A couple of weeks ago, I made the rash proclamation (in the midst of quite the hangover) that I was going to detox from all things alcohol for 30 days.

I’m very happy to announce that as of today, I’m 18 days in and going strong!

February 8 will be known as Wine-Eve.

How It’s Going:

I don’t really drink at all during the week, but on weekends I like to enjoy some adult beverages, be it going out to dinner and drinks, having a glass or two of wine while watching a movie on the couch, a beer while watching sports, going out out in the evening, etc.

The weekends have far and away been the most difficult part. I want a glass of wine! It’s social, its fun, it’s relaxing, and it tastes so darn good! I went over to Lexi’s for dinner on Saturday night and sipped on sparkling water while we enjoyed a massive sea food feast that she and her boyfriend put together. The bottle of Sauvignon Blanc they opened was literally making my mouth water. A crisp white with scallops, crab cakes, halibut and cod? Is there anything better?

Boyfriend and I are going for dinner and drinks this weekend with friends, and a birthday party the following night – sticking to water will be a challenge (not hard, just not fun), but if I’ve come this far, I’m seeing the 30 days through. I’m an incredibly disciplined person (I definitely learned that about myself while marathon training!) so I’m not having trouble sticking to it per say, I just wish it would be over already so I can have some delicious drinks!

Boyfriend has been my biggest supporter when the going gets rough! (Read: I really wanted a glass of wine last Friday night when it was pouring rain and we were watching a movie on the couch). Every time I tell him I’m ready to throw in the towel, he encourages me to keep at it – to which I’m very thankful!

What I’ve Noticed

While I’ve significantly upped my veggie intake, I’m also craving sweets like nobody’s business. I usually end dinner with some dark chocolate, or the last of my Candy Cane Joe Joe’s stash. I don’t need much, but I do like to end my meal with a sweet bite.

The past two weeks I’ve been savoring and enjoying said sweets more than ever. I haven’t really increased the amount I eat, but I’m definitely looking forward to it more than I ever have. On Friday when I was sweet craving, boyfriend whipped up some homemade hot cocoa using milk, vanilla extract and the last of our favorite Vosges Mo’s Dark Bacon bar. (End result = unreal!)

Adding to my sweet tooth – I saw a movie post-dinner on Saturday (Contraband – highly recommended! Just be prepared to see Mark Wahlberg in the role he plays in every, single movie he does – the reformed bad boy) and bought a scoop of Dreyers Cookies and Cream to take in with me. I don’t even know why. I just wanted it. I was craving sugar.

Sidebar: I completely forgot how much I love Cookies and Cream Ice Cream. I’m not sure I’ve had it since about middle school.

Energy

The biggest positive I’ve noticed from going on 3-weeks of not drinking is how much energy I have, even when “tired”. I sleep incredibly soundly, and wake up alert and ready to go. (Or as alert as one can be pre-8am). My runs have definitely reaped the benefits of this – I’m training and running faster and stronger than I have in months. I’ll attribute some of it to not being burnt out from marathon training, but the surge in energy has to have something to do with the no-alcohol credo I’ve imposed on myself. I ran a 10-miler on Sunday, and I’m thinking about a 5K this weekend. I’ve never raced a 5K before, so why not now?

Weight

Many people have asked me if I’ve lost weight or if I hope to lose weight during this little experiment of mine, and the answer is I don’t know if I have, and no, I’m not trying to. I don’t weigh myself (ever, I go by how my clothes fit) but my diet and workouts haven’t changed since giving up the sauce. I try to eat clean 80% of the time, and indulge in the good stuff 20% of the time. I don’t particularly want to lose any weight, but I imagine I’ll become a bit leaner over the course of the 30 days by not adding in extra alcohol, mixer, and late night food/munchies calories. Simple math right? But it is most definitely not a goal.

14 days (and two more weekends!) to go! I got this