Wednesday, January 3, 2018

10 reasons to give up drinking in the New Year

After the holidays last year, I decided to take a break from drinking so, I set an intention to do a "Sober January". I liked it so much I've decided to "give dry a try" again in 2019! And, this time, my hubby is on board!

Here is a short list of all the benefits I've found from stepping away from the bottle...
 
1. It will save you money. No more growler fills, bar tabs or bottles of wine in your grocery cart? This could add up to hundreds each month!
2. Your heart will thank you. Research has shown that drinking alcohol can raise your blood pressure which in turn can be a risk factor for heart disease and heart attack.
3. It might just save your marriage. With any vice or addiction, we tend to spend more time on IT than the things that really matter. Put down the bottle and go for a walk with your hubby, replace happy hour at the bar with a group snowshoe hike, spend time with those you love by being totally present and aware. You will reap benefits you have never imagined.
4. You will have a ridiculous amount of extra time on your hands. And by extra, I mean productive. It is crazy how much wasted time occurs when we drink. No pun intended. From the actual time spent drinking to the entire next day when we are in recovery mode, there is so much time lost. Time you will never get back. Now, you will have time to reorganize that closet or pantry, write that blog, stick to a workout routine or volunteer your time in a soup kitchen.
5. You will look and feel 10 years younger. This is absolutely the truth. I always say that "not drinking" is the secret to staying young. Forget botox or lipo, laying off the booze reduces fine lines, redness/puffiness in the eyes and face and gives your skin a glow that no face cream can match.
6. You will be happier. Sure, enjoying a few beers after work helps you relax and unwind but, we all know alcohol is a depressant. Drink too much and you may find yourself in a world of hurt the next day and I'm not just talking about the pain between your ears.
7. Your kids will be happier. Seeing mom on the couch with a glass of wine does something to a kid. Even if it's actually 5:00 where you are. Putting down the bottle and spending quality, good old fashioned "face time" with your kid will do wonders for everyone.
8. You might just be saving yourself from a devastating disease like Alzheimer's and Dementia. Drinking creates memory loss. Memory loss is an early warning sign of Alzheimer's. Its not brain surgery folks, it's basic math.
9.You will lose weight. Alcohol contains all kinds of empty calories and slows metabolism. It also causes us to make poor food choices while drinking, as well as the days to follow. Why is it that a cheeseburger with fries and a soda sounds so much more desirable than a plate of roasted veggies and quinoa when you are hung over? Drop the booze, drop the weight.
10. You might really like taking a walk on the sober side - even temporarily! I always say that I love NOT drinking almost as much as I love drinking. And, after just a few days of it, I find the euphoric feeling that I get from a glass of wine being replaced with the europhic feeling I get when I wake up clear-headed and raring to go! I'll drink to that, however, at the moment, I'm not quite sure when that will be.

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