Staying healthy and living a long life is an important thing for us to do. We need to be able to maintain our health through the years in every means we can such as exercise, eating a good diet, and getting enough sleep. 

One way to be healthier this year is to drink less alcohol. Alcohol can cause us to gain weight, it can cause dental issues, and it can impact our mental health too. Today we want to help you know how to make healthier choices every day by choosing to drink less alcohol. We know it can be tough to stay away from a tipple now and again, but we are here to help you say no and stick to healthier options today. 

Keep track 

Download the MyFitnessPal app onto your phone right now. Many of us don’t know the effect that alcohol has on us calorically, and it is super important that we do. Download the app and record when you have a drink, and you will be surprised and how much you consume by drinking alone. Often seeing this information in front of you will make it easier for you to shy away from it altogether. 

Don’t drink on an empty stomach

One of the biggest mistakes you will make if you want to cut down your alcohol consumption is to drink on an empty stomach. There are 2 reasons for this. Firstly, when you have no food to soak the alcohol up you will get drunk quicker and you can be more easily influenced to drink. Secondly, when you drink on an empty stomach you will end up drinking more because it satisfies hunger pains. 

Stay hydrated 

Most of the time a common reason to drink alcohol is that you feel thirsty and you need a drink. However, alcohol is a diuretic and does the exact opposite of hydrating the body when you drink it. Instead, when you feel thirsty drink a glass of water and then see how you feel. Keep a water bottle with you to stay hydrated. If you still feel like you want a drink, go ahead. 

Sip, don’t gulp 

There is a huge temptation when you enjoy a drink to take a big gulp of it when you are out with friends and family, but big gulps only mean that your drink won’t last as long. Try to take it slow with your drinks and make them last as long as possible, and as a result, you should end up drinking less. 

Be the designated driver 

One surefire way to make sure you don’t drink when out and about is to be the designated driver. Of course, we don’t want you to need a dui lawyer, so being the driver on a night out can be the best way to curb your drinking and ensure you stay healthy. It is important to take turns now and again being the designated driver and you will feel better on a night out when you can watch everyone else being crazy while you sit back and record the whole thing.