Habit before the habit ideas to reduce alcohol

With a second national lockdown in full swing and Christmas on the horizon, have you found yourself reaching for the booze a little more frequently than usual?  

 Many of us like a cheeky bevvy from time to time, but as we know, drinking too much can be damaging to both our physical health and emotional wellbeing.  

Not only can drinking excessively lead to chronic diseases and cancers, it can be a large contributor to weight gain and be detrimental to our mental health. In fact a new survey has found that 44% of drinkers have reported a negative impact on their wellbeing such as increased anxiety, trouble sleeping, low mood/sadness and memory loss.  

The recommended maximum intake of alcoholic drinks is 14 units spread over the week, which could be six pints of beer, seven 175ml glasses of wine, or 14 single measures of gin. It’s also recommended to have a few alcohol-free days too. 

 Here are some Habit before the habit tips for reducing your alcohol consumption: 

You might be shopping less at the moment, due to lockdown- try to go shopping in a ‘planning’ moment when you are feeling healthy, avoid the alcohol isle, and do not go shopping in the evening when you might be more likely to buy alcohol. If you don’t have it in the house, you would have to go out in the dark cold evening to get some, which should act as a bit of a deterrent! 

Why not try a fruity sparkling no added sugar water, elderflower/lime cordial and tonic/soda water, diet coke/lemonade with lots of ice but have it in a wine, prosecco or beer glass. You could also try some mocktail recipes …just watch out for the sugar! 

If you store your alcohol out of the fridge, you will be less likely to drink it at a weak moment in your evening if it’s not chilled to perfection. You’d have to pop it in the fridge and wait, which may be another deterrent.

Let friends and family members know you are cutting back on drinking and ask for their support not to offer you alcohol or buy it.

Want to know more about reducing your alcohol consumption? Check out this blog post.

If you do fancy a drink why not try cutting your servings down, you could dilute your wine by making a a spritzer or shandy, or try serving it in a half pint or small wine glasses.