In a world where there is no scarcity of alcoholic drinks you may be wondering how to pace your drinking.
You go to a friends house or the bars and it feels like an open tap of drinks flowing directly towards you. Once the waterfall starts, it is extremely challenging to turn off or even slow it down...
It can be a wild phenomenon that you wake up wondering how things got that out of hand? What did you do wrong? Was it that one last drink? Or were you doomed from the start?
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Coming from a time where college is not a place to learn, but more of a place to party, learning how to pace my drinking did not come until later. But, those questions rang my doorbell after every night of drinking...
See the simple tips to implement to pace your drinking! Learn top tips before you drink and tips on how to pace yourself when you are drinking.
This post is all about how to pace your drinking.
How to Pace Your Drinking
Tips Before You Drink
1. Set your intentions before going out
A huge key element with pacing your drinking is to set your intentions PRIOR. If you try to set your intentions while you are surrounded by friends, in a noisy room, etc, it will be very challenging.
Have a moment with yourself and set your intentions. For example, I want to be home before 11pm, I will be mindful of my drinks, I will resist temptations, etc.
2. Build your night out to be intermixed with drinking
Don't just rely on going out to the bar as your whole night.
Either have plans the following morning that you need to be in bed at certain time for (ie workout classes, yoga, coffee with friends, etc) or intermix your night out at the bar with something else (meeting a friend for a burger, a date night, etc).
When I plan nights out this way it makes it 1000x times easier to apply the tips below and I will go home at a decent hour, feel great, and even wake up feeling good.
3. Have more plans
Like I mentioned above, have more plans other than the bar or drinking in general. This could also mean you get home to work on a project you have, or a hobby, or anything like that. A key step to take BEFORE you go out drinking to set your night up for success.
4. Pre-make herbal teas
For my chic-natural ladies out there! Pre-make an herbal tea and bring it in your Stanley mug out with you. Choose an energizing herb when you want to keep up, choose a calming herb if you get anxious, etc!
Here is a simple list of herbs you can check out:
5. Separate yourself from drinking *mentally*
I mention this one from my own personal experience when I was over-consuming alcohol... It took over my mind, my body, and my spirit. So, when I was able to step back and separate myself from alcohol it changed the game.
Going out was no longer, "Let's go where the drinks are"... It turned into, "Let's go hang out and alcohol will just be a small part of that."
It is an important mindset shift from making alcohol the star of the show to making your friends, family, etc the star of the show.
6. Have a friend that will support you
Before going out, phone a friend that you trust and tell them your intentions. Ask them to help you out and be your shoulder to lean on if you need to.
They might even be interested in the same thing! This will mitigate any societal pressures to over consume drinks when you don't want to. Though, it is not a cure for those situations, but it is a good buffer!!
7. Drink salty citrus water before drinking
Take a bottle of water, add some lemon or lime juice and salt, shake it up, pour it over ice, and boom! A simple electrolyte drink like this will keep you hydrated. If you go out to the bars dehydrated you will be thirsty, therefore you will drink a lot!
Pair this idea with another one above to be more successful. Because, ultimately, this shift in how to pace your drinking will come from your mind and your willingness to set boundaries.
Tips on How to Pace Yourself When Drinking
8. Follow the 1/2/3 rule
Many people when getting a grip on their drinking, but don't want to quit completely, will follow the 1/2/3 rule.
Here are the rules:
- No more than one drink per hour
- No more than two drinks per occasion
- No more than three drinks per day
Now, of course, you can change this rule if you want or one that suits your needs the best! Though, this is a great starting point when you are searching for how to pace your drinking.
9. The 20-minute rule
The 20-minute rule is quite simple, when you crave a drink wait 20 minutes until having a drink. So, if you are out at the bars and you finished your drink, set a timer for 20 minutes until you can get up and get another one.
A lead behavioral specialist notes that, a craving lasts for about 6 minutes so if you can distract yourself for 20 minutes, the idea is, the feeling will pass.
Within that 20 minute period you can breathe, and eventually, start to realize your triggers, sensations, thoughts, etc. That can be a window into your relationship with alcohol.
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10. Alternate between a drink and sparkling water
The best trick I have found when I want to pace my drinking is to alternate between two drinks, one alcoholic and one not. A great way to also stay hydrated and be able to last 1000x times longer being out. Instead of finishing all three drinks in three hours you might have three drinks in 6 hours!
The best thing about this too, is if you are enjoying sipping on a sparkling water with lime you can order one, two, three more before ordering another alcoholic drink!
PRO TIP: You will save a butt-load of money this way too!
11. Talk to the bartender...
If you are struggling with friends pressuring you into drinking, and they won't necessarily understand your intentions of pacing your drinking. Then, talk to the bartender.
Tell the bartender when you order a tequila soda, leave out the tequila and just give you the soda and lime... The only one who will know the truth is the bartender, but it sounds like you're drinking.
I would say this is not the best way on how to pace your drinking since it is not 100% truthful. Though, to protect ourselves in certain situations we have to be willing to put our goals first.
12. Drink low ABV
Maybe this is an obvious answer, but drink drinks that are naturally low in ABV. You will be able to pace your drinking like an absolute PRO! Drink light beers or single-shot cocktails.
Though, make sure you tell the bartender you only want a single shot!
13. Opt for high quality drinks
I love this trick because it is SO easy to pace your drinking when you apply this. When you go out only get high quality drinks. Whether that is an insanely expensive glass of wine or a elegantly mixed cocktail.
When I go out with friends to high dollar bars, or have high dollar wines, we are not drinking in excess because we can't afford it! Plus, drinking high quality drinks can make it easier to drink slowly since you want to savor it.
Over-consuming alcohol usually comes in the form of cheap drinks. Why? Because cheap drinks come in abundance!
14. Sip slowly
Sipping slowly is especially important when you opt for high quality drinks. They will last longer! Which is a win for the duration of the drink, your wallet, and your health.
I have found with high quality wines that I naturally sip they very slowly... When it's a scarce resource you would too!! I look at the bottle and realize this is not just another Miler Lite I can go grab from the store. This is sacred, scarce, and SO delicious that I have to savor every moment.