Three weeks into Dry January... and I'm begining to respect society's disciplined a lot more

Not long into the new year I was walking to my local shop when a jogger - possibly new to the pastime and sticking to a recent resolution given their pained running style - passed me in the other direction.

A few strides later I made a startled jump as the horn of a nearby car honked loudly.

"Go on love, waheey" or something similarly constructive was shouted from the mouth of the driver of the passing vehicle.

I caught enough of a fleeting glimpse of the man behind the wheel to see he was rather pleased with himself.

Presumably because he was sat on his backside and not out in public working up a sweat.

This isn't the first time I've seen a jogger honked or jeered by a passing motorist.

It's even happened to me in the past, although tragically I'm yet to be called 'love'.

But this, as I found myself wrestling with my desire for a drink a few days into Dry January, was the first time I'd asked myself why elements of society seem so keen to mock discipline.

It's not just the jogger is it?

People who spend hours in the gym, and way more hours forcing themselves not to pick up a chocolate eclair and stuff it into their mush, are regularly branded vain and vaccuous.

It's an accusation also thrown at ladies who like to pick out an outfit, straighten their hair and slap on some make-up for a night out.

We've all seen a comedian make a cheap swipe at people of faith or a tweet mocking a vegan.

These days it seems trendy to laugh at people trying hard to better themselves or be true to their convictions by refusing to take the easy option, presumably embedded in some age old marketing ploy to celebrate us ordinary Joe's as we're the ones likely to give into temptation and buy their products because - yep - we lack basic discipline.

That or it's some petty mob mentality which allows us to hide our own shortcomings.

I've seen the mocking myself with Dry January, people talking to me as if I've lost my mind purely because I'm not doing what they want to with their lives or sending me pictures of them enjoying a pint.

Do as I do, if you will.

But despite the temptation - this has been the hardest week of the three so far to keep off the grog - I'm now 21 days off the booze and continuing to plod along happily.

The zero per cent varieties continue to give me the taste I still crave, although some offer more taste than others.

So far, the alcohol free versions from Peroni, Moretti and Guinness are top tier for me.

Brew Dog's booze less version of Punk IPA, Perlenbacher (Lidl's own brew), Bud and San Miguel are all decent.

For me, but not others I've spoken to, Heineken is bottom of the pile.

But your tipple, I suppose like your faith, diet and desire to jog, should be your own personal choice and nobody else's.