Sober before October
Well, it’s officially Sober October and people are either attempting the challenge, they’re against it or don’t drink so they don’t care. Then comes No Shavember, sorry not something I will be doing, but men PLEASE bring on the beards! I am taking the Sober October challenge tho, why, because I want to encourage others to as well! So they can see it’s not as hard as it seems! At the end of January 2023, after all of the holiday celebrations and my 4 birthday parties were over, I decided to stop drinking alcohol. In actuality, I was experiencing a lot of bloating, aches, brain fog, couldn’t release weight, even as hard as I was working out, and my energy level had plummeted. I decided to try the KETO diet and go all in, no sugar, no dairy, no grains and no alcohol. If I was going to coach people on eating better and living a healthier lifestyle, I had to lead one as well, in order to experience the effects of this type of living and show them the way.
By day three I crashed, I was experiencing very high levels of sadness and depression. I couldn’t find my smile or myself, I didn’t want to be around anyone, everything was annoying, but I also felt like a big lump of poo! As I sat at my desk trying to figure out what on earth was going on with me and why, I realized I was experiencing the side effects of eliminating certain foods from my diet. TA DA – detoxing! Not getting to have my normal sexy coffee with a hint of stevia and creamer, no carbs and nothing to give me a morning dose of dopamine. AHHHHHH – well that made me a feel a little better at least I wasn’t going crazy!
Yes, eliminating things from your diet like grains, dairy, sugar, and alcohol can cause keto flu like symptoms. Fatigue, nausea, headaches, irritability, and constipation but I wasn’t ready for depression or this huge funk. To be honest, I contacted a counselor and thought about admitting myself into a hospital. NO JOKE! Luckily, this psych major who loves all things therapy related, figured it out by asking herself what she had been doing differently and what had changed? The answer was A LOT all at once!
I stayed on this eating program for several weeks. I decided that I felt so much better from not drinking alcohol and that I didn’t really miss it, so I didn’t drink for 6 months. Now just for the record, I really mostly drank on the weekends prior to this, so through the week was simple but the weekends were rough at first. Little by little it became super easy. At first it was hard because our brain and gut microbiome send signals to each other (instigators) that the weekend is coming up and they are ready to add some sass. After a few weeks of creating new ways of thinking, letting go of the mindset that you deserve that drink at the end of the day/week or using alcohol as a stress reliever, your habits begin to change and I found it easier to do. I might order a tonic with lime or have a kombucha with garnish so people thought I was drinking but I wasn’t.
It was interesting to experience being picked on or habitually asked why I wasn’t drinking, when I might drink again or when my “detox” would be over? I didn’t have an answer, I didn’t want to give them an answer. I wasn’t sure if I might decide to have an occasional drink again but didn’t want to commit to anything (HA – more commitment issues). I just didn’t know the answer, but I knew I felt so good at the time for not having alcohol in my system and that I was realizing how good it felt to be sober. I did have a few cocktails to help celebrate my daughters 21st in July and have had a few here and there but it’s rare.
Alcohol is toxic, it ruins your body, your mind, relationships and sometimes lives. On top of that it is such a waste of money! I can’t figure out why it has become some a staple and norm in our lives? Wine is the new Women’s movement, just ask the Real Housewives. I regret the old way I used to think, I planned my life around the next party or drink outing, that is what I looked forward to. Now I look forward to waking up with a clear head, no hangover, better sleep, no hot flashes in the middle of the night and no inflammation! Alcohol really messes with women’s health, our hormones, blood sugar, insulin resistance and the inflammation can lead to joint pain and even cancer. The last thing most people want to eliminate from their diet is alcohol, but I’m telling you from experience, it’s a true game changer. So, give Sober October a try and maybe schedule some laser hair removal before November.
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