Ways to cut down on alcohol

It's that time of year when the detox falls foul of the urge for an after-work pint or a sneaky bottle of wine with Friday’s Chinese takeaway.

A couple of glasses here and there and it’s no time before you’re back to drinking most nights of the week. 

So forget those dramatic vows to cut out the boozing once and for all: take a more achievable approach and pledge to make your drinking more moderate instead. Here’s how to go about it: 

Ask for support 

It’s all well and good making a private promise to consume less alcohol, but when the devil’s on your shoulder and that ice-cold white is calling there’ll be no-one to help you resist. Tell friends and family you’re trying to cut back and ask them not to ply you with booze or keep refilling that glass. 

Prepare your defence  

Do remember, though, that some people don’t like to have their drinking behaviour challenged so, if an old mate or colleague is sneery about your efforts, have your defence ready when they try to tip you off the wagon.  

It helps to have a checklist of the health, finance and fitness benefits you hope to achieve. A vague ‘I’m just trying to be healthy’ is too easily overturned. 

Track your units  

Men are advised not to exceed more than three or four units a day (a pint and a half of 4% beer), while women should down no more than two to three (equivalent to one 175ml glass of wine), with two alcohol-free days a week. 

These days there are loads of handy Apps that can help you keep tabs: sign up to my.drinkaware.co.uk to calculate your weekly consumption, download the free NHS iPhone and iPod touch drinks tracker from the iTunes App Store, or the desktop tracker at www.nhs.uk/Tools/Pages/NHSAlcoholtracker.aspx

Check the label 

Look at the ABV (alcohol by volume) on your bottle of wine or beer before you buy and plump for the lower versions. Producers are increasingly introducing 10% or lower ABV wines that are every bit as good as their stronger counterparts. Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Majestic, Waitrose and Marks & Spencer all offer lower strength types. 

Buy small  

It’s so simple it’s silly: buy smaller measures. So swap those 250ml fishbowls of plonk for a more delicate 175ml, and savour it to make it last longer. Ditto, go for bottles or half pints of beer and cider.  

The same applies at home – pour your drinks into smaller glasses and that bottle of wine or beer could last you a few days instead of a single sitting. 

Buy a home measure 

It’s just too tempting to slosh in the gin when at home. So buy a cheap spirits measure and keep proper tabs on your consumption. They cost as little as £3 from all good kitchenware shops and websites.

Mix it up 

Make that glass of wine last longer by mixing it with sparkling water to make a spritzer. Or add lemonade to turn your beer into a shandy. 

Drink only with dinner 

If it’s glugging the vino at home that’s your downfall, allow yourself a drink only with dinner: not before, during and after. 

Then make a proper espresso and a dessert to enjoy once your meal’s over and stop the whole evening turning into a boozathon.

Invest in a good bottle stop 

If you’ve got a quality stopper your bottle of wine or bubbly can keep perfectly well for a week or more in the fridge. 

Put your wine to good use 

If there’s some left in the bottle and you don’t trust yourself not to down it, get creative: turn it into a vinaigrette, make a rich Chianti-flavoured tomato pasta sauce or a white wine Stroganoff to enjoy with a good steak.

Beware of rounds  

It’s a good old British tradition and very polite, too, but buying in rounds is a nightmare if you’re trying to cut back, especially if you’re having to keep pace with a fast drinker. Explain you’re trying to stay in control and would rather opt out for now, or stay on top of bar visits by limiting the rounds to just two or three people. 

Go soft 

In between alcoholic beverages sip a soft drink such as water, cola or juice. It slows the rate of your alcohol consumption and keeps you hydrated, meaning you won’t be using booze to quench your thirst. 

Organise your week 

Set aside specific days when booze is a no-go: for instance, none on weekdays or on alternate days. 

Tackle your ‘triggers’ 

Often, drinking is a habit associated with specific events. For example, getting home from work and preparing dinner can be a cue to uncork a new bottle of wine, as can snuggling up with your partner in front of a favourite film.

Introduce something different: mix up a fresh fruit ‘mocktail’ or a homemade lemonade to quaff while cooking, or an alcohol-free punch to sip in front of the TV. 

Simply making changes to your routine can also help break the habit: so if it’s you that typically cooks dinner, get your partner to take over a few times a week and go for a walk or have a leisurely bath instead.

Make a plan 

Before you start drinking, set yourself a limit on how much you’re going to drink and/or a budget for how much you’re going to spend.

As health psychologist Martin Hagger says: “One of the reasons we automatically say yes to another drink, even though we’d intended to stop for the evening, is we don’t have a concrete plan or an alternative course of action.”

This article was published on Tue 17 January 2012