Alcohol Free Is What We Want to Be! Wednesday, February 7

New Challenge: Dryuary and beyond! Or Dampuary to begin!
January 1 - February 10 (Lunar New Year)

"I look to 2024 with a renewed commitment to Progress” and
“Out the Door in 2024” (thanks Cathy!)

Let’s Begin!

Will this be your year? Embrace 2024 with eyes wide open, with accountability, with not just going along, but being the best you can be. For many January 1 is a repeat of a cycle. We may be happy where we are personally, maybe with a bit of tweaking but there remains a niggling if I could just lose those pounds, if I could eat more cleanly, if I could just commit to excercising, could I just get some decent sleep! So let the tweaking and niggling begin to make this year work for us! It will be an adventure and can only enhance us.

Are you ready for this new challenge? If wavering, no matter, join in and take what works for you. Share, enjoy the bonding. But also ask yourself what is holding you back?

How do we kick off the New Year? For many it is the commitment to healthy eating, no drinking and getting into shape. We want to cleanse ourselves of what may be holding us back from being the person we want to be. However, true cleansing does not mean just ridding the body of toxins. We're exposed to harmful substances all the time; they're in our diet (pesticides, microbes, and mercury, to name a few) and the very air we breathe (think disinfectants, deodorizers, and the gasses released by fresh paint). We can choose to eliminate as many of these as possible. But there is also a Spiritual aspect as well. Toxins bring you down. When we eliminate harmful substances from our diet and eliminate as many as possible from our lives, we will feel rejuvenated from the inside out.

During the holidays we can easily overload on food and alcohol as well as the commercialization of the holiday. We may feel inundated with stress and turn to self medication through food and alcohol, and repeat the cycle the next day. The sense of joy and peace that we seek will not be found.

So here we are on the first day of the NEW YEAR! Where will you be a year from today? Will you still be wondering why you are looking for satisfaction through food and alcohol or are you ready to make a change and cleanse yourself of old habits. Let's take the first 40 days of this year to create new habits, cleanse ourselves of old habits, and become the person we know we can be.

From January 1 through February 10 we are challenging ourselves to go without alcohol and cleanse ourselves of habits that make ourselves feel bloated, anxious, and just overwhelmed. For some alcohol issues cannot be manage on your own and this board is here to support you in getting help. This board has posters at many different stages in the journey. Some know that being AF is the way to go, others hope to be AIM, but we are all conscious of the slippery slope that can lead to AIE. We want to feel empowered, not let toxins control us, but let us control toxins.

You will not be kicked out of the challenge because of a slip but understand why the slip, talk about it. Christmas and New Year's may have given you a freedom to overindulge but don't let that continue.

Anytime is a good time to start, there is no magic with a Monday, or starting with the next day since today is lost....but there is some sort of magic with January 1. We are more determined, more open to admitting to our new year resolution because we are all in it together. The trick is to keep that MOMENTUM going and it is a commitment to forty days!

Let's make our living environment a healthy environment. Face it, no matter how motivated, committed you are, on January 1, having alcohol, junk food, trigger foods, in your kitchen is not going to help. Give it away, dump it, GET RID OF IT! Temptation is going to happen. Don't make it easier to give in. You are only kidding yourself when you say I have it in the house for company, for the kids, the just in case.

Assess your kitchen....ask does this help me or hinder me? DO NOT have a sentimental attachment to alcohol or food.....the stuff will still be out there, it does not magically disappear. Remember, this is your health! This is your LIFE!

Let's get going and get those pounds out the door!

Great success vibes to all!

Good (early) morning all! I guess taking that long nap yesterday messed with my sleep and I woke up really early. I stayed in bed a while but I kept worrying about my DB so I just got up. Not much planned for the day so I can get another nap if I want to! I do have to pick up groceries for Motel Ministry this morning but then I don't really have anything until choir rehearsal tonight. I talked with DSIL yesterday and spoke with DB for just a second. He is just so weak it's hard for him to even talk on the phone. He had PT and OT yesterday and that really tired him as well. I'm planning to go tomorrow to spend some time with him so DSIL can have a break.

Carole - I nearly spit my tea out laughing at the thought of you jumping over the counter to smack someone who doesn't like M&M's! I'm right there with you girl! How is that even possible??? At Bible study yesterday, a woman brought an assortment of the BEST doughnuts I've ever had and one of them had bacon on it. I offered to split it with another lady and she said she would rather have blueberry. Now I like a good blueberry anything but how can you turn down bacon??

Liz - hope you have a relaxing day at home. Will DH go to the track or something so you can really relax?

Amy - hope the dryer is fixed soon. Didn't you say that the repairman is supposed to come tomorrow? Loved the collage of all the old tv shows! I remember all of them!

GG - I haven't seen My Fair Lady in so long. I did see a production of it at the Barter Theater in Abingdon, VA several years ago and it was wonderful. So many great songs!

Cindy - Hope the cold doesn't linger. Seriously - consider getting some elderberry syrup. I swear by it now!

Jan - I'm hoping to get my sewing machine back this week although it's not like I have a pile of clothes waiting to be mended. I did hem a pair of jeans by hand that I would like to rehem on the machine at some point.

Cathy - is your internet running smoother?

Think I'll fix another cup of tea. Hope everyone has a great morning!
Murphy

New Challenge: Dryuary and beyond! Or Dampuary to begin!
January 1 - February 10 (Lunar New Year)

"I look to 2024 with a renewed commitment to Progress”
“Out the Door in 2024”

NUTRITION ACCOUNTABILITY
Drink more water: 60 oz Trying to do better each day and be more consistent.
One or more fruit daily: 2
One or more vegetable daily: 3
Dryuary AF: 38
Dampuary AIM:
Sauced ANIM:
Fitbit Goal/burned: 2,000/2,470
JUST JOURNAL!

HABIT ACCOUNTABILITY
Move Accountability: 7,613 steps, 10/11 hours, 75 PU, 7 floors, stairs, stretches,
Sleep Accountability: 6+ hours, 76 sleep, 77 stress, read in bed, slept better
Nutrition Accountability: 25/23 points 29 weeklies. HB eggs, banana, apple, chicken and rice LO, goldfish, pretzels, WW cookies, Ahi, asparagus, potatoes, Halo top 1/2 slice Banana bread
Fitbit Macros: 1,751cal. 47% Carbs, 26% fat, 27% protein. 219 left
Happiness Accountability: 5 Feeling happy and ready for the challenge
Habit Accountability: Exercise bar. 0/4. did tiny habits, tracking it all
Check in Daily Accountability: 5 I'm here!!
Time Management Accountability: Worked 6 1/2, tv time, not much
What did you do for yourself today? 4 TV time, journal, read
Please post a NSV (non-scale victory), LSP (little sign of progress), PA (positive affirmation) or motivational quote. "Your commitment to the process will determine your progress." Atomic Habits

AGAIN, JUST JOURNAL!

CHALLENGE START WEIGHT, Jan 1: 207. edited: 206 officially at WW.
Weigh in Jan 8: 205.4. at home
January 15: 205.4 Was lower at home, more winter clothes 
January 22: 204.9 At home
January 29: 204.4 at WW
February 5: 204 203.6 this morning at home
Final Weigh In February 10:

Good morning all. Ready to face another crazy day but at least I know they don't schedule appts between 12-2 on Monday and Wednesdays so Cari can get caught up on the files. I will work on other things but it won't be as stressfull. My NSV are just staying out of the junk. I bought a bag of S'mores Goldfish, not sure about the weird little marshmallows, like Lucky Charms, but they keep the sweet tooth at bay and I can count them out. My WW cookies are helping too. I need to pick up my scripts today and then maybe look for some B complex or B-12 and see if I start taking that if my energy will improve. I'm almost out of multi vitamins too but I have been so much better about taking them. I did nothing after dinner last night. Probably should start another easy hat that I can do without thinking when I'm tired. Both my other projects involve following a chart and counting and I'm just not up for it at the end of the day. Also need something easy to work on at knitting tomorrow. I'm looking forward to visiting with my friends. I did stay up and watch part of the 2nd Top Gun movie, I finally went up to bed to read though. I think I'd like to rewatch the first one to kind of remember the story. Guess I better get moving. If I don't get an AP bar this morning before work I know I will be hopeless after. Have a great Hump Day all. Jan

Murphy Sorry to hear about your DB, glad you can go spend time with him tomorrow and give your DSIL some respite. I've seen the bacon donuts but never tried one Those dang MMs are the hardest thing to avoid at work. They are so small and look so innocent. The advice I've been given is just keep imagining that everyone in the office has stuck their hands in that big jar and you don't want that yuck. Except I know at least the people I've seen use little dixie cups that are right there for scooping Well, I will make it through another day!! Just like saying no to the wine witch.

Carole I can't even believe you would still go to the gym and "take it easy" ha ha. I would be using every excuse as to why I couldn't possibly exercise with my Owwie. Sorry about the bunny but glad you Juno got out for a long walk and you got some quiet time at home. I am sitting here now at the kitchen counter on my computer, DH is upstairs on the desk top computer, but the TV is still going in the other room. At least it's quiet enough that I can't really hear.

Liz Hope you can just have a nice day at home and work on your own projects. What was the name of the steak house you went with the other day? I was looking online and looking at menus trying to guess. Has DD heard any more about her shoulder?

Amy Glad you got in a walk in the nice weather. Hope you found everything you needed at Walmart, I usually spend that much and still have to go to another store! And it's just the 2 of us. No plants are showing up at our stores yet, even tho we are having this fake teasing springlike weather. GL with the dryer guy and hope it's not too $$$ for the fix. Yay for DH being AF and thinking about his food choices and his health. I'm hoping by my Dr appt in March after 2 months AF my numbers will look better. I want to at least get off one med, either BP or CHolesterol, which I just started about 2 years ago. Work has been going fast, and yay I will get paid again next week and have in quite a lot of hours

Waving hi. I will check in after work.

Hi girls. Last week I was up 2.6, this week I was down 3. I’ll take it! Usually that doesn’t happen! I’m glad I didn’t go into the out of control cycle. This week I used all of my weeklies, but I don’t use my activity points. It worked this week! Yesterday after the Y I had a drs appointment. Their scale shows I am down 5 pounds since I first went there. I had my bloodwork done and everything is good! DH and I watched the latest Indiana Jones movie on Payperview. It was ok, but no 65 year old Indiana Jones could do all that! 😂 This morning was Bible study. I really like it. The content is great, and the questions really make you think differently. It’s made for some really good discussions! Tonight is choir! 😁🎶 As soon as I finish this, I’m going for a short walk in the 50 degree sunshine!

Murphy: So sorry to hear DB is so weak. I was hoping to hear he was doing better. I don’t know that I would want a donut with bacon on it either! Now chocolate, that’s another story!

Carole: DD has a “few” M&M’s and then closes the package. Who does that? Of course she does that with chips too. She doesn’t take after me in that respect!

Amy: Does DH usually check his sugar? Or was that from results of a blood Test?

Jan: I hope you’re not as tired tonight. But that’s how I feel after the Y. Just tired. Plus being brain tired is hard!

Cindy: So sorry you ended up with DS’s cold!

Cathy: Yay for being a social butterfly! Enjoy!