With summer in full swing there is no doubt that our healthy habits may be harder to keep during our poolside hangouts, days at the beach and 4pm happy hours. To help you make the most of this fun time of year and still look and feel amazing I wanted to share a few tips on smarter summer drinking:

 

1) Consider a ‘Soberish’ Summer

‘Soberish’ is a term that is taking over on social media, and it refers to a lifestyle where someone moderates their alcohol consumption without completely abstaining. You might choose to limit your drinking to special occasions, certain days of the week, or reduce your intake to minimal amounts. This balanced approach allows you to enjoy the social and cultural aspects of drinking while avoiding the negative consequences associated with regular alcohol consumption. Socially, being soberish can help your maintain a sense of inclusion in social gatherings without the peer pressure or stigma often associated with complete sobriety. This approach promotes a healthier relationship with alcohol, encouraging mindfulness and self-control.

 

2) Space Out Your Drinking Days

A lot of people may choose to drink on consecutive weekends but spacing out your drinking days can actually be better for your health. Primarily this gives your body ample time to recover and detoxify from the effects of alcohol. Additionally, it can enhance mental clarity and emotional stability, as frequent alcohol consumption is linked to mood swings and cognitive impairment. Aim for at least 2 days between when you consume alcohol but ideally work to space this out even further.

 

3) Choose Low Sugar Alcohol Options

If you find yourself in a situation where others are drinking (or maybe you just really want to enjoy a glass of wine on a Saturday night), try opting for lower sugar alcohol choices. Our metabolisms actually burn off alcohol first, so when paired with sugar, your body might not be able to use all of the calories for energy, resulting in more fat storage (and not to mention blood sugar spikes). Low sugar options include red wine, champagne and prosecco.

 

4) Hydrate Before You Imbibe

Most of us probably think about hydrating after consuming alcohol but it may be even more important to hydrate ahead of time. Hydrating before drinking alcohol offers several significant benefits, primarily by mitigating the dehydrating effects of alcohol. Alcohol is a diuretic, which means it increases urine production and can lead to dehydration. By drinking water before consuming alcohol, you help maintain your body’s hydration levels, which can prevent the typical symptoms of dehydration such as headaches, dry mouth, and dizziness. Staying hydrated can also help you feel more alert and reduce the severity of hangovers, making the next day much more manageable. Adding a clean electrolyte powder to your water can help with hydration before and after drinking alcohol and my absolute favourite is Halo Hydration (use code HANWAY20) for a 20% discount.

 

5) Enjoy Non Alcoholic Options

These days there are so many great non alcoholic beverage options that choosing not to drink does not feel like deprivation! I’m in the process of trialling and reviewing a lot of these options but so far my favorites are Litlle Saints and Apothekary (their sample set is so beautiful). If you are in the UK then Tripp is my favorite choice.