How an Alcohol-Free Summer Will Improve Your Life

Take a break, and crack open that beer at the barbeque.

It is summertime, after all!

Floating down the river all but requires some alcohol, right?

However, what if going alcohol-free made your summer even better?

Hear me out!

What if this summer was your best?

What if you did things you’d always dreamed of doing, achieved everything you wanted to, smashed those life goals, enjoyed a huge variety of experiences with friends, and bonded with them better than you ever had before?

Sounds good, right?

Well, all you have to do is go booze-free!

Booze free… you heard right.

Benefits of a booze-free summer

Why should you ditch the yummy frozen alcoholic concoction this summer?

Well, you just might experience a few (or maybe even all) of these benefits.

1. You will be happier
2. Experience more energy
3. Be more productive
4. Feel less anxiety
5. Lose weight
6. Discover time to achieve your life goals
7. More cash for summer activities (not just slightly more… but thousands more)
8. Improved relationships (no surprises)

Hear it from others (Don’t take our word for it):

“If I had known what I know now after doing 90 days alcohol-free, I would have done it a long time ago.” – Bob  

“I have so much more fun now, it’s been an eye opener!!!” – Cheryl, 24

“I can’t believe how much happier I feel” – Ray, 38

“I’ve got so much more energy to do the things I want to, I’ve already done more this year than I did in the past 2” – James, 29

Here’s your toolkit for an alcohol free summer:

The first step is learn the ‘Golden Rules.’

Golden Rules:

1. Know your why: If you don’t know why you are not drinking, the pressure will make you pop. Get that reason why down, and make sure your fitness challenge is booked!
2. Get your story straight: Why are you not drinking? “I’ve joined the OYNB 90-day challenge I am doing a half marathon in 3 weeks and I’ve got a training run at 7 am tomorrow.”
3. Know your tipple: Do not ‘um’ and ‘ah’ at the bar when asked what you would like to drink. It will turn into alcoholic.  Instead, plan ahead: Tonic and Elderflower, Soda and Lime, Becks Blue.
4. Tell the ringleader before: Get someone in the group on your side – explain why you are doing it, it will soften the blow and reduce the peer pressure.
5. Dare yourself: Dare yourself to make it through the evening, the benefits all come later so you will feel the pull to drink. You’ll be so glad and proud of yourself for making it, so stay strong… You can DO IT!
6. Be a part of the party: Enjoy yourself, have an Esspress-NO-Martini if you need a pep up at 10pm. And if you just can’t get involved with your buddy’s drunken antics, set yourself a time limit. Sometimes being the only sober person at a party is hard! Don’t be afraid to duck out early if you need to.
7. If the pressure is mounting: Fake a phone call. Walk around for a bit, take a few breaths of fresh air, remind yourself of 1, 2 and 3 above and you will walk back in like a Spartan!

REMEMBER: those drinking alcohol will expect you to be antisocial.

By getting out there and meeting them toe for toe, you will be challenging their own beliefs.

You do not need alcohol to have fun… Repeat after me – I DO NOT NEED ALCOHOL TO HAVE FUN. 

Boom, you’re nailing this!

So here’s some top advice from our pro members (90 days +) on not just living alcohol-free, but loving the alcohol-free life.

Scenarios in which you might find yourself

Scenario #1: You get this message:

Meeting at a pub for Friday drinks in the sunshine!

Come on it’s great fun, down by the river, on the corner of the park, in that little sunspot! 

Don’t deny yourself the pleasure of a few after work drinks with colleagues to kick start the weekend.

Top tips to survive:

1. Drive or cycle there (don’t get me started on drink driving and cycle deaths)
2. Get to the bar first: Tonic water and lime look exactly like Gin and Tonic. Bring everyone else shots – have a shot of tonic water with them. They will think you are the ultimate party person, and probably forgive you for not drinking.
3. Choose the bar with the best non-alcoholic drinks – sample a few.
4. Go for a run or exercise before you meet. Get in the healthy mindset

Scenario #2: Summer holiday

It seems unfathomable to be on holiday and not start breakfast with at least a mimosa and continue at a steady pace all day.

Well, it’s not only possible, but it’s also totally liberating.

It’s the best family experience you will ever have, and you will finally come back from holiday rested, relaxed, and ready to take on another 12 months of work!

Top tips to survive:

1. Book an adventure holiday – keep yourself busy and active.
2. Hire a car/camper and be required to drive. Driving tours of Tuscany is our top of the list or taking an RV through Vancouver!
3. Start taking on new challenges – take diving classes, taekwondo, try something new!
4. Visit family – as long as they don’t drive you to drink (haha)!

Switch it up

Instead of Friday at the pub with work colleagues, book the wakeboarding club.

It’s an awesome afternoon/evening in the sun full of adrenaline.

Your mates will love the alternative to the usual park corner spot. 

As for after event beers – take your own refreshment for the BBQ in the sun.

Other highly social alternatives:

1. Friday evening Paintball
2. Go-Karting (especially outdoors – the twin engine karts will pump your dopamine faster than any alcohol)
3. Exercise – Group spin class, bike ride, Barry’s Bootcamp, Exercise is the new clubbing, sober is the new cool!
4. Check out Meetup and find a cool activity in your area – Come to one of our meetups and get social without the hangover!

It wouldn’t be Summer without the Sunday BBQ at home

Ahh, the smell of sizzling sausages… just makes me want to reach for a beer.

So don’t deny yourself that psychology.

There is a huge selection of awesome non-alcohol beers (and other drinks) to quench your thirst and still feel better than drinking water… (yawn).

Have a look at www.drydrinker.com for beer inspiration.

Another idea is to offer to drive some of your guests home if they want to get on the sauce.

They can always come back tomorrow and get their car.

Suddenly, you just escalated yourself to BBQ host with the most, my friend!

Dealing with slip-ups

So, you followed all of our tips and still found yourself at the riverside bar one Sunday with a glass of wine in your hand.

You’ve no idea how it happened, but you’ve already had half of it.

DARN IT!

That’s the challenge ruined!

I may as well smash back another 2 bottles…I’ve broken the camel/straw/back.

NO!

Put the glass down.

Its OK!

Just because you ordered it, doesn’t mean you have to drink it.

Imagine if you stopped mid way now, imagine if you switched to water after one glass, imagine the self-control you would have.

That self control is infectious.

You will feel awesome about yourself in the morning.

Just remember, this is a challenge.

You can always go back to your old ways (100% don’t, 80% carry on for longer), so what have you got to lose?

Learning to live in our society without alcohol and still be sociable is a skill.

To learn this skill and many, many more to hack your life to success, join us on the 90 or 365-day challenge to give up alcohol, get fit and smash your year.

Don’t wait until the perfect moment to go alcohol free

Often people say, I can’t give up now I’ve got a stag weekend in 8 weeks, or a birthday in 80 days.

However, having these major milestones makes the challenge even more enjoyable.

It’s like conquering your ultimate fears in life.

The self-control, the willpower, and the pride you will feel for yourself after completing these events sober will last you a lifetime.

Your mates will be seriously impressed.

If being happier, more productive, and achieving the goals you keep putting on the back burner sounds good, then give the alcohol-free summer a try!

Let us know why you are considering an alcohol free summer in the comment section below!