Your weekly drinking results
You're reducing your risk of long-term health problems
You drink MORE than 31% of women your age
Less alcohol = less calories.
It's shocking to see how many calories are hidden in alcohol. Cutting out a drink here and there can really reduce calories and help you lose weight. For every large glass of wine you don't drink, you'll save 235 calories. For every pint, you'll save 180 calories. Avoiding spirits and mixers can save you lots of calories too.
Drinking less gives you more energy.
Drinking too much can make you feel tired, sluggish and generally a bit under the weather. Drink less and it shouldn't take too long before you notice that you have more energy.
Drinking less can lift your mood.
Some people drink when they're feeling down, but this usually only makes them feel worse. Initially alcohol may make you feel more energetic or cheerful, but then - because alcohol is a depressant - you could end up feeling worse. For other ways to lift your mood visit www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/
Now we know more about how you drink, we'd like to suggest some simple tips that you could try using to drink less. You don't need to do them all. Pick what works best for you and your life.
Dilute your drinks.
A popular way to drink less is to have a wine spritzer using soda water or a shandy instead of a pint (a shandy is beer or lager diluted with lemonade, make sure to ask for low-sugar lemonade). This will not only help you cut back on how much you are drinking, but your calories too! If you aren't keen on diluting your drink then try to reduce the number of drinks you are having on each occasion instead.
Swap to a lower strength to cut your calories.
Knowing the alcoholic strength of what you are drinking is really quite important. A simple way to reduce the amount of alcohol and calories you're drinking is to swap strong beers or wines for ones with a lower strength. The strength can be seen on the side of cans/bottles and on pumps in pubs as "% ABV", which stands for alcohol by volume. This is sometimes written as "vol" or "alcohol volume". A 1% difference may not sound much but it adds up over a few drinks.
Be aware of your drinking.
Think about whether you ever automatically drink out of routine (after a long day, for example). You may hardly be aware you are doing it, so the amount you drink over a week creeps up. Some people find it helpful to keep a diary to identify when and how much they are drinking.
Keep less alcohol in the house.
If your house is always stocked up with alcohol you're more likely to drink it. Try buying less alcohol when you do the shopping and keep it out of sight at home to help avoid temptation.
Slow down.
If you enjoy the taste of alcohol, try sipping it more slowly. You might want to try non-alcoholic or low alcohol drinks. The quality of these drinks are improving. Another way to drink less is to alternate alcoholic drinks with water.
Is red wine really healthy?
Are beer and wine safer to drink than spirits?
© Drink Less Feel Good 2024
