TheOldMe

About a month ago I stopped drinking for a good two weeks. During those 2 weeks I watched a lot of movies at night and ate popcorn while having a huge pitcher of water next to me.

Since I was so used to always having something to drink, I think the water helped. The popcorn was just cause it's delicious... Haha.

So anyone have any other little things that help keep them from drinking? Whether it's reading, etc. Let hear em.

Dee74

For me I needed to do more than just stop drinking.

Things like nibbly treats and exercise and keeping busy do help, but they weren't enough in themselves for me to stay sober.

Working on my recovery daily and coming here to SR helps me stay sober

D

stepping

Personally I always have to be drinking something as well....I drink water like a fountain. Hot tea and sparkling water help me as well! I think it also has to do with I was so used to always drinking something.
...the popcorn sounds fun too haha
I like to read and write so doing that helps me as well.
It seems everything just falls into place after you ditch the booze.
Like you want to take care of yourself.
When my drinking is out of control the rest of my life is as well. It seems it is just easier to say "screw it" when you feel like poop from a hangover.
Walking helps me a lot too!
Good post thanks!

Nineteen67

Well i watched "Rain in my Heart" and that never stopped me.

Scolova

Welcome,
I always have things around to drink, I found the large picture size tea bags at the grocery store and they are pretty cheap compared to drinking sodas and very cheap compared to alcohol. I use my coffee maker to heat up the water and then brew the tea in a 1 gallon jug, I've gotten pretty addicted to it. Our body scrape sugar after we quit drinking but it's not so great to have a lot around, I buy those cereal bars, granola bars and other (relatively healthy) snacks.
Best wishes and stick with it.

north

Sometimes I get into ruts of physical inactivity that are work-related or due to some sedentary activity like reading or studying. And, sometimes that leads to lazy dangerous thinking. I find that a combination of outdoor fresh air and exercise helps - especially when it's cold out. The first few minutes/mile or so either running or on the bike might feel like utter crap & tortuous especially if it happens to be raining, but eventually the body warms up and the endorphins kick in and do their thing.

ColetteTocca

For me:

AA meetings
Seeing my sponsor at least once a week
Working the steps
Connecting with other AA friends
Journaling/writing everyday
Yoga
Therapy 2x/week
Weekly acupuncture
Meeting with a non-drinking friend once a week to try a new restaurant

For 2012:

I'm going to take dancing lessons (Tango!)
Foreign language lessons
Renovating my house
Travel more
Commit to reading at least two new books a month and starting a book club with some of my non drinking friends

raindancer11

Books, SR and gratitude kept me from drinking during the first few months. Now, when I have thoughts of drinking, I know that they are old, outdated, completely useless and even damaging so they rarely generate enough strength to hold my attention. Still, I come back to SR regularly to get back on track.

I drank a lot of fizzy fruit juice early on.

doggonecarl

Interesting...When I first got sober I read a thread on this exact topic and wrote a blog entry. Not to be trumpeting my own blog, but the entry is relevant to the OP, I think. Here it is:

There was an interesting thread about the “little” things that keep us sober. Things like Pepsi, candy, coffee, waking up to a great new day. F**k, I wish soda was keeping me sober, or a charm, or a prayer. Nothing little is keeping me sober. Only the big, ugly fact that my life is heading down the commode is keeping me sober. The life I WANT to live is keeping me sober. Not picking up that next drink, which is huge--since that is all I seem to think about—is keeping me sober.

My peers on SR are keeping me sober. These folks are taking time out of their day to read and respond to my posts, offering encouragement and advice. That is enormous in helping me stay sober...no little thing, says I.

I think I must have misunderstood the question posed by the thread. Everyone posting there has met and overcome amazing challenges to be where they are in recovery. They’ve overcome big obstacles to stay sober and I don’t think they would trivialize it by saying drinking a Coke is keeping them sober. So what it must mean is their recognition that the little things help and matter. That they can enjoy a coke, or a sweet snack in their sobriety where before in their lives they enjoyed nothing except getting drunk, and often times not even that.

So I guess every little thing I do in the course of the day that doesn’t hinder my recovery, is keeping me sober. And for that “little” thing, I am thankful.

Reset

Hot tea helped a lot with the physical/ritualistic parts of my drinking habit.
Movies and books kept my mind busy. (If I had to quit before laptops and Netflix it might have been a lot harder.)
SR helped me stay motivated and offered an outlet for things I couldn't really talk about with anyone else.

Those are all little things but cumulatively they made one big helpful recipe.

James1983

Yeah, Reset, I've spent MANY hours watching Netflix over the past 14 days. Cheaper than drinking and drugging.

Sapling

Mine was a lot like Collette's version...Minus the Yoga.. Therapy 2x/weekWeekly and acupuncture. I had to change everything about my life and AA was the program that did it for me. I put the energy that I put into drinking into studying the Big Book...Working the steps and going to meetings...I still go to a meeting everyday..at least one..I think I have two days in six months where I missed a meeting...And that was recently due to a new job I just took.
I came to realize that drinking was a small part of my problem...I wasn't living right and that just fueled my drinking....I am praticing a program that is a design for living...And I work hard at it. This is my life I am talking about and I had two choices...For me...To drink is to die...and I came about as close as I ever want to get to that.
I was mentally, physically and spiritually bankrupt...And I had too many years of alcohol that I had to work on to put my energy into anything else....I stayed busy and I still do...I haven't had a drink or drug since July 1st and I plan on keeping it that way...One day at a time.....Do I have a lot of work still to do?...You bet....But it's the best thing I have ever done for myself in my life. New friends...New Places...New things...New life.

midgetcop

I think a lot of people have touched on this, but both the sugar cravings and the ritualistic aspects of drinking and dealing with those aspects really helped to deter my early alcohol cravings. The first few weeks I drank a LOT of pop and energy drinks, and eventually discovered that I actually looked forward to these "treats" in the same manner that I would alcohol. I also ate chips like they were going out of style, and normally that's not something I'd indulge in. But my body wanted those simple carbohydrates, and I figured as long as it wasn't booze I'd happily oblige.

Bit my bit I cut out the sugar by abstaining from energy drinks and replaced them with diet pop. I drink a copious amount of herbal tea at home - something I never thought I'd enjoy (I always thought tea tasted like nothing and was for wussies, lol). In the same way that I'd get excited to try new brands of beer, I now look forward to different flavours of tea. It certainly doesn't have the same kick to it, but it fulfills some anticipatory part of my brain.

I've been sober roughly 2 months and surprisingly, I don't crave alcohol all that often. At first I needed to stay crazy busy, but slowly I've begun to relax somewhat and read books, (attempt to) meditate, and try to feel comfortable in my own skin. Now that I know that I can be "bored" i.e. not be busy, and not automatically freak out and grab a drink, I can breathe a little easier and let my guard down.

Anyhoo, a little rambling, but I'm sure some readers will identify with my routine.