I am now 11 days into my 30-day challenge of not drinking alcohol!
Why?
I don’t usually drink a lot. My general rule is no alcohol from Monday to Thursday, and then either 1 or 2 glasses of wine per night from Friday to Sunday. For a while, I've wondered if I could stop drinking entirely but never got around to trying it.
Starting on a Sunday made the initial phase easy. Monday to Thursday was normal.
On Friday, my husband and I usually start the weekend with cheese, olives, and wine. To break this habit, we created an alcohol-free aperitivo. (recipe below) It was added sugar free because I don't want to swap one habit for another.
Saturday was the same. Surprisingly, we both felt great and didn’t miss the alcohol! The quiet, relaxing weekend helped.
Interestingly, the first real challenge came last night – a Tuesday! I was tired, my day had been a little disappointing, and after too much TV, I felt bored. We haven’t been out since starting the 30-day trial, so I thought, “Why am I doing this? I don’t drink much anyway. I’m healthy in every other way. Life is too short!”
This is normal! Doubts and fading willpower are part of the process.
This is what change does, half way through, your brain can make you question it and yourself.
I needed to remind myself to stick with it.
I need to talk to my partner in crime for support as I am not alone in this venture. When making healthy changes, these are some strategies that give you a chance of success:
Have an accountability partner. Ask others to join you in the change or at least have someone to spur you on when you feel like giving up. My husband and I are doing this together and we shook hands on it. If I give up, he might as well or he might not – either way I will feel bad!
Write it down. Set the goal and write it down as if you have already succeeded, add some motivational words and date it - the date you have succeeded. I have to admit I have not done this yet, the handshake is the same thing. Cement the goal in a way that matters to you.
Manage your willpower. Willpower uses a lot of energy. Fuel yourself, or you might fail when you need it most. Today, I increased my protein and ensured I had good carbohydrates, especially after the gym. Studies show willpower improves with good energy intake, a study showed drinking full sugar lemonade improved will power compared to a group who drank a sugar free version. Don't reach for the lemonade however, think healthy complex carbohydrates such as oats, basmati rice, beans, lentils, potatoes and veg.
Break your goal into smaller chunks. For me, 30 days isn’t a long time. If I had set a six-month goal, it might have felt impossible.
Avoid situations that test your willpower. In the early days, when it’s tough, try to avoid tempting situations or find distractions. The mocktail helped us. Perhaps avoiding dining out this week is wise while I feel like giving up.
Believe in yourself. Last night, I doubted my ability to do this. Then, I had a word with myself. Where is this doubt coming from? How do I know I can't do it? This thinking made me realise, “Yes, I can do it!”
Set one goal at a time. Willpower tires easily, it can be short-lived. Trying to resist too many things at once you can exhaust it. Pick one goal!
Reward yourself. Celebrate achieving your goal with a reward. For example, the cheese, olives and mocktail!
Challenge the norm. I am intrigued to see if I feel any different. I have drunk alcohol since I was 17, in Scotland there is a big drinking culture. I have rarely not drunk in my life, as I say very small amounts now but it still is something that is ingrained. I feel a pressure when eating out, restaurants encourage it. This has become a slight bug bear of mine and I find it refreshing to hear of people who set up events that are about not drinking with a focus on connection and activities. The culture does need to change and I believe there are some people out there doing it! Look up Fellow Humans and discoveryourflare on Instagram.
Be curious and positive. Lastly I might see some health benefits physically and mentally; I am keen to find out and will let you know when I do!
What will happen after 30 days?
This is dependent if I manage to do it and what I find. I will take my own advice from above and then I will see what benefits if any will derive from the challenge. I do enjoy a glass of wine, I will weigh up that against the positives of not drinking. The positive benefits will be something worth considering as I am always wanting to feel at my best!
Can you give up alcohol for 30 days?
Yes
No
Nogroni
30ml of CherryActive (from health food stores)
1/2 pint of water (still or sparkling)
20 drops of a bitter (health food shops)
Ice
Mix
Great blog!!