Why I Did Dry January (And What It Taught Me About Health & Momentum) By the Chiropractor in Islignton
Why I Did Dry January (And What It Taught Me About Health & Momentum)
By Angel Chiropractic – 309 Upper Street, Islington, London N1 2TU
As a chiropractor in Islington, I spend my days helping patients improve their movement, reduce back pain, recover from injury and build long-term resilience.
This year, I decided to apply that same principle to myself.
On 2nd January, I stood in my kitchen looking at a half-open bottle of red wine and thought:
“Does this really matter?”
I’m active. I train regularly. I run a busy health clinic in Islington. I’m not a heavy drinker. Roughly a bottle of wine a week and a couple of Guinness doesn’t sound excessive.
But I also knew something else.
The habit had become automatic.
Wine with a film.
Wine with the football.
Wine with crisps or nuts.
Nothing dramatic. Just routine.
So I committed to Dry January.
Then extended it into February.
And now I’m still going in March.
Not because I have to — but because I feel better.
It Wasn’t Just About Alcohol
When people search for a chiropractor in Islington, they’re often focused on back pain, neck pain, posture issues or sports injuries.
But overall health matters.
Alcohol wasn’t the only variable. The associated habits mattered too:
Evening snacking
Late caffeine intake
Reduced sleep quality
Lower recovery capacity
Small behaviours stack up.
The Diet Changes I Made
If you’re exercising more and aiming to lose weight, you must adjust your nutrition accordingly.
Here’s what changed:
No chocolate
Reduced coffee intake (5–6 cups per day was normal — now down to 2)
Increased water intake significantly
Reduced carbohydrates on non-training days
Increased protein intake
The increase in protein was deliberate. When losing weight, I don’t want to lose muscle tone. Maintaining muscle mass is essential for posture, spinal stability and injury prevention — things we work on daily in clinic.
Protein also increases satiety. It keeps you fuller for longer compared to higher carbohydrate meals.
Hydration has also made a noticeable difference to energy levels and training output.
What I’ve Noticed
More Energy
Mornings feel clearer. Clinic days feel sharper. There’s less afternoon dip.
Better Sleep
Improved sleep has been one of the biggest changes. Sleep quality directly affects recovery, inflammation levels and even how we perceive pain — something I discuss frequently with patients experiencing back pain in Islington.
5kg Weight Loss
So far, I’ve lost 5kg and feel leaner and stronger.
Reduced Blood Pressure
My blood pressure wasn’t high before, but it has still reduced. Even moderate lifestyle adjustments can improve cardiovascular markers.
Weight Loss Is Not Linear (And That’s Normal)
I’ve experienced plateaus.
I weigh myself daily and record it in my phone calendar — not obsessively, but analytically. Body weight fluctuates throughout the day and across the week due to:
Hydration
Sodium intake
Glycogen storage
Training load
Understanding this prevents emotional reactions to short-term fluctuations.
Plateaus are physiology — not failure.
This same principle applies to rehabilitation. When recovering from back pain or a sports injury, progress isn’t perfectly linear either. Consistency wins.
Learning to Sit With Hunger
You cannot run a calorie deficit and expect not to feel hungry.
Hunger is not an emergency.
You don’t need to reflexively eat the moment it appears. You’re not going to starve because you feel hungry for an hour.
I’ve learned to observe it rather than react to it.
Reframing hunger as part of the process makes it manageable — especially when protein intake is adequate.
Replacing the Habit With Structure
I didn’t just remove alcohol — I replaced it with something purposeful.
I built a cycling training plan:
Three structured sessions per week
Social rides at the weekend
Structured movement improves physical resilience, joint stability and spinal health.
As a sports-focused chiropractor in Islington, I consistently see how structured training prevents injury more effectively than sporadic effort.
Spring in Islington: The Perfect Reset
Spring is arriving in Islington.
Blossom is appearing.
Daffodils are out.
The mornings are lighter.
Getting outside on Upper Street, walking through local parks, feeling sunlight and fresh air — it genuinely shifts energy levels and mood.
Natural light exposure regulates circadian rhythm. Movement improves circulation. Both reduce stress load on the body.
After a long winter, that reset matters.
The Bigger Lesson
This hasn’t been about restriction.
It’s been about awareness.
Small, consistent changes compound.
The same principle applies to:
Posture correction
Back pain treatment
Neck pain recovery
Sports injury rehabilitation
Long-term spinal health
If you’re feeling sluggish, stiff or low-energy, sometimes the solution isn’t dramatic — it’s incremental.
Looking for a Chiropractor in Islington?
At Angel Chiropractic, located at 309 Upper Street, Islington, London N1 2TU, we help patients with:
Back pain
Neck pain
Postural issues
Sports injuries
Mobility and performance optimisation
Small changes create big results — if you’re ready to feel stronger, move better and build real resilience this spring, book in at Angel Chiropractic and let’s start.