If You Felt as Good as You Pretend To, You Wouldn’t Be Reading This.
We’ve all done it. That tight-lipped “I’m good” when someone asks how you are, knowing full well that you are actually not feeling that great at all. Getting through the week on caffeine, momentum and mild resentment. Then convincing yourself it’s just what life feels like when you’re busy, successful or getting older (now I’m post 40, I definitely have those moments when I need to remind myself that I’m not 20 anymore!)
But here’s the uncomfortable truth:
Most of us have no idea how good our bodies and brains are designed to feel because we’ve never given them the chance.
I didn’t set out to change everything.
There wasn’t some big breakdown, no shame spiral or rock bottom moment. I’d been here before, got the T-shirt and knew full well what the impact would be. But it had been a year or so, and I knew deep down that my curiosity (and frankly, the slight increase in my belly that had been gently pointed out by my PT @James) was a strong enough reason to stop drinking and take a 30-day reset.
The first week was fine, as I was highly motivated to drive this through to its conclusion. The second week was irritating, and by the third week, I nearly broke my own self-imposed rule. The sun was shining, I was having dinners out and the social pressure was to just go with the flow. But I stuck with it and my body started sending different signals.
Here’s what the data said (thanks to WHOOP):
1. Recovery shot up.
My Heart Rate Variability (HRV) jumped 26% in a single month. HRV is a key marker of how well your body is recovering from stress (physical or mental). Higher HRV = more adaptability, resilience and capacity to perform. A good start…
2. Resting heart rate dropped 12%.
This is often linked to improved cardiovascular fitness and better-quality sleep. Lower resting heart rate means your body is working less hard to do its job, which frees up energy for everything else.
3. Training volume doubled, with less fatigue.
In July, I logged 51 activities (vs 39 in June) and trained for 41 hours, more than double the previous month’s total. Not because I forced it, but because I wanted to move. That’s the difference.
4. Sleep became properly restorative.
REM and deep sleep were consistent. No tossing and turning, I just woke up refreshed instead of groggy even on early starts.
When you stop throwing crap into your body, your body is brilliant at responding positively. When you reduce chronic inflammation and remove even small, recurring stressors (like poor sleep, disrupted circadian rhythm or over-stimulation), your autonomic nervous system recalibrates.
HRV goes up, resting heart rate goes down, cortisol (your stress hormone) levels stabilise and your mood, focus and physical performance all improve, sometimes dramatically
The hardest part wasn’t physical, it was social.
It wasn’t cravings, as I’ve never really craved alcohol. It was expectations, particularly from mates. Friday evenings, sunny Saturdays and mates ordering for the table. That look people give you when you say “not tonight.” I nearly folded a few times, but I didn’t and what I got in return was clarity I hadn’t felt for a while (probably the last time I went alcohol free!) More calm, better sleep, sharper decisions and a quieter mind.
What I took away from this:
– You don’t have to hit a wall for a reset to be worth it.
– “Fine” is often just a polished version of flat.
– And the thing you think is helping you cope… might be the very thing keeping you stuck.
If any of that made you pause, even for a second, you're definitely not the only one. It might be time to find out what your real 100% feels like.
Who knows — you might not want to go back.
If you can think of a friend or colleague who this might help, please share with your network. It might just be the nudge that someone you know needs the most.
What’s one small change that’s made a big difference for you lately?
