It is a new trend:to reduce or even stop alcohol altogether. But how do you do that if you are used to having a glass (or two) during drinks or dinner?
More and more often you see messages about how healthy it is to drink alcohol reduce or even stop drinking altogether. You could sleep better because of it, your skin looks more radiant, you lose some excess kilos…
Yet it is difficult to pass up that one glass of wine during a dinner or a party. With these tips and some perseverance you will probably succeed in reducing or stopping alcohol.
Tips
List what exactly you want to achieve with quitting alcohol. Tired of those hangovers? Do you want to perform better at work or are you doing it for health reasons † Write them down and hang them in a place where you can easily read your reasons, for example on your fridge.
Going to a party and not drinking can be a challenge. Try to be completely open to it if you have a dinner / party / drink in your agenda. It will probably be a completely different experience than if you were there with a glass of wine in your hand, but experience it and enjoy the highs and lows.
Are you a wine or a beer lover:there are now enough versions without alcohol. Beer drinkers will get their money's worth because the taste of non-alcoholic beer does not differ much from beer with alcohol. Wine drinkers should look just as well. Because alcohol provides that bitter taste, there are many non-alcoholic wines available that are somewhat sweet or very similar to grape juice. Test which one you like best. Keep in mind that non-alcoholic wine also contains sulfites. If you happen to be sensitive to sulfites, you will strangely notice that alcohol-free wine can also give you a hangover. If that is the case, choose Amé, or make your own drink with ginger and sparkling water. We even found a book containing 60 recipes for a mocktail!
You definitely don't have to apologize to others for not drinking alcohol. According to Kate Bee, founder of the Sober School, you should put on a nice smile beforehand and clearly say that you are not drinking alcohol (for now) and that you are enjoying it to the fullest. Even if you don't quite mean what you say yet, it's worth saying it. Moreover, according to Bee, it is difficult for people to force an alcoholic drink on you if you seem happy with your non-alcoholic himself.
Share with as many people as possible that you are cutting back or want to stop drinking alcohol. They can encourage and support you to persevere in a moment of weakness. Maybe your friends themselves will get excited to join you because they see what the effect can be.
