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

cathybird

Honey_Bear wrote: »

Yeah, well, I may have a exaggerated ... a bit. On the 'totally' front, that is. Seriously though, I discovered by doing a 'No added sugary stuff' Lent that it doesn't work for me. I really, really missed it and craved it and even worse, as soon as I could scoff biscuits cake and chocolate I overloaded on it. I haven't yet found the balance I'm comfortable with and don't intend to stress about it until I've worked my way through all the leftovers. :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: Having said that, I've found several times recently that I don't actually need any more chocolate, so I've discovered something useful - there is such a thing as 'enough.' Never knew that before.

It is considerably less damaging, and in the early days of stopping the booze completely if I'd tried to diet as well I'd have failed on both. I did lose about a stone within a year of stopping boozing and I still haven't put it all back on, which is why I'm not that bothered. Yet. Your liver will definitely be thanking you and your overall health will be improving even if you're not the sylph-like thing of your imagination yet.

I found today a bit of a struggle, if I'm honest, but a useful sort of struggle. I hate the feeling of not being able to comfort myself at any given moment with yummy food (ie something fatty and probably sugary as well) or yummy drink. I can cope okay with no drink as long as there's food but if I don't have either I quite quickly start to feel anxious and bereft, and restless in an itchy sort of way - or at least I feel that way at work, where I can't distract myself by reading a good book or whatever and there is nowhere I can go.

I'm quite sure that half the reason I took to drinking so much to start with was just to comfort myself and make that feeling go away. What to do about that, if anything, I don't know.

Arkers

Good morning everyone,
18/20 please Shaggy.
Arkers x

Honey_Bear

cathybird wrote: »

I found today a bit of a struggle, if I'm honest, but a useful sort of struggle. I hate the feeling of not being able to comfort myself at any given moment with yummy food (ie something fatty and probably sugary as well) or yummy drink. I can cope okay with no drink as long as there's food but if I don't have either I quite quickly start to feel anxious and bereft, and restless in an itchy sort of way - or at least I feel that way at work, where I can't distract myself by reading a good book or whatever and there is nowhere I can go.

I'm quite sure that half the reason I took to drinking so much to start with was just to comfort myself and make that feeling go away. What to do about that, if anything, I don't know.

I think the secret, for me, is something to look forward to so I can put it off without denying myself completely. A tiny treat every day, or a more worthwhile one every couple of days if you've got the self-discipline. And the other thing would be that the 'treat' has to be something really lovely, such as three handmade chocolates after dinner, as opposed to mass-produced chocolate biscuits that are made with palm oil and other revolting things to bulk them out that don't satisfy the scoffer at all, which is why we eat half a packet of them instead of stopping after a couple. Gr33n and Bl@ack do a 100g bar of dark chocolate that worked for me as a daily treat a few years ago when I cut back on food substantially and lost a stone or so over a summer.

The other thing I allow myself is dried fruit, so three apricots, three or four dates and a mean handful of sultanas. Each of those counts as one of the five fruit and veg a day and is sweet enough to satisfy my cravings. Add a cup of tea and it's usually enough to keep me going for quite a while before the cravings kick in again.

If you're counting calories as opposed to syns, a bottle of B***s B**e is only just above 53 or so.

My birthday cake is nearly finished. *sob*

22/30 please, Shaggy.

Dizzy_Imp

Honey Bear - I think you've just done a Cathybird on me with revealing palm oil is in my chocolate digestive biscuits :eek: They are now off the menu! I've been ostriching when it comes to biccies, so now cannot continue to bury my head in the sand...

*sigh* I'm gonna be vegan soon, through fear of food additives...

Anyway AF today - DH working late again, so I'm collecting the skids from the train station later. 21/30 for me please Shaggy x

maman

Honey_Bear wrote: »

My birthday cake is nearly finished. *sob*

Commiserations.


DH and I share a 25g bar of Aldi 70% chocolate. It's yummy,(allegedly) good for us and very mse.:money:


I do understand the need for a reward/treat. Sometimes a pampering bath can work and that's totally calorie and alcohol free;).


Today should be an ALD if not an AFD. We're off to the local theatre and I don't enjoy those little individual bottles of wine so no hardship to pass on that. I may have an ice cream but prices have risen so much on those tiny tubs. Just because I can afford it doesn't mean I enjoy being ripped off!

cathybird

Morning all! It's Friday, hurrah 12/15 for me please Shaggy

Re palm oil, it's really quite hard to avoid, so many products contain it.

Honey Bear, I'm happy to allow myself some treats and think they're absolutely a good thing, I just think it's interesting that slightly uncomfortable feelings surface when I don't comfort eat/drink and suspect that is true for a lot of people who drink too much? ... ie people drink to suppress bad feelings. But I have such a sweet tooth anyway and enjoy baking so much (and eating) that there will always be room for sweet things in my life. Re B***s B**e, I'm actually not a massive beer fan, for some reason - it reminds me of breakfast cereal! Perhaps I've not drunk the right ones. However absolutely love G&B's and generally always have a bar or two tucked away in the cupboard.

shaggydoo

Afternoon :hello:

2 more AFDs for Wednesday & Thursday.



Shaggyx

shaggydoo

Sandypan wrote: »

10/15 for tonight please Shaggy. Also lost 4.5lbs at SW on Tuesday so feeling inspired at the moment, hope it lasts! Becks blue is only 2.5 syns so has been the tipple of choice.
Fitbit has also been recording my sleeps and happy to report last 3 nights slept for 8 hours, Saturday night after too many drinks only 5 hours.

:T:T:T:T:T

shaggydoo

April:

= 7 Days AF

= 14 days AF

= 21 days AF
= 28 days AF

= 30 days AF

= target achieved


Alcohol Free Days

Arkers 18/20
Barny1979 15/24
CathyBird 12/15
CuppaTea 10/17

Dansmam /20
DebJay 15/20
DizzyImp 21/30
Doshwaster 12/22
Ellsbel 10/20
ElusiveLucy 10/20
Gien 9/16
Honey Bear 22/30

Mackeroo /10
Maman 10/10
NewMe 8/20

Piggles /12
Pricey 14/20
Satchmo 13/25
SandyPan 10/15
Shaggy 12/17
Smiley_77 14/30

StuPotStu 2/30

WBF 3/14

Alcohol Low Days
Doshwaster 14/30
Shaggy 18/22




Everyone Welcome! It's never too late to join....

Please highlight your AFDs in Red

Don't hesitate to let me know if I've made a mistake!

satchmo1

14/25 AFDs today. Physically feeling heaps better although very tired, emotionally really carp.


Hope everyone is doing better x