By Leo Babauta

Lately I have been eating very few sweets, and not drinking alcohol (for a few months). To be fair, I wasn’t drinking a ton of alcohol before that (maybe a few drinks a week) and while I do have a big sweet tooth, I didn’t have sweets all day long or anything.

The changes have been positive in my life — I don’t think sugar or alcohol are evil or anything, but I don’t really miss them, and I think abstaining has made me healthier. It’s definitely helped me to see I don’t need these substances as crutches to deal with stress or feel enjoyment out of life.

If you’re interested in cutting back on either of these (you don’t have to, of course), I’ll share a few tips:

  • Slow reduction — for me, it really helped to cut sweets down to 1-2 times a week at first. Same for alcohol. It became something I could have, but don’t really do often.

  • Sobriety — someone I care about was going sober (for reasons) … so I decided to join them out of support, and because I think alcohol isn’t very healthy for me. I made a promise to them to stay sober, and that’s really helped me.

  • Losing weight — I’ve been cutting back on calories the last few months, and tracking those calories really shows me that eating sweets is a big chunk of my calorie budget without adding in any nutrients. I decided to prioritize things that actually give me nutrients for the calories, and that has helped me see why sweets were a waste (for me).

  • Cravings happen — it’s true, I sometimes crave having a beer or a cocktail. It’s a temporary craving, and isn’t that big of a deal. I just let myself crave for a couple minutes, and then move on.

  • Dealing with stress — I used to use sweets or alcohol as coping mechanisms for stress. Now I use breathing, stretching and exercise. So much better!

  • Pleasure in life — for me, sweets and alcohol were ways to enjoy life … but I realized that there are so many other ways to get pleasure out of life! I read, I spend time with others, I exercise, I enjoy nature, I play, I reflect on the wonders all around me.

I hope these help!