Low alcohol drinks

Drinks low in alcohol are a great way to maintain your social life without being pestered by others as to why you’re not drinking anymore.

Non-alcoholic and alcohol-free drinks

Alcohol-free drinks contain a very small amount of alcohol per unit, around 0.05% or less, whereas non-alcoholic drinks contain 0% alcohol.

Mocktails

Mocktails are cocktails minus the alcohol, there are lots of recipes for them online and no one else will be any the wiser.

Use up wine

Instead of polishing the whole bottle of wine off you can freeze white wine in ice trays and use this in cooking and red wine can be made into mulled wine and saved for the next party.

Don’t partake in rounds

When you’re out with your friends at a bar the custom is for each person to buy rounds, but that means you need to drink as quickly as everyone else. Choose to opt out of rounds and get your own drinks.

Smaller is the better choice

Avoid double anything’s and rather mix your drink with sparkling water to make it look larger than it is.

Go soft

Alternating alcoholic beverages and soft drinks will ensure you keep your head about you and at the end of the evening you won’t have drunk nearly as much as usual.

Go alcohol free

If after work drinks are a tradition among your colleagues, opt to go alcohol free on some of these nights, you’ll feel fresh at work the next day too.

Set goals and keep track

Set yourself a goal for the number of drinks you’ll have during an occasion and keep track of this, alternate with water or soft drinks or take a turn on the dance floor!

Just say no

No doubt you will be offered drinks at any social occasion, practise saying no politely and quickly so that others don’t try to ‘twist your arm’.

Keep a drinking diary

If you’re worried that you may be consuming too much alcohol, keep a diary so you can keep track and adjust your intake accordingly.

Get support

Cut down on your drinking with a friend, a little competition could be just the thing to spur you both on.