There's a competition happening in health and fitness circles.

Who can be the cleanest? The strictest? The most extreme?

Zero alcohol. Zero caffeine. Zero carbs. Zero plants. Carnivore-only. Vegan-only. Extended fasting. Training twice a day.

It's performance art masquerading as health optimization.

Here's what nobody seems to want to acknowledge: sustainability beats purity, every single time.

Look, I'm not here to argue that alcohol is a necessary component of health. It's not.

But the idea that you must eliminate it completely to be lean, fit, and strong? That's simply not supported by reality.

I can point to hundreds of my clients—and to myself—who:

→ Eat foods from all food groups, plants and animals
→ Drink moderately (a few drinks per week)
→ Maintain low body fat percentage
→ Have good muscle mass
→ Show excellent health markers in their bloodwork

These aren't theoretical cases. These are real people with real results.

The Pattern I've Noticed

Social media rewards extremes. The algorithm loves absolutes.

"I quit alcohol and lost 50 pounds!"
"I went carnivore and my inflammation disappeared!"
"I stopped all caffeine and finally sleep well!"

Great. That worked for them.

But here's what doesn't get said: most of these people had other significant issues they were addressing simultaneously. They changed 5-10 things at once, and then attributed all their success to the one most extreme change.

It's the same pattern with:

• Eliminating all carbs (when the real issue was refined grains and added sugar)
• Going zero caffeine (when the real issue was how much was consumed, and when it was consumed)
• Carnivore diet (when the real issue was hyper palatable processed foods)
• Extreme fasting protocols (when the real issue was constant snacking and no structure)

These approaches can absolutely be tools in the toolkit for specific people in specific situations.

But they don't need to, and should not be, be universal recommendations.

What Actually Matters

The question isn't "Is this perfectly optimized?"

The question is "Can I sustain this while getting the results I want?"

For some people, zero alcohol works perfectly. They feel better, they prefer it, it aligns with their goals.

For others? Having a few drinks per week, maybe a glass of wine with dinner, a beer after golf, doesn't move the needle on their body composition or health markers.

What does move the needle:

✓ Consistent, well designed resistance training (1 hour per week, not 10)
✓ Generally avoiding the unholy trinity (refined grains, seed oils, added sugar)
✓ Managing hunger and regulating appetite proactively

If moderate drinking fits into that framework for you and doesn't trigger overconsumption or derail your momentum, then it's fine.

The Real Problem

The purity spiral creates an impossible standard that most people can't maintain.

So they yo-yo. They go all-in on extreme protocols, burn out, and bounce back worse than before.

Meanwhile, the person who implements a sustainable system that allows for normal social drinking, occasional decadent meals, and a life outside of health optimization?

That person is still lean and fit five years later.

That's the difference.

Remember: this isn't about being "perfect". It's about being lean, fit, and strong in a way you can maintain for the rest of your life, without a lot of time or fuss.

If that means enjoying a drink or two, cheers.

—PD

P.S. If you're ready to build a sustainable system that actually fits your life (no extreme protocols required)...

Reply "MANGAN" to this email to learn more about working with me 1-on-1.