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[Fifth of a series of five stories]
- Is it time for Dry January?
- How to deal with early failure?
- Good sleep is hard to argue with
- Who's ready for strong sweet cravings?
Dry January promised a lot — from healthier liver to lesser risks of developing cancer. But like more people, it was weight loss and better skin that caught my attention.
I haven't been able to lose the weight I put on during the pandemic (incidentally, when I first allowed myself my daily drinks), and my forehead wrinkles have been so pronounced and so defined, even with botox.
Three days away from completing the challenge (I adjusted it to February 1 because of an early failure), allow me to tell you: Dry January's promise of weight loss and better skin is like true love for most people. Both came last but both came true.
Despite satisfying the unexpected sweet cravings that came on the second week of the challenge, I managed to bring my weight down to 121lbs from 128lbs. It's probably just water weight, but that also means, I'm less bloated than I used to be. My clothes look better on me, my skinny clothes are no longer as tight, and my little fupa is not as pronounced!
I won't credit it all to simply cutting the calories from the alcohol. It was that, plus cutting the calories from all the pulutan — the chips and the dip, the mixed nuts and the bar chow — that I only allow myself whenever I'm drinking.
Because I was not drinking, then I'm also not eating.
But there's also the fact that Dry January gave me back so much energy that I was able to hit the gym and burn calories more frequently, too.
Credit goes to the delicious, restful sleep I was getting, which I suspect also helped with the eventual better skin being touted from participating in Dry January.
Let's be honest: My skin turned for the worse when I started Dry January. Where drinking resulted in puffy skin, terrible eyebags, and super defined lines, the beginning of Dry January also gave me zits and bumps. Lots of it.
According to Doctor Jennie Francisco Diaz, PDS, and founder of Skin 101, "stopping alcohol can indeed cause breakouts because your body may react to the absence of alcohol."
"The detox phase can manifest as skin eruptions, including acne," she adds.
Diaz explained quitting alcohol "can disrupt hormonal balance which can lead to increased sebum production which contributes to acne development."
And remember my sugar cravings, which I indulged? That's another culprit. "If your alcohol consumption is replaced with sugary or unhealthy foods, this can exacerbate skin issues," she said, adding focusing on hydration, eating a balanced diet, and having a good skincare routine can help combat the bad skin part of the journey.
Thankfully, like the sugar cravings, the bad skin phase proved temporary. In the past week, I noticed the zits and the bumps were no longer there. I was even also told I had clearer, brighter skin!
I wouldn't say I had a good skincare routine but when my system had settled down, I noticed even my forehead wrinkles looked less defined.
I've always had bad forehead wrinkles and a 2019 study explained part of the reason why: "Heavy alcohol use (≥8 drinks/week) was associated with increased upper facial lines, under-eye puffiness, oral commissures, midface volume loss, and blood vessels."
Learning this, I resolved to drink less alcohol. Perhaps that couold also lessen my botox trips to the derma. If I drank less, then perhaps those fine lines would also become less defined, too?
Which leads me to my 3rd point: There was always money in my wallet. One less habit to maintain means one less expense. This allowed me the refreshing feeling of being less poor, and a little bit more secure with my finances. It was so much like waking up from restful sleep: It felt good.
According to the non-profit Alcohol Change, which initiated Dry January back in 2012, by the end of the challenge — I'm on my last two days! — my risk of developing certain cancers are diminishing. "You also reduce your risk of strokes, heart disease, and hypertensive disease," they said on the website, quoting a 2018 Lancet report.
All good things right? Yes. But I gotta be honest: I still haven't figured out how to deal with awkward social interactions without alcohol.
Like most people, alcohol is something of a crutch — a crutch I needed last week, when I went on a work trip with colleagues I had just met.
Someone suggested beer to go with the delicious local food we were having, but alas, I was on Dry January. Explaining I couldn't join them only led to more awkwardness, but I suppose it was better than risking making a fool out of myself. Our boss was present, after all.
It's been a long month without cocktails and I do miss my drinks, but I realized this alcohol break was necessary. It allowed me not just the chance but also the clarity of thinking to reflect and reconsider my relationship with alcohol.
While it still remains an easy crutch, especially during socials, it was good to realize I didn't really need it, like I thought I did. I mean, I didn't need to grab a bottle or a glass after every single stressful day, you know?
Instead, I could give myself the rest my body needs. I could just sleep instead and let myself wake up with better clarity, sharper focus to deal with the never-ending onslaught of work and life.
I haven't given up drinking, don't get my wrong. In fact I'm looking forward to a party this weekend — my return to alcohol heaven.
But I'd like to think I've recalibrated my drinking habits. Dry January gave me the necessary reset I didn't think I needed, and for all these benefits I'm experiencing, I would totally do it again.
— GMA Integrated News
