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    My NEW Story Starts Here...

    Hiya Doogygirl ....YOU are a true inspiration to ME and always will be, your post is so so worth reading.
    I just like to say THANK YOU...:l

    Take care

    Love
    Teardrop.x
    family is everything to me

    Comment


      My NEW Story Starts Here...

      Wow - You guys are amazing! My jaw is on the floor just reading all of your really nice posts. It's so good to *see* all of you again.

      Sometimes it is so easy to get lost in the day to day "fight" with AL that we forget exactly what it is we are fighting for in the grander scheme of things. I said it before and I'll say it again that for this newly found girly girl, a little vanity sure does rock! But it's more than that which you guys already know!!!

      :soapbox: WARNING: In addition to quitting AL and getting on board with daily exercise and eating in a way that seems to suit my body, I will just put a reminder out there that I also got my hormones tested and adjusted with bioidentical hormones. (There are old posts about that in the Holistic section) That has made a difference too and I highly recommend finding an enlightened doctor and getting these things checked especially if you are 40 or up. Suzanne Somers "The Sexy Years" or her newer book "Breakthrough" are interesting reads on this topic. [/soapbox]

      Lila, you are right this is not the end of my story...it's the beginning! YOU CAN DO IT TOO.

      WIP you are right - 1) Do work. 2) Get results. So help me understand why my posts are always so long??????? (running off to ponder deep philosophical question...)

      OMW, Sheep, Teardrop it is so good to see you and thank you for posting in my journal!

      R2C - I will be 51 in March so here we are! It is never too late.

      Kriger - in some respects quitting smoking was the hardest thing I've ever done. Maybe because letting that one go was the FIRST step in having to face all the other needed changes. And of course that is not an easy addiction to conquer either. But it's worth it. I rarely think about smoking one way or the other at all any more. And I would have to say that when I DO have a smoking thought, it's more often about being glad I don't any more than wishing I could smoke. I'm hoping that once I have that much AF time (almost 2 years) under my belt, it will be the same with AL. YOU GO GIRL!!! I watched you deal with your alcohol addiction in a positive and determined way. There is no reason you cannot make these other changes you mention using the same approach. Congratulations on your AF time!!

      CS04 - thank you so much for the info on the Curing book. You are now the second person in the last 24 hours to recommend it!! I've added it to my reading list and will check to see if they have it at the library.

      startingover - congratulations on AF since 7/9/08!!! That rocks!

      Sausage, I'm glad you made the decision to stay sober for your son's birthday. You have so much AF time under your belt this year - congratulations!! And you've already got the evidence of how NOT drinking affects you physically. Congrats on 13 pounds gone and loose fitting clothes!!! Keep it going!

      Mame!!!!!!! I'm so glad to see you here. Boy you had a rough summer (well, winter for you!) I'm so glad to hear that you and Uncle Mame are helping foster kittens. The loss of a pet is so difficult and everyone needs to deal with it in their own way. Sounds like you found a very very good way indeed!

      DeeBee - LOL!!! Gob Smacked!! Thank you for reminding me of one of the great treasures of this international community! (figure skating season is underway so reminding me of that oh so wonderful term will come in handy!)

      Happy Monday everyone! I'm off to Curves soon to start my day with some endorphin power. Love you all!

      DG
      Sobriety Date = 5/22/08
      Nicotine Free Date = 2/27/07


      One day at a time.

      Comment


        My NEW Story Starts Here...

        DG and her followers,
        I was just discussing your wonderful post and pics in chat, so after searching for awhile, I am bumping this up.

        So inspirational. Thank you for walking the walk and showing the rest of us that it can be done.

        Love, CS

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          My NEW Story Starts Here...

          Thanks CS for bumping this back up--It would have been tragic for me to miss!

          DG---you are my hero! I am so glad you are back!!! I'm sorry if I missed it, but what is the latest update on your bioidentical hormone journey??

          Thanks for posting your inspirational story!

          Love ya!:h
          _______________
          NF since June 1, 2008
          AF since September 28, 2008
          DrunkFree since June 1, 2008
          _____________
          :wings: In memory of MDbiker aka Bear.
          5/4/2010 In loving memory of MaryAnne. I pray you've found peace my friend.
          _______________
          The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you.ray:

          Comment


            My NEW Story Starts Here...

            Amazing results! WOW - I bet you feel like a million bucks! Way to go. Your hard work and lifestyle change is doing you so very well.

            I can't believe that is the same person! Congrats to you for feeling so great and not to mention looking great. Not only have you dropped 49 pounds, I swear you have dropped 20 years!

            xoxo AFM.

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              My NEW Story Starts Here...

              Have just read your post, DG.

              Bloody amazing would be an understatement. You are living proof that we WILL achieve and sustain sobrietry, just as long as we keep battling.

              Your before and after pics are gob-smacking. You have much of which to be proud and I am so very proud of you and happy for you. :l

              Star x
              Formerly known as Starlight Impress.

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                My NEW Story Starts Here...

                Starlight - I love that gob-smacking term!!! WHEE!!

                AFM, I feel 20 years younger. It's been hard work to make big changes and get used to a different lifestyle with totally new habits. But I can see why recovery programs really empahasize the re-building your life part - beyond just stopping drinking. It really makes it much, much harder to imagine going back.

                LVT - the bio-identicals have been, and will continue to be an important part of my journey. After a couple of doseage tweeks over the summer (I'm on Armour Thyroid, and compounded progesterone, estrogen and a bit of testosterone) things seem to be just cruising right along. I'm going in for a checkup with my ever so wonderful anti-aging doctor in early December. I've been very focused also on getting rid of the anti-biotics, hormones and toxins from my diet. Not an easy task once you realize all they places those things can lurk. But it's been fun to just learn more about organic foods and grass fed animals and community supported agriculture and and and.... I'm currently reading Suzanne Somers new book Breakthrough which I find very interesting on these fronts. Who would have guessed the "dumb blond" from Three's Company would turn out to be such a pioneer bringing many of these things to the light of day?

                CS, I hope all the chat was nice chat LOL!!!

                YOU TOO CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE!!!!!!! Getting rid of the booze is only the beginning.

                DG
                Sobriety Date = 5/22/08
                Nicotine Free Date = 2/27/07


                One day at a time.

                Comment


                  My NEW Story Starts Here...

                  hey DG
                  What is the biggest culprit? White flour and sugar? Pesticides? I am going to get the Somers books after seeing you, or at least get them from the library! Organic foods are a bit more than we can afford, though...I suppose the biggest thing is getting off the sauce, huh? I am on Armour as well, and I love it. MUCH better than Synthroid!
                  Lila

                  Comment


                    My NEW Story Starts Here...

                    Hi Lila. Different foods affect people differently, so what I've figured out as 'best for me' may or may not work for others.

                    That being said, I just don't think there is any nutritional value at all in sugar and highly processed grains. (for me, I'm best leaving all grains alone) I try to eat anti-biotic and hormone free meats (organic where available / affordable, but at least stay away from the anti-biotics and hormones). I'm not sure where you live but you might be able to find a local source. Eat Wild is a good place to start. That's where I found my source for beef & pork.

                    As far as fuits and veggies go, I try to shop according to the "Dirty Dozen" list - the 12 WORST offenders for pesticide residue. That list includes:

                    Peaches
                    Apples
                    Sweet Bell Peppers
                    Celery
                    Nectarines
                    Strawberries
                    Cherries
                    Pears
                    Imported Grapes
                    Spinach
                    Lettuce
                    Potatoes

                    I don't eat potatoes anyway so no biggy there. The rest of that list I really try hard to find organic, or just skip it if I can't. I keep the list in my purse.

                    The other list I keep in my purse is the Dozen fruits / veggies that have shown the least amount of pesticide residue:

                    Papayas
                    Broccoli
                    Cabbage
                    Bananas
                    Kiwifruit
                    Sweet peas
                    Asparagus
                    mangoes
                    Pineapple
                    Sweet corn
                    Avacadoes
                    Onions

                    The only way I buy any of those organic is if they are both available, and the organic is almost the same price as non-organic.

                    I've only recently gotten into organic dairy options. But interestingly, a woman who I've come to respect when it comes to healthy eating recently said "if I could only buy ONE category of food organic, it would be dairy." That has to do with all the anti-biotics and hormones that are given to the cows in commercial production. I have found convenient sources for organic 1/2 & 1/2, sour cream and milk - but no heavy cream! As a low carber, heavy cream is OK! I guess all the grocers are convinced it's a low fat only world out there. Anyway - the recent tip I got on that was for everything except actual whipped cream, you can substitute canned coconut milk. So I'm going to give that a whirl tomorrow when I make cole slaw.

                    Not sure if any of this information helps. I am a beginner student of all this, so I also hope that people will chime in who have more experience than I do with trying to make my kitchen a healthier place!

                    Oh - the other thing I am doing is joining a CSA (community supported agriculture) program for produce next year. Now is the time to scope these out as many programs sell out long before the crops are even planted. The Eat Wild link will help there too. For what I feel is a very reasonable price, we will have farm fresh veggies from late spring through early fall next year. (baring any mother nature issues of course - you take the risk of that along with the farmer which is part of the deal)

                    Anyway...this is turning into a novel which I hope is not TOO too boring! Hope it helps you do more research to find a starting point. I have not felt compelled to change absolutely everything over night!

                    DG
                    Sobriety Date = 5/22/08
                    Nicotine Free Date = 2/27/07


                    One day at a time.

                    Comment


                      My NEW Story Starts Here...

                      DG....just saw this myself....

                      What a great post and transformation! You look and sound fantastic!

                      I'm so proud of you....

                      Don

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                        My NEW Story Starts Here...

                        DG, I keep forgetting to ask: Are you going to any face-to-face AF support groups? Rational Recovery, or something? How is that going?

                        wip

                        Comment


                          My NEW Story Starts Here...

                          DG,

                          WOW, you are such an inspiration! Congratulations on making it so far and my best wishes for your wonderful future. Seeing your before and after photos was amazing, thank you for sharing, it really made me feel hopeful.

                          I was reading with interest your shopping strategies, as I'm really into cooking and am a huge advocate of all things natural and organic -- both from the standpoint of human health and the health of our planet. Here's my 2 cents on what I read:

                          Someone said buying organic is too expensive: this isn't always true anymore. Even stores like Safeway have a line of organic products that can be priced at the same level as name brands. Other high end grocers like Whole Foods often have sales. One key to not spending a lot on organics is buying what's in season -- when there's an abundance of one thing the prices are lower. Another good strategy is shopping at the Farmer's Market, if you have one. The vendors want to get rid of what they're selling so if you go late you can usually bargain with them -- though admittedly there's not as much selection at the end of the day.

                          CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture) are a great way to go (we're on a list to join one in January) but I'm not sure its an option for everyone. CSAs are farms or coops that you join for a set price, and then you get a box of vegetables every week for the growing season. Every CSA is organized differently but in general you pay yearly or quarterly, don't get a choice of what you get in your box (so you may end up with several weeks of zucchini for instance), and have to pick it up every week at a given location. Some CSAs allow for more choice (and some even offer eggs and / or dairy), but some also require that you work a few hours per month handing out boxes, or even working on the farm. The great things about the CSA concept are that you are eating what's in season and eating locally (so no fuel is expended in shipping), no packaging is used, you're supporting your local farmers, and usually what you're getting is organic produce. Overall I think this system is great because its getting away from factory farming practices which are ruining the environment and back to community involvement. Personally I like to know where my food comes from.

                          Anyway, if you can not access or afford organic produce, you can alleviate some of the pesticide residue by washing your produce. There are commercially available products for this, or better you can make your own with 3% peroxide and white vinegar. This doesn't remove everything (like the wax they put on apples) but its better than just washing under water. I fill a bowl with water and add a splash of each, then let sit for a few minutes, rinse and use (sorry, I'm not very scientific).

                          RE: Dairy products, I agree with whoever said if they were going to buy one organic thing it would be dairy. I have been buying organic, free range eggs for years. Yes, they're expensive (eggspensive???) but they taste MUCH better and I like knowing the hens are treated well and fed a proper diet (did you know that some commercial egg farmers feed their chickens pulp leftover from the printing industry???). BTW, there is no scientific proof that fertilized eggs have additional health benefits, so don't pay more for them. I also stay away from milk products that have rBGH (Bovine Growth Hormone), and most commercial dairy's also give their cows copious amounts of antibiotics. As far as substitutes for 1/2 & 1/2, have you tried soy creamer (for coffee) or yogurt? I started using plain yogurt in my chicken salad instead of mayonnaise and my husband loves it.

                          Well, I could go on and on. I think this is a great discussion to have. Probably the biggest thing we can do for ourselves though is to stay away from prepared foods, whether they be McDonald's or frozen convenience foods or junk food. Who KNOWS whats in that stuff! I figure if you can't pronounce it, its probably not good for you ... though I'm guilty of using convenience foods at times like everyone else. It really takes a huge commitment to make meals from scratch every day, though it is certainly something to aspire to.

                          Thanks DG. You've given me hope. I would love to be able to post before & after pics ... I too am overweight ... but one thing at a time, I'm still struggling with the AL and haven't gone more than 2 weeks AF at a time. YET. I will!

                          Cheers!
                          Spotty Dingo

                          Comment


                            My NEW Story Starts Here...

                            Hey Chief!!! Thank you for dropping in! You mean the world to me my friend. Never afraid to kick an a$$ that needs kickin'!

                            WIP I go to a SMART Recovery face to face meeting every Sunday. It's a very small core group of interesting and diverse folks, and then there have been others that sort of come and go. The world of live meetings is different than the on-line world, that is for sure. But I find value in it. Especially going to a meeting right there in a public place in my town, it feels like I'm even more fully acknowledging the serious nature of my problem. But it feels good to interact with others "live" about it. I am forever grateful that through nothing other than dumb luck, I never lost my drivers license or did jail time or worse...kill someone with my vehicle or anything like that. But there are lots of folks out there who didn't necessarily drink more then me, but they sure had less luck than I did. It's good reinforcement.

                            Spotty it's good to know you are also into the organic thing and CSA thing, etc. I am so new to all of this that I'm sure I will have a million questions! I think you have your priorities right to focus on getting rid of AL as your #1 priority. Why is it that you choose to drink every couple of weeks when from the sound of it, you really want to not drink? Just wondering if you are trying anything new to aid in making different choices when the urge comes up.

                            DG
                            Sobriety Date = 5/22/08
                            Nicotine Free Date = 2/27/07


                            One day at a time.

                            Comment


                              My NEW Story Starts Here...

                              Lila, DG and others,
                              Check Trader Joe's for decently priced organic and specialty products. They don't have a ton of produce, but more of their grocery and frozen items are private label, which keeps them inexpensive -- some even cheaper than the regular grocery store.

                              Comment


                                My NEW Story Starts Here...

                                DG, I guess you're right when you say I "choose" to drink every couple of weeks but its really giving in to temptation and something I'm struggling with, ODAT: my goal is to be AF because like so many others here I've realized that I can't mod, and like so many others I've been a semi-functioning alcoholic since I was a teenager (I'm 43). To be brief (because I've posted my situation elsewhere and this thread is about you ;-), I'm coming out of a terrible year of living in Canada and am still getting settled back home in California. I'm married to a great man (who also drinks), we have no kids save the 4 legged kind (4 cats, 1 dog) and I'm an artist who doesn't do art. The past few years have been difficult but we have landed in a great place where I believe we can be happy (finally) and are working towards a happier and healthier existence. Hubby agrees that the drinking must stop and supports me, but he is on his own journey to that end. I KNOW I must stop now and am really trying but I do have slips. This is all fairly new to me, but already I feel like I've come a fair way and can see better days ahead. Still, I take it ODAT. One day soon I will post my story. Cheers.

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