LonelyShadow

Absolutly! I think sugar craving is a very common physical side effect of withdrawal, there are a lot of simple-carbohydrates (sugars) in most alcoholic drinks and the body gets used to the sugar and the alcohol itself as a source of nutrients, when that regular source of nutrients stops the body starts setting off alarm bells demanding sugar. I find the best way to curb the sugar cravings is through things with a low Glycemic Index like oatmeal and sweet potato. In fact, oatmeal for breakfast every day is a great defence against both sugar and alcohol craving.

I consume vast quantities of caffeine, many recovering alcoholics do! Maybe it's the addictive personality mindset? I have to be careful with it because although it elevates my mood a short while, I then get a crash...so I drink more caffeine...then crash...so I dri...Hang on a minute, this sounds familiar......

HAHA!

My name is LonelyShadow, and I have a caffeine problem

Hope you're well today friend

LonelyShadow

Dax501 Good job getting everything out there, it might not feel like you sorted things out but just getting everything out in the open is so, so healthy. I hate having things bottled up because they just sort of sit there inside festering and becoming toxic, when you get it out it feels so much better.

You're doing well, keep it up!

Oh and just a side note, has anyone spoken to GreenEggsAndHam recently? She's not posted in a while, genuinely want to know how she's getting on!

Happy Sunday everyone.

Dee74

GEAH has posted a time or two in the main Newcomers forum recently LS

D

Sleepless3

Good Morning

I had a great sleep last night, feeling much better today. Day 3

Neverthought

Hello everyone. As always, thanks for sharing your thoughts and stories.

I say this at the beginning of every sobriety run, but it feels like its been months.

If this weather doesn't warm up enough for the snow to completely melt in the next week, I'm going to snow blow my yard and start cutting the grass....

Started my son with piano lessons on Wednesday. That will help keep us both busy many days a week by practicing and attending the lessons.

Yesterday was slow and boring so, I managed to find something to do.

So, I spent yesterday doing some rearranging of furniture. Moved my son's drum set out to the garage. Now my wife will be willing to hang out downstairs in the entertainment room that has the DVRecorder, because I fall asleep between 10 and 11 now...lol and we're missing some of our shows.

Wrapped up the evening/night by heading out for dinner at a local grille/restaurant for some Mexican food. So, all is well and it's nice to hear from everyone.

Stay Strong Februarites.....

I'm Neverthought, checking in on day (21).......Thanks for coming!

Ladybug2

Good morning everyone,

1 month for me today, but it's only Day 29 with the short month of Feb so not sure if I should really be saying it's 1 month? Anyway, 29 days or 1 month, it feels good, even though I have been here twice before. Had 48 days last May/June and then 110 days last fall. The "one drink" mentality messed that up both times so hopefully I have learned my lesson.

Had a pretty boring day yesterday. Went out to dinner last night to our favorite burger place and then out for ice cream so the day ended well Struggled a bit this weekend so I am on guard for AV giving me a hard time this week. I really look forward to the day when I don't constantly think about drinking/not drinking. I hate that it is always on my mind and consuming my thoughts. Patience, I guess, right?

Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying a hangover free Sunday. Thinking of all you and sending you strength.

gleefan

Great updates from everyone. Congrats on all the sober days racked up!

Lily- great job keeping yourself busy to keep those thoughts about drinking from taking over. I agree with Ladybug, drinking/not drinking has a way of taking over my thoughts. And like Say Anything, the habit of "relaxing" with a glass of wine is ingrained. That must be the psychological part of addiction.

Some people choose to replace it with a healthy addiction, like exercise or eating healthy. Personally, I'm in a place where I feel ready to work on breaking my addiction mindset altogether. If I hyper focus on, say, eating healthy, there is a sense of stress when I have a piece of cake at a birthday party. Or if I'm hyper focused on exercise, I stress if I miss a workout.

Instead I like the idea of trying lots of new things. Piano lessons sound great NT. I've thought about guitar lessons. Or exploring an unfamiliar city like Sigint. Yesterday I tried skiing for the first time.

I like Briggsy's bear analogy. Don't wake the sleeping bear with "just one"! Plus, if I'm honest with myself, I don't want "one" drink. Briggsy, you always have a great piece of advice.

LS knows his stuff about nutrition and exercise. Interesting explanation of why I've been eating sweets & drinking coffee like it's my full time job.

Day 15 for me. I got through the weekend with a combination of luck, circumstances, and preparation on how to address peer pressure. One day at a time. One situation at a time.

Neverthought

So, how did you enjoy skiing? Were did you go?

I haven't gone skiing since 2010. A few of us were in SLC for business and we decided to head to Brighton. At that point, it had been about 10 years since I last went. Well, Brighton has some of the best powder on the planet due to it's low moisture content. So, you really have to work your legs to stay moving. I made (3) runs and got my butt whipped. I spent the rest of the night up in the resort chalet doing shots and warming up.

It was then I realized that I was in really poor shape and over-weight. Who new that in the next year I would start losing weight and begin to tackle sobriety.

Ladybug2

Hey, NT, where did you go for Mexican food? We love Mexican, but haven't been able to find a decent place since Amiga Mia closed

Lily123

Happy Sunday team!!!

Thanks glee fan it's amazing how much time I can spend obsessing about alcohol sometimes. Really drives home the fact I have a problem. On the plus side I'm doing so much more to preoccupy myself (which is fantastic). I think that's great that your trying a variety of new things. Hope you had fun skiing!

Congrats ladybug! I think especially since we are class of February that 29 days definitely counts as 1 month! Nice job.

Congrats to everyone making through the weekend. Turned our clocks back last night. Hopefully Monday won't feel too early :p

Ladybug2

Thanks, Lily! How are you doing today?

Lily123

Pretty good thanks I was able to get a lot of chores done that I've been meaning to do for months haha and I even fit in a little exercise. Now just filling out applications...boring I guess but it feels good to be getting things accomplished. I have had a couple rough spots today but they passed. A lot better than yesterday. How about you? How's your Sunday going?

Delphine

Gleefan- I have thought a lot about the strategies of replacing alcohol with a healthy addiction versus eliminating the addictive mindset. I admire that you are in a place to work on the latter and I hope to get there someday as well. Best of luck on your journey!

gleefan

We went to Jiminy peak on the NY/Mass line. I liked skiing a lot. The chair lift, not so much; that thing was my nemesis. Lol. By the end of the day, I had fallen off that thing more times than I can count, but I was cruising comfortably down the bunny slope and feeling ready to try the novice run. I didn't get a chance to do it before my ticket expired, but I was happy to end the day feeling accomplished. Succeeding at something new, cruising through the snow, and spending a day in the sunshine, with my family gave me a natural high. My kids enjoyed their lesson and were tackling the novice hill with my husband by the end of the day.

gleefan

Delphine, my current mindset is the result of some 30 years of subconsciously using addictions to alleviate my anxiety - unsuccessfully. From the time I was a teenager, I've cycled through addictive patterns. I've been obsessive about avoiding certain food categories (sugar, dairy and gluten). I've obsessively exercised (orthorexia). I've obsessively counted calories (anorexia). Ive obsessively binged on food. I've been obsessive and controlling in relationships (codependency). I've obsessively consumed alcohol. None of these strategies improved my life.

What really helped me identify these patterns is a modern Jungian self help book by James Hollis called "what matters most: finding meaning in the second half of life". It's heavy reading. It took me all of last spring, summer, and fall to get through. It helped me become more compassionate to myself and others, and helped me break free of long held anger, pain, grudges, and heartbreak.

DiggingIn

This was a busy weekend, which is good. Ready to head into another week.

Neverthought

Hey LB,

We never ate Amiga Mia. Where was it, and when did that close?

Sunset Grille....Well, it's not authentic Mexican, but it gets the job done..........

We went to Fiesta in Emmaus right when it opened probably 10 years or so ago, after Don Pablo's in Whitehall closed. We haven't been back, but I heard it improved.

Now, there's a little nook in Northampton called Santa Fe. It's really good. I used to go there with friends for lunch at work.

And there's Mesa in Easton. That's pretty authentic....In fact, I had a margarita there on June 3rd which knocked me off my wagon in the May class 2013, right before a business trip to Vegas. I think that is class I met you in...

We miss Chi-chi's though, even after all of these years. On the border off of Airport road south is acceptable too, at least we think so since there not any authentics around.

Have you eaten at any of those?

Dee74

Congrats on your month LB

D

Dee74

Time for a new thread

join us here:
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...-part-5-a.html

D