Making a Plan: Reducing Alcohol Intake

In April as we recognize Alcohol Awareness Month, we encourage people to take a step back and monitor their alcohol intake.

The 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans states that adults of legal drinking age should limit alcohol to 2 drinks or less in a day for men and 1 drink or less in a day for women when alcohol is consumed. (NIAAA).  See our post from last year to learn more about how much alcohol is in a standard drink. If you realize that you are consuming more alcohol than is recommended, SAMHSA suggests taking steps to minimize your drinking, such as:

• Setting a daily and weekly drinking limit
• Writing down your limit and keeping it with you
• Avoiding triggers or situations that might cause you to drink
• Talking to your doctor or a friend about your alcohol use.

SAMHSA also recommends making a written plan for drinking less. This can be as easy as writing up a plan on a piece of paper or typing it and printing it out, and keeping it nearby as a reminder of your goals. The plan should include:

• Your motivation for drinking less (health, mood, family)
• Your goals for drinking less (how many you’d like to cut down, places you want to avoid)
• How you can work through barriers that might prevent you from reaching those goals

The CDC also recommends changing your phone background to include an image that reminds you why you chose to drink less, and placing motivational post-it notes around your space.

Drinking less is proven to improve your overall health and well-being. Even a small change can create a big difference!

If you or someone you know is having difficulty cutting their alcohol usage, take the CDC’s assessment here