I’ve been on a health and wellness journey for quite some time now. I mentioned on a previous post that nutrition has played a huge part of my weight loss and fitness journey. Thanks to the nutrition services offered at InBalance San Antonio, I was able to lose a great deal of weight and really advance in my fitness goals. During that time I had been mostly plant-based and slowly but surely, the weight was coming off, but I would plateau for a very long time and become discouraged. I’d seen here and there how people would start the new year with a Dry January. That meant no alcohol for the entire month, and they would do it for different reasons like detox from Holiday drinking, jump start their weight loss, reducing excesses, etc. I decided to try it. I took a deep look into my habits and realized that the one thing that I hadn’t removed from my intake was alcohol. I thought to myself, “how is it that I live by a whole food, plant-based diet, habitually workout, yet I can’t seem to shake off this weight?” Granted, my drink of choice is red wine, but what about the Sunday Funday Mimosas and the margaritas? Something had to give, so I decided to quit for the month of January. I started the year with a Juice Cleanse using the fantastic new juicer my husband and I bought at the end of 2018, which turned out to be the healthiest investment we ever made! After the juice cleanse, I continued to use the tools and recipes provided by Inbalance, plus new recipes my sister sent me, who has recently become a nutrition and wellness coach using holistic, plant-based foods to improve overall physical and mental health. It would be a breeze, with all the available tools I had, but it didn’t come with it’s challenges.
January kicked off with events lined up for me every single weekend, like blogger hosting, celebrations and plenty of launch parties. All I can say is thank goodness for flavored sparkling waters and the best Mocktails I’ve ever had, using Mingle Handcrafted Sparkling Mocktails. I discovered these delicious, non-alcoholic, low calorie beverages when I searched #DryJanuary on Instagram and found that they are meant for those having a Dry Month, Dry Year or Dry Life. They can definitely be used as Mixers for your boozy beverages, but they don’t need much if you’re cutting down on alcohol. So far, my favorite flavors are the Blackberry Hibiscus Bellini, which I added smashed and whole berries to, and the Cranberry Cosmo which you can serve in a martini glass and feel so fab while enjoying a night with friends. I love that you don’t have to “feel left out” especially if sobriety is challenged when you’re the host of the party.
I noticed the pounds just melted away, in just 8 weeks I lost 12 lbs and counting. But, the truth is that as soon as January ended, I immediately drank a ton of wine on that first weekend of February. Like I had earned a prize or something. I realized that my drinking habits weren’t bad when I was out, socializing with friends. The cold hard truth is that I was definitely drinking more when I was alone, in the comfort of my home. I got a hard dose of reality when my husband brought up his concern, and questioned how I could give up all animal products for my health, but was still poisoning my body with alcohol. So, I decided to cut back drastically, again. The entire month of March was dry for me again. I did enjoy some champagne during a wedding on the last day of the month, but promised myself another dry month for April and just celebrate with a lovely wine on my upcoming birthday, in moderation, of course. As we are trying to conceive, I also want my body to be the healthiest vessel to carry life. I’m preparing for the biggest role in my life and I need to be the best version of myself as I hopefully take on pregnancy and motherhood. Drinking in moderation can work for me, as long as I am very clear that it has no power over me and I can limit my consumption to only special occasions. In the meantime, I’ll enjoy my favorite sparkling waters and mocktails.
Blooming Lotus 
Great inspiration. Personally, I don't drink alcohol at all. Drinking in moderation is alright, but a lot of people end up taking it too far. Taking care of our health is very important, especially if one is planning parenthood/motherhood. Best of luck with pregnancy. I'm trying to conceive too!
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Alcohol retains water in the body and is very high in calories, so it’s good that you completely abandoned it because it is good for your health.
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