We're Quitting Alcohol for a Year (and maybe forever)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ก.ย. 2024
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We're quitting alcohol entirely for a whole YEAR! And hopefully just continue forever. So far we've quit for a month and it feels great!
Previous Alcohol Quittings
1st time • We Quit Alcohol for a ...
2nd time • We Quit Sugar, Alcohol...
MY PATREON!
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THANKS, PATRONS
Byron Marsh
Joseph Middleswart
"quitting alcohol doesn't open the gates of heaven and let you in, it opens the gates of hell and let's you out"
I needed to hear that....
Man thats powerful. Wow.
Felt that
Well said!
Right on!
Im 800 days sober. Best decision ive ever made.
Congrats, man! Keep it up
You look exactly like him
@@spilledsoju03 i think he has more hair :D
Con freaking grats
You are the Man!!!
Hey Wheezy, I just completed a full alcohol-free year. Here's what you can expect: 1) sleep is MUCH better. 2) your skin clears up 3) you may lose a few lbs. initially but... you will have serious sugar cravings to replace the alcohol sugars you're no longer consuming. 4) social gatherings aren't as difficult as you think. Tell people you're not drinking and they are usually very supportive. 5) if you do decide to go back after a year, you'll notice that alcohol has lost much of its appeal. The taste isn't as good, the buzz is uncomfortable, and the next day is miserable. For me, after the year off, one glass of wine or one whiskey is enough, and I don't feel like drinking every day. Taking a year booze off and going back is like listening to those old songs from the 80s that you used to love and realizing that they're not that great anymore. Good luck, and do more Crash Course. We need more eagle abuse.
Completely agree apart from the last part. 80s songs are still great 🙌🙌
Oh the sugar cravings! Yeah.... I've been cutting way back and am working towards quitting basically for good. I've cut back by about 85%. I'll get there :-)
As someone who doesn’t drink, it can be so difficult going to gatherings or any nighttime event. People will always ask why or continuously offer or just give you a strange look when you say no. So important to just maintain boundaries.. because half the time, it’s easier to just drink for the sake of getting people off your back. It can be super frustrating
I never understood the looks people give when you say "I don't drink", personally I never have and don't think I ever will, don't find a point to it.. but I agree.... its super frustrating.
Honestly my biggest reason for rarely drinking anymore is just to practice standing up for myself when I don't want to do something (second biggest: I'm getting older and alcohol just makes me tired and sad.)
I always blame it on being the driver, which I am almost every time. For the drinkers that's very convenient, so they don't pester me once they realise I'm their or their friend's ride home. If they do pester me I tell them alcoholism runs in the family, and I'd rather avoid that for myself. It makes the situation awkward enough for them to drop the subject. And it was their fault for pressuring me into saying it, imo.
I always just say alcoholism runs in the family. You could also walk around with a can of liquid death it only water and looks like a beer can but they charge as much as beer which pisses me off since it is only water.
So true. Especially the continuos offering really annoyes me
Listen up!!! You helped me stop drinking!!! Because of one of your videos when you mentioned alcohol last summer (2020), I can’t remember the topic (getting ripped?) I stopped drinking alcohol in July 2020. So 1.25 years ago! Guess how much I miss drinking: zero percent. My husband and I keep non-alcoholic Beer stocked. I live in Germany so of course it’s a huge deal not to drink, but everyone is so impressed...leading me to believe most people wish they could stop 🤷♀️
I can't have alcohol due to both chronic illness, and medication I take, but honestly, there are so many wonderful things you can make without alcohol. Between making the same things without alcohol, or just trying new things, with teas, carbonated drinks, or just different kinds of fruit and other things. I love herbal teas sometimes, especially when it's cooler weather.
A good friend of mine and I have struggled with alcohol for years, and when we started dating a couple months ago, we agreed to never drink together. So much of what was said in this video lines up with our experience! Hitting that intense low around 4 o'clock. Being generally sadder and more tired for a while. But I have to say, things are finally starting to feel really good.
My parents never had alcohol ever when I grew up and it seems I have a much healthier relationship with alcohol than a lot of my friends who had drinking parents growing up... I'm not traumatized by "drunk parents" and it's nice.
My parents never drank growing up either and I completely agree. I do technically drink now myself, but only once in a very blue moon. I definitely plan to raise my own kids someday in a non-alcohol-centric environment as well.
I dont think drinking parents really adds much. My parents ran a pub and id often work behind the counter serving lots of drunk family and friends as a kid but grew up having no interest in it and even when i started drinking regularly i eventually gave it up super easily.
I think it just depends on the kid/person. Sometimes drinking parents drive kids away from drinking bc they see the bad side, and sometimes it drives them closer because they see their parents having a good time all the time or they have a predisposed attraction to it, and sometimes it doesn't do anything at all because. who knows...it comes down to Humans being humans.
I'm really excited to see how this goes for you guys!
My bf just celebrated 3 years sober:) out of respect for his sobriety, I don't drink very often and we don't keep booze in the house.
We are both performers who do gigs at bars and breweries, or go see friends perform at those places. I feel like I have just as much fun, I dance and socialize easily without the help of booze BUT I notice that I'm ready to call it a night a lot sooner when I'm sober.
If I'm drinking, I'm more inclined to "keep the party going" and stay out longer, but when I don't drink, I'm pretty much over socializing/dancing/whatever after just a few hours and I'd rather just go home at that point.
When he and I first started dating, he was only a few months into his sobriety so to make sure we were compatible and the lack of alcohol wouldn't be an issue for me, he asked me to quit drinking altogether for 90 days and I did. It was the longest I've ever gone without alcohol since I was like 14 so it was a cool experience and it was really affirming for both of us.
We’re right where you guys were in regards to your daily habit, and we’re sick of feeling like anxious, foggy pieces of shit! Plus, the habit is SO expensive. Thank you so much for sharing this journey. We’re going to join you!
I discovered my food intolerances before I turned 21, so I hadn't had much alcohol apart from the half glasses of wine I would have with my parents as their way of making it not feel taboo. Being gluten free and vegan-ish made all socializing around food incredibly difficult, but it also came with a blessing in disguise, I never developed a drinking habit. It also helped with the peer pressure: At work functions where I'm forced to go to restaurants, I end up only being able to eat the salad. Because that inevitably leads to a whole conversation of me explaining my symptoms, they then seem to give me a free pass on all peer pressure, including alcohol. I now know that any kind of fermented product makes me bloat immensely, I look pregnant I'm that bloated.
Given that many folks do get a lot of pressure for not drinking: I give everyone permission to use bloating as your "excuse" in case you get pressured into drinking. No one wants a gassy friend sitting next to them! And if they push, just get more TMI about your bowel habits, I promise they'll change the subject!
I love this! I am quitting alcohol for the year. I am moving into my Chevy van home this year and I want to be present with all the new experiences that come with traveling. Good luck on your journey!
For religious reasons, I have never had alcohol. And yet, when Chyna was describing how she was feeling fuzzy and didn't do things unless they were needed and that's me. Maybe I need to cut back on sugar or something, cause I can't blame alcohol. Good luck on your year of being sober and all your other challenges/adventures. Plus, that's awesome you ran marathon!
Same here.
Love all your videos! You are one of my favorites! I quit alcohol when I started nursing school on 10-4-2020. I am so grateful that I did. I will have a small celebratory glass during my pinning ceremony. Not sure I will go back. Been trying to deal with my coping habits. I would go walk at night when I was feeling like I may need a drink.
Sober for 6 months now and up for it! Great 2 see u guys take this on and reflect about it. Good luck
For now I quitted alcohol for little bit 3 years.... I quit because at university I drank every evening either few beers or few stronger sips... and I understood that I am addict (also alcohol overuse is in my family)... I just stopped and now I don't even want any alcohol... so I wish you both good luck and strength!!! Sry my bad english....
Thanks for the encouragement and congratulations on your sobriety! Also, never feel you need to apologize for your English. You know more languages than many people do!
congratulations, and i wish you both the best. i have been working hard to cut back alcohol significantly and i feel so much better. i don't allow myself any beer during the work week (which is my problem child) - only on weekends, and then only 2. i still allow myself a little wine but i am happy with the progress i have made. not sure if i am ready to go 100% alcohol free, but i've certainly been toying with it. thanks for sharing your journey!
It’s so hard living in NY and not drinking! It seems to be everyone’s favorite activity and thing to do. It takes time to get used to not drinking. Really changes your activities, friends, habits, etc.
Moving to New York, I've cut down on my alcohol intake because it's SO EXPENSIVE. I've noticed my sleep is the best it's ever been. I still partake in a margarita once in a while, but it's like once a month-if that.
I’ve been alcohol free for 19 and a half years
🤘🤘
More than my age ! Good job 😂
👍🏼 12 and half for me. I rarely miss it.
Congratulations!
@@awsomemodels I’m also 19 and a half years old 😂
Good luck guys, it'll be worth it. We gave up alcohol in September 2020 as my husband broke his foot badly ,I had to inject him with anticoagulant for 6 weeks and he couldn't have alcohol so i gave up too. It was originally for just the 6 weeks but we both felt so much better that we never started again. We sleep so much better,have better mental clarity and have lost weight. We weren't big drinkers to begin with so it was a shock what a different it has made. Stick with it,it's so worth it and there are a grwat range of zero alcohol beers and wines around and even the zero alcohol gin alternatives are really good. Good luck. Alison,York England
I honestly struggle with alcoholism pretty badly and wish I could find more balance. I don't want to completely give it up, but I need to get to a point where I can NOT drink and be fine. The fact that it's hard for me to get through a day without having at least a couple glasses of wine isn't good. I even day drink while I'm working because it helps me "relax". When I start drinking, it's easy for me to finish an entire bottle, or even more. I know if I cut back, I'll feel better, my finances will do better, and just every day will be a little easier. It's just so hard to start though. 😔
Edit: I've decided that I will only allow myself a glass of wine or whiskey on Fridays and Saturdays. I already have been feeling more clear headed since not drinking for a few days!
You might want to try therapy to rebuild your relationship with alcohol. I quit a year and a half ago, and not too willingly either. It’s one of the best things I’ve done for myself. It just took me a while to see it.
Therapy is a great place to start! To each their own, but do find some people do not respond well to the “cold turkey” or “all or nothing” approach. Talking it out with a professional and finding what feels good for you could be a great path forward if that’s something that interests you. Best wishes!
This Naked Mind is a fabulous book - helps you work with your subconscious mind and drinking. Definitely a great boon to read, even if you aren't sober yet.
I really like that you tackle things that are moderate and looking for continual improvement. You are so genuine and accessible - and lighten it all with humor. Thanks for all
I had bariatric surgery in 2019. The doctors told me that while they did not understand the connection, alcoholism was a risk post surgery. So I quit alcohol a month prior to surgery. I have enough problems that I didn’t want to add alcoholism to my list. My last drink was September 1, 2019. So far so good. I don’t miss it. Good luck you two!
After the height of 2020's pandemic panic, work was so stressful and I used to drink a bottle of wine a day to cope; cut to present day at new job (much better conditions), I physically do not have the time to be drinking anymore because I *have* to get up early to be able to commute (hello city peak traffic) and since it's not the greatest thing to exercise after drinking and I set a goal of exercising three times a week I just don't have time. I still drink from time to time, but I switched to gin so it's a harder process (making cocktails vs just pouring) and I put the bottle away after making the equivalent of one or two drinks.
Habits and self discipline are great, but so are creating systems to help you succeed/make it harder to do the thing you want to stop. Your skin and energy levels improve so much.
Also side note, alcohol free alcohol has improved in leaps and bounds in my lifetime.
You do not mess up with Murder She Wrote. Ages ago, when in my country it was broadcasted, I've been following it religiously, silencing anyone who made even a minimal sound around XD And till today, if I bump into an episode on cable tv, I'll watch it no matter what XD Anyway-congratulations on this decision! Cannot wait for end of 2022 update! Happy for you to become more healthy and energetic:) Cheers from across the Ocean!
It is interesting to see normal people “quit” alcohol.
I worked as a guard at rehab clinics and I myself went through hell, I mean Real Hell in my twenties drinking disinfectant ,hand soap, etc to get through a bad day sometimes. Reading comments and hearing people’s stories about what role alcohol seems to play in their lives can be very interesting. After many years learning I realize it’s rarely about the substance alone or even mainly...that really wrecks lives but the attitudes we have buried behind things that we avoid looking at... well I survived hell anyhow so now I just help people get better when I can... if recovery thought me things deep humility is one of them. Well I wish you all well and peace on your journeys.
So incredibly happy that you came through and can help others! 💛
I've never enjoyed drinking alcohol. I like the taste, don't get me wrong, but I hate how it makes me feel. Even 1 cocktail or 1 glass of wine totally screws me up now that I have no tolerance to it. I always felt socially pressured by friends, co-workers, and my family - all about evenly - to drink at events, going out, holidays, etc. That whole "don't make me drink alone" thing when you're at a restaurant. When the pandemic finally kicked in, I was so relieved to not have to go to events anymore where that pressure was always looming over me. I got married this year and my dad was really offended when I refused to cheers with champagne. I'm trying to show people that I can just have Kombucha or ginger ale or whatever and still participate in their traditions without needing alcohol. It's just not for me. It's crazy how much push back I get because of it, I really don't understand why people get very defensive around someone else's decision to do what they want with their own body, especially when it's a very healthy decision. I consider myself very very fortunate to have never battled with addiction issues, like so many of my family members whom I've seen destroy their lives and their relationships with their alcohol abuse. And I'm not at all saying you can't be a responsible consumer and drink regularly without it affecting the quality of your life, but I really hate the way our culture cements it so firmly into our lives.
I’m about to start accutane (at 26, hah!) so I’ll be severely cutting down on my drinking, if not stop entirely, for the next 6-12 months or so…
Just quit for good
Have a look at Julia Bainbridges "Good Drinks", an alcohol free cocktail book. It's fantastic! Some of the best cocktails i've ever had (alcoholic, or otherwise) are in this book. Big fan and couldn't recommend it more!
You guys inspire me so much. I'm generally a healthy person but I drink too much sometimes and drink most days. And I wanna quit. Sending you lots of love
I was never really into alcohol. I only really drank at all between the ages of about 21 and 25 and even then it was only about one drink a month. Then in my late 20s it was more like a couple drinks a year, at special occasions. And then at 32, I got diagnosed with a chronic illness that I have to take medication for and I can't drink alcohol on this medication, and I have not missed alcohol at all. My doctor even told me, it wouldn't be the end of the world if I continued to have a drink on special occasions, but I kind of just made the decision that not drinking ever again sounds like a great idea. I think it's been 2 and a half years now and it's been fine. What alcohol I did drink, I drank for the taste (I was drinking like midori sours and wine coolers lol), and as you mentioned, there are plenty of tasty non-alcoholic drinks. Honestly, sparkling grape juice is underrated. Best of luck with this challenge!
I decided to not drink about 18 months ago (similar reasons, it wasn't really serving me anymore. I'm interested to know if you found your sleep severely disrupted? I had a week or so at day 7-14ish. Just wide awake, not sleepy at all at bedtime.
Good luck with it, and be gentle with yourself. There might be some challenging thoughts you've been masking (or not :) )but it's probably still good to be gentle with yourself.
I love this. I can’t find the words for the rest of what I’m feeling. I only know you guys through TH-cam but I really love you both ❤️
It's so exciting you are doing it together.
You didn't mention saving money, but that might be a benefit, too! And I normally go to bed at 10:00 because I need to wake up before 6:00, and I tend to have a low-energy time during the afternoon. I've given myself permission to have a power nap (20-45 minutes total downtime, which ends up being 10-20 minutes sleep time) every day. Do I nap every day? No, not even half the days. But I know it's an option and that's a nice morale boost.
I gave up booze about this time last year, went hard off it for about 10 months and lately I’ll enjoy a glass of wine or a beer at special occasions. Best decision of my life! I’m down 60 pounds, sleep better, more mental clarity, etc. If you’re thinking about giving up the booze, do it!
I am a tea addict. But I have a good relationship with alcohol. That being said, caffeine is a dehydrator and the symptoms you wife talks about at the beginning, the fogginess, sleepiness, lethargy, remind me of dehydration symptoms. I have to drink a lot of water to reach correct hydration, as well as adding a little salt and potassium to my water. When I am hydrated I am on top of the world, and I keep saying, 'I am not going back, this is awesome!' Then after two weeks, I say 'I want a treat! my favorite tea with a little honey, spice and milk'. Then I have another a few days later and I supper back slide again. It happens so slowly you don't notice.
Alcohol causes dehydration too. Its really hard to keep hydrated enough with tea, alcohol could be the same way but it defiantly has other problems if you drink too much.
Sadly, I think I have to get decaff tea. :( then cut out sugar from my drinks because that is also a dehydrator.. ugg.
Good luck!
There are so many great herbal teas that are naturally caffeine free. I'm always finding a new rooibos blend that I love!
I didn’t drink for years. I didn’t have any issue or addiction. I stopped drinking during pregnancy and it just stuck. I was really surprised by how badly people handled my choice not too drink. The peer pressure was very uncomfortable at times; some people just couldn’t socialize comfortably unless everyone was drinking. I really did feel great. I will occasionally have a drink now but understand that more than one makes me feel awful.
The non-alcoholic beer market has been buzzing lately. Lots of big names coming out with REALLY good stuff. If you're a beer drinker, it's worth checking out a few local grocers to see what they've got.
My bf and I love Bravus brewing IPA!
I do imbibe in the real deal on occasion but since my partner is sober, I enjoy trying different NAs with him and I honestly love going back to plain ol O'douls every now and then
I didn't drink any alcohol for a year (from birthday to birthday) primarily to just see if I could. It was surprisingly easy, however, I did not notice the health benefits that I hoped I would. I didn't really lose weight, I didn't have a noticeable increase in energy, I didn't feel more or less healthy, in fact, the only health related side effect that I noticed is that I more often found myself more dehydrated than usual. I attributed that to the fact that I was just drinking less beer and not replacing it 1 to 1 with water. I might have had less inflammation and I didn't miss the occasional hangover when I would over do it, but other than that the health benefits were very minimal.
I did save a bit of money from not drinking but it certainly wasn't enough to change my lifestyle or anything. What I did notice is that I would find myself explaining my alcohol abstinence in social situations or to friends and family during celebrations or holidays. Everyone assumed I had a "problem" with alcohol but that was never the case, I just wanted to see if I had the will power to quit for a year and I did! Not drinking for a year was surprisingly easy for me but quitting weed for a year was MUCH more difficult as it was a built in daily habit for me, but I managed to do that as well.
Hopefully it goes well for you guys! My birthday to birthday challenge for this year is sticking to a keto diet and I'm hoping to see some health benefits from a change in eating habits. Keep up the great content! Also, keep that beard going!
After quitting alcohol I started exploring kombucha! Now I love kombucha and nonalcoholic beer as a replacement for when I feeling like having “a drink” to relax.
I was at a Driftless Pony Club show in 2015ish. I noticed we had a love of whiskey in common that night! Anyhow, I quit drinking during the pandemic and my sleep and well-being has never been better! Best of luck to ye' cowboy.
I quit alcohol for a 3-month health challenge in September 2017 and just over 4 years later haven’t gone back, and dont intend to ever drink alcohol again. A few tense social situations to navigate through in the beginning (people get very awkward when you decline alcohol, they assume you are a recovering alcoholic and then get very defensive if you say, I just don’t drink alcohol. I guess they assume you are judging them.), but other than that, all positive.
Giving up alcohol is becoming increasingly popular. Here in Australia we have a lot of award-winning mock spirits that are making crazy sales numbers. And alcohol-free bars have been opening up in many of our major cities.
I was never much of a heavy drinker, similar to the way you describe yourself. That being said, I’ve seen tremendous improvement in my life since quitting. I’m approaching 1,000 days sober!
This is fantastic! Merry Christmas!
As a lover and food and beer, you can't totally appreciate either if you are always gorging yourself on these things. You have to enjoy the simple things. A simple bowl of rice or a cup of tea. I rarely drink and when I do. I love it even more.
Congratulations, and I like the hair/beard cut/shave thing.
I did this a few years back, naturally stopped drinking/going out less as I was finishing university then decided to cut it out completely. So far it's been one of the best personal decisions I've ever made.
Happy for you guys. Not drinking will definitely help your sleep. I talk about being sober on my channel 98% of the time.
I have fallen off the wagon numerous times but I never give up.
I wish you all the success you desire.
Cheers? 😜
Good for you! I want to try no alcohol so bad ! But… like what about karaoke I can’t do that sober! Also what about like getting a relaxing feeling at the end of the day or week or a not caring about life feeling… hmmm. I’m excited to see your progress on this. 👏🏻🥂 (that’s a mocktail cheers).
I’ve not drunk alcohol since NYE in 2008. I was training for my first marathon and never went back to it
I'm 32 and just started drinking in the last 6 months. I like drinking now cos I can be drum up social moments more easily than before, but I've still not had enough to feel particularly drunk. The thing that is most surprising to me is how most cocktails make me thirsty. I usually want like 2 cups of water after. I thought it was going to be easier to understand how people can drink so much. I don't mean that judgmentally, more like, I thought it would feel better and be easier to get through a few drinks, but instead I feel like the dehydration becomes increasingly demotivating
Alcohol numbs to feeling of being full... I agree. Really appreciate this video 👍
I’m with you on this journey. I’ve never enjoyed the after effects of a few cocktails and I’m at the point where it becomes a couple days of not feeling well after a few drinks. Not fun and not worth it.
I've recently cut out alcohol and I'm coming up on 100 days sober. I have never really had a problem stopping drinking but I so easily get into the habit of drinking too much if I let myself drink at all so I've decided I'm just going to stop drinking all together. The only time I find it really difficult is when I'm around other people who are drinking and I feel left out.
Good luck, you two! I'm looking forward to seeing what you think of this. I'm one of those people who has been able to control it (I realize that's not the same for everyone) but I do wonder what it'd be like to give it up 100%.
No alcohol wasn't a solution for me. But now I'm limiting myself to three specific days a week and I feel great when I'm not drinking, but also great when I can indulge.
Not saying that either of you are like I was, but when I went sober I lost over 40lbs. I never realized how much fat in my face and neck I had (amongst other places). 5 years sober now. Get yourself on an exercise routine and drink lots of water. Best thing I ever did
Topo Chico, Waterloo club soda, coffee, Chamomile Tea at night and a nice cigar helped me quit alcohol. Obviously Cigars aren’t good for you but it’s my only Vice these days. Had to quit due to Pancreatitis and diabetes. Quit for 5 years then tried drinking again to see if my pancreatitis healed. Nope got sick after two weeks of drinking so now I’m two years sober. I also quit soda and I feel much better recently tried a sip of Diet Coke and it was nasty! Never drinking alcohol again! While I miss the occasional drunken courage and relaxing sensation. I get that sensation now when I ride my Motorcycle. Yup!
I drink probably once every more or even two months. It’s usually at events and parties. If i had more events and parties i would probably drink more… but I don’t want that. My family has a huge line of alcoholism. My mom drank for most of her life. She made the decision to give it up, and I’m so proud of her for that. I’m afraid of finding myself turning to alcohol for self medication. I don’t partake in other means of self medication. I’ve been thinking about just cutting it out completely because I find when I do drink. I drink too much and I like. That’s what scares me. I don’t want to go down that road.
I quite drinking about 6 weeks ago, it was weird at first but it's nice to be able to go places at night when I usually wouldn't because I had a few too many. The hardest thing is to see reminders of alcohol in commercials, tv or movies. I miss the tastes and the buzz but I'm hoping that will fade overtime. I'm going sober for a year too maybe longer. :)
The taste is there for you when you want it. The buzz is an illusion. There is a buzz always inside of you but you need to dig instead of drink to find it. I recommend sober socializing, it much easier if youre not alone.
Smoking/vaping, and Alcohol free, never touched the stuff! And that’s something I am very proud to say when people ask if I drink or smoke. I had good friends growing up that respected that and told other people I don’t drink or smoke.
I wholeheartedly support you on this and hope you find it really helps you. I haven't had a drop of alcohol for about 34 years now. You'll be amazed at how your thinking changes. You see people taking pictures and insisting the bottle of alcohol is in the frame with them and you'll be all. "????!? Wait...what? Seriously? How does having a bottle in the picture make it a better picture?" It's bizarre.
In response to Chyna: "I almost always feel tired, unmotivated, foggy. I do the things I have to do, but if it's optional, most of the time, I just don't." Girl. I'm so sorry. Bad news. This describes me, someone who hasn't had an alcohol for 3 1/2 decades.
Anyway, have fun, y'all.
Think I’m going to hop on this journey with you two and start today! Thank you for all your inspiring videos 🤗
Quitting or reducing alcohol might be easier for those who know what benefits they’re losing. I see some comments claiming that alcohol only causes harm, but that’s not really helpful or accurate. Like if alcohol fuels your professional creativity (which it absolutely can), a mocktail is a worthless replacement and that individual should find another muse to more-happily avoid drinking. For an interesting read, check out “Drunk: How We Sipped, Danced, and Stumbled Our Way to Civilization.” It’s not a book suggesting that people should drink. But it makes arguments that alcohol does have personal and community benefits mixed in with all the harm.
You guys just harmonized that "Merry christmas" perfectly 8:25
Made the decision to cut waaaaay back- only a few drinks on weekends now instead of a few drinks every night. I’ve lost weight already & feel much better for it.
Good decision, especially if you have kids. Not showing your kids that you escape the reality by drinking makes a huge educational difference. We did it 7 years ago and are very happy.
I have alcoholic relatives, one of whom would get violent and abusive when drinking. So maybe that's why I never did get into drinking more than a few drinks, a few times per year. Half a glass of wine with a meal was plenty, I got enjoy the taste aspect without the other effects. But about 20 years ago (I'm over 50 now), I developed hives when I'd drink wine and discovered I'm allergic to sulfites, which are in almost all wines and in a lot of other alcohol. so I just quit. Now, I buy one bottle of sulfite-free red wine per year. (Trader Joe's) And I often toss out half of that after a year of it sitting around. I just like the taste, a few times a year, with a cheese/crackers/fruit kind of plate. lol
Anyway, I'm grateful I developed this allergy to sulfites because there's a lot of problematic drinking in my family and the allergy forced me to rethink it. I also work with people who have addiction, for a living. It's just better to not drink often. I see it wreck a lot of lives and in really horrible cases, even result in drunk driving and killing or injury to people.
I've quit drinking regularly. I only drink one or two drinks a month when I go out with friends, or when I go stay with my folks for the holidays. It got easier after a few months.
My husband and I don't drink.... makes us kind of weird socially but whatever... We watch rock concerts on TH-cam to unwind at the end of the day. We never drank more than one or two drinks at a time but don't care for the tiredness and it often gives me a headache. I think you can do anything with heavy metal. I do have a lot of premium teas and coffees! Ha!
"In the back of my mind, I'm always feelin' like, Should I have ice cream?"
Same, man. Same.
Kudos to you guys for doing this and I hope it goes well for you! Something I'm curious about since I'm a very infrequent drinker myself (and even then, I'm usually only drinking because I'm curious about the taste of some particular drink which I then usually end up not liking anyway) is: what benefits do frequent drinkers feel that they're getting from it? You guys go over a lot of benefits that you're hoping to gain from NOT drinking in this video, but I can't think of any kind of benefits that actually drinking would convey. I guess for some people it helps them "loosen up" or whatever, but for me it makes me more anxious and paranoid since I know that I'm impaired. So other than drinking because it's a habit and/or addiction, are there any benefits that drinkers perceive themselves to be getting from drinking?
yes it's definitely for unwinding, and experiencing different tastes/flavors, and having an amplified good time with friends. Those are the benefits of drinking responsibly.
I am not a drinker, I will have and occasional drink 1 to 2 a year in small amounts.
So it is a struggle I find to socialize without this expectation that many things revol around it. I don't go to bars etc.
From experience: If you quit for a year, it'll seem fairly inconvenient and unwise to reintroduce it back into your life.
Of course, some people still do.
I saw that New Glarus Spotted Cow!!! Heck yeah
I got to drinking a lot when joining a fraternity in college and just being around military people a lot (who tend to drink and smoke cigars around campfires, it's fantastic). However, one new year's eve I finally got drunk enough to experience a hangover and ever since then I've not drunk a drop of alcohol. It's generally easier to quit when the thing you're quitting is equated to a bad experience...like vomiting on myself at the gym because I drank energy drinks too much and started going back to the gym - haven't drunk an energy drink since.
You never want it to get to that point, for sure, but it depends on how serious you take certain things. Getting a bad hangover and vomiting on myself in public was enough to make me quit alcohol and energy drinks altogether. Taking being/feeling normal seriously is the fastest way to being/feeling normal. I equate it to a video game...when you take substances, you tend to have positive and negative effects with the substance no matter what it is. In my experience, that always makes the video game harder, not easier.
I read Alan Carrs easy way to control alcohol 8 years ago and I haven’t drank since. Best decision I ever made. It has been life changing.
Cool idea! I really love the taste of beer, but I really really reaaaaally hate being drunk (which I am never) and also not fond of slight inhibition so that keeps me sane I guess. Also no drinking the day before working out, which I do 3 days a week minimum. As long as I have rules that work for me I guess.
Really excited for you guys! I quit for a week back in January 2016 because I wanted to see if I had more energy. Its been a really long week so far because I feel amazing!
Remember how you want to feel, new habits become easy 😊
I didn't drink any alcohol for more than 20 years now. I haven't even started to really drink back in the day. was 15 then and I think that's a common age to start here in Germany.
I never missed it a single day
Might be good to generate some data around this. That way you have proof to look back, less objective. I did this with food allergy trial, pick like 5-8 catagories I would scale or put input in for that day while recording what I was doing/eating. Ie your catagories could be: sleep duration, sleep quality, productivity, energy level and mood....then grade daily on a scale. Then chart that. Data is hard to argue with, but"I think I feel better" " I think I'll stick with it" - I feel like it's easy over time to convince yourself "you imagined the benefits". If you revert, you can always continue the data and see if your chart is different. I don't know, Am I the only one like this 🤷
Drinking flavored Sparkling water or even a kombucha has been a sort of good replacement for a beer in the evenings
Inspired by you guys, I started my year-with-no-beer (etc) 9/8/21. Don’t miss it!
The changes in mood and energy you report after abstaining are likely indicators that you did have some degree of physical dependence on it. Withdrawal symptoms are typically the OPPOSITE of the substance’s effect. If alcohol relaxes you, then withdrawing will cause you anxiety, that sort of thing. It would be interesting if the month before you started these sort of changes you would see a doctor for a general health exam, and track your daily mood, energy, sleep, etc. Then once you start the actual challenge, you have your control data for comparison. This might help address any bias/assumptions about what you are feeling and why. (Also will be interesting to see how cutting alcohol saves you money, not just on the drinks themselves but also how much is spent while eating out without alcohol to make an extra round of apps sound like a great idea.)
i stopped drinking around this time last year and then got a promotion a few months late. probably unrelated but in case you need some motivation from the cosmos.
*5 things to quit right now:*
*1. Overthinking*
*2. Trying to make everyone happy*
*3. Living in the past*
*4. Worrying*
*5. Doubting yourself*
I love how silly your wife and you are sometimes. Really cute. Also, you both look way more beauty and youthful at the end of the video.
First time seeing this channel...liked the video. Confused how it ended after a month I think? I see the comments are all from the last 3 months. Are you still not drinking? If so, how are things going?
Love your videos!
I find this inspiring thoughts, hope to follow along.
The grandparents in aprons spraying a hose 🤣
I love your challenges, don't comment often...intrigued about a whole year, maybe more...I mostly tend to drink wine (red) at dinner when I eat with friends/family...occasionally I will get a bottle when in the mood and drink one or two glasses with dinner at home if I eat certain things that pair well and I feel the taste "needs" the wine...So, on one side I feel it's not really an issue, and it gives me pleasure, why take that away, I really love a good bottle of red wine...BUT I am health conscious, love to be a "body scientist" and have always been experimenting to find what makes me healthier...and it kind of disturbs me to think that even though I do not drink a lot, I would have a very hard time giving it up long term - I often abstained for shorter periods, even months, but not longer - mostly because of the pressure when dining with family....it is such a challenging thought I am inspired to think about trying something serious in the upcoming year...and I just realized - yet again sigh - how much my family totally sabotages every health food endeavour I set out to, in a very active way....will look up the book and rooting for you both!!
I quit in April of this year. It changed my life 100%. The best thing apart from quitting smoking that I have ever done for myself health wise. I can safely 100% say I will never drink ever again. Good luck 🤞
I literally could not afford to drink like these people! I only enjoy a glass of wine or beer when out with friends, never more than 2 because I always have a long drive home and because I have severe control issues so if I even have a hint of a buzz, I don't like the way it feels AT ALL. It is also a bit of sticker shock when I go out and have a couple glasses of wine and get the bill vs my normal club soda with lemon--which I so happen to enjoy MUCH more!
Wow... I cannot relate and I'm glad. 😂 I'll use all I've learned in this video as excuses next time someone asks why I don't drink alcohol. (The truth is I don't like the taste but people won't believe me) I never drank more than a few sips of alcohol at once, that being the only alcohol related event of the year, actually I think it only happened for New Years Eve
I did a full year and now I just have a drink or two on very special occasions like my birthday or weddings.
so.. detoxing from an addiction/coping mechanism is a bitch.
also dieting without a "food satiation tier list (food that makes you feel fuller longer)" really stinks and is really hard.