Time to focus. I'm doing really well with my exercise...okay, not a triathlete, but still I'm making progress for someone who hated exercise and always felt inadequate in that area. Working with someone who is re-training how I view exercise has been my key. I am actually thinking about adding 15 minutes of elliptical when I get home from my walks. (I can't believe I even wrote that.) This is truly ground breaking for me.
But I continue to sabotage my efforts. Another blogger and I are going to do a dry November together, a mostly dry December and do another 100 days in January. I need to hit the reset button again and I really want to see where I can get to with focus on exercise and diet.
I commented this on another blog but I want to write this down so I can always find it.
When I did the 100 days, I was very focused on just not drinking. It wasn't as hard as I thought possibly because I just knew I couldn't. I had a goal. I didn't, however, focus on handling stress and developing other coping mechanisms. I muscled through the F-its because that was what I was doing, not drinking.
This time I'm going to be more mindful of my mood when I want wine so bad I could chew on my furniture. Fortunately those moments seem to be more rare nowadays but these past few months have told me I still will succumb to them.
I know that when I'm tired at the end of the day, and stressed on top of that, I will drink, even if not too much, unless I have committed to myself that I can't. So during this next commitment phase, that's what I will be writing about.
I really, so badly, want to get to a place where I don't generally drink, but if the occasion calls for it in some way, that I can manage a drink or two and not then drink every time I feel like it. Forever is still not in my vocabulary but it may be some day. I admire those who have said forever and can do it.
To anyone who is thinking about quitting, I strongly urge, and I've said this before, to do the 100 day thing. There's something magical about knowing I did it and remembering how good my body felt during it - okay well for most of it, some parts sucked. Having imbibed again I can tell you I am back to feeling bloated and tired even though I haven't been blacking out and hating myself anymore. I am definitely not getting a good nights sleep anymore so I look forward to that again. But I am so pleased with how my body is toning up that I want to celebrate that and without wine!
Onward toward weight loss..... Since I started really exercising again 6 weeks ago, I think I have just been exercising off the wine. I have built up muscle though. So I think the increase in wine but also the increase in muscle does account for the 4lbs I put back on. My clothes still fit better than my previous times at this weight. So I'm optimistic that by drinking more water, continuing to exercise and laying off the wine calories, that I should see some weight loss pretty quickly. I will likely then tend to then stabilize out for a bit so we'll see what happens!
Hugs to all,
HD
169 lbs, 5'9"
HD! You really are doing such a great job. Your recognition of powering through because you just weren't drinking, not because you truly did not want to drink, was so perceptive. I bet tons of people can relate to that. I definitely did that at times, but I had maybe a darker vision and awareness of where my boozing was/could go, so it was really empowering to not drink intentionally and not just because I "couldn't", at least after the first couple of weeks. I wish you well in your dry November. It is an admirable goal. Get your blog on and get it out. We will be here cheering you on, no matter what :)! <3
ReplyDeleteThanks, CWD. I will definitely use this blog!! Thanks again for your continued support. You are doing so great!!
DeleteI like your plan and that you have someone to join you in your next journey. Also I can't help but feel the timing is perfect for both of you. The lead up to Christmas has always been a time of complete abandon for me but for you guys I think it will help you gain clarity on what you want, especially if you allowing a few 'free' days. Good luck and keep us posted on how it is going.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ginger, will do!
DeleteYes I'm looking forward to a pretty dry rest of the year. I am going to stop drinking completely at some stage in my life. I'm not sure when that will be maybe next year, maybe the one after.
ReplyDeleteI, like you, badly want to get to the stage where I mostly don't drink, but deep down I feel I'm perhaps getting worse? I'm not ready to quit completely just yet, but doing these challenges keeps me in check! We can hold ourselves accountable :)
I agree, and more dry days than not is still better than where we were!
DeleteThe exercise is HUGE in helping me feel so good that drinking no longer fits into the plan. Like you, I'm just getting back into it more and more, but the dark winter months are a huge challenge for me. I tend to hibernate, which means starchy food and couch time.
ReplyDeleteEverybody recommends the book by Jason Vale on these blogs, and I just started reading it. It's called Kick the Drink, Easily! and it does change your attitude about that feeling of "missing out." Because he's a health nut as well, which I am trying to morph into after years of being a health disaster, it's just what I needed to read.
Good luck!
I read the Vale book about a year ago....with wine in hand. Oops. But it did help with mindset when I first quit! I can only aspire to becoming a health and exercise nut!!
DeleteSounds like a wonderful plan, and I love that you're going to work on coping mechanisms. That is so wise, and I really look forward to reading about your experiences.
ReplyDeleteAnd congratulations on nurturing some healthier exercise habits! Combine that with a long alcohol-free stretch, you are going to feel so good!!
The coping part will be interesting. Life is calm right now but soon to boil over based on some legal stuff. Trying to get myself ready to handle. Felt good to have a Halloween where I didn't feel the need to drink once I turned off the lights!!
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