Get up close and personal with exclusive, inspiring interviews and taste profiles delivered with a cheeky twist to your inbox daily.

Success! You’re all signed up. 🎉
Please enter a valid email address.

By subscribing to our email newsletter, you agree to and acknowledge that you have read our Privacy Policy and Terms.

I Didn’t Drink for 31 Days & This Is What Happened

Spoiler alert: I did not die.

Health
I Didn’t Drink for 31 Days & This Is What Happened

It started off as a joke. My best friend and I casually bet each other that we wouldn’t be able to survive an entire month without a single alcoholic beverage (wine included, although I did try to argue that it’s essentially grape juice). Being fairly competitive in nature, in my mind I had no option but to accept the challenge.

To say that the first week wasn’t hard would be a lie—there were many days that I would come home from work and have the urge to pour myself a large glass of Cab Sav. What I did instead helped me through the rest of the month. Instead of a glass of wine, I would pour myself a large herbal tea—just as relaxing, and just as delicious. During this month I also upped my water intake, which not only improved my energy levels, but also gave me glowy, beautiful skin. I also began to go to the gym more frequently—I mean, why not double up and also take on a 30-day challenge? (Yes, I may be crazy). I’ll admit that by the end of the month I was not yet sporting a six-pack, but I was feeling and looking more fit than I had a month prior. My bloating was also minimal because I was drinking less sugar.

By the second week of the month, my urge to drink alcohol was completely gone. It seemed as though I had gotten over the craving and habit hump and was more than satisfied with my water, tea, and occasional mango juice (I’m typically not one for juice or soda). Fast-forward two more weeks, and the month was finished. The following day I did indulge in a (quite large) glass of wine, toasting my friend on our success of not drinking for an entire 31 days, but also found that in the month going forward I drank less, just because I didn’t feel like going for my usual five-or-so tequila gingerales on any given weekend night.

Without lots of water, enough herbal tea to hydrate a village, regular visits to the gym to relieve my stress, and the ongoing competition with my friend, I’m not sure I would have been able to successfully complete my dry month—but with the help of those four things, I succeeded like a champ and felt a lot healthier. My advice to everyone: Definitely try it (at least) once, and convince a friend to give up alcohol with you so that you can keep each other on track. 

Want more stories like this?

Women May Be Able to Discern Pain Better Than Men
Yoga Moves to Help You Deal with Anxiety
5 Natural Ways to Help Deal with PMS

You May Also Like