Sober Fit Life

I had the best time talking with Josh James, founder of Ocean Beach Cafe in San Francisco and a true pioneer in the alcohol-free movement.

Josh’s story is wild in the best way: he went from being a bartender to opening one of the first non-alcoholic bars in the country.

We talk about what really happens when you remove alcohol, not just from your body, but from your identity. Josh shares how taking a year off drinking helped him rediscover his productivity, heal his brain, and build something he never thought possible.

And if you’re curious about non-alcoholic wines, functional beverages, or why the alcohol industry is overdue for disruption, this episode is packed with science, real talk, and inspiration.

Josh and I also geek out on why alcohol crosses the blood-brain barrier (and mouthwash myths you won’t believe), plus the emerging future of sober socializing.

How Josh went from bartending to owning an alcohol-free cafe

Taking a year off drinking and the reality of brain healing

The cultural pressure to drink and how it shapes identity

Why alcohol is “all calories” and still sneaks into our health routines

The real science behind distillation, ethanol, and non-alcoholic wine

Why most non-alc reds are disappointing (but one Austrian wine changed everything)

The rise of functional, adaptogen-based spirits—and why they’re the future

Building Ocean Beach Cafe on a shoestring and making sobriety look and feel cool

His dream for a six-part docuseries showing how alcohol is being disrupted globally

🌐 Visit: Ocean Beach Cafe – San Francisco

📸 Instagram: @joshthenonalcoholic

📺 YouTube: Josh the Non-Alcoholic

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I don’t usually share rock bottom stories.

Because here’s the truth: you don’t have to crash and burn to change your life or your relationship with alcohol.
You don’t need a disaster to get better.

But when Joe Gallagher Jr. sent me a copy of his memoir From Bars to Jars, along with a jar of his homemade sauce, I knew I needed to share this one.

What happens when your life doesn’t just fall apart once, but over and over again?

Joe Gallagher Jr. knows.

He was a rising rock musician with Grammy buzz when a horrific car accident sent his already unstable world into a deeper spiral: addiction, legal battles, and years of chaos.

But over a year ago, something shifted. Joe got sober.
And he did something unexpected: he started making tomato sauce.

Using his Italian grandmother’s handwritten recipe, Joe turned one small batch into Apastioli Specialty Foods, now in over 15 Piggly Wiggly stores across South Carolina.

But this isn’t just about red sauce. Joe’s building a movement; creating jobs for people in recovery and veterans, supporting survivors of domestic violence, and developing a 1,700-acre farm rooted in healing and purpose.

In this inspiring episode, Joe and I talk about:

This is more than a comeback.
It’s about faith, food, forgiveness—and how redemption tastes a lot like eggplant parm with homemade sauce.

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I invited Julianne Serpa onto Sober Fit Life because her journey is such a real, layered, and relatable example of rethinking alcohol while embracing deeper self-awareness.

We first connected at a yoga class where her energy immediately drew me in. Over time, I learned about the profound shifts she’s made, not just cutting back on drinking, but completely reevaluating her relationship with it, all while deepening her yoga practice.

Julianne shares how in 2020, more downtime and more stress led to daily drinking that felt normal at first but revealed itself as numbing and misaligned with her values. Instead of labeling herself an “alcoholic,” she explored curiosity. She did short breaks, learned to sit with discomfort, and developed an experimental, yogic mindset of self-study (svadhyaya).

We talk about how her journey wasn’t about hitting rock bottom, but about noticing misalignment and seeking something more real, connected, and nourishing. She also opens up about health crises, including multiple surgeries related to BRCA2 gene risk, and how they gave her an even deeper respect for fueling her body without toxins.

She explains why yoga, chanting, kirtan, and creating spaces for other women are now at the heart of her mission. We also talk about grief, childlessness by choice and circumstance, and the power of finding your people so you don’t feel alone in a culture saturated with alcohol.

If you’re looking for an honest, compassionate, and wise conversation about curiosity, sobriety, and living a more intentional life, this one’s for you.

🌐 Website

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I talk with Karla about something most people don't want to think about: the real health consequences of “normal” drinking. Karla developed alcohol-related cirrhosis in her early 30s—while living what many would call a high-functioning, successful life.

She wasn’t the stereotype of someone at “rock bottom.” She was managing a misunderstood anxiety disorder, working, taking care of responsibilities, and quietly worrying about how much she was drinking. She even had a specialist tell her to use alcohol to calm a hand tremor—normalizing something that would nearly kill her.

We break down how her health declined quietly, with subtle signs she almost ignored (like checking her eyes for yellow). Karla also talks about the silence and shame surrounding alcohol-related liver disease, especially for women who are taught drinking is just “part of life.”

Most importantly, Karla shares what shifted when she finally got honest about what alcohol was doing to her body—and how that honesty changed everything.

If you’ve ever told yourself you’re “fine” while quietly worrying about your drinking, this episode is for you.

How Karla’s drinking was normalized—even encouraged—by medical advice

The slow, quiet progression to cirrhosis while maintaining a “normal” life

Anxiety, self-medication, and the myth of “harmless” social drinking

Checking for yellow in her eyes—small signs something was very wrong

The shame and silence around liver disease in younger women

How honesty became the first step toward healing and freedom

Why we need to talk openly about alcohol’s real health risks

Instagram

The Zero Proof Life

And She Came Tumbling Down: Breaking the Bonds of Alcohol and Creating a Life of Freedom

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This episode is a beautiful reminder that it's never too late to change your life. I sat down with artist and alcohol-free coach Rebecca Guevara Wingler, founder of Curious on Life, to talk about aging, creativity, healing, and how she found freedom from alcohol in her 60s.

Rebecca shares how she grew up in 1970s Los Angeles surrounded by freedom, curiosity, and cultural pressure, eventually leading her into a decades-long relationship with alcohol. From early experiences at slumber parties to wine-soaked girls’ nights in the Texas Hill Country, alcohol was always part of the story.

But by her late 50s, she realized it was keeping her stuck: physically, emotionally, and creatively. She wasn’t painting anymore. She didn’t feel well. And the life she had imagined for herself wasn’t aligning with how she was actually living.

What followed was a slow, powerful unfolding. Through breaks, reflection, trial and error, and community support, she stepped into an entirely new version of herself. Now, she helps other women in midlife reclaim their creative spirit and rewrite their relationship with alcohol through coaching and workshops.

We talk about:

Why so many women feel pressure to drink and how it becomes part of their identity

The way alcohol sneaks in and becomes routine, even in seemingly happy lives

Midlife reinvention and why it's never too late to get curious

Using art, creativity, and play as tools for healing

How Rebecca created her coaching program Unfold and podcast Curious on Life

The power of choosing curiosity over shame

Rebecca’s story is honest, relatable, and proof that change is always possible, no matter how long alcohol has been part of your life.

🌐 Website: rebeccaguevarawingler.com

📸 Instagram: @curiousonlife

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In this episode of Sober Fit Life, I sat down with my brilliant friend and coach, AliceAnne Loftus, a business strategist, community builder, and founder of Leading Lady Coaching. We had an honest and much-needed conversation about leadership, authenticity, and why she made the bold decision to remove alcohol from her business events.

AliceAnne isn’t someone who ever drank much, but like so many of us, she felt the pressure to include alcohol at professional networking events, business mixers, and even coaching workshops. After we connected and began having deeper conversations about alcohol, she felt inspired to take a step back and ask: Why is alcohol the default? Who does it really serve? And what kind of space do I actually want to create?

What followed was a powerful shift, not just for her, but for her entire community. In a culture where women are encouraged to “wine down” and network over cocktails, AliceAnne chose a different path. She chose intention. She chose integrity. And in doing so, she gave countless women the permission to show up fully as themselves.

We talked about:

Why alcohol is so embedded in women’s networking culture

How “fun” and “fluff” can sometimes distract from true value

Her fears around pushback and what really happened instead

Creating sober-friendly, inclusive spaces without judgment

The emotional and professional impact of clear-minded connection

Why choosing to remove alcohol actually aligned her business more with her core values

The ripple effect this choice has had on her community and even her family

This episode is full of honesty, heart, and practical wisdom for any leader wondering how to create spaces that truly reflect their values.

🌐 AliceAnne Loftus Website

📚 Take the Lead book by AliceAnne Loftus

💬 Follow AliceAnne on Instagram: @leading.lady.coach

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I sat down with Paulette Kengg, the author of Spirit-Led Sobriety, to talk about the deeply personal and spiritual journey of healing from alcohol addiction.

Paulette struggled with alcohol when she began drinking to cope with severe insomnia. But behind the sleepless nights was a lifetime of unprocessed trauma-from losing her father to gun violence at 14, to surviving sexual assault, to living with years of shame, loneliness, and religious guilt.

In this conversation, Paulette shares how alcohol became her comforter and how she eventually found freedom through her faith, therapy, EMDR, and neuroscience. We talk about the pain of feeling like you’re “the only one,” especially in the church, and how shame can silence even the strongest believers.

Her story is brave, raw, and full of hope. If you’ve ever questioned your relationship with alcohol or felt unseen in your faith community, this episode is for you.

Paulette’s near-death experience that became her wake-up call

How alcohol became a “solution” for her insomnia and quickly became a problem

Childhood trauma, religious shame, and unprocessed grief

Why traditional recovery programs didn’t work for her, and what did

The power of EMDR therapy and inner child work

Understanding neuroplasticity and the science of alcohol’s impact on the brain

Why women in church spaces often suffer in silence

Her message for anyone quietly struggling with alcohol and faith

📖 Paulette’s memoir: Spirit-Led Sobriety on Amazon

💌 Email Paulette: [email protected]

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I’ve always promised to bring you honest, curious conversations—and today is no exception. In this episode, I sit down with Gwen Dudley from The Mood Wellness Center to talk about ketamine therapy, its healing potential, and how it’s helping people move through persistent depression, trauma, and grief—myself included.

I share my personal experience undergoing ketamine treatment after years of sobriety and lingering depression. Gwen also opens up about her own healing journey, the loss of her partner, and how this therapy helped her find peace and shift her perspective on grief.

We unpack:

This conversation isn’t about hype—it’s about hope. And it’s for anyone who feels stuck, numb, or overwhelmed by their mental health and is open to exploring new tools for healing.

The Mood Wellness Center

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In this deeply moving episode, I sat down with Marie Burgess—licensed therapist, grief specialist, and founder of Genuine Connections Psychotherapy—to talk about something most people avoid: grief.

Marie is not just a therapist—she’s a grieving mom who lost her son Harvey to a terminal illness nearly a decade ago. She shared her personal journey of advocacy, hospice care, and healing after loss—and how sobriety became part of her own recovery.

We explored why grief so often leads people to numb with alcohol or substances, and how that instinct to escape can deepen the pain rather than relieve it. Marie shared how she helps grieving parents, siblings, and children find hope, connection, and strength—one breath at a time.

If you’re navigating grief yourself, or supporting someone who is, this episode is a tender and honest reminder that you don’t have to go through it alone. 💛

Marie’s story of losing her son and building a practice rooted in grief work

Why grief often leads to substance use—and why it makes sense (but doesn’t help)

How alcohol can become a socially acceptable escape from trauma

What PTSD looks like after the loss of a child (and how it often gets overlooked)

Marie’s own journey with alcohol: from daily wine to blackouts to taking a break

The importance of modeling emotional awareness and self-compassion

Why grief needs to be witnessed—not shoved down or avoided

The importance of community and sharing our stories

What Marie wishes everyone knew about supporting grieving families

🧠 Marie’s therapy practice: Genuine Connections Psychotherapy

📸 Follow Marie on Instagram: @genuineconnectionspsychotherapy

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Let’s talk about a sneaky little trigger that can wreck your alcohol-free momentum if you’re not ready for it: boredom.

Boredom often comes from deeper feelings like restlessness, a lack of purpose, or disconnection. And if alcohol was your old go-to for instant relief? Well, your brain will absolutely nudge you toward pouring a drink when things get too quiet.

I share my own story of drinking out of boredom at boat shows (yes, really) and how I now view boredom as an opportunity instead of a problem. This episode is packed with mindset shifts, nervous system regulation tips, and easy tools to keep you grounded—and alcohol-free—when that uncomfortable lull shows up.

If you’re in early sobriety, trying to moderate, or just figuring out how to manage your evenings without wine, this one’s for you. 💛

Why boredom isn’t “harmless” when it comes to drinking

How boredom tricks your brain into chasing old habits

The deeper emotional layers beneath boredom (loneliness, anxiety, purposelessness)

A boat show story and how I used champagne to fill the void

The HALT method (hungry, angry, lonely, tired) as a mindful check-in

Why small shifts (like a cold towel or a walk) can completely reset your craving

The power of a boredom jar—and how to make one

Why weekends without structure are a trigger zone

How to reframe boredom as a doorway to creativity and connection

ING activities that boost dopamine (walking, cooking, dancing, etc.)

Why being bored doesn’t mean you’re broken—it means you’re human

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