7 Strategies to Rethink Your Relationship With Alcohol
Your relationship with alcohol and perimenopause symptoms may be more connected than you think. Here's what to do about it this summer, on this episode of the Get Sculpted podcast.
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Most women in their 30s and 40s haven't sat down and actually examined their relationship with alcohol. It's just always been there, woven into the weekends, the celebrations, the wind-down glass after a hard day, the cottage, the patio, the barbecue. Nobody ever said, "Stop and ask yourself if this is still working." So most women never did.
Coaches Marilynn, Tijana, and Jordanna are asking that question in this episode, and they're not coming at it with judgment or an anti-alcohol agenda. They want you to look at what's really happening in your body when you drink in your 30s and beyond, whether the pattern you're in is one you chose or one you just fell into, and what it looks like to get through a full summer social calendar without your goals quietly paying the price.
Here's what we cover:
Why your relationship with alcohol looks different in perimenopause than it did in your 30s, including how drinking now elevates estrogen, disrupts cortisol regulation, and worsens hot flashes and night sweats
What alcohol does to sleep quality, even at one or two drinks, and why the overnight window matters so much for hormone reset and muscle repair in women over 40
How alcohol affects fat loss, because the calories are only part of it, and fat oxidation halts completely while your body is busy clearing alcohol as a toxin
The 24 to 48 hour window after drinking, where muscle recovery is meaningfully impaired, and what that actually costs someone who's putting in real work at the gym
The 1.0 versus 2.0 framework Jordanna walks through, and why most women have never consciously chosen their drinking habits, they inherited them and kept going
How to hold your ground at summer events without over-explaining, making it weird, or sitting the whole season out
A seven-strategy summer playbook: the pre-decision rule, non-alcoholic swaps, social scripts that don't invite debate, the every-other rotation, cutoff times, the Sunday morning audit, and the ally approach
This episode is for the woman who keeps waking up in the morning after having a few drinks, thinking she doesn't want to feel this way anymore, but hasn't figured out how to change the pattern without blowing up her social life. For the woman who suspects alcohol is costing her more than she's been willing to look at directly. For anyone who has been reaching for a drink out of habit rather than choice, and is starting to wonder what an actual choice would feel like.
"When was the last time you actually sat down and examined your relationship with alcohol?" — Coach Jordanna
If you want support working through this, not alone in a summer full of patios and barbecues, fill out an application at getsculpted.ca/contact.
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More about the Get Sculpted Podcast
Welcome to Get Sculpted, the podcast for women who want to gain muscle and lose belly fat, improve their metabolism, and create real results using science-based fat loss strategies and practical coaching.
We go beyond quick fixes and fad diets to give you sustainable fat loss, strength training for weight loss, and fitness tips for women who want results without burning out. You’ll learn how lifting weights supports fat loss, how to train smarter instead of longer, and how to build habits that fit your lifestyle. Think less about guessing, more about clarity, and about progress you can maintain.
Whether you’re getting started or focused on building muscle after 30, this podcast gives women the tools to lose fat, gain muscle, and feel stronger, without relying on endless cardio or restrictive plans. We emphasize fat loss without cardio extremes, so you can train with confidence and consistency.
We’re your hosts, Jordanna, Marilynn, and Tijana, fitness professionals with over 20 years of combined experience and 1,000+ client transformations. With a strong focus on helping women 30 and older, we specialize in strength training, improving metabolism, and weight training for sustainable, realistic weight loss.
We’ll cover questions like:
Can you build muscle and lose belly fat at the same time?
How does strength training support weight loss?
What’s the best way to lose fat without losing muscle?
What’s the best way to lose fat without relying on cardio?
How can lifting weights improve my metabolism?
Why am I not losing weight even though I’m working out and eating healthy?
How can I stop yo-yo dieting for good?
If you’ve been searching for sustainable fat loss, women’s nutrition, and weight training that actually works, you’re in the right place. Join us every week for practical guidance, honest conversations, and tools to sculpt a stronger body and a more confident life.
Connect with us on Instagram at @getsculted.ca
The unedited podcast transcript for this episode of the Get Sculpted podcast follows:
Marilynn [00:00:23]: It was the worst. It was cold, it was long. So all of a sudden, as the weather gets nicer, your calendar starts to fill up, right? You've got patio hangs, barbecues, pool days. You might even have cottage weekends. And what happens? The wine and the cocktails start a flowing. You know, you might be somewhere and pour your first glass, not thinking much about it, and then your host pours a second, and before you know it, you are like four or five, six drinks deep, because everybody's doing it. Yeah, but then what happens is the next morning you wake up and you feel like garbage. You feel the brain fog, lethargy.
Marilynn [00:00:59]: You might even feel headache, or God forbid, you have a hangover and you're totally sick. And somewhere in the back of your mind you start thinking, oh, my God, like, is this really a good idea? Like, do I really want to feel like this? Because it's the worst. But then the next weekend comes and you're back at it. So today we are sitting with a bit of a difficult question that we want you to reflect on honestly what you're doing when it comes to alcohol. We want you to think, is this still working for you, for the woman that you are becoming Now, I want to kind of say this right off the hop. We're not judging. This isn't about judgment. It's not an anti alcohol rant.
Marilynn [00:01:31]: You are a grown woman. You can drink whatever you want, wherever you want. But the question we're asking is whether this relationship you have with alcohol is still serving you or whether it is a default you just fall into because you've never paused to examine it. So today we want to chat through a few things. First, what alcohol is actually doing to your body, especially if you're a woman over 35, 40. We're going to talk about, you know, if alcohol is still in alignment with who you are becoming or you want to become. And then, as always, we want to give you some actionable strategies to help you, because we know that you are in the thick of patio, barbecue, pool season and all of that. And we don't want you to abandon your goals or your social life.
Marilynn [00:02:07]: So let's kick it off with you, Tee. What are the facts? What is alcohol actually doing to our body?
What Alcohol Actually Does to Your Body in Perimenopause
Alcohol and Hormones
Tijana [00:02:13]: All right, we love to start with the facts because we want to actually see, like, what's happening. It's not about the, do I want to drink this morally. It's like making that decision based on facts and not feelings, as well as as what aligns with your lifestyle. So here's the reality. The metabolism of alcohol actually changes as we age. So the interesting thing is, we've all heard that, like, your muscle mass declines as you get older, and a lot of that is lifestyle related, for sure. But also, like, your body just operates different, so your liver function declines as well. If your body composition does shift, meaning if you are losing muscle and you have less water in your body, alcohol actually clears more slowly.Tijana [00:02:47]: So this is kind of a Captain Obvious moment for a lot of ladies listening. But the two glasses of wine that used to feel like nothing now are hitting you harder, and the after effects are gonna hit you harder as well. And there are hormonal things at play here as well. So hormones are shifting as we age, and that means that when you drink alcohol, it's gonna elevate your estrogen, it's gonna disrupt your cortisol regulation, and. And it's gonna worsen hot flashes and night sweats for women who are already experiencing them in perimenopause and menopause. And by the way, we have these hormonal fluctuations already happening in this life stage. So basically, you're exacerbating it while you're adding alcohol to the mix. So it's gonna amplify some of these symptoms.
Alcohol and Sleep Quality
Tijana [00:03:27]: Sleep. I don't know about you, but when I've drank alcohol before, I have, like, kind of always slept a long time, stayed in bed a long time, but it felt like it was about, like, a quarter of what I've slept.Marilynn [00:03:36]: Right, Right.
Jordanna [00:03:37]: Yeah, definitely.
Tijana [00:03:38]: The reason is even just one or two drinks, especially as you get older, is enough to meaningfully disrupt that REM deep sleep. So that deep restorative sleep that we get. And these are the exact stages of sleep that women need, especially over 40, for recovery and for optimal hormone function. Because sleep is when the body is kind of, like, resetting itself. Everything is, like, repairing, and you're building that muscle, and that's when the process of, like, recovery actually happens. And it's not happening if your sleep is disrupted.
Marilynn [00:04:05]: Mm.
Tijana [00:04:06]: Which means, like, when you're drinking, it is disrupted. So you might fall asleep faster, and it might kind of, like, knock you out. But the quality is not gonna be great. It's gonna be significantly worse, which is not what you want. This one I care about the most, your muscle protein synthesis. We'll talk about the fat as well, but a lot of people don't think it actually does disrupt your ability to repair. So, you know, like we talked about the sleep, it disrupts that, but it also impairs the body to build and repair muscle for up to 24 to 48 hours after drinking. So every drink is like a tax on the work you're doing in the gym.
Tijana [00:04:40]: You're paying interest for that drinking that you did. And I know, you know, I always prided myself in like, well, I work hard and I play hard. So, like after a night of drinking, I've done a lot of things. I've done like a 7am yoga class. I've many times when I was a lot younger, I've gone to work all day long after. Oh yeah, before, I partied all night and gone and worked out and been like, yeah, I still showed up. And I'm like, oh, God. Like, it's just, you're fatiguing your body and fatiguing it more.
Alcohol and Fat Loss
Tijana [00:05:04]: So it's not just about showing up. It's about showing up like you are there to get better. And that means, like, not, you know, depleting yourself from drinking. Another one is the fat metabolism. It's not just the calories. And newsflash, you're drinking a lot more calories than you think. Probably too. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I've done the math before and it's like, I know, like in my heyday, a bottle of wine plus more whatever is normal and a bottle of wine is, I don't know, probably like a thousand calories.Tijana [00:05:32]: That's a lot. So if you're doing that a few times a week, you're going to be easily gaining a pound a week or more of body fat. But it's not just that. It's also like when you're digesting and when your body's metabolizing alcohol, that's its first priority. Because it's a toxin, your body wants to clear it, and then fat oxidation halts. And then that's where you're going to store more body fat. Because it's like, okay, let's put a halt on all this. It's like, you know, when you're.
Tijana [00:05:56]: I'm thinking about like, you know when you have your printer and you give it a bunch of jobs and it's like, okay, these are going to wait and I'm going to do this one.
Jordanna [00:06:01]: Yeah, that's exactly it. It's getting rid of the most toxic thing first. It's like, yes, we don't want this, so we're getting rid of it.
Tijana [00:06:08]: It's like, no, no, no. I want those print jobs done. No, sorry, I prioritize this one first. So no, you don't want that. Storing more body fat and the calories, of course that's going to all add up. And your cortisol, your stress hormone, anything you're doing. Like, your body perceives stress as stress, so drinking, metabolizing all this alcohol, I'm sure you had a fun time when you were out, but it is stressful for your body to break it down. So it is a perceived stress.
Tijana [00:06:32]: And that relaxing glass of wine that you had, now your body's paying it back with tax because your stress hormones are elevated. And the next day, for me, like, this was the worst day. The anxiety alone was a deterrent, but it was the. The nausea and then the cravings. It's like your inhibitions are completely gone. You're like, I need to make it through today. Whatever has carbs in it. Like, it was always like, noodles and pasta.
Jordanna [00:06:56]: Yeah.
Tijana [00:06:56]: Grilled sauce. Oh, my God.
Jordanna [00:06:57]: I used to call it. I had a case of the stupid.
Marilynn [00:06:59]: Oh, my God.
Jordanna [00:07:00]: Because it's like decision making was so poor. You're hungry, you're tired. You don't want to do anything that requires real energy.
Tijana [00:07:08]: Absolutely.
Marilynn [00:07:09]: Blueberry bagels. That was my thing. I don't know why I know. I'm not joking. Tim Hortons blueberry bagels. I would eat like three of them.
Tijana [00:07:17]: Oh, my God. I'm just thinking, the last time I was hungover, I ate a bagel. Like, the last time I was ever hungover.
Marilynn [00:07:21]: Yeah. Telling you, bagels are great.
Tijana [00:07:23]: Yeah. It just. It has this feeling. It's funny, cuz as you said that it brought me back. And, yeah, I don't want to feel that way. So you're not just having the one drink or two drinks. You're still paying it for the next 48 hours.
Marilynn [00:07:32]: Definitely.
Tijana [00:07:33]: And this is the pattern that a lot of women miss. And. And by the way, I just want to add something. This is going to be more amplified. I'm sorry, but if you're more petite, it just does have more of an effect on you.
Jordanna [00:07:42]: Yeah.
Tijana [00:07:42]: Jordana's like, hell, yeah. Petite ladies.
Jordanna [00:07:45]: Five, two, and yeah, I can't drink. I never could have a high tolerance,
Tijana [00:07:49]: but absolutely it's going to show up in your body. You're going to feel the effects. It's just.
Marilynn [00:07:53]: Yeah.
Tijana [00:07:54]: You know, a couple times a week. It sounds harmless. This is how I thought of it, too. Right. And it wasn't even the effects of my physique. It was like a couple times. It was like I was negotiating with myself. It was like, okay, on one hand, I'm saying I want to be my best self ever.
Tijana [00:08:06]: But on the same sentence, I'm like. But also, like, I'll get totally wasted. Like, just appearing there and just, you know, the next day's a ride. Like, those things can't go hand in hand. So it's also like, do you want to feel those physical effects? We want you to sit with that for a bit. So this is actually a good segue. Jord, talk to us about, like, your 1.0, which is with the drinking, maybe, and then the 2.0. What is in alignment?
Examining Your Relationship With Alcohol: The 1.0 vs 2.0 Framework
Jordanna [00:08:27]: I love that. And, Mayor, you said something at the beginning of the episode that was like, when was the last time you actually sat down and examined your relationship with alcohol? And I don't know if many women have. It's just been there since, you know, as early as your teen years, you know, like, when people started drinking underage and all of that stuff happened, happening. At least that's what was happening when I was growing up. And somewhere along the way, like, we just never reconsidered it. We just went along for the ride and it just was what it was. So it became like a default, and we never came back to reassess it unless there was a reason to not drink. Like, you're pregnant or you're on certain medication or something like that.Jordanna [00:09:07]: Yeah, like an acceptable reason to say no. And so it's like, we want to have you consider for yourself, like, where is the pattern when this shows up? And some of the ones we hear most often are, I want a glass of wine to wind down at the end of the day. Or, you know, it's how I kick off my weekend. You know, how can you go to a wedding and not have a glass of wine? Or go to a birthday. You've earned the drink after a hard week or going on vacation equals drinking and alcohol. It's a big one. All celebrations equal alcohol or toast. You know, a hard day or a good day equals a drink.
Jordanna [00:09:44]: You could use any celebration, like birthdays, weddings, baby showers, barbecues, beach day, all of it. And so every emotion, every event, every transition is somehow tied to alcohol. And it's become the default instead of the choice. And so the difference between your 1.0 self and your 2.0 self, the 1.0. She drinks because that's what she's always done. That's what her social circle does. Maybe she doesn't even want it, but she's just reaching for it because it's worth it. It's woven into her stress regulation, her reward system, her social identity and traditions that she's built out over time.
Jordanna [00:10:24]: And it's not even an element of like, oh, do I want that? It's just part of what happens. And so, you know, that's where we really want to start to step back and assess as you are building out your 2.0 self. We're not saying don't drink. We're saying, maybe it's not needed in every scenario or how much you drink might need to be reexamined in order to build the life and the body and the identity that you're really trying to go after.
Tijana [00:10:53]: Yeah.
Tijana [00:10:55]: I was just going to say, like, it's just opening up the conversation in your mind. And I think that was my first step, is like, I know I can speak to this more, but when I went sober, these are exact things that I was thinking of. It's like, but I always drink at weddings. But it's a wedding. But what about my wedding one day? What about this? What about, but I can't possibly. And then when I planted that seed in my head, that was like, what if I could? What if I did? And then it was almost like, you know, all these people that I look up to who don't drink, Like, I used to think, oh, they're in a different stratosphere than me. But, like, why? It's like, with fitness. Like, why can't I just do that? And then I did.
Marilynn [00:11:24]: That's right. Why not you?
Tijana [00:11:26]: Yeah.
Jordanna [00:11:26]: Yeah. And for me, like, it's only been about a year and a half since I stopped drinking entirely. But when I was opening up that conversation for myself, it was like the consideration set was, I drink so infrequently, I'm already saying no most of the time. Like, how do I feel? The next day, it was so brutal. Like, I just was getting sicker and sicker from even just one glass of wine that it didn't feel good anymore, even the handful of times that I did throughout the year. So it became, like, a very obvious response. And I think that that also happens with our clients so often, too. Like, how many times have you heard, like a non negotiable for me is a couple glasses of wine on a Friday night.
Jordanna [00:12:05]: Like, I just have to have this as part of my plan. And you're like, okay, well we can start there and see what happens. And almost every single time they eventually get to the question of like, is this still for me?
Tijana [00:12:16]: They have to come to that.
Jordanna [00:12:17]: They have to come to that. Right?
Tijana [00:12:19]: Because we have our thoughts, but they have to come to it.
Marilynn [00:12:21]: But it takes doing it different though, right? You're never going to have those thoughts if you just continually do what you always did. And Jordan, I'm like, you, Like, I didn't really drink a lot. I wouldn't say I was a big drinker, but I was the like, events person or like, you know, to have a good time at if I was going to something bigger socially. But I just remember July 2014 was the last time I had even a sip of alcohol. And I just remember thinking, like, the next day does suck. And. And I remember the one time I was like, okay, I'm not going to. Because when you're that person, you commiserate with everybody.
Marilynn [00:12:51]: You're like, oh, yeah, that sucks to be hungover. But when you're the person who isn't feeling that, you kind of look around and you're like, I don't want to feel like that.
Jordanna [00:12:59]: Yeah. So for me, like, I'm opting out.
Marilynn [00:13:01]: For me, it was easy. I honestly weighed the pros and cons and I was like, I don't want to feel like that. It is not worth it to me to have a couple of hours of, like, so much fun. I can have other fun. And it opened me up in so many different ways because I show up so differently now at events because I'm not focused on, like, the drink. I'm there for the company, the experience. And guess what? I remember it the next day, so it's much more wonderful.
Jordanna [00:13:25]: I was just going to say that, like, your level of presence is at a different spot because you're paying attention better. You're not like, fuzzy, like, the conversation can get deeper and you're actually. For me, I decoupled fun.
Marilynn [00:13:37]: Yes.
Jordanna [00:13:37]: Association to alcohol to be like, there is still a lot of fun without the alcohol. And so, like your 2.0 self is examining whether alcohol still serves the purpose that it did before. Ask yourself, why are you reaching for this? Do I actually want it? And is it worth what it costs me? Like, we already covered what's happening to the body. Like, is that something you're willing to trade off right now, right? Maybe us, maybe no. And the other part is like, we don't want to moralize about it.
Marilynn [00:14:06]: No.
Jordanna [00:14:06]: So we don't want to be on Autopilot either. Your 2.0 self, like, she's coming at it very level headed. And sometimes the answer might be yes for you, and sometimes it might be no. And when it is a no, it's just a firm no. And when it's a yes, it's not a reflex. It was a conscious choice. And so the anchor here that you want to be coming back to is the 1.0 version of you she drank because she always has, and the 2.0 version of you drinks because she wants to with an specific intention. And it's a decision in the moment.
Jordanna [00:14:38]: And so the hard part to sit with for a lot of women is like the social lives, the friendships, the traditions, the weekend rhythms, they were built around alcohol. And so examining your relationship with it can feel a little bit, you know, even threatening because it raises questions about all of that. Like, would it affect my friendships? Would it affect like the traditions that we have? Like, what does this mean if I am not the one drinking? Are saying no. And it does give you an opportunity to assess all of that. But I would challenge the notion that like, your fears are, you know, not really based in reality here. Like 99% of the time you are going to be just fine and you're going to have just as much fun. And maybe the first one or two times might feel weird, but at the end of the day you're going to feel better, you're going to be happier with your decisions.
How to Socialize Without Drinking: Handling Social Pressure
Marilynn [00:15:27]: And sorry, I just want to interject, Often when you make the choice not to have alcohol, if you have a friend group that is pressuring you, you have to ask yourself a questions, like, if they're my friends, like, why would they do that? Like if I kind of came up firmly to you girls and said, you know what, I'm not drinking tonight, you might say, oh, that's too bad, but you wouldn't question me, like with the intention of trying to sway me in a different direction. So I do want you to like, think about, for all of you listening, like, if they're your friends, I know this sounds like you're talking to a little kid, but if they're your friends, they wouldn't do that, number one. And I also think, like, you need to challenge the norm because otherwise you are just doing it for the sake of other people. But at the end of the day you're the one who's going to suffer.Jordanna [00:16:02]: And is your best self a follower? No.
Marilynn [00:16:04]: Right.
Tijana [00:16:05]: Well, yeah, I want to a little tidbit too, because I've talked to a lot of my clients who've opened up to me about this, which is like, it is hard because if your activities with your friends are primarily focused on partying, for me, it's not helpful to say, like, just carry on and do the same thing. Like, the reality is a lot of them, it's like when you're in the partying lifestyle, you're not interested in doing yoga or like walking or whatever. Like, and that was kind of hard cuz in your mind you're kind of grieving that you're like, but, oh, let's do this with this friend. It's like, are you fitting a square peg in round hole? Like, I'm not saying abandon your friends, but like, it's also maybe like you see them less frequently by nature and you connect with friends. Like, I've connected with a lot of friends who I hadn't talked to or hung out with as much or like, made new friends where it's like, we're more aligned and it's just the season of life that you're in. Just like when you have kids, it's like you just might naturally kind of be with people in the same life. Season doesn't mean you don't love your other friends. It's just like, I think giving yourself permission for that.
Tijana [00:16:54]: And it doesn't mean that you're overhauling your life, but you will be making changes. And that can be the part that feels overwhelming.
Jordanna [00:17:01]: Yeah.
Tijana [00:17:01]: But now that I have made it through that other side, like, I am that person that I never thought I'd be, which is like, fun without alcohol. Which sounds weird because I only knew how to have fun one way. But then you learn a different way and you're like, exactly, I am having fun. Look at me. Like, it's not all boring.
Marilynn [00:17:16]: No.
Jordanna [00:17:16]: And if you're sitting back realizing, like, as you're listening to this, like, oh my gosh, I have been on autopilot with alcohol for years. I have never even looked at any of these questions. We're just blowing your mind right now. This is something that we can help you work through. We do this with our clients very often because examining your relationship with alcohol in a circle of drinkers, especially in the summer, when every weekend revolves around it, it's really hard to do alone. And so if you want support navigating that Shift and building the systems that, you know, let you enjoy your summer without abandoning your goals. We have applications open@getsculpted CA contact. We can help you figure out what your 2.0 looks like with alcohol, and then we can help you follow through on when the room is pushing back towards you.
Jordanna [00:18:04]: So let us know if you want to have that conversation. We're open to it. And speaking of how to get you through those situations, Mar, can you walk us through, like, the summer playbook? Like, how literally are we going to navigate that for?
The Summer Playbook: 7 Strategies to Stay Social Without Losing Your Health Goals
Marilynn [00:18:18]: Sure. Like we already said, all of this conversation kind of means nothing unless you're ready to apply it to real life. But as we said, we know it can be really daunting. It can be challenging, the status quo. And the summer is harder because we're doing all of these things and we're social again. We're not telling you not to drink. What we're doing is showing you that there is another way to enjoy summer without abandoning your goals and what you want for yourself. And we always use our clients because they're the best example of this.Marilynn [00:18:44]: They don't sit out summer. They don't like, not do the things. They don't actually set out anything. They go to the events, they go to the parties, they do all this stuff. But what they do is they navigate it with intention. And that's what we want for all of you. But there is a mindset shift that has to kind of come with this because like I said, the strategies are only gonna work if you've done this thinking. And that's what this episode is all about.
Marilynn [00:19:05]: You've gotta make a decision for yourself. It sounds like it's kind of like we should know this, but sometimes it's hard to apply. You do not want the people you're with to be deciding for you. Like, I know it's crazy, but, you know, like, would you jump off a cliff if your friends were jumping off a cliff? Like, this is the same thing. You don't have to apologize for your choices either. You don't owe anyone an explanation for what you do or don't do. Like, we are grown ass women. Okay, the other thing, I want you to reframe not drinking.
Marilynn [00:19:33]: It's not deprivation. You're actually making an intentional choice. So let's jump into these strategies because I think they're gonna be super helpful and really applicable to this time of year. So first, the pre decision rule. This is the foundation of how everything goes before you walk into whatever it is. The, the pool Party, the barbecue. You need to decide four things. One, whether or not you're drinking.
Strategy 1: The Pre-Decision Rule
Marilynn [00:19:55]: Two, how many you are going to have if you say yes. Three, what kind of drinks? And four, when are you stopping? Because the people you're with might push you toward more. So you need to have your plan locked in before you arrive. Because with any of this, if you're negotiating in the moment, it is so easy to be overcome by the pressure of the people around you. So ask yourself those four questions and make a firm decision.
Strategy 2: The Non-Alcoholic Option
Marilynn [00:20:28]: The second strategy is the non alcoholic option. There are so many awesome non alcoholic options. There's even non alcoholic options that like, can mimic the taste exactly of alcoholic options. So you know what we encourage you to do is like lean into some of these. If you feel the pressure, have one of these in your hand. Because people rarely ask, like, you know, like, what's in your ass? They may say, what are you drinking? You can just say like, oh, it's like a mojito. Whatever. You don't need to tell them anything that you don't want to tell them. But the non alcoholic option allows you to be present and have that drink without it being alcohol.
Strategy 3: Social Scripts That Don't Invite Debate
Marilynn [00:20:55]: The third one, social scripts that don't invite debate. And this is where I'm saying you've gotta be firm and make decisions for yourself.Jordanna [00:20:55]: Yep. Marilynn [00:20:55]: Keep your responses short. Don't negotiate, don't over explain. I'm not drinking right now. Or I'm good with this. You don't need to defend anything.
Strategy 4: Eat First, Drink Second
Marilynn [00:21:11]: The fourth one is eat first, drink second. Please, please, please. This goes for both food and alcohol do not arrive to events starving. Well, having food first, of course, is gonna make sure that you're not necessarily overindulging when you're there. But in terms of alcohol, having food actually changes the experience. Yeah, it's gonna slow the absorption, reduce how much you want. It will decrease the impact to all the things we talked about, like your sleep and your recovery. And that one tip alone can cut things significantly. It can cut your intake.
Strategy 5: The Every-Other Rotation
Marilynn [00:21:34]: Mm, number five, the every other rotation. So this one works really well. And I've had clients apply this one where they do like one alcoholic drink followed by water or a non alcoholic drink. So again, strategic. It doubles your hydration, reduces alcohol intake, and keeps you in that event with your friends, your family, with a drink in hand.
Strategy 6: The Cutoff Time
Marilynn [00:22:00]: Number six, the cutoff time. Decide your stop time before you go. After that, switch to water or a non alcoholic option. All right. Or maybe it might be like when you depart the event. So have that Cutoff time.
Strategy 7: The Sunday Morning Audit
Marilynn [00:22:16]: Number seven, the Sunday morning audit. This one, it was huge for me. Every Sunday or the day after you drink, check in with yourself about whether you're waking up feeling the way you want to feel. Odds are it's a probably not going to be a yes. Tijana [00:22:13]: You'll probably be like, remember that feeling.Marilynn [00:22:16]: Remember that because that's going to inform or should inform your plan for the next event. Don't you know, say like, oh, I'm never drinking again. And then next weekend, do the exact same thing and do that on repeat. This is data for you and you want to use that data to inform your next decision. And finally, big one. And we found this in each other as well. Find your ally. Tell a friend, even one friend, that you're cutting back or that you, you don't want to have any alcohol.
Marilynn [00:22:41]: You can tell them, even better, you can invite them to do it with you. Doing this is going to help because it's reinforcement.
Tijana [00:22:48]: The right friend, like the one who drinks all the time, they might not be on the same page.
Marilynn [00:22:51]: So that's right. And I always, I love plugging our community, but this is also where having a community of like minded women can help. Like our get sculpted community. It's not to say that our clients don't ever have a drink, but it's allowed them to really examine this and get a little bit more intentional because again, they're seeing other people do the things and it's like, huh, why not me? Yep, I can do that. Right?
Jordanna [00:23:11]: I can do it too.
Marilynn [00:23:12]: Anything else you would add, girls or like any of these worked with your clients? Have you used any of these strategies with anyone?
Jordanna [00:23:17]: I used all of them. In the corporate world, especially like seasonality aside, a lot of people will say like, oh, I'm in a drinking culture at work or I take clients out and we need alcohol. And it's like you need alcohol with clients. Like you're working, you're on the clock. Like, do you. And I was in that culture too, like where, you know, drinks was very prevalent. And all of these can be applied there very, very successfully. And so I would just have you think about, like, as you're listening, it isn't just about the summer.
Jordanna [00:23:48]: It's also what other areas of your life can this be applied to too? And so for my corporate girlies, this is going to be some key gold nuggets for you.
Marilynn [00:23:56]: That is a really, really important point.
Tijana [00:23:58]: Jord, One thing you said that was like a helpful thing that you told the client was that like, imagine you were allergic to these foods. And I think that with the alcohol, because it's funny because if someone is pregnant and working, no one would even think twice on medication. You don't need to give a reason or like, to be honest, I do just say, I don't drink. Everyone's like, no, I don't get pressure anymore because people don't know why. I'm like, I just don't. And then, yeah, they don't even notice. And then honestly, all I think of, and I do challenge my clients on that. It's like you never have to do anything.
Tijana [00:24:25]: Like you're going to operate your best when you're not drinking and they're not going to care. I'm telling you right now, when people are drinking, they're in their own happy land.
Marilynn [00:24:31]: Cool.
Tijana [00:24:32]: Be like, I'm like, yeah, I'm not drinking. You are. You're drinking. Keep socializing, do your thing. Network with those clients. Get that dollar.
Marilynn [00:24:41]: Yeah.
Tijana [00:24:41]: Like you got this.
Marilynn [00:24:43]: Yeah, close that deal.
Tijana [00:24:44]: Yeah, close that deal. That's what I mean. You'll close the deal when you're fresh minded. Better trust me.
Marilynn [00:24:48]: That's right. Exactly. You know, it's funny, like, again, I don't pass judgment on any clients or any woman for that matter who wants to drink. But this is where I'm like, you know, my parents always said I was stubborn and my husband says I'm stubborn. I'm like, but this actually this benefited me because I'm just like, I made the decision no. The answer is no. Like, again, I sympathize. I hold space for it.
Marilynn [00:25:05]: And I do have family and friends who drink. Like, it's not like, you know, nobody does. But for me it's like my decision matters most, period. You know, Like, I don't want to feel that way. I want to feel like this. So my stubbornness has been one of my greatest assets and my decision to not have alcohol because I dare someone to have the conversation with me. Because my question back is, why do you drink? Yeah, why do you like me too? What do you like about? I, I'm just curious. What do you like about it? Like, tell me all the things when
Tijana [00:25:31]: you're secure in your decision, like, it doesn't bother you. You're like, I don't drink, period.
Marilynn [00:25:34]: Precisely. Precisely. Yeah. One last thing before we wrap up is, you know how we're talking about, like creating this awareness for everyone listening to just reflect and be more intentional. You being the non drinker could also be the catalyst or the permission for someone else to make the same move in your life.
Jordanna [00:25:49]: Absolutely.
Marilynn [00:25:50]: Don't always think it's like, oh, it's gonna shine a spotlight on me and all the things I'm missing out. Maybe you're the person who's gonna give someone el to be like, you know what? I don't want to do that either.
Tijana [00:25:59]: Absolutely. I love it.
Marilynn [00:26:00]: So what we want you to remember is that alcohol is not the enemy. We are not saying that, but what we are doing is shining a light on the habits that you are falling into just because you're on autopilot. The 1.0 version of you might like to drink because that's what she's always done, but the 2.0 version gets to examine the pattern and ask the question, is this still serving me? Is it in alignment with who I want to be, how I want to feel? And then, you know, those answers dictate how you act accordingly. And this is one of the easiest ways to Upgrade from your 1.0 to your 2.0, because so many habits around drinking, like we highlighted, happen without any thought. But awareness is the first step to any change, because it means you have a real choice. And from that place of real choice, the answer might be yes, it might be no. It might be sometimes, it might be, like us, never again. All of those are legitimate answers, but it is not okay to be on autopilot, especially when your body's paying the price.
Marilynn [00:26:54]: So remember, you don't have to drink at the party. You don't have to drink to be the fun person. You don't have to drink because everyone else is. None of those are rules, even if they feel like that sometimes. And if you, you know, you want to make this shift, but you're not sure how to do it because your social circle, your events, all of that do revolve around alcohol. We're here to help you navigate that. We will help you figure out a plan that serves your 2.0, and that plan is going to be sustainable. So that way you can have a social life and also be aligned with your goals.
Marilynn [00:27:23]: So if you're ready to stop operating on autopilot and start making intentional choices that align with who you're becoming, we have a few coaching spots open up. Fill out an application at GetSculpted CA contact, and let us help you upgrade your relationship with alcohol and everything else that might be keeping you stuck in your 1.0. Thank you so much for listening, and we will chat with you next week on the Get Sculpted podcast.