Another year has rolled around just like that, and thousands of people across the UK are kickstarting their New Year by going dry for January.
The aim of Dry January is to go alcohol-free for 31 days, allowing your body and bank account to recover from December’s battering, and reset your relationship with alcohol.
The quickly growing initiative – which is in its 11th year, is set to see 17% of UK adults joining in and ditching the drink for an entire month.
Staying committed to being alcohol-free for 31 days can be tough, particularly in a social setting where alcohol is involved and drinking behaviours are encouraged, as a third of adults admit they feel pressured to drink whilst socialising.
Over at Fitter Futures, we’ve knocked our heads together and gathered our top tips for banishing the booze this January (and maybe the comings months too!)
Tell people you’re doing Dry January
Letting a pal or family member know that you’re doing Dry January can allow other people to hold you accountable and keep you on the right path (away from the pub!). Even better: you may be able to pick up some friends or family members on the way to take on the challenge with you.
Remove alcohol from your environment
Avoid temptation by ridding those bottles of alcohol left over from Christmas. Removing it out of sight may also reduce how much you think about alcohol. Out of sight, out of mind!
Plan ahead
When weekends come around, so may temptations. You will most likely be invited somewhere where there will be alcohol present, so having a plan in action for how you will respond to different situations e.g. someone offering you a drink, is a necessity and will keep you on track.
Reward progress
You may be used to rewarding yourself with your favourite tipple after a hard day’s work, but now you’re rewarding yourself for the progress you’re making while alcohol-free. Binge-watch that series you’ve been meaning to watch or whip yourself up a gourmet meal (we’ve got some meal ideas here) to give yourself a pat on the back for your alcohol-free endeavours.
Take a helping hand
The NHS Drink Free Days app is an incredibly helpful tool to keep you dry. With the app, you can:
- Update and track your drink-free days
- Access simple and practical tips to control your drinking
- Receive reminders to keep your motivations in mind
- Celebrate those all-important milestones
Download it for free here.
