A couple of glasses at home. A few after work … drink can sneak up on us.
After a long day, many of us like to unwind with a nice glass of something. But it’s funny how drink sneaks up on us. The odd glass in the evening can quickly become two or three regular glasses, most evenings.
The trouble is that drink sneaks up on our organs too, giving the body a hard time. Regularly drinking over the guidelines can lead to serious health problems, from liver damage to a greater risk of getting cancer or having a heart attack.
Read more about the lower-risk guidelines for men and women
Cutting down doesn’t have to mean giving up
Why wait for next week? If you find you've been drinking above the guidelines, there are many different ways you can cut back. Simply pick what suits you best and if that doesn’t work try something else on the list.
Top tips – ways to cut down on alcohol
Getting started
Take a booze break
Most people don’t drink alcohol every day, but if you do, try having a couple of consecutive days in the week when you don’t drink at all. Just make sure you don’t increase the amount you drink on the other days.
Cutting down at home
Out of house, out of mind
If it’s in the house, then we're likely to drink it! Simply stop stocking-up on alcohol when you’re doing the shopping.
Label it!
If a glass tends to mean drinking the whole bottle, try putting a label on the bottle saying “just one glass”…
Cork it!
.. .or, you could try using a bottle stopper instead.
Cutting down on a night out
Make a plan before you start
Set yourself a limit on how much you’re going to drink.
Set yourself a budget
Only take out a set amount of money to spend on alcohol.
Start later
Turn up later and you can drink less. But don’t drink at home before you go out.
Take your time
Drink at your own speed. Don’t feel pressured to keep up with others.
Give it a miss
If someone’s getting a round, don’t feel you must have a drink.
Sit one out
Buy yourself a soft drink when it’s your round.
Replace your usual
Try a smaller glass, or a lower-strength drink, or add a mixer.
A ready-made excuse
You can always tell your friends you’re cutting back on drinking to watch your weight. That one always works!
Stay hydrated
Drink a pint of water before you start drinking and avoid using alcohol to quench your thirst.
Swap your usual for…
A smaller drink
You can still enjoy a drink, just have less. Try a smaller bottle of beer over a can or a small glass of wine rather than a large one. Wine glasses today are bigger than ever and can easily hold a third of a bottle.
A lower-strength drink
Instead of a strong beer or wine, go for one with a lower alcohol content (ABV).
A drink with a mixer
Get more out of your drink by adding a low-calorie mixer to make it last longer.
A soft drink or a glass of water
Take a break between drinks and have a low-calorie soft drink or glass of water in between, which will also help you stay hydrated.
A drink with a meal only
Try only drinking at home with your main meal. And not before or after you’ve eaten.
A cup of tea or coffee
When you get the urge to pour yourself a glass, switch on the kettle and enjoy a cuppa instead. The chances are you won’t feel like an alcoholic drink afterwards.
Drinking above the lower-risk guidelines and drinking heavily regularly on just one or two days a week can also be harmful to our health in the long term. So thinking about your drinking as part of a Change4Life is just as important as eating more healthily and finding ways to exercise.