I’m pretty sure we’ve all been there…after one too many late nights out, or waking up feeling less than stellar, you decide to take a hiatus from drinking, or go booze-free as I like to call it. Whether your hiatus is planned to be a week, a month or longer, I’m guessing it was either MIGHTY tough to do, or you didn’t end up doing it. Well, every January (for the last couple of years), I have gone booze-free. I definitely don’t drink THAT much, but I like my few glasses of vino on the weekends, and I’d like to give my body a break and feel SUPER rested at the beginning of 2015! For any of you wanting to join me this year, I have some tips and learnings to share to help you get through booze-free January. You CAN do it.
Plan your social calendar around daytime events, like lunch out, or coffee/tea dates, rather than evenings out. That way, you are automatically shifting the focus away from evenings that typically include some sort of alcohol. Now, this is not always possible, and if you’re like me and for some reason your entire social circle was born in January, read on…
The majority of the difficulty with going booze-free comes from feeling awkward about it (at least that’s what I found). So if you do find yourself at a social event, bring some Club Soda, Perrier or sparkling water of some sort so that you can pour yourself a drink and hold on to it. Even better, slice a lime or lemon in it and it looks just like a vodka soda. I tell you, it seems weird, but nobody knows what ‘clear liquid’ is in your cup. 🙂
Telling people you’re not drinking for a certain period of time is only as awkward as YOU make it. I realized this last year. First of all, people tend to have respect, not disgust, for you to be able to do it. I received a lot of comments like, “Wow, I could never do that”. Secondly, after a few drinks, nobody else even realizes you aren’t drinking, so as long as you’re not moping around and are still upbeat and happy with everyone – nobody will even remember!
Lastly, and most importantly, consider the health benefits of giving your lovely liver a break. Your liver is already overridden with daily toxins to detoxify, such as those from the air you breathe, the chemicals you are exposed to and the food you eat. I noticed my skin was better than ever, I slept incredibly well, and I felt AMAZING waking up on Saturday and Sunday mornings.
5) Join The Group
One of the best ways to achieve a goal is to have the group motivation. That’s the whole premise of my wellness challenge, starting Jan 12th! There’s an awesome group signed up for The HEAL 30 Day Wellness Challenge, and you only have a few more days to sign up! Click here to learn more.
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