RECOMMENDED:
No (or less) alcoholic drinks.
WHAT:
This habit is about making a conscious effort to drink less alcohol (or even cut it out completely for a certain period of time).
WHY:
The Internet is full of mixed messages about alcohol.
On the one hand, moderate amounts have been linked to health benefits. On the other, it can be addictive and highly toxic — especially when you drink too much.
Although there may be room for moderate amounts of alcohol in a sustainable healthy diet, most people underestimate their alcohol consumption and end up being moderate to heavy drinkers without realising it.
While moderate amounts of alcohol might be beneficial, too much alcohol is definitely unhealthy.
Drinking alcoholic drinks can negatively impact your liver, brain function, mental health, bodyweight, recovery, and more.
So cutting back on alcohol is a good way to significantly improve your health, plus, you tend to make healthier food choices when your judgement isn’t being impaired by alcohol.
Therefore, building the habit of drinking less alcohol is a great one for most people.
HOW:
We’re not going to tell you to cut alcohol out completely forever, but you may benefit from consciously trying to reduce your intake or even cutting it out for shorter periods of time to help you “reset” your level of consumption and tolerance.
If you’re currently a heavy drinker, then simply aim to drink less.
If you’re a light to moderate drinker, then challenge yourself to cut alcohol out completely for 2-3 weeks, or limit yourself to only 1-2 servings a week.
TIPS:
✅ Design your environment for success by keeping alcoholic drinks out of sight and making them less accessible at home. For example, don’t keep a bottle of wine on the kitchen counter, don’t have your whiskeys proudly on display, don’t keep your beers ice cold and ready to drink in your fridge.
✅ Focus on how you can replace the habit of drinking alcohol with other healthier habits. Take a look at this “What should I drink?” infographic for ideas.
✅ Pair the habit of drinking no/less alcohol with a complimentary habit, like the habit of drinking more water.
