For Now, I've Given This Lot Up

I'll admit that I used to drink a fair bit. I was never a binge drinker because my body couldn't take it. Instead I drank little but very often, every day in fact. Why ? Well you have to remember that I used to be a criminal barrister, and the drinking culture in that job is well developed. So I got a taste for it then, and used it as a barrier between me and the tougher parts of the work, and life in general.

What I didn't realise however was how much weight it put on. I've always been, as one eloquent acquaintance of mine once said, a 'thin streak of piss'. This means that I've always been skinny, painfully so on occasion. This was pretty good as it meant I could eat and drink what I liked, or so I thought. When I hit my mid-30's my body decided to change its tactics and before I knew it a large beer belly had developed. I also started to get an upset stomach after drinking, especially with red wine. But I ploughed on, because above all else, I really enjoyed drinking. I think it's the curse of my generation, that we all seem to think that boozing is fine, that is does us no harm and that we can handle it. I'm now admitting that this isn't true.

The calorific content is immense when you look at it, and regular alcohol use ages your skin. In extreme cases, a person can look 20 years older than they are, and can shorten their life span proportionately. But my generation (including me) has decided to ignore these facts and use booze to self-medicate. Drink enough and any day becomes tolerable. Sort of.  It never occured to me until lately to try and make my days better instead.

And when I started to try to get fit, I realised that there was a problem. I've never been very clued up on health matters, so I have tried various exercises, foods, drinks and then seen what makes the greatest impact. And I'm sad to say, that drinking has held me back. For months I went to the gym, did my exercises and then came home at night and drank half a bottle of wine. And then I wondered why I wasn't making as much progress as I'd hoped. I also used to get a few laps into my swimming and then get a nasty attack of stomach acid, which forced me to stop early.

As for that beer gut, only now I've stopped drinking completely has it started to really go away, and getting rid of it was the impetus behind me starting this fitness kick in the first place. I also quite like the fact that I'm mentally sharper now that the constant background hum of alcohol has gone from my system. So, I as of this moment appear to be tee-total, for now at least. On special occasions I will still have a drink, on a hot summer's night I will drink a Mojito, and on a scorching beach I will drink an ice-cold beer. But these will be isolated incidents, and I will calculate how to burn them off afterwards. Sounds joyless doesn't it, but it's not, it's merely a question of understanding how your body actually works. I didn't think I could ever give up drink because I loved it so much, but I have done and feel ten times better for it. I don't miss the taste, nor do I crave that slightly light-headed sensation that goes with it. In fact I'm quite chuffed that I've really started to make progress with my fitness, and that I feel that this hard work is finally paying off.

Now I know I am a traitor to my generation, and someone even told me that stopping drinking meant I couldn't enjoy life any more. I beg to differ. I've tried both things, so I think I may have some useful insight into the matter.