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Hey y'all, it's been a while since I've given a good personal update on things going on in my life so I thought I would share my experience, not drinking for 30 days. Let me start by telling you why I chose to take some time off from drinking alcohol.
I have been feeling not so great about myself, see post here about the active changes I made in my routine but I knew I could do more. I decided I need to also start meal prepping lunches for the week on Sundays so that I stop going out for lunch which saves money and keeps my calorie count under relative control and I feel much better day to day because I am eating healthy food for lunch and not just whatever everyone is going out to get. Let's be honest, no matter how healthy you try to be while out to lunch it's just not the same. So, in those to aspects I was already starting to feel better after the 1st of the year and keeping up those habits has been getting easier but I knew there was even MORE I could be doing.
I then decided I needed to revisit my relationship with alcohol, it's always complicated right? I love going out with my friends and having a couple drinks or enjoying a glass of wine with my husband after work to relax but what was I doing to my body when those situations happened multiple times a week? I knew that any part of me that still felt lethargic after working out and meal prepping was due to my consumption of alcohol. I asked myself, "Can I go 30 days without drinking?" I starting considering a dry period of time back at the beginning of January but knew with everything on my social calendar that February was WAY more realistic of a month to try and succeed at not drinking ANY alcohol for an entire 30 days. Let me guess- you're saying to yourself as you're reading this, "but Carrie February is a 28 day month" and I knew that going in so I am extending it past the last day in February to be the full 30 days! Haha I swear I am not trying to cheat by using the shortest month of the year! You may also be thinking, "Carrie, you're family owns a bar so alcohol supports your life" and that is very true and I LOVE our bar and what it has afforded for our life but I needed to do this for myself!
I made a point to tell my husband, my friends, my parents, and in-laws that I wasn't drinking for 30 days by choice just to readjust my mindset and everyone was really supportive! I also gave out a huge disclaimer to my parents & in-laws that this wasn't a clever trick to stop drinking because I am pregnant because I AM NOT!! I just needed time off.
So, what has been my experience? I will say I did miss wine, it's like nighttime coffee to me- I enjoy a glass and crave it! When I say it out loud it sounds really bad haha but I also crave coffee and for some reason I don't feel as ashamed about that even though the caffeine it offers me is addictive too! My husband and I went out to our favorite local Italian restaurant within the first week of not drinking and I almost caved and ordered a glass of wine because when the waitress set down his Cab, the scent legit exploded out of the glass! I felt like Edward in Twilight when the fan blows Bella's scent in his direction in the Biology class! I held strong with water and lemon despite my husband's attempts to describe exactly how good the wine was to torture me. Isn't marriage fun :) I do look forward to a casual glass of wine but I realized that I definitely don't need to be drinking a bottle of it alone on a Friday or Saturday night while my husband is at the bar working. Who am I having fun with? A glass or two of red is plenty and still decently healthy for me.
I do not miss vodka, which is usually what I drink while out with friends. "Vodka, soda with a lemon please", and I usually end up with a lime unless I'm at my family's bar because they just get me there!! I would be fine never having another drop of vodka again. I know that at some point I probably will, it's what most of the girls in my group drink and at bars it's not always easy (or smart) to order wine but I know I have just as much fun out with my friends sober as I do after a few drinks.
Speaking of- no I did not just sit at home every night twirling my hair. I went out, I kept up my routine as usual in terms of dinners & drinks with our friends minus the drinks! At first, people were uncomfortable with the fact that I wasn't drinking but I felt better, I was out later and felt more awake while we were out. It could just be more clear headed but I had a better time! Additionally, I was drinking more water because in situations where I'd be drinking alcohol I was drinking water instead! Sometimes in order to not feel left out I'd order a lemon La Croix because I missed the bubbles! On nights I knew we'd be out a while I'd have a cup of coffee while I got ready so I could have enough energy to make it thru the late night.
Overall I'd say my experience was good and I have a way better perspective on alcohol.
I didn't have many side effects except I craved sweets like crazy. Take away one thing you crave and your body will supplement with another! I handled this by having a La Croix (lemon & passionfruit are my fav flavors!) or a few pieces of candy and I'd feel better!
Working out was way easier in the morning because I woke up actually rested without being encumbered by alcohol. I was hydrated because I was drinking more water and eating healthy because I didn't crave greasy food which is a side effect of alcohol for me. On the weekends I woke up early and made myself a healthy breakfast because I had the energy and didn't feel hung over from the previous night! I got a lot more done on the weekends because again I wasn't tired and hung over from the night before!
Taking all of the benefits into account as I go forward I think I will definitely drink far less, wine will be a treat I will observe in much, much more moderation! I do really love nights on our patio, grilling out with a glass of wine when the weather warms up and I KNOW I won't give that up! It's also really empowering to know I can set my mind to something and stick with it despite temptation both internal and external! I would definitely recommend TRYING a dry 30 day challenge because it has been so amazing to see how my body and mentality has benefited from the time off!
Have you tried a dry 30 day challenge???
xx
Images by Nicollette (except for the photo from our wedding)
