Dry and Green January
Quitting booze and fatty foods
What is ‘Dry and Green January’?
Hi there,
For years, I have observed Dry and Green January—not consuming any alcohol for the first month of the year, and avoiding fattening foods like cakes, biscuits, sweets, chocolate and cheese.
Tracking Progress: My Method
What doesn’t get measured, doesn’t get done.
Measuring Booze
I have a self-devised printout with three or four boxes for each day of the year. In one box I record the units of alcohol I had that day. One pint is two units! A home-poured glass of whiskey tends to be two units, not one. So, for January, there will be 31 zeros in the alcohol tick boxes. Here’s mine from last January:
Colour-coded Eating: Green, Orange, Red and Black
Another box records, by way of one colour, my food that day.
I’ll give myself a green, orange or red mark for whether I ate healthily, had just a tiny indulgence like a square of chocolate or wolfed the whole bar. If I totally pig out, I’ll use a black marker! So, for January, I expect to see 31 green days.
Physical Activity and Work
Another box records physical exercise. ‘W’ means I went for a walk.
‘B’ stands for a bike ride. ‘P’ for Pilates. ‘G’ for gardening. A slash sign shows I didn’t do any physical exercise.
A fourth box records what I worked at that day. ‘Bk’ for writing a book. ‘S’ for writing my Substack. ‘C’ for conducting a ceremony.
Weight Tracking for Gradual Progress
And I’ll record my weight, taken before breakfast that morning. I know that, over the month of January, there will be gradual weight loss. I’m not looking for dramatic or fast weight loss. Slow and gradual is healthier and more lasting, as I reestablish healthy eating habits.
Observations and Benefits
And so, by one colour (food), two numbers (alcohol and weight) and two initials (work and exercise) for each day, I can instantly see patterns of personal discipline, indulgence, weight, exercise and work over the year.
It’s satisfying watching 31 green days and no booze for January, and a return to a healthier weight after my Christmas indulgences.
The Impact of January Discipline on Mind, Body, and Soul
My improved personal discipline during January has beneficial effects for my mind, body and soul. I sharpen up on my will power and I’m less of a slave to my appetites. I channel my energy into healthier pleasures. I become more creative and productive.
Seeing a downward trend in your weight is its own reward. I like feeling slim. But Dry and Green January can also fuel your personal and professional goals.
A Catalyst for Goals
In December 2019, when I was nearly finished writing my first memoir, In My Gut, I Don’t Believe, I made a dramatic and challenging decision before New Year’s Eve: to extend Dry January until I had completed my book.
Focused Motivation for Professional Goals
It was a brilliant personal incentive for me to finish it. And it worked. I completed my memoir by late March 2020. Sure, it was my longest Dry ‘January’ ever—but I was so proud of the result: the book I’d been working on for 26 years was finally finished!
Commitment to Progress: Audiobook and Resolution
Extending Dry January to Accomplish Audiobook
I’ve decided to do something similar this year. After New Year’s Eve, I shall not have another alcoholic drink until I have recorded the audiobook of my second memoir, Saved by a Woman. I know that this decision will help me to focus on getting the work done as promptly and efficiently as I possibly can.
Learning from the Past and Setting Milestones
The audiobook of In My Gut, I Don’t Believe took embarrassingly long for me to record. It was my first audiobook. I had to learn how to use the software, and my microphone was overly sensitive and picked up extraneous noises, like a car passing the house, a dog barking or birds twittering. So I had a lot of rerecording and editing to do. This time, if I’m finished by the end of March I’ll be pleased.
Importance of Tracking Progress: Captain’s Log
What doesn’t get measured doesn’t get done applies here too. I shall record, each day, what I did that day to progress towards my goal. I kept what I call my Captain’s Log while writing both memoirs. I shall add a sentence to the second log each day tracking my steps on the Audible edition.
A resolution isn’t a resolution until you have written it down. I have done so. This substack further reinforces my resolve.
Debunking Resolution Myths
I’ve heard it said that there is no point making new year’s resolutions. That everybody always breaks them. I disagree.
Harnessing January for Change
I think this is an ideal time to resolve to do something that you want or need to do. You can do it. Decide on a very simple chart to track your progress remembering that what doesn’t get measured, doesn’t get done.
Invitation to Share Goals and Methods
Are you going to make a new year’s resolution? Write it down! Would you like to share what it is? How are you going to record and measure your progress? How are you going to reward yourself when you achieve your goal?
Happy New Year!
Joe