Six months ago, I quit drinking. and embarked on a full life reset after quitting alcohol.
After 45 years of being “the guy who could handle his booze,” I dropped it. Cold. No rehab. No AA. No sponsor. Just a decision.
But this isn’t a story about just quitting alcohol.
This is about what happens when you stop just surviving… and finally start living.
What started as a desperate attempt to survive one sober day turned into something I never saw coming: a total transformation from the inside out.
What started as a battle to get through a single day without drinking has become something much bigger:
✅ Over 3 stone down
✅ Clearer skin, deeper sleep, no more brain fog
✅ Daily walks, cold dips, and workouts I actually enjoy
✅ Meals made with intention, not desperation
✅ A mind that’s not hijacked by cravings, guilt, or shame
✅ Purpose: I’d forgotten I was allowed to feel
This is what I call a full life reset after quitting alcohol.
🚫 It Was Never Just About the Booze
We all think the bottle is the problem. It’s not.
The bottle is a symptom. The root?
- Pain
- Disconnection
- Habit loops
- Shitty food
- Zero sleep
- A mind that never switches off
When I quit, I didn’t just remove alcohol. I rebuilt the whole foundation.
I stopped trying to “be good” and started asking:
What would it look like to truly give a f*ck about my body, my mind, and my future?
🔁 Eat. Sleep. Move. Mind.
Here’s exactly what I reset, and how you can do it too:
🥦 EAT – Food as Fuel, Not Filler
Before: microwave meals, takeaways, crisps and pints on the sofa.
After: real food. Cooked by me. Full of colour, fibre, fat, and protein.
No more sugar crashes. No more bloating. No more late-night shame.
I built a 30-Day Reset Meal Plan from scratch:
- Whole foods only
- Paleo-inspired (no processed crap)
- Fasting windows that reset hunger signals
- High-protein meals that fuel movement and mental clarity
🛒 I even wrote a book on it, no fluff, just what worked. Grab your copy here.
😴 SLEEP – The Silent Superpower
Before: 2 am wakeups. Drenched in sweat. Heart racing.
After: 7–8 hours of deep, actual rest.
How? No more late-night booze.
No more scrolling. Magnesium. Routine. Breathwork before bed.
It’s not complicated, it’s just that no one teaches us how to wind down without wine.
I started going to bed with a purpose. To heal. To regenerate.
What difference did it make? Unbelievable.
🚶 MOVE – The Anti-Anxiety Prescription No One Talks About
Before: stuck on the sofa, popping codeine.
After: movement as medicine.
Walks. Cold water. Resistance bands. Gentle yoga.
Army rehab exercises I’d ignored for years.
It wasn’t about six-packs. It was about mobility. Breath. Power.
Every drop of sweat became a signal:
“I’m still here. And I’m getting stronger.”
🧠 MIND – Where the Real War Was
This was the real battle.
You don’t drink for decades because you like the taste.
You drink because you’ve got a mind that’s too loud.
Too many tabs open. Trauma you never faced. Shame you buried. Rage, you swallowed.
So I started the real work:
- Daily meditation
- Quantum visualisation (sober, stronger, pain-free future self)
- Journaling with brutal honesty
- Breathwork to interrupt spirals
- NLP to rewire patterns that kept me stuck
The bottle numbed it. This shit healed it. Like the morning I sat on the riverbank, completely sober, and cried, not from pain, but because I could actually feel peace for the first time in decades. That moment showed me I wasn’t broken, just disconnected. And now, finally, I was plugging back in.
🙋♂️ FAQs – Real Questions from Real People
Q: Did you use a program or app?
No. I created my own system after every other one failed me. I use structure, tools, and mindset. Not meetings or mantras, I don’t believe in.
Q: What do you do when cravings hit?
Cold water. Breath. Movement. I teach all of it in the free 7-day guide. Grab it in the shop or bio.
Q: What was the hardest part?
Facing the emotions I’d drowned for years. But feeling them was the only way I got free.
Q: How long before it got easier?
The first 7 days were brutal. First 30? Rough but transformational. By 3 months, the fog lifted. At 6 months? I don’t recognise the man I was.
Q: What helped most?
Writing it down. Every day. Tracking my meals. Moving my body. And visualising the 57-year-old me who didn’t just survive, but lived with power.
🔗 Ready to Reset? Start Here:
I’ve turned everything I did into guides and tools you can grab right now:
- 💥 Quit Drinking: The First 7 Days – Free guide
- 📘 Quit Drinking: The First 30 Days (Book)
- 🥦 30-Day Reset: Eat Like You Give a F*ck
- ✍️ The Companion Journal
They’re written by someone who’s been there. Not a doctor. Not a guru.
Just a bloke who decided to rewrite his life.
And now I’m here to help you rewrite yours.
🧠 Final Word
If you’re waking up this Monday wondering if you’ve got one more restart in you, you do.
It doesn’t have to be perfect. It doesn’t need a label.
It just needs you, a decision, and the next 24 hours.
Let’s go again.
If you’re ready to do this for real, start with the free 7-day guide. It’s how I did it. You can too.
Ian Callaghan
Founder, Sober Beyond Limits
⚠️ Disclaimer
This post is based on my lived experience. I’m not a doctor or mental health professional. Everything I share is rooted in my personal transformation, and what worked for me may not work for everyone. Always consult a qualified medical professional before making changes to your health or treatment.
#SoberBeyondLimits #FullLifeReset #QuitAlcoholJourney #EatSleepMoveMind #MindsetReset #SoberAfter40
