How I kept my drink less resolution

Who am I to go on about smarter drinking?

Well, if you’d spoken to me a couple of years ago, I’d have been one of the many thirty-something men who were sick of waking up with a weekend hangover after over doing it on Friday night or a bad head as a result of the odd midweek bottle of wine with my partner Jill.

Around this time of year we’d always try to cut right back from our normal few bottles of wine a week and the few after work pints I used to indulge in. But we’d usually be back drinking too much by the time January was out.

What changed? Well, last year I worked out that sorting your alcohol intake has nothing to do with willpower – it’s all about drinking smarter. We all know there are loads of great reasons to cut down, and the good news is that you can do it without missing out.

If I can do it, you can do it too. So read on to find out  how Jill and I  cracked it during January 2010...

January 4-10 2010

Do I take a leaf out of Jill’s ‘Get Celebrity Fit by February’ book and swap lager and wine for wheatgrass smoothies for the rest of the month?

Not flipping likely.

The government's daily unit guidelines advise that a man should not regularly drink more than 3-4 alcohol units a day (equivalent to a pint and a half of 4% beer) and a woman should not regularly exceed 2-3 units a day (equivalent to a 175ml glass of 13% wine). That means we don’t have to cut out alcohol altogether to feel the health benefits.

For me, sticking to pint and a half is pretty simple – I just buy my usual six pack and then plonk one 4% beer in the fridge each morning. Then, I’ve got the perfect cold beer waiting for me at the end of the day - if I fancy it - and I’m far less tempted to go for another, knowing that it will be a warm one if I did.

Instant inspiration

• Craving the taste of beer, but don’t want to drink beyond the guidelines? Zero alcohol beers provide an authentically ‘beery’ experience (including the satisfying sound you get when you crack them open) sans alcohol.  
• I used to go to the off licence three or four times a week, mainly out of habit. Try going once on Saturday instead, and picking up the moderate amount you plan to drink in the next seven days and sticking to that amount.

January 11-17

Plenty of couples have their personal home drinking downfall – and ours just happens to be red wine.  

All too often we’d split one bottle of wine between us in front of a film, before heading to the kitchen for another one before the credits have even rolled. This is where I found that cutting back requires a bit of tactical teamwork.

What we both enjoyed about bringing home wine is that it felt like a treat. So the trick is to bring home something just as ‘treaty’, but not alcoholic. Take it in turns and see what you come up with.

For instance, we found that bringing back a new Friday night DVD, a takeaway, or the ingredients to make a Jamie Oliver-style dinner are all winners.

Remember that you don’t have to ditch red wine (or whatever floats your boat) entirely – just be aware of how many units are in your favourite tipple, and don’t egg each other on to drink more than the guidelines.

Without wanting to sound too much like a self help book, it’s worth reassessing what role alcohol plays in your relationship. Sometimes you just get into the habit of slouching on the sofa and automatically reaching for booze (I know I did).

Drink to the guidelines, and you can make booze the background to your relationship, rather than the whole point.

Instant inspiration

• Have you seen those super-sized fishbowls you call wine glasses? Switch them for something smaller and you’ll find it a cinch to stay within the daily guidelines.  
• If you prefer spirits to wine at home, don’t be stingy with the ice cubes. As well as making your drink last longer, swirling the ice round your glass can give you that classy cocktail bar feeling at home!

January 18-24

It always seems like the invitations for post-work pints start coming in once you’re past the middle of January. That’s no problem – as long as I check that the alcohol by volume (ABV) of what I’m drinking is 4% or less, I can still have a pint and a half on the nights I choose to join my workmates and still be under the daily unit guidelines.

What I didn’t count on is that staying relatively sober around a group of people getting progressively drunker can do wonders for your ego. Since you’re completely in control it’s easy to stay sharp with your banter. Suddenly, you become the wittiest person in the room, if only because you’re not slurring your words and repeating everything twice.

The only real drawback is that some people seem determined to buy you drinks you don’t want. I’ve found that being honest and saying that you’re cutting back works wonders. And if they still ply you with drinks you can happily pass them on to mates!

When you’re starting out you might worry about being tempted to stay for one too many. If this sounds like you then book dinner, the cinema, or any other appointment you can’t break. That way you’re guaranteed to leave the boozer without blowing your units.

Instant inspiration

• Still unsure of the social benefits of smarter drinking? Try hanging out with some slightly intoxicated people this January and see firsthand the kind of behaviour you’re (not) missing.
• Drinking smaller amounts makes your units go further. If you’re having a good night, swap pints for halves, alternate alcohol with soft drinks or order a shandy.  

January 25-31

To get vaguely philosophical for a second, I think the key to smarter drinking is going beyond the ‘feast and famine’ approach. It’s easy to get into the habit of a big blow-out at the weekend, when it’s actually far more enjoyable to have a drink when you want one, but stay within the units.

This approach has some definite benefits – one of which is that we’re both becoming wannabe drink snobs! I found that when we used to regularly stock up on lots of booze to drink at home we tended to go for the price rather than the taste.

But now we drink less we’ve got the freedom to go for quality over quantity. Now we think in terms of great glasses of wine rather than average bottles.

Try splashing your cash on a decent bottle of wine and drinking it throughout the week. You’ll want to savour each sip while congratulating yourself on your impeccable taste. What better way is there to bring in February? 

Instant inspiration

• If you’re going to get good wine, invest in a good bottle stop. They’ll stop the wine from turning to vinegar overnight, which means you won’t be so encouraged to finish a bottle off in one night.
• To really savour the drinks you do enjoy, ask the experts. There are loads of great wine, beer and spirits blogs with good advice on what to drink and how to drink it. Or, go old school and invest in one of the many fantastic wine guides or cocktail handbooks out there.
  

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Unknown, 10 May 2012.

Page checked on

22 Dec 2010