Ultimate guide to quitting alcohol

Everything you need to know
to unlock real you

Learn immediate and long-term benefits when you quit alcohol

Estimate what you get back in time and productivity on my world-first Energy Gain Calculator

Get all your questions and doubts answered, including:

• What do I tell my friends, and how do I deal with social pressure?

• When do the benefits kick in?

• How much money will I save?

• What’s the biggest plus?

• How do I stop cravings?

Starting the sober curious journey

If you’re curious about what your life would be without the impact of alcohol, you’ve already started the journey to unlock the unfiltered, real you. 

An increasing number of people, especially GenZ, are driving to the hoop for a better and more fulfilling life. They are sick of the hangovers and hanxiety, and want a life fuelled by the natural energy that comes from going alcohol-free.

We’re in a world where we have never had more information. But that can create fear, hesitation and confusion. And going alcohol-free is a threat to the alcohol industry, societal norms and the sensibilities of those closest to us. Yes, you’re working against some dark external and internal forces.

This is your practical simple guide that will support you as you take the next steps in what will be one of the most momentous decisions you take in life.

How to quit alcohol

My alcohol-free journey, from being sober curious to staying sober for years, is founded on a five-point plan.

To enter what I call the “Joy-osphere”, a place where your body and mind is restored and you’ll feel great every day, I:

1. made the decision to quit

2. identified the triggers for drinking

3. developed a game plan to cope with cravings

4. put support in place

5. celebrated the benefits, and doubled down.

Watch my short video on how I quit alcohol.

Read my blog how I quit alcohol - and about my five-step process.

Benefits of quitting alcohol

When I quit alcohol, I got immediate and long-term benefits:

• I slept better.

• My health improved.

• I lost weight.

• I was fitter.

• My mind cleared.

• My relationships improved.

• I saved money.

• I bounced into every new day with energy and life.

Watch my two-minute video on the benefits of going alcohol free.

Read my blog on the benefits of going alcohol free.

Learn more in the Frequently Asked Questions section below.

Calculate the biggest benefit

After I quit, I felt great every day. The benefits were many but the standout was the extra energy I had.

I estimated I was getting maybe 20 to 30 per cent more out of each day. I was lasting the day like that battery bunny in the television ads.

As a journalist, I wanted to know exactly what my return on investment was. So I created my world-first Energy Gain Calculator.

In one minute, you can calculate the extra time and energy you get back for each day you stop drinking. And you can see how the gains compound day after day, week after week, month after month.

My result knocked me off my feet, and inspired me to keep going on my sober journey.

Use my free, no-tricks Energy Gain Calculator.

I don’t want your money or data. I just want you to enjoy what I do after giving up alcohol.

Frequently asked questions about quitting alcohol

After years of research, and decades of personal experience, I’ve gripped up the most common questions about quitting alcohol. 

Why should I quit alcohol?

Quitting is good for the soul, mind and body.

Quitting alcohol is a gift to yourself, and unlocks the real unfiltered you.

If you’re a moderate to heavy drinker, when you stop drinking the benefits will be immediate, numerous and, if you stay the course, long lasting. 

I found that when I quit alcohol I slept better, felt calmer, was healthier and fitter, and saved thousands of dollars. The biggest benefit was the extra energy I had to enjoy life to its fullest. I estimated that with a new gimmick-free tool I built.

Researchers and scientists say even moderate drinking contributes significantly to an individual’s chances of getting a bunch of different cancers, and compromises your health in other ways.

Read the science that states there is no safe level of drinking.

Read this New York Times piece on the health risks and another on what alcohol is doing to your body.

Warning: Anyone with an alcohol dependency should obtain medical advice before quitting. Suddenly quitting alcohol can have serious health implications for heavy drinkers.

How do I quit alcohol?

This will depend on factors including your personality, level of dependency and living environment. 

Some people go “cold turkey” - from drinking to stopping there and then (this is what I did). Others find it easier to take a step-down approach, gradually reducing their consumption. Some people want to think about it first. Others have had a long time to do so. 

Some people will find they don’t require any greater support than their existing network of friends and information sources. Other people may want to seek professional support from a counsellor or doctor, or join an alcohol support group.

I advocate a simple five-step approach. This includes developing a game plan for coping with cravings and getting support. 

Read my short blog on my five-step approach.

Will quitting alcohol make me boring?

This was one of the great revelations from me after my first Dry July. I could still attend social functions without getting whacked and I still had as good a time. Yes, there was some adjusting to do, especially dealing with the first crucial moments when you arrive at a party or the pub, and you are accustomed to knocking back a frothy as an icebreaker. But in my years of sobriety, I’ve been to plenty of concerts, parties, pubs and gatherings. I don’t feel the need to kick on like I didand may leave a little earlier than those grogging on, but, gee, I feel amazing the next day. 

How do I not feel deprived when I stop drinking?

Yes, there’s that fear of missing out (FOMO) when everyone around you is doing shots and whoppin’ it up. Or you suddenly don’t have that ritual of sitting down after a big day, watching the footy and having a beer. Or you hit the proverbial mummy wine o’clock. It’s easy to ask: why am I depriving myself of something I enjoy? What’s the harm?

When that happened to me when I quit, I went back to first principles and my plan. I did two things – one at a cerebral level, the other at a practical one.

First, I reminded myself why I was making this momentous life change. I gave up drinking to get more out of life. Alcohol wasn’t benefitting me one way. And it lied to me that I needed it to have a good time. It didn’t deserve a place in my life, and I was indisputably better off without it. Jeepers, it took me decades to work that out, but I’m glad I did.

When I drew up the pros and cons of drinking, there wasn’t anything on the pro side that couldn’t be countered. So it was crazy to think I was depriving myself. No, I was giving myself the gift of new energy and time. This deprivation thing was a state of mind.

Which brought me to the second practical aspect: which was to reset those habits of decades and my habitual “reward drinking”. I created new rituals wittingly and by osmosis, and gave myself new rewards. Hey, you’ll have more discretionary money to spend if you drank like me – just don’t go bonkers with your online shopping. Friends now even accommodate my alcohol-free lifestyle, buying me “fire engines” (raspberry lemonades) at the pub. 

You won’t be depriving yourself. You’ll be creating additional bandwidth to do all those things you’ve been meaning to do. Grab your bucket list and crack on.

Read my blog on how I quit drinking.

Watch my two-minute video on how I quit drinking.

Is moderate drinking a good alternative to stopping altogether?

Alcohol-free hardliners like myself will argue that if you have identified drinking does not serve you, and the science proves every drink harms you, why continue at all? Why literally poison yourself? 

But I acknowledge going cold turkey is a big adjustment for many people. Like US President Ronald Reagan’s war on drugs, it may not be as simple to “just say no” when alcohol is constantly thrust in our face. It’s not an easy choice when alcohol is put at the centre of community life and it is promoted – and accepted – as providing us with welcome relief in our hectic lives. 

I gave up alcohol overnight. One day I was a drinker and then the next day I wasn’t. But it required rationalising, a plan and putting support in place. 

Given the barriers that face those considering quitting, sober curious folk often first consider moderation, believing they can ease into the alcohol-free life. 

The more you drink the more harm you do to yourself, so any reduction in alcohol intake will benefit you. Authoritative studies have found that even one day off alcohol can make a positive difference to your health. People find building in regular alcohol-free days is a good way to take greater control of their lives. 

My Extra Gain Calculator quantifies what you get back every time in time and energy for every day you don’t drink.

But let’s be honest with ourselves. Many people, and I was one of them, find moderating always leads to relapses. Which leaves one to wonder …

Is moderation possible?

Research supports why sober curious folk find moderating alcohol far harder than quitting altogether. 

Australian clinical trials show that moderation requires continuous self‑monitoring and impulse control, which alcohol itself impairs. 

A major Australian randomised controlled trial published in The Lancet Public Health — part of The Lancet family of journals, one of the world’s most respected peer‑reviewed medical publishers — found that older and more experienced drinkers attempting to cut back showed higher and more frequent lapses. And abstinence produced faster and more stable reductions in consumption.

A UNSW national trial confirmed that drinkers who followed even structured moderation programs relapsed, and going totally alcohol-free was a better approach.

The Lancet’s global alcohol analyses reinforce that moderation demands constant decision‑making — tracking quantity, timing, and context — and low‑level drinking increases risk, making moderation a super tough route to self improvement.

Many of you will know this from experience. How you planned on just having one or two at the pub and the next morning you’re regretting all those extra tequila shots. How you committed to curb your drinking but you gave yourself a leave pass to uncork that wine bottle during the week because you were having a hard week. How you continually disappoint yourself, committing to reducing your consumption to routinely hurtling down that slippery slope.

Ultimately, you have to ask yourself – how am I best to stop the damage that alcohol is doing in my life?

What benefits will I see in a day when I stop drinking?

Just as any amount of alcohol is now considered bad for you, stopping drinking for a day is going to provide you with an upside. 

If you’ve been a long-term drinker, or just had a big night, after a day of going sober you’ll start to rehydrate, and your blood sugar level will start to rebalance. In all, it takes about 24 hours for your body to get rid of alcohol. If you’ve got a hangover, your head will stop pounding. Oh, my, I feel sick just remembering.

Calculate your time and energy gain from one day of not drinking.

What benefits will I see in a week when I stop drinking?

The first thing I noticed when I stopped drinking was that I slept better. Some people find they have a more disturbed sleep as their body gets accustomed to getting rid of alcohol and the associated toxins from their body. Typically, the body is processing the alcohol right when you need your best sleep in the wee hours.

With more sleep, you’ll start to feel more together, and have more energy. Depending on your level of drinking, your liver - what a forgiving organ (don’t abuse it, though) will start repairing. You will feel better overall too.

What benefits will I see in a month when I stop drinking?

One month is a nice sobriety stint for those who might have spent their adult-life unwittingly, or not, punishing themselves drinking. 

For anyone who has done a Dry July, Octsober or started January alcohol free (pick a month, any month), there’s a sense of achievement. Well done, you - because you’ve proven life goes on, and is better, without alcohol. 

In a few critical periods in my life, I went cold turkey for four to six weeks. I did so because I wanted to be on my A-game. Which was admitting to myself that drinking was a drag on me being my best. Then I started doing Dry Julys, and that was a further perfect cleanser.

Australian researchers say that after a month, you will feel better and your mind will be clearer. 

The health benefits also start to kick in with a reduction in gut, indigestion and inflammation issues. You may find you have lost some weight because most alcohol contains a huge amount of kilojules and sugar, and you often eat rubbish when you are drinking.

Also, with weeks of more restorative sleep you’ll have more energy and feel more confident, and will be more productive.

Estimate that extra productivity on my Energy Gain Calculator.

How much money could I save from stopping drinking?

One of the most pleasant, underrated and surprising benefits of stopping drinking is the money you’ll save.

Like many people, when I gave up drinking I did it for health and personal reasons not to save money. But very quickly I started reaping unexpected financial dividends. 

I liked drinking sparkling wine (we’re talking Aldi prosecco not Moet). And most weeks I’d go out socialising and end up spending additional money on drinks at pubs and bars, sporting and entertainment venues and where drinks were always at premium prices. Factor in those other regular celebrations, and excuses for a celebration or party, and the booze budget, on reflection, was big.

I could spend anything from $50 per week to $100 per week - between $2500 and $5000 per year. And many people fall in that category without even knowing it.

An increasing number of Gen Zs and millennials are pulling back their drinking because they’re more conscious and educated about the health consequences. They’re also more vulnerable at their age to the cost-of-living than previous generations. They love going out but if you consider a cheap cocktail is $15 to $20, going back for a second or a third becomes a splurge. The hangover is not always the biggest regret the next day when the bank account looks dismally flat.

What people spend on booze is going to vary wildly depending on their tastes, and level and frequency of drinking.

It’s not hard to do the maths, though. There’s a bunch of online calculators that will help you gauge the amount you can save. 

Australia’s largest financial comparison website Finder has an easy-to-use calculator for how much money you will save when you stop drinking, a good place to start.

When I gave up alcohol, many people were concerned about my “loss” - as if a close friend had died. But I gained a stack more in energy, productivity and time, and kept more in the bank.

If you save even $1000 a year, you’ll get cost-of-living relief. That amount might cover mortgage interest increases, pay for an energy bill or two, and fund everyday expenses.

On the fun side, you’ll be able to afford a great domestic holiday, pay for some incredible dinners and nights out, or indulge in guilt-free online shopping. Or save for that long-term goal.

To double-down for you, the Barefoot investor Scott Pape said most Australians massively underestimated how much drinking was costing them — financially and in lost opportunity. 

He said people believed they spent “$40 a week” but the real amount was actually $80 to $150 per week (this was my range) once you included weekends, dinners, and “just a couple of drinks”.

By cutting out alcohol, people could free up to $3000 to $5000 per year. Invested over 10 years at 7 per cent, we’re talking $40,000 to $70,000 in missed wealth. Crikey.

He contended Australians were not alcoholic, just bleeding money – caught in a cultural habit that’s costing them a fortune.

Look back and you’ll wonder how you ever did afford an alcohol-fuelled lifestyle.

What are some of the peculiar things that happen when you quit drinking?

The benefits I got from quitting alcohol were more pronounced than I thought they would be, despite reading lots on the subject. A few weird things happened too that I was not expecting.

After a couple of months bunkering down into sobriety, I started having dreams that I was back on the booze. I was out somewhere and then thought, what the heck, I’d have a drink, usually under the pressure of the situation. I woke up initially feeling terrible - suspecting I’d have a hangover and feeling terribly guilty. This would be followed by the immense relief and thankfulness that I was still sober. Perhaps it was my brain’s way of keeping me on the straight and narrow.

Also, about a year after quitting, I began to recall random episodes from my life - all the way back to my late teens - when alcohol was a factor. There were those overtly drunken moments, like combing my air at a housewarming party with a toilet brush. However, I was more shocked by the random recall of when alcohol lurked in the background; when I drank at work and family functions, sporting and social events, and the like. This was part of me acknowledging, I think, that alcohol had been ever present in my life - and while it was present, I wasn’t aways. It took sobriety to kick in to see that clearly.

How do I deal with the social pressure to drink?

Your physical environment and personal willpower are considerations in staying the course when you give up drinking. 

The reality in most communities and situations in an Australian context is that alcohol is going to be around. That is not going to change while alcohol is  legal and society ticks the way it does. 

There are, however, actions you can take to reduce the social pressure to drink.

Many people find that when they initially quit alcohol it’s beneficial to pull-back their exposure to those situations where there will be alcohol until they have their mind in the sober game.

People with significant alcohol-dependency should get professional support to help them re-chart their lives.

Those folk who are not such hardened drinkiners, but who noneless have a heavily booze-oriented lifestyle, may still find it challenging. I know some people find they start to gravitate to new friends groups to avoid the temptation and routine to drink. As brutal as it sounds, it may mean losing some friends (certainly the bad habits) to get the benefits from not drinking, especially if those friends see it as a challenge to get you to break your abstinence. 

The beauty of quitting drinking, as opposed to moderating drinking, is that you’ve got a clear, unequivocal guardrail in place. You know if you are going to the pub with friends you won’t be drinking (I sit on a couple of fire engines), as opposed to those moderating their drinking who must limit themselves to one or two but this can easily get out of hand.

Dealing with social pressure to drink goes back to making that initial plan and being strategic and deliberate in what you do.

What do I tell family, friends and colleagues when I go alcohol free?

I was upfront about my drinking with family, friends and colleagues - but I did have to start thinking about how I explained not drinking and tailoring it to each audience.

You can expect some weird and wonderful responses when you tell people you’ve gone sober. Even if people don’t say it aloud – and some do – they’ll think you’re an alcoholic, desperately sick or pregnant. 

My response was that alcohol did not serve me in any way. There wasn’t one benefit for me, and since I’ve given up alcohol I’ve restored my battery and wished I’d done it decades earlier. I found it hard to moderate my drinking. No, I’m not an alcoholic. No, I don’t have cancer. Yes, I would like the six-pack I had when I was 18 but I’m not pregnant. Any more questions?

In my first year of sobriety, I was quite the evangelist for the alcohol-free life. People were curious, and this prompted questions about their own drinking. I’m pleased to say I’ve even converted people around me.

Some people don’t get it, though. I have family who still get me alcohol for birthdays and Christmas. And those who buy me a beer regardless or offer me drinks.

I have the courage of my convictions and I’m steely when it comes to people trying to push alcohol to me. I don’t bother making excuses, I just say “no, thanks, I don’t drink”.

But I know that for some people it can be awkward until they get their story straight and their new non-drinking habit has formed. The best advice I can give is to consider in advance how you’d handle those situations - in your own inimitable fashion. You shouldn’t be the one feeling awkward to placate others. You’re doing this for self-improvement, and most people will admire you for that.

How do I deal with cravings?

If you have dependency issues get professional support. 

For most other people, dealing with cravings comes down to having a plan. It takes more than willpower:

• Identifing your triggers is critical. What are those times of the week and those situations when you are really gagging for a frothy? 

• Form new habits. I replaced my Friday and Saturday night sparkling wine with mineral water or my new favourite beverage, a non-alcoholic German wheat-beer. When I was tempted, I distracted myself for 10-15 minutes and then was right. 

• Control your environment. I generally don't have alcohol in the house. I don’t like it staring at me from the fridge. And those who do drink around me are respectful of that, and it sits unseen in a drawer elsewhere.

• Put support in place. Keep up your sober confidence by listening to podcasts and reading articles and books on the subjects, and hearing the stories of those treading your same path. Join chat groups. Know that you’re not alone as you fight the temptation to drink. Also, if you do end up drinking again, it’s not a failure.

What if my partner drinks?

In a relationship, you want your partner to be on the same page. You can’t expect them to give up drinking, but you are right to expect them to support your decision. That will look different in each relationship. 

My partner drinks and I don’t have any issue with that aside from me wanting them to enjoy the same benefits as I do. That doesn’t mean I don’t have requirements. I don’t like alcohol prominent in my house. (There are some benefits. As a Stu-Uber, the designated driver, I get kickbacks, including free dinners.)

What works for me may not work for you. Some couples go sober together, although be clear that your decision is about you. 

Some people simply find it too difficult to stay sober if their partner drinks - it’s a deal breaker. And if you greatly value that relationship, what are you going to prioritise? Without knowing your situation, get professional support to help you make the best choices.