Abstaining from Alcohol - Quarantine Style
About a week ago, I had an inkling to detox from alcohol for a week. No sickness or issue spurred this thought, rather, more time to indulge in tasty libations and less time to work off liquor weight at the gym was likely what planted this seed. Me taking inventory of the amount of posts under each blog theme on my website sealed the deal.
After about 2 years of fairly dedicated writing, I’ve been mostly inspired with the topic of Spirit Strength, ranking in with 22 posts related to the subject. On the other end of that scale, I was only touched by ingenuity concerning Fitness 3 times and Style twice. While this makes my soul feel somewhat enlightened, I’m not sure what it says about my physical being when my guidance for health & appearance can be counted on two hands: smoothies, running/exercise, vitamins, meditation, massages and constant access to tweezers = bueno and purple hair with half a shaved head is a somewhat questionable hairstyle at 40.
I’m happy to be at a point in my life where I even contemplate what’s healthy for my physical apparatus since in my 20s I clearly didn’t give it two thoughts. Granted, that picture was taken somewhere near or between Babies 2 & 3, but still…what was I eating? Orange dusted crispy snacks with a fountain coke for lunch? Sure! 3/4 of the ice cream chocolate chip cookie sandwich Sam didn’t finish at the baseball park every game day? Y.O.L.O., bitches!
Common sense tells me that any food item provided by Earth & Source & God is healthier for me than what is made in a factory and sealed by a machine. Drinking water is great for my skin while my reflection looks a little more haggard a day after enjoying a couple vodka lemonades. Deep breaths & meditation help to clear my soul and calm my mind. Getting enough sleep keeps me on top of my game and attitude. I need physical activity to feel in balance.
Over indulgence in anything numbs the amount of appreciation I have for it. Achieving Balance may be my lifetime quest. Sometimes doing something just to prove to myself that I can is a good enough reason. (An example of this is that mini-marathon I completed and don’t really feel the need to conquer again). I love a delicious wine paired with yummy pasta and Mexican cuisine just isn’t quite the same without a margarita. Alcohol can make a meal complete and a light-hearted mood even more playful. However, I’ve seen numerous arguments, violent acts, and relationships broken at the hands of the same drug. Therefore, from time to time, it’s nice to make sure I always keep liquor in check.
I put off giving up liquor for a week this past Monday because I had just opened a new bottle of wine the night before. With no projects, events or good weather in sight, boredom sets in; sitting in front of the tv calls for a drink in hand. Disappointingly, I also put off the challenge just long enough to let it cause my life some negative emotion and to make my body feel less than 100%.
Timewise, a one week commitment to not drink alcohol is a low-key challenge compared to my month long feat last August. However, this time around I am quarantined at home with a guapo amigo who is not actively joining my endeavor. Day 1 was Friday, April 24 and I weighed in @ 117 lbs. Today, the search for a delicious, no-tipsiness added, drink began:
- Double Shot Espresso with Cream
- 4 shot Latte with a pump of hazelnut
- unsweetened tea with a splash of sweet tea
- lemonade
- water
- milk
- Zen tea with a spoon of sugar
- Nespresso Stormio pod with vanilla & milk
- Aloe Vera Juice Drink
I expect to be muy productive up until next Friday night. I will most likely pour energy into anything and everything to keep my mind off how scrumptious an adult beverage would taste. If a luscious beverage recipe with TacOcaT potential (and therefore easily converted to a 21 & over type of liquid refreshment) is created in the meantime, I promise to share. Thank you for allowing me to make this commitment public, as that ensures the promise is rock solid. Please feel free to share drink ideas or a quarantine abstinence of your own below.
If you would like to enjoy, in spirit, my enhanced Wine Appreciation, tip back your favorite vino on Friday, May 1st at 6pm.
I think you can do it. A week is a breeze….although i don’t know what its like to have a partner who indulges while I don’t. I know you can do it! G-O LETS GO LETS GO G-O LETS GO!
Thank you for the confidence boost! Watching him enjoy wine while we ate steak last night definitely made me have to try harder than if it wasn’t around at all – but I know I got this. Quarantine time just got a little production boost, that’s all. 🙂 I’ll check back in soon. 🙂 And, of course I had to read that cheer out loud to the beat. lol
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