Is One Bottle of Wine a Night Too Much?

Holy shit! I have no idea how I even started drinking so much. I mean, I can’t put a finger on when it started to be a thing. I guess because most of the time I’m just on my couch, mindlessly sipping on my wine. But, I was shocked yesterday when I went to take out the recycling and there were 10 empty wine bottles weighing it down. That’s all from one f***king week. Somewhere I’ve crossed a line.

Words I wrote to myself in a journaling session in May 2017.

Five months later I would quit drinking for good.

So, as you read those words, I want you to know there’s not a judgy bone in my body.

While I don’t know the exact circumstances of your life, I do know one thing for sure. You already know, you’re drinking too much.

So, let’s talk about it. There’s not a lot of places where you’re allowed to do that without being shamed and judged. Luckily none of that shit flies here.

How much alcohol is too much?

Current US Dietary Guidelines state that women should limit themselves to one drink a day (or less) and men should limit themselves to two drinks a day (or less).

Let’s do some math.

The standard measure for one serving of wine is 5 fl oz. Most wine glasses can hold at least 10 fl oz. (I don’t know about you, but I NEVER poured myself half a glass of wine. Fill it up to the top, or don’t bother.)

So, if you fill up that glass to the top, you’re already over your daily number of drinks (2x5 fl oz = 10 fl oz).

I also RARELY stopped at that “one glass” of wine. More likely the first would be followed by at least two more.

Did anybody say anything to me? Nope, because most of my friends were drinking the same number of glasses right alongside me.

I lied to my doctor, when she asked me how many drinks I had a week.

I lied to myself about how much I was drinking.

The only thing I couldn’t lie about was how many empty wine bottles were in my recycling bin.

How do you really feel about your drinking?

Be honest. I want you to really think about your answer. 

Here are some questions that can help guide you:

Set a timer for 10 minutes. Grab a journal or piece of paper, or talk it out using the  voice note app on your phone. 

Close your eyes and think back to the last time you had a drink.

Why did you reach for it?

What made you think you needed that drink?

How did it make you feel?

What did it lead to?

How are you using alcohol in your life?  

How are you feeling now as you look back over your words?

Please don’t add judgment or shame to how you’re feeling. This is all about getting curious about a toxic substance that you’ve most likely never really paid much attention to.

Take control of your drinking (and your life)

So what do you do now?

My advice is to stop fooling yourself. Downing one bottle of wine every night, or every couple of nights, is too much. I know you know that, and I’m here to help.

If you’re in the exploration phase, keep exploring. Get super curious. Read lots of quit lit (here are some of my faves). Keep journaling about how you’re feeling. Learn more about how alcohol impacts all areas of your life (Drinking in Mid-Life: 5 Red Flags to Watch Out For is a good place to start!)

And, when you’re ready, reach out and book your FREE 30 minute STRONGER SOBER session. 

I’ve got you.