Why Giving Up Alcohol is the Only New Year’s Resolution You Need
What is your New Year’s resolution this year? To lose weight? Get fitter? Improve your motivation? What about cutting down on alcohol? Well it turns out the last one could help you achieve the other three, and you won’t be alone either.
A recent survey by Drinkaware found that this New Year 6.7 million people (10% of the UK’s population) in the UK had pledged to cut down their drinking, with 4 million of them planning to quit completely. 90% of people surveyed listed health or losing weight as the main reason they wanted to cut down on alcohol.
But why will cutting out alcohol help?
Ever noticed that you have a fitful night’s sleep after drinking? Well that’s because when you drink alcohol it affects your body’s sleep patterns. On a normal night you have six to seven cycles of REM(rapid eye movement) sleep, but if you’ve been drinking heavily this may be reduced to just one or two. This means that when you wake up you feel exhausted, even though you’ve slept all night. Unfortunately sleep disruption doesn’t just happen after heavy drinking, it can be triggered by just a few beverages. By avoiding or cutting down on alcohol you can improve your sleep and therefore your concentration.
Another thing to be wary of is that alcohol contains a large amount of calories which offer no nutritional value – bad news for those of you determined to banish the Christmas bulk. A bottle of wine can contain more than 500 calories and a pint of beer typically comes in at around 200 calories. However, swapping your after work tipple for a diet soft drink can help the pounds fall off effortlessly, another key reason to cut down on drinking for 2011.
So how can I stop?
The first step to cutting down to a healthier level of alcohol consumption is understanding what exactly the drinkaware’s daily unit guidelines are. It is recommend that women should not regularly exceed 2-3 units daily (equivalent to a 175ml glass of 13% wine) and that men should not regularly exceed 3-4 units daily (equivalent to a pint and a half of 4% beer).
The second step is understanding what triggers you to start drinking. Edmund Tirbutt, co-author of ‘Beat the Booze’ believes that after a stressful day at work, many of us see alcohol as a treat. He says: “Many people see alcohol as a reward, if this is why you drink then it’s worth finding something else to reward yourself with, like a massage or a hot bubble bath with some candles. Then you’ve got something to look forward to at the end of the day.”
However, there is a solution. Tirbutt believes that “Introducing new habits into your life means that you’re more likely to be receptive to the idea of change”, so this is the perfect time to make other positive lifestyle changes such as taking up exercise, getting up an hour earlier so you have more time to get everything done, or even taking up a relaxing hobby which will stop you reaching for the G&T after a long day at the office.
Top tips for cutting down on alcohol
1. Make a pact with friends, family or colleagues to all cut down on alcohol together – This will prevent any peer pressure as well as giving you support.
2. Opt out of rounds – They inevitably encourage you to drink more alcohol than you otherwise would have, and at the pace of the fastest drinker.
3. Choose a smaller glass – This will naturally reduce the amount of alcohol that you’re consuming, but if you fancy a longer drink why not pick one with a lower alcohol by volume content.
4. Choose a soft drink instead – Drinking a soft drink or non alcoholic cocktail will help you cut down on alcohol and also save you money. Most bars will offer ‘virgin’ versions of their cocktails, so don’t be afraid to ask.
5. Set yourself alcohol-free days – If you’re more likely to drink on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday, give yourself the rest of the week off from alcohol. This will give your liver time to recover and help you cut down on the amount of alcohol you’re drinking.
Author Bio: Visit drinkaware.co.uk for more information about alcohol and how it affects your body and mind.
Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: Alcohol, New Year’s Resolution, cutting down, calories
