Thursday, February 4, 2021

Dry January

 

We decided that for the month of January, we would stop drinking and snacking at night.  When it comes to sticking to an otherwise healthy diet, those things are our weaknesses.  And since December (end of November really) was a free for all in terms of drinks and treats, we needed a reset.   Starting on January 3rd and ending today (Feb 4) we have not had any alcohol and no snacks after supper (with the exception of a Perrier and a square of dark chocolate on occasion).  Here are some of my observations:

- I sleep better when I haven't had any drinks.

- I may go to bed hungry but I'm not suffering. 

- I didn't actually feel deprived.

- We have both lost our "Christmas weight" and more, and although numbers on a scale isn't my primary motivation, it is nice to see and I certainly feel better and more trim.

- When the only choice for beverage is water or sparkling water (!) then it's a lot easier to decide.  Often I'm deciding if I should have wine or beer, how many glasses, if I should drink on a certain night or not, etc.  

- Same with snacks: chips, popcorn, or cheese and crackers?  Or during this month, none of the above. 

- Healthy habits can carry over to the rest of my day.  I made better choices for my meals and ate less snacks overall. 

- I can do it. Many people do "Dry January" and I didn't think it was for me.  I have told myself lots of stories about how I eat and drink, but I found I was able to change my habits.

- It's much easier to take a break from drinking when there are no parties, dinners out, or work events. 

- I am also looking forward to having some wine tomorrow night :)

- Although we aren't going to become teetotalers, we still plan to continue to take some weeks off from drinking/snacking from time to time. 

I'm not just telling you this to brag, haha, but instead to maybe inspire you to try something new and adopt some new healthy habits.  You may be surprised of what changes you can make. 

4 comments:

  1. You two are so good to do that! Great positives as a result. Thanks for sharing and inspiring!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I don't feel like I drink enough to declare a month a dry month, but I have started snacking less in the past week to try to lose some weight! So far it's going ok. Great job to you!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I need to cut out nighttime snacking. Way to go on making these healthy changes!

    ReplyDelete
  4. My biggest observation when I give up alcohol for awhile is always how much better I sleep-- it is significant! I only ever drink one or two glasses of red wine, but it's enough to make a difference.

    ReplyDelete