To Drink Or Not To Drink

This is a slightly unusual post, in that it’s the story of someone who has given up alcohol for 5 years after an initial 30 day alcohol-free goal. It’s in slight contrast to this post from last week about how alcohol isn’t necessarily such a bad thing. In fact, there are benefits. I occasionally do 30 days without drinking which in England (where I’m from) is quite a challenge, particularly over the weekends. My friends tend to think I’m ill! This is much easier in LA where I’m fortunate to be now living where the majority of people look after their health. I notice how much more productive I am when I don’t drink, how much more energy I have, how much more time I have, and it’s easy to keep body fat down. I work out 6 days a week anyway so I wouldn’t say I exercise more when I don’t drink, it’s just that the efforts are more noticeable – both physically and mentally. I can’t see me going cold turkey – I love a glass of red wine or two over dinner a couple of times a week. Plus when some of the top fitness experts allow themselves a glass of red wine every night – that’s testament for me that it’s ok! I do steer clear of beer now though, and sugary alcoholic drinks & mixers. Check out this guy’s story from the website of Rob Wolf. It’s inspiring. Happy Friday!

Alcohol.

Most of us love a glass of wine over dinner. Or a cold beer on a hot summer’s day.

In moderation, it can make us feel good. It’s part of our culture. We enjoy sharing a few drinks with friends.

But what happens to you physically and mentally when you quit alcohol for just 30 days?

Are there dramatic effects to our overall healthy? Or just subtle ones?

What happens when you quit alcohol for five years?

Well, five years ago – on March 11 – 2015, – I made a simple bet with myself:

I would go 30 days without drinking socially.

Little did I know then that 30 days would turn into six months alcohol-free. Six months turned into one year. One year turned into five years.

Today, in combination with a paleo-eating lifestyle, and regular exercise, I feel superhuman.

I’ve lost 20lbs of fat. My Vitamin D levels have increased. My energy has soared. I sleep longer and deeper. My relationships have improved. I’ve made more money.

I was never a big drinker. I’d enjoy a few quiet beers during the week.  Most weekends I’d go a little harder and get a good “buzz”.

It was all good fun. There was no drinking to excess. I never had a drinking problem.

The problem, for me at least, was the price I paid in my career, my health, and my time spent going out.

One morning in 2010, I awoke with a shocking hangover at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas after a particularly fun night. I walked into an International House of Pancakes for a hangover breakfast.

The IHOP menus have photos of the food you can choose – big, bright, bold colors. The sight of those scrambled eggs, bacon and pancakes on the menu and drunk, overweight people sitting at tables next to me made me ill.

I decided then and there to see if I could go 30 days alcohol-free. It was simply a personal bet with myself to test my self-discipline. I didn’t plan to go more than 30 days. But I eventually would.

The first two weeks were hard. I went out with friends and ordered water or diet coke and they’d give me a hard time. “You’re un-Australian!” they’d say to me.

But I got through those two weeks and I was off to the races. I felt better, slept better and had much more mental clarity.

After 30 days, I’d lost an incredible 13 pounds (5.9kg) of fat around my stomach. Just from stopping drinking. I had more money in the bank balance, my skin looked considerably better and I actually enjoyed getting out of bed early morning to exercise.

Read full post on RobbWolf.com