The Giving Up/ Cutting Down alcohol support thread - number 13

Alchemilla

Wotcha Alex.
7/10 please Shaggy.
Well done all you moderate folk. X

Clarabow_2

Jumping in here to introduce myself.
Forty Six, hugely over weight, crap health, staggeringly in debt.
No control over my eating, spending or drinking.
!!!! day in work and feeling very fed up.

Normally it is at this point I would reach for a bottle of wine and struggling not to.
Couldn't think of anywhere else to turn for support.

Any words of wisdom gratefully received.
Thanks

maman

Clarabow wrote: »

Jumping in here to introduce myself.
Forty Six, hugely over weight, crap health, staggeringly in debt.
No control over my eating, spending or drinking.
!!!! day in work and feeling very fed up.

Normally it is at this point I would reach for a bottle of wine and struggling not to.
Couldn't think of anywhere else to turn for support.

Any words of wisdom gratefully received.
Thanks

Couldn't read and run. Welcome!:wave:


I'd suggest you make a start cutting down your drinking NOW!! Try to make tonight an alcohol free evening. Put off having that first drink as late as you can. Perhaps have a bath and go to bed early, just try to go without. Then maybe you'll manage tomorrow night too. You could perhaps keep yourself going with the thought you'll have a drink at the weekend.


I was in your position when I joined the thread but I knew no healthy eating/diet plan was ever going to work unless I cut down the booze. I worked on that first (mainly just drinking at weekends) and then joined Slimming World. It's a brilliant feeling being in control!!


Good Luck!:)

debjay

maman wrote: »

I've always thought that there's more than one way to cut down fruball. AF days are a good test of will power for me but I'm also pleased if I have less on a drinking day too. It was always my fear that I'd just use my drinking days to play catch up (i.e. drink the same as before concentrated into the weekend) but that hasn't happened fortunately. So although my targets are low I know I've genuinely cut down. Counting units is another variation on the same theme.


Yesterday was a case in point. I went out for lunch had one planned glass of wine and didn't carry on in the evening. I had a cup of tea from choice.:)


Back on it today.


3 AFDs please Shaggy.

I'm the same in that I drink on less days per week than before plus when I drink it's less units. Like Shaggy and Fruball have said it's recommended to stagger your units over more days and not binge drink. Bingeing is classed as more than 6 units for a woman or 8 for a man which isn't much when you add it up.
10/22 for tonight please.

Fruball

shaggydoo wrote: »

No worries.

I could create another challenge - maybe call it ALD (alcohol low day) where you set a daily limit for yourself and you count up the days you match or are lower than that limit. Makes sense in many ways, as government guidelines are actually daily these days rather than weekly.

I could post it under the challenge for AFDs - in practice run two challenges.

I might even join you.

:A That would be fab! Thank you Shaggy I have only had 3 or 4 non drinking days this month but have only consumed 2 units on drinking days which is a staggering improvement for me :T

Barny1979

15/31 AFDs today

Dizzy_Imp

Fruball wrote: »

:A That would be fab! Thank you Shaggy I have only had 3 or 4 non drinking days this month but have only consumed 2 units on drinking days which is a staggering improvement for me :T

This is what I'm managing to do...I have had a couple of drinks this evening but it was just that. Normally I'd keep going, but reined it in to two glasses (I doubt mine were two units though - I have a heavy hand - but it was less than usual). So although it isn't AF, it is moderated, which is a success for me

AlexLK

2 for this evening. Have to admit I really wanted something a bit stronger than a cup of tea, though.

graemecarter

Dizzy_Imp wrote: »

Thanks for the support lovely peeps. I've decided enough is enough and that IF I drink, I will limit it to ONE glass from now on. I'm not sure how successful this plan will be but I am still annoyed about getting a hangover this weekend.

An AFD today, as the open wine I thought I had in the fridge, had been left out while we were away over the weekend and had turned into expensive vinegar. Good. I indulged in a few hand-made choccies (a suggestion made to me on this thread) instead, which were delicious! Ah well, the diet starts tomorrow...

I think this makes me 6/20.

That is the definition of "controlled drinking" - set your target before you start drinking and stick to it.
I tried many times to do this, and most often failed:(
Because I couldn't manage this, the route of moderation for me wasn't possible.
Good luck!

graemecarter

Aphidgirl wrote: »

Hi Everyone,

Mixed results with the moderation attempts these last couple of weekends. I've started drinking whatever I fancy again (wine/beer/cider) which can lead to drunkeness quite easily.

My worst night was at a party at a friends house where they were doing cocktails. I had a few G & Ts but I suspect they were doubles at least. I then went on to drink all kinds of cocktails (all made for me by the hosts) and don't remember leaving the party. I woke up at another friends house on the sofa but don't remember getting there at all, so lost probably an hour of memory at least

I think the problem there was letting a male friend make my drinks for me and probably receiving man-sized quantities of alcohol in each drink!

On the plus side I have had a few nights where I've managed not to drink to excess, but still drinking enough to feel a bit tired the next day and the tiredness does build up over a few days. The regular tiredness is affecting my relationship with the boyf I think as I get grumpy or just very quiet and am not great company....so still improvements to be made!

I think checking in on this thread more often would help. Maybe next month I'll set alcohol-related target for myself. I'm skint now for the next 2 weeks so am contemplating trying to go alcohol-free for the rest of the month - this weekend there's a big birthday party so that would be tricky to do sober but not impossible. Will see!

Happy Tuesday

I was never able to be successful with moderation.
I can moderate food, TV, work, sleep habit, etc, but had this big blind spot where alcohol was concerned and never managed moderation.
I wish I was able to, but the reality for me is that I couldn't.