Simon Ward, Be Battle Ready - The podcast for strength, resilience, and longevity

The Hidden Cost of ‘Normal’ Drinking After 40 with Clifford Stephan


Listen Later

“You know what you can get away with in your teens and 20s is a little different than your 30s and 40s. Your body is like a classic car now - you can't get away with not servicing it anymore.”

This week on the Be Battle Ready Podcast, I’m joined by Clifford Stephan, the founder of Booze Vacation. Clifford’s work focuses on helping people take intentional breaks from alcohol in order to reboot their sleep, metabolic health, energy, cognitive function, and long term wellbeing. Far from preaching sobriety, his approach is rooted in real-world experience, practical strategies, and understanding the way modern life, ageing, stress, and habitual drinking fit together.

Clifford shares his own journey from Silicon Valley consultant and lifelong social drinker to discovering how even “normal” drinking patterns were quietly sabotaging his sleep, hormones, recovery, performance at work, and motivation to train. His story will resonate with anyone in their forties, fifties or beyond who has ever wondered whether alcohol is pulling more from their life than it is giving back.

Together we explore:

  • Why the habits you “get away with” in your twenties begin to cost you dearly in your forties and fifties
  • How alcohol disrupts sleep architecture, metabolic health, hormones, cravings, energy, and recovery
  • Why taking one long break from alcohol often unlocks improvements that short-term “cutting back” never delivers
  • The powerful link between stress, poor sleep, overeating, belly fat, and reward systems
  • How to navigate social situations without alcohol, re-write your internal story, and update your identity
  • The impact alcohol has on performance at work, clarity of thought, productivity, and ability to show up for your family
  • Why health span, not lifespan, should be the real goal in midlife
  • Simple steps you can take today if you want to feel and function better in the next 30 to 90 days
  • This episode is packed with insights for anyone wanting to build more energy, better sleep, sharper thinking, and greater resilience as they age. Clifford’s experience, honesty, and practical approach make this a genuinely eye-opening conversation.

     

    Listen now

    Tune in to learn how smarter alcohol choices can become a genuine performance enhancer for training, work, mood, and long term health.

     

    Connect with Clifford

    Website- BoozeVacation.com

    TikTok-  TikTok.com/@cliffordstephan1

    LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cliffordstephan

    Instagram- instagram.com/boozevacation/

     

    Men's health Quiz- http://boozevacation.scoreapp.com/

    Sleep blog - https://boozevacation.com/sleep-and-alcohol/

    Other resources-  https://boozevacation.com/resources/

    TikTok-  TikTok.com/@cliffordstephan1

     

    Clifford’s book recommendation: Good Energy by Dr Casey means - The groundbreaking connection between glucose levels, metabolism, limitless health and longevity

     

     

    Join the SWAT Inner Circle

     

    And if you want structure, accountability, and a tactical plan for staying strong, mobile, and resilient all year round, the SWAT Inner Circle is where you’ll find the support to stay Battle Ready for life’s adventures. CLICK HERE TO START YOUR MISSION

     

    Check out my Instagram  and YouTube  channel

     

    Join the Unstuck Collective – for Beth’s weekly inspiration and coaching insights (not a chat group; replies welcome via DM).

    Download Simon’s Free ‘Battle Ready Lifestyle’ Infographic - https://simon-ward.kit.com/battlereadylifestyle


    Website: www.simonward.co.uk

    Sign up for Simon’s weekly newsletter

    Sign up for Beth’s weekly newsletter

     

    💬 Got an awkward question for Simon? Send it to [email protected] and you might just hear it on a future episode!

    ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store

    Simon Ward, Be Battle Ready - The podcast for strength, resilience, and longevityBy Simon Ward

    • 4.5
    • 4.5
    • 4.5
    • 4.5
    • 4.5

    4.5

    22 ratings


    More shows like Simon Ward, Be Battle Ready - The podcast for strength, resilience, and longevity

    View all
    Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast - Presented by TrainerRoad by TrainerRoad

    Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast - Presented by TrainerRoad

    3,617 Listeners

    Talking Triathlon by Tim Ford

    Talking Triathlon

    94 Listeners

    Oxygenaddict Triathlon Podcast by Rob Wilby

    Oxygenaddict Triathlon Podcast

    57 Listeners

    That Triathlon Show by Mikael Eriksson

    That Triathlon Show

    423 Listeners

    The Roadman Cycling Podcast by Anthony Walsh

    The Roadman Cycling Podcast

    136 Listeners

    Purple Patch Podcast by Matt Dixon

    Purple Patch Podcast

    561 Listeners

    Get Fast Podcast - Triathlon, Ironman & Cycling Coaching Advice by TriVelo Coaching

    Get Fast Podcast - Triathlon, Ironman & Cycling Coaching Advice

    21 Listeners

    Endurance Unlimited by TrainingPeaks

    Endurance Unlimited

    59 Listeners

    Fast Talk by Fast Talk Labs

    Fast Talk

    307 Listeners

    Professional Triathlon News by Professional Triathlon News

    Professional Triathlon News

    179 Listeners

    Triathlon Mockery by Triathlon Mockery

    Triathlon Mockery

    148 Listeners

    The Triathlon Hour by Jack Kelly

    The Triathlon Hour

    157 Listeners

    The Norwegian Method Podcast by SantaraTech

    The Norwegian Method Podcast

    29 Listeners

    All in Triathlon with Jelle Geens and Aaron Royle by All in triathlon

    All in Triathlon with Jelle Geens and Aaron Royle

    10 Listeners

    Junkyard Dogs by Joe Skipper

    Junkyard Dogs

    13 Listeners