Ever since high school drinking alcohol was a staple in my life.

When I was in my 20s I’d binge drink every weekend with my friends.

My 30s were my bachelor years. I’d part with my friends every weekend and have the odd drink on the weekdays.

In my 40s I had calmed down but I still had a couple of drinks every week.

I had never taken significant time away from alcohol.

Drinking seemed like the normal thing to do because everyone else was doing it. I was even under the impression that a couple of drinks a week were “healthy”

Then I watched the Andrew Huberman episode on alcohol that would change my view on drinking forever.

What I learned was that there are zero health benefits to drinking. In fact, it’s a net negative for your body and brain.

A bit of education was enough motivation to take the plunge and see what my life would be like without alcohol.

So I decided to give it up. I committed myself to a period of monk mode where I would get away from all my vices and focus on developing myself.

 

What I've Learned From Giving Up Alcohol For 100 Days

Less stress & anxiety. More clarity.

I was using alcohol as a way to de-stress from a long week of work. What I didn’t know was that it was doing the exact opposite of that.

Alcohol numbs stress in the short term but worsens in the long term. It also brings more anxiety, which makes the stress even worse.

When I quit drinking I had clarity on how I was feeling and what I was producing.

In fact, during this time I had 2 of my biggest months in my coaching business and I wrote a few of my most viral posts ever:

Cheat codes I know at 42 I wish I knew at 22:

— Dan Go (@FitFounder) November 19, 2022

 

Alcohol is a crutch

I was using alcohol as a crutch to get away from what I was feeling.

When I stopped drinking alcohol the thoughts were still there and louder than ever before.

I talked about this in my last youtube video that the easiest way to avoid your problems is to use external forces like alcohol, drugs, food, or p*rn to numb them away.​

Inevitably, that makes them harder to heal.

The hard choice is to face up to the emotions without having to numb yourself. Have an honest conversation. Then go forth and heal what needs to be healed.

Coincidentally, during these 100 days is when I've done the most journaling. I've also leaned into therapy to help me get a handle on what's going on inside of me.

When you give up the crutches is what you allow your body to strengthen and heal.

You’re giving up 2-4 days for a few hours of being drunk.

When you drink you’re not thinking of the 2nd order consequences.

You don’t realize that it’s going to take at least 2-4 days to recover even if you only drank 1-2 drinks.

Most people who drink regularly experience a low level of energy that they attribute to getting older. When in reality, it's because because of what alcohol does to our bodies.

Drinking alcohol is an important choice that most make without thought.

If time is the currency of life then alcohol is like putting a large purchase on your credit card that will take some time to pay off.

Most times it’s not worth it.

Massive health improvements

My sleep was good but when I gave up alcohol it got even better.

Even though I was only having 1-2 drinks a week giving up alcohol made my sleep loads better.

As my sleep improved so did my energy levels.

As my energy levels improved so did my clarity and productivity throughout the day.

Also, alcohol is drinking empty calories and also increases your appetite. As a result of not drinking I lost a couple of pounds off the scale and my workouts got much better.

We all know alcohol is horrible for sleep. What I didn’t know was that a limited number of drinks can have an effect on your sleep for up to 2 weeks.

When you give up alcohol you open yourself up to more success

I gave up something that was holding me back from being the best version of myself I could possibly be.

It was like I removed a 30 lbs weight off my chest so I could run faster.

My mind was working better. My sleep was getting better as well as my energy. I had less anxiety. I was better able to deal with the emotional nature of life.

I gave up something that was holding me back from being my best and the results didn’t lie.

What Happens Next?

Now that I’m 100 days away from drinking many people are asking me what I’m going to do next and I don’t know yet.

I don’t believe in absolute restriction. I believe in balance and moderation.

Yet, I see how much even a single serving of alcohol can wreck my performance and set me back. I also see how it can become a habit if not checked properly.

I know that, for now, I will continue on this journey.

I’m curious to see what a full year of alcohol would look like.

These past 100 days have given me a chance to zoom out.

It’s given me the ability to see the forest for the trees.

I’m not here to tell you to stop drinking. It’s your life. You do what you want.

Here’s what I’d suggest:

Give yourself a period to avoid drinking if it’s been a staple in your life.

Maybe you’ll see what I’ve seen. Maybe not.

At the very least give yourself a chance.

- DG

PLUS: Whenever you're ready... Here is one way I can help you get your body back into shape.

1. Work with us One-on-One

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