Cutting Back on Alcohol: 8 Ways to Reduce Your Intake for a Healthier Life

Considering cutting back on your alcohol intake? You're not alone! There's a growing number of people opting to reduce the amount of booze they're consuming on a regular basis. With growing evidence of how alcohol can increase your chances of developing certain illnesses and affect mental health, many are deciding to scale down their weekly number of drinks. If you're on two minds about trimming down your drinking levels and unsure where to begin, we've put together this article to show you how to get started.

Don’t Go Cold Turkey

It's easy for anyone to wake up one day and say, 'Right, that's it, I'm never drinking again.' In most cases, these people never stay true to their word because going cold turkey is a lot harder than it may seem. You're better off slowly reducing the number of drinks you have on a night out before you think of cutting back completely. Remember, the mind and body need to adjust to the reduced amount of alcohol reaching your body, so it can almost go into shock if you push yourself too hard too soon.

Consider Non Alcoholic Beverages

For someone who really likes the taste of beer or wine, it can be an extra challenge to reduce their alcohol intake compared to someone who just drinks to get drunk. However, thanks to the introduction of non-alcoholic beverage alternatives, cutting back is much easier; you still get the taste without the effects. Most bars these days have a handful of non-alcoholic beverages behind the counter; you just have to ask. If you're hosting a party at your place or attending one at a friend's, your local bottle store is sure to have some sort of 0% alcohol beer.

Order Drinks With a Lower Alcohol Content

Alcohol companies have caught on to the fact that more people want to drink less, so there has been an increased number of lower-proof options popping up on the market.

You'll most certainly find lower-proof beers in a lot of pubs; in most cases, these tend to be light brews such as Coors Light and Miller Lite. Additionally, many liquors and wines are the same but may not be as advertised, so you'll need to ask the bartender directly if they've got any available.

Get Rid of the Alcohol Out of Your Fridge

Wherever alcohol is easily accessible, it often leads to temptation, so you'll benefit more from just removing it completely from your fridge if you don't want to give in. While you might say you won't touch it, all it takes for an old friend to swing by for a chat, and before you know it, you're two shots into a bottle of Jack Daniels. If you're not ready to give it up entirely, set a limit you're comfortable with and stick to it. For instance, if your goal is to cut down to four beers a week, keep just four in the fridge; no more, no less. This way, you stay committed without feeling like you've gone all out cold turkey.

Order Water in Between Rounds When You’re Out

Getting bullied into staying in rounds of drinks with your buddies can happen easier than you think. To avoid this from happening to you, why not say for every second drink, you'll order water instead? That way, you're always staying hydrated and still getting to enjoy some drinks without overconsuming too much alcohol.

Tell the People You’re Close To

For some, reducing the actual alcohol isn't the hard part, but it's actually harder for them to deal with how their drinking buddies will react. Think, you've shared so many great memories with certain people over alcohol, and now you're choosing a different road that can be a bitter pill for some to swallow. You should avoid beating around the bush in a situation like this. Instead, be upfront and straight with people; in most cases, they'll completely understand and will know not to keep pushing you to drink more. However, some may react badly, think you're joking around, and try to keep you in the cycle. If this does happen to you, tell them to stop, be clear with them, and state that you won't be coming out in the future if they keep acting in that way.

Keep a Diary

Keeping a diary can be an excellent way of tracking the progress of your journey. It allows you to set targets, outline your wins and losses, and just have an overall better understanding of things going on a daily/weekly basis. Diaries are a fantastic tool for holding yourself accountable for your choices. For instance, if you find you had one more drink than you intended on a particular night, you can jot it down. This reflection allows you to pinpoint where things went off track and gain clarity on the situation, helping you avoid repeating the same mistake in the future.

Learn to Drink Slower

When it comes to drinking in a pub with your pals, it's not a race. You're there to enjoy your time with those who are close to you with a couple of pints; you don't always have to get destroyed on every night out just because everyone else is doing it. By learning to drink slower, you'll be able to avoid falling into the trap of getting drunk whenever you go out. Take smaller sips, downsize your beverages, and engage more with your surroundings rather than trying to scull back your drink so you can race to the bar for another. Reduce Your Alcohol Intake Now With These Tips Lowering your alcohol consumption isn’t easy at first, but it becomes more manageable with genuine commitment and trust in the process. Expect slip-ups along the way; it’s important to prepare for them. However, as long as you bounce back stronger each time, this will be an effective strategy for living a healthier lifestyle without completely cutting alcohol from your diet.