Sometimes trading one addiction for another is the best you can hope for. When I wanted to quit smoking, I didn’t just go cold turkey, I switched over to using the nicotine gum. I chewed it non-stop, morning noon and night, and it kept me from smoking but didn’t really break my addiction, just changed it. I wish it were always that easy, because I want to get into better shape but it is hard to substitute chugging beer at the bar with lifting weights at the gym. It turns out that the local gy mI selected is right down the street from a really great bar, so I have been bundling my activities together. I know it offsets the weight lifting, to go chase it with a pitcher of beer right afterwards, but it’s still an improvement, right? Before I was going to the bar without visiting the gym, now I’m doing both so that is a net positive from my point of view. My weight lifting trainer at the gym has been advising me to try out some different forms of exercise, as well. Mostly I like the weights because of how they make my arms look, but this guy is more interested in health and wellness, which does not mesh with my heavy drinking agenda. The smart choice would be to listen to him and cut down on the beer, but instead I think I’ll just get a new personal trainer, one who knows how to stay in his lane. We all have our priorities, and one of mine is beer.