February Mod Squad

[Eve11]

Hey modders and lurkers,

As the song goes, "It's a new dawn, it's a new day..." so now it's a new month so let's make it a great one.

I read another great book and have lots of good info to share so will be posting more. Unfortunately no time now but just wanted to get our February post started.

Share how you've been modders and let's hang together to support each other in our moderation goals.

:l
Eve11

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2BtmYmJthA[/video]]Ronan Parke - Feeling Good - Better than original.flv - YouTube

[drinkingal]

February Mod Squad

Hi eve, thanks for keeping things going here, you are a champ :l

I've been having mixed success so far this year, when I get my head in the right place I don't even care about drinking or give it much thought which is new for me, but I still slip up and drink for a few days after. Sometimes I think the thought of drinking is more appealing than the actual drinking which leaves me feeling like crapola most of the time

[Eve11]

February Mod Squad

“Groundhog Day” is one of my favorite movies. If you haven’t seen it, Bill Murray wakes up on Groundhog day and has a series of events that do not show his best behavior. The next morning he is surprised to hear the same song on the radio and see the same things outside of his window. He is having the ultimate de je vu experience. It turns out to be Groundhog day again and Bill’s character is allowed to keep redoing the day with the things he has learned from his mistakes the day before. He has to keep reliving it until he gets it right.

I like to apply that thought process to my recovery and good health. Hopefully I have learned from my mistakes this past year and can emerge stronger and wiser.

Like Ally and Drinkingal, I too have made a lot of changes. I picked up book “The Science of Skinny” written by a local gal who is a chemist and nutritionist and she really started to make me realize how bad transfat and processed foods are. Basically anything in a box or with too many additives with words a person can’t even pronounce should be avoided. Her revelation came about when she was whipping up Angel Food Cake and she noticed the ingredient Sodium lauryl sulfate. Yes, it was the same thing (a detergent-like chemical) that she used to test smelly water samples. So, the more natural one can eat…the better.

Along with getting healthier food wise, it just makes sense to not over-do it with drinking. With all of her research she doesn’t rule out alcohol completely but states it must be done in moderation as alcohol puts our bodies in an acidic state and we need to be alkaline to function the best. Also, alcohol disrupts the livers fat-burning effieciency. So, trying to lose weight and drinking alcohol…not a good combo.

So, it’s Groundhog day. For me, it’s a new day!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2BtmYmJthA[/video]]Ronan Parke - Feeling Good - Better than original.flv - YouTube


Eve11

[New Day]

February Mod Squad

Hello Eve and Drinkingal.......I've just completed my first 30 days AF. It was my desire to be able to moderate and from advice I read here, it was suggested I do 30 days AF first before trying. I am happy to see there is an area of MWO to gain support while doing that.

I haven't decided when I might try and moderate.....certainly not this weekend because I'm babysitting my 10 month old Grandson. But when the time is right, I'm thinking I would like to join you if I may. I've been to,d it is a mistake, but I see there are successful moderators here......how do I know I can't be one unless I try too. Yes, you can argue that I haven't been successful in the past.....but neither had I been successful in going more than a couple of days AF.....but I've done that now and just feel I'm of a different mindset when it comes to AL. But who know? Only one way to find out I suppose.

Thanks for listening.

[Eve11]

February Mod Squad

Hi New Day,

:greatjob2: on your 30 days! :thumbs:

This link may help with your decision and it explains my feelings of whether a person can moderate or not. The all or nothing approach can be daunting. Some find they can moderate but most with AL problems cannot. However, for those who cannot, when given options, they realize abstinence is the best approach when they are ready to realize that.

https://www.mywayout.org/community/f3...ate-68441.html

Feel free to join us anytime. This site is an extremely nonjudgmental and safe place for all.

:l
Eve11

[drinkingal]

February Mod Squad

Hi newday and congrats on 30 days! that is really a huge accomplishment. Dealing with our drinking is such a personal thing that you have to do what is right for you so whether you remain abstinent or decide to moderate, you are welcome here. Feel free to just tell us what you're struggling with or even if you're just having a good day or week. This board is very relaxed about things although it has become a bit quiet lately.

eve, what you said about this "Also, alcohol disrupts the livers fat-burning effieciency. So, trying to lose weight and drinking alcohol…not a good combo" reminded me of something I read recently, that alcohol interrupts the liver's ability to clear triglycerides from the blood so they just keep building up. I always thought it was the sugar in alcohol that raised your triglycerides but it seems there's much more to it, and that's gotta make losing weight harder. This was interesting to me because last time I was tested my trigs were way high so it's another good reason to keep things in moderation.

[ToMyHealth]

February Mod Squad

Hi Eve, DG, and welcome New Day! I've been one of the MIA but feel I'm ready to come back and moderate better to coincide with my goal of losing 3-5#. Doesn't sound like much but I'm enough overweight where my clothes are not fitting well.

Eve, I ordered the book from the library. Ordered an E-book so will interesting to see if I can make that work on my Kindle.

New Day - :welcome: I, too, congratulate you on your 30 days AF! Did you lose weight? Do you feel tons better?

:hiya: DG - sounds like you're doing pretty well.

Getting company this week so not sure how much I'll be checking in. But certainly more than I have been

TMH

[Lila]

February Mod Squad

hi Modders!
TMH, good to see you back!
NewDay, that is great! Keep checking in, do you know what you will do?
DG, I don't know that stuff at all, but I was always worried about my liver, etc.
Eve, I read once to "shop the four walls" and I really do. But yes, it is creepy to see so many chemicals listed in food. I didn't know SLS was added to food! I am trying to avoid it in my hair!
well, modders, today is my 3rd day no alcohol. I don't miss it. I have a cup of soothing tea to relax. Somewhere I read that alcohol is an anti-anxiety med, and for me it really has been. I don't think I feel a lot different. But I am proud of myself!
happy monday, all!
L

[Stewarts]

February Mod Squad

Hi all, I haven't been on in awhile...things have been strange and I'm definitely acting strange...ever since NYE things have not been the same. I don't necessarily drink in excess, I don't even feel drunk or anything like that, but enough to alter my mood to feel self loathing and send my ex-gf, love, whatever, self-depricating messages...and I don't care that I'm doing this...which is REALLY odd...anytime I do something mean, embarassing, or not myself due to alcohol I always feel REALLY bad about it, now, I don't care, it's like an afterthought...like, Ahh whatever, like I don't care about my life anymore, at all.

I played hockey last night, yeah, we had a few beers after the game, it was an early one, but then I decided to go out by myself when I got home???? Why????

I am definitely in a bad mood today, I can feel it....its definitely depression

My life really hasn't been that bad, I'm a little over weight for my liking, but a little overweight for my liking, does not mean fat, it means I'm not running or skating as fast as I like, I need to lose 5-7 to feel good, ten would be real nice, but you get the point.

I've been dating a lot! And cool women too! A few psychos here and there, but with my 38th birthday coming up tomorrow, meeting a 25 year old, japanese, former model, that's into you, is a real shot for the male ego....

Don't know why, it feels like a slow downward spiral....strange, it's like nothing drastic, like you hear about people just totally giving up, and they get rip roaring waster, start fights, act, crazy, end up in jail etc....its like a slow, slow, destruction of my id.

Ex just said my sadness scares her...anyway, not sure what's going on... I think I've simply just given up and really don't care anymore...

[drinkingal]

February Mod Squad

Hi modders,

TMH it's good to see you check in and let us know how the weight loss goes.

Hi Lila, 3 days af is great. I'm starting to think more about my liver too these days and I know the more days off I give it the better. I know I've put it through a lot in the past.

Stewarts, so sorry to hear you are feeling so down about things. I saw an interview with Kristen johnson (she was in 3rd rock from the sun) recently and she said she used to stash her phone away so that she didn't drunk dial people, this was when she was drinking every night and she didn't trust herself not to do it when drunk. I think we do regret it or feel embarrassed the next day and it just gives us more things to feel bad about which can make controlling our drinking harder. Alcohol makes us do things we wouldn't normally do sober and it can make us feel really dark at times. I think part of this is probably alcohol affecting your brain chemistry so I'm wondering if you know how much you are drinking each week? do you keep track of it?

[nonamegirl]

February Mod Squad

HI, I'm joining in.

HI, all,
I'm joining in. I'll try to be a good member, posting and supporting and such... unlike my usual tendency to lurk. I am getting my head and heart ready for another 30 AF... it just isn't quite there yet. I have gone back and forth with the moderation or abstinence decision so much that I feel like I'm on a swing set. I did start with DrinkTracker, in case anyone wants to check up on me... you guys I promise to be honest with.
Thanks for being here, and for welcoming me, always.

[New Day]

February Mod Squad

Hello again ...... Just read some welcoming posts......sorry, I havent been by to read them earlier.
TMH .... sadly, even with 37 days AF, I havent lost any weight. Part of my motivation at the beginning to go AF was to lose some weight (10 - 15 lbs would be nice), and I thought it would just fall off when I stopped consuming 1 1/2 bottles of wine a night! My eating habits haven't changed, but my drinking certainly has, so what gives?!
Anyway, I haven't had any social occasions lately to tempt me, but this Saturday I'm throwing my daughter a Birthday Brunch for family and her friends for her 33rd. We will have Mimosas with Brunch, and I do plan to toast her birthday with one (or 2...hehehe). It will be a test for me to start to moderate.

Also, Valentines Day is next week, and I would like to have a glass or 2 of wine with hubby then. I do plan on taking it slow to see how it goes.

Any suggestions from past experience, anyone?

[Eve11]

February Mod Squad

Stewarts, :ls to you.

Because alcohol is a depressant, if I have more than my limit of two, I usually always find myself depressed the following day. I think some of your depression may be related to just that. The darn old alcohol when you overindulge. Maybe you should start a tracking system where you are keeping track of When, Where, With Who, How much, Any Triggers why you drank, and How you felt the next day. Make up index cards that you carry and be sure that before you take the 2nd drink or 3rd, etc. that you are recording the amount on your card of how many. Then be sure to fill it out the next day. Sometimes tracking this stuff helps us to see things with a better perspective. :-)

nonamegirl, :welcome: Please don't feel pressure to post. Everyone is welcome to lurk too. We believe all of our members are good, whether they post daily, or need breaks. Whenever they return, they fit right back in and always have something to offer (usually at the best time). We're glad you're here and there will be lots of good info to support you. It can be a difficult decision to moderate or abstain and it's so personal and individual that it's hard to give someone else advice. I can share that many studies support the fact that when people are given choices to decide, they usually make the best one for themselves. If they eventually choose abstinence, they seem to be able to do better as they are emotionally and psychologically ready than when it is court mandated and/or forced by someone else.

New Day, This old post of mine may help you when you are trying to moderate (especially in a difficult situation). https://www.mywayout.org/community/f3...ion-36951.html

Hi to everyone else!

:l
Eve11

[New Day]

February Mod Squad

Thanks Eve for the link. When I'm hosting (as I am on Saturday) I'm always conscious of not drinking before the food is all served and everything is under control. It was always after everyone was gone, and I was left to clean up that I would start to drink more. However, because it is a brunch, that shouldn't be too much of a temptation.....I was never a daytime drinker.
So I'll let you know how this experiment of mine goes. Thanks for the support.

[nonamegirl]

February Mod Squad

Eve, thank you for the welcome and the advice. And for saying that it is okay to lurk. I feel at home, here. :l:thanks::h