How to Cut Back on Alcohol?

Alcohol consumption, affects every aspect of a persons life, from their mind, body, relationships, career, to their own safety as well as that of others. Definite signs that you are drinking too much include: if you can't wait to get done with work or class to get to a bar, if you can't recollect what took place while you were drinking, if you have frequent hangovers or if you arrive late to work or miss work altogether.

Heavy drinking is a habit that can creep up, or develop as a result of lifestyle choices, such as work, friends and activities. But most people who drink heavily choose to quit at some point. The first step, is usually to get inspired. You can do this by listing your reasons for quitting and writing them down on paper. Now paste this list in a prominent place where you can see it everyday or carry it around with you. Remembering your reasons and visualizing them will help you resist temptation. There are a myriad of benefits you could reap from quitting, including better health, better sleep, weight loss, better fitness or even a successful relationship. Here are some more tips to help you cut back:

• Set a drinking goal: Choose a limit for how much you will drink. You may choose to cut down or not to drink at all. If you are cutting down, keep below these limits:

  • Men: No more than two drinks a day.
  • Women: No more than one drink a day.

  These limits may be too high for some people who have certain medical problems or who are older. Talk with your doctor about the limit that is right for you.

• Drink slowly: When you drink, sip your drink slowly. Take a break of 1 hour between drinks. Drink soda, water, or juice after a drink with alcohol. Do not drink on an empty stomach! Eat food when you are drinking.

• Do not keep alcohol at home or work: This might be very hard at first for some people, but after a couple of weeks it will seem more natural to have healthy food and drink choices around your living environment, rather than things that lead to sickness and poverty. Simply put, you need to make it easy on yourself to be sober by removing the temptation. Don't underestimate the power of "out of sight, out of mind".

• Do not skip meals: Perhaps the most important is to never skip a meal, as that simply opens the door to alcohol abuse. Not only does eating 3 or 4 healthy meals a day give your body all the necessary nutrients to help you look and feel your best, but you will actually have less of a desire to drink alcohol when your stomach is full of food.

• Do not let one mistake ruin your resolve: The things in life that are truly worth having are things that take a little effort. Even if you have tried and failed a hundred times, it's imperative that you try yet again. And keep trying. No matter how small of a step you need to take, there has to be something that you can do to reduce your addiction to alcohol. Find that one, small something you can do and then do it.

• Maintain a healthy diet: Many of us will only put in the highest grade of gasoline and oil into our cars, and yet put the worst kind of crap into our bodies for nourishment. Then we wonder why we don't feel happy or healthy, or why we can't think clearly, or suddenly look so old. Isn't it far past time to treat your body as the temple it is? Start eating plenty of fruit and vegetables (preferably organic), and stay away from fast food, processed foods and the normal junk that most people eat. The healthier your diet is the less you feel the need to put alcohol into your body.

• Start exercising: A moderate exercise program can and will make a dramatic difference in how you look and feel. Strive for 3 or more aerobic workouts per week to start out; lasting at least 20 minutes each. You can break that up into 2 ten-minute sessions if you'd like. Add 2 (but no more than 3) weight resistance workouts per week when you feel capable. It's really quite amazing that when you feel healthy and strong you also start to feel genuinely happy with your life.

• Drink water: Get in the habit of drinking at least 5 glasses of clean water each day as your body desperately needs water for almost every action it takes. You can survive for weeks without food, but only a couple of days without water. Remember, only water is water. Coffee, tea, soda, juice, etc, does not count. Plus, what many people think is desire to drink alcohol is instead simply their bodies craving water. Drinking plenty of water will reduce your desire for alcohol.

• Say No: When you are in social situations, learn to say no. Be firm about your decision, even if someone tries to persuade you. They should realize that 'no' means 'no'. You may know people who will harass or belittle you for not drinking. This behavior usually stems from envy, and their own lack of resolve. However, it is best to avoid them. You don't want anyone or anything to hamper your progress.

• Watch out for temptations: Watch out for people, places, or times that make you drink, even if you do not want to. Stay away from people who drink a lot or bars where you used to go. Plan ahead of time what you will do to avoid drinking when you are tempted. Do not drink when you are angry or upset or have a bad day. These are habits you need to break if you want to drink less.

• Reward yourself: Reward your self every time you achieve a goal, even if it is a small one. You could treat yourself to a nice meal or buy yourself something nice.

Most people lapse several times while trying to quit. Your long-term success depends on how you accept these setbacks. They are an important source of information, and by analyzing the situations that made you drink, you could either address the issue or try avoiding that particular type of situation in the future. Feelings can be coped with by taking to a friend or someone in your support group. However, the important thing is to get up, brush yourself off, and without a great deal of guilt or self pity, get back on track.