#16 – Give up Alcohol

   There’s no time like the present, and if you never get started, you’ll never finish. I’ve decided to go ahead and knock this one out first. Why?

– Convenient to start because I’m battling a chest cold/possible bronchitis and when better than if you’re sick?

– I’m starting training for another half marathon and I want to test differnt factos to see if they affect my running. The book “Born to Run” would argue it doesn’t, and I would tend to agree (I think diet and hydration play a much larger role) but in thr interest of sciene I’m testing it.

– I have the goal to lose some weight, and I know I consume a fair amount of calories through alcohol; that beer or glass of wine combined with a cocktail during nightly TV surely adds up. So I’m going to help the process out a little bit by omitting something in the hopes I’ll develop some healthier nighttime rituals.

-I’ve run a Spartan race, and the idea of the Spartans intrigues me. The idea of doing without, stretching your willpower, challenging your base self– how often do we really do this? When was the last time you told yourself no and challenged your body and brain?

– I work at a hospital interviewing patients, and the liver transplant stories are some of the saddest I’ve ever seen. I don’t think I drink enough to warrant a fear of liver cancer, but you never know, and if I can create alternate habits, all the better. I’ll never give up drinking, but if I switch that last nighcap to a mug of tea, I can only imagine I’ll be all the better for it.

– They say you sleep better if you don’t drink before bed. I know I used to sleep like a baby when I was a non-drinker in high school; but part of me wonders if that was due to a packed schedule, exercising enough to have a six pack, and a complete lack of worries about bills and making money. Who know? But as a Leo and a total lion, if I can improve my sleep I’m game to try. 

So today is Day 1. I’llcontinue to update and let you know how it goes. Has anyone else ever done this?