What happens when midlife hits… and you’re already sober?

In this brilliantly honest and often hilarious episode, Vic is flying solo (Hamish wisely sat this one out) to chat with author Dana Bowman, a woman who thought she had long-term sobriety nailed, until menopause, food, marriage, parenting, body image, and a global pandemic all piled in at once.

Dana’s story, told in her book Humble Pie, is about far more than sobriety. It’s about what happens when recovery collides with midlife. As menopause crept in, Dana found herself veering into binge eating and food addiction, struggling with comparison, scrolling, isolation, and frantic over-exercising. Just when she thought she’d dealt with the big stuff, life threw everything else at her… and eventually forced a reckoning.

Vic hasn’t read Humble Pie yet, but after hearing Dana talk about relapse, HRT, sugar cravings, dopamine dips, invisible women, and upgrading her sobriety toolkit, she knows it’s going to be a wildly relatable ride. Expect real talk about perfectionism, changing bodies, and why custard creams sometimes end up doing the emotional heavy lifting.

Whether you’re pre, peri or post-menopause, or just quietly wondering why life feels harder than it used to, this one’s for anyone who’s ever felt like they were falling apart… and learning to laugh their way through it anyway.

💛 Resources & Links

📘 Victoria’s memoir – A Thousand Wasted Sundays

A brutally honest and hilarious look at motherhood, anxiety, and ditching the booze.

👉 Buy the book here

🎧 Listen to more Sober Awkward episodes

👉 www.soberawkward.com

🫖 Join The Cuppa Community

Our private, supportive online space for sober folk

👉 www.cuppa.community

📘 Get the Sober Awkward Guide

Our downloadable toolkit for ditching booze the awkward way.

👉 The Sober Awkward Guide

📱 Follow us for daily sober fun:

Instagram: @soberawkward

TikTok: @soberawkward

Facebook: Sober Awkward Community for Women

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🎙️ Throwback Thursdays on Sober Awkward!

Every Thursday, we’re serving up a little slice of Sober Awkward history – a short, powerful clip from one of our most-loved past episodes.

Why? Because sometimes, the right words hit differently the second time around. Whether you’re new here or a long-time listener, these throwback moments are here to keep you company, remind you you’re not alone, and offer that little nudge of insight or encouragement just when you need it.

Think of it as a midweek check-in. Something bite-sized to walk with, laugh at, or quietly reflect on. And if the clip hits home? You can go back and listen to the full episode anytime – just follow the link in the show notes.

We know one episode a week isn’t always enough – so here’s your extra helping of honesty, humour, and a bit of awkwardness to get you through the week.

🎧 Listen to the full episode here → https://open.spotify.com/episode/00fQ9EH7uueOvvqkbT0qpt?si=WbnycYx5Qke0n-Ielf4D-w

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever noticed how the moment you put down the wine glass, you suddenly find yourself at the bottom of a family-sized bag of Haribo? You aren't alone. In fact, for many of us, the "sugar monster" was waiting in the wings long before we poured our last drink.

In this episode, we sit down with Vanessa Kredler, a Sydney-based psychotherapist and specialist in ultra-processed food addiction. Vanessa brings a lived experience in recovering from both food and alcohol addiction.

We dive deep into why these two habits are so often "best friends" and how to navigate the "naughty food" phase of early sobriety without losing your mind.

We explore:

• The Binge Trigger: Why Vanessa had to give up alcohol to finally heal her relationship with food.
• The AA Sugar Phenomenon: Why are there always so many sweets at recovery meetings? We look at the biological link between the bottle and the biscuit tin.
• The Great Food Addiction Challenge: You can choose to never touch alcohol again, but you have to eat. How do you manage an addiction to something you need for survival?
• How Worried Should You Be?: Should you be concerned about your skyrocketing sugar intake in early sobriety, or is it okay to "treat yourself" while you find your feet?

Whether you're "sober curious" or a few years in and wondering why you’re suddenly obsessed with ice cream, Vanessa offers incredible insight into how to find balance and understand the "why" behind your cravings.

💛 Resources & Links

Vanessa's Website: https://www.vanessakredler.com/

Her Insta: @vanessakredler

📘 Victoria’s memoir – A Thousand Wasted Sundays

A brutally honest and hilarious look at motherhood, anxiety, and ditching the booze.

👉 Buy the book here

🎧 Listen to more Sober Awkward episodes

👉 www.soberawkward.com

🫖 Join The Cuppa Community

Our private, supportive online space for sober folk

👉 www.cuppa.community

📘 Get the Sober Awkward Guide

Our downloadable toolkit for ditching booze the awkward way.

👉 The Sober Awkward Guide

📱 Follow us for daily sober fun:

Instagram: @soberawkward

TikTok: @soberawkward

Facebook: Sober Awkward Community for Women

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🎙️ Throwback Thursdays on Sober Awkward!

Every Thursday, we’re serving up a little slice of Sober Awkward history – a short, powerful clip from one of our most-loved past episodes.

Why? Because sometimes, the right words hit differently the second time around. Whether you’re new here or a long-time listener, these throwback moments are here to keep you company, remind you you’re not alone, and offer that little nudge of insight or encouragement just when you need it.

Think of it as a midweek check-in. Something bite-sized to walk with, laugh at, or quietly reflect on. And if the clip hits home? You can go back and listen to the full episode anytime – just follow the link in the show notes.

We know one episode a week isn’t always enough – so here’s your extra helping of honesty, humour, and a bit of awkwardness to get you through the week.

🎧 Listen to the full episode here → https://open.spotify.com/episode/6nqaxOxYpri8kreODVeiqb?si=58b04a10ed2e451e

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Warning: This episode contains an alarming amount of chat about a mysterious stranger called Derek and more casual mentions of “minge” in the first four minutes than any of us could ever have anticipated. It is funny, honest, slightly feral… and absolutely not one for the school run. Best enjoyed with headphones on and children safely out of earshot.

So, you've just started your sober journey? Doing Dry January? Or quietly wondering what life might look like without booze? This episode is your brutally honest, slightly emotional roadmap through your first 30 days alcohol-free.

Vic and Hamish take you through sobriety week by week, honestly unpacking what really happens to your body, brain, sleep, mood, social life, trousers, and overall sanity as alcohol slowly leaves the stage. Alongside plenty of science, swearing, and questionable oversharing, there are also genuinely tender moments where you might realise… you are actually doing this.

Today we explore those early sugar cravings and wobbles, the sudden bursts of confidence that can catch you out, the strange emotional storms that roll in around Week Two, the clearer thinking and calmer days that begin to appear in Week Three, and that brilliant Week Four moment when you look at yourself and think, “Hang on… this might actually work.

If you are five days in, swaying at day twelve, feeling uncertain at day twenty, or simply curious about how sobriety unfolds in real life, this episode gives you reassurance, humour, relatable stories, and genuinely helpful tools to get through it.

You are not broken, you are healing. And honestly, you are doing something extraordinary.

Press play, take a breath… and welcome to the awkward, hopeful, quietly life-changing first month of sober life.

💛 Resources & Links

📘 Victoria’s memoir – A Thousand Wasted Sundays

A brutally honest and hilarious look at motherhood, anxiety, and ditching the booze.

👉 Buy the book here

🎧 Listen to more Sober Awkward episodes

👉 www.soberawkward.com

🫖 Join The Cuppa Community

Our private, supportive online space for sober folk

👉 www.cuppa.community

📘 Get the Sober Awkward Guide

Our downloadable toolkit for ditching booze the awkward way.

👉 The Sober Awkward Guide

📱 Follow us for daily sober fun:

Instagram: @soberawkward

TikTok: @soberawkward

Facebook: Sober Awkward Community for Women

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New Year, New Liver?

Feeling a bit "delicate" this morning? Maybe you’ve just woken up with a UDI (Unidentified Drinking Injury), a loaf of bread for a pillow, or you’re currently hiding under the duvet until the 3rd of January.

In our first episode of 2026, Hame and Vic are whispering a warm welcome to the "sober curious," the "done-with-hangovers," and everyone in between.

We’re stripping away the "alcoholic" labels and proving that you don’t need to hit rock bottom to decide that life is just... better without the booze.

In this episode:

• The "Obscenity" Checklist: From pub-crawl sips to kitchen-floor naps, we’ve been there.
• Meet the Ex-Binge Drinkers: We share our own journeys from "walking disasters" to years of clarity.
• The Sobriety Toolkit: Practical tips on gamifying your goals, finding your "Cuppa" community, and why your new best friend might be a pair of running shoes.
• The Superpower Effect: Why sobriety isn't about being "boring" it’s about getting your time, money, and confidence back.

You don’t have to commit to "forever" today, just give this episode a listen. What have you got to lose (besides the hangovers)?

💛 Resources & Links

📘 Victoria’s memoir – A Thousand Wasted Sundays

A brutally honest and hilarious look at motherhood, anxiety, and ditching the booze.

👉 Buy the book here

🎧 Listen to more Sober Awkward episodes

👉 www.soberawkward.com

🫖 Join The Cuppa Community

Our private, supportive online space for sober folk

👉 www.cuppa.community

📘 Get the Sober Awkward Guide

Our downloadable toolkit for ditching booze the awkward way.

👉 The Sober Awkward Guide

📱 Follow us for daily sober fun:

Instagram: @soberawkward

TikTok: @soberawkward

Facebook: Sober Awkward Community for Women

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this gloriously unhinged episode, Vic and Hamish find themselves in that awkward festive no-man’s-land between Christmas and New Year – gravy-stained, confused about the day, and dangerously close to eating a whole tin of Quality Street in one sitting.

But fear not. Among the leftover potatoes and peri-menopausal meltdowns, your sober elves are here with a very handy toolkit to help you navigate New Year’s Eve without diving headfirst into a bucket of prosecco.

Yep, we’re diving deep into why your mindset matters more than the perfect mocktail, how to handle your Aunt Karen when she calls you a party pooper, and what to do when the countdown begins and you suddenly feel the urge to shove someone for no reason at all. Plus, we make a strong case for why being tucked up in bed with a hot water bottle and a forensic crime doco by 9.07pm might actually be the ultimate New Year flex.

We also discuss frogs. Yes, frogs. There’s a weird moment where Vic tries to convince us all that carrying a tiny frog in your pocket on NYE can help you stay sober – and somehow, it makes sense. (Just go with it.)

You’ll also hear about our own cringey NYEs from the boozy past – from driveway spews to mysterious cardigans and rashy regrets – and how we’ve now completely redefined this weird night of the year into something we actually enjoy.

So whether this is your first sober New Year or your fifteenth, come hang out with us and feel smug, steady, and slightly feral in the best way possible.

This one’s all about preparing your brain, not just your beverage list.

Let’s make it awkward, weird, frog-friendly… and totally unforgettable.

💛 Resources & Links

📘 Victoria’s memoir – A Thousand Wasted Sundays

A brutally honest and hilarious look at motherhood, anxiety, and ditching the booze.

👉 Buy the book here

🎧 Listen to more Sober Awkward episodes

👉 www.soberawkward.com

🫖 Join The Cuppa Community

Our private, supportive online space for sober folk

👉 www.cuppa.community

📘 Get the Sober Awkward Guide

Our downloadable toolkit for ditching booze the awkward way.

👉 The Sober Awkward Guide

📱 Follow us for daily sober fun:

Instagram: @soberawkward

TikTok: @soberawkward

Facebook: Sober Awkward Community for Women

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🎄 Merry Christmas from Sober Awkward! 🎄

It’s that time of year again, the crackers are cracking, the mulled wine is flowing, and somewhere in the chaos, a sober legend (yes, you) is standing strong. We know how awkward, emotional, and just plain weird Christmas can be when you’re doing it booze-free, so we’ve brought back our annual Sober Awkward Christmas Poem to help keep you smiling, grounded, and booze free.

This is our little festive gift to you, a reminder that you are not alone, and that choosing sobriety (especially today) is one of the most powerful, life-affirming things you can do. You won’t wake up with regret, fall headfirst into the gravy, or try to kiss your cousin during Love Actually.

You’re doing something brave. Something brilliant. Something you’ll actually remember.

So wherever you are, whatever your set-up, however awkward it gets — we’re sending you love, strength, and a huge dose of sober cheer.

Merry Christmas one and all,

Love from your favourite sober elves,

Vic & Hamish 💚

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If the idea of a sober Christmas makes you break out in a festive sweat, clutch a mince pie for emotional support, and whisper “Lord, give me strength,” then this episode is your new best friend.

This week, Mrs Santa (Vic, with her saggy boob and questionable stuffing) and her long suffering festive sidekick Elf Hamish dive headfirst into the sparkly chaos of Christmas. First the fantasy version where everyone drinks kombucha and expresses gratitude, then the real version where Uncle Gary is drunk by 10am and someone cries because their new crocs are the wrong colour.

Together they explore the myth of the perfect sober Christmas, the messy reality most of us face, and why the festive drinking culture feels overwhelming and very annoying when your'e sober. Today these two idiots offer up a simple sober toolkit to help you get through the day, and reflect on what Christmas really feels like without booze numbing the edges.

This is your festive mix of honesty, humour, science, awkwardness and hope. Everything you need to get through the holiday season without falling face first into the gravy boat. So grab a fizzy water, hide in the loo if you need to, and join us for the Christmas episode that helps you sleigh the holiday season with your dignity intact.

Merry Christmas sober legends. Feel the awkward and do it anyway!

💛 Resources & Links

📘 Victoria’s memoir – A Thousand Wasted Sundays

A brutally honest and hilarious look at motherhood, anxiety, and ditching the booze.

👉 Buy the book here

🎧 Listen to more Sober Awkward episodes

👉 www.soberawkward.com

🫖 Join The Cuppa Community

Our private, supportive online space for sober folk

👉 www.cuppa.community

📘 Get the Sober Awkward Guide

Our downloadable toolkit for ditching booze the awkward way.

👉 The Sober Awkward Guide

📱 Follow us for daily sober fun:

Instagram: @soberawkward

TikTok: @soberawkward

Facebook: Sober Awkward Community for Women

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🎙️ Throwback Thursdays on Sober Awkward!

Every Thursday, we’re serving up a little slice of Sober Awkward history – a short, powerful clip from one of our most-loved past episodes.

Why? Because sometimes, the right words hit differently the second time around. Whether you’re new here or a long-time listener, these throwback moments are here to keep you company, remind you you’re not alone, and offer that little nudge of insight or encouragement just when you need it.

Think of it as a midweek check-in. Something bite-sized to walk with, laugh at, or quietly reflect on. And if the clip hits home? You can go back and listen to the full episode anytime – just follow the link in the show notes.

We know one episode a week isn’t always enough – so here’s your extra helping of honesty, humour, and a bit of awkwardness to get you through the week.

🎧 Listen to the full episode here → https://open.spotify.com/episode/6nqaxOxYpri8kreODVeiqb?si=58b04a10ed2e451e

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.