Dry January. How is it For You?

a glass of wine in front of a fireplace

I will admit that this year, rather uncharacteristically, I have suffered the January blues. The big fat energy sucking, positivity zapping feelings of gloom and glumdom have hit. Big style.

I never normally feel any different in January, I usually feel super-inspired in fact; full of plans and excitement for the year to come.

If anything I normally feel green, or yellow perhaps … but never blue …

Not this January though.

Ah – That’ll be the lack of evening wine then.

And weekend afternoon beers … coupled with crisps …and pork scratchings.

And Friday night brandy (which usually starts to excite me on Wednesday) …

Yes, Tis true. I am one of the many, many idiots attempting to remove ALL meaningful, consumable treats and feel-goodies from my life during the most miserable and mentally depleted months of the year.

Question to self: Whhhhhhhhhyyyyyyyyyy???

Okay, Perhaps not one of the easiest plans to embark on, BUT, I will be the first to admit that at this point (20th January) I feel really quite amazing physically and mentally.

(…. Okay, so I slipped off the wagon on two occasions, so I haven’t been entirely pure. The first time was for a very special occasion 10 days ago, and for that I have no regrets. And the second, well … that was just due to weakness and for no particular reason)

But, regardless of those slip-ups, I feel good. Really, I do!

My sleep is deeper. My eyes are defiantly brighter. I don’t feel dehydrated and heady when I wake up anymore. My mind is clearer. AND despite a new, fairly hefty evening snack habit, I’ve lost 4lbs without even trying!

3 people this week have told me I’m ‘glowing’ … with a neighbour even asking if I’m harbouring a secret pregnancy, because, she said, I’m ‘positively radiant’!

Radiant… I’m radiant!

I think that just goes to prove just how many toxins and empty calories are too easily consumed and packed into our systems during harmless evening drinking at home. Those sneaky glasses of ‘wind down’ wine in the evening really do take their toll. And its only when you remove the habit that you notice the effects on your body overall, the ones which creep in overtime and go largely un-noticed.

So, I’m super happy to keep going, and come February, I will make a promise to myself to keep it minimal and reserve such blow-outs just for weekends only.

Whats that old saying?

‘Make it a holiday, not a way of life’

… Plus, its quite nice to have renewed and refreshed my old lightweight status. Y’know, feeling that lovely neck tingle after only a few sips feels really good. So I don’t want to build up a tolerance again anytime soon and miss out on that.

Yup. Dry January. Its not so bad after all.

Anna x

 

 

Are you doing #DryJanuary? how are you finding it?

Whatever you do, don’t give in! (and even if you do slip off the wagon, its okay, you can still carry on!)

And NO. I am absolutely not harbouring a ‘secret pregnancy’!

 

 

 

 

 

8 comments on Dry January. How is it For You?

  • Random Musings

    Sounds like Dry January is working wonders for you. It’s weird because I’ve tried this a few times and cheated by day 3, so this year I decided I wasn’t going to bother and I haven’t had a drink yet this month. I think for me once I tell myself I can’t have something, I want it but when I know I can have it, I can take it or leave it.
    Debbie
    Random Musings recently posted…Sisterhood Of The World TagMy Profile

  • Eve Redmond

    AH that’s amazing, well done! I’m not a big alcohol drinker anymore since becoming a momma but I have quit all chocolate and snacks. I feel really good, although the first few days I had awful withdrawal symptoms!

  • Joanna

    I’m not doing dry January but that is purely because I hardly drink anyway ( only speical occasions). Sounds like dry January is working well for you though which is great.

  • Angela at Daysinbed

    I’m lucky I grew up in a home without alcohol and decided as a teenager to never bother with it and have never tried it in my 32 years so now I don’t have to worry about giving up or cutting down. I do wonder if not drinking or trying certain things has had an effect on my skin as many people always say i look a lot younger than I am and i’m not sure why..but as you say you are more radiant without alcohol. It’s true.
    Angela at Daysinbed recently posted…What To Eat After Gastric Bypass SurgeryMy Profile

  • Sally Akins

    I’m not doing Dry January this year, I’ve done it the last couple of years but this year I decided to just cut back a bit instead 😉 Well done for sticking with it though!

  • Liz Mays

    I love an evening glass of wine too — a lot, but I’ve also been thinking of dropping it for a while. It’s good to hear you’re feeling good doing so.

  • Zena's Suitcase

    To be honest I have really cut back on alcohol anyway. After having 2 children recently and breastfeeding I just got out of the habit. I’ve found that hangovers and binges are something I really don’t need in my life anymore. Good luck with your challenge

  • Sarah Cashman

    I have had a relatively dry January, which just involved breaking the habit I adopted over Christmas of drinking every day… but although it was difficult, it hasn’t been as bad as trying to give up sugar. Again. I managed 4 months before Christmas, not not a single day afterwards… so far…

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