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Summary
On episode 672 of 40+ Fitness, Coach Allan shares why he quit drinking on October 1st and why, this time, he intends for it to be permanent. He walks through the five reasons alcohol had stopped serving him: poor sleep, stalled resistance training, inconsistent nutrition, evidence that even moderate drinking reduces brain white matter, and the simple fact that he wasn’t enjoying it as much anymore.
He is careful to frame this as a personal choice, not a judgment on anyone else’s drinking, and he lays out practical steps for anyone considering the same change: quit outright instead of trying to moderate, tell the people around you so the awkward offers stop, avoid your personal triggers, and carry your own alternative drink when you’re somewhere alcohol will be everywhere.
Co-host Coach Rachel adds her own perspective from the running community, where giving up alcohol before a big race is common, and raises a doctor’s on-air comment that for people at high risk of breast cancer, there may be no safe amount of alcohol at all.
Links
- https://40plusfitness.com
Key Takeaways
- Alcohol was quietly wrecking his sleep. Because he drank in the evening, alcohol was still in his system when he went to bed, and the first four to five hours of sleep were poor quality. That left him with only three to four hours of real, restorative sleep a night.
- It was undermining his resistance training. Between dehydration and poor sleep, he found it harder to keep pushing his training forward, and progress in the gym had started to stall.
- It made nutrition compliance harder. Drinking regularly made it more difficult for him to stick to his nutrition goals on a consistent basis, something he didn’t fully connect until he stopped.
- New research suggests there may be no truly safe amount of alcohol for the brain. A recent study he cites found that even casual drinkers, at one to two drinks a day, show reduced white matter, not just heavy drinkers. The effect scales with how much you drink, but the study suggests there is no floor where alcohol becomes harmless to the brain.
- He had stopped enjoying it. Alcohol used to help him relax and be social, but he noticed that a couple of drinks weren’t doing that for him anymore, which made stopping an easier decision.
- Moderation rarely works, quitting outright does. His advice is to not try to “drink less.” Most people who try moderation drift back to their old pattern. Setting a firm rule and sticking to it is more effective than trying to manage a habit you’re not happy with.
- Environment design matters more than willpower. He stopped walking past the bar across the street from his house and built new routines, like carrying his own water or club soda to parties, so he isn’t depending on someone else to have a non-alcoholic option available.
- Telling people around you removes the awkwardness over time. Once friends and family know you’re not drinking, they stop offering, and they’ll often answer the awkward questions on your behalf before you have to.
- If it’s more than a lifestyle choice, get professional help. Allan is explicit that if someone feels they can’t walk away from alcohol on their own, this isn’t a “just decide to quit” situation, and they should seek professional support rather than white-knuckle it.
“There is no healthy drinking.”
Coach Allan
Another Episode You May Enjoy
Episode 676 – How to participate in your own rescue with Tiffany Owen
Episode Notes
Podcast: 40+ Fitness
Episode: 672
Published: 2024-12-10
Host: Allan Misner (aka Coach Allan), author of The Wellness Roadmap
Guest(s): Rachel — co-host END, our co host, Coach Rachel
Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts · Spotify · YouTube (audio only)