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Post by amyj on Apr 14, 2024 13:02:22 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 Apr 14, 2024 13:03:22 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 Apr 14, 2024 13:03:39 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 tatermom on Apr 14, 2024 13:21:02 GMT
"I look to 2024 with a renewed commitment to Progress” “Out the Door in 2024” NUTRITION ACCOUNTABILITY Drink more water: daily goal 70: 45 oz One or more fruit daily: 1 One or more vegetable daily: 1 Dryuary AF: 105 Fitbit Goal/burned: 2,000/2,347 JUST JOURNAL! HABIT ACCOUNTABILITY Move Accountability: Step goal 7500: 5,848 steps, 9/11 hours, 0 PU, 4 floors, stretches, toe touches. Sleep Accountability: 5 hours, 68 sleep, 84 stress, Nutrition Accountability: 34/23 pts, -8 weeklies, eggs, sausage, English muffin, PB, 2 cookies, 1/2 quest, turkey pastrami sandwich, fries, chips Fitbit Macros: 1,727 calories, 40% Carbs, 38% fat, 22% protein. 120 left. average for week 1,667 Happiness Accountability: 5 feeling happy Habit Accountability: Exercise bar 4/4. Check in Daily Accountability: 5 I'm here!! Time Management Accountability: 4 Visit with family, grocery store, baseball game, driving home, TV time, cats, read in bed What did you do for yourself today? 4 TV time, read Please post a NSV (non-scale victory), LSP (little sign of progress), PA (positive affirmation) or motivational quote. “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day-in and day-out" CHALLENGE START WEIGHT 4/1/24: 198 officially at WW this morning  April 8: 197.8 April 15: April 22: April 29: May 6: May 13: May 20: May 27: End of Challenge, May 31: Good morning all. Back at my routine and it’s going to be a beautiful day out. Even tho I went up by 8 last night and thought I would be right to sleep, I read til 10 and then it says my sleep was really crazy. Sure it will be better tonight after being home and back to “normal”. Took the cats a bit to re-adjust, in and out, meowing for food. You’d think they’d been home alone for months! All good this morning, sleeping in the sun with full tummies. I will figure out a breakfast and some meals for today and then do a grocery run. We went to a store yesterday just to find some salsas and things that I can never find up here. Of course some cookies jumped in my cart but I shared with my cousin at the baseball game and then left 2 for her son who was playing.. Last night DH brought home a single bakery piece of German Chocolate cake with his dinner supplies. I avoided that, but now it’s still here and I”m sure a few bites will be had at some point today. Going to try to get him to go with me to Walmart and get 10 or so bags of bark to at least start in the front. Want to get some back down before the weeds take hold. No other plans for the day, just hang out. Then tomorrow and Tuesday I’ll finish up at work and I’ve written down Go to the Y on Wednesday. Now to shove myself out the door. Need to put away the big puzzle I finally finished and maybe start a smaller one I picked up at the senior center. Sis is supposed to come down on Thursday and then will go on to Madison on Saturday for a big horse show she always goes to in the spring with her good friend from Illinois. Saturday is DH birthday so thinking ahead about that. Hope you are all having a nice weekend. Jan Cathy Glad you got to talk to DD and will talk to DS tonight. Always thinking of you when we see all this crazy news of what’s going on over there. Yay for focusing on what you want and working to make that scale behave. Glad you got together with friends and enjoyed yourself. Cindy Does the vertigo stuff just supposedly go away at some point? Waiting to hear what you need to do to take care of yourself. Has the pond dried up yet? Liz Glad you checked in. DS says you all have been having rain a lot. Hope your spring arrives and you can get outside. Those babies are growing up fast. Hope DD got her housework caught up and you had fun with the kids. How is DH doing? Any more complaints or worries? Amy Did you get your starts planted? Have the animals been leaving your beds alone? It was fun to see how much more was blooming down in the Chicago area, amazing how just that much further south everything has taken off. All the magnolias, tulips, flowering trees. We are just starting up here. Sorry there weren’t many treasures at the garage sales but glad your chair disappeared. It’s probably at someone else’s sale with a price tag on it  . Better get moving. |
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Post by amyj on Apr 14, 2024 13:28:17 GMT
Out the door in 2024!
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: 72 oz
One or more fruit daily: Y
One or more vegetable daily: Y
AF: (mostly alcohol free since August 16, 2006): 6460; ANIM: 1 (021221)
AIM: N
ANIM: N
Fitbit Goal/burned: 2170/1996
JUST JOURNAL!
HABIT ACCOUNTABILITY
Move Accountability: 3, 11,100+ steps, 250 steps 7/8 hours, walked the nature trail, garage sales, laps in basement, counter pushups, stretches
Sleep Accountability: 3, up late reading, slept well, <7 hours, Fitbit score 81, stress management 79
Nutrition Accountability: 2, 35/23, 20 weeklies left, blueberry muffin, chips, ice cream
Happiness Accountability: 3, enjoyed the day, garage sales fun, stitched, read before bed
Habit Accountability: 3, drinking more water than diet Coke
Check in Daily Accountability: 3, I'm here!
Time Management Accountability: 3, garage sales, couch time, stitching
What did you do for yourself today? Reading, couch time, time outside
Please post a NSV (non-scale victory), LSP (little sign of progress), PA (positive affirmation) or motivational quote: “You can either experience the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The choice is yours.” —Unknown
Start weight, April 1: 168.8
April 8: 168
April 15:
April 22:
April 29:
May 6:
May 13:
May 20:
May 27:
End of Challenge, May 31:
2024 Goals:
11,000 steps each day: 101/104
At least 7 hours sleep: 51/104
Lift weights twice/week: Wk 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13:only once, 14, 15
Blue dots: 93/104
Starting weight: 179.8
Get to the 160's: March 10, 2024
150s:
DH, DS, & I took the golf cart to the nature trail yesterday morning to walk. I surprised to not see a lot of other people, since it was so nice. When we got back we had bacon, scrambled eggs, fresh fruit and blueberry muffins for breakfast. When DS left I headed out to the garage sales, there were some new ones, but didn't find much. When I got back I had some couch time. We had leftover broccoli soup and grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner. I watched a cute movie, Falling for Figaro on Netflix. I stayed up a bit late reading, but slept well.
It's another bright and sunny day here, starting in the 50's, heading for the 80's. We're going to meet DS at Six Flags. DH is grumbling that he's not going, we'll see...
Liz- Glad you are feeling better and could check in. WTG AIM, tracking, watching the kiddies so DD can get some stuff done. The afghan with Christmas yarn sounds lovely. I am excited for the trip, DH is grumbling about that too, but will come around.
Vicki- Yay for the spring luncheon and celebrating DH's birthday.
Jan- Glad you had a nice time and did not come home with new art. Yay for a lot of walking. I bought a hanging shoe holder at a garage sale that I'm gong to put yarn in. I'll take a pic when I get it organized.
Cindy- Yay for getting steps.
Cathy- WTG refocusing, choosing and implementing a plan for your diet. Glad you were able to talk with your daughter.
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Post by amyj on Apr 14, 2024 13:36:40 GMT
Jan- WTG steps 9/11, stretches, tracking, AF, getting back to your routine. Sorry your sleep was messed up. Yay for a beautiful day. Sounds like you have a fun week ahead. The desk chair was comfortable, but the "pleather" was peeling off of it, so I doubt if it could be resold. I still haven't put in the bedding plants, but it's probably just as well as it's been so windy. It's supposed to be good weather all week, so maybe tomorrow? For the most part the animals stay out of the raised beds and containers, except for the neighbor's cats.
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Post by amyj on Apr 14, 2024 13:39:09 GMT
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Post by amyj on Apr 14, 2024 13:40:02 GMT
M-W Word of the Day
brusque
adjective | BRUSK
What It Means
A person may be described as brusque when they are talking or behaving in a very direct, brief, and unfriendly way. Brusque can also describe speech that is noticeably short and abrupt.
// We knew something was wrong when our normally easygoing professor was brusque and impatient with our class.
// She asked for a cup of coffee and received a brusque reply: “We don't have any.”
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Post by lizmawmn on Apr 14, 2024 15:18:03 GMT
New Challenge: CARING April 1 - May 31
DAILY STATS
Allowed/consumed: 1,290/1,402
Fitbit Calorie Burned: 1,921
Fitbit Step Goal/Actual:6,500/3,212
Exercise goal Bike: NO
AIM
Start weight, April 1: 212.0
April 8: 212.2
April 15:
April 22:
April 29:
May 6:
May 13:
May 20:
May 27:
End of Challenge, May 31:
Good morning!
Looking forward to just staying home and doing some cooking and knitting. Yesterday, after I had just gotten out of the shower, DD called me and said that I didn't need to go over and watch Michael. Her DH finished a job early and was able to stay with Michael as she took Isabel for her photos. DH has been stepping up a little even if it is for an hour or so to watch the baby alone. I have to say he really has been a pretty good Dad, he loves a lot of outdoor activities with Isabel. He doesn't want her afraid of bugs and spiders like her mother, lol. I was able to run out and pick up the few items that I needed for a crockpot chicken recipe that I want to make today. I treated myself with 3 lobster rolls. It was lobster salad in finger size rolls, so I took the lobster salad out of the rolls and threw the rolls away because I am following a low/no carb plan. All total was 5.6 oz. all for the sale price of $17.97, but so worth it, yum! I know I am going to have to start incorporating some exercise soon if I want to follow the same weight loss journey as the last time. I think I started walking around this time so I need to come up with something soon if I want to lose as I did last time. Of course I know I was AF then and not AIM as I am now.
Cindy~ Hope you were able to get some rest last night. I remeber when I was fighting vertigo (not migraine related), as soon as I put my head on the pillow, the room would start spinning. Mine was more a positional vertigo. I hope you can get some relief.
Jan~ Was it a day trip to Chicago for a special event or just a day into the city? How far of a drive was it from home? DH complains every now and then but it has not been as bad as it was. Thank goodness, he has his own car and usually goes out Wednesday through Sunday several hours out of the day, gives me my peace time.
Amy~ The garage sales sound like fun. Is it a community thing or a particular route that you follow. Hope you found stuff you could use for your crafts. I laugh about your DH grumbling about doing things, my DH is a grumbler too!
Vicki~ Yay for celebrating DH's birthday with the family, and hope you got that nap in! No, I don't go to DD's daily but I try to get there at least twice a week to give her a hand. It has been hard for her since Michael was born, two kids and a dog and 2 twenty-four hour shifts that she does not have her DH around at all can be overwhelming and exhausting.
Cathy~ Sounds like you have a plan to get a handle on it and focus on where you want to be and how you want to get there.
Waving Hi to Murphy, Vicki, and Carole!!
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Post by flower on Apr 14, 2024 20:53:53 GMT
Hi! I need to read the posts but before I forgot, Amy, my brother and family are in Delray Beach. It looks like they’re at a craft fair. They are at Elisabetta’s. Anyway! Just thought that’d give you some fond memory!
I went for a 25 mile bike ride today! My legs are tired. It’s beautiful out. I’m now on our swing reading. Thinking of going in to take a shower. Back to the grind tomorrow.
Going back to read, maybe be back later
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Post by cindy on Apr 15, 2024 2:54:23 GMT
Hi All!
So if I understood the doctor correctly there is an overlapping in the nerve cells causing misfiring...which means "hunh?". I've had migraines, some worse than others. But with a vestibular migraine, the headache may not be that present. The unsteadiness and loss of balance was what I was having along with what I would have called a stinger headache. The doctor I saw did not want to prescribe any long term meds but gave me samples of Ativan for the dizziness but said to see my regular physician. Basically rest/sleep, drink fluids, keep lights low or dark. I'm better today though still taking it slow. My left knee is still messed up and need to see someone on that this week.
GG, in the literature it said "it is known that women tend to suffer more from the condition than men, and symptoms may get worse around menstruation". Something DD might want to check out.
On a good note, the A/C is fixed. However, the septic alarm light is still on though the water has receded. So a call to them tomorrow.
My mantra is this is going to be a good week. Want to catch up with all of you!
Hugs, Cindy
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Post by cathygeha on Apr 15, 2024 6:54:29 GMT
Start weight, April 1: 165.2 April 8: 165 April 15: 166 April 22: April 29: May 6: May 13: May 20: May 27: End of Challenge, May 31: April 15: 166
My sister and I are checking in with one another again at the end of the day to let one another know how we did staying on program. We have the intention of being back down on the scale where we were at our lowest and perhaps lower.
Somewhere I picked up a cold. I had trouble sleeping last night because I am not a mouth-breather and was unable to breathe while sleeping. Sitting up to sleep wasn't as easy as I'd hoped and it took me back to having a baby with a cold and sitting up with that baby on my chest to ease its breathing. I am glad colds only last a few days so know I will be back to "normal" soon.
Here's to having a goal achieving week with much to look forward to!
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