how giving up booze has helped us all become nicer people!

In case you missed it, I gave up alcohol for February, as ambassador for Febfast.

The whole concept totally took off, which makes me so happy and impressed with human nature in general. Almost everyone I know took part. Bloody incredible. And the shift in everyone’s behaviour is astonishing. There’s a calmness. An OKness about town.

Gossip terror Ros Reines was inspired to comment in Spectator that the whole of Sydney seems to be on the wagon this month.

A FebFast update: 7200 people took part (I’d double that figure – a lot of people didn’t register) and it’s raised over $500K. Team Sarah Wilson coughed up more than $8K.

Last weekend my dear friend, crime author and highly impressive human being (she knocks my socks off) Tara Moss held a literary salon in her house up in the mountains where most of the room wasn’t drinking. We drank pomegranate juice in big wine balloons instead.

A lot of us have been going to the movies. And doing the Bondi-Bronte walk. And having tea in our gardens.

How’ve you been going? What tricks have worked for you? Below some great feedback from people around Australia. It made me teary….

When I first read about FebFast in Sarah Wilson’s column I giggled with some girlfriends that a whole month without alcohol would ruin me  – well it hasn’t, only two of us signed up but the support and interest from friends has been great. Next year I will really push for their participation and sponsorship, the main benefit for me so far has been such a wonderful improvement in overall health, no headachy mornings, less mood swings, lighter on the scales and better bladder control! Thanks FebFast for giving me a great way to detox after the festive season. I will definetely be participating next year and really monitoring my intake of alcholic beverages from now on. I will also be buying shares in whichever company produces soda, mineral and tonic H2O!

Phillipa

Self Esteem, Clear Skin, Long sleeps, Energy, Exhileration, No bloating, $70pw better off, Amazement from peers, Clear Decision Making, Better Driving, No use of medicines, Being able to drive 24/7, finishing a crossword, getting a new better job, knowing my family are so proud of me……

Thanks and Cheers maates!!

John

Hi Febfast Team,
I feel 200% better alcohol free.  I was consuming a great deal more than necessary and was effecting my moods and energy terribly.  I have three young children (the youngest is 18 months).  I love mornings now, so much so that i am getting up at 6am to jog.  Previously the 7am wake up was crucial to my day and the children were not permitted into to my room before this time.  Now they wake up to meet me at the door after my glory run.  I am happier with myself now than i have been in 5 years and it is rubbing off on the whole family.  I don’t even have an interest in drinking.  I know that i will return to it but will maintain Mon-Thurs dry.  This means that although Febfast ends on the Sunday, i will not consume alcohol until the following Friday at the earliest.
Thank you, thank you, thank you
Miky

Well I didn’t think I could do this and neither did my better half. He keeps offering me wine!  But I remain steadfast! On the up side – I am sleeping better and tummy muscle tone is better. I was never a heavy drinker but always enjoyed a couple of glasses of wine with my meals (every day).  Good luck to all Febfasters!

Judy

Thank you Febfast for giving me & hubby the challenge to give up alcohol for a month and thanks for choosing the shortest one!  Not that we’re  alcoholics or anything like that (in denial) but I really looked forward to those couple of glasses of wine every evening.  I would get home from work and relax with a glass of wine – or pour one whilst cooking dinner and have one with dinner.  It was usually only the two glasses a day – and if an extra one was had – it eventuated in a headache.  I dont think I am very alcohol tolerant but it was a habit. I have surprised myself by not having any alcohol for February and find I am really enjoying the clear head and the extra energy I have.  IN FACT……. although I’m not a Catholic – I know it is lent and am seriously thinking of giving up alcohol until Easter!  Just a thought mind you.
The only thing I am missing is a good glass of cold guinness with my husband on a Saturday afternoon as we would have our “happy hour” at 5pm and sit on our deck overlooking the beach and watch the world go by whilst marveling how lucky we are.  Now we sit there with our Tonic and ice – or cranberry juice in wine glasses.  We have yet to find the no alcohol beer as the supermarkets never seem to have any!  That can be our next challenge to find some.
Anyway – thank you again – We feel good!
Ali  and Frank

Ever tried to give up smoking, only to have some idiot think that they are tempting you by blowing smoke in your face? Well the FebFast equivalent is when you are at a function, as we were recently, and somebody who has never bought you a drink in the past, comes up and offers to buy you a drink.
Rather than simply decline with thanks, I replied by accepting their offer, but instead of it being in a glass, I asked that the equivalent amount be donated to my fundraising efforts. In both cases, it result in two further donations, one for $20.00 and the other $50.00!
Give it a go!
Regards
Chris

Well I gave myself a double challenge – give up alcohol and go on a diet.

So far I have lost 2.5 kgs in three weeks and aim to keep the flab coming off till I get to the ideal weight of 64 kg. This means, accounting for my alcohol consumption and food intake even after Febfast ends! I never knew how many calories really I was consuming any one weekend or the week through drinking until I started calorie counting through weightwatchers program.

The first 10 days of no alcohol was so hard. Particularly as last week I was at a sales conference where every evening there was some networking or get together around alcohol. I felt a little socially inept but soon discovered some other colleagues who had given up the booze for their own health reasons. So I kept company with them and spent the points that would have gone into drinks on nice food – within the calorie requirements of course!

My skin looks great and some of my problems associated with my coeliac disease have also disappeared as all the sparkling water is helping my entire body function better. All my friends and family are also so supportive. They bring me grapetisers, lovely mineral waters and anything else to stop me feeling like I need to have a bevie.

Anyway, I don’t think my friends ever thought I would get this far without some temptation.

I think the fact that this is also for charity for people with severe drug and alcohol problems, makes me more determined not to give up.

I didn’t even use the buy-out pass you could get.

So 8 days and counting!

Regards and best of luck to everyone else.

Helen

I am not finding Febfast very hard, which is surprising as I am a daily drinker.
I have not been avoiding situations where alcohol is present and just going about life normally. Drinking a lot more lime and soda than I would though.
I even attended a girls weekend away without the booze!
I work with a couple of Muslim guys who do not drink. They have made me think about my drinking habits and realise that life will not come to an end without alcohol.  They have also sponsored me in my efforts with febfast.

I can definately say that my habits will change after the end of February!

Regards
Sara

I think I’ve drunk far too much Diet Coke over the last few weeks, though I have been trying iced tea and various mineral waters as well.

I’m excited that I have just sent the full manuscript of my romantic suspense novel ‘Under the Bali Hut’ to an OS publisher ahead of schedule because I wasn’t wasting time socialising with alcohol. Thanks Febfast team.

The most disappointing thing is that I think I’ve put on weight instead of lost it. I seem to have more appetite when I’m not drinking beer. Has anyone else had this problem? Is this normal?

Donna

I found in the first two weeks that I was consciously *not* drinking and didn’t feel any benefits. But then this week I started feeling healthier and stopped thinking about *not* drinking. I’m surprised how easy social situations are – I always thought I couldn’t bear them without a drink in hand – and now I don’t care.

I think I had become quite socially and culturally dependent on alcohol and its great to break free.

My wife and I have challenged each other to Feb Fast and we are enjoying the progress 3 weeks into it.  Our key challenges seem to be the ‘witching hour’ when our kids go a little haywire between 5-7pm….so we keep distracted by spending much more quality time with them, and have been enjoying more walks, play time, games and the like….!

I am sure our results thus far will mean we change some habits for the better when we get to March…

Glad to hear of the successes of the overall program and thanks for organising!

cheers

Matt

Hullo there Febfast team, thanks for the emails, which were tremendously helpful in the beginning but letting you know that I feel great, and am enjoying this Febfast! Going out to restaurants and drinking water is fine.
My body is hydrated and my skin is also saying thanks!

Best wishes

Marion

I must say now we’re on the home straight I hardly ever think about it and certainly dont feel the desire for a drink at the end of the day. My wife and I have been discussing how because I work from home and she’s at home most of the day we really used to use a drink as a line in sand representing the end of the day. Interesting how habits develop isn’t it.

I reckon I’ve lost a few kilos and I’ve certainly saved a few hundred dollars.

Cheers!

David

3 weeks off alcohol and I’m no longer feeling like a beer after work. *gulp*  this may well continue after February!!
(oh, and I’m finding I’m drinking A LOT more water too!!)