Thoughts from the AET’s director as Dryvember looms!

I realised I was drinking far too much caffeine a couple of years ago as I was grumpy if I didn’t get my fix and hyper if I had too much. Just a switch to 50% decaffeinated coffee halved my consumption, and I didn’t notice after a while. I just drink slowly percolated decaff coffee now, and derive just as much pleasure from it, and my tea habits haven’t changed at all. For me, it’s the ritual – my 10.30 break after a couple of hours trawling through my inbox and after having packed the kids off to school walked the dogs etc. involves ten minutes ‘me time,’ now the only difference is that my coffee is a decaffeinated one.

It’s similar with an evening drink really, not that I over indulge, but I really enjoy the ritual and pleasure that a glass of wine gives me with a meal we’ve taken time to prepare, or a cool beer in the summer and always a gin and orange juice on holiday. Which is why I’m embracing the dryvember Christmas pretox challenge. It was my kids saying to me ‘well you’ll never manage that Mum’ that really made me think hard about how they saw us enjoying ourselves. If you’re having a good time, you have a glass in your hand – what sort of role model is that?

Social occasions do tend to revolve around a glass of bubbly, friends over to supper, work dos .. you feel it’s very difficult not to feel a party pooper if you opt for the elderflower… but actually –as long as you don’t draw attention to yourself nobody notices. I have two very good friends who don’t drink at all, and they’re at the heart of parties and are great fun. My main problem is that I don’t like sweet drinks and find water boring – so I’m going to do some experimenting in November! I’m also going to weigh myself before I start and see if I lose or gain weight during the month – I know I’ll save a few monetary pounds, but they’ll be going to The Alcohol Education Trust to help raise enough to support 25,000 kids in 100 schools with the talkaboutalcohol programme.

So, although I don’t drink to excess, having  a break for a few weeks will make me assess my habits, and when I start drinking again, means I may choose a soft option more often, my husband will be pleased.. I’ll drive home darling, you can get up early and walk the dogs! If you’d like to support me you can do so here!