dry january – midway

In my new years post I mentioned that I was going to do a dry January to start the year and keep my current fitness momentum going and to cleanse a bit.

Please note, that on average I typically drink or have drinks on one to two days each week, so I am not making a major lifestyle change by eliminating that event per say. I am not intending to present this as a recovery process post, or to compare this to anyone that has experience with substance abuse or addiction. But, as the middle of the month approaches, I wanted to document my experience to this point.

Overall, I have been surprised at how easy it has been for me to this point, although we are really only talking about a few weeks (was light on libations the last week of the month due to dealing with a cold). There are a few times that I have missed indulging since I do genuinely enjoy the taste and experience of having craft cocktails or beer.

This past Saturday (1/11/2020) was the biggest test of my will to this point. I was at a bar with friends for the Vikings game and they were all drinking. The way that the game developed and unraveled definitely challenged my will a bit. It is easy to rely on substances to moderate mood or emotions in times of stress, and in social situations, and the combination of social stimuli and the Vikings inevitable choke-job were definitely a bit of a trigger. However, I found myself more aware of the thoughts about using a substance and what its purpose would be at that time. It was interesting to have that clarity when the game started going downhill and I had that, “man, I could use a drink” moment.

It has also been interesting to me to think about how much of drinking is a a social construct for me. I maintain a unwritten rule that I don’t drink alone, mainly because it just seems unnecessary to me, and they are empty calories. I implemented that rule after a period where I had formed a habit of having a beer (or two) after work almost daily several years back. This habit kind of spiraled and was obviously not super healthy, so I put a nix on it once I realized that it was a bit excessive.

Anyway, being with a group that are all drinking is an environment that made me wonder if I would feel pressured to be part of the group. It was not as difficult as I thought it would be overall to manage that situation. I had soda water with lime throughout the evening so that I had something to partake in, but with none of the effects.

Other notes on it are a bit obvious. I have saved money that I would have spent at the bar. A night out with dinner and an app and spending about $20 definitely beats spending another $30 or more on top for drinks though the course of the afternoon and into the evening.

I have also felt the results in my workouts at the beginning of the week and my body in general. I usually start Sunday or Monday feeling a little bit sluggish. I notice that my body is a bit more inflamed and dehydrated during that time, and it takes a day or two and some workouts to process any alcohol through my system, get hydrated and return to equilibrium. The last few weeks I haven’t had to go through that recovery process and that has felt great.

So far, the experience has been positive and I am enjoying being able to think through some of these situations and be more conscious of how I feel in different situations. I think I will take away the process of thinking about why I have the urge to have a drink and what the purpose would be in each of them. I think it might change my outlook on deciding when I am going to indulge in the future and what reasons or occasions are worth marking with a libation.

I would love to hear about anyone else that has practiced sobriety for any period of time and what your experience was.

What was your reasoning (if you are open to sharing)? How did it impact you?