I never realised the damage wine was doing to by body until I gave it up at 50. I dropped two dress sizes – but that’s not even the best part

They say wine is to the evening what coffee is to the morning – but what if your nightly drop is actually sabotaging your health?

After being seduced by the ‘wine culture’ so beloved by tired mums, Victoria English realised her evening tipple wasn’t doing her any favours at all.

With each passing week, as the bottles started to build up in her recycling, she came to understand her wine habit was wreaking havoc on her energy, waistline and hormones.

What started as a way to ‘unwind’ ended up having a ripple effect on almost every aspect of her wellbeing.

This was partly due to the alcohol, but also because of all the unhealthy habits that came with being a daily drinker.

Now, having freed herself from the ‘vicious cycle’ of going to bed after a bottle of red and a ‘belly full of junk’, Victoria is 13kg (2st) lighter and feels better than ever.

Told with unflinching honesty – and with plenty of facts and figures – this is her story of giving up wine and all of the benefits that flowed from that single decision.

And she also shares her warning to other mothers who consider wine as their go-to form of relaxation – and how there are far healthier ways to enjoy some ‘me time’.

Victoria, from Colorado, had always led a healthy lifestyle and never struggled with her weight – that is, until she started drinking wine as a way to relax.

The busy mum, then aged in her forties, was raising four children – three of whom were were teenagers and the youngest in preschool – which meant her schedule involved early mornings and late nights.

‘When I stopped working to be a full-time mother, I lost my groove. I felt overwhelmed and didn’t have a life outside of motherhood. My escape was wine,’ Victoria, now 53, tells me.

‘I was very wrapped up in the “mummy wine culture”.’

When she took her youngest child to playdates, Victoria got to catch up with like-minded mothers – almost always over a glass of wine.

What started as a cheeky glass to take the edge off parenting soon spiralled into a bottle almost every night.

‘I found myself opening a bottle most evenings while cooking dinner. It became my “me time”,’ she says. 

Before welcoming her fourth child, Victoria, who worked in the wellness industry, considered herself extremely fit and healthy. 

‘I was very into clean eating and exercise,’ she adds.

‘I was a runner, did nutritional planning for clients, and had a Pilates studio. It was joyful to be fit while helping others.

‘I remained physically active and ate a healthy diet during the day.’

Typically, she would start her day with a protein shake for breakfast, a salad with protein for lunch, and a well-balanced dinner.

‘But all that changed when I began drinking more wine,’ Victoria tells me.

‘I began to drink my dinner, meaning I would skimp on eating during the day in order to have the calorie budget for alcohol.

‘However, after a couple of glasses, I became quite hungry. I was undisciplined in my eating and chose things like pizza, nachos and late-night burgers. 

‘In addition to all the empty calories from alcohol, for the first time in my life I was going to bed with a belly full of junk food.’

As she was going through perimenopause, she noticed her hormones were a ‘mess’ and she began experiencing adrenal fatigue and high levels of cortisol.

Victoria, who weighed 72kg (11.3st) when her wine habit was at its peak, would find herself craving carbohydrate-rich food to ‘settle her stomach’ the day after drinking. 

‘My anxiety was high and I would not make great food choices for the rest of the day,’ she says.

‘It became a vicious cycle that I felt unable to break. The weight gain was slow, but it was definitely happening.’

It didn’t take a genius to realise her creeping weight was linked to her drinking, so she knew that in order to get healthy, she had to break her ‘wine time’ habit.

By a stroke of luck, she was on social media when she discovered James Swanwick, the Australian-American founder of Alcohol Free Lifestyle, a science-based program to help individuals change their relationship with alcohol.

‘His message was different from anything else I’d seen… Instead of the usual stigmatised language and message of powerlessness, James talked about releasing alcohol and becoming the best version of yourself in every way,’ she explains.

Determined to ditch booze in order to slim down, Victoria decided to approach weight loss in the same way she did abstaining from alcohol. 

That is to say, focus not on what you are losing from giving up a habit, but what you are gaining by making healthier choices.

‘Sure, wine and unhealthy food make us feel good in the moment, but both come at a high cost to our wellbeing when consumed in excess,’ she says.

‘I used a lot of visualisation. How would I feel the next day? What might I look like without inflammation and puffiness? What great outfit could I wear with a fresh, healthy appearance?’

With the money she saved from not buying wine, Victoria decided to reward herself with a new wardrobe once she reached a weight that was ‘good for my body’.  

After shedding 13.6kg (2.1st) and two dress sizes within a year, Victoria noticed her body composition had changed significantly.

‘I didn’t weigh myself often. Instead, I noticed how well I slept, how strong my body was becoming and my increased energy,’ she says.

‘Each day, I also thanked my body for what it could do. I stopped criticising myself and paid attention to what looked and felt great on the inside and outside. 

‘I have lost over 13.6kg and have 18 per cent body fat, which is not typical for a 53-year-old mum-of-four in menopause.’

For workouts, moving her body every day was essential to good health. And sometimes the best way to ensure she would do something physical was to dress the part.

‘Some days that would be a walk, a Pilates workout or a Peloton ride,’ she tells me.

‘Whenever possible, I put on exercise clothing early. That way, I am training my brain to look for opportunities to exercise. I block my schedule to get in a workout, even if it is only 20 minutes.

‘There is a misconception that we have to do these long sessions, and that isn’t realistic at times. If people have that mindset, they will simply not do anything.’

To keep her body moving at all times, Victoria has a standing desk and a walking pad in her office.

‘When appropriate, I will walk slowly and get a couple of thousand steps. I also keep a Pilates mat and hand weights there,’ she adds. 

‘In between meetings, I do some core work, some push-ups or lunges. Looking for opportunities to exercise really adds up and gives me a sense of accomplishment along with a boost in energy.’

When she found herself feeling bored, she hired a boxing coach and continued to train with her twice a week.

‘It pushes me way out of my comfort zone and keeps me from becoming complacent.’

Since cutting wine out of her diet, Victoria has been eating healthily again.  

For breakfast, she starts her morning with a protein shake or a smoothie.

‘My favourite is almond milk, low-fat Greek yogurt, blackberries, strawberries, spinach and flaxseed,’ she says. 

‘This is a great way to stimulate the metabolism while maintaining a healthy blood glucose level.’

Lunch, she says, is her ‘largest meal of the day’.

‘I batch cook on Sundays, so I create something from what I have prepared. That’s usually a lean protein, roasted vegetables or salad greens, quinoa, topped with something savoury like Greek dressing, olives and feta or a salsa.

‘I enjoy different flavours and textures in a meal; it is very satiating.’

She snacks throughout the day, which usually consists of fruit and nuts, crackers and cottage cheese, or veggies with hummus. 

For dinner, Victoria typically eats something similar to her lunch, but a smaller portion so she doesn’t go to bed on a full stomach.

‘I try and not eat after about 6pm so that my body isn’t working overtime to digest food when it is time to sleep,’ she adds.

Despite taking a disciplined approach to life, Victoria never deprives herself of the food she loves.

‘Here’s the best part: I don’t feel guilty about anything I eat,’ she says. 

‘By learning to pay attention to what my body needs, I do not eat excessive amounts. And because I choose low glycemic index foods, I don’t chase sugar. If a dessert is appealing, I only need to take a few bites to feel satisfied. 

‘Food is meant to nourish us and can also be fun. Chocolate is my favourite sweet, so I buy high-quality chocolate and savour each bite. If I told myself, “You can’t have that,” my inner rebel would come out and I would end up overdoing it.’

Reflecting on her old life, Victoria, who now weighs 56kg (8.8st), says she feels ‘a lot of compassion’ when she looks at photos from when she was heavier and drinking.

‘I didn’t consciously begin drinking too much or making other unhealthy choices.

‘Life had thrown me some curveballs and I lacked the tools to process emotions in a non-destructive way. 

‘Change requires a commitment and just a tiny seed of belief that we are deserving of a wonderful life. Today, I am able to validate my own worth and take care of myself with the same kindness I would a friend or loved one.’

Victoria is now a certified alcohol coach for Alcohol Free Lifestyle.

‘I remember thinking of how much I would like to be able to help others someday in such a positive and empowering manner,’ she says of her career change.

‘This has been the most meaningful and impactful job I could imagine, and we are only beginning to tap into the possibilities.’

For those struggling to lose weight, Victoria says the key is to ‘avoid language like, “I have to” or “I should” lose weight’ because this ‘creates resistance’.

‘Instead, consider what you will gain by giving your body the gift of health. What does your future self want for you? When we aren’t caught up in immediate gratification, it is easier to make daily choices that support our long term goals.

‘That being said, treat yourself to things that truly make you happy. It can be as simple as a lipstick, a bouquet of flowers or anything that appeals to you.

‘Remember, deprivation is not sustainable. Have fun finding what actually feels satisfying and do more of it.’