Hey, let's text 🤗

If you ever find yourself stuck in the planning phase, endlessly researching moderation techniques but never quite knowing which one to actually try, this episode is for you. 

From zebra striping to bookending to coasting, the sheer number of approaches to cutting back can feel overwhelming—especially when you're not sure if what worked (or didn't work) for someone else will work for you.

I'm breaking down the most popular active moderation techniques, complete with honest pros and cons for each. But more importantly, I'm giving you five critical questions to ask yourself that will help you identify which approach might actually fit your life, your personality, and your drinking goals.

We'll explore the difference between active and passive moderation, why one failed attempt doesn't mean you're doomed, and how to build sustainable habits instead of white-knuckling your way through rigid rules. 

Whether you thrive on structure or need maximum flexibility, there's a moderation technique that can work for you—you just need to know which questions to ask first.

2:22 The Low No Drinker Quiz - The Thinker

3:43 Active & Passive Moderation

5:41 Dry Month Challenges: Pros And Cons

7:11 Zebra Striping Explained

8:53 Bookending Your Night

9:53 Coasting With Mid-Strength Drinks

10:58 Personal Rules And Boundaries

13:45 Mixing And Matching Approaches

14:34 Five Questions To Choose Your Method

17:12 Question 2

18:13 Question 3

19:22 Question 4

21:24 Question 5

ep#114: £800 Million Lost, Over-55s Join In & Why "Drinking Less" Is the Wrong Term

===
You can email me at [email protected]

===
🧐 Take the quiz and find out what's REALLY driving your midlife drinking habits
https://www.lownodrinker.com/

===
🗣️ Join the growing community on Substack
https://lownodrinker.substack.com/

===
🌱 Reset the way alcohol shows up in your life with the 4 Week Midlife Mindful Drinking Reset
https://www.lownodrinker.com/4weekreset


===
*Some links are affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may earn a commission that helps me keep the show going. Thank you.

Hey, let's text 🤗

Worried CBD drinks will get you high or trigger a case of the munchies? I'm clearing up the confusion around cannabidiol—the non-psychoactive ingredient from cannabis that's showing up in supermarket-friendly brands like Trip and GoodRays. From how it actually works in your brain to why it won't cause intoxication, I'll explain what CBD drinks really do and whether they're worth adding to your alcohol-free rotation.

Dive deeper with: ep#47. Psychotropic-Curious with High & Dry Founder Daniel Rowntree

On Apple – https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/47-psychotropic-curious-with-high-dry-founder-daniel/id1701338793?i=1000678626373 

On Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Hse5wHNPIFcbeABPRdUz7?si=4c1cfa1a6f02485d 

On Overcast – https://overcast.fm/+BDZGsWqbTU 

& Feel free to email me any topics or questions you’d like me to answer for you on another episode of Drinks 101.

===
You can email me at [email protected]

===
🧐 Take the quiz and find out what's REALLY driving your midlife drinking habits
https://www.lownodrinker.com/

===
🗣️ Join the growing community on Substack
https://lownodrinker.substack.com/

===
🌱 Reset the way alcohol shows up in your life with the 4 Week Midlife Mindful Drinking Reset
https://www.lownodrinker.com/4weekreset


===
*Some links are affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may earn a commission that helps me keep the show going. Thank you.

Hey, let's text 🤗

You've made a clear decision about your drinking trajectory for the night, you’re feeling comfortable and confident about it, yet some people can’t quite seem to accept “No thanks” for an answer.

It’s not about you. This is their issue… but why?

These are the five personality types you'll encounter when you start drinking differently. From the Validator to the Controller, and once you understand what each type actually needs from you, their reactions make a lot more sense. And more importantly, you'll know that you never need to compromise your choices to manage their discomfort.

1:59 Selfish in the Right Way

3:41 The Validator

5:28 The Includer

7:02 The Traditionalist

8:49 The Host

10:10 The Controller

11:32 Make No Mean No

13:02 Compassion Without Compromise

===
You can email me at [email protected]

===
🧐 Take the quiz and find out what's REALLY driving your midlife drinking habits
https://www.lownodrinker.com/

===
🗣️ Join the growing community on Substack
https://lownodrinker.substack.com/

===
🌱 Reset the way alcohol shows up in your life with the 4 Week Midlife Mindful Drinking Reset
https://www.lownodrinker.com/4weekreset


===
*Some links are affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may earn a commission that helps me keep the show going. Thank you.

Hey, let's text 🤗

Think coffee is your only pick-me-up? I'm unpacking nootropics—the brain-boosting compounds showing up in your alcohol-free drinks that enhance everything from memory to concentration. From the caffeine in your morning brew to lesser-known ingredients like L-tyrosine and ginkgo biloba, I'll explain what these cognitive enhancers actually do and why you definitely don't want to drink them before bed.

Go deeper with: ep#69. The Fungi Consultant: Do Functional Mushrooms Work in Low/No Drinks? 

On Apple – https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/69-the-fungi-consultant-do-functional-mushrooms-work/id1701338793?i=1000698034459 

On Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/episode/3ZLJayoZfdzS1775yTaUwJ?si=150266b3fd824799 

On Overcast – https://overcast.fm/+BDZGumjchM 

& Feel free to email me any topics or questions you’d like me to answer for you on another episode of Drinks 101.

===
You can email me at [email protected]

===
🧐 Take the quiz and find out what's REALLY driving your midlife drinking habits
https://www.lownodrinker.com/

===
🗣️ Join the growing community on Substack
https://lownodrinker.substack.com/

===
🌱 Reset the way alcohol shows up in your life with the 4 Week Midlife Mindful Drinking Reset
https://www.lownodrinker.com/4weekreset


===
*Some links are affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may earn a commission that helps me keep the show going. Thank you.

Hey, let's text 🤗

Ever wondered what actually goes into making lasting change with your drinking habits, or why some programmes work while others leave you right back where you started? I'm pulling back the curtain on my 4-Week Midlife Mindful Drinking Reset and showing you exactly what happens inside—from the daily touchpoints to the honest self-assessment that helps people transform their relationship with alcohol without labels, rules, or pressure to quit forever.

This isn't recovery, it's not a challenge, and it's definitely not just about ticking boxes. 

It's a real-life reset for real-life drinkers navigating the muddle of midlife—the careers, kids, hormones, and social expectations that make moderating feel so challenging. 

I walk you through all four weeks, from unpacking your current habits and setting boundaries without apologising, to managing stress triggers and building sustainable change that lasts. 

Plus, I share honest feedback from students who've discovered why they were really drinking, learned to navigate social pressure, and found freedom in drinking differently on their own terms.

0:00 A Look Inside The 4-Week Reset

2:54 Moderation Misconceptions

6:47 What The Reset Is & Is Not

9:09 Daily Support

11:30 Week One: Awareness Is Everything

15:49 Week Two: Boundaries And Confidence

16:49 Week Three: Stress, Energy, And Sleep

19:11 Week Four: Building Your New Normal

20:27 Real Feedback From Learners

23:37 How To Join And Get Your Discount

===
You can email me at [email protected]

===
🧐 Take the quiz and find out what's REALLY driving your midlife drinking habits
https://www.lownodrinker.com/

===
🗣️ Join the growing community on Substack
https://lownodrinker.substack.com/

===
🌱 Reset the way alcohol shows up in your life with the 4 Week Midlife Mindful Drinking Reset
https://www.lownodrinker.com/4weekreset


===
*Some links are affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may earn a commission that helps me keep the show going. Thank you.

Hey, let's text 🤗

Ever wondered what all those mushroom-infused drinks are actually doing for you? I'm breaking down adaptogens—the ancient herbs, fungi, and botanicals showing up in your favourite alcohol-free drinks—and explaining why ingredients like lion's mane and ashwagandha are becoming the go-to for achieving that sense of ease you once got from alcohol. 

More: ep#94. Lifted: The UK's First High Protein, Alcohol-Free Lager
On Apple – https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/94-lifted-the-uks-first-high-protein-alcohol-free-lager/id1701338793?i=1000711117476 

On Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/episode/6U4FMuCeLp7aOEydLEgqYB?si=pQVuoR-RTXO25-7-HU2JXA 

On Overcast – https://overcast.fm/+BDZGvGrj9s 

& feel free to email me any topics or questions you’d like me to answer for you on another episode of Drinks 101.

===
You can email me at [email protected]

===
🧐 Take the quiz and find out what's REALLY driving your midlife drinking habits
https://www.lownodrinker.com/

===
🗣️ Join the growing community on Substack
https://lownodrinker.substack.com/

===
🌱 Reset the way alcohol shows up in your life with the 4 Week Midlife Mindful Drinking Reset
https://www.lownodrinker.com/4weekreset


===
*Some links are affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may earn a commission that helps me keep the show going. Thank you.

Hey, let's text 🤗

Today, I'm ditching the kid gloves to share eight brutal truths about changing your drinking habits in midlife that you need to hear. 

From romanticising your wild nights out to waiting for rock bottom before taking action, I’m tackling the stories we tell ourselves that keep us stuck. 

I’ll explore why your social circle might need to shift, why moderation isn't the right path for everyone, and how most online sobriety content completely misses the mark for midlife drinkers. 

This episode also addresses all the elephants in the room. If you're ready for some tough love without the sugar-coating, this one's for you.

0:00 Why the Tough Love Today

2:06 Stop Romanticising Your Drinking Past

3:33 Don’t Wait For Rock Bottom

4:41 It's Not the Booze, it's Your Social Identity

7:06 Your Friend Group Will Need to Change

10:30 Moderation Might Not Be Your Path

13:28 Impatiently Patient

15:59 Sober Instagram Isn't For You

19:22 Some Alcohol-Free Drinks Suck

21:12 No More Excuses, Start Today

===
You can email me at [email protected]

===
🧐 Take the quiz and find out what's REALLY driving your midlife drinking habits
https://www.lownodrinker.com/

===
🗣️ Join the growing community on Substack
https://lownodrinker.substack.com/

===
🌱 Reset the way alcohol shows up in your life with the 4 Week Midlife Mindful Drinking Reset
https://www.lownodrinker.com/4weekreset


===
*Some links are affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may earn a commission that helps me keep the show going. Thank you.

Hey, let's text 🤗

What actually is a functional drink – and why are they suddenly everywhere in low, no and light?

I'm kicking off the Drinks 101 mini-sodes with a four-part mini-series exploring functional beverages – drinks designed to do more than just quench your thirst. 

From coffee (the original functional drink) to the adaptogens, nootropics, and CBD-infused options flooding the low/no market, functional drinks have been around for centuries but are now experiencing a serious glow-up. 

I explain how some brands are investing thousands in creating alcohol-free drinks that target your brain's GABA receptors – the same ones that light up when you drink alcohol – to replicate that one or two drink feeling without the booze. 

But do they work for everyone? Does anything?

If you’re curious but cautious about functional drinks, this episode gives you the grounding you need before we dive deeper into specific ingredients in the episodes to come.

Dive deeper with: ep#45. 5 New Functional Spirits from Smiling Wolf

On Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/45-5-new-functional-spirits-from-smiling-wolf/id1701338793?i=1000676998877

On Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/episode/17IVpcbwpPUYuQtDMU6WuC?si=70bb4a1587414f61 

 On Overcast - https://overcast.fm/+BDZGsjXgI4

===
You can email me at [email protected]

===
🧐 Take the quiz and find out what's REALLY driving your midlife drinking habits
https://www.lownodrinker.com/

===
🗣️ Join the growing community on Substack
https://lownodrinker.substack.com/

===
🌱 Reset the way alcohol shows up in your life with the 4 Week Midlife Mindful Drinking Reset
https://www.lownodrinker.com/4weekreset


===
*Some links are affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may earn a commission that helps me keep the show going. Thank you.

Hey, let's text 🤗

When you're changing your drinking habits in midlife, the challenge isn't just about the alcohol itself—it's about the identity you've built around it. 

In today’s episode, I explore the deep-rooted connection between alcohol and how we see ourselves, from the drinks we choose to project confidence to the role booze plays in our closest relationships. 

This tackles the fear that reducing alcohol intake means reducing who you are, and why that's simply not true. I discuss how to reframe identity shifts from loss to growth, recognising that different doesn't mean worse. 

Whether it's the Old Fashioned that made me feel powerful and confident, or the prosecco that signalled your arrival at every party, understanding why we use alcohol to express ourselves is the first step to reclaiming choice without losing who we are.

1:20 Fear Of Losing Your Self

3:15 Alcohol & Your Persona

7:50 Change, Growth, And Evolving Identity

11:00 Reframing From Loss To Learning

14:00 4-Week Mindful Drinking Reset And Substack

===
You can email me at [email protected]

===
🧐 Take the quiz and find out what's REALLY driving your midlife drinking habits
https://www.lownodrinker.com/

===
🗣️ Join the growing community on Substack
https://lownodrinker.substack.com/

===
🌱 Reset the way alcohol shows up in your life with the 4 Week Midlife Mindful Drinking Reset
https://www.lownodrinker.com/4weekreset


===
*Some links are affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may earn a commission that helps me keep the show going. Thank you.

Hey, let's text 🤗

Choosing low, no and light drinks to support your mindful drinking lifestyle shouldn’t feel like an exam. 

And yet here we are — staring at menus, shelves and online shops trying to work out what *any* of it actually means.

So this is a quick heads-up episode to introduce *Drinks 101*

A new short-form mini-series coming to the Mindful Drinking & Moderation in Midlife podcast.

Rather than replacing our regular Wednesday mindset time together, Drinks 101 will be an extra mini-sode each week where we get practical.

Each episode will be less than 5 minutes and will focus on one specific thing you keep bumping into when you’re trying to drink differently, such as:

* What does “de-alcoholised” actually mean?

* What are functional drinks, adaptogens, and nootropics?

* Are 0.5 drinks still alcohol-free

And, of course,

* Why do alcohol-free drinks cost so much?

No judgment about when, how or why you drink. Just clear explanations so you can:

* Order without feeling awkward

* Buy without second-guessing yourself

* Choose drinks because they *taste good* — not because you feel you “should”

Think of Drinks 101 as a reference library you can dip into whenever you need it — especially if you’re new to low, no or light drinking and everything still feels unnecessarily complicated.

You’ll see these episodes clearly marked in the feed as ‘Drinks 101’.

Hit follow or subscribe so you don’t miss them.

===
You can email me at [email protected]

===
🧐 Take the quiz and find out what's REALLY driving your midlife drinking habits
https://www.lownodrinker.com/

===
🗣️ Join the growing community on Substack
https://lownodrinker.substack.com/

===
🌱 Reset the way alcohol shows up in your life with the 4 Week Midlife Mindful Drinking Reset
https://www.lownodrinker.com/4weekreset


===
*Some links are affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may earn a commission that helps me keep the show going. Thank you.