How to Drink Responsibly: The Ultimate Guide
We all enjoy a drink or two when we go out on the weekends. But there’s always the concern of getting home from the bar or nightclub.
You want to make sure you’re still in a state to drive if you can’t find a taxi or ride-sharing service. There’s also the fear of someone taking advantage of you if you drink excessively.
So what do you do? You shouldn’t have to completely give up on drinking alcohol. But you also want to make sure you’re always safe.
Here’s how to drink responsibly.
Set Limits
You want to make sure that you set limits on how much you’ll drink. Responsible drinking always includes drinking as little alcohol as possible. Even if you can handle lots of alcohol, cut down on as much as you can.
You can consider drinking a stronger liqueur rather than downing several glasses of beer or wine. You can consider blue and pink vodka for your next event.
You should assess how much alcohol it takes to get you drunk. Cut this amount for at least half. For example, if it takes .30 milliliters of vodka to get you to drink, you shouldn’t drink more than .15 milliliters.
Eating and Drinking
It’s also best that you should never go about drinking alcohol on an empty stomach.
Eating heavy foods along with your alcohol can reduce the strong effects of alcohol. It’s also wise to drink water along with your alcohol. If you can, match the water with your alcohol intake. If you drink 1 pint of alcohol, try to drink at least 1 pint of water.
If you go to a restaurant, you want to consider eating a large meal that contains an entrée and 1 or 2 sides. A steak or lasagna is a great choice for this.
If you go to a bar or nightclub, you want to see if they offer small side dishes that can fill you up. Bread and heavy finger foods are great for negating the side effects of drinking alcohol.
Make sure you also nourish yourself before you go out drinking. You should enjoy a full meal before you go out to drink. If you’re already going out for a meal, then have a few appetizers at home first.
You’ve also got to eat healthy foods when you’re not drinking alcohol. You have to maintain a healthy lifestyle that includes a nutritious diet. This helps you manage the effects of drinking alcohol in the long run.
Get Regular Exercise
When you’re drinking alcohol, you should try to mix in a bit of light exercise to offset the effects of alcohol.
If you drink alcohol at a nightclub, make sure you spend some time on the dance floor so you can get some exercise in. After drinking at a bar or restaurant, you might want to walk for a bit before you drive a car.
Even if you’re going to take a taxi or ride-sharing service, you might want to enjoy a long walk before you do. This will help you be more alert when you’re a passenger.
It’s also important to maintain a healthy lifestyle to offset your drinking. For example, the lighter you are the greater the likelihood of you getting drunk much faster.
This doesn’t mean you need to gain weight just to offset the effects of drinking alcohol. But if you build muscle you’ll be able to hold your alcohol much longer in most cases.
Wash Your Face
After you finish a night of drinking alcohol, you want to consider washing your face thoroughly with cold water.
This can help you negate some of the effects of drinking alcohol. This can also help you stay alert. If you feel buzzed or dizzy from drinking alcohol then you might need to wash your face even longer.
If you “pre-game” at your home, it’s best to take a hot shower before you go out with your friends. They might have to wait for you but this is one of the best ways to remain safe.
Avoid Peer Pressure
One of the most important methods of responsible drinking is to avoid peer pressure.
You should avoid “drinking contests” where you have to try to out-drink your compatriots.
You also should try to avoid drinking games such as beer pong. While these might be fun, they’re the quickest way for you to drink a copious amount of alcohol.
Go Out Less
Often, the only reason we drink alcohol is that it’s part of our social life. When we go out, we feel the need to drink alcohol while we socialize with others.
You should consider going out less if you feel you’ve been drinking excessively. Often, the people who don’t practice responsible drinking are going out every weekend.
Try to spend more time with your friends at family at home. Ensure you don’t keep alcohol at home or only a small amount.
However, if you do plan on going out to a bar or club, always make sure to carry your ID with you (click here to order a new ID). There is nothing more embarrassing than getting turned away at a busy nightclub.
Substitute Alcohol
As stated in the introduction, you don’t have to become teetotal to ensure responsible drinking.
You can consider substituting alcohol whenever you can. Rather than drinking alcohol, you should always drink a glass of water. If you want something with a greater “kick” then you can opt for a soda or juice.
There are also alcohol-free beers and other options to lower your alcohol intake.
You can also focus on drinking alcohol drinks that have a low alcohol volume. You can stick to lighter wines that are delicious and don’t carry a high alcohol content.
That’s How to Drink Responsibly
Now you know how to drink responsibly and ensure that alcohol doesn’t take over your life!
You want to set limits to how much you drink. You want to always err on the side of drinking as little as possible. Make sure you always drink on a full stomach and supplement your alcohol with water intake.
Make sure you exercise regularly and substitute alcohol whenever you can. You should also try to go out less and avoid succumbing to peer pressure.
You can find even more tips about responsible drinking on our blog!