Post Your Moderation Rules

[zed]

Post Your Moderation Rules

That sounds like a good start, and a realistic plan Frances. All the best, and keep us fellow Modders informed on how it's working out. Good luck! You can do it.
Z

[Kid Shelleen]

Post Your Moderation Rules

One and I'm done...

Zed,
If I remember correctly, you've had a few good days on Tracker, yes?
How do you feel? Redefining "Buzz". I guess one would have to if you wanted to drink less and were drinking to get a buzz. I admit, one drink definitely doesn't get me where I'd like to go, but I've been amazed. Like you, now I'm only drinking QUALITY stuff,what ever I drink, and if I let my one drink sink in for a half hour, I realize I'm actually feeling pretty good!
My "one drink" rule protects me because if I break it, alarms are going off. I feel like I'm on a stage,since I'll be bringing the results back here. It is a definite buzz killer for me. I try my best to enjoy it, but I don't like breaking my rule so I stop at 2 or 3. Damage control, even when I've "lost control".
I like to keep it simple but I am going to explore more specific rules and goals for the coming year. Success, achieving these goals, is exciting and there are a couple of things I want to fine tune in my life.
Looking forward to sharing the adventure,
~Kid~

[DeeBee]

Post Your Moderation Rules

"What does one glass do for you?"

This was asked of me the other day and I didn't have an answer. Why drink one glass? Why not just stay AF?
One glass certainly doesn't give me a buzz, it doesn't help me to relax, it doesn't make me forget my worries like a BOX used to -- so why am I still allowing myself ONE glass on the odd occassion?

I dunno -- I need to give this question some serious thought.... but I'd love to hear your thoughts -- might make sense of the jumble going on in my brain.

[irish eyes]

Post Your Moderation Rules

Not sure what I am doing!

Thanks for all your great tips, I am not sure what I am doing whether I am moderating or giving up for good. This is day 5 AF so far so good but obsessing about alcohol all morning weekend coming up my worst time usually binge on the wine friday and saturday and sometimes Thursday if I dont work on Friday. I have no work to morrow so I think that is why I am obsessing. I feel a binge coming on and this is where u all can help me. I love the one dont drink alone. I do most of my drinking alone I dont seem to have a problem socialising but close door and I preduce the bottle and I am gone. So I dont want to do that anymore. By the way how do you put icons on your posts?

[zed]

Post Your Moderation Rules

Hey Irisheyes, in the navigation bar you will see something called Quicklinks. Hit that, and in the Dropdown that you will get, you will see "Edit Options" -- if you click that, it will take you to your Profile page... on the left you will see a list of stuff, including something called "Change Avatar." The little pic is known as an Avatar... so hit that, and you can choose one for yourself, either from the gallery offered on the site, or by choosing something from your computer... through the "Browse" feature that let's you upload your own photo/ pic/ whatever. Hope that helps and look forward to seeing what you choose! Cheers.

Mr Kid and Ms Deebers - the 1 drink thing. Yes, I have struggled with that. I think we've hit on something very important here... and I hope we explore it. Unfortunately once again I am traveling from tomorrow until early Jan, with very little access to the internet, so I won't be able to participate... but it is something I am interested in/ need advice and support/ words of wisdom on, myself. I personally find very little satisfaction in one drink (have never been a 1 drink sort of drinker... needless to say..) so that's a hard one. Which is why, even on a completely successful Mod session, it's 2 drinks that I can realistically shoot for. Need that buzz, heck, why else who anyone hit the sauce anyhow? I've never quite understood people who drink for the taste... I drink, have always done so, and probably always will (who am I kidding) for the Buzz. So there.

Yes Kid, QUALITY is our way out. A better quality of buzz, less effects, less toxins, less quantities (due to the reality of wallet issues). I am ALL ABOUT THAT RULE and glad to say I am sticking to it. It's helping me keep it down in volume for the most part, stay healthy and not feel sick the next day on those occasions recently where I have strayed beyond my quota.

Cheers guys.

[Kid Shelleen]

Post Your Moderation Rules

(Now we're heating up THIS thread!) "Why stop at ONE???"

Irish: Zed got you straight on the avatar. If you need help on the "Smilies" or anything, let us know.
Zed: 2 drinks is a party for me now! I've worked down to one, high quality drink of any sort. I still get excited at the first sip; it's good stuff, so I DO like the taste and if I take it slow, I also get the slight but definite elevation of mood. I've adjusted my expectations, and look forward to the one drink the way I used to look forward to more. We will all work on this together if you'd like, but I think 2 drinks for you or anyone is very reasonable.
DeeBee: One drink subtly does those things, even if you don't notice. Try being more aware.
*It WILL help you relax, it just won't paralyze you!
* It won't give you a "buzz", per se, but it will give you a pleasant elevation of spirit.
* It has innumerable health benefits. In fact, though the medical community cannot in good conscience recommend a person BEGIN drinking, they aren't recommending that people stop drinking if they drink MODERATELY. There is no health benefit to stopping moderate drinking.
Moderate drinking is GOOD for you. That's another reason to drink ONE drink, instead of going AF.
Read this:
Benefits of Moderate Drinking Result from Alcohol Itself
by David J. Hanson, Ph.D.
"Some writers have been arguing that wine drinkers tend to be healthier than others because they generally have better health habits, not because they consume alcohol.
It?s true that wine drinkers tend to have better health habits than many others do. However, that can?t explain away the established medical fact that the moderate consumption of beer, wine or distilled spirits improves health and longevity. Both beer and liquor tend to confer the same health benefits as red wine; the benefit is found in the alcohol rather than in a specific beverage.
Alcohol reduces heart attacks, ichemic strokes and circulatory problems through a number of identified ways. They include:
Improving blood lipid profile by increasing HDL ("good") cholesterol and decreasing LDL ("bad") cholesterol.
Decreasing thrombosis (blood clotting) by reducing platelet aggregation, reducing fibrinogen (a blood clotter) and increasing fibrinolysis (the process by which clots dissolve).
Other ways such as increasing coronary blood flow, reducing blood pressure, and reducing blood insulin level.
The moderate consumption of alcohol appears to be more effective than most other lifestyle changes that are used to lower the risk of heart and other diseases. For example, the average person would need to follow a very strict low-fat diet, exercise vigorously on a regular basis, eliminate salt from the diet, lose a substantial amount of weight, and probably begin medication in order to lower cholesterol by 30 points or blood pressure by 20 points.
But medical research suggests that alcohol can have a greater impact on heart disease than even these hard-won reductions in cholesterol levels or blood pressure. Only cessation of smoking is more effective. Additionally, other medical research suggests that adding alcohol to a healthful diet is more effective than just following the diet alone.
After reviewing the research on heart diseases and stroke, Dr. David Whitten reported that "we don't have any drugs that are as good as alcohol" and noted investigator Dr. Curtis Ellison asserted that "abstinence from alcohol is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease."
The moderate consumption of alcohol appears to be beneficial in reducing or preventing even more diseases and health problems including angina pectoris bone fractures and osteoporosis, diabetes, digestive ailments, duodenal ulcer, erectile dysfunction (ED), essential tremors, gallstones, hearing loss, hepatitis A, kidney stones, liver disease, macular degeneration (a major cause of blindness), pancreatic cancer, Parkinson?s disease, poor cognition and memory, poor physical condition in elderly, rheumatoid arthritis, stress and depression, and type B gastritis.
It?s not surprising that the science-based Harvard Healthy Eating Pyramid recommends the regular moderate consumption of alcohol (beer, wine, or spirits) unless contraindicated.
It?s clear that the moderate consumption of alcohol improves health and increases longevity."

Now there's food for thought!!! Cheers!
~Kid~

[zed]

Post Your Moderation Rules

Cheers Kid.

I completely agree. 1 drink... that IS where it is at. That is the brilliance right there. 1 drink of anything, and if I can go for QUALITY... then I'm THERE.

Where I need to be.

Thanks Kid - for the clear, cool advice and experience. As we would expect from a man with a steady hand. You are the best buddy.

Ok, I'm gone now.

See you next year all you lovelies.

[irish eyes]

Post Your Moderation Rules

Thanks Zed and Kid getting there

[Kid Shelleen]

Post Your Moderation Rules

Party Rules for Vampires...

"Party Rules for Vampires"

• "Eat something substantial before drinking any AL"...
• "Have your drink in a taller glass with ice or a mixer""Drink water or some non-AL beverage between drinks"...Decide BEFORE you go to the party, how long you will be there and how many AL drinks you will have then divide up the evening accordingly"

[Kid Shelleen]

Post Your Moderation Rules

Newbies post initial moderation plan...

Cori or any new modders...
Post your plan so you can stick with it.
~Kid~

[Blue Sky]

Post Your Moderation Rules

Blue Sky's plan

Thanks for bumping this up Kid.

I am still working on my plan having just done 30 days AF and then fallen flat on my face on my 1st 'modding' night. Thanks for the excellent suggestions everyone.

It needs to be KISS! (Keep It Simple Stupid!):H

1) No drinking alone.
2) Minimum of 4 AF days per week.
3) Maximum 1.5 bottles of wine a week. i.e. 14 British units as per Govt. guidelines. Not to be drunk in one go!
4) Drink a glass of water for every glass of wine.
5) If going to an 'event' decide in advance how many drinks are appropriate. If in doubt offer to drive which means I won't be tempted to drink.
6) Keep a record.
7) Any relapses/ binges to result in 30 Days AF...no exceptions!

I think I can work with this. Number one will be key to it, if I crack that one the rest will follow naturally.

[Sweaty Betty]

Post Your Moderation Rules

Hey Blue Sky - I didn't do so well with my first modding efforts - not so much quantity as frequency. Am going to do 28 days AF them will report back again!

Bx

[Sunbeam]

Post Your Moderation Rules

Hi Blue Sky,
Sounds like a solid plan. I always suggest including a goal in addition to rules, something you could still meet if you break a rule. Then you don't have to feel like, "Oh well, I broke the rule so I might as well just keep drinking." Been there, done that.