Staying in control when having the night of your life is probably the hardest thing any social creature has ever done. It becomes even more difficult to resist drinking until you’re sick when you enjoy the company of the people you are partying with, or if it is your only reprieve from your everyday stressful life.
However, reducing your alcohol intake is necessary for you to be able to keep your body in good shape—both literally and figuratively. But how do you know when you’ve drunk enough? And when is it too much?
According to Drink Aware UK, you should be able to determine your alcohol limit by reading the label. Your drink’s bottle label usually indicates the calories and alcohol units it contains, and comparing it with your government’s risk guidelines should make the answer to your question clear.
Unfortunately, knowing that you’ve had enough is not necessarily enough to stop you from drinking a bit more and convincing yourself that it’s okay. You should have the resolve and an iron-will to follow your decision. If you’re still having a hard time, you can try following these hacks and tips:
- Monitor your intake. As we mentioned earlier, you should know how much you are drinking every time you go out. However, it is so much better to decide beforehand how much you are planning to drink. Regulating your pace should also work in reducing your alcohol-intake.
- Ask for help from friends and family. Your social circles are the main reason why you go out on a drinking spree so it is best to but the problem at its roots. Assess who are the bad and good influence among your family and friends, then, decide whether or not you should go out with them. You can also ask them to keep your alcohol intake in check and ‘police’ you when you’ve drank too much.
- Heed your limitations. Every effort from your family and friends would be moot if you do not heed the limitations you set for yourself. You can even make seemingly O.A. measures like monitoring your alcohol consumption by marking your arm with a pen or marker for every bottle you finish. Doing this would help you avoid getting carried away, and remove the ever-so-popular excuse “I’ve lost track of how much I drank.”
- Fill your stomach with food and non-alcoholic drinks. According to experts, drinking with an empty stomach can actually hasten alcohol consumption. Because of this, those who wish to lessen their intake should fill their tummies with food and non-alcoholic drinks first before moving on to the booze. Drinking plenty of water is also advised since it helps avoid one of the most common sign of drinking too much—dehydration.
- Focus on the benefits of lowering your alcohol consumption. Keeping the benefits of living clean can help motivate a person to avoid vices. Applying proper discipline requires setting your goals straight and knowing what your efforts would give you can be considered the most important and effective motivation you could ever have. In fact, preparing a list of the health benefits of having a low alcohol lifestyle is a way to engrave them in your mind.
- Gradually cut down your intake. If you’re used to drinking until you drop, then suddenly stopping or having just one bottle of booze can be detrimental for your health. Why? Withdrawal. Like smoking, drinking alcohol can be addictive which means when you suddenly stop drinking, you may experience horrible symptoms of withdrawal that include twitching, cold sweats and anxiety as well as difficulty eating, sleeping, and even concentrating.
