For the last 31 days, I’ve abstained from alcohol. And to be honest, it was a positive experience. I don’t have an unhealthy relationship with alcohol in the first place, but I consumed more of it than I would have liked to over the holiday season. A constant drip of 1-2 beers most nights became a coping mechanism after my dad passed.
It seems harmless… what impact could one delicious beer have? The social benefits are obvious. But the medical community has determined that “the level of (alcohol) consumption that minimises health loss is zero” and that it’s believed to increase the risk of at least seven different types of cancer. There’s a thriving nonalcoholic industry that offers many viable alternatives, making better decisions easier to make.
I’m building a new me in 2025, and the engine that will drive most of that change are the small daily habits that compound over time. Dry January is a perfect starting point.
I set out to not consume a single drop of alcohol this January.
A friendly bet with Christine and our friend Louis provided some competitive encouragement. Ironically, the stakes were a bottle of wine supplied by anyone who caved to the desire to drink during the month.
What is it for? In the context of building a new me… I want to be in the best shape of my life. I’ve done the skinny runner thing. Last year I did the bulky Crossfit thing. This year I want to find the elusive middle ground of shredded hybrid athlete. I’m returning to the Worlds End 100k in May, and I want to finish under 16 hours. And I want my kids to grow up witnessing healthy habits and big goals.
To quote Sahil Bloom, whose outlook on life has resonated with me over the last year – “Everything you want in life is on the other side of something that sucks”. All of what I just described is on the other side of something that sucks. Probably several things that suck. I’m motivated to take this journey and see how far I can go.
Technically I had a drink within the very first hour of the month.
Oops. We were in the Poconos for New Years Eve, stayed up past midnight (a first since having kids), and I finished my last beer after the ball dropped. This was preapproved in the bet – and after an awful night of sleep, it was time to get to work.
The first week and a half were smooth sailing. Christine found an alternative beverage that worked for her: Recess and Sprite. I’m not a huge fan of NA beers – they perpetuate the habit, the corresponding empty calories, and the taste reward. It would be like converting to vegetarianism and eating a Beyond Burger for dinner every night. You’re following the rules, but missing the point.
That said, my favorite summer beer is Michelob Ultra and AB InBev released Michelob Ultra Zero right after the new year. So there was a 12 pack in the fridge as a backstop, which I leaned on early in the month. It did the job, but I still craved a real beer.
Fast forward to January 11th: a social outing with a group of dudes for a birthday that involved bringing a food and alcohol pairing. Several of these dudes were doing “Damp January” and pre-planned to break form that night. In a moment of weakness, I almost planned to do the same… but Louis talked some strength into me. Even though I brought beer as an alcohol pairing, I only drank the Mickeys… 8 of them. It was nice to not have a hangover the next day, but “binge” drinking NA beers was a complete waste of time and calories.
The rest of the month was pretty uneventful and not much of a challenge. We had brutally cold weather and a snowstorm resulting in a lot of time sheltered inside and a low degree of social pressure. Maya’s birthday was at the end of the month, and I picked up some Guinness 0 for her party. Now that’s an NA beer that’s worth it – all of the dark, nitro deliciousness of one of my favorite real beers, and a taste that’s close enough to the real thing.
In week three, I started to notice positive changes.
I started looking (and feeling) thinner. A little less bloated in my stomach, a little more definition in my arms and cheeks. A two-pack was starting to appear. Any desire for an NA beer had vanished.
I weigh myself daily. Not to obsess over the number, but because it’s a useful (albeit imperfect) health metric that’s easy to obtain. My weight fluctuated far less than normal and steadily declined over the month. For reference, I’ve been in the 178-184 range for most of the last year, making this a noticeable change.
My cravings for sweets were also significantly less pronounced. Was it related? I’m not sure. Overall, I started to feel much more balanced. More in control. More connected to what my mind and body were thinking and feeling. Perhaps this is what it means to be “mindful”. It’s a great feeling.
Next up: No (Added) Sugar February!
I really enjoyed the concept of time-boxed abstinence, so I’m going to continue with it.
I don’t want to regress on all of the good progress that was made in January. But I’m open to an occasional beer. So the compromise will be “Damp February” – which will consist of up to one beer per week. It’s not required if I don’t need it, but it doesn’t roll over to the next week. No exceptions. This will allow me to scratch the itch, but in an uber mindful way.
And I’m going to raise the bar with something new: “No (Added) Sugar February“. I have a major sweet tooth, and from a calories in vs calories out standpoint I can inflict a lot of self-damage even while burning thousands of calories a week running.
The litmus test for “added sugar” is subjective because sugar creeps into everything. My goal isn’t to adopt a keto diet because simple carbohydrates are essential on long training runs. I’m going to follow the Jocko principle of “No Sugar Coated Lies“. No poison. This should easily capture 80% of the bad dietary decisions that I make.
Will this suck? Yes. But I want what’s on the other side of it.