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

Thinking about doing 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 surprise you.

What's a "Moderate" Drinker?

According to the CDC, moderate drinking is defined as:

Women: Up to 1 drink per day (7/week)
Men: Up to 2 drinks per day (14/week)

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

The Calorie Count of Alcohol

Drink	Serving Size	Calories
Beer (regular)	12 oz	150
Beer (light)	12 oz	100
Wine (red/white)	5 oz	125
Spirits (vodka, whiskey)	1.5 oz	100
Margarita	8 oz	275
Piña Colada	9 oz	490

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—more than 2 pounds 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 a 180 lb person:

Activity	Time to Burn 8,000 Calories
Running (6 mph)	12 hours
Cycling (moderate)	20 hours
Swimming	17 hours
Walking (brisk)	29 hours
HIIT workout	11 hours

Think about that: Dry January saves you the equivalent of running a half-marathon every week for a month.

Calculate your own exercise equivalents →

Beyond Just Calories

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

The "Drunk Munchies" Effect

Studies show alcohol increases appetite and reduces inhibitions around food. A night of drinking often leads to:

Late-night pizza or tacos
Greasy brunch the next morning
"Recovery" comfort food

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

The Morning After

Hangovers mean:

Skipped workouts
Less active days
More sedentary recovery time

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 3 pounds 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 be craving drinks

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 2+ lbs

Visualize Your Progress

Using our Weight Loss Calculator, here's what an 8,000-calorie deficit means:

At a typical deficit rate, you could expect to lose 2-3 pounds during January from alcohol elimination alone—without changing anything else about your diet or exercise routine.

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
2-3 pounds of potential weight loss
$200-400 saved (average drinker spends $50-100/week)

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 a pound of fat every month, or 12 pounds a year.