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Post by amyj on May 4, 2024 4:35:54 GMT
Welcome to Alcohol Free is What We Want To Be! We are glad you are here with us! If you have been struggling with your weight and have found this board you undoubtedly have your own unique, complicated relationship with alcohol and food. Laying out the problem honestly can give you the extra push you need to succeed in getting it under control. A few questions for you to think about...do you wake up at 3 AM wondering what did you do? Do you sometimes have no recall of the evening before or do you try to recover your memory of the evening before you even get out of bed? Is your spouse angry with you...or do you simply think that A is taking over too much of your life, affecting your weight loss? These are hard questions but know that you will find understanding, love, encouragement and support on this thread. We are each in a different stage of this journey but you will find others have shared your experiences. There is no judgment, just an acknowledgement that we have been there, done that. This board of great people will support you in your journey.
Some of us have been here for several years, others are new, but all are welcome and if you have visited before but didn't stay, there is still and always a place for you. Don't get overwhelmed, take your time, if something strikes you, respond. We are great at giving advice, whether you want it or not....you will get tough love, if necessary, but you will also find help. We practice positive self-talk and support, we encourage and gently hold each other accountable. We each have stories to tell, share and suggestions to help. We post different challenges during the year. Please join us if you think this is the group for you. You will be glad you did.
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Post by amyj on May 4, 2024 4:36:28 GMT
New Challenge: CARING April 1 - May 31
“Your body is precious. It is our vehicle for awakening. Treat it with care" - Buddha
This challenge is about caring about and for yourself. So often we get caught up in taking care of everyone else that we don’t give ourselves the care we need. Or we give up caring about ourselves. A variety of reasons and for no reason, it just happens. The hard part is to recognize it and once you do, it is hard to explain because very few want to acknowledge it. You get kudos for taking care of others, not so much for taking of yourself. Not caring about yourself can leave an emptiness that you may try to fill with food and alcohol. The emptiness remains, just stuffed down. We want and need more for ourselves. So let’s begin!
Treat yourself the way you’d treat someone you love.
Love yourself first and the rest will follow.
Focus on health and well being
So how do you begin to care about yourself?
Eating fruits and vegetables sounds like a plan. So does drinking water!!
Walking up a flight of stairs without gasping for breath. Your heart will thank you.
If you don’t want to be AF then restrict the amount and limit the days you will allow yourself a drink. But remember if 10 is not enough, one is too many.
Start with baby steps. Making too many changes at once can be discouraging so start small. Have you been slacking on flossing
daily? Then start making it a ritual. Do you drink soda for energy? Start cutting back by one.
Treat yourself to something you enjoy. Buying the store brand face cream will sit on the counter. If you have a favorite, budget it in as a necessity….better than buying alcohol! Maybe getting a manicure or pedicure is important to you yet you deny it for yourself. Ask yourself why.
Make a list of indulgences that aren’t food or alcohol and start sprinkling them into your life.
Ask for what you need. Too many times we get into a funk and we don’t ask for help. You are loved and we want to help each other.
Curb all the justification. Sometimes you just have to do something because you want to do it. You don’t have to explain yourself!
Think of your successes….add three things that went well today to your daily journal. What?? you aren’t journaling? Journaling is caring!
LET THE CARING BEGIN!!
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Post by amyj on May 4, 2024 4:36:54 GMT
THE EIGHT GOOD HEALTH GUIDELINES
1. Eat at least five servings of vegetables and fruits each day.
2. Choose whole-grain foods, such as brown rice and oats, whenever possible.
3. Include two servings of milk precuts – low fat (1%) or fat-free – each day.
4. Have some healthy oil (olive oil, canola, sunflower, safflower or flaxseed each day.
5. Ensure that you are getting enough protein by choosing at least a serving or two of meat, poultry, fish, eggs or dried beans each
day. Many dairy products are also good sources of protein.
6. Limit added sugar and alcohol.
7. Drink at least 6 8-ounce glasses of water a day.
8. Take a multiple vitamin-mineral supplement each day.
NUTRITION ACCOUNTABILITY
Drink more water:
One or more fruit daily:
One or more vegetable daily:
Dairy:
Healthy Oils:
AF:
AIM:
ANIM:
Exercise goal:
HABIT ACCOUNTABILITY
Journal:
Move Accountability:
Sleep Accountability:
Nutrition Accountability:
Happiness Accountability:
Habit Accountability:
Check in Daily Accountability:
Time Management Accountability:
What did you do for yourself today?
Please post a NSV (non-scale victory), LSP (little sign of progress), PA (positive affirmation) or motivational quote
Start weight, April 1:
April 8:
April 15:
April 22:
April 29:
May 6:
May 13:
May 20:
May 27:
End of Challenge, May 31:
Great Success!
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Post by amyj on May 4, 2024 4:38:40 GMT
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Post by amyj on May 4, 2024 4:41:12 GMT
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Post by amyj on May 4, 2024 5:16:40 GMT
It's after 6:30am Saturday here in Rome. We drove from Venice to Florence, had a local tour guide who spoke heavily accented English so I did not get a lot out of her description of the sites we were seeing. I don't think I've mentioned that we have earpieces to be able to hear our tour director and guides when they are miked. It would be impossible to hear much otherwise since many places are so crowded. We had a walking tour of a few blocks around the main cathedral. Lots of people mostly in the streets with cars and bikes coming through frequently. The crowd would part to let a car through, then back into the street. Florence is known for it's leather and gold. We got demonstrations on how to recognize good leather and gold, with discounts offered by the shop doing the demonstrations. DH finally bought something for himself, A reversible belt. They would have embossed it in gold with his initials, but he just wanted to go. We ate lunch at a little cafe with a table outside to people watch. DH had a mordadella sandwich, I had prosciutto and cheese on foccacio, both delicious. We also had gelato, my first of the trip. We shopped a bit, then back on the bus to Rome. We went right to dinner at LaCaravana, an elegant restaurant with a pianist and an opera singer. It was another multicourse meal- sliced tomatoes and mozzarella, thinly sliced and grilled eggplant and zucchini, cold prosciutto and salami, foccacia, salad, pasta in carbonara and a red sauce with sweet peppers. The main course was either chicken or beef. I chose the beef, which was too tough for me. There were also thinly sliced, crispy potatoes served family style. We had a panna cotta for dessert. It didn't seem to be as much food as the night before, but more than enough. It probably helped that we didn't eat a pizza two hours before, LOL. Our hotel is the NH Villa Carpegna in Rome. It's not as nice as the last 2 nights, but it's in a nice neighborhood and better than the hotel in Paris. We have a busy day today, going to the Vatican museum, Sistene Chapel, St. Peter's Square and Basilica, the Colosseum and then a tour of other highlights of Rome. Dinner is on our own tonight. We have a driver taking us to the airport tomorrow morning at 8:15 for a 12:30 flight. It's good to be staying 2 nights in the same hotel.
Liz- Glad you are feeling better, saw the grands. WTG being AF/OP, knitting on the Christmas blanket. Sorry about the pollen. It hasn't been too bad here even though lots of stuff is blooming. After Paris we went to Lucerne, Switzerland, then Venice, now Rome.
Cindy- GL with the MRI tomorrow. Sometimes a pity party is necessary to move on. The snake theory seems reasonable. I am sleeping better, even snoozed on the bus a bit yesterday.
Cathy- Sorry about the wind. Hope you finished your book and review.
Jan- WTG blue dot, AF, steps 10/11. So sorry about sis and all her car troubles. Makes me thankful that my DH doesn't attempt to do anything like that. I think there's still a Perkins in Noblesville, Indiana. I like that we are seeing the highlights on this trip, it is a pain to move from hotel to hotel, too much opportunity to lose things. I had to pick up a power bank for my phone yesterday b/c I lost the portable charger somewhere. I got it at a "pee pee" stop at a highway service plaza, also found a wireless mouse there. There's no point in taking doggy bags from the restaurants as there really would be no time to eat it and no microwave to heat anything up. All of the hotels have had pretty good breakfast buffets.
Cindy- Glad accepting the problem with the knee has made it easier to deal with. Thanks for keeping us going. I somehow fell at the breakfast buffet yesterday, holding a cup of hot chocolate. I'm still not sure if I was light-headed or just tripped trying to maneuver into my table. I got hot chocolate in my hair, but somehow not on my white shirt. I would have had to buy something as my suitcase was already in the bus cargo area.
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Post by cathygeha on May 4, 2024 7:17:26 GMT
Start weight, April 1: 165.2 April 8: 165 April 15: 166 April 22: 163.8 April 29: 166 May 6: May 13: May 20: May 27: End of Challenge, May 31: May 4 = 168.2 (two days of overindulging has the scale up)
Will work on reading and reviewing today and hope to talk to our daughter this evening. I have beans thawing, will make rice, shred cabbage, make a yogurt dressing with garlic and some salsa and that will be lunch. It will be an OP day today!
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Post by cindy on May 4, 2024 9:25:25 GMT
Good Morning!
Amy, I saw you started the thread. Thank you and with that I'll go back to sleep. It's 4:30 AM here!
Chat later.
Hugs, Cindy
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Post by tatermom on May 4, 2024 12:45:56 GMT
"I look to 2024 with a renewed commitment to Progress” “Out the Door in 2024” NUTRITION ACCOUNTABILITY Drink more water: daily goal 70: 70 oz One or more fruit daily: 2 One or more vegetable daily: 2 Sober Spring AF: 125 Fitbit Goal/burned: 2,000/2,919 JUST JOURNAL! HABIT ACCOUNTABILITY Move Accountability: Step goal 8,000: 12,029! steps, 11/11 hours, 75 PU, 19? floors, stretches, toe touches, Sleep Accountability: 7 hours, 79 sleep, 86 stress, slept better Nutrition Accountability: 26/23 pts, 24 weeklies egg sand with ham, watermelon, banana, 2 ing bagel, steak, baked potato, broccoli, trail mix Fitbit Macros: calorie goal @1500/ 1,494 calories, 41% Carbs, 31% fat, 28% protein 675 left Happiness Accountability: 5 feeling happy, thinking about vacation, kids coming Habit Accountability: Exercise bar 4/4. Morning routine,tracking Check in Daily Accountability: 5 I'm here!! Time Management Accountability: 4 Found a bike rack on marketplace, groceries, walked park, took photos, walked Horicon Marsh, picked up rack What did you do for yourself today? 4 taking photos, hiking around, read in bed Please post a NSV (non-scale victory), LSP (little sign of progress), PA (positive affirmation) or motivational quote. "Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing." Helen Keller CHALLENGE START WEIGHT 4/1/24: 198 officially at WW this morning  April 8: 197.8 April 15: 197.5. at home this morning. April 22: 197.5 at home April 29: 197 Even saw a lower # on scale at home! May 6: May 13: May 20: May 27: End of Challenge, May 31: Good Morning all. Happy Star Wars day  I had thought I might get up this morning and go to the Bird Fest over by the river but after yesterdays hiking around I decided to pass. They used to have it at the park by our house but now it's a drive so going to work on something else this morning. Got some things done yesterday. In the morning I found a bike rack on FB and let the girl know I'd buy it. They couldn't meet until after 6, and it was in a town about an hour south of here. Still worth it so I did my shopping, walked by the park, DH mowed and took a bike ride. He decided to stay home to have dinner ready when I'd get home @7 so I decided to go @3 to visit Horicon Marsh with my camera on my way. I hiked part of the loop in the marsh, it's HUGE, largest in the US at over 31,000 acres. Great place for bird migration, photos etc. Would love to be there early in the morning or at dusk just to see all the activity. I took quite a few photos of the geese and goslings, so cute. I was way overdressed in jeans and a sweatshirt as it was over 70, but had fun exploring. Sure I'll go back. Met up with the bike person, they met me right near the hwy, so that made it easy. Back on the road by 10 after 6 and home before 7. All the outside time and driving the farmlands got me excited about our trip. Have a few things to do today, get scripts, maybe check out some plants, DH wants to get to green waste and we will see how the rack works on the back of the van. They are talking some rain by this afternoon but it's beautiful and sunny right now so I better get moving to take advantage of the good weather. Have a great day all. I'll check back later. Jan Amy Glad you found a mouse so you could start us. First I read that you'd found a mouse! I was wondering what kind of hotel you must be staying in Glad you can spend your last 2 nights in the same place. Enjoy all your tours today, I'll bet DH is so ready to be home. Sure the cats and DD will be glad to see you both too. Sorry about the fall but yay for saving the white shirt! Do you feel you packed the right amount of clothes? Seems like you mostly had good weather, at least for the outside things. Safe travels home. Cathy Enjoy your day, hope you get to talk to DD this evening. Yay for and OP day. Cindy Hope you got back to sleep. Supposedly Sis DH has kept up on the oil changes, but not sure if he then would check all the other fluids etc. I know she said a light came on that said VSP, which she didn't know. Even stopped the car to look it up in the manuel but it was more a steering? something. Then started to drive back home when it just died, guess when it overheated. I can't remember the age of that car so don't even know if it still had the temp gauge on the dash, I know my car doesn't have one, you just have to rely on the computer lights to tell you and she didn't think there was any check engine, or little oil symbol. Oh well, still seems very strange and I feel bad that they can never get a break. Haven't talked to her, I know she was feeling overwhelmed and they had to make a plan to get the car removed from the service station. GL on the MRI, thought it was interesting that it would be on a Sunday. Waving hi to all. |
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Post by WWVicki on May 4, 2024 15:04:18 GMT
Hi girls. I started to post last night, and just felt tired and couldn’t focus. So far today I’ve talked to DD and walked and have 4300 steps already! It’s going to be a rainy weekend so I don’t plan on leaving except for church tomorrow. Bells are ringing during the service, and our trio of bells, piano, and flute will do special music. Last night I watched some videos of how to change settings in the car. I think this weekend DH and I will sit in the garage and watch the videos together so we can set things up. Hopefully! 😂 Yesterday we drove into town, and the car in front of us was involved in an accident. Some big guy parked and flung his door open without looking. He got out yelling with arms lifted. We parked and I went over to the woman and said we witnessed the whole thing. That quieted him down. I am so thankful we were 1 car back!
Amy: Do most of the sit down restaurants serve all the different courses? Are they smaller servings than in the USA? Have you found real Italian food is different than American Italian? I can’t believe you will be headed home soon! Vacations go so quickly! When we go, we will stay at 3 different hotels, but stay 2 nights in each one I think!
Cindy: I was surprised by the Sunday MRI too! Big city living! 😂 I’m praying for you!
Jan: I’m glad you are enjoying getting ready for your trip! Will you have tv in your van? Is it actually a camper where you can cook? I don’t remember! So do you plan on being AF? That first night would be the hardest! After that each time is easier! Does DH drink the NA beer too? We sold a car to some friends, and about a year later they had to have something big done to it! I felt so bad, but they didn’t think we cheated them.
Liz: Glad you are feeling better! When you make your arancini balls, what do you put in them?
Cathy: DH is making me his cabbage soup recipe that is vegetarian. It made me think of you!
Carole: I’m sure you are counting down the days now! When is your school done? How is your dad doing?
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Post by amyj on May 4, 2024 19:29:01 GMT
Ciao from Roma! Today was pretty tiring, over 17,000 steps so far. We got on the bus at 8am to head to the Vatican. We went through the Vatican Museum and saw a lot of art and beautiful ceilings. Apparently if you spent 3 minutes looking at each thing, it would take 3 years. Then we went into the Sistine Chapel. Photos are not allowed, but our local guide did a good job of pointing out what to look at. Did you know there is a panel on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel where Michelangelo is mooning the pope? It took a while, but I finally spotted it. After the Sistine Chapel we went into St. Peters Basilica. There are services every hour and there was at least one baptism while we were there. We had a bit of time for shopping, food, etc. Then back on the bus to go to the Colosseum. It was very crowded there as well, but an amazing site to see. There are 2 kitties that live in the Colosseum area, they have a kitty door in one of the iron gates and a house to live in. Our guide has seen them, but we did not see them today. Then back on the bus to go to a different section of Rome to go on a walking tour of famous sites, including the Trevi fountain. We got back to the hotel around 6pm, relaxed for a bit, then went to the hotel restaurant for dinner. We were too tired to walk to another restaurant or get a taxi. I got a really good steak, which I enjoyed after so much pasta. We're as packed and as ready to go as we can be tonight. Our driver to the airport will pick us up at 8:15 tomorrow morning. Our flight leaves at 12:30, arriving in ATL around 5:30 pm, but with the time difference the actual flight will be 11 hours. Hopefully I can sleep through a lot of it.
Cathy- WTG planning an OP day.
Cindy- Hugs! I'll start the thread if I get up early enough.
Jan- WTG steps 11/11, over 12K steps. Horizon Marsh sounds amazing. I did pretty well with what I packed. I used most of the underwear, have some lighter weight shirts left and a couple of jeggings.
Vicki- WTG for all the steps. Glad you weren't involved in the accident. Drivers in Rome are crazy and like to yell at each other. Most of our dinners after Paris were planned by the tour company, but just browsing at menus while walking around looked like the nicer restaurants had an appetizer course, a first course of pasta or risotto, a main course, then dessert, all priced separately.
Liz- I had an arancini today. It was about the size of a pear and had a red sauce, mozzarella, and peas inside.
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Post by WWVicki on May 4, 2024 20:47:38 GMT
I chatted with Barb today. She said she’ll start posting next week. 😁
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Post by tatermom on May 4, 2024 22:01:58 GMT
Hi girls. Thought I'd sit down and check in. Amy, maybe all your Italian meals inspired me, I just put some spinach lasagna roll ups in the oven for dinner. I did add a bit of ground beef to the sauce as it was thawed and needed cooking. Bought some crusty french bread so won't be a LP dinner for me I ran my errands, stopped at 2 garage sales. Bought some vintage cookie cutters, I've just been hanging ribbon on them and putting them on the Christmas tree. I may make up some that I have extras of and see if they sell at the flea market. Also bought a plant at one sale and now will need to get it in tomorrow. DH and I figured out how to get the bike rack on, a little tricky as there is an electric outlet by the trailer hitch on the van and the peg for the hitch had to go in from that side. DH messed around and we got it on. Then we looked at bikes in the shed, I have an older bike that I haven't used as it has a bar, like a boys, and I couldn't do it with my hip so bought a step through girls bike. But without the bar, it won't hang from the bike rack. I wasn't going to bring one and DH said may as well have it in case! So he went and got new tubes and fixed up a bike for me to have. At least in Yosemite I can ride on trails and it's flat if I want to go anywhere. Still stewing about Sis as I know she is getting so flack from her DH, even tho there's no reason for it. He just gets on a rampage and I was glad to see she drove herself out to the cabin this afternoon, just to watch the river and "commune". We always say we go out there to talk to mom and dad They did check the price for an engine @5200 and they just don't think it's worth it. They could get a different used car at some point for about that they think. I have just felt scattered the last couple days. I know its thinking about the trip, and sis. Just can't sit still and focus on anything. Good thing the wine witch hasn't called because that would be where I would go to just make the time go faster by sleeping and not thinking. A naughty cream cheese Kringle did jump in my cart off the discounted rack at the store today. Plan is to freeze 1/2 and take it with us. Maybe I'll go look through my knitting and see what kinds of things I can take with me that won't take up too much space and will be easy to work on. Hope you all had a great day. Jan Amy Safe travels tomorrow and hope you can sleep on the plane. Now, of course, I will have to look for the mooning Michelangelo. You'll be so happy to sleep in your own bed. I made up the bed in the van today, feels pretty comfy, we'll see. I keep adding and subtracting clothes from my pile. Parts of California are in the high 80's and then in Wyoming it's been in the low 30's overnight and in the mornings. At least we have room for some warmer coats and we'll take hats and gloves. Time will tell. Dh will pack like 4 things in a backpack:) Vicki How do the car tutorial go? Glad you heard from Barb and we hope to see her back soon. Did she say how her brother has been doing? I know the first few days on the road will be the hardest for being AF and then sitting at the campsite in Yosemite. It's probably a good thing that none of our friends from out there or DS isn't joining us as then it would be more tempting. I'm just going to do my best. We will bring AF beer. Sure glad you weren't involved in the accident with your new car!!!! Sounds like you helped diffuse the situation. Timer is going off. See you in the morning. |
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Post by cindy on May 5, 2024 2:59:13 GMT
Hi All!
Apologies for not posting. Didn't sleep well last night and when I went back to bed, Ainsley thought she should "groom" my hands....good exfoliating but....so finally got up, went back to bed, then back up, blah, blah, blah. I know the Tylenol, including the RX Tylenol is making me very tired.
I was surprised by the Imagining Place being open on Sunday as well but the machines can be operated 24/7 and when they aren't operating, no money is being made. I just want to have a decision by Wednesday what is going to be done. Walking is difficult and exhausting even though I'm using a cane. I feel like a slug.
But with that said, I'm heading back to bed.
Hugs to all, Cindy
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I had thought I might get up this morning and go to the Bird Fest over by the river but after yesterdays hiking around I decided to pass. They used to have it at the park by our house but now it's a drive so going to work on something else this morning. Got some things done yesterday. In the morning I found a bike rack on FB and let the girl know I'd buy it. They couldn't meet until after 6, and it was in a town about an hour south of here. Still worth it so I did my shopping, walked by the park, DH mowed and took a bike ride. He decided to stay home to have dinner ready when I'd get home @7 so I decided to go @3 to visit Horicon Marsh with my camera on my way. I hiked part of the loop in the marsh, it's HUGE, largest in the US at over 31,000 acres. Great place for bird migration, photos etc. Would love to be there early in the morning or at dusk just to see all the activity. I took quite a few photos of the geese and goslings, so cute. I was way overdressed in jeans and a sweatshirt as it was over 70, but had fun exploring. Sure I'll go back. Met up with the bike person, they met me right near the hwy, so that made it easy. Back on the road by 10 after 6 and home before 7. All the outside time and driving the farmlands got me excited about our trip. Have a few things to do today, get scripts, maybe check out some plants, DH wants to get to green waste and we will see how the rack works on the back of the van. They are talking some rain by this afternoon but it's beautiful and sunny right now so I better get moving to take advantage of the good weather. Have a great day all. I'll check back later. Jan