Reboot,

Keep up the good work, for you are doing great.

I admire you for not drinking at the airport, for I hate layovers. The few times that I have flown I end up having a drink or two (with my nal of course) during our layovers. It is something about watching everyone buzzing around and then being in a tin can that makes me want to have a drink....thank god I do not travel for a living!

Hope things slow down for you soon,

Jaba

Out to dinner with friends and didn't even want a glass of wine or beer...that is amazing! Congratulations! That is progress!

Week 15's report: Started out great with two AF days and then the weekend hit. This weekend spent at beach with friends. Friday night stayed up late and had several beers and a couple of heavy drinks and Saturday a long day on the boat and then dinner - pretty much the same intake. Several beers and some mixed drinks - and then Sunday a three lunch mixed drinks and rest of week back to reality. So the unit intake (not drink intake) was 0,0,15,18,9,2, and 0 for a total of 44. So I continue to do well in the week but when it comes to the weekends I always seem to be at a party. But I feel I am doing better on these long weekend days as with only a few exceptions I do not partake until later in the afternoon. Previously I would have joined the bloody mary breakfast crowd or at least have several cold beers around lunch. Looking back to only a couple of months ago where I had a similar weekend I was over a 120 unit intake - so it is making a difference. And with the 2-3 AF days I am feeling great about this slow but steady progress.

Challenges ahead for this week and next: Wife heading out of town for a cruise - in the past it would be out to the sports bar or to the tiki hut for way to many. Then, I go out of town for 6 days to visit brothers and family alone. Another challenge for me - usually have one really big blow out night - which has turned into two or three day binges for all of us.

Short Term Goals: To stay away from the bars while wife is gone and to not do a blow out night with the family.

Long Term Goal: Get the weekend numbers below 20 - which means skipping heavy mixed drinks that I make and to move to lighter beer. (ugh!)

reboot - yep the weekends are when my numbers go up too. Working on it slowly, though. Good luck with your goals. xoxo Newlife

Ugh.... those weekends are a killer! Keep up the great work, though... I can't wait until I can manage one AF day, nevermind more of them!

Newlife and Minniemom,

Gives new meaning to being weekend warriors!

And Minnie those AF days will come. It does take a little bit to start putting together. As others have said - its part the NAL and part changing your habits. I loaded my refrig with seltzer with flavors for those times that I want something to drink other than water. I go pop a top just like when I grabbed a beer- sounds the same - just a lot different taste!! But it does seem to satisfy my need to have something to drink before and during dinner. After I make it through dinner without AL I am usually good for the rest of the night. - Excepting week-ends!

Reboot - sitting here with my flavoured fizzy water I so know what you mean ! I have been AF today - but liked being able to get that fizzy cold water ! I have to be able to get through walking in the door from work and not opening a Guinness - if I can get through that first hour then I am good to go - and I walk in the door around 12.30 !! But as long as I can get past 1.30 - 2.00 then usually I am fine ! So I suppose MY witching hour is different to everyone else's !! AND I work weekends - so that doesn't apply either ! LOL

Hugs, Maggie x

Maggie, that made me so happy I am crying...I am really happy for you! Keep it up!

Reboot, those habits to let your hair down on the weekends that I bet you have been doing for years...you will get it, and you are doing awesome!

Jaba

Thanks Jaba - I was poorly on Monday (no, NOT hungover) and not to swift on Tuesday - so was AF both days then decided that I had felt so good Wednesday morning that I would do yesterday too.

Hugs, Maggie x

Week 16 started out okay but with the wife out of town I did end up watching a football (American) game at a sports bar. Then the next two days out fishing and started drinking beer by 10 am on one day and at 1 pm the next. So there went a couple of my short term goals - staying out of bars and not drinking before 5 PM. But minor set back as I never did a blow out - two dayer. Numbers for the week: 2,2, 18 (and my damn team lost!), 9, 9, 9 for a total of 49. Leave tomorrow for a week - hoping to keep my intake below 50. Already have tonight as an AF day and I once again will try the "can I get by the airport bar without stopping challenge" tomorrow. If so I am pretty confident I will log another AF day in tomorrow.

Seems like I have been to busy to post a lot but I have been trying to keep up with the reading but am falling a little further behind each week. It does seem like some tempers are flaring here and there and I certainly understand whenever you have this many people giving their true and heartfelt opinions that there will be conflict. I only hope we can keep it under control as I know if I saw a lot of conflict when I first starting lurking - I would have never kept reading and there for would have never taken the pill. And because of all of the kindness and great advise people share on this site I decided to try TSM. So this pill and this forum has enabled me to actually start to get a hold of my AL intake.

Love is the answer on this site - okay it can be tough love - but it should not be bickering since we all have the same goal. Sorry for the soapbox but needed to get it off my chest.

Good luck to everyone this week!