Gaz’s story: How cutting down helped me lose five stone
“It’s definitely worth taking a month off drinking. Because you never know where it’s going to lead – you might like the new you. ”
During what he called the ‘bad old times’, Gaz, from Willington in County Durham, used to drink every day. He knew something had to change – and on Christmas Day in 2014, a moment on the scales made him realise it was time to cut down. Dry January gave him the perfect opportunity.
Gaz, 49, said: “In a drinking session, I found I could drink up to 2,000 calories. So when the New Year came, I took part in Dry January to try and lose all of the extra weight I had gained. I lost a stone in that first month.
“I decided to keep going and take it a bit further, going 4 months without a drink and losing more weight. By August – along with dietary changes, exercise and calorie counting – I’d lost a total of 4 stone in those 8 months in 2015.”
It was the boost he needed to kickstart a healthier lifestyle. Gaz added: “I never went back to daily drinking after that. I started using fitness apps, eating healthier and getting my 10,000 steps in every day, which helped me to lose even more weight.”
Gaz now takes part in Dry January every year – which he now sees as an “annual reset” for him.
He added “I’ve already lost all my extra weight from the end of last year. I downloaded the Try Dry app for extra motivation, and to count up the money and calories I’d saved – which totalled up to £270 and over 50,000 calories by the end of January.
“When you add healthy eating and exercise into the mix it all adds up really. You feel better, you save money, you get more done as you’re more enthusiastic.
“You do sleep better too, as you don’t have broken sleep. You feel less bloated. You feel more motivated – you’re not feeling rough on the sofa, feeling like everything is a chew. You just feel better about yourself.”
Gaz joined a supportive Facebook group, where members share advice and support to people taking part in Dry January. He’s now a page admin, and shares his own experience to help others who are starting out.
“We have a rule on the page: Post before you pour. Before you pour yourself a drink, post a message on the page and we can reassure you to keep going. A craving only lasts around eight minutes, so it’s just a case of getting past that initial craving.
“My best piece of advice if you’re looking to cut down on your drinking is to plan your days. Keep yourself busy during the daytime so you’re not thinking about going home and having a drink. Make a list of things you want to achieve that day. It’s all about preparation.
“If you are thinking about it, it’s definitely worth taking a month off drinking. Because you never know where it’s going to lead – you might like the new you. If you don’t try and change your routines, you’re just going to stay in the same lane.”
