Dry January: We Calculated How Many Calories You'll Save (And the Exercise Equivalent)

Thinking about Dry January? We ran the numbers on exactly how many calories you'll save—and calculated what exercise it would take to burn off the equivalent.

The results might make you put down that beer.

What's "Moderate" Drinking in Canada?

Canada's Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines define moderate as:

Women: Up to 10 drinks per week
Men: Up to 15 drinks per week

For this analysis, we'll use 12 drinks per week—common for social drinkers who enjoy a couple of drinks most evenings or more on weekends.

The Calorie Count of Canadian Favourites

Drink	Serving Size	Calories
Beer (regular)	341ml bottle	150
Beer (craft IPA)	341ml	200
Wine (red/white)	5 oz	125
Caesar	Regular	180
Rye & ginger	Single	120
Vodka soda	Single	100

Average across drink types: ~150 calories per drink

Dry January Math: Your Calorie Savings

For a moderate drinker (12 drinks/week):

Period	Drinks Skipped	Calories Saved
1 week	12	1,800
2 weeks	24	3,600
3 weeks	36	5,400
Full January (31 days)	53	~8,000

That's 8,000 calories—nearly a kilogram of body fat.

Calculate your weight loss timeline →

The Exercise Equivalent

We used our Calories Burned Calculator to find out what exercise it would take to burn 8,000 calories.

For an 82kg (180 lb) person:

Activity	Time to Burn 8,000 Calories
Cross-country skiing	10 hours
Running (10 km/h)	12 hours
Hockey (ice)	11 hours
Cycling (moderate)	20 hours
Swimming	17 hours

Think about that: Dry January saves you the equivalent of playing 11 hockey games or running 120 km.

Calculate your own exercise equivalents →

Beyond Just Calories

The 8,000 calories is just the alcohol itself. We haven't counted:

The Late-Night Poutine Effect

Let's be honest. A night of drinking often leads to:

Late-night poutine or pizza
Tim Hortons breakfast sandwiches the next day
"Recovery" comfort food

Add another 500-1,000 calories per drinking occasion for many people.

The Next Day

Hangovers mean:

Skipped gym sessions
Netflix on the couch all day
Skip the Dish instead of cooking

The Real January Savings

If you're a moderate drinker who also tends to snack while drinking:

Category	Calories Saved
Alcohol itself	8,000
Drunk snacking (conservative)	2,000
Better food choices sober	1,500
Total	~11,500

That's over 1.5 kg of potential weight loss—just from not drinking for one month.

Week-by-Week Breakdown

Here's what you're saving each week:

Week 1 (Days 1-7)

Calories saved: 1,800
Exercise equivalent: 3 hours of running
You'll probably still want that après-ski beer

Week 2 (Days 8-14)

Total calories saved: 3,600
Exercise equivalent: 6 hours of running
Sleep quality typically improves

Week 3 (Days 15-21)

Total calories saved: 5,400
Exercise equivalent: 9 hours of running
Energy levels noticeably better

Week 4+ (Days 22-31)

Total calories saved: 8,000
Exercise equivalent: 12 hours of running
Skin looks better, weight may be down 1kg+

The Money Angle

The average Canadian drinker spends $50-100 CAD per week on alcohol.

Dry January saves:

~8,000 calories
~$200-400 CAD in your pocket
~12 hours of exercise you don't need to do

The Bottom Line

Dry January isn't just about "detoxing" or willpower challenges. The math is simple:

8,000+ calories saved from alcohol
12 hours of running worth of exercise you don't have to do
1-1.5 kg of potential weight loss
$200-400 CAD saved

Whether you're doing it for health, weight loss, or just to prove you can—the numbers are on your side.

Ready to calculate your own numbers?

Calories Burned Calculator - See exercise equivalents
Weight Loss Calculator - Plan your timeline
BMI Calculator - Check your starting point

Thinking about cutting back permanently? Even reducing from 12 drinks to 6 per week saves 4,000 calories per month—that's nearly half a kilogram of fat every month, or 5kg a year.