A Weekend Without Alcohol
Last weekend I decided to throw away the wine and lock up the beer fridge. Actually it wasn’t that dramatic, but I did decide to have a weekend free from alcohol. I normally drink in moderation and don’t consider alcohol to be a problem in my life (although it was a few years ago). That said, lately I have been drinking more frequently than usual so I wanted to put the brakes on this habit and consider some potential benefits of abstaining from alcohol.
The following is an account of my weekend, followed by my thoughts about the experience.
A Sober Weekend
Friday
5pm: normally I would have a nice, cold, refreshing, delicious beer in my hand at this stage of the week. And there are actually some beers sitting in the fridge just waiting to be drunk. Instead to I go to the gym. So far so good.
7pm: it’s a quiet night at home. I don’t actually feel like drinking now, but I decide to remove the temptation by taking the beers out of the fridge and letting them get warm.
Saturday
5am: this morning I wake early. I spend my first hour awake with one of the funniest books I have read in a long time (Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert for those who are curious). Then I get writing for this blog. Why do I mention this in an article about alcohol? Well in recent weeks I have not necessarily been drinking large quantities of alcohol, but I have been drinking frequently. And this morning I notice a significant difference between how I feel (great) compared to how I feel the morning after even one or two drinks (ok).
7pm: tonight we are cooking steak for dinner, and my mind automatically drifts to red wine. I resisted purchasing a bottle earlier in the day when I was near a wine store, and at this stage of the night I have no wish to journey outside again (it is raining). The good thing, though, is that my desire for some wine pales in comparison to my desire for something else: food! This is easier than I expected.
Sunday
5pm: tonight I almost give into temptation. We go to a family dinner, and for some reason I am known to enjoy a drink (is it because I am Australian?). I manage to stay strong and decline the offers of red wine. At first people are a little surprised, but it’s no big deal and the night goes well.
Thoughts About The Weekend
Friday and Saturday nights were surprisingly easy, but for the sake of this experiment I am glad I was tested on Sunday night. At one stage on Sunday night, I did ask myself “why, why why?” I was doing this. As I write this article, though, I can clearly identify the benefits of the experiment.
- Monetary: things are a little tight at the moment, so we definitely saved some money by abstaining from alcohol this weekend.
- Health and well-being: I noticed that, in general, I felt healthier whilst abstaining from alcohol. Also, substituting the gym for a Friday evening beer worked well.
- Productivity: put simply, I got more done this weekend. By avoiding alcohol in the evenings, I avoided the tired feeling I often get from alcohol. And in the mornings my head was noticeably clearer, allowing me to get more writing done, amongst other things.
- Social: I noticed that I was more alert on Sunday night whilst interacting with other people.
- Self-discipline: it was a good feeling to commit to something, then follow through on it.
All-in-all the weekend went well. I’m certainly not going to give up alcohol, but this experiment was a good reminder about the benefits of drinking less often and, when I do drink, of keeping it in moderation.
Photo by taylorkoa22.
25 Comments
October 24th, 2007 at 2:47 pm
Well done, Peter! Two of my family members have recently begun alcohol-free lives and it’s given the rest a lot to think about. Good on you for staying the course this weekend! And great blog, btw. I usually read yours first!
[Reply]
October 24th, 2007 at 2:58 pm
I have done exactly the same thing this week. I don’t drink much at all but I had noticed over the last week that I was getting into the habit of drinking a bottle of beer with my tea. I had to stop because the sluggishness I felt each morning was awful. I feel much better now!
[Reply]
October 24th, 2007 at 3:19 pm
Thanks for the comments Ellen and Lynsey.
Lynsey you are right - it can become a habit to have a drink in certain circumstances, eg a beer Friday night after work or a glass of wine with dinner. Sometimes, though, the instant pleasure this gives us is just not worth it. This experiment has given me a greater awareness of the role alcohol plays in my life, and this will hopefully allow me to make better choices in the future.
[Reply]
October 24th, 2007 at 4:03 pm
I too have found myself drinking more frequently, I have also been consuming a larger amout then earlier in my life. Either that or I am just more conscience of my decision to have a drink.
It is funny how things happen, because I also embarked on a non-drinking weekend, although mine happened half by circumstance and half on purpose.
I feel that your 5 benefits were right on target, and an excellent addition to the post, your “thoughts about the weekend” really summed it all up for me, and will help me think more about my decision to drink.
[Reply]
October 24th, 2007 at 8:26 pm
It’s great that you (or anyone else) can show themselves they don’t need alcohol to have a good weekend
You raise a good point that it’s not so much the quantity you consume if you are drinking (everyone can one too many at times), but rather the frequency of consumption that should be kept in check. Keep up the great postings! 
[Reply]
October 24th, 2007 at 10:20 pm
This is AWESOME Peter– I sometimes go detox for a full month…let me tell you, you feel GREAT after. The funny thing is, when I go out with friends (while staying sober) I am just as funny and cool as always
[Reply]
October 24th, 2007 at 10:32 pm
RJ and Stephen: thanks for the great comments.
Todd: a month? Now that would be a real challenge
.
[Reply]
October 25th, 2007 at 11:12 am
The month long idea sounds particularly difficult, especially with the holiday season just around the corner. All that pressure from family and friends! It’d be really, really difficult to stick to it.
[Reply]
October 25th, 2007 at 2:13 pm
When I was about 2 years old, I was at a barbeque where everyone was drinking beer. Throughout the whole evening, I kept sneaking over to the trashcan looking for freshly thrown out beer cans so I could drink the remnants of each can. After doing this all evening, I got really drunk and ended up having a horrible hangover. This little long past event has stuck with me. I was at an age where the incident left a lasting imprint and ever since that incident just the smell of alcohol makes me want to vomit. So, I’ve never even been able to enjoy a beer since I was about 2 years old. So that is one way to cure a kid from becoming a drinker—although one that could get a parent in trouble if done purposely ;). It is all psychological.
[Reply]
October 26th, 2007 at 3:27 am
[…] over at I Will Change Your Life put up a great post about how he gave up alcohol for a weekend, and the gang over at PDP turned […]
October 28th, 2007 at 5:49 pm
Alex, LOL - that is quite the story. I actually didn’t like the taste of alcohol initially, but I “grew” on me. My little boy, who is 8 months old, is fascinated by beer bottles which is a bit of a worry. I don’t think I’ll try to cure him though with your method, as you say it may get me in trouble
[Reply]
October 28th, 2007 at 5:56 pm
[…] S C presents A Weekend Without Alcohol posted at I will change your life . […]
October 29th, 2007 at 1:46 pm
[…] S C presents A Weekend Without Alcohol posted at I will change your life . […]
October 30th, 2007 at 5:17 pm
Alcohol-free beer is quite good in Vancouver/Canada.
It’s tastes the same, except for the “buzz”.
[Reply]
November 9th, 2007 at 3:16 am
Hello Peter.
If you are interested in developing yourself, seriously consider totally giving up drinking. I used to drink a fair amount in my younger days. I have also seen first hand the damage that drinking can do to bodies and minds. I reached a stage in my life, during my mid-twenties where I turned my back on the bottle. Soon after I started to become interested in self-development after reading the Steven Covey books. Giving up drinking has given me mental clarity over the past decade and a half. I probably drink once or twice a year and I hate the sluggish feelings I have the next two to three days.
If you felt good after a weekend not drinking, imagine how good you would feel after not drinking for a year.
As a fellow Australian, my non-drinking often encounters social resistance, but most people respect my stance when they see my commitment to it.
[Reply]
November 9th, 2007 at 2:07 pm
Hi Ben,
Thanks for the comment. I can certainly imagine the benefits of not drinking at all - basically they would be the same as I listed in this article but on a permanent basis. It’s certainly food for thought. In fact my dad, like you, doesn’t drink at all.
[Reply]
November 18th, 2007 at 9:19 am
[…] http://www.thechangeblog.com/2.....t-alcohol/ […]
December 29th, 2007 at 1:37 pm
I appreciate your experiment and the supporting comments. However, everybody seems to neglect the HEALTHY effect of alcohol. Several studies showed that a certain amount of alcohol per day increases your life expectancy (search google if you like)– if I recall it correctly, it was about one glass of red wine. So you might want to stay away from staying away from alcohol :). Of course, more than the said glass of wine/beer harms your health.
Happy New Year,
Kay.
[Reply]
January 3rd, 2008 at 7:05 am
Excellent article - great points! My husband used to love having a glass of wine with a meal every so often. He probably drank about 10 glasses of wine a year and he’d have the occasional shot of vodka when the mood struck him. After having a liver transplant, two years ago, alcohol is a complete no-no now.
The few years before the transplant he would feel ill for days after having just one drink. We never thought about it being a health issue, just a tolerance issue. So those reading this that do get ill quite easily from just abit of alcohol - go see your doctor.
As for me, I haven’t really had a drink since I became leagally able to drink - most of the fun for me was aquiring it lol I’m going on about 20 years since that date came and went. Champagne is real good though, I like a nice glass of champagne every year or two. Happy New Year!
[Reply]
February 5th, 2008 at 3:51 am
[…] S C presents A Weekend Without Alcohol posted at I will change your life . […]
February 6th, 2008 at 5:56 am
I enjoyed your article about giving up booze for a weekend. For the last two years I have been doing a version of Agnostic Lent by giving up drinking for the months of January and February.
I feel great and going out is far cheaper. I have been able to get in 93 miles running in January. I sleep better and seem to be avoiding the cold that is plaguing many of my fellow toilers.
The first weekend of the first year is tough, but once I got used to not drinking (even though I host Happy Hours)
[Reply]
February 6th, 2008 at 6:29 am
Thanks for the comment Marcus. Funny that you should comment on this article (which is a few months old) just now. The weekend just gone I didn’t touch alcohol at all….. and I wasn’t even tempted to. There is just so much happening at the moment in my life that I didn’t want the sleepy feeling that alcohol gives me. Interesting point about getting a cold - I can recall many occasions where a big drinking night has led to getting sick.
[Reply]
February 17th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
Thanks for the comment. I can certainly imagine the benefits of not drinking at all - basically they would be the same as I listed in this article but on a permanent basis.
[Reply]
March 9th, 2008 at 11:15 am
Two years after making a decision not to drink any alcohol at all, life just gets better and better!! Its just so good to be rid of the sickness, tiredness and paranoia. Weekends actually seem longer now. It took me over 4 years to come to this decision but it is the best one ever made.
[Reply]
June 10th, 2008 at 7:14 pm
Well, I love wine and coffee but gave both up 12 years ago and have never given in. Sure, I’ve been tempted here and there but the consequences aren’t worth it. I’ve noticed that I certainly look better for my age than my friends who drink. They tend to drink a lot, mind you, but that’s easy to do. Which is one reason why I don’t!
Adorned With Lifes last blog post..Taking a Break from CrazyLand
[Reply]
Share your thoughts, leave a comment!