If You’re Tackling a Dry January, This Book May Help
The Dry Challenge makes giving up alcohol for a month fun — with tips, recipes and health benefits galore.
Photo Illustration: Scouted/The Daily Beast/Amazon
When shelter-in-place went into effect across U.S. cities in 2020, so did bar-in-place for many households nationwide. (No judgment, here.) Happy hours started at varying times of day, and the hurdle of finding a designated driver became a thing of the past (unless you needed a chaperone from bar cart to the couch. Again, to each their own!) But we digress. Whether you overserved yourself throughout the pandemic, or plan to overindulge during the holiday season, there is no better time to reset with a Dry January.
The Dry Challenge: How to Lose the Booze for Dry January, Sober October, and Any Other Alcohol-Free Month is the book that’s going to help you (dare we say?) have fun while abstaining from wine, beer, and spirits for the first 31 days of the year, or any other month you choose. If February works better for your schedule, you do you.
First things first: why do a Dry Jan? For whatever reason that best motivates you! We know alcohol isn’t exactly ringing up 5-star reviews in the health department, so it’s no surprise that overwhelming numbers show Dry January participants lose weight, sleep better, feel a sense of accomplishment, and have more energy. Not to mention, participants often report clearer skin. And, if a credit card bill is any indication, they save money too! After all, you won’t be spending $15 per fancy cocktail during a dry month.
Ok, so… how do we get these amazing, beautifying, wallet-friendly, benefits? The book dives into how to recruit friends for support, dating without “going for a drink”, and politely responding to sober month nay-sayers. It also delves into fun activities that will occupy your time (and brighten your day) without bar crawls or day drinking escapades — including trying new workouts, journaling throughout the month, and finding dishes to whip up in the kitchen. Speaking of food, the book provides step-by-step recipes for baked goods, as well as nonalcoholic beverages recipes to satiate specific cravings.
Whether it’s your first-ever Dry January or you’re a seasoned pro, you’ll find this guide helpful, entertaining, and enlightening. Heck, you might even extend for another booze-free month. Bonus points: hangovers not included.
The Dry Challenge
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