If you really let your hair down during the festive period, you might have begun thinking of ways to get your health back on track.
While you’ve likely considered the daunting prospect of giving up alcohol, making such a drastic change is not always a practical solution if you enjoy your social outings.
Here are some tips on how you could minimise your drinking in 2019, without becoming a complete social hermit:
- Pick your party
Put some conscious (sober) thought into the events you’re hoping to attend and consider whether it’s absolutely imperative that you drink alcohol. Some people might cite losing their social lives as reason for not quitting, but this doesn’t necessarily have to be the case. If it’s habit for you to have a drink in your hand at a party, consider filling a wine glass with a sparkling soda or non-alcoholic wine, or maybe opt for a non-alcoholic beer. You might find your friends won’t even notice you’re not drinking, thus avoiding additional social pressures.
- Alter your glassware
Store-bought glassware rarely comes with the line to mark 125ml unlike glasses usually used in bars or restaurants, making it sometimes hard to identify just how much you’re drinking. Some at-home glasses can fit as much as a third of a bottle of wine inside, so it’s no surprise people are drinking more than the advised amount. There is actually some research to suggest placing your glass on a table while pouring could aid in putting 12 per cent less in it.
- Out-smarting the “round”
If doing a “round” is common among your group of friends and you’re feeling nervous about your order, enter the situation having already prepared your response for the inevitable questions. If you’re having a lime and soda, stay firm on your request and don’t cave into being bullied. If you need to offer a reason, try “I’m up early tomorrow”, “I’m on antibiotics”, or “I’m driving home”, then follow it up promptly with an unrelated question about the other person.