I'm Quitting Alcohol for Good

Hi there! 

Before I get into it I want to give you a little background.  I started my health journey probably at this point almost 15 years ago.  I was teaching high school, my mother had passed away, I had 2 active middle and high school aged kids and I just wasn't healthy.  I wasn't eating healthy foods, I wasn't getting regular exercise although i tried, I was exhausted all the time with everything to keep up with.  I'm small (about 5' 3.5") and so I don't have alot of room for extra weight.  Thankfully my metabolism is decent so I've always been between 115-140 but usually on the 130-140 side.

My principal at the time had become a naturopath because of his health journey and mentioned what he did.  I wanted to feel better and so I checked it out.  It literally changed my life.  Between figuring out what my body couldn't tolerate and what I shouldn't eat and using supplements to get rid of chemicals, metals, bacteria, parasites, and clean up my gut, over the next several months I not only felt better, the weight I didn't want on came of.  Mostly I felt really good. 

Fast forward to now....I've been up and down over those last few years.  I've consistently gotten tested for my supplements and they are my ride or die.  I take more supplements on trips than anything else LOL.  I've now learned to test myself and it is life changing.  I got really healthy again toward the end of covid and then we started traveling a lot.  So of course while food is harder when you travel, my real issue is when we get home.  Then almost 2 years ago we moved to Florida near the beach and it really is like being on vacation.  ALL THE TIME. Even though we work, it really is a vacation life style which means a lot of going out to eat, guests, beach time, and since we are closer to Orlando, Disney World. 

Dry January and Why I'm Quitting Alcohol for Good

For 2024 we decided to make a really big effort to eat at home, workout, cut out alcohol.  My husband hired a health coach to help with a food and exercise plan so we've been eating at home and working out with weights several days a week. We also decided to do dry January and see how that went.  Honestly, it was awesome.  I went to Disney twice without having a drink.  We went to a couple of events without having a drink. I went to New York and back and felt really good.  I am happy to have soda water with a lime.  I also sometimes put my post workout in a fun cocktail glass and sip on it while I make out dinner.  

There's a ton of mocktail reels and accounts floating around and I saw one that really hit me.  The caption said that sometimes it is more about the ritual of the drink that having the ALCOHOL itself.  100% agree.  Since moving here, brunch includes a cocktail, going to the beach includes a drink, dinner includes wine, travel includes a drink in the lounge and on the plane.  I think it becomes more about the ritual and the habit of it than the ALCOHOL itself.  Because honestly I felt really good in January.  I woke up feeling good.  I would feel good all day.  I went to bed feeling good.  I can't say I feel like that when consuming Alcohol.

We had friends in town this past weekend so I decided I would have a few drinks and then decide. 

I felt so good in January and not so good this weekend after drinking so I'm pressing forward for a Dry 2024. 

I'm going to make some other changes too.  I already use pretty clean products for cleaning and skin care.  We really do try to avoid sugar.  No sugary mocktails for me.  We go to the chiropractor.  I take mineral everyday and I really think that helps to regulate my mood and my sleep.

What I Want to Do Going Forward 

Here's what on my list and I'll report back on what I learn and what changes I make:

• I want to get my Hair Analysis done 
• Acupuncture
• I want to find a Functional Women's Doctor and get a full hormone panel  (I tested with Everlywell recenty and my Cortisol was up from where it was before)
• Regular Massage - I was using a lady and booking through my chiropractor and she's not there anymore.  I have her number so I need to make an effort to contact her and set it up. 
• Daily Walks - Low Impact Steady State Walks with my Dogs - Just good for you overall and I need to make this a priority
• Consistent Lifting - I have a program/app I used @madelinemoves but I think I need to get some training to feel comfortable with some of the lifts
• Pilates? - they opened up a new studio near me so I need to check that out to
• Nutritionist - I'm going to look into this option too.  During my life I've tried every kind of diet.  I know that whole foods are best.  I eat meat but don't like a large quantity of it.  I mostly avoid sugar and dairy.  I'd like to know for someone my age, build, and metabolism what I should be eating in a day, when and how much. 

Going forward I'm going to use this as a more of a journal of sorts to check in, let you know what I'm learning and doing, what's helping the most and hopefully there will be some things that will be helpful to you too.