The 5 Drink Rule

A successful experiment

I originally shared this on Instagram months ago. Since then, lots of folks have reached out to say my story resonated, and they’ve shared their own. Since it’s the 1 year anniversary of this experiment and it’s Dry January, I figured this might be a good time to reshare in a less ephemeral format.

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At the start of 2025, in a flash of inspiration and gumption, I decided to institute a 5 drink rule.

Not per month.

TOTAL.

For the whole year.

That experiment completely changed my relationship to alcohol.

The story before the story

A couple of years ago, my A1C tipped .1 point into the prediabetes range and it FREAKED me out. I’m young! I’m an athlete! I live in LA! I meditate!

Turns out it’s not that uncommon to be prediabetic, but I was totally shocked, indignant, and concerned. In the end, it was - of course - a gift. An opportunity.

I had never in my life paid attention to what I ate or drank. Thank you, thank you, youth and genetics and all the rest. But it was time.

But I felt SUCH resistance to changing my diet, one of the main paths back to a healthy A1C for me.

The narrative went something like this: I love to travel and enjoy beautifully and deliciously crafted meals and clever drinks. I’m a smart, capable, independent, free woman. No one (not even me?!) can tell me what to do!

What got me over the self care hump?

• Clear and actionable guidance from my doctor

• Sharing with friends who identified and sent me resources

• Coming to terms with my evolving, aging body and its current needs

• Knowing I had agency to make changes that could set me on the right course

• Eventually, the curiosity and excitement of a new challenge

My doctor (a mom of 2 who’s the exact same age as I am!) wasn’t didactic or harsh. Given what she knew about my diet and activity, she suggested I cut out white carbs and processed foods (God, I loved those frozen meals from Trader Joe’s), eat as much homemade food as possible, and be “good” 80% of the time - because “you still have to enjoy life” (amen!).

Enter, alcohol

Limiting alcohol intake wasn’t specifically recommended for me, but it felt like a natural addition to my new, healthier regimen.

And when I was honest with myself, which the A1C results forced me to be, I had stopped feeling decent after drinking alcohol (even one drink) a long time ago, and I often regretted it because of the hangover and what it stopped me from doing (exercising, getting up early, being a patient parent, feeling alive!). The times when a crappy, room temp white wine at the buffet table of an event was the culprit? Insult to injury.

I didn’t need to stop drinking entirely. I love a funky orange wine. The more barnyard-y the better. I appreciate a swig of smokey whiskey while listening to the sound of a jazz record crackle.

I did need an “is it worth it” filter.

Why 5 drinks all year? Not 7, 9, 12? Because I can be impulsive when a hit of creative genius strikes, and that’s the number that came to me first. Because I knew it would make me really pause and think - do I want to use up this one?

How it went

I had 4 drinks by springtime and, because I make the rules, I gave myself a pass on my 40th bday in May (but only ended up having a couple of drinks - natural wine, of course).

To be honest, I don’t remember when my official 5th drink was, and I know I probably had closer to 7, 8, or 9 in 2025.

But the experiment totally worked.

It broke my “sure, why not” instinct and habit. It centered quality and context. It gave equal attention to my mind and my body. I also discovered some interesting, actionable patterns.

My first drink of the year was a negroni at Sam First, our fave tiny jazz listening room in LA. I learned that drinking is very vibe-induced for me. I walked into the dark, sexy, moody club on date night and it just felt totally on point to have a boozy drink in my hand. I realized there’s no really great NA replacement for a truly boozy drink - so when the atmosphere calls for that kind of a cocktail, I can either get one or find a totally different replacement and not try to approximate it. Was this one worth it? It felt right for the scene, it tasted fantastic, but I felt dehydrated halfway through the drink and didn’t even finish it.

My second and third drinks of the year taught me that I often feel like I should be drinking on a special occasion. Not as in pressured to do so by anyone, but like celebratory events go hand-in-hand with alcohol, like it marks the accomplishment or something.

I ended up having a so-so, warm cava at a dinner in Curacao for a friend’s birthday and it was not worth it! I would have been better off with a regular bubbly water with lime and a super tasty dessert. At another friend’s bday celebration in Sayulita, someone passed me a Corona as soon as we arrived and I grabbed it without thinking twice. Vibe, occasion…but as soon as it touched my lips I realized and then just put it down!

I can do that now - start to have a drink, then change my mind, and put it down.

What now?

I rarely crave a drink these days, and when we’re in a scenario where I might truly enjoy one, my default is to order a seltzer or look for the NA drinks on the menu (there are more and more now in LA, which is helpful), or just have a sip or two of my husband’s drink and have that be enough.

When we have friends over, we offer Athletic beers and lots of seltzer flavors and maybe a bottle of wine someone else has gifted to us or a funky bottle I’ve picked up from a bougie corner store and I’ll want a couple sips of.

Also: gummies rule.

Last year, I learned so many lessons about aging, mental and physical health, acceptance and resistance, creativity, confidence, flexibility, and change.

This year, I don’t have any rules, just a new normal. One that feels great.

What about you?

What’s your relationship with alcohol? What do you want it to be?

Have any questions for me? Happy to share notes. Open book.

P.S.

6 months after my elevated A1C result, I’m super proud to say that I managed to return to a safe and healthy range. I felt triumphant, empowered, and strong.

In Human Design, I’m a Generator. Even though I’m an ideas machine and I love to build from scratch, my natural strategy is to respond. To encounter stimuli, check in with my gut, and then proceed. I’m grateful for the test results I got and the invitation to consider new information and act accordingly. I’m also a connector at heart - when I reached out to my doctor and friends about how to address this issue, it motivated me, made me feel less alone, and gave me tangible next steps to try on. Once I’m on board, I’m also flexible and open to change - I’ve hopped from career to career and adventure to adventure, and this ended up being no different. When I discover something new, and I get into it, all I want to do is evangelize and share what I’m experiencing so others can benefit from what I’ve learned.

In that spirit, if any of this story resonates with you and you inspired to transform, I’m here to share what I know and to cheer you on.