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- Under the hood: A look back at the benefits of Dry January
Under the hood: A look back at the benefits of Dry January
Plus how to literally walk away from cravings and Laird Hamilton


What’s up team,
We are super excited for this weeks edition of Zero Proof! It’s awesome to see the community growth and how engaged you all are. 2 newsletters down. 3rd is here.
Keep on clicking those polls, dropping us comments, and keep on sharing that subscribe link with the homies!
We love reading all your feedback and implementing it into Zero Proof.
Enjoy round 3! And as always, don’t borrow from tomorrow.
-Billy & Connor
Next week, we're excited to kick off our new campaign, #proofersinthewild
Share a quick blurb, link, or photo of your favorite activities and alcohol-free hacks with [email protected] or use the campaign’s #hashtag on Instagram for a chance to be featured 📸
Don’t sleep on how helpful your experiences can be as inspo for other people in the community! Selected photos will be showcased in our weekly newsletter 🙌
Here’s what’s on today’s menu:
No Booze News 📈: Under the hood: A look back at the benefits of Dry January
They’re one of us 🤝: Laird Hamilton on how honesty is the best policy
Wait, but why? 🤔: Why do we default to drinks when dating?
Healthy Habit 🌱: Walking away from temptation… literally
Product Spotlight 🛒: Soda is back and cravings are not a crime
Events👨🍳: Add a little spice in your life
Mocktail Maestro 🎵: Country Mixology
No Booze News 📈:
Under the hood: A look back at the benefits of Dry January
Dry January: The challenge of abstaining from alcohol for the first month of the year.
Originally starting in the UK by the charity Alcohol Change UK, Dry January has become a trendy challenge and picking up a lot of buzz in the media and the US.
But hold on, now it’s February. What happened? Was it worth it?!
Well here are some mind blowing stats from people who took part:
71% slept better
67% had more energy
58% lost weight
54% reported better skin
At first your probably saying to yourself “oh yeah well makes sense all those things are better if you drink less” but stop there and take a second thought.
What if you had a pill that could give you just one of those things, let alone all four, and with efficacy rates that high?!
For even more context, let’s look at rough market size estimations are for products trying to solve those problems:
Sleep Aid Medication: $50 - $80 billion
Energy Drinks: $50 - $60 billion
Weight Loss Supplements and Medication: $70 - $100 billion
Skincare Products: $130 - $150 billion
Does that mean not drinking alcohol is just as good if not better than ~$345 billion of modern industry??
Food for thought the next time you want a drink but are feeling crappy!
Sources and further reading:
They’re one of us 🤝:
Laird Hamilton on how his mom’s quote helped him quit alcohol cold turkey

In this weeks feature of #FamousProofersInTheWild we are bringing you Laird Hamilton, someone with an extreme growth mindset. If you've ever heard him speak or read anything about him, you'll notice his relentless drive to find ways to improve, whether it's in fitness, business, health, or any other aspect of life. This is probably why he has become one of the most accomplished surfers of all time.
Part of Laird’s self-improvement journey correlates to the fact that he hasn’t had a drink of alcohol in 15 years. But why?
In an episode on the My First Million podcast, he references a quote that his mom said to him as a kid:
“if you can’t be true to yourself, you can’t be true to anyone else.” He says this is what helped him really start addressing his drinking habits. He realized, “if I say ‘hey, I can stop drinking anytime’ and then the next day I drink, or the next week, or the next month… then I really don’t have a lot of power over it. So then I wanna have some power over it.”
His self examination and willingness to be honest with himself ultimately led him to his decision to not drink anymore.
We are highlighting Laird’s story, not to say “never drink again,” but to instead highlight the power of being honest with yourself.
👇Click the poll below to see where you stack up with other community members 👇
How often do you check in with yourself if you want to drink, before you drink? |
Wait, but why? 🤔:
Why do we default to drinks when dating?

Reality is, there isn’t a one size fits all answer here. However, we can get you pretty dang close by drawing out the key themes and reasons as to why we actually associate drinking with dating.
Celebratory associations: Alcohol is commonly linked to romantic occasions like anniversaries, Valentine's Day, or first dates, forming a mental connection between romance and drinking.
Marketing and media: Movies, TV shows, and ads often depict couples drinking together, reinforcing this association in popular culture.
Social pressure: Some social circles expect drinking as part of dating or socializing, leading to pressure to consume alcohol even if not desired.
Disinhibition: Alcohol lowers inhibitions and anxiety, fostering relaxation and outgoing behavior in social situations, potentially boosting confidence in romantic contexts.
Mood enhancement: Moderate alcohol consumption can briefly elevate mood and reduce stress, perceived as enhancing romantic experiences.
Now, we understand the association between dating and drinking, but do people actually want to drink on date night, or are we just making that assumption in our heads?
Some stats from dating app Flirtini can start to paint the picture for you:
Percentage of people who don’t drink on the first date:
| Percentage of people who would turn down a second date with someone who got drunk on the first one:
|
Our hopes here as you see the data:
You quickly realize not everyone wants to drink on their first date
You can start to feel a bit better that you aren’t the only one who’d rather skip the drinks on the first date
Maybe not totally you, but now you’re starting to think that there are better ways to get to know someone than over drinks
Sources and further reading:
Healthy Habit 🌱:
Walking = endorphins = less cravings

Everyone knows the general benefits of walking, what we bet you didn’t know is that walking can help reduce your cravings.
How? Those same endorphins your body produces while on the go are natural mood boosters that can kick those alcohol cravings to the curb.
So, next time you're feeling the urge to reach for a drink, take a walk instead. No joke, literally did this the other day and it worked.
Don’t take our word for it though… check out how researchers found that after one session of aerobic exercise people showed reduced cravings for alcohol, lower levels of stress, and improvements in mood.
Proofer Products 🛒:
Poppi

This week's Proofer Product comes per the request of one of our very own #ProofersInTheWild from the SF Bay Area. Thanks for sending it our way 👊
As someone who is in the 'I want to drink less' group these days, she has found Poppi to be a great alternative to alcoholic drinks. Specifically, she has has been loving it as a 'healthier substitute for a craving.'
Poppi has created a soda that is, as they say, 'healthy this time.' Not only is Poppi healthy, but they are all about what we are about here at Zero Proof, and that is finding other ways to feed your cravings.
They say it themselves… 'you deserve that mouth-watering swirl of flavors and bubbles without feeling bad about it! Get all the soda feels with 5g sugar and 25 calories, or less, and prebiotics for your gut. Remember: cravings aren’t a crime, people!'
You are going to love the taste, but we think you will love the brand and what they stand for even more! Try this out next time you get that craving for a cold one.
Pro Tip from our Proofer: pour your Poppi in a wine glass and you can trick yourself it’s a spritz!
Suggest a product to be featured on Zero Proof!Let us know about a product you think is perfect for Proofers and we'll give you a shoutout next post |
Event Spotlight 🤣:
Add a little spice in your life
Anyone else tired of ordering Uber Eats, cooking bland meals, and feeling lost in the kitchen? Is your staple meal just not as exciting? Are your kids starting to catch on to the fact that Mommy and Daddy really have the same 5 meals in rotation? Or perhaps, you are looking to scratch that itch to learn something new?
If you find yourself answering yes to any of the above, we have a great booze-free event idea for you this week, and we are confident it will be a load of fun.
Now, we can’t promise you will be the next Betty Crocker or Gordon Ramsay, but we can promise you will pick up some serious skills and get some great meals in your repertoire by attending / signing up for a cooking class hosted by Sur La Table.
Whether you want to learn with friends, take that special someone on a date, or have a solo dolo type of night… Sur La Table has got you covered. They provide options to learn online and cook at home, as well as the ability to go into a physical location. All in all, this is a great way to spend a night learning something new.
We hope you enjoy!
Suggest an event to be featured on Zero Proof!Let us know about an event you think is perfect for Proofers and we'll give you a shoutout next post |
Mocktail Maestro 🎵:
Country Mixology: A little yeeehaww mixed with a beat drawppp
👇Click on the playlist below for this week’s jams 👇
What did you think of today's edition? |
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