4 health habits to make the most of Go Sober

You’ve committed to a month without booze. That’s pretty huge! Here’s a virtual-fist pump from me to you!

It makes sense to maximise the next 31 days in terms of your own health gains; without alcohol in your body you can think clearer, move easier and you are creating a far more receptive environment for nutrient absorption, detoxing and cleansing. All these things move you closer to looking and feeling your best and most youthful.

Think of it as a 31-day health challenge, where you can actually do all the things you’ve been meaning to for so long!

I suggest that for the next 31 days you make healthier eating choices in general, but, and keep an open mind here… Why not try some lifestyle changes are directed at the mind-body connection?

It’s a month to try new things, so let go of some controlled lifestyle structures and consider that here, the mind-body component of your health is where EPIC transformation can be made. And made quickly too!

New habit #1 – Commit to YOGA twice a week

The benefits of yoga are endless. Just to name a few; increased energy, flexibility and circulation, improved posture and reduced body aches and pains, greater strength and body tone, boost in immunity and regulation of adrenal glands, plus, it helps us focus our mind. And if the above wasn’t enough, when I started yoga, I very quickly discovered that I ate less after practising yoga. It was a bizarre feeling! Suddenly, I was more in tune with my body and needs. I knew the difference between hunger and dehydration, and the sweet cravings stopped on those days.

And the good news is, yoga can be done on any budget. Start with a towel rolled out on your lounge room floor or backyard grass, and a YouTube ‘yoga for beginners’ instructional clip that appeals.

New habit #2 – Start your day with water

Yes that old chestnut. Water.

Here’s how I like to think about it. We can choose to see water as being a boring beverage and instead drink chocolate flavoured milk, energy drinks, fruit juice, coffee, liquids we feel taste better than plain old water. But guess what? Every single cell in our body requires water in order to function properly. No wonder we feel tired all the time! We’re expecting our cells and organs to run marathons, using a fuel that is unrecognisable to the system! That’s like asking us to speak in Japanese without having learnt the language. Just a little bit tough.

So start each day with 500mL to 1L of water after waking up. The better the quality of water, the more your body will love you too.

New habit #3 – Meditate for 7 minutes each day

7 minutes a day. That’s all it takes. Meditating teaches us to be present. When we are present, we are not stressed about our to-do list; we are not anxious about future events, nor are we hung up on memories that bothered us in the past. We learn to respect ourselves and to listen to the subtle signs our body is giving us about our health and wellbeing. Meditation brings us clarity and peace of mind and allows us to rid our bodies and lives of stress and inflammation. 

Start with a guided meditation on YouTube or using an App, so that the thought process is removed for you; thinking about meditating is not really meditating. Commit. 31 days, morning or night, both if you feel inspired! And remember to enjoy the process; we find solutions from the challenges themselves.

New habit #4 – Journal daily

Yes, a journal. Keep a little notebook by your bed, and before bed each night, write down;

• 3-5 things you are/were grateful for that day, and
• At least one thing you learnt about yourself and how that made you feel 
• Anything else you feel like expressing 

This book is just for you, there is no need to sensor anything. Keeping a journal is like downloading all the information you’ve absorbed over the course of the day and releasing it before bedtime; it just makes sense to free up your mind so that you can have pleasant dreams and restorative sleep! A gratitude list helps us to stay grounded, and is a beautiful way to remind us that life is always sweet; no matter what is happening in our world there is always something to be happy and appreciative for. This doesn’t need to be a daily commitment long-term, but 30 consecutive days is very possible and you may surprise yourself by the emotional and mindset clarity that can be experienced over a month.

Soberhero, this is definitely your month!

If all four new habits are a little overwhelming, start with just two of them and as they become more ‘normal’, slowly add one more habit in as you feel ready. Change can be really scary, we all love comfort and the safety of knowing what lies ahead. Remember that more of the same just creates more of the same, so if we truly wish to feel healthier, happier, more alive in the game of life, we really must do something about it and take charge.

Good luck with your Go Sober!
Kirsty x