7 Effective Tips for Cutting Down on Drinking

You want to cut down on drinking because you know it’s not good for your health. Perhaps, you want to lose weight or realize that you drink too much and want to cut down.

When you are on medication, drinking can cause side effects when mixed with alcohol. Drinking too much can cause problems in your job, with your family and friends. Below we discuss some effective ways to cut back.

1. Drink Alcohol At Meals or With Food

You should drink alcohol at meals and with other family members or friends present. Use your drink to enjoy the food and sip it slowly while you eat. When you have a meal or attend a party, limit yourself to one or two drinks and always eat something with it.

Eating with your drink will lessen the side effects of alcohol. Prepare healthy food you really enjoy eating, so the food is more tempting than the alcoholic beverage.

2. Cut Down on The Amount Of Alcohol You Buy

When you drink wine, instead of buying a half gallon for home, buy smaller bottles, 12- or 16-ounce sizes. Buy two or three smaller bottles and measure your drinks at meals. According to the National Center For Health Promotion and Disease Control, women should drink one-5-6 ounces of glass of alcohol daily and men no more than two.

Instead of buying three six packs of beer, try buying one. Buy single cans of beer and wine to cut down on the amount. Stop buying hard liquor completely or cut down on the amount you drink. If you are still thinking about ‘how to manage moderate drinking’, then cutting back on the amount is one way to do it.

3. Drink Mocktails A Few Days A Week

Plan meals without alcohol and replace the drink with tasty alcohol-free choices. You will find many great recipes for mocktails on the Internet. They have iced tea, limeade, lemonade, fruit spritzers, and seltzer in assorted flavors without sugar or salt. If your concerned about calories, avoid drinks with milk, cream, too much sugar, and ice cream. You will be surprised that mocktails can be a refreshing change with your meals.

They sell a variety of fruit syrups and juices without much sugar that you can dilute with water or seltzer to make refreshing mocktails. They are sold in health food stores, supermarkets, and online. Try to have 2 or 3 days a week where you do not drink alcohol. Think about trying non-alcoholic beer, wine, or cider.

4. Exercise to Relieve Stress

Stress sometimes causes people to drink and finding ways to relieve stress can help you cut down on drinking. Drinking in women has increased due to stress at work and home. Find an exercise you like to do regularly; walking, biking, swimming, jogging, yoga, going to the gym and stick with it. Try to find something you enjoy, or you may not stay with it. Exercise alone or with friends, depending on what you enjoy more.

You can purchase exercise videos or follow video routines on the Internet. Join a gym or take an exercise class with others. This will increase your enjoyment and you will meet new people with a similar interest. This is another technique for how to manage moderate drinking.

5. Develop A Hobby

Some people drink to relieve boredom or to manage painful emotions like anger, guilt, and shame. A hobby can be a way to take your attention off your problems and focus on something else. A hobby will be an activity that you enjoy doing; reading, sewing, making quilts, yoga, cooking, gardening, watching sports, flower arranging, and crafts.

6. Manage Emotions With Yoga, Meditation, and Deep Breathing

To manage painful emotions, learning yoga, meditation, deep breathing, and tai chi have many exercises that can help you manage your anger and other emotions. They have videos, classes, and online information to get you started on these practices. They can help you manage emotions and cut down on drinking.

7. Seek Therapy or Help

Seek help by talking with family and friends and telling them you want to cut down. When you have serious concerns, your doctors, a therapist, or counselor may be able to help you. Talking with someone that treats addiction can help you find ways to change your behavior. When you overdrink frequently, a group like AA or Smart Recovery can help because you meet others dealing with the same problems and it provides support.

This is a guest blog entry.