Duracell Battery in my Back – An OYNB Testimonial

Taking the Challenge – OYNB Hero Story

At 49 (turning 50 in August), I caught myself doing the same ritual every evening — pulling into the supermarket or off-license for my nightly 3–4 bottles of beer.

It never disrupted my work, my responsibilities, or my routine.But my bottle bank told a different story…Let’s just say it looked like I was hosting weekly rugby team socials — alone.

And that bothered me.A lot.

One day, I was listening to the No Meat Athlete podcast (yep — I was vegetarian back then… more on that later) when

I first heard about One Year No Beer.

Lightbulb moment.That same day, while chatting to my fiancée, I blurted out:

“I’m giving up beer for a year.”

Then came several seconds of silence.“Hello? You still there?”

That pause — that stunned reaction — has become a familiar one.But thankfully, my fiancée is 100% behind me.

I’m now on Day 36 — roughly a tenth of the challenge — and honestly, I already know I’ll keep going long after the 365 days are up.

What Happened Next?

We have a holiday booked in August, and for the first time in my adult life, I feel genuinely confident I won’t touch alcohol.

My new evening ritual?Specialty teas from around the world — my new “elixirs”.

And I’ve thrown myself into Ashtanga yoga, practicing four times a week.The physical and mental strength I’m gaining has pushed me toward a change that had been tugging at me for years…

I’ve become fully vegan. No half measures — the same mindset shift that helped me step away from alcohol opened the door to transform my entire lifestyle.

A New Way of Living

Every morning, I wake up with a clearer head, a spring in my step, and what feels like a Duracell battery in my back.

This challenge hasn’t just removed alcohol —it’s added energy, clarity, purpose, and momentum.

Thank you, OYNB, for being the catalyst for this transformation.Cheesy or not — this shift has changed everything for me.

Keep going. Keep choosing yourself. Keep motivated.