Congrats on both fronts. From the sound of it a permanent change might be in order if you feel so much better off the sauce

---

Let food be thy medicine...

I don't why drinking booze has to be all or nothing unless you're an addict or binge drink.

I have ONE beer a couple of days a week. No effect on my training or sleep.

I can’t say I drink a lot or every day. Usually quit after 2.

Can’t say I feel terrible after that but do feel better with none at all.

"Complete abstinence is easier than perfect moderation." - Augustine

He understood that all too well, considering his history.

But in general, if something is tempting, but bad for you; then complete abstinence is not only better for you but ends up being far more manageable.

I "enjoyed" this podcast

Abstinence is more manageable? AYFKM?

Checks out with me and Girl Scout cookies.

I've wondered this as well.

Bourbon's taste awesome. Same with a good steak, a properly cooked bacon, blue cheese burger. Life is way to short to not enjoy the foods you like.

I clicked into this hoping it was we were all going to stop swimming in July but f*** that I'm not going to stop drinking

Bless your heart.
Proud of you for posting this. So strong. Good For You. (GFY).

Your experience, in case you need motivation or encouragement - or maybe a better post for social medis echo chamber to make you feel better, is your experience.

Normalizing your perspective (IMO) is a significant contributor to the public health issue that is normalizing alcohol consumption in society. I lived in WI and adjacent to, so the Tavern League is the largest lobbying group contributing to lax DWI laws, etc.

I expect I'll get flamed for this. Thus, preemptive Thoughts and Prayers.

Are you involved in the industry (alcohol) and thus feel your livelihood or lifestyles threatened? If not, what drives your response?

I don't really see the sense in it. Perhaps there are a few drinkers that learn life without alcohol isn't that bad and they feel a lot better without it. But for most heavy/binge drinkers taking part in Dry July, I think it's partly to prove to themselves and others they don't have a drinking problem.

They go 4 weeks without alcohol, post constantly on social media about it and then smash the grog as soon as the clock hits 12.00am on the 31st of July. And most of them go bananas in August to make up for the fact that went 4 weeks without it. And a lot go bananas in June, so they start July hungover as fuck and not wanting alcohol.

What would be better is, we promote drinking moderately, discourage binge drinking rather than abstinence.

I don't think it describes the people in Dr. Cupcake's congenial Your Relationship with Alcohol Thread.

I don't know why some people, both in person and in forums respond so angrily and defensively about it, finding all the horrible character flaws in people who'd attempt such thing, using emotional, vitriolic tone. I totally understand people who have zero interest. I normally just don't enter or post in threads I have zero interest in.

I do have interest in the topic. Binge drinking is a huge problem in Australia. I have a lot of friends with drinking problems and IMO, Dry July, paradoxically, makes things worse. And I'm not angry, I'm frustrated. It's a societal problem that needs to be rectified.

I participated in the 2022 dry January and noticed no change in my training or sleep either and saw no reason to eliminate it completely.

Recently I have been booze free for a few months as I am recovering from a bike accident and am trying to follow doctors orders. I was hoping I would see a great benefit but I find I'm just eating more sweets as a compensation :).

Never touched the stuff to even need to participate in these things.
You are either a drinker or not. There is zero benefit to your health period

---

Andrew Garwood
http://www.2xu.com
http://www.newtonrunning.com
http://www.ascendsport.com.au

You sound like a jolly bloke to have at parties, mate! :)




Each to their own - going dry for 4 weeks has been proven to have healthy benefits.

Same. For my part July is the worst month to do dry as it is peak Porch Rocker season (Sweet, tangy, and refreshing, the Radler style was inspired by German cyclists who mixed beer with lemonade to quench their thirst on hot summer days.).

---

Dimond Bikes Superfan

The typical drinker response. Since when is alcohol required to have fun.
If require alcohol to have fun you are either a alcoholic or binge drinker or in the company of pretend friends

---

Andrew Garwood
http://www.2xu.com
http://www.newtonrunning.com
http://www.ascendsport.com.au

HELL YEAH!!!!

But, that said - July is one of the few months I actually DO swim, so going “dry” would cut me back from 3 months a year to 2.

I’ve done dry months/periods (like Lent, or similar) numerous times in my adult life.
I don’t feel any better or worse with or without alcohol.

If going ‘dry’ for a month makes ya feel better, for whatever reason, then go for it!

Ima go crack open a cold one.

---

float , hammer , and jog

I don't require it to have fun, but like many other things I put into my body that are probably suboptimal for extending my existence beyond a point where I really want to exist anyway, I just kind of like the taste from time to time. But to each his own. With some of the non-alcoholic wines, beers, and liquor substitutes hitting the market, I'm hoping to reduce my intake a bit more.

---

***