Your weekly drinking results
A few changes could make a difference to you
You drink MORE than 92% of men 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.
Save money.
If you start drinking less you should quickly start to see the money you're saving pile up. Keep this money in a safe place and use it as additional motivation. The less you drink the more you'll save!
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.
Sleep better after a shift.
Shift work can disrupt your internal 'body clock' which can lead to poor sleep and a lack of energy. Having a drink to relax or help you sleep after your shift actually makes things worse. If you have alcohol in your system when you go to sleep you might go to sleep easier, but there's a good chance you'll get less restful sleep. On average it takes your body two hours to process a pint of beer. Visit the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for a range of techniques to help improve the quality of your sleep.
Drop a drink size.
A really easy trick to drink a little less without feeling like you are missing out is to go for smaller sizes. Try bottled beer instead of pints, or a small glass of wine instead of a large one.
Steer clear of rounds.
Think of a good reason for avoiding rounds, and let your friends know before you start drinking. For example - you're losing weight, you're saving up, or you have something important to do in the morning. Another popular idea is only taking a limited amount of money (and no bank cards) out with you. If you don't want to drink at all, you could offer to be the designated driver. This will help you stay in control of how much you're drinking.
Dinner only drinking.
A simple way to drink less and cut back on the calories is to wait until you eat before having a drink. Drinking with food slows down how fast you drink, as well as the rate that your body absorbs alcohol. If you're drinking wine, you could also try not having the bottle on the table - just pour one glass and put the bottle away. If you stop drinking when you finish eating you give your body more time to process the alcohol before you go to bed which means you'll also get a better night's sleep! Having water on the table to drink between alcoholic drinks also helps.
Is red wine really healthy?
Are beer and wine safer to drink than spirits?
© Drink Less Feel Good 2024
