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Becky Wickes

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August 15, 2025

Drinking Less Changed More Than I Expected

I sort of quit drinking on accident.

I would have described how I drank as very responsible, most of the time. Alcohol by its very nature affects our ability to make sound decisions, so obviously there were times I went overboard and felt physically and emotionally horrible afterwards.

I actually started the process of learning more about the effects of alcohol because of my role as a nutrition coach. I had a client who hit a plateau and I wanted to know how much drinking 1 or 2 times per week could affect her progress. A mentor of mine recommended This Naked Mind. In the beginning of the book, she makes the claim that you won’t want to drink at the end of it. And I thought, “haha, SURE.” While I was pretty good at moderating my drinking, oftentimes when I was abstaining I did it out of discipline—not because I wanted to. I didn’t really believe that could change. I had a trip to wine country coming up in a few weeks. I thought, “well, I’ll just take a break from drinking until then.”

I was probably halfway through the book before I knew I wasn’t going to drink on that trip—or maybe ever again. And the author was right. I went to wine country with a friend, visited wineries, had a great time, enjoyed the scenery and conversation, and didn’t drink. I didn’t miss it.

About three weeks into not drinking, I realized I felt lighter. And in continuing to read, I learned that my brain wasn’t working overtime to counteract a depressant with stimulants—only to be left chemically imbalanced. I think I was living in an alcohol-induced low-grade depression for most of my adult life, even only drinking once or twice a week. When I stopped, I started to feel more like myself again.

If you’ve been feeling off lately—or you’re just curious—here’s where I’d suggest starting:

  1. Pay attention. Not just to how much you're drinking, but why. Is it a habit? Stress relief? Social expectation? What benefits do you believe alcohol provides? Are those reality? When it comes to stress relief, you might feel better temporarily, but the work your brain has to do to counteract the depressant that is alcohol creates the aforementioned imbalance, which actually increases your stress.

  2. Notice how you feel—before, during, and especially after drinking. Energy, mood, motivation… what actually changes?

  3. Take a short break. Not forever. Just a few weeks. Frame it as an experiment, not a punishment.

  4. Read or listen to something new. I started with This Naked Mind and it opened a door. You don’t have to agree with all of it—but let it make you think. One of the reasons it’s so powerful is because we subconsciously believe a lot of things about alcohol that we may not consciously say. This book helps you identify where the dissonance is.

  5. Stay curious. You don’t need a rock bottom. You don’t even need a reason. Just a willingness to explore a different possibility.


You’re not committing to anything huge. You’re just getting a clearer picture of what alcohol is actually doing for you. This past year has still had its challenges, but I know—without a doubt—they would’ve been harder if alcohol was in the mix. 

If you're interested in learning more about nutrition coaching, set up a quick (and free!) intro with one of our coaches here.

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Sweet & Spicy Korean Turkey Spring Roll Bowls

serving of meat makes 8 servings: Calories — 565⁣ Protein — 40g⁣ Fat — 21g⁣ Carbs — 33g⁣ ⁣ 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐲⁣ 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥: ⁣ ⁣ 3 lbs lean ground turkey⁣ 9 tsp garlic, minced about 9 cloves⁣ 34 cup brown sugar, packed⁣ 34 cup low-sodium soy saucetamaricoconut aminos⁣ 6 tsp sesame oil⁣ 1 tsp ground ginger or 2-3 tsp minced⁣ 1 tsp crushed red pepper⁣ 1 tsp black pepper⁣ Sliced green onions for garnish⁣ 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞⁣ 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥:⁣ ⁣ 10oz bag of shredded cabbage⁣ 10oz bag of julienned carrots⁣ 10oz bag of broccoli slaw⁣ 12oz bag of sea kelp noodles ⁣ 5oz greens of your choice, roughly chopped⁣ 5-10 mini cucumbers, sliced⁣ 1 bunch each of cilantro, mint, and Thai basil, roughly chopped⁣ 13-12 cup peanuts, chopped⁣ Sesame seeds and sliced green onions for garnish⁣ ⁣𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠⁣ 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥:⁣ ⁣ 12 cup olive oil⁣ 6 tbsp rice vinegar⁣ 4 tsp honey ⁣ 2 tsp minced garlic⁣ Salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste⁣ ⁣ To prepare: ⁣ — Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat.