Monique: no race yet

Well, there I am, with a glass of wine next to me, typing a bit about quitting alcohol for 40 days. It's March 3rd and I'm already looking forward to it. Forty whole days without my glass of wine. A person would get stressed from less. A wise person once told me never to stop abruptly, because of all kinds of health hazards. So I build well. Don't get me wrong: I don't drink for fun, but for my health. So that I can enter the period of total abstinence without danger.

Look, of course I don't just participate. I've been thinking about it. I even prepared myself well: by reading books, watching a documentary and I even followed an online Masterclass on Detangling. And all that really made me wiser. I learned from the documentary that alcohol tolerance has to do with the amount of muscle you have and the amount of fluid. So I don't understand any of that. Because if I do say so myself, I have quite a high alcohol tolerance. But if I do something not am, it is muscular.

But I have to believe it, I think. The fact that a particular supermarket's personalized bonus offers always include wine is perhaps telling. And the fact that the Gall & Gall brochure will also be delivered to my new address is perhaps no coincidence. I do like wine. What also makes me happy – besides wine – is a glass of Grand Marnier with a cube of ice, after dinner. The rest doesn't really interest me – alcohol technically.

Of course it doesn't help that I'm married to someone who owns a wine cellar. So there is always more. Luckily we don't live together. Because sometimes I turn into Caterpillar Never Enough after a few glasses of wine. If the atmosphere is there. When the food is delicious and the wine goes well with it. But to be honest, it's not good. That is why this will also be my second participation in IkPas. Mentally a very good decision. Better for my health too. But still this time (unlike last time) I feel doubt. Because in these 40 days there are a number of bumps in the road in the form of luxurious dinners and a weekend away with friends.

Where do I get the motivation from? One of the motivating reasons for me is that I lost the necessary kilos during my IkPas time last year and that was a pleasant side effect. And what is perhaps the best motivation: I can become a grandmother any moment. And I want – when that redeeming phone call comes – to be able to jump straight into the car, without having to think about whether that is actually responsible.

So I'm going for it again. Doubtful and yes…

Good luck everyone.