Seven days in and already that Dry January thing is starting to look like a bad idea. Who are we to judge? But just in case you need some motivation to get through another 24 days (yes 24. And another four whole weekends), Edina Sipocz, head bartender at The Arch London has come up with her top 10 tips to get you through January like a boss. See you on the other side.
Edina’s top 10 tips
Don’t hibernate
The worst thing you can possibly do is to hole yourself up in your house and attempt to hibernate. Make it your mission to get up and make the most of your hangover free weekends and mornings. Plan activities you would never normally get round to at times you would never usually be up.
Ditch cocktails for detoxing mocktails
Don’t settle for plain old tap water when you go out. Drinking mocktails is a great way to get through dry January, as you are still treating yourself to a luxurious drink, minus the calories and headache the next morning. At The Arch London we offer a ‘Virgin Vera’ mocktail made with detoxing aloe vera water, fresh lime, raspberries and fresh guava juice.
Virgin Vera cocktail at The ArchKnow your numbers
Read it and weep. A Pina Colada cocktail with rum has 644 calories. That’s more than a Big Mac. A pint of larger has 180 calories – more than a small slice of chocolate cake and a large glass of white wine has 185 calories – the equivalent of four fish fingers. Calculate exactly how many calories you will save by ditching the booze – the odds are you’ll be shocked by how many you can save.
Plan a holiday
Planning a holiday is the perfect way to motivate yourself during Dry January. Putting all the money you’ve saved on booze into a ‘holiday piggy bank’ will be a visible inspiration to keep going (along with your shrinking waistline of course.) Win, win.
Recruit a partner in crime
Your driathlon will be much easier if you have at least one of your friends on board with you. You’ll have a sober partner in crime to go out with to help keep you motivated.
Get drunk on love
Replace visiting your old friend alcohol with seeing friends and family. And what about making more time for your partner? Booking a romantic city break is the perfect idea as it takes you away for a weekend of relaxation, and no pressure to go to the pub with your friends. The Arch London has an indulgent ‘Play Package’, perfect for couples looking to get away for some romantic alone time.
Try a new type of exercise
Taking up a new exercise for the month will boost your levels of serotonin plus giving you something else to focus on. Try a ‘Ravercise’ classes – think daytime clubbing without the booze – for your dancing hit while staying firmly on the wagon.
Think positive
Don’t picture your month of sobriety as something negative. Think of it as something great you are achieving purely for yourself. Rather than focusing on denying yourself alcohol, envisage your success and how happy you will be at the end of the month when you have reached your goal.
Tell everyone
Telling everyone you’re not drinking (well, for January anyway) will increase your chances of success. Why? Because your feelings of shame will be increased by about 98% if your friends or family catch you clutching a sneaky gin & tonic!
Cut back, don’t cut out
If all else fails, simply cut back your alcohol intake and set yourself an achievable goal per week. This will be much easier to sustain and will certainly alleviate any January blues. There are also plenty of other ways to put goodness into your body, by upping your intake of fresh vegetables, drinking more water, and taking supplements such as Milk Thistle which protect the liver from alcohol damage and premature ageing by helping to regenerate liver cells.
The Arch London, 50 Great Cumberland Place, London W1H 7FD. T: 020 7724 4700 thearchlondon.com
