So, it’s got to October again already! Autumn is in full swing with a chill in the air and the floor carpeted with a layer of mahogany leaves. Perfect time for a little challenge: Sober October! Whether you’re doing it to detox or raise money for charity, no alcohol for the whole month of October could be quite hard, right? Well here’s Keith’s five tips on how to survive without going positively mad…

EAT

You’re not consuming so many empty calories in alcohol so you’ve got a free pass to eat a little more, hooray! Treat yourself, you’re doing well not drinking anyway so you deserve it. Use the money saved on booze to get yourself that extra meal you’ve always wanted to try at your favourite restaurant – guilt free!

CHOOSE YOUR FRIENDS WISELY

We don’t expect that you’ll want to sign off for all your friends completely however it would be sensible to choose who you see more carefully this month. Don’t meet up with old Boozie-Suzie who you usually down a couple of bottles of wine with – she can probably wait until November. Go for Health-Kick-Patrick instead, he’ll be happy to meet you at the juice bar not the pub so less temptation there!

GO OUT

Now we don’t mean go out partying in clubs and bars but one great way to keep the alcohol cravings at bay is to keep yourself busy by getting out and about. Appreciate some of this lovely autumnal scenery we’ve got going on at the moment with country walks or really push the boat out and completely escape temptation on a nature holiday in the Peak District. You’ll probably find yourself craving a nice cup of tea when you return home instead of an alcoholic beverage. If you’re not so into nature then you can still find plenty of exhibitions, plays, gigs to keep yourself busy. You’ll probably find yourself wanting to do more with your hangover-free weekends anyway, just make sure your mind is away from the booze…

GET STUCK INTO A BOX SET

There are so many must-see series out there and I bet there’s one already at the fore front of your mind that you’ve been meaning to start for ages now… well now is the time! Perfect to keep you out the pub, your mind off drink and it’s getting a chillier now so ideal to snuggle up on the sofa with a hot chocolate. There’s six seasons of Game of Thrones to catch up on so plenty to keep you glued to the screen!

SUBSTITUTE

So, you can’t have the ‘real deal’ but you can definitely substitute it for its non-alcoholic cousins. Whether you want to go for a subtle imitation like lime and soda or something a little more strikingly non-alcoholic like orange juice, it’s always better to have something to hold and sip. Go for a mocktail, coke, ginger beer or anything with ‘virgin’ in the title, there’s plenty of choice!