‘I Stopped Drinking for 6 Months—Here’s What Happened to My Body’
Then, after drinking plenty of empty calories, I fed my booze-fueled cravings with whatever I could get my hands on—anything from bags of chips to Ben and Jerry’s.
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The next morning (er, afternoon) when I woke up, I was in punishment mode. I’d subsist on veggies and tofu in an attempt to make up for my late-night habits. I still exercised, but I didn’t enjoy it anymore. In the past, I had loved waking up early for morning workouts. But now, thanks to my drink and sleep-it-off schedule, I was forced to exercise later in the afternoon. And since I was hungover and bloated from junk food, those workouts felt pretty crappy.
To be honest, I’m not sure how many drinks I downed each week, but it was more than five drinks during any given night out. If my classwork was light, you could expect to see me out four nights per week. (Start working towards your weight-loss goals with Women’s Health’s Look Better Naked DVD.)
By the end of my freshman year, I put on the full fifteen. And as a 5′ 2″woman, it was obvious that I’d gained weight in my stomach and lower back.
Saying Goodbye to Booze—and the Weight
Not even a week after my final days as a college freshman, I went on a family vacation. Needless to say, I wasn’t taking shots and drinking jungle juice with my mom and little sister.
Instead, I found myself naturally reverting to my healthier habits. For the first time since picking up drinking, I woke up for my early morning runs. At night, I no longer craved carbs and fat. There were no more morning trips for bagels (yes, bagels plural) and coffee to tend to my hangover. It was amazing how much better I felt.
A photo posted by McKenzie Maxson (@mckenziemmaxson) on Jul 27, 2016 at 5:38pm PDT
That’s when I realized that I didn’t want to drink alcohol anymore. But it took me a few months of awkwardly trying—and sometimes failing—to avoid it before I worked up the courage to really cut it out. At first, when I went to a party and someone offered me a drink that was already poured, I’d take it, say thanks, and hand the drink off to a friend. Occasionally, I just awkwardly sipped it because I didn’t want to say no and have to explain why. Eventually, I got to the point that I was able to say, “No thanks, I’m not drinking.” Most people didn’t care.
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Without alcohol in my life, I soon found myself getting more into fitness, which made it even easier to turn down drinks. I looked forward to my morning workouts and booze was not going to get in the way of that. Bonus: I had no reason to mow down junk food after a night out or starve myself during the day. I was starting to find balance.
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Of course, the changes I saw in my body also made abstaining easier. My body went from what I’d definitely call “skinny fat” to lean and muscular. The weight around my middle was the first to go once I cut out alcohol. After about six months of not drinking, I lost all of the booze belly and the 15 pounds I gained.
Finding the Right Drinking Plan for Me
Now, three years later, I live in New York, the city that never sleeps, and I’m constantly around alcohol. But I rarely drink.
Most of the time, I stick to my guns and, if someone offers me a drink, I say, “no, thanks” or that I don’t really drink, and then conversation continues as usual. I don’t even bother to explain why unless someone is genuinely curious.
A photo posted by McKenzie Maxson (@mckenziemmaxson) on Oct 25, 2016 at 8:29pm PDT
However, every couple of months or so, usually when a special occasion pops up, I’ll enjoy one glass of wine or a simple cocktail (like a vodka soda). I won’t touch margaritas, rum and Cokes, or anything else that’s overloaded with sugar. And, yes, even when enjoying healthier drinks, I limit myself to just one glass. I find that one drink doesn’t keep me from making healthy decisions—and it’s much easier to stop after one than after two or three.
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In case you were wondering, I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything by drinking alcohol so rarely. Rather, I feel like it actually helps me have a healthier relationship with food, exercise, and my body. As far as I’m concerned, that’s not worth missing out on.