30 Days No Alcohol Challenge: Days 12-16 - HALF WAY!

The climb may be tough but the view
from the top is worth it. 

This is an ongoing blog that covers my entire journey on my 30 Days No Alcohol Challenge. Check out Days 9 - 11 HERE if you missed my last post. Enjoy!

August 19 - 23, 2016 - Days 12-16

Day 12 - Beach Cardio Fun! 

Somene once said the level you rise to depends on your willingness to climb. Attaining a goal is not always easy. In fact, goals are usually quite challenging. The road to achieve a goal is paved with obstacles, by nature. I believ there are two types of people in th world. The ones that are discouraged by challenges and the ones who are fired up to rise to a challenge. I like to think that I am the latter of the two. It has been quite an interesting couple of weeks on this challenge. I think I am learning more about myself in the last couple weeks than I have in the last couple years. Since I removed alcohol from my diet I have seen it translate directly into successes in my everyday life. My energy, my choices and my focus just for starters, have seen an immediate effect. I have begun so many new things in the last week I have barely had to time to write my blogs. I apologize it has taken so long to get the latest updates posted. I have been running around figuratively and quite literally. I started jogging again, I started volunteering again, I started writing again, and I decided to learn a new trade so I signed up for and began Information Techonologies school this week. I have my drive back. That fire that makes me who I am has been reignited with this challenge. I believe somewhere along the way I had lost sight of who I am. When you have spent most of your adult life as the healthy, strong woman who is in control of her life then find yourself lacking dorection it can really alter your self esteem and self worth. My moods have been interesting. Mostly extremely high energy but I am human. I had a low day in there somewhere but that didn't last for long. I just metaphorically slapped myself in the face and got out to go get a workout. It really does come down to a simple choice: What do I want to be? A whiner or a winner? Winner won.

I am getting back to the things that make me who I am. These characteristics that have been developing since I was a child, the very foundation on which I built myself is still in tact and I am rebuilding. There is nothing wring with renovating yourself. I'm fortunate to have self awareness enough to notice a pattern of negative behavior and make changes on my own. Most people are not so lucky. Finding the root of the problem behavior really has been the best way to reprogram and cope. The first thing I knew I had to do was remove a repetitive behavior and clear my life of toxins. Initially, I began this challenge to feel better physically. I had no idea that it was going to transform me emotionally and spiritually, especially not to this degree. I know I am only in the second week of the 4 week challenge. I'm remaining realistic about the process and I still have no idea if I am doing this for just the 30 days or if I will extend and make this a longer challenge. At this point, I am just going to ride the wave and continue to learn about myself and how I process pain and disappointment, anger, sadness, loneliness, etc. I know for a fact, I do not ever want to drink when I am feeling any of these emotions ever again. A celebritory drink here and there is not problematic.  A few beers watching a game or hanging with friends is not a problem. That is the way it should be.

I am back to doing the things that I love to do that I had gotten away from over the past couple years.

Day 14 - Volunteering for Local Urban Garden

I am really having the time of my life getting back in touch with my inner self. I have been volunteering, gardening, reading more often, organizing, beaching, cooking, writing and the list goes on. I had almost forgotten how much I love to dance, sing and write music. It is a pretty great feeling when you rediscover something about yourself and put a smile on your own face. I found a website that connects volunteers to projects in need and committed myself to 3 new organizations this past week. I rediscovered that I have always wanted to grow herbs and vegetable for cooking at home so I started growing basil and peppers this week. I think the biggest decision I made this week has been to go to IT school and learn a trade that allows me to work from anywhere in the world in a secure market. There is a program offered to military veterans (which I am) that just landed in my lap. I think if  this had happened before I started this challenge I would have discouraged myself from doing it because I didn't believe in myself as much as I do today, just two weeks later. That is a ridiculously amazing thing to be able to say. The impact of this challenge is much greater than I could have imagined it would be in my life. How's that for cause and effect? All it takes is one match to light a fire.

Day 15 - Book and Beach after Cardio Workout

I wish I could write a longer post but I don't have much time. I just wanted to take a moment to update my journey before I have to run off to class. Since, I don't have a lot of time with all the new amazing things I have added back into my life I just gave you a photo tour of my last few days on this challenge throughout the blog post. It has been so much fun spending time with myself and rebuilding a strong and healthy relationship with myself. If you have been thinking that it is time to remove alcohol from your diet, even for just a short time, I highly recommend doing it. Commit to yourself. Commit to your health. I promise you that is is worth it. Maybe it isn't forever but for right now, I couldn't imagine doing anything else. Until we meet again.....

30 Days No Alcohol Challenge: Days 9 - 11

"A hurdle is an obstacle between you and your finish line. The only way to win is to JUMP over it and keep running towards the goal line with all of your determination." -Dom Spain

August 16 - 18, 2016 - Days 9 - 11

This is an ongoing blog that covers my entire journey on my 30 Days No Alcohol Challenge. Check out Days 7 & 8 HERE if you missed my last post. Enjoy!


Day 9 

 10:15am - Better Energy - It is so great waking up full of energy in the morning because I didn't have wine with dinner. I didn't think wine had as much of an effect as it did on my sleeping patterns until I removed it from my diet. Amazing start to the morning with my Lemon and Cayenne water. That stuff really wakes you up in the morning. It is my new "thing". I decided to start my day today by getting out of the house early and going over to Panera Bread to write and research. It feels really good to be around people but still be by myself. It's a different feeling than being in my place writing alone. My energy levels are higher throughout the day when I start the day out and about early. There is something invigorating about the morning rays on my face that amplify my spirits and energy. 

      I'll go to the beach to go for a cardio walk after this if the weather holds up. Summers in South Florida are always like gambling in Las Vegas. When it comes to betting against the rain in hopes of a beach day, the odds are not in your favor. I feel pretty good today! Happy, thankful, focused, peaceful. I am looking forward to exercise and the rest of the day's happenings. I was avoiding caffeine for a few days so that I could clear my bloodstream of stimulants as well as alcohol but... Panera just smelled so good I decided WTH! I signed on for a 30 Day No Alcohol Challenge. Caffeine is optional. 

2:30pm - My Body is Improving - 
It totally rained. Odds...not...in..my...favor. I packed up, walked to the car and started driving towards the beach. The closer I got, the harder it rained. I could only laugh at the irony of it. Instead, I went to buy a scale for the house today and took all my measurements to begin my lean down diet. My body is responding so well to nutrient absorption. I have noticed my skin is more clear and my nails are growing like weeds. It hasn't even been two weeks and I can see a significant difference. I usually have very dry skin that peels and I would have to use a lot of moisturizers throughout the day. My nails would grow very slow and when they did finally grow long they were flimsy. I notice that I have had to trim and file my nails twice this week alone. They are so strong now that I accidently scratched myself and I keep hitting them on things. That is a problem I haven't had sense I was pregnant with my son. I also notice a huge shift in my appetite. I am hungry all the time right now so I know my metabolism has kicked up a knotch. One negative is that I am craving sugar so much more than I usually do. I am trying to take care of the cravings with pineapples and other fresh fruit and/or dry fruit whenever possible. I know what you're thinking. No, I am not pregnant. Now that my body is burning more efficiently. I'm planning to kick my workouts into high gear beginning on Day 15 (Monday).

8:45pm -  Workouts Are More Consistent - 
I ended up going for a 4.5 mile jog at sunset. If I wasn't on this challenge I probably would have gotten the scale and a bottle of wine, gone home in the rain and poured a glass and called it a rainy day reschedule. Nope! Not me! I kept my promise to myself. We got out a bit earlier than we normally do so that we could go for a longer jog and make it back by just before nightfall. I pushed my heartrate harder than I have been and it felt incredible. My shins were not loving it. I think I find myseld suddenly in the market for a good pair of running shoes. My stamina is great. It's my shins that fatigue before my lungs do. If I want to really improve my cardiovascular performance I am going to have to invest in the proper tools for the job. Now, where do I find attractive running shoes? Apparently, my fashionable $100 Nikes aren't made for running. I am open to suggestions. 


Day 10

7:45am - Earlier Mornings - I enjoyed Panera so much yesterday I decided to come even earlier and have breakfast with my best friend before work today. Sunrise is the only thing I find more beautiful than sunset. I am happy to have so much energy and to feel great this early in the morning. I have been doing consistent bouts of light to moderate intensity cardio, core exercises and stretching to continue rehabilitating my hip and sciatic injuries this past 10 days. I am ready to take it to the next level and start to see some physical changes in my weight and leanness. I will post before and after pictures, of course. I took the before pictures on Day 4 when I realized I wasn't drinking and committed to this challenge. I will post them in my final blog post on Day 30.



9pm - Better Self-Esteem - I did finally manage to go for a cardio walk on the beach. Being in that environment on a fun, busy evening, there was a part of me that momentarily thought, "That looks like a good time". For a moment I just wanted to sit down and watch the sunset and listen to music and enjoy a beer. Then I looked around at all the people who's eyes were glazed over, talking too loud, laughing too hard, staring at me in my workout clothes trying to maneuver my way through their drunken maze, standing there with their beers, blowing cigarette smoke everywhere, completely oblivious as to how in the way they were to families and exercisers passing by. It made me wonder how many times I have been that jerk standing in the way, oblivious to others around me while I was having a "good time". 

All in all, I was happy to be totally aware of my surroundings. I was moreso proud to be completely aware of  myself in a chaotic environment. Cardio was so much fun! I walked/jogged 4 miles and watched a gorgeous sunset. I enjoyed the crowd and the music and I was still my goofy self, dancing to the spanish music and goof dancing to random disco music some guy was blasting. My ''Staying Alive'' imitation is pretty spectacular. I am just being my naturally quirky self without the influence of drinks. I had become very shy without a couple drinks. The longer I go without my beloved wine the more I remember that I am a super dork and a total ham even when I am sober as the day I was born  . This last 9 days has been a period of rediscovering who I am at my core. I felt accomplished tonight for my positive mindset and awareness.  I even got to go play in a ocean after because we finished our walk faster than we had planned and had some time left on the meter. It was all very rewarding. Life is about choices. If you make good ones, good things tend to happen. If you make bad ones.....well, you catch my drift. I am having a nice clean dinner tonight to wrap the evening up. Lots of greens, seeds, vegetables and lean protein. I will be having my signature wine replacement; sparkling water with fresh sliced fruit. I am looking forward to a good night's sleep and starting Day 11 with a spark! 


Day 11

12:35pm - Stress Seems Less Stressful. I received a notice that the building was going to shut our water off for repairs from 9am- to noon so jumped out of bed at 7am to run to the store to get some things I needed for later. I took that ridiculous scale back and returned it for a better one. If I take my weight 5 times in 5 minutes there is no way I should 5 different weights. Digital scales only from now on. I am not thrilled that it reads 150.6lbs today. That puts me 5lbs heavier than the other said but it must be correct. I am pleased with the new one as far as consistency. I put it through the 5-in-5 test. It passed. I will exchange this one for the body fat scale I really want since they didn't have in stock again. I am not sure why but I can't seem to get my mind to focus for long today. I had a cup...or two of coffee, I had a great breakfast and I slept well. I can't put my finger on why I am darting from thought to thought today. I must have googled about 30 things in the last couple hours. I have had a difficult time even blogging today. My mind is a bit foggy. It must be PMS or something because I am very short tempered and lethargic today. I am pretty sure that it's hormones. That would explain the weight gain from yesterday. The tabs list at the top of my screen has about 10 tabs and I have two browsers open so there is another browser for a whole different set of searches and tasks. What is the opposite of coffee....other than alcohol? Tea, it is.

Me doing my favorite yoga pose after 4 miles of cardio yesterday. 

9:30pm -  I Feel Stronger Than Ever.  I can't believe how quickly this challenge is going by. I have such a good support system. I am really surprised. I had become so used to doing things alone that I had forgotten how much easier and how much more fun it is to do it with people who are like-minded Seeing all of your comments and words of encouragement throughout the day is such a blessing. You guys are awesome! Hearing similar stories about other's on the same mission I'm on really helps me not become too overwhelmed. A special shoutout to my best friend who has always been so supportive and my biggest cheerleader. Days where I don't have faith in myself he somehow still believes in me and reminds me of my good qualities and strength. I am pretty lucky to have such a great friend. I'm glad you guys enjoy reading my crazy blog. I'm looking forward to more of your unique comments and questions. Day 11 is in the books! Until we meet again...

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30 Days No Alcohol Challenge: Days 7 & 8

My alter ego - Even superheros have struggles. 

August 14, 2016 - Day 7: WEEK ONE COMPLETED!

This is an ongoing blog that covers my entire journey on my 30 Days No Alcohol Challenge. Check out Days 5 & 6 HERE if you are just tuning in. Enjoy! 

2:34pm -- I am having a very strange day. I woke up in the early hours of the morning in hysterics, which is extremely rare. I was having a nightmare that I could not wake from. It was about a very long standing issue I have had with a particular set of people and it felt so real. I woke up absolutely balling. My energy has been off since then. I am trying to just stay mellow today. I want to go do something active in a couple hours but so far today I am simply doing some journaling and relaxing. Lazy Sundays are kind of my favorite thing lately. This one just feels like I am in a bit of a fog. I am sure it is normal but I actually feel lazy. I like to be lazy on Sundays...not feel lazy. It is also very cloudy and rainy today so I assume the barometric pressure has something to do with my strange mood. Is it a full moon? I will have to check on that. I'm watching Netflix and looking for something entertaining to do in hopes of lifting the mood meter a bit.


8pm - I decided to remain mellow and just go with the energy I had instead of forcing myself into a mood I was not in. I think it was the right choice because I feel much better. Happy even. I went to see Suicide Squad with my friend tonight and neither of us drank anything. Side note:  HOLY MOLY, what a FANTASTIC MOVIE! I sat there like a little girl in amazement for most of the movie or I was laughing or crying. This has to be one of the best movies I have seen in over a year and that includes Jason Bourne, of which I am huge fan. Okay, I'm done.

      So, mellow evening. We went to the early showing and had sushi night after. This is the kicker: I usually have a couple glasses of wine at the movies. We like to go to the Dine-In Theaters. You, know the ones with the recliners where they serve you your dinner and drinks while you watch? Love them! This is the first time I have gone to a movie and not had wine or beer in a long time. As I go through this challenge, I notice a pattern emerging more and more. I have gotten myself into the habit of connecting fun activities with drinking. It is so crazy because it felt so normal while doing it. I am consciously and purposefully choosing to not drink and only now do I see how much and how often I was actually drinking. It 's not like I was skipping my life to stay home and get smashed or hanging out in clubs getting obliterated. I lead a pretty fun and exciting life full of variety and recreation. This challenge is quite an awakening. I knew I was drinking more than I do when I am in the gym 6 days a week. I have been suffering a sciatic nerve and hip flexor injury so I haven't been able to be as active, which is really difficult to accept and deal with as an athlete. I suppose I blurred reality a bit. It is an easy thing to do. I am no superheroine despite what my friends think.

     I live in South Florida on the beaches and near the party scene. I am usually at home, golfing, boating or beaching with a book in hand. Compared to the scene around me, I am a snoozefest. Perspective is everything, however. You know how they say, "You can't see the forrest for the trees". It is very true. I was too close to the drinking scene, too near to really see that I was on a path most certain to cause me health problems down the road. That is just unacceptable. I am better than that. I don't think I have ever been more on a mission to fix a problem that I created. I own my mistakes. I am my toughest critic. This is going to be a colorful ride.


August 15, 2016 - Day 8 (WEEK 2 Day 1 )

9:32am - The most incredible part about not drinking this weekend, other than sticking to my goals and not waking up hungover, was how much money was saved! I was adding up the numbers in my head of how much we would be spending on beers and wine at the baseball game, the theater, on the boat or on the golf course. Holy cow! That is an awakening! $6 beers, and $9 wines multiplied by 4 drinks (low balling) for the two of us on Friday, Saturday and Sunday a hefty bill. Using the average of beer and wine prices, $7.50, that adds up to $180 not spent on alcohol. That is $720 a month. That is $8,640 a year. That is a third of a $26,000 salary. In 3 years you could have a $26,000 down payment on a nice house just by not drinking. This was calculated for two people, obviously, but a young couple going out on the weekend can get really expensive. Keep in mind, I only calculated the alcohol. I haven't even touched normal things like food, transportation, cover charges, ticket prices, golf fees, etc. This puts it into perspective for me. I can save money and not have to give up my favorite activities...and lose weight....and have better skin/hair... by simply not drinking alcohol. The positives of cutting alcohol out of my diet overwhelmingly outweight the negatives. There is a thing called moderation. I know I don't have to go to the opposite extreme and not drink at all. I am just building a list of pros and cons for the question: "Is drinking really necessary, at all?".


5pm - It has been an amazing week.I know it is only the beginning but getting through a weekend full of fun outings and events that we normally have a few drinks every single weekend is a pretty big deal. The act of not drinking alcohol, alone, is not really the challenge. I don't even miss it yet. The real challenge is rebuilding a new set of habits to be associated with the same outings and events. I think the game has become finding creative ways to trick the system. I have started by changing one major detail, which is the alcoholic beverage but staying as close to ritual as possible. For example: If I normally have a glass of wine I have been having iced water with fruit in a wine glass instead. If I have a beer normally, I will have sparkling water with fruit in a tall glass. I know there is controversy out there for people suffering from alcoholism to avoid anything that resembles drinking an alcoholic beverage so if you are suffering from alcoholism I would not recommend doing that as it may act as a trigger for you. This is personally what I am doing. I'm journaling the things I do that seem to be working as a method to fix bad habits in my life. I am not a doctor by any stretch of the imagination so I think I should say this: Consult a physician if you are addicted and are trying to quit drinking, please.  

    I have so much more focus today than I normally do after a weekend with drinks each night. I was still drowsy from being awake late watching the Olympics and Netflix with my Sleepytime Tea but that's a much better feeling than waking with my body fighting to get rid of toxins from the night before. I have to say, in all honesty, I prefer to feel the way I did this morning even with the nightmare than I do to waking up hungover. The drinks are not even worth it comparatively. So, I suppose I have a real life decision to make here pretty soon. Maybe it's me getting older. Maybe it's me getting wiser. Maybe both. I just feel tired after drinking these days. The point when I was younger was to go out and have fun. As I settled down it was to chill and relax. I'm not sure what the point is anymore other than a habit that I have created. If it serves no purpose then why do it, right? I'm still working out the answer to that one for myself. That's what this whole challenge is about for me. I find it intersting the places one can discover themselves. I'm very enthusiastic about what other discoveries I'm going to make about myself in the next 3 weeks. A friend of mine posted a photo that said, "Sometimes, you just need to reinvent yourself". That is most definitely an accurate statement. Maybe I simply needed to rediscover myself. Either way, great changes are happening and for that I am grateful. Until next time.....

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30 Days No Alcohol Challenge: Days 5 & 6

My favorite player on the Miami Marlins, Giancarlo Stanto! 

 

Scoring Like Stanton!
#StillWinning!

This is an ongoing blog that covers my entire journey on my 30 Days No Alcohol Challenge. Check out Days 1-4 HERE  if you are just tuning in. Enjoy! 

Day 5
August 12, 2016

10:35am --
I woke up from a terribly odd, twisted dream. It was very disturbing. I heard that can happen once you remove alcohol from your diet after a period of regular drinking. I woke so suddenly from the dream that I ended up getting a headache. It really effected my mood. Like something bad was going to happen. I took a few deep breaths, told myself It was just a dream and went to have my Lemon Cayenne water. It helps to bring your body to an alkaline state and aids in metabolism. The cayenne really snaps you awake as well. I had breakfast and soon after I was feeling much better. The one thing that I am noticing is that I am dealing with the not drinking part very well. I haven't even wanted a drink. I haven't had a craving for a drink at all. Not once time so far. What I am dealing with this past few days is a conflict with change. I am a creature of habit. At the end of the day I would normally be cooking dinner with a glass of vino to wind down. Suddenly, I am messing with a ritual, a routine and its strange. Habits are hard to break so I feel annoyed. I am sure I am not alone in feeling that way so I will forgive myself.  I did find that putting sparkling water in a wine glass with frozen fruit is just as amazing and more refreshing. It wasn't the wine so much as the feeling of having something fancy to drink from my long stem while cooking. I have to say that the fruit water is much more aesthetically pleasing, healthy and delicious. All in all, a winning solution.


4:50pm --  About two hours ago I suddenly started feeling really uneasy. I took me a while to figure out why. I am about to go to the Marlins game and I haven't been to a game without drinking....ever! I realized it when I started trying to back out of going to the game, putting it off for tomorrow's game, complaining about the drive to Miami, etc. Once I realized where the anxiety was coming from I shook it off and got myself dressed. I have no idea how I will feel when I get there but I certainly feel nervous which is normally when I would have a glass of wine. I know it's just nerves about going to this game and not having that social beer. I am not worried about being tempted to drink, really. I am just going to have to learn what ELSE you do at a game to fill time. This girl can only talk so much. I am not a huge fan of pointless conversation to fill silence but it seems most people can't enjoy silence as much as I do. I 'm not good at idle chitchat. I am over thinking this. Here goes.

Is Someone You know an "Almost Alcoholic"? Take this Quiz to find out. 

Day 6 - August 13, 2016

9:49am -- I got through the game without even being tempted to drink. My friend offered to not drink if it would bother me. I encouraged him to do what he would normally do at the games. I don't want people to change or adjust for my challenge. It is my personal challenge. I am the one who has committed to adjusting. I was so resolute that I went to the bar with him to look at the beer options and smelled each of them to help him decide which was best. Bartender and alcohol training from when I worked in restaurants came in handy. It was that simple. I just got a fountain drink in a collector's cup and sipped on that the whole game. Having something to hold in my hands and sip on helped a lot. I was worried what my mood or feelings would be watching other people drinking and having fun. I really was over thinking things. If anything I was highly entertained by, annoyed by and embarrassed for a lot of people. It made me think about the times that I have made a colossal ass of myself drinking too much at parties. It was a hard thing to digest. You don't notice how foolish you look when you're drunk until you sober watch the footage the next day, I remember. To each their own. If people are having fun and aren't hurting anyone, more power to them.

     There was one moment where I was so focused on the game and having a conversation about Giancarlo Stanton (he is a pretty, pretty man) and I reached down without looking. I almost grabbed my friend's beer. When I looked down and saw that it was the beer I jumped back and pulled my hand away like it was a snake. I laughed so hard at my reaction. I am so glad nobody else noticed. I told my friend and he laughed with me and said it was awesome and that he was proud of how dedicated I am to this commitment. The bottom line is I had a LOT of fun at the game without the beers or any other alcoholic beverage. I was still very social and it wasn't as awkward as I thought it would be. Funny fact: the scent of beer was a turnoff. Beer breath was everywhere and it was so strong. It felt how I feel when people pass by after they just get back from a cigarette break. It just lingers and leaves a stench trail behind them. That is how strong the scent of beer was last night. I am so thankful that people weren't really drinking wine or whiskey around me.  I might have lost control of my dinner.

That's ME with with a Marlin's baseball. I was in the front row!

      As far as my mood last night, I was generally upbeat and fun. I danced and clapped along per usual at the games. I was basically every bit of myself without the drinks.The only difference that I noticed was that I looked around at people a lot more and just observed my surroundings. I noticed things that I rarely ever notice at the games like things on the walls and seats, subliminal advertisements and how the staff operates. My energy would go up and down with the energy of the game immediately. When I had a few drinks at baseball games before I never really noticed the lulls in the game because I would usually just go off on a beer run or another bathroom break. This time I was aware of every play, the players on the field and the little idiosyncracies of the rules of baseball which, God help me, I could never understand with a buzz. I was worried yesterday about how to fill the time that I normally filled with beer. I just asked a crap load of questions about everything I didn't understand. So, I got answers and I only had to listen. My friend is very knowlegeable about sports and loves to talk about it. Win-win! Problem solved. I also noticed I am a lot more shy stone sober. When the cams were showing on the crowds and everybody was doing crazy dances I was like, "I am SO SOBER right now." All in all, I had a ton of fun without needing or even wanting alcohol. Last night was my first night out since I started this challenge and it was my first night ever at a sporting event without drinking. My friend was incredibly supportive. I know a lot of people doing this challenge aren't so lucky. A lot of friends will  either make fun or try to peer pressure a challenger into drinking. I can't imagine why ANYONE would do that but it is common so I am thankful I didn't have to deal with that. I am quite proud of myself and feeling stronger than I thought I would.

Am I An Alcoholic Quiz - Click link to take quiz.

Technically Day 7 - August 14, 2016

1:15am -- Today is supposed to be a boat day, which I have also never done without drinking so my challenge today is figuring out what to do on the boat for a few hours without wine or beer. I guess I will find out! I am thinking I will captain the boat and we will just have to go somewhere new for entertainment versus just cruising and looking at the same mansions again. You have to be creative when changing habits you have had for 10 years! Tedious but exciting! As you can see so far, the hardest thing seems to be reprogramming. I have always wondered what takes drinking from a bad habit to an addition. What is the tipping point? I have read many articles on the matter because I was curious as to how my father lost control and at what point he became a full blown alcoholic. There is alcohol abuse and then there is alcoholism. It seems that the major difference is the degree of physical dependancy. Let's just say that I grew up my whole life with this question on my mind, being told that alcoholism is hereditary. I am very happy to say that I feel great without booze in my bloodstream! The only problem I am dealing with so far is just relearning what it was like to go out and have fun without it being centered around drinking. I never noticed how booze centric this society really is until the first time I went on alcohol hiatus for a year. The only place I could go and be around other fun people without alcohol being involved was church. I will be working on ways to change that.  Maybe I will start a fun outings group in the area. It's really late so I will just have to ponder that one for a while.  Until we meet again...

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Sites to read about alcohol abuse/alcoholism:

 https://www.addiction.com/473/differences-alcohol-abuse-alcoholism/
http://www.alternet.org/it-habit-or-addiction-what-happens-your-brain-when-you-start-get-hooked

30 Days No Alcohol Challenge: Days 1- 4

    I'M FEELING LIKE PHELPS! #WINNING!

 August 11, 2016

30 Days No Alcohol    Challenge: Days 1- 4 

                                (Apparently)

   First things first,  I didn't even realize I was doing this challenge  until the 3rd day in and it suddenly became apparent that I am really ready to change in a huge way and what better way to focus than removing an inhibitor like alcohol for a while. I sat on my couch watching Michael Phelps swimming in the prelimenary 200M Individual Medley and thought to myself, "I bet Phelps hasn't had a drink in months!" I watch him cruise into 1st place...AGAIN. I decided that I was going to not drink for 30 days and keep track of all the changes I go through physically, emotionally and spiritually. Even Phelps has had to remove alcohol from his life if he wanted to reach greatness again. I am not delusional. I know I will never be an olympic athlete but I have my sights set on my own version of a gold medal.

     As I looked around the web to see if other people were on a mission like mine I was overwhelmed with all the results. Apparently this is a "thing". I had no idea. I didn't jump on some bandwagon or follow some guru but it was interesting to see how many people are thinking the same way I am, thereby validating and solidifying my decision. I noticed that the majority of the blogs and websites I ran across felt the need to disclaimer their challenge with, "I do NOT have a drinking problem" or "I am NOT an ALCOHOLIC.

I was sort of shocked by this. I do not care what someone's reason is for wanting to get healthier. I think if you have decided to clean up your health for ANY reason, I am proud of you. Alcoholic or not. I don't believe it makes any one of those people who disclaimered their challenge any better than someone who is taking the challenge because they do have an alcohol problem. I am a regular human being going through life the best I can like most everyone else. However you got to your decision, KUDOS to you, mate! I have decided that I can do better and this is the approach I am choosing to take. Judgement and haters be damned.

     I would normally have a couple glasses of wine most every day. It had become normal. I didnt think twice about it after a while. I became aware that my productivity plummetted, my mood was more agitated and short tempered and I had fallen into a generally negative mindset. I was very close to a deep depression. I knew that it had a lot to do with my diet. I wasn't eating as clean (because drinking and healthy eating are not pals), I had become less active (too tired from hanging with "friends" too late drinking), I was aching everywhere (from being inactive), sleeping like garbage if at all, and I was surrounding myself with other people ("friends") that were in the same cycle which only exxacerbated the situation further. I am a personal trainer who is known as the most positive and energetic person you'll meet. Who IS this person I am looking at in the mirror?!? I didn't even recognize myself anymore which only contributed to low self esteem and further depression. I am a smart woman and I didn't need a specialist to tell me what I needed to do. Enough was enough.


     I decided to remove alcohol from my diet, replace it with water and herbal teas, up the ante on my power foods and get back to being my energetic, positive, happy self. Just like that my goal was born. 30 days without alcohol challenge, it is! I promised myself when I committed yesterday that if I was going to go a whole 30 Days without alcohol that I was going to keep a journal and take progress photos along the way and be HONEST about how I am feeling. Intend to honor that promise. I don't know what kind of story this is going to turn into but it will be a true one.

Here I am on Day 4: 
How am I feeling?
    Today I woke with an excitement to have my Lemon Cayenne Water, which is really good for starting your body in an alkaline state and boosts your metabolism. I could feel my body burning clean so it was encouraging. Midway through the day today I felt a bit sleepy so I took a power nap and woke with a headache but nothing a little Advil couldn't rememdy. I had a craving for sweets today which rarely happens but I read that is normal when you first remove alcohol from your diet for a while. I decided to have a Clif Bar and fruit infused water to pass the craving and that did the trick. I actually pondered if I had a glass of wine in front of me how hard it would be to resist drinking. I actually felt ill just thinking about drinking because I would be so ashamed of breaking my promise to myself. In that moment, I couldn't stop smiling because I knew that I was totally committed to this thing. So all in all, I feel great today and I am really looking forward to the rest of this challenge. Tomorrow is Friday and I know the weekend brings a new element along with it. In all honesty, I am little nervous about going out with friends and not drinking but I really am looking forward to proving to myself that I GOT THIS!


Ok ladies and gentlemen, I am going to wrap this up and post it. I am looking forward to reporting as this challenge continues. I am not sure if it will be daily or every few days but I will keep notes on everyday and post whenever it feels appropriate. Leave comments and opinions and let me know if you are on your own challenge and how it is going. I would love to hear it! Until next time.... Keep It Classy.

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