Sober January: the results

So I have just embarked on one of the biggest challenges of willpower of my life: not drinking for the whole of January. Sober January / Dry January / Dryathalon. Whatever you want to call it, it proved to be quite an eye-opener for me. Being a person who enjoys a tipple or two, always within a social context mind, I chanced upon Cancer Research UK's Dryathlon page and decided to have a go at going alco-free for 31 days. It just so happened that along with going 'dry' for the month, I was also surprisingly single (again) and so getting back on the dating game again, invited to numerous dinner parties and launches where copious amounts of booze would be served, for free. I knew all these sources of temptation would be tricky but, with steely determination in tact, I managed to consume ginger beer, soda water and many a 'mocktail' (shudder).

Now that the month is done and dusted, I have learnt a good number of things.
1) I enjoyed my sober date, although it was with a friend of a friend, so I didn't need Dutch courage
2) I can go full on clubbing without the merest drop of alcohol and yes, I can dance. However, this does depend on the people I am out with. With my lovely colleagues I have a hoot, with some piss-head acquaintances who are yelling in my face saying the same thing again and again, less so.
3) Free alcohol is just that. Free. If I don't drink it, it doesn't really matter. Although, going to two events where the most amazing looking fizzy cocktails were on offer, I did cry a little internally.
4) Ice-cold fizzy water with elderflower cordial and lots of ice is DELICIOUS.
5) I have an awful lot more willpower than I'd originally thought. Even with friends wafting all kinds of beverage under my nose, I had the strength of mind to simply say 'No thanks'.
6) People can't tell whether I am drunk or sober anyway. Still fabulous (obnoxious?), regardless.
7) It is OK to ask for non-alcoholic options although, as in the case of one event, the barman looked at me as if I was speaking broken Klingon.
8) There are not enough non-alcoholic options of offer in bars.  I will be doing some research and heading to Dragons Den with alternatives to champagne.  
9) The weekend goes on for so much longer when there isn't a hangover involved to take over most of the daytime.
10) I don't loose weight, even without alcohol (boo!).

At 12.05am on February 1st I had my first drink. It was indeed welcome but tasted so so strong!

Looking forward, I will be drinking again, but it will be in much more moderation that previously and I will savour each drop (and not forget to say no once in a while). Let's face it, this has been the closest thing to a sporting event that I am likely to ever do and I'm proud of myself.