thomas11

I have to make a lifestyle change, that final step. My alcohol consumption on Friday's and Saturday's is unacceptable. Its not normal and its not appropriate for someone my age. Then when its over its a race to "get healthy" again over the next 24-36 hours. I feel like a hamster on a hamster wheel. I guess the one good thing is I really enjoy being sober. I feel productive and responsible, and it feels good. Then I blow it on the weekend. Its ridiculous. I think I'm going to try and substitute running for drinking. If I get an urge, I'll jump on the treadmill. I guess we'll find out this Friday if it works.

Stoogy

Hey Thomas, I've learned the very same lesson, I foolishly thought if I only drank at the weekend I couldn't really have a problem right? Way wrong.. I drank enough Friday-Sunday that most people would drink in 2 weeks, not normal, not healthy and not on.

zjw

hehehe. I told my wife when i took up exercise perhaps i can just torch myself out exercising.... I have not stopped running since lol.

and yes even now when i feel a bit edgy or something its time for another run. and if that means multiple times a day then it means multiple times a day. and it feels soooooooooo much better then getting drunk.

Think about it like this you can spend an hour of your day running oh its so hard rararar wtvr then spend 23 hours feeling great. OR you can spend a few hours of your day drinking and then spend the rest of your day recovering and trying to feel better again. which would you rather do?

get that itch? go for a run. dont wanna run? go for a walk. wawaa think you run too much? nope doubtful.

thomas11

Thanks Stoogy, it feels better knowing I'm not the only one who thinks I could handle it, but in reality, I'm not passing the test. I've been beating myself up all day today over it.

thomas11

ZJW, I'm going to at least try it. yesterday I didn't feel very well (obviously) but still forced a couple miles in on the treadmill. Today I'm re introducing food into my system. How ridiculous is that?

zjw

yeah it doesnt have to be that way. its one thing i got going for me is good food and running. I try in my case to keep diet and exercise very constant and stable / routine. going for a run each day is like going to the bathroom or taking a shower its just something I do and it keeps me in check.

thomas11

I probably also need to make an effort to understanding why I'm doing this every weekend. I guess the short answer is I think I've earned it, or deserve it. But I'm fairly certain that is not the correct answer!

pulltight

I read your other thread and your drinking habits were much like mine.
Give it a try, lay it down, it don't cost anything.
What kept me goin early on was that I told myself I just won't drink today, I kept putting drinking off to a later date and when that day arrived I would put it off again. Mind games really, but it worked and is working for me.
Stop and see how you feel, I sure don't regret not drinking and I'll bet you won't either.

Dee74

I hope the exercise substitution works Thomas.

You may need some other parts to your recovery plan if this is a lifetime change tho?

D

Treerat66

Good luck Thomas.

advbike

I ran a lot too, during the years I was trying to quit/moderate.. until I couldn't anymore.. then I mountain biked.. until I couldn't do that much anymore. I finally quit drinking for good and thank God I can still ride my road bike, lol.

KateL

Good luck xx

thomas11

Thanks Dee74. I'm afraid I agree with you on needing other parts to a lifetime recovery plan. the words "can't drink" are like nails on a chalkboard to me. I deal with the phrase "I don't want to drink" much better. For example, this past year I did not drink on 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years Day, and Superbowl. Not patting myself on the back, just acknowledging that alcohol was everywhere and I simply didn't want to drink. All I can commit to right now is to keep trying and keep posting and reading here. Its really helping me gain perspective on alcohol and sobriety in general. I had never really given it much thought.

KaylaK

For me it was drinking not only in excess but every night. I've taken up yoga and meditation, cooking, and when I get the urge to drink I turn to my husband and ask for help when I'm feeling lost. Being sober is the greatest feeling, I feel like a totally different person and I've never felt better. But I still crave that beer at the end of the day no matter how good my days gone. It's all in the fight. Good job on finding a healthy alternative! Be proud!

zjw

lol nails on a chalk bard. I can relate. if i thought early in sobriety "i'm never drinking again" OMG i'd fill up with anxiety and wanna drink in the worst way. Its like watching a documentary on healthy eating and deciding your going to have a bowl of ice cream. Never or Cant or dare i say "alcoholic" where just entirely too strong of words for me. I was gonna drink again one day.... I was certainly not an alcoholic... I could totally drink again if i wanted too.... Thats how I handled it in the begining it was a much softer blow for my ego. In time I realized I could never drink again I was an alcholic and I just cant drink. But It took me somet ime to get to that point. why they say 1 day at a time.


It sounds to me like you just got the weekend cycle going. Oh tough week im gonna kick back and relax with a few drinks etc.. It doesnt sound like it works out to well for you however. Never goes as planned? Someone else mentioned the play the tape method. Before you have those well deserving drinks on a friday evening play it out. read one of your threads remind yourself how its going to go down. Oh thnk you can moderate? Really? I know even at the times i managed to moderate which was incredibly rare. It was a horrible fight for me. I hated drinking there was no point to it unless i was going to be falling down by nights end. So Moderate? yeah no that just makes ya angry. Drink? well then you wake up feeling like hell. Dont drink at all? well gee theres a solution wake up feeling rested and start your saturday off doing what you wanna do rather then nursing a hang over.


Once you break the cycle it'll ease up I bet.

thomas11

hi ZJW, I cannot argue with your point. you are 100% right. Now, once I figure that out, I'll be much better off. In the meantime, I struggle. Just telling the truth.

I referred someone else on this site to you, I hope you don't mind. It was about running and exercise.

zjw

yeah no problem. I wish people could feel how i feel physically they'd clean up there habits in a jiffy. I had no idea just how bad off I was. I see too often people say I'm getting to old for this or that. Or I'm tired etc.. and I think well if you fuel yourself well and exercise and have good habits you'd prolly feel as if you where getting younger.

and when you feel good because you eat good because you exercise because you have good habits etc.. then when life tosses problems your way you can handle them better etc..

Its not a cake walk. People think I make it look easy lol if they only knew how hard it can be for me too.