it would mean, and decided to remain AF throughout dinner to make sure I had a good meal and was hydrated properly. I also took an extra L-glutamine on my way to the restaurant and vowed that I would not drive home if I had any alcohol because I was quite sure I would have no tolerance at this point. I was surprised to find that the drinks tasted rather awful. I mean really! Truth be told, I actually enjoy my shirley temples much more. OMG I never would have said that before! Afterward, I walked home with my friend and stayed the night there. This morning, I had a headache but no feelings of remorse and shame. The headache was good because it was my body's way of letting me know she was not happy with what I put in her. And I now know how to listen to and honor my body. :l

[Sky]

February: FEB FAST ~ AF ~ Week 1

:hallo: Just flying in to say hi to all. I've been so busy with tradespeople and all I haven't had time to do anything. I will catch up properly in a day or so.
Love Sky :h

[Miss Behaving]

February: FEB FAST ~ AF ~ Week 1

Sweaty Betty;800724 wrote:
Ah but Miss B where are they made?? The Southern Hemisphere chocolate tastes different from the stuff made in the UK.

You are spot on Betty and I had forgotten about that! I dont eat a lot of chocolate myself but I do know that Cadbury's have made a major faux pas here with moving to use of palm oil ....... which my fellow cubicle/office mates tell me tastes like crap and doesn't meet sustainability criteria.

I'm an ice-cream girl myself!

Lodestar - wow : that was such a great post. As a newcomer to this thread I'm sure that others will be able to make comment that understands your journey better than I do. But to me it was mindfulness in action, and very insightful :l

[Chillgirl]

February: FEB FAST ~ AF ~ Week 1

Lodestar - Well done on your night out and all the pre planning you did for it. I think its wonderful and loved that the alcohol tasted unpleasant! You have done amazingly well with 3 months AF.... wow!

i just want to add some words of warning (sorry!) The slight headache was indeed your body saying "Hey, what you doing here! I thought we were AF now" and as you know as your tolerance to alcohol goes back up your body with get used to it again. I guess my fear is that because your nightout was such a sucess and you didnt over do it, you will feel its ok to do so more regularly and as so many have done before, it could lead back to the slippery slope...

I am always fearful of people moderating if alcohol has been a big problem in their lives as it seems to lead to a life of torture as to when its ok and when its not ok to drink. Sorry if im being over cauious here, you did say you were planning to be mainly AF and that you dont want to go back to where you were.... I just wonder then if its not better to just stay well clear?

Guys I also have a confession to make here! I ate a whole packet last night of Cadburys Chocolate Mini Eggs, they were absolutely yummy but i did feel a little sick afterward. Wishing you all a great AF thursday.

[sooty]

February: FEB FAST ~ AF ~ Week 1

Morning all, bit late logging on today and have to go out soon so this will be very quick.
Cadbury's mini eggs are gorgeous - as is all Cadbury's chocolate. Goodness knows what will happen to it now that Kraft are taking it over. Hopefully they'll change the flavour and that will greatly help my weight problem :H
We used to have to carry out little terrier in a rucksack cos he used to have the doggy equivalent of an asthma attack if he walked too far - I could have made a fortune if I'd cut holes in it!
Have a good day everyone I'll be back later
Sooty

[redhibiscus]

February: FEB FAST ~ AF ~ Week 1

Great posts and greatly appreciated. I am happy to know that the mindfulness philosophy is helping others, too. It is just such a great way to think, and the way we think is the way we live. Thanks everyone for all the books, sites, about this subject.

Man, 5 weeks AF. Fantastic!

Lodestar, for me, one time successfully drinking means nothing. I can control myself when out but it sets up the cravings, or mindset that I can drink and be OK. Be careful.

I had a bad craving episode yesterday and ended up eating chocolate instead. It was funny to read that chocolate was the food of the day for people all over the world.:H

I notice that I always start getting the craving thoughts around two weeks, or start feeling depressed and then craving. So, this weekend I have to make plans again to keep busy and eat well. Thanks all for being there.

[dill]

February: FEB FAST ~ AF ~ Week 1

Great posts! You guys are the best.
Lode, thanks for sharing about your experiment and the results. I agree with Red and Chill in terms of sometimes a "success" like that leads us to go soft in our attitude and determination about being af. Be careful. And, as far as whether or not you should stay with us, I say STAY! Don't go meandering off into mod land. You belong here. This is where you need to be. We need you here. This thread is very important to me as an inspiration and support. I know it is the same for you. Stick with us.
LBH, I shall look for the fruit fly book. I feel like I have the attention span of a fruit fly these days. I'll probably enjoy it!
Hey, Sweats! Haven't seen you in ages! Welcome aboard!