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Cutting down on alcohol intake is often an item on New Year’s resolution lists. It is usually made after you realise this is the second time in a week that you have a hangover at work, or family members complain about your drinking.
If your problem is serious, it may be an idea to seek professional help, but if you merely want to cut down, instead of cutting it out completely, there is a lot you can do to limit your alcoholic intake.
So what can you do to cut down on your drinking?
Don’t do the rounds
Go out with your friends, by all means, possibly even pay for the first round, but don’t drink round for round with them. That means that the amount you drink will depend on how much the others are drinking. Say something about an important early-morning meeting and don’t let yourself be bullied.
Always have a drink handy
Get one drink and nurse it all evening. When someone offers you another, point at your half-full glass and say something like, “When I’ve finished this one”. Point blank outright refusal and expressed intention to have only one, will possibly result in others putting pressure on you to have another one.
Stay out of the spotlight
Don’t draw attention to yourself by either refusing loudly to have even one drink, or by loudly shouting in an order for an orange juice. Get a drink, preferably a large one, like a beer, and put it down in front of you and nurse it all evening. People will register that you have a drink, not that it’s been the same one all evening.
If you can’t join them, trick them
Drinks like lime and soda, or tonic without the gin, both look like alcoholic beverages, but aren’t. Have several of these. Everyone will think you’re drinking with them.
Accept invitations with a non-drinking proviso
If you’re on medication, such as antihistamines or antibiotics, you shouldn't drink at all. You don’t have to turn down an invitation because of this, but do tell people in advance that you're not allowed to drink anything for a few days. People probably won’t bug you.
Drink low alcohol drinks
There are light beers on the market. You can also mix white wine with soda and have a spritzer. In this way you can have a drink in your hand all evening, without consuming more than the alcoholic equivalent of one glass of wine.
Ice is nice
Put lots of ice in your drink – essentially this waters it down and you can linger over it longer.
Eating is not cheating
Line your stomach with a decent meal before you start drinking. The emptier your stomach, the more immediate the effect of your alcoholic consumption. Alcohol and aspirin are the only two substances absorbed into the system directly through the stomach lining.
Water, water everywhere
Drink two glasses of water before you go, so that you don’t find yourself downing two beers because you're thirsty. And anyway, alcohol dehydrates you. Drinking a glass of water in between drinks is also a good idea and gives your liver a bit of a break.
Eat at a restaurant rather than go to the pub
If you want to socialise with friends, it may be an idea to go to a restaurant for a meal rather than going to a pub.
Singles not doubles
Order single drinks, not doubles. A double tot of anything already puts you over the legal limit for driving. Two doubles, and most people will be fairly far gone.
Limit your spending money
Take a limited amount of money with you. If you have only a few dollars with you, it limits the amount you can drink quite effectively.
If your problem is serious, it may be an idea to seek professional help, but if you merely want to cut down, instead of cutting it out completely, there is a lot you can do to limit your alcoholic intake.
So what can you do to cut down on your drinking?
Don’t do the rounds
Go out with your friends, by all means, possibly even pay for the first round, but don’t drink round for round with them. That means that the amount you drink will depend on how much the others are drinking. Say something about an important early-morning meeting and don’t let yourself be bullied.
Always have a drink handy
Get one drink and nurse it all evening. When someone offers you another, point at your half-full glass and say something like, “When I’ve finished this one”. Point blank outright refusal and expressed intention to have only one, will possibly result in others putting pressure on you to have another one.
Stay out of the spotlight
Don’t draw attention to yourself by either refusing loudly to have even one drink, or by loudly shouting in an order for an orange juice. Get a drink, preferably a large one, like a beer, and put it down in front of you and nurse it all evening. People will register that you have a drink, not that it’s been the same one all evening.
If you can’t join them, trick them
Drinks like lime and soda, or tonic without the gin, both look like alcoholic beverages, but aren’t. Have several of these. Everyone will think you’re drinking with them.
Accept invitations with a non-drinking proviso
If you’re on medication, such as antihistamines or antibiotics, you shouldn't drink at all. You don’t have to turn down an invitation because of this, but do tell people in advance that you're not allowed to drink anything for a few days. People probably won’t bug you.
Drink low alcohol drinks
There are light beers on the market. You can also mix white wine with soda and have a spritzer. In this way you can have a drink in your hand all evening, without consuming more than the alcoholic equivalent of one glass of wine.
Ice is nice
Put lots of ice in your drink – essentially this waters it down and you can linger over it longer.
Eating is not cheating
Line your stomach with a decent meal before you start drinking. The emptier your stomach, the more immediate the effect of your alcoholic consumption. Alcohol and aspirin are the only two substances absorbed into the system directly through the stomach lining.
Water, water everywhere
Drink two glasses of water before you go, so that you don’t find yourself downing two beers because you're thirsty. And anyway, alcohol dehydrates you. Drinking a glass of water in between drinks is also a good idea and gives your liver a bit of a break.
Eat at a restaurant rather than go to the pub
If you want to socialise with friends, it may be an idea to go to a restaurant for a meal rather than going to a pub.
Singles not doubles
Order single drinks, not doubles. A double tot of anything already puts you over the legal limit for driving. Two doubles, and most people will be fairly far gone.
Limit your spending money
Take a limited amount of money with you. If you have only a few dollars with you, it limits the amount you can drink quite effectively.
