- The first month without alcohol was marked by drinking hectoliters of tea. I didn't have the slightest desire to drink any alcohol. Maybe because it was a cold January
- Meanwhile, I also quit smoking. Well, this drug is not attractive without the company of alcohol
- It wasn't always rosy. Without cigarettes I was a bit nervous, and my hands were “flying”. What can I do: I consciously entered into another addiction – I bought a road bike
- I expected difficulties during my vacation in Italy, as there were many temptations. It turns out it's entirely possible. I was not tempted by the extremely low prices for bottles of alcohol in discount stores
- During these 700+ days, I only had the overwhelming feeling of wanting to drink a cold, delicious beer a few times, but with each passing week the desire became less and less.
- You can find more of these topics on the Onet homepage
Before I decided to do a voluntary detox, I couldn't imagine a weekend evening without alcohol. There was always a stock of beer and some bottles of white wine in the fridge. Initially it was only supposed to be one month – “Dry” January – as they say in the city. Then there were a quarter and subsequent dates: holidays, after holidays, first holidays, first anniversary, next holidays, until 24 “dry” months passed. Yesterday was New Year's Eve, I spent it drinking tea and went to bed at 11:30pm. Yes, you can do it too and it's not as boring/difficult as you think.
During my two years of detox, I only drank alcohol once (wine! On the plane! To Buenos Aires! In business class! For free! Who can resist?) and I had serious concerns about how my body would react after such a long period of abstinence. Having sex. , but that is a topic for another entry. For the purpose of this article, I think wine costs 10,000. Meters diluted with water do not countI can also say that I have been buying alcohol for myself for a couple of years because it was free on the plane.
Until now, I mainly drank wine at work
It was the longest-lasting incarnation in Onet's history. The decision to quit alcohol had been brewing inside me for several weeks, and the date of Day Zero coincided with the beginning of 2022. First, I wanted to stop drinking alcohol for a month and see how it would go. I wanted to do a conscious detox, hoping that current illnesses would go away and I would feel like a young god.
So far I've only drunk alcohol in moderate amounts, which puts myself in the moderate drinking range. I didn't eat too much or too little. In recent years, I've mainly been drinking beer from craft breweries, or from local Czech breweries. I was aiming for drinks that were low in alcohol, and to me “low” means less than four percent alcohol. I drank wine – only white – sometimes. I did not touch any stronger alcohol.
Well, sometimes the wine was too much
Day Zero came, other days came, and weeks passed. The first month without alcohol I spent a lot of time drinking hectoliters of tea in every color (white, red, green or black), sitting under a warm blanket and… having no appetite for alcohol.
I admit that I was surprised by this reaction, it was definitely very easy for mealthough I also tried to avoid and not provoke situations that required me to be assertive – such as going to a club with friends or to a carnival party.
An amazing shot, but not in the way you think.
The success of the first weeks convinced me to extend these 30 days indefinitely… 1:0 for me
Immediately after that, a warm spring came, the lockdowns ended, and the brutal Russian aggression against Ukraine began Social life moved from behind the thick walls of Krakow's tenement houses to the café gardens. Someone will say: In the face of the enemy you must maintain a sober mind, and the other will answer: “Drink and have fun, life is short and the enemy lurks everywhere.”
Well, the latter – a less valid stimulus – is not as attractive without the former. They do a good job in duet, but the solo sounds wrong from the first note. 2-0 in the first half.
It wasn't always rosy. Without cigarettes I was a little nervous, my hands were “flying”. what can i do: I consciously entered into another addiction – I bought a road bike. Finally, my limbs were busy for a while, and I was able to spend the balloons I'd saved on alcohol on proper bike locks and nice colorful t-shirts. I did so well that I placed third or fourth in the company's cycling competition, and I started out as a completely naked person.
Now, instead of a pilsner, I've been drinking isotonic drinks from a water bottle in the afternoon. So how? The score will be 3-0.
Instead of beer, isotonic drinks in a bottle
The holidays have come and with them relaxation and rest – after all, there are temptations at every step. Looks like this will be the first real test of my will. I waited for the holiday with curiosity and anxiety – So far it has always been a gross disobedience With liters of spilled beer and cars laden with spent nicotine.
Every year I go to Italy with a bigger team, Fountain of bad beer, but also good, cheap wine – It would be a sin not to take advantage of it.
It was entirely possible I wasn't tempted by the outrageously low bottle prices at discount storesI had an excuse not to drink the terrible Pira Moretti – especially this one The man on the poster always reminded me of Austria or Bavaria, not Tuscany.
Italian vacation
Two years without alcohol – what have you done to me?
More weeks and months have passed – Suddenly it turned out that it had been a year since I had not drunk alcohol in any way.
The following year – 2023 – the same scenario was repeated. Due to the series' success in the first season, the main character was not killed off and the script was not changed.
I bought a second bike, and maybe a third soon, because The integer number of bicycles is n+1Using better equipment, I began climbing higher mountains. I was never tempted by Italian vineyards or cold Cypriot KEO beer. Consciously, I only drank alcohol once, on a flight to Buenos Aires.
It was simple. I was afraid there would be some scenes on the plane, or an emergency landing in the middle of the ocean, at the end You can imagine different reactions of the body, 12% after taking it after more than a year. Toxins During a trip that took twelve hours.
It was simple. The sky did not open, and the houris did not descend. Only the kind flight attendants delivered another batch of wine. It was nice for a moment, but I don't know if it was the drinking or the constant attention from the cabin crew.
Ride on the road!
I haven't celebrated anniversaries and important occasions with alcohol, nor have I drunk wine with the Mediterranean dishes I've prepared (although it would be a great complement), or, more recently, watched soccer matches during the World Cup with a glass of water. Tea in my hand.
During these 700+ days, I have had the overwhelming feeling of wanting to drink a cold, delicious beer perhaps several times.. It is enough. These were very short rings that disappeared faster than the foam and gases from the cup. The body quickly gets used to it, and the body forgets that it needs proportions. In the second year, this desire was less, I eliminated these kind of “reinforcers” and liquids and spent time exactly this way. Friday doesn't equal beer.
Without beer I feel good on my stomach And the stomach. I don't feel swollen or heavy. Overall I feel better.
What surprised me negatively? I naively thought my weight would decrease, but unfortunately nothing happened, although I was providing my body with fewer calories during this time. I did not eat a snack in the evening (alcohol increases my appetite), although I did not follow any diet. Additionally, when I quit smoking, I started eating more. for me I lost 2-3 kilograms over the summer, but at that time I was cycling very intensely.. It is difficult to link this to the lack of alcohol in the diet.
The next year, when I rode my bike to higher altitudes, my weight barely budged even with greater effort. Yes, I like to eat well, and maybe that's why, exercise is overrated.
I look through clear glasses, but the scale doesn't budge
I wake up earlier, get more sleep, Although I was expecting a bigger difference in quality, it's undeniable – I recover easier and faster in the morning. I function better during the day than I did before – even after an evening with a beer or two.
I have more time for myself now Which I devoted, among other things, to better sleep, with attention to its cleanliness. I go to bed at 10-10.15pm, and put away electronic devices an hour and a half before bedtime. I try to sleep at least seven hours and my sleep is definitely better.
My facial skin looks better and I get less headaches.
There are also more measurable impacts – for two years I saved several thousand zlotys by not drinking and smoking. I didn't keep detailed records, but craft beer isn't the cheapest.
Indirectly, I also cared about the health of my loved ones, who drank significantly less alcohol after my decision. While celebrating New Year's Eve yesterday, four adults drank one (yes, one!) bottle of wine. With such behavior, indirect tax revenues will decrease significantly.
Is it possible to “last” two years without alcohol?
Several times during this time I heard the same questions from friends:
Limitations only exist in our heads. It's like climbing the steepest hills on a bike. Equipment quality, weather or leg strength don't matter much. The most important thing is that I believe I can do it.
Whether it's drinking, learning Cantonese, or changing jobs. Anything is possible, and that's the (other!) most important lesson from the past year. As trivial as it may seem, we are imposing the shackles of “Ladasism” on ourselves..
I gave up alcohol for two years. What did you do for me?
What benefits do you get from not drinking alcohol? [INFOGRAFIKA]
What happens to your body when you give up alcohol?
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