great stuff NL. from another non-fast-responder, you'll get there, baby steps ...

-badger

Congratulations, Newlife! It sounds like you have turned a corner. Not being a fast responder, your post gives me hope. I don't care how long it takes to work, I just will wait until it does.

MinneMom, you are not the only one who feels like you are taking a placebo. I am 20 weeks in I do not feel any difference in the way the alcohol tastes and I still get that relaxed, happy feeling when I take that first drink. Things are different with me, though, although the differences are subtle. My consumption is half of what it used to be, though. We'll get there.

Thanks ocean, badger, Deena.

Deena: I think you are doing great!! Also, badger, I don't look at your numbers often but I just went to your progress thread post and did, and I can see that you have also made progress, slowly like me. Keep it up!!

Hugs to all, Newlife

I haven't made a progress post since mid October. Yikes!!! And in late November just before the holidays began, I had a death in my family and that plus the holidays plus general laziness made me stop tracking. Time to start again.

I made it through the holidays ok,not always great not as bad as pre nal. That is my general sense. I am doing well most of the time, yet every two to three weeks I seem to "slip" and have a night where I overdo it. Not to the point of black out or bingeing or any horrible behavior, but more like up to 5 US Units: too much for my body proportions and just more than I want to drink.

The nal has made my taste for wine WAY WAY less. I am proud of myself that I have never once been tempted not to take it because of that!! I still drink wine, but it doesn't do a lot for me. On the nights that I "overdo" hard liquor is almost always the culprit. There would seem to be an obvious solution there: DUH, give up hard liquor? But this is where my insidious rebellious personality traits sabotage me. As soon as I am told, either by an outside source or by myself, not to do something, even if it is something I didn't much like or want to do before that, it is all I can think about doing. So I know that a rule against hard liquor would backfire on me and just make it all the more appealing, the "forbidden fruit." It is why I cannot make most diets work for me. Moderation in things, however, I have been successful at in my life, and so that is what I am hoping for with my drinking.

I do think I need to remind myself to DRINK SLOWLY. When I have issues, which as I should emphasize on most nights I do not have anymore, it is because I have a very strong drink to start off with and I drink it quickly. Then quickly have another. Then judgment is all gone.

Overall, and especially for the newbies, I want to emphasized that although I am not where I want to be, nal has made a HUGE positive difference in my life. For me, it has taken longer to get where I want to be than I had hoped. But, I am lucky in that I experience no side effects, so whether or not to take it, at least at this point, is a nobrainer.

Nal on everyone!!

Ok newlife so how about this? Here is a new rule for you... You MUST drink hard liqueur!

See what I did there?

I know what you mean. In the old days I liked nothing more then to start the night off with a beer and a couple shots of bourbon. That first drink packed a wallop and would set the goal for the night - annihilation.

I've done that so many countless times that the habit part of it is still there. But since I've started TSM about 7 months ago I don't remember once drinking a shot of the hard stuff. THe only reason why I did in the past is because it was the most effective tool in the chase. It would get me there furthest and fast but I jsut don't have that desire anymore. But I still do have the habit and it's hard to shake. The habit that I still have is that if I have the first drink I 'need' the next one. With TSM I really don't but I find myself more often then not still going for it. But like yourself I can say that it is absolutely nothing at all, not even close, to pre-TSM levels.

Ha ha Ocean, yes if I had that edict it probably would work. Let's see, what doctor can I get to go along with that plan.

Human beings and their motivations are really strange things, aren't they?

For the next month I am going to concentrate extremely hard on just drinking slowly........have whatever I want but drink it slowly. I am thinking that will help quite a bit. And it doesn't seem like deprivation or asking too much of myself.

Thanks for the laugh and the input.

Newlife

Hey, how about a nice cold vodka and molasses?

Ha ha JoeSixPack. That does sound pretty awful. Of course it doesn't help matters that my husband, who drinks but not much and does not know that I am taking nal, is an excellent bartender.

Nal on!!

That made me laugh Newlife - as in what Ocean said - yes, we all now say that you MUST drink only hard liqueur! But I know where you are coming from when we are told that we CANNOT do something! Your idea for the next month sound pretty good - maybe have a glass of water in-between each drink too? just a thought as it was suggested to me once - I could not do it but it might work for you....

Hugs, Maggie x

Hmmmm......now a REALLY nice drink made by your bartender husband who is NOT a big drinker. doesn't sound like a terrible way to begin the night. and as Maggie said, alternate with water! I see some positive TSM traits going on here. but Vodka and molasses? count me out!