Practically as soon as the champagne is popping, you'll be thinking about when it's stopping. Dry January is a month-long hiatus from drinking alcohol that follows on the heels of New Year's Eve. Does that mean no champagne after midnight? Personally, I think there's no harm in beginning Monday, January 2nd, 2023, but I also prefer a 30-day challenge over a 31. Here's everything you need to succeed in a Dry January, including tips, tricks, and supplies!
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Get Expert Motivation
If you were trying to lose weight, would you rather walk by a bakery or a gym? Well, unless you have the willpower of a supermodel, you'll most likely say gym. It turns out you can do the same thing when you're trying to drink less alcohol. Annie Grace's 30-Day Alcohol Experiment is a totally FREE online program with videos and journaling where you can uncover a little more about why you might be drinking in the first place. Every day comes with a new video and prompts to help do some detective work on your habits. You might find it helps enlighten you in different areas of your life as well.
Rock a Reset
If you feel like your whole body could use a tune-up, then plant-based Remedy Organics might have just what you're looking for. The Remedy Reset Program is a 3-Day Wellness Program with Shakes, Immunity Shots, and a Wellness Journal ($129 plus free shipping). You can also take it a bit more a la carte and start your day with some of their Breakfast Essentials and then eat regularly the rest of the time (12 bottles are $64.99). These stay good for a while, so stocking up is encouraged. My favorites are the Berry Immunity and Blue Essentials Shakes and the Immunity Shot Variety Pack ($84.99 for 24). The Energize flavor offers a great boost to your day with matcha, zinc, prebiotics, and cayenne (personally used it after a sleepless night with my sick toddler, and it was just the trick). I also love how the bottles remind you to breathe before taking a sip - so often, it's easy to forget to just be present.
You can find Remedy Organics at Whole Foods, Sprouts, Walmart, and other retailers. Plus, from now until 1/2/23, you can also use the code GIFT20 for 20% off on their website and free shipping!
Stock the Fridge
The last thing you want to see in your refrigerator is a can of beer when you're doing Dry January, unless it's a Mango Cart Non-Alcoholic Wheat Ale from Golden Road Brewery. The taste is light and fruity and has only 0.5% ABV, a very low alcohol content. You can find it at Total Wine & More for $11.99. Another great brand for Non-Alcohol Craft Beers is Grüvi, whose Golden Lager won the gold medal for best non-alcohol beer IN THE WORLD in 2022! This particular brew is so popular, though, that it's often sold out, but you can find Mocha Nitro Stout and Juicy IPA, as well as others, on their website. I recommend a Variety Pack to find your favorites ($39 for 12). Use code DryJanuary for 15% off. All their beers have less than 0.5% ABV.
If you feel like a little taste of the low-ABV devil is enough to get you going, then turn to alternatives like de-alcoholized wine. Noughty Sparkling Chardonnay is an organic, vegan, sparkling chardonnay with low sugar and absolutely no alcohol. The taste is excellent, and you don’t need to feel guilty about that second (or third) glass. You can find it at Boisson in Los Angeles or at Better Rhodes ($22) online.
If you’re a Rosé Wine lover, I recommend the Surely Sparkling Rosé, which comes in cans and large full bottles. It tastes exactly like the Rosé wines you’re used to because it comes from high-quality Sonoma winemakers; it just had the alcohol extracted. You can find it at Better Rhodes ($25).
Red Wine often gets a bad rap in the alcohol-free space, but that just means you haven't tried the Dry Red Blend from Grüvi. It's full-bodied and one of the closest things to the real thing. Best of all, it's only 45 calories for a full glass. Purchase from their website or find it at The New Bar in Venice if you're local to Los Angeles ($25 for four cans). They also offer 10% off when you purchase on the website. The Grüvi brand also makes a supremely delicious Sparkling Sangria if you like your reds served chilled.
Lastly, if you're looking for a complete alcohol alternative that still gives you a "buzzy feeling," try an adaptogen-style beverage like Kin Euphorics. They are described as “functional, non-alcoholic adult beverages to balance body, mind, and spirit.” The High Rhode flavor is meant to stimulate your social side with ingredients like 5-HTP and Gaba. In contrast, the Dream Light flavor is all about winding down and stress relief and includes melatonin and reishi mushroom, among other ingredients. You can order directly from the website, where a Sample Pack of 16 will run you $69.
Hype up your H2O
Hydration is critical when you're on the road to wellness, but getting those eight glasses a day doesn't have to be boring. Including Enhanced Water options like TREO in your routine will fuel you with vitamins to get you hydrated faster. It's naturally sweetened and utilizes birch water to create a sustainable product. Jason Derulo and Bob Golden of Snapple own the brand. Try all the flavors like Peach Mango and Kiwi Watermelon for the lowest price on Amazon ($33.24 for 12).
Also, ensure you have lots of La Croix Sparkling Water on hand. They have so many flavors that you can choose a different one almost every day of Dry January. Walmart has the lowest price, with some flavors coming in at 50 cents a can.
Focus on what you're getting, not what you're losing
Most importantly, this Dry January, don't sit around thinking about booze and how much you miss it. Instead, focus your attention on how you're improving your health. In just a few days, you'll probably start to see less bloating in your body and face, not to mention how much you're helping your insides. If you miss the ritual of drinking, try to replace it with a new one, like running or reading.
The loss of alcohol might equal a gain of hours you never knew you had. Spend them doing something that lights you up.
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