“Giving up alcohol has made me slimmer, means I actually remember the fun I’ve had and has done wonders for my sex life. What’s not to love?” by Suzy Bashford

“What’s your secret?” I asked — and her answer floored me

This was the question I blurted out to my friend Sarah while we were out mountain biking in the Cairngorms. I hadn’t seen her for a while and she looked unbelievably good — glowing skin, sparkling eyes, riding every bump like she’d been born on a trail.

Meanwhile, I was struggling to find my flow… and very aware of the few glasses of red I’d had the night before.

I guessed she must’ve had some big life change. New romance?Unexpected windfall?Some miracle diet?

“No,” she laughed.“I’ve been off the booze for a year — and I’m really feeling the benefits.”

Woah.I didn’t see that coming.

You have to understand: Sarah is a legendary party girl.First on the dance floor, last to bed, always the one dragging everyone out for “just one more.” Our social media history is basically a highlight reel of us clutching giant wine glasses and grinning like we’d escaped from somewhere.

So I had to ask:“Wait… you were dry at my 40th?”

Yep.The 40th where we hiked a mountain in cocktail dresses just to drink champagne at the summit.The 40th where she jumped into the Green Lochan with me because I insisted the fairies demanded it.

“Yep,” she said casually. “Didn’t want to make a big deal of it.”Turns out she’d been quietly dodging drinks — lemonade disguised as gin, discreet wine-tipping, the works — because people’s faces dropped when she said she wasn’t drinking. She felt guilty for “letting down” her role as the unofficial party starter.

Then she told me what changed:

The benefits she rattled off were impossible to ignore:

• Weight loss without effort — no more hangover-induced carb binges • Deep, delicious sleep — the kind you actually wake up refreshed from • Early mornings with energy — even with three kids • Massive anxiety reduction — especially around alcohol-linked cancer risks• Real, clear memories of fun — instead of stressful blanks • And then… the big one:She discovered a whole new level of orgasm

I nearly fell off my bike at that one.Sarah just winked:“Worth it for that alone. You’ll thank me.”

And honestly? She could see she’d hooked me.Because I’m a party girl too — one who often feels the pressure to “perform” socially with the help of a drink in hand. Without that? Unimaginable… or so I thought.

But for once, I felt something new:curiosity.

That’s when I found One Year No Beer

I won’t pretend that by the end of this blog I’ve become an alcohol-free goddess with mountain-bike thighs and enlightened calm.

Nope.Not yet.

My belief that “alcohol = fun” is deeply ingrained.Challenging that is going to take time.

But I do love a challenge — so I’m starting small:OYNB’s 28-day challenge.

A month feels doable. Manageable. A toe in the water.

And who knows?If I look and feel anything like Sarah this time next year…

Well, I’ll be more than chuffed.And I’ve got a funny feeling my husband will be too.

— Suzy Bashford