I did it!

I am not good with the ol’ willpower. The second I know I can’t have something, it’s the only thing in the world I want. I’d sell my right arm for it. I’m just that kinda person. So when I decided that I would spend the whole of January on an alcohol and McDonalds ban, even I wasn’t sure I could manage it.
For some background, so you can get a feel for how big a challenge lay before me on the first day of 2015, Steven & I tend to eat at the golden arches at least once a week. It’s quick, cheap, easy and I love the taste. We’re usually rushing from one thing to another and so it makes sense to cruise through a drive-thru and grab a Big Mac. In terms of alcohol, I don’t really go out-out very often, but I do enjoy a cheeky glass of wine most nights after work – and once a bottle is open well… Waste not want not eh?

So for the girl who lives on these two things, it was going to be a hard month! There were a few times when we took long road trips, and usually a high-light is grabbing some burgers and eating them in the car park, watching some Youtube videos on my phone. It was tempting, but we managed to resist.

It has also been a pretty stressful month and not being able to find solace at the bottom of a wine glass (or a large mug – don’t judge me!) was difficult at times – but that’s what makes it important! I tried to rely on other things to make me happy, like hot bubble baths and House on Netflix. It’s been weird going to friends’ houses for dinner and not enjoying a glass of rose. Even weirder having three bottles of my favourite wine in the wine rack, taunting me!

I need to take a moment here, to point out that Steven failed! Steven who does not rely on these substances as much as me, who has will power 1000x stronger than mine, ended up ordering a McDonald’s meal and a beer in the space of 24 hours because he “forgot”.

I had hoped that not eating McD’s, and not drinking wine, would result in a nice healthy weight loss. In fact I gained weight, which I’m pretty sure is down to an underachieve thyroid but whatever – it was never going to be a miracle cleanse!

So here I am at the end of the challenge (pretty much). We just had our first Maccy’s of 2015 and it was… nice. My heart didn’t skip a beat (through love or increased fat intake), but I wasn’t disappointed either. I’ve decided that I’m going to do this challenge every month, and eat at McDonald’s only on the last day of the month – make sure | don’t relapse into nomming at every opportunity again!

As for the wine, I’m waiting ’til midnight (3 hours and 15 minutes – and counting!) but I’m feeling good knowing there’s a nice chilled bottle in the fridge waiting for me. I’m probably not going to go all month without wine next month, but I like knowing I can do it.

Overall, I’m super proud. I never, ever stick to stuff like this, and I did it. Two different goals, even when days were hard, and Steven fell off the proverbial wagon, I stuck to something for a whole month.

I can’t wait to celebrate with some Moscato!