So, I took up the challenge of going 90 days sober in aid of raising money for young Theo, an incredibly strong young boy who sadly suffers with a rare disease called Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). About 100 boys with DMD are born in the UK each year and there are about 2,500 boys and young men known to be living with the condition in the UK at any one time. For the general population, the risk of having a child with DMD is about one in every 3,500-5,000 male births. DMD is a serious condition that causes progressive muscle weakness. Owing to the lack of the dystrophin protein, muscle fibres break down and are replaced by fibrous and or fatty tissue causing the muscle to weaken gradually.
I set out to complete the challenge solo but managed to entice a few other willing volunteers, and looking back it was such a help having a group of people able to help one and other through the long 3 months.
Due to myself being a complete binge drinker, drinking numerous pints, spirits and shots on a weekend, I knew I had to find a new focus and decided to focus on improving my overall health and fitness. To do this, I enlisted the help of Andy Burton to help script my training plan as well as enlisting the help of a nutritionist to help teach me the relationship between training performance and the food I intake.
The positive effects of the clean eating and the zero alcohol was amazing. The benefits included: better sleep, improved training performance, improved concentration and an overall positive mental health effect. My overall work output increased massively with the ability to work more efficiently without those Monday blues. The challenge overall has taught me the meaning of moderation. Yes, we need to train hard and eat healthily but it is also as important to socialise with friends and family and enjoy that pint or two. Throughout this challenge, I have come to realise that too much of one extreme can have the adverse effect and it’s about finding that moderation and balance that suits you.
