Easter is in the rearview window and I have completed my Lenten sacrifice of giving up alcohol. And no, I didn’t cheat once!
I’m excited to share my results after not drinking for nearly 50 days in February and March for Lent. I didn’t have a single drink on Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, or any time that I was really stressed and needed to unwind. It was quite a challenge and an adventure!
I’m linking up with Jill Conyers for Fitness, Health and Happiness, which totally fits the bill for today’s topic! Check out her page to see what everyone is up to!
[bctt tweet=”How did my sacrifice of giving up drinking for Lent go? Check out my recap! #sweatpink #lent”]
Recap of Giving Up Alcohol for Lent
First, I’d like to say that I hope you had a wonderful Easter if you celebrate! I’m grateful to have had a wonderful long weekend with Bret full of running, house hunting and enjoying college basketball!
I had my first drink of alcohol after 4 pm on Easter Sunday. It was a Blue Moon Vanilla Wheat and it took several sips for me to actually enjoy the taste. How strange! Despite that, I’m so happy to finally be on the other side. I feel like I have a little bit more freedom back, even though I’m not pressed to drink all the booze now!
So let me share my results of giving up alcohol for Lent based on my initial post with my reasons/goals, and then I’ll grade each point!
Money Saved?
We definitely saved a good amount of money over Lent thanks to my quitting alcohol! When Bret and I used to go out to eat, I was eager to try a new craft beer or check out the cocktail selection on the menu. During Lent, I found water to be way too bland with most meals so I tried a variety of options: mocktails, non-alcoholic beer (GROSS), or ginger beer. Most of the time, these were a fraction of the cost of my regular choice. I also noticed that sometimes, Bret didn’t have as many drinks as he normally would. Sometimes, not always! And he bought fewer cases of beer for the house. I like to think that I was a positive influence.
Grade: A-.
Empty Calories Avoided?
Um…not quite. To be honest, I felt a little guilty sometimes about my choices for alternatives to alcohol because they were often on the sugary side. I already mentioned drinking a bit more soda than I normally do during Lent, but we also ordered more desserts than usual! Was it worth it? I think so because they were often quite delicious! But I’m sure the calorie count didn’t exactly balance out…
Grade: B-.
No More Being Singled Out At the Bar?
I get singled out to be carded every time I go out because my youthful glow makes me look 10 years younger than I actually am, especially when I am out with people that are my age. I can’t stand it! But wouldn’t you know that since refraining from drinking, every time I went out, the servers never asked to see my ID? Go figure! I ate at several bars during Lent and never had an issue. Not once! So of course, that spell will be broken now that I can order drinks again!
Grade: A.
Loss of Drinking As a Social Crutch?
This was the area that I was most worried about. Drinking for me is a social activity. How would I fare in public settings without being able to drink?
Well, wouldn’t you know that I can actually get by without the booze?! Sure, I was a little bummed that I couldn’t toast “properly” with friends sometimes, but I’m glad that I stuck to my guns. No one judged me or gave me funny looks. Some people admired that I was able to do it, which I really appreciated.
Unfortunately, I had to attend a loved one’s funeral during this period, and drinking was a way to bring the family together to think of happier times or even share more sensitive emotions and moments. I couldn’t join in, and it was a struggle…but not nearly as much of a struggle as what the family was going through. Talk about having perspective!
Grade: A.
Seeing What Happens?
Not being able to drink was pretty easy in the beginning, but the last 2 weeks were rough. I had some fierce deadlines at work which brought on a lot of stress. I would have loved to go to happy hour to unwind, but I couldn’t. If I didn’t have a run scheduled, I had to cope instead by clearing my head with mindless entertainment. I guess that’s not the worst thing in the world. I did finally catch up on How to Get Away With Murder and Veep!
And when it came to running and fitness, I really do wonder if my lack of drinking helped my performance in the Rock N Roll DC Half Marathon! Training in February went really well: yoga, boot camp, weight training and running had me feeling pretty awesome though beat at the end of the day! I hope to keep it up and do a better job with my nutrition moving forward.
Is my skin clearer? Did I lose weight? I really don’t feel any difference than I did before quitting alcohol. Maybe the benefits are easier for others to see? I really don’t know. I do feel good and have been doing a much better job of staying hydrated throughout the day!
Grade: A.
Overall Grade: A-
I’m very proud of myself for successfully completing the challenge to give up alcohol for Lent. It may seem like a very small sacrifice in the grand scheme of things but for me, I learned a lot about myself through this process. Now that I can drink again, I’m realizing that my “taste” for alcohol isn’t as strong as it used to be, and I think I’ll be much better off in the long run because of that! It’s nice to have once in a while, but I’m glad that I can be comfortable in my skin without it. But I can’t wait for my first boozy brunch…it’s been so long!
Did you make any sacrifices for Lent? How did it go and what did you learn in the process?
Great job on giving up alcohol for lent. In some of those situations, it would have been very easy to blow off your decision with tough deadlines at work and a death in the family, Kudos for lasting the whole time and for saving some $$. I did not give anything up, but have over time become far less interested in alcohol due to running. In fact, I think I had only one drink over the Easter break.
Thanks a lot, Pam! I’m glad I was able to commit all the way through…it really was a challenge. I’m starting to think that drinking less could be good for my running as well!
Good for you for sticking with it! Did any of your friends think you were pregnant? 😉
Omg, I hope not! No one asked me if I was…I would have laughed in their faces!
Good for you sticking with your plan. I am not a big drinker and often go months without any alcohol. I’d so much rather eat my calories hello chocolate. 🙂 Looking 10 years younger is a blessing enjoy it
Thanks, Deborah! I’m learning that I can definitely be fine without drinking as much and chocolate is a great alternative for calories 🙂
Way to go! !!
The struggle was real for me this year but giving up sweets went well.
I had temptation everyday but managed and made it through.
I enjoyed some caramel popcorn during the day and apple pie for dessert last night. I haven’t touched the candy stash yet.
Thanks, and congrats to you too! It is a LOT harder to give up sweets than alcohol! Ohh apple pie sounds amazing!
Congrats on sticking with your challenge!! Great job! I didn’t give up anything for Lent in particular, but – I haven’t had any potato chips so far in 2016. Don’t laugh, that’s a pretty big thing to give up for me! We’ll see how long I can stick with that 😀
Thank you, Michelle! No, that’s great that you have been chip-free all year…I would definitely fail at that challenge!
Way to go! It must feel great to have accomplished that! I’ve done a few no drinking stints and the hardest thing for me was not being able to have a glass of wine after a particularly long week at work. But, like you, I didn’t find it that hard to not drink in social settings. I would just get a glass of seltzer with lime and pretend it was a cocktail!
Thanks, Nicole! It was tough at times not having that outlet, but I’m glad I found better things to do with my time instead. I still need to find a good drink since I’m not a fan of carbonated water. Maybe ginger ale will do the trick!
Awesome job!! Like Deborah, I’m not much of a drinker, either. Honestly, I can take it or leave it. I don’t like beer (which usually is on the lower-calorie spectrum), so that usually leaves me with wine or cocktails…which are usually too “sweet” to go along with a meal (yes, this sweet-tooth-all-things-sugar fanatic said that LOL). I”ve been sampling some of the hard ciders, though, and those I like…kind of like beer with a sweet twinge of something. But, I’d rather save the calories for something chewable (with frosting)
Thanks, Kim! I like that…save the calories for something chewable! I love cocktails but they can be extremely sweet. There are some really tasty cider beers. I’m a fan of Woodchuck (they have a fall blend that is amazing!).
LOL! Cake is definitely “healthier” than alcohol 😉
Especially when it’s a giant piece, haha!
Great job living up alcohol for lent. I gave up alcohol for the month of January and I can’t tell you how amazing it made me feel. I was more energized, saved so much money and saw incredible results from working out.
I don’t think I could entirely cut alcohol out of my diet but I think everyone should try eliminating it for at least a month.
Thanks a lot, Diana! The results from working out really intrigues me and I wonder if drinking less moving forward will show more obvious benefits to my fitness. It’s definitely a great way to reset the system!
Good job! I like a glass of wine here and there but am not that big of a drinker that I’d need to give it up or have an issue if I had to. But I can see where if you imbibe socially it can be a money saver! I still laugh when you get upset about being carded. Maybe it’s the 42 year old in me!
Thanks, Mar! When I think about it, I really did save a lot of money by not drinking. I need to keep it up! And I still think you’re lying about your age, by the way 😛
Great work! I’m so glad your sacrifice went well and that you had a positive experience with it! Cutting out alcohol can definitely save money, and that’s a great side-effect to the whole thing!
Thanks Jenn! I’m so glad I did it!
I’m not much of a drinker, but I understand that a lot of people enjoy it! I basically find I only drink in social situations, and then I just don’t think about it at other times. I’m also a total lightweight, so I usually stop at one drink anyway!
It’s nice when you can stop at one drink…definitely saves money that way! I’m not a heavy drinker, I usually only do 2 max when I’m out. But I think it was good to eliminate it completely for several weeks.
Great job Janelle! And like Deborah said, looking 10 years younger is something you’ll really appreciate as time goes on 😉
Haha…thanks, Michelle!
I just couldn’t have done it. Heck those 2 days with the stomach flu and no alcohol?
Just kidding. But you have a ton of willpower!
Thanks, Wendy! You’ve got a ton of willpower too, I think I just went with the attitude that I could do it and went from there. Now if only I could have so much confidence in my running…
Kudos to you for following through on this. Its interesting that you mentioned the social aspect of drinking and how you didn’t really feel all that left out. I was worried about this too when I was pregnant and out with friends, but in reality, it wasn’t a huge deal and I found other beverages of choice that I could still enjoy without always having to resort to just drinking water.
Thanks, Kathryn! I’m glad that I got the confirmation that you don’t need to have a drink in your hand to have a good time with friends!
Really impressive!! It’s amazing when you get used not having it after a few weeks, your body gets used to it!
I haven’t had wine in almost 3 months and I don’t even miss it.
I will have to say that vanilla wheat beer looks GOOD! 🙂
Thank you!! It’s true, you do get used to it and then realize you don’t miss it as much as you think! The beer was pretty good, but it took a few sips before I could enjoy the taste!
That is awesome. I gave up alcohol twice for ten months….I was pregnant! 🙂 I don’t drink on the weekdays but do throughout the weekend so giving it up is something I wouldn’t want to do. I raise my glass to you for your self control and discipline! I am sure it did help you in your training.
Good job on your lent challenge!
I gave up a lot of things for Lent, McDs Quarter pounders, Five Guys Burgers, and pecan braids from Panera. But I’m sticking with not having those until after the Marathon.
I normally don’t drink very much, not even for holidays or social occasions. But now I have given up all alcohol until after the marathon I’m training for.
I’ve given up alcohol before for pregnancy, so I know what it does for me – which is basically nothing. But (despite how often I talk about beer), I’m not much of a drinker. I don’t like wine and I avoid hard alcohol and I’m a beer snob, so I often choose not to drink when we go out if there aren’t any beers I like. I believe in balance – a couple of high quality tasty beers a week make me happy, but don’t seem to have any negative effects.
Glad you learned from the experience and survived it. Now you’ll be set if/when you decide to get pregnant LOL.
It’s really interesting to read your process and thoughts here. I rarely drink because I don’t want to spend the money on it and I hate washing calories on liquid. I’d rather have cake! It’s why I don’t drink soda either (except for after a grueling long run or race.) Nice job getting through it! Enjoy your drinks!
Great job! I gave up alcohol for lent a few times and it was well worth it!!! This year I didnt give anthing up and I fell a little guilty about it.
My husband and I did the whole 30 during lent and it was hard to give up so many different things but we both agreed it was worth it. I neeeed that Vanilla Wheat Blue Moon!!
Oh that’s great that you two did Whole30 together. I’d love to try that but it seems really, really tough!