Cut back on alcohol: 16 tips to drink a little less

It’s also a good idea to document and count alcohol drinks like you do kilojoules, Valentine suggests. “You can count the number of drinks and their size and this creates a consciousness.” Tracking how much you drink will provide you with some surprising information that will encourage you to cut down or quit.

Make a list of reasons why you want to cut back on drinking. This could be: lose weight, sleep better, fewer headaches, get more done, improve blood sugar control, have better sex, perform better at work, says Valentine. Post the list in a prominent place and read through it every time you think about having a drink.

Track how much money you’re spending on alcohol every week, Valentine suggests. Now commit to spending half that amount. Put the savings into a special account (or even a jelly jar) and use it for something special for you (not a bottle of 2000 Bordeaux).

If you’re planning to meet up with friends, dates or business associates (when government health regulations allow), choose somewhere like a cafe, rather than a bar, says Dr James E. Sturm, MD.

Also, remember, to make sure you’re practicing Covid-19 safety protocols by wearing a mask and staying six feet apart. If the point of the get-together is fun, casual conversation in a friendly, loose environment, there are many ways to do that without the alcohol.

Watch sporting events with friends at your home or theirs if you can socially distance. A night at a sports bar almost guarantees a morning with a headache. It can be hard to resist the temptation to guzzle beer in a room filled with beer guzzlers. “Avoid triggers or areas and events where there is a tendency to drink more – like sporting events,” says Dan Valentine, PhD, vice president of clinical services at an addiction centre.

Tell everyone you know that you’re cutting back on your drinking, Jones suggests. Hopefully, this will prevent people from urging you to have “just one” or “just one more.”

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Source: RD.com