If you’re going to drink alcohol, learning to drink in moderation can be like having your cake and eating it too. By practicing moderation, you can maintain control over your alcohol intake, minimize potential health and social repercussions, and prevent post-drinking regrets such as embarrassing situations, conflicts with loved ones, or legal issues like a DUI charge. 

What is drinking in moderation?  

First, let’s be clear – no amount of alcohol use is good for your health. Unfortunately, recent research studies have debunked the idea that a glass of wine a day could have health benefits. The studies found that the increased health risks outweighed any benefits from the antioxidants in wine. Still – many people want to enjoy drinking and do so in a way that minimizes any health risks to living a balanced, happy life.

Drinking is ingrained into American culture and is a part of the American way of life. People often think, “Everybody drinks!” But a fun fact is that 33% of all Americans haven’t had a drink in the past year (source: CDC.) Many people choose not to consume alcohol for personal, health, religious, or other reasons.  Choosing to drink alcohol is a deeply personal choice. I often ask my clients: what are your goals and objectives, and does alcohol help or hinder them? Is your alcohol use getting in the way of your peak performance?

The best practice guidelines for moderate drinking in the United States are: 

• 2 drinks or less a day for men, 14 or fewer drinks per week.
• 1 drink or less a day for women, 7 or fewer drinks per week.

Having some non-drinking days every week is also important to give your mind and body a break.

What’s considered a “drink” by these guidelines? One drink is considered:

A 1.5oz glass or mixed drink of hard liquor

A 5oz glass of wine

A 12oz beer   

For instance, a man who drinks two drinks on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, drank six drinks total for the week, which is in the moderation guidelines. 

A woman who drinks one glass of wine six days per week, or 2 glasses of wine three days per week, with one non-drinking day, would be considered moderation.

Is moderate drinking for everyone?

Unfortunately, no. People with severe drinking problems, who lose control after a drink or two, or with certain health conditions shouldn’t drink at all. For people in this category, it can be helpful to consider themselves allergic to alcohol – similar to how people with celiac disease would avoid bread and other gluten products. If consuming alcohol would put your life, health, or success at risk, why drink at all?

If you do want to drink in moderation and develop healthy drinking habits, below are ten tips to consider trying:

1. Drink less. Challenge yourself to hit the brakes earlier than you otherwise would. For example, opt for two glasses of wine instead of three. Remember, less is often more. This will help build discipline and reduce any hangover effects the next day.
2. Be sure to incorporate non-drinking days into your schedule, allowing your mind and body to have a break.
3. Pace yourself by drinking mindfully—try to drink at most one drink per hour. Why rush?
4. Never drink on an empty stomach. Always have food when drinking or before drinking. Drinking on an empty stomach is like throwing gasoline on a fire. It will hit your bloodstream quickly and could cause you to lose control or get sick. 
5. Drink a glass of water between every drink. This will help you stay hydrated and gently slow the effects of alcohol. 
6. Consider tracking your drinking—write down every drink you have in a journal or drink tracking app. Also, add notes about your thoughts and feelings before every drink. This will help you gain insight into your patterns and reasons for drinking. Tracking any behavior has a way of making us more mindful of our actions.
7. Build discipline by having rules or a personal “ethos” for alcohol use. Examples include: refraining from operating a vehicle after consuming alcohol, hydrating with a glass of water between each drink, limiting intake to three drinks, and letting friends know you’re cutting back for health reasons. 
8. Shots are always a bad idea. If you like to drink hard liquor, drink it slowly in a mixed drink or on the rocks. 
9. If you’re married in a committed relationship, ask your partner for support. Explain your reasons for wanting to make this change and then collaborate with them on an action plan. Together, you can work towards achieving your goal. 
10. Do some introspection and ask yourself why you drink alcohol. Is it to manage stress? To loosen up socially? Peer pressure? Habit? Find ways to address the root causes of why you drink and begin to develop healthier, natural solutions.

The bottom line is you can enjoy alcohol in a healthy-ish way if you learn to drink in moderation. Moderate drinking can help you keep the peace in your social and family life, and avoid health issues while safeguarding your career success.

Just remember, some people may be better off stopping altogether, and that’s okay! Not everyone needs to be a drinker – a third of all Americans don’t drink at all. For those who want to continue drinking, remember: less is always more. Drinking in moderation is a skill to be cultivated and will take effort and practice. 

If you need support managing your drinking, reach out today.