Hey gorgeous, it’s Jelly here ready to teach you how to curb your alcohol cravings whether it's for good or to reduce the amount! I've now been sober for 8 weeks and I feel like a brand new person. I've excelled in my work life, lost over 6kg and 8% body fat in less than 60 days, and a big contributor to this is that I’ve given up alcohol. I set a goal I wanted to prove I didn’t need alcohol to “have fun” and to reach my full potential. Are you a bit sober curious? Or maybe you're on a fitness journey and need to cut out the wine for amount of time to try to reach your goal? I can help you shed some light on the situation from my point of view. I'm going to share with you my advice on how to stay away from alcohol and the amazing benefits you'll reap from not drinking.
Alcohol was no stranger before my journey
First, let me start by saying I'm no stranger to alcohol. Before starting my fitness journey, I used to have a few drinks every now and then and for a while I had a few too many, but never to the level where I had a problem. But to the point where it was having negative effects on my life. I got into this cycle where I would have a bottle of wine on the weekend, just because that’s what you do on the weekend, and then I ended up feeling lethargic, sad and eating bad for days after. So I made the decision to go sober. It was the best decision I've ever made! I've literally turned my life around in less than 60 days by giving up the Friday wine.
Tips to cut out the booze
Now, cutting out the booze can be hard. Every time I pass by the liquor store, those cravings come back. But I've found a few fun ways to satisfy my cravings without having to drink.
Stock up on other drinks
One is to stock up on some drinks you do like, non-alcoholic drinks like Pepsi, sparkling water, you name it. If others are drinking I like feeling included and usually have a sparkling water with some lime or lemon, some ice and a straw just to not be empty handed. These satisfy my cravings without all the ill effects of alcohol. You can also get creative with my recipes: mocktails, sweet tea, and spritzers all taste great without the alcohol, and it has no side effects and so much less calories if you are trying to lose weight compared to a long night of endless drinking.
Have distractions ready
Step two is distractions. When you get that feeling that you’re wanting to have a drink, try to have a list of things that you can do instead ; this could be anything from going to the gym, going for a walk, or reading a book, anything you’d benefit from in the long run and something to keep you distracted!
Remind yourself why you are cutting out alcohol
It’s also important to remember the reasons why you are avoiding alcohol. It could be that you’re trying to stay in shape or maybe you want to have better mental clarity, in my case it was both. Whenever you find yourself wanting to have a drink, remind yourself of these reasons, and remind yourself of the reasons why having a drink won’t benefit you.
Surround yourself with positive influences
Finally, make sure you’re surrounding yourself with positive influences. Whether it’s family, friends, or coworkers – make sure they understand why you’re avoiding alcohol and encourage you on your journey and not try to pressure you into drinking. You can have fun and be social without the alcohol!
You’ve got this!
It can be challenging at first, but with the right strategy and support, you can completely avoid alcohol cravings on your fitness journey. There are so many benefits of being sober such as mental clarity, improved sleep, better relationships, and increased confidence.
If you are trying to avoid alcohol cravings on your fitness journey, I hope these strategies will help you out. If you need some help and guidance you can always buy my fitness plans and you will get access to our Facebook community that will support you on your journey whenever you need us.
These little tricks are how I avoided alcohol and I feel like a new person. I hope these tips can help you on your fitness journey, whether it's to become fitter, lose weight or just a change of lifestyle.