How to drink alcohol in moderation sounds simple (until you try to do it consistently). Right?! Between social pressure, stress, and mixed advice, it’s easy to feel stuck in an all-or-nothing cycle...
This post shows you exactly how to drink alcohol in moderation with 10 expert tips that actually work, plus the top things that might actually be making you drink more...
This post is all about how to drink alcohol in moderation!
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Drinking alcohol in moderation, for me, has been mostly a mindset shift more than anything. Sure "where there is a will, there is a way", but what about those times the alcohol cravings are stronger than your will power?
How to Drink Alcohol in Moderation
Expert Tips to Drink Alcohol in Moderation
1. Know the standards...
Often times people might think that a double shot cocktail is "one drink". Then, after a few drinks they are wondering how they've drank so much.
Especially for places like wine bars, they can over pour "one glass" which results in you actually having two glasses of wine instead of one.
Here are the standards as a gentle reminder:
- 12 ounces of beer
- 5 ounces of wine
- 1.5 ounces of liquor
Now, most bars will give you a double shot in cocktails. That is considered two standard drinks. AND, note, 1.5 ounces of liquor is a shot glass filled 3/4 of the way... So, when you pour a full shot glass that is usually more than 1.5 ounces.
Some shot glasses even hold 4 ounces, so make sure you are using a jigger. Same with wine, you can use this wine measurement to measure your glass!
2. Set clear limits before starting
The end goal of moderation is having healthy boundaries with alcohol. Right? So, to do so we need to tell ourselves what that boundary is.
We can do this in a board sense, overall we want to drink X amount this week/month/year. Or we can do this each time we go out drinking.
Research shows that setting drinking goals can decrease the amount you drink by 10%, compared to not setting any goal/non-moderation goals.
If you want to set intentions, and a goal, before going out below is my going-out checklist and drink plan you can easily print out!
3. Pace drinking with alternating water
Hydration soothes next day fatigue and the beloved hangover symptoms! Not only that, but alternating between water and a drink helps you slow your drinking down.
I like to make it interesting and either do a soda water with lemon or just ice water with lemon. (Well, as interesting as it can get drinking water!)
Check out our insanely helpful tips on how to pace your drinking, quick ways to drink moderately (while keeping up with everyone else).
4. Use implementation intentions
What is an implementation intention? An implementation intention usually follows the format:
"If _____ happens, then I will _____".
Psychologists studied the effects of this practice and found it decreases alcohol consumption more than those people who did not use an implementation intention before drinking.
This practice helps you pre-plan those spontaneous moments, but also those habitual times of drinking.
Here it is in real-life examples:
- If I try to pour myself a second glass of wine after work, I will hand the bottle to my husband and grab a drink alternative instead.
- If my friends ask if I want to go out (when I don't want to), I will tell them "No, thanks I am going to workout instead."
5. Eat while you drink
If food is going in, then a drink can't! Enjoying a drink while eating is the best way to moderate your drinking the easy way.
When we eat, our blood alcohol content is lower due to slower absorption of alcohol (especially when eating high carb meals).
A high blood alcohol content is linked to impaired judgement and risk taking.
Think about those moments your inhibitions were non-existent... Maybe a few drinks, maybe a little risk-taking adventure, perhaps?
When your judgement stays intact for longer you are more likely to say no to drinks, drink slower, stick to your drinking limit, etc. To have your judgement stay intact, we eat while we drink to slow the absorption of alcohol into our bloodstream.
6. Learn your triggers & mood
Potentially the best foundational strategy to learn how to drink alcohol in moderation.
Understanding when and why you drink allows you to better recognize patterns within yourself. Then, you can create a game-plan on how to shift those patterns.
For example, someone might learn the trigger that when they get stressed out to reach for a glass of wine, or two, or three. Or when they feel anxious, angry, frustrated, etc.
Do some reflecting and ask:
- What time of day, or day of week, do I usually drink? Why?
- What happens before I start drinking? Anything of note, maybe a stressful situation, talking with your boss, etc.
- Do I see anything, read anything, that makes me crave a drink?
7. Don't be afraid to say no
As mentioned above, drinking flood our blood and impairs our judgement. We can't be afraid to say no to drinks, even when our friends are super convincing!
Some people tend to be people pleasers, which can be challenging when offered more drinks. Right? But, once we start to train our "no thank you" muscle, it WILL get easier!
8. Self-monitor, track, and record
Almost like prepping for a big presentation, or a big event, we can also prepare for the weekend of going out with friends.
Research finds that self-monitoring is a key technique in behavior changes. And those who track for the longer term see greater results.
What does this mean for you? Here are some key ways you can take to self-monitor:
- Pull out your drink tracker, and write how many drinks you had that week. What went well this week? What can I improve on?
- A simple tally method: Drinks that week, nights of good sleep, workout days
- Habit track with Yes/No per day (Alcohol Free? Yes/No)
Obviously, you can self-monitor in a variety of ways!
Try some of these and see how it goes. Over time you can see a change in your behavior and you will learn how to drink alcohol in moderation!
9. Understand why you're drinking in the first place
Now, understanding why you're drinking in the first place is different from learning your triggers.
Triggers are the moments that happen before you drink, and here we want to understand what we feel that makes us grab the drink.
When we drink to cope, research tells us it can lead to heavier alcohol use and alcohol problems.
So, ask yourself, are you drinking to cope with something? If you answered yes, then it's time to start coping with a workout, art class, or anything not involving alcohol.
Things That Might Actually Make You Drink More
Some tops things that might actually make you drink more are:
To combat these issues with a holistic approach, you can easily develop healthier routines...
Beneficial wellness routines can help balance stress, hormones, and improve sleep quality. All of which can be factors of over-consuming alcohol!
More specifically, our morning routine (especially for women) can help balance our stress hormones, which in turn, balances our other hormones.
Check out our morning routines to start aligning your body with its natural rhythms to ultimately reduce alcohol consumption, find balance, and live in flow with nature.