Going dry for a month boosted my health

Joanna Munro describes herself as the typical mother who enjoys a well-earned glass of her favourite tipple at the end of a trying day.

As someone who drank no more than a couple of glasses of wine a day, Joanna, 45, was by no means a heavy drinker. But one day, she realised that "wine o'clock" had become more of a habit than a pleasure.

She gave up alcohol for a month for Dry January to prove to herself she was still in control but she tells how she soon started noticing unexpected health benefits.  

Pleasure or habit?

"Back in December, I was a typical example of the mother who reaches for her first glass of rosé while simultaneously burning dinner, tripping over the dog, emptying the washing machine and resolving conflicts between the kids. Then I realized that "wine o'clock" had become an automatic reflex that wasn’t so much a pleasure as a habit. 

"I didn’t find an answer to my question on the internet, but I did find Alcohol Concern’s website and a challenge called Dry January. I liked the idea – an opportunity to prove to myself that I had more self-control than a four-year-old who’d been left alone in a Cadbury’s warehouse. If I was hooked, I’d be clawing my way up the curtains in despair within days.

"So I signed up. Over the month, my resolve was considerably strengthened by Dry January’s Facebook page and the determination and solidarity of those taking part. The challenge worked a charm because people can encourage each other and be accountable to each other.

"The aim was simple on paper: give up alcohol for one month. As I’m an eternal optimist, I added an hour of exercise every day for good measure. I quickly worked out a circuit through my local village. When attempting abstinence for the first time in 12 years, sunshine and great countryside proved ideal to lift this trainee teetotaler’s spirits."

Health benefits

"The first week, I rode the virtuosity wave. I was a disdainful diva, even declining champagne on the beach to toast in the New Year. By the middle of the second week, however, the queen of self-control and restraint was glowering, Gollum-like, over her glass of Perrier and lime as hubby savoured his beer.

"After two weeks the cold turkey wore off, and the first benefits kicked in. I was in bed snoring shamelessly before 10 and was awake before the alarm at 6.15am. My skin was looking better. I had more energy, and was proud of myself for sticking at it.

"Although weight loss wasn’t a decisive factor for me, I lost 5lbs (2.3kg) in the first month and I have now lost nearly 10lbs and banished three inches (7.5cm) of muffin top from my waistline. Like many other people on Dry January’s page, my problem was the inexplicable desire to replace my evening dose of wine with snacks in front of the TV.

"Yet in the long run, less wine meant less nibbles. I realised how alcohol opened up my appetite and made me reach for those salty nibbles.

"Less nibbles meant less weight. Not exactly rocket science, but a winning equation nevertheless."