Last month I celebrated 8 and a half years of sobriety, and marked the occasion by starting up my own YouTube channel! Its the perfect place for me to chat all things Sobriety, Selfcare, Skincare, Health and wellness – how to THRIVE in sobriety and not just survive.
Something I get asked a LOT, is how do I holiday sober? One of my latest posts is all about this and you can listen to it here Subscribe here
With over 8 years of sobriety under my belt, I know first hand that holidays can bring unique challenges when you’re alcohol-free. BUT they can also be the most beautiful, clear, recharging and refreshing times when you’re present and prepared.
Here are my Top 5 Sober Holiday Tips to help you build your sober toolbox and enjoy a holiday you’ll actually remember — hangover free!
1. Remember Your Why
Reconnect with the reason you chose a sober life — your health, your peace, your relationships, your freedom.
Write it down, keep a reminder on your phone, or say it out loud before big events.
When temptation arises, your “why” becomes your anchor.
2. Do Things Differently
Break old patterns. If holidays used to revolve around alcohol, try a fresh approach.
Choose new destinations, activities, or people that align with your sober lifestyle.
Shift the focus from drinking to experience, connection, and self-care.
3. Stay Connected to the New You
Keep routines that support your sobriety: journaling, walks, skincare, meditation — whatever keeps you grounded.
Don’t leave your sober self at home when you pack your suitcase!
Be proud of the version of you that’s showing up fully present.
4. Enjoy It ALL!
You’re not missing out. You’re gaining so much more: energy, memory, real joy.
Savour the mornings, the conversations, the food, the laughter — all without the fog.
Celebrate the freedom of living authentically and Feeling amazing and hangover free.
5. Play It Forward
If you feel tempted, fast-forward in your mind to how you’ll feel after a drink; the regret, the hangover, the lost progress.
Then play forward your sober choice; the pride, the clarity, the peace.
Use visualization as a powerful mindset tool to stay on track.
Holidays are for making memories, not losing them. They are all about coming home feeling refreshed, recharged and relaxed – not coming home needing another holiday!
With these tips in your sober toolkit, you can travel, celebrate, and live your best life with clarity and confidence.
PLUS this is very exciting…….My VIP Sober glow summer bundle offer, perfect for that sober getaway! This is only available direct through me so just message me to order!
Ten Month Transformation 10 month update on my fitness journey and I am finally starting to see the result!! Head over to my Sober Glow insta post for all the info.
And also I have finally set the date for our Sober Glow Summer social in Manchester, I would love to see you there! We have approx 5 spaces left – its the perfect opportunity to connect and share the sober inspo in person.
PLUS if you would like a Sober Glow self care pack posting out just let me know and I will get one to you. (Free if you are in the UK)
If you have any top tips for a sober holiday then please let me know in comments or share them on my you tube channel – I would love to hear from you.
As always your support means the world to me, and I promise to keep my blog more upto date for you! I now have lots of ways we can connect…….
Today I celebrate SIX YEARS SOBER! The old me did not know that this would ever be possible, I couldn’t go six days never mind six years!
I have learnt so many things along the way and I am still learning. My sober life and the sober me is work in progress, and things are always changing. However, some lessons I have learnt will stick with me forever, these lessons have changed my life and who I am as a person, they are now a part of me and what I truly believe in and they have helped me get to where I am today.
ONE – Getting Sober Is a Choice You Make Everyday
Remind yourself that YOU are choosing sobriety every day and feel grateful for that. Unfortunately, we don’t come with a sobriety switch that we flick on and that means we never think about drinking again. Alcohol is all around us, we are a minority and yes at times that’s super tough – but remember it’s your choice to be sober, to be the best version of you and to not have alcohol in your life. Be proud that every day you make that choice. At six years sober I have to be honest and say I don’t feel triggered to drink very often but there are still times and situations that I do and finding that strength to stay true to your sobriety no matter what is so empowering, and something you should feel very proud of!
TWO – Spend More Time Loving The New You Than Hating The Old
If you are reading this you probably have a lot of drinking regrets, I know I do. I’ve got so many memories that make me cringe inside, STILL! But don’t focus on that, work on the new you and have peace knowing that person is no longer who you are. What you will also find is that people love reminding you of the “old you” and the things you did in a drunken state, we;ve all got those friends that remembered everything you did drunk and couldn’t wait to tell you all about it the morning after. You will probably find those so-called friends won’t be your sober cheerleaders and you will get more distant with them as time moves on (more on this later!)
Just remember that drinking regrets are normal, but the more you focus on making that change and building a new you then the less you will think about them. Some people feel like they want to make official apologies, which is fine if that works for you – but I believe in actions speaking louder than words and you can build any bridges if the friendship is something you care about, just by changing your behaviour and showing that person you care. So, choose to redeem yourself, choose to make those changes and choose to create a new you with strong meaningful relationships that the drinking you will not ruin!
THREE – Embrace Your Addictive Personality
Taking away the alcohol doesn’t change the fact that we have an addictive personality! Now if this is harnessed the right way it can become life changing! We are all or nothing personalities, we don’t sit on the fence or go into something half-hearted. So go ALL IN on this sober life, this new you – chase that dream life at 100mph! That will look different for all of you but just make sure that each day you are working towards those dreams – “I didn’t get sober to sit on the couch” is one of my all-time favourite sayings and my life is proof of that- Sobriety has been life changing for me because I decided to go all in!
( I’m also addicted to coffee, shopping, exercise and chocolate too!!!!!)
FOUR -Learn How To Sit With Your Feelings
Just because you are sober doesn’t mean you are jumping on pink clouds every day! Life throws tough times and challenges at us regularly and now we don’t have alcohol to get us through those feelings then we have to sit with them and experience them sober. This can be tough, especially in the early days, that urge to grab a bottle and drown out life can be so loud and it’s learning other coping mechanisms that get us through those times, and that won’t happen overnight.
The main thing to remember is that any feeling will pass, from a feeling of rage to a feeling of total excitement and all of the feelings in-between – it will eventually die down. The feeling of needing alcohol to deal with those feelings is exactly the same and it’s all about finding something else to replace that. For me self-care has been a massive part of my sobriety, and now I will take myself off for a pamper if I’m feeling anxious or stressed and just focus on me, calming myself down and using that time out to put things into perspective and switch my focus. Others may do other things like getting outside, watching a film, calling a friend, making a meal, doing a little online shopping, cleaning up or decluttering, reading a book – so many different coping mechanisms and it’s all about finding the one that works for you. When all else fails just remember that you just need to get through it a minute at a time, an hour at a time and a day at a time. Those FEELINGS WILL pass and your sobriety will have stayed intact – that’s where your sober strength lies.
FIVE – Be Prepared To Find Your True Friends
You are changing who you are as a person so you will probably find that your circle of friends and what you value in a friend will change too. After six years sober I have got a lovely mixture of old friends and new. You will find you become a lot more choosey with who you are friends with and who you give your time too, I found I moved away from drama – I had enough to focus on with myself so I didn’t need any extra drama added to it. What I have also found is that true friends will be your friends no matter what, through thick and thin, through you drinking and being sober. I’ve also created a lot of new friendships, online and in person, through my work and my soberglow page – lots of positive and inspiring women who I really am surrounded with every day. I feel blessed to have old and new friends in my life who love me for me – who love the real me not the fake drinking me, that feels like a true friendship and I am very lucky to have that.
SIX – Sobriety Is A Superpower
Yes, I know this sounds dramatic but its soooooooo TRUE!!! Getting sober was something I never believed I could do – EVER! I thought it was what other people did, that rare breed of people that could live life 100% themselves without the need of alcohol because they loved themselves enough to be sober. Knowing that I am now that person is like having a secret superpower – I can achieve anything I want to achieve – if I can get sober I can do anything and having that fire, excitement and believe in yourself will ultimately change your life in so many ways. It’s life changing!
Be prepared to put down the glass and pick up your dream life because that is what happens. You are saying yes to so much more, you start living your dreams and becoming THAT person – THAT girl – who you always wanted to be. And isn’t life too short for anything else!
If you are on day one, day 100 or day 1000 – I hope these lessons have helped inspire you to continue or are ones that you can relate to. I have learnt so much in the past 6 years these are just the main ones, but each day I am grateful in some way for my sobriety and what it teaches me.
This weekend I have been in London with my little family, and what a perfect time to love my sober life! The old me would have spent it sat in bars from lunch time and planning the whole weekend around hangovers and long boozy meals, but instead I was flying around at 100mph and seeing the sights, soaking up the festive shops and being 100% present for my girls. Being the best Mum I can be has always been my ultimate reason why and always will be – it’s above all of the lessons I have learnt, and it’s the core of me now – to show my girls how full a life without alcohol can really be!
What lessons have you learnt in your sobriety or how has it changed your life or you as a person? Let me know in comments
Don’t forget to find me on insta https://www.instagram.com/soberglowgetter for daily inspo and I’m also hoping to be updating this blog more regularly so please make sure you are signed up for notifications!
I feel like I owe all of you lovely followers an apology! I have been so busy with lots of different things and my little Blog has been the one thing that has suffered. But I am now back, planning to do weekly updates and start sharing my sober life again on here to help, support and inspire you guys.
Yesterday I celebrated my FIVE YEAR SOBERVERSARY and it still doesn’t feel real. Five years ago yesterday I woke up hungover and hating myself for the very LAST time . I decided I was sick of my own broken promises to control or quit drinking, I was sick and tired of feeling sick and tired and I was DESPERATE to stop the ride and get off. I HAD TO CHANGE.
5 years later and I honestly had no idea that just removing alcohol from my life would have changed it this much!! My health, my career, my energy levels, my mindset, my fitness, my confidence and my outlook on life. EVERYTHING has changed, and it’s just getting better and better – I can not wait to see what the next 5 years brings and the next and the next.
And thankyou to YOU guys – I am so grateful your support and friendships 💕
If you are following me and want to start your own sober journey – just do it, just start, don’t wait- saying no to that one drink can be the start of a journey that could change your life. Reach out and let me help, you can do this – I totally believe in you.
Yesterday was perfect – I went to Manchester markets with my husband and girls, then we had tea in the Ivy and home for Adele and I’m a Celeb – it was just the perfect day.
I have had so many messages and comments through my social media – its made me so emotional today. The fact that my story is inspiring people is just unbelievable to me, one lady even wanted to print off my post and put it on her wall, possibly the best compliment ever!
If my story can help one person live a sober life and live a life they love then I really can not ask for more than that.
Going forward I want to share so much more to help people, and although life is 100mph right now I will make sure I find the time. In January I will be setting up a Sober Glow Getters what’s app group – where we can support one another and meet up on a monthly zoom. I think feeling alone is a huge reason why people cant stay on track and just by seeing that there are others our there on this journey can be a huge help.
So please keep a look out for me as I’m hopefully posting much more in the future .
I hope you all have an amazing sober week – heading towards the festive season feeling sober and strong.
When I started my blog I had no intention of setting up the Lifting Weights Not wine exercise challenges, they just sort of happened! Initially they helped give me content for my Instagram page @liftingweightsnotwine and now I’ve ended up having a few messages asking to start another one! So on Monday 12th November I will start a new 40 day challenge that will run up to the 21st December, which is perfect timing for Christmas.
I don’t know about you guys but I am certainly someone who likes to journal or chart any sort of progress I am making.
For years I was obsessed with writing down my weight and aiming for a certain (normally unrealistic) goal in a specific time frame (unhealthy obsession I know!)
Then when I became aware that my drinking was getting worse and I wanted to cut down/stop, I downloaded the Drinkaware App. Now this App is brilliant BUT you have to be honest with what you put into it, and that was my problem! You would find me fiddling my units on a sunday night in an attempt to make my weekend alcohol intake look better!
Then once I had stopped drinking, I (like every other soberista out there) started tracking my days and weeks of sobriety. This stopped when I got to one year and now I track it monthly along with the exercise challenges to keep me motivated!
OK, so I know it looks like I’m a bit of a crazy woman writing down and tracking all of these things but it all refers back to one thing………………………….
MOVING FORWARD AND WANTING TO CHANGE!!
Here’s the thing, if you want to make your life better, you’re going to have to challenge yourself!
It’s so easy to stay the same, especially when it comes to our lifestyles. We are in our own comfort zone and although we may be unhappy with how we look and feel, that feeling is “easier” than taking on the challenge to change. How we are is the norm, it’s what we are used to and it’s how our friends and family are used to seeing us. Its comfy. Its normal. Its easy!
Personally I feel that we live in a society where drinking is considered normal. I know I have had a lot of raised eyebrows when ive told people I don’t drink anymore, which is crazy when you think if I told people I don’t do crack cocaine anymore they would give me a pat on the back and think I was amazing! (Anyway I could blog about that all night long but I will save it for another post!) We are so embedded into the drinking culture that surrounds us that its hard to escape, its hard to make the change as we get pressure from around us to remain the same and stick with the “norm”!
Some changes are inevitable and we just have to accept them, like growing old, ill-health, financial situations, relationships etc some changes WILL occur and there is nothing you can do but accept them and adapt.
The real challenge is when you decide to make a change yourself .
Stopping drinking was one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make, it was a huge challenge, it wasn’t easy but I just knew that I couldn’t stay the same. I had to move from the place I was in, I was unhappy and unhealthy and I didn’t want to continue feeling the way that I did. But by doing it I have proved to myself that I am capable of so many other things, I can push myself outside of my comfort zone and achieve so many other things with my life. So now it’s opened up the door to lots of other challenges for me such as; focusing on a new career, pushing myself physically, wanting to learn and do new things and having an outlook that life really is one big adventure!
You have got to keep challenging yourself to change, yes its hard, yes you feel stressed and uncomfortable at the thought of it but at the end of the day its the only way you will get there. And in no time at all the ‘old you’ will be what makes you feel uncomfortable and the new you and how you live your life will become the norm for yourself and everyone around you.
So start right now – set the challenge – write it down – and make the change! And if you need some accountability or support then join me on Monday for my 40 day exercise challenge, tie it in with no alcohol and you will be feeling AMAZING by Christmas! And who knows you may want to spend this christmas sober! (Sober Christmas blog post coming soon)
YOU CAN DO THIS!
Any advice, tips or questions then please comment below or just to let me know how things are going for you on your sober journey?
So half-term is almost over, and it has been an action packed one for me and my family!
A while ago I shared a post titled A Sliding Doors Weekend…..which basically was about life being so different for me after kicking the booze. And this half term has certainly been a “sliding doors” kind of week!
We started the half term at the beautiful Whinfell Center Parcs in the Lake District. I think holidays are a time when I definitely see a big difference in myself now that I am sober. We try to visit Center Parcs every year since we’ve had children, it’s just somewhere that we all love. Now the only time that I haven’t drunk on a Center Parcs holiday was when I was pregnant with my second daughter.
So for me normally it’s typical “holiday” mode drinking! Starting as soon as I get there to “start” the holiday off with wine at lunch, then a few beers in the pool, followed by wine whilst getting ready at the lodge and into the evening whether we are going in or out for tea. Needless to say I have had some horrendous hangovers whist I have been there, and normally would be counting down to a decent hour that I could have a drink to feel better.
The last two times I have been I have been sober and I have definitely noticed the difference. Take away the alcohol and you really get a feel for what Center Parcs is all about! I have had a weekend of feeling full of energy, we did so much more and seemed to pack our days full. I woke up every morning feeling raring to go, compared to how I used to sit trying to stomach breakfast, watching people run past on an early morning run and just not getting how people did that???? And now, that WAS me, early morning runs and feeling fresh after a fab nights sleep after falling into bed physically, exhausted. And when we came home I felt recharged, still tired after a full on weekend, but a weekend full of life not full of wine!
For the rest of the week we have been on bike rides, baking, pumpkin carving (obviously!), had dvd nights with home-made popcorn, been to Liverpool for a shopping trip, plus I had a girls night out on Friday.
Before I stopped drinking I still loved the time spent with my girls but drinking would slowly creep in, taking my focus away from them. For example I would want to get them to bed so I could ‘chillout’ and have a bottle of wine, I wouldn’t have the patience to sit through a dvd or make popcorn. I would make the most of not having to get up for the school run and drink every night, leaving me feeling totally rubbish the next day. We still did things together and went to places but my hangover anxiety would creep in and we wouldn’t venture very far!
On top of the drinking I would eat rubbish ALL week and just forget any ideas of exercise. Now this week yes I have had some lovely treat food (Café rouge thankyou for the best donuts with dark chocolate dipping sauce EVER!) and I have purposely had some rest days to give my body a chance to recharge, but I have also been active on walks, bike rides etc to balance it out.
People think that by stopping drinking that you are giving something up and missing out. Personally I feel (and I hope I am showing) that this isn’t the case at all! My life and especially holidays and times together with the family, have become even richer and fulfilled. I am getting more out of our time together (and with my eldest being a tween I am not sure how many more holidays she will want to spend with me!).
The thought of sober holidays can make you feel anxious and worried. Holidays are a time when we just know we will be drinking more, after all we ‘deserve’ it don’t we??? On average we drink three times more than normal when we are on holiday! That’s the norm, its just what we do isn’t it?
But ask yourself – was your last holiday a time that you recharged your batteries, looked after yourself, tried something new? Or was it just like all the other holidays, eating and drinking to excess, coming home in need of a holiday?
It’s also about what happens after the time off, when life returns back to normal and school and work resume. For me that used to be the worst! The horrendous anxiety and fear that I was going back to some sort of structure and early mornings again. Feeling drained but trying to plan to exercise and lose the weight I had gained over the week, attempting to detox my body. On top of that I am not one of these parents who look forward to the kids going back to school, (there is nothing at all wrong with being like that) it’s just that as I work from home it all goes very quiet when they go back and I miss having them around. So true to form I would be drinking wine as a last chance to make myself feel better!
So yes, I may feel a little sad that normality resumes tomorrow, but I am also feeling positive and refreshed ready to face the week ahead. We have had a fab week and made some amazing memories for my little family, and I am now ready for the hectic countdown to Christmas!
Have you got a holiday coming up? Or have you just had your first sober half term if you’re doing sober October, how did it go? Any sober survival tactics that you can share?
Wishing you all a fabulous hangover free week ahead!
Ok so where do I begin…….. let me try to cut a long story short (well as short as possible!)
So from the age of about fourteen I have weighed myself approximately three times every week (minimum), more often than not on a daily basis. My weight in that time has fluctuated from 9 stone to 12-13stone, this isn’t including my weight when I was pregnant with my girls. I sort of went off the scales then (literally!) but I was busy growing my babies, so nothing else mattered! I am sure I am not alone in saying that I have had a very unhealthy relationship with weighing scales, they can determine my whole mood, diet, energy and plans for the day ahead in a heartbeat – yes they really have that power over me or should I say they HAD that power over me!
When I gave up alcohol, I knew that I could potentially turn to food and that could be my new addiction, food could fill the gap alcohol had left behind. This is why I had to consciously focus on exercise and trying to get in my best possible shape, so that if I was indulging in treat foods at least I was burning some of them off too. In a previous post I explain how exercise is possibly my new addiction but at least its a healthy one. Exercise – A Healthy Addiction!
It’s only recently that I have had to try to get out of the really bad habit of weighing myself regularly, and I have got to be honest I have struggled. My main issue has been my weight gain from lifting heavier weights, and even though my clothes size has gone down I just feel frustrated because the number on the scale has gone up. It’s crazy I know but I am sure that I’m not the only one who feels like this?
So the said scales are currently locked away in the shed and I am trying to stay body positive, which some days is harder than others. I am just trying to focus on how I feel – I am lifting heavier weights than I have ever done, I have more energy, I am eating good, healthy, regular meals and snacks with not so healthy treats occasionally too. A healthy, balanced, realisitc diet. A tiny little square that I step on every morning cannot measure how I feel, and although it’s work in progress I definitely feel like I am getting there.
Earlier this week I was chatting with a friend at the gym and she was telling me that she doesn’t weigh herself and instead uses a pair of jeans as a guide! It felt like a light bulb moment for me, and I promised myself to do exactly the same. It feels so liberating and scary! It’s crazy how I could put own the wine glass pretty easily yet struggle with my battle with the scales. I suppose somethings are easier to give up than others.
An article from The Insider (March 2018) gives 5 reasons why you should stop weighing yourself NOW!
It can distract from body cues – the number becomes so important that you ignore important body signals such as exhaustion and stress.
It can create mental obstacles – for example it can determine your mood and diet for the rest of the day even effecting your social life in some cases.
It can go hand in hand with or encourage eating disorders as the number on the scale becomes priority over everything else.
Standard scales don’t indicate your body composition, so they can’t tell you the distribution of fat and lean mass on your body. This is why someone with a lot of muscle can look slimmer than someone with a higher fat composition, even if they both weigh the same amount. If you only focus on the number, you could be stopping yourself from building muscle that will ultimately make you appear leaner.
And finally, the number on the scale is a poor indicator of your overall health!
So now my focus is watching the weights I’m lifting going up instead of obsessing about the number on the scale going down. Who’s with me?? After all how can we measure our awesomeness on a set of scales! I am stronger now than I have ever been and although my scales have been saying I am around 10lbs up from what I was at the beginning of the year, I am also fitting into a size 8 pair of jeans (that has NEVER happened) – I just need to get my head around it, and I am…….. slowly…..its work in progress!
I apologise that this post isn’t really about quitting the booze. However it is something I have wanted to discuss, and I feel I have taken ownership of it now that I have shared it with you all. And if its helps someone else in the process then that’s even better!
To anyone who is Going Sober for October, you are nearly a week into it and that’s amazing! Make sure you have lots of alcohol free drinks stocked in the fridge (and chocolate!) and that you spend the weekend nurturing yourself and taking time to chill – you are SMASHING it!
I will finish with a quote I saw recently (unknown):-
Your best weight is whatever weight you reach, when you’re living the healthiest life you actually enjoy living!
You know when things happen for a reason, well this card is just that!
I had an hour to spare before the school run so I sat down to do a quick blog entry, then ……. total mental block ( and I know why, so stick with me!) Literally at the same second this card came through my door, it’s from a very close, good friend who I worked with nearly twenty years ago and thankfully we have kept in touch. She wrote inside “I saw this and thought of you, loving your blog and insta!” How lovely!!!! She will be reading this and she is a superstar, supporting me 100% on this sober journey of mine!
So the reason I had a mental block is because I haven’t had the best week. And I was undecided whether to bring this into my blogging world or not, but I suppose the card popping through my letterbox decided it for me! Basically to cut a long story short, last year I had a lump in my breast that needed investigating further, and the same has happened again this week. Luckily it was nothing to worry about last time and I am telling myself its nothing this time either, so fingers crossed all will be fine!
The reason why I am blogging about it is because I often talk about the highs being high and the lows being low when you don’t drink, and having to take the rough with the smooth. But at the same time being safe in the knowledge that what you are feeling are true feelings that haven’t been heightened or numbed with alcohol. This week is a perfect example of this.
Because I have been here before I don’t feel as stressed as last time, and I am trying to think of all the positive outcomes. The hardest thing for me is the waiting to find out what it is, my appointment isn’t until the week after next so it feels like ages off.
In the past this would be the perfect opportunity for me to drown out the waiting with a bottle of chardonnay every night and I would probably be making things much more dramatic than they need to be and feeling absolutely rubbish for the next two weeks. I would be thinking negatively from the outset and be constantly thinking about the worse case scenario. Plus the beer fear and hangovers making the whole situation a lot worse than it needed to be! I would then be talking myself into getting as healthy as possible and quitting drinking once I knew the outcome. So basically I would be in self destruct mode for two weeks, before I even knew if it was anything to worry about or not!
However the sober me has dealt with it much better. I’ve stuck to my normal routine of exercise and eating the best I can. Although twice I’ve given into McDonald’s mocha frappe this week (rehydration purposes in the heatwave!!!) And I am telling myself to stay calm until there is something to worry about. Yes the waiting isn’t great, but you know what I’ve got to deal with that, and with my eldest leaving primary school in two weeks I certainly have a lot to keep me busy!
So although I haven’t been very ‘badass’ this week and more like a wet lettuce, feeling emotional every five minutes, I hope by sharing this its helped someone stop reaching for the wine glass thinking it will help them feel better. I can’t name one situation or scenario now where drinking would benefit me or make me feel better, and I really mean that.
So whether your stressed with something or just have a lot on your plate and you would normally turn to drinking to ease the stress, just see what happens if you don’t? And just go through what your going through, maybe you will be surprised at the outcome!
And to anyone who is a sober warrior and going against the majority of drinkers this weekend, then you are definitely BADASS!!
Are you sick of starting over? Sick of yet another Day One? Yet another attempt to start a diet, eat healthy or kick the booze!
Before I stopped drinking for good I had a LOT of day ones! I had been trying to stop drinking for around twelve to eighteen months before I actually quit. I attempted Dry January and even tried to give up alcohol for lent once (it nearly killed me!). But once I failed at it, I would just convince myself I couldn’t do it and would feel so mad and disappointed with myself that I couldn’t succeed at what I was trying to do. When I look back at it now, those unsuccessful attempts where my practice runs, which all lead to one day it just clicking in place and giving up for good. So if you’re experiencing the same thing and you really do want to stop drinking because you’ve gone a certain period of time and know how good it feels, then don’t give up, eventually you will have your last day one and stick with it for good.
Now I’ve got the stopping drinking part ticked off, but I feel like I have hit a plateau fitness wise! i am struggling! Today is day 60 of my 100 day challenge and setting the challenge has definitely helped me be consistent with exercising everyday but I do feel like it has made me be more relaxed with my diet. I’ve been thinking “well I have been exercising every day so why not eat cake!” which is obviously counteracting my exercise efforts and I feel like I have hit a plateau.
So even though some days I have thought, what’s the point? I know that giving up is not an option! I have been looking at what I can do to mix things up a bit and get back on track.
Because I do a lot of my workouts at home, I looked into online programmes such as Kayla Istines and Beachbody but after looking into it I thought I would be paying for something that I have done and can do myself! I can get myself to that next level of fitness, I don’t need to pay a monthly subscription for someone to tell me what I already know! After reading up on it I have found a book that’s come highly recommended and will hopefully give me lots of tips and information on taking my fitness to the next level and its ‘Thinner, Leaner, Stronger’ by Michael Matthews. Full of training tips, diet information and what supplements to take, that will hopefully give me a fresh focus and get me out of this plateau.
One of my main aims is to get a six-pack (or I would be happy with 2-4 pack to be honest!) After two children my core is definitely my weak area and this is what I want to focus on. The old me would have given up, thinking what’s the point of trying to get into shape at 42? But that’s the old voice that didn’t believe in me! Stopping drinking has definitely given me a new-found confidence, and a belief that I can do this, its made me believe in myself!
If your following me on Instagram I will hopefully post some updates and before and after pics to see if my new plan is working, and of course I will share any tips and advice on here too!
Have any of you read this book? Or do you have any tips for when your fitness level hits a plateau? Also how many day ones did you have before it finally became your last and you’ve kicked the booze for good? Lets help each other on this journey and see what happens when we don’t give up!
I just love this caption – “Strong is the new skinny!”
For me this is so true, after spending a lifetime wanting to be skinny (my role models were Kate Moss & Posh Spice ) and going on crazy diets, I have finally over this last year and a half changed my mindset. I now want to be healthy and I want to feel strong both inside and out.
There has definitely been a shift in the media and female body images, I mean look at how many strong, healthy, realistic role models are out there. There are also a lot of fitness influencers out there too, and to be honest I would rather follow those on instagram than a celebrity anyway!
You only have to look on Instagram or Pinterest and there are so many motivational quotes: ‘Sore today – strong tomorrow’, Look like a beauty – lift like a beast’, ‘I’m not just strong for a girl – Im just strong!’ All promoting strong, healthy women. I love this and I hope this continues so that my girls grow up with this positive body image around them. Its something that is realistic and achievable.
I posted recently about milestones and celebrating them in anyway you like, you can read it here at All Milestones Matter, Big Or Small………… So for my eighteen month sober milestone I treated myself to some new gym wear. I have recently become an ambassador for Just Strong Clothing, and I have to say I love their range and what their brand stands for. They have created fabulous workout wear, and have numerous embassadors who are strong women, portraying a healthy lifestyle and image. You can follow them on Facebook and Instagram and they have an amazing community of women who are all just trying to be the best version of themselves, regadless of their shape or size they are just focusing on being strong both physically and mentally. Imagine if all women focused on feeling strong, just think what we could achieve!
I have included the link below to visit their website and if you use my code ANGIEFAIR10 you will get 10% discount too!
So if you’re coming up to a special milestone, or just need an incentive to get back into working out or even just need a little retail therapy (like we need an excuse!), then have a look and treat yourself – you deserve it!!
Here are three photos, the two on the left were taken a few years ago, the one on the right was in December 2017. In all three photos I am smiling and happy, of course I am I’ve got the arms of my children around me! Anyone who knows me knows that my girls are my world and for those who don’t know me, I am hoping you’ve picked that up from my blog and Instagram! Like most of us out there I have always tried to be a good mum, I have tried my best to do the right thing for my girls and that has always been the same, if I was drinking or not. But there are a lot of ways that I now feel like I am giving my girls the best version of me and the best mum that I can be!
A lot of alcohol free experts state that if you are trying to give up alcohol for someone else then you won’t succeed, and I’m not sure I fully agree with that? I know for a fact that my girls are my motivation to stop drinking. I want to be the best mum that I can be for them, I want to feel good all of the time,be healthy and full of energy for them, especially at the weekends when we have time to spend together.
The main thing for me is that they have my full attention whan they want it, well most of the time anyway! We’ve all been there, a few glasses of wine down on a Friday evening and your ready to relax, your maybe trying to get the children to bed earlier or rushing their bedtime story to get down stairs to your next glass. This doesn’t make you a bad parent it just means that you associate your down time and relaxation with a glass of wine, and that is easier to do when the kids are in bed.
It’s exactly the same when friends used to come around, I felt as though I would just go into wine world and leave the kids to it watching a dvd or playing. This didn’t make me a bad mum, it’s just that after 2-3 glasses the next glass became my priority.
My eldest, who was ten when I stopped drinking had definitely started to notice these times, when my attention was focused on the wine. There are a few occasions that I will never forget and I honestly still feel bad about, when she said I hadn’t tucked her into bed properly or on a camping trip when she had been trying to get to sleep and I was cackling away taking rubbish outside of the tent! OMG cringe! It was these times, that thankfully were few and far between, that I felt so so bad because I had upset her without realising it at the time. She was growing up and starting to take notice, and I was noticing that she was noticing! This definitely made me want to change.
Now I feel fully present for my kids, I am trying to give them the best version of me. We all know that being a parent is bloody hard work, sober or drinking but I definitely find that quitting the booze has helped me a lot.
I feel calmer, with no hangovers or feeling desperate to get a wine down me in the evenings at the weekends, I feel more chilled and patient with them (not all the time obviously!) I have energy to keep up with them and do what they want to do, most importantly I feel on their level of excitement, so for example at Christmas, Birthdays, or holidays, anything really that they are excited about, I am on that level with them. Children don’t need alcohol to have a good time, they are genuinely excited about what they are doing not where the next drink is coming from. The beauty of being sober is that I can now relate to that, I am with them on that level of pure joy and excitement for whats ahead!
I read a post on Instagram last week from a sober site that said sober parents are giving their children another option in life, and that is so true. My girls can see that you don’t have to drink, there is an option to go out, have a life, celebrate Christmas, Birthdays etc and be sober.
So if you have got children just think they may be taking in more than you realise with regards to your drinking patterns, and if you change how you are after a few drinks they will possibly pick up on that. Both my girls have told me that they prefer me not drinking, they say I am more “mummy like” at the weekends! And although I wont be turning into Mary Poppins anytime soon, I am so happy I have made the change when I did, whilst they are still young enough to want the more “mummy like” me tucking them in every night and not rushing downstairs for her next glass of wine!
