Mindful Drinking & Moderation in Midlife: Low No Drinker Podcast
Welcome to the essential podcast for anyone in their 30s, 40s, 50s and beyond who's ready to drink differently. While Gen Z gets all the headlines for being sober curious, let’s not forget that the real moderation revolution is happening in midlife – and this is your space to explore it without judgment, pressure, or expectation.
Join me to discover the people, places and brands making it easier than ever to live a life less intoxicated, whether that's for tonight, this week, or forever.
I get it – as a midlife moderator, you're not looking to reinvent yourself completely. You want drinks that taste like the ones you already love, new and exciting options with something special to offer, experiences that enhance rather than shorten your evenings, and practical advice that fits your busy, demanding life.
I’m Denise Hamilton-Mace, founder and editor of Low No Drinker Magazine – the leading global publication for mindful and sober curious drinkers and a professional public speaker on all things low, no and light.
My goal with this podcast is to help you feel more confident and more comfortable in your choice to explore a life less intoxicated, and to help you find, understand and enjoy the drinks that make it possible.
If you are, or aspire to be the type of savvy moderator who recognises that drinking less is not a binary decision for you, who knows that coasting with mid-strength drinks, alternating through zebra-striping or bookending the start and end of your night with something non-alcoholic are all viable options then this show is for you.
And you’ll leave each episode feeling motivated and supported to keep energy for the things that matter most: family, health, career, and living life on your own terms.
Each week on the Low No Drinker Podcast, you’ll get to either:
Meet the Makers: Join me in intimate conversations with the experts, founders, brewers, distillers, and visionaries who are creating premium alcohol-free drinks that don't compromise on taste. Discover their personal journeys, what drives their innovation, and why their products are perfect for the discerning midlife palate.
Mindful Moderation Solo episodes: Practical deep-dives into the questions that matter to sophisticated drinkers who want to moderate smartly, with topics like:
- Why do premium alcohol-free drinks cost the same as full-strength versions when there's no alcohol and no tax?
- How can I find an alcohol-free red wine that actually tastes like the Malbec I love?
- What's the real difference between no, low and light alcohol options?
- How do I navigate social situations when I'm the only one moderating?
- What are the best functional drinks for midlife energy and wellness?
This isn't about going completely dry or following someone else's rules. It's about making mindful choices, exploring sophisticated alternatives, and practising practical moderation that suits your lifestyle. Whether you're a Gen X professional looking to improve your health, a busy parent wanting more energy, or someone who simply wants to enjoy better mornings while still celebrating life's special moments, this podcast helps you drink your own way.
Mindful Drinking & Moderation in Midlife: Low No Drinker Podcast is perfect for mindful drinkers, sober curious adults, midlife moderators, health-conscious professionals, premium alcohol-free enthusiasts, and anyone interested in the low, no and light or mid-strength alcohol lifestyle.
Mindful Drinking & Moderation in Midlife: Low No Drinker Podcast
Advent 7: The Sunday Night Calendar Audit You Actually Need
YOUR DATA, YOUR CHOICE: WEIGH UP THE TRUE IMPACT OF DRINKING FROM LIGHT – MEDIUM – HEAVY DAYS WITH THE DRINKING IMPACT CALCULATOR AT https://mindfuldrinkinginmidlife.com/products/drinking-impact-calculator
On Day Seven of the Mindful Drinking Advent Series, it’s time for a Sunday night calendar audit — a simple but powerful way to cut overwhelm, create breathing room, and avoid drinking on autopilot.
This episode walks you through reviewing the week ahead, spotting the plans that energise you, and confidently ditching the ones that don’t.
You’ll also learn how to add buffer days, escape routes, and boundaries so December stops running your life — and you get to run it instead.
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🌱 Reset the way alcohol shows up in your life with the 4 Week Midlife Mindful Drinking Reset
https://www.lownodrinker.com/4weekreset
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🧮 Drinking Impact Calculator: What you get vs. what it costs
https://mindfuldrinkinginmidlife.com/products/drinking-impact-calculator
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🗣️ Join the growing community on Substack
https://lownodrinker.substack.com/
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🧐 Take the quiz and find out what's REALLY driving your midlife drinking habits
https://www.lownodrinker.com/
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💰 Get 10% off drinks at Wise Bartender with code LOWNODRINKERMAGAZINE
https://wisebartender.co.uk/lownodrinkermagazine *
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*Some links are affiliate links. If you make a purchase, Low No Drinker may earn a commission. Thank you.
Hello, hello, and welcome to your mindful drinking audio advent day seven here on the Mindful Drinking and Moderation in Midlife podcast with me, Denise Hamilton Mace. Today is day seven, and we are doing a calendar audit. It's Sunday today. It is the end of the weekend. Hopefully, you've had some nice downtime and been able to relax and unwind. But it has been reported that on Sunday evenings, website traffic across the globe goes up as most people start getting ready for the week ahead, and also in line with that, stress levels go up as well. Now, at this time of year, you might be looking at your week ahead and going, damn, I have got a lot going on. So today's task is quite simple. We are going to do a calendar audit because if you're like most people at this time of year, you've got a lot of events in your diary over the next two weeks. There's lunches, there are staff parties, there are evening catch-ups, there are things on the weekend, uh, there's so much going on, and it can be hard to see when you're going to get some time for you. But it's important, you need some time for yourself, and you don't have to stumble through December thoughtlessly accepting every single invitation. You can decide what's worth your time, what's worth your energy, worth your attention, and whatever drinking uh allowance you decide to give yourself, however you want to frame that. So, what I'd like you to do today is to pull up your calendar and have a look at what's coming. Notice which of the events that you've so far said yes to are actually going to energize you. What are you looking forward to? And which ones are going to deplete you? What is it that you're seeing and going, oh my gosh, I can't believe I have to spend two hours talking to these people. Review your week ahead. Look intentionally and mark which of the events that you said yes to that you actually want to go to. The ones that you don't want to go to. Let me tell you a secret. It's okay to say no. Even if you've already said yes, it's okay to change your mind. You don't have to drink and socialize and uh be out to everybody else's schedule. And in fact, I'll let you into another secret. Most people, most of the time, are quite relieved when plans get cancelled, postponed, pushed back, changed, reduced in some way, shape, or form. Because we've all got so much going on. So decide what you're actually going to go to. And the ones that you're not going to go to, you simply need to send a very simple message. Thank you so much for the invitation. I'm afraid I can't make it. I'll catch you next time. You don't need to explain anything else. You don't need to go into some big monologue about how you're worried about drinking too much. You don't need to ask their permission if it's okay if you change your mind. You simply state the facts as they are. I'm no longer going to be able to make it. I'm very sorry. And I will catch you next time. Now, if you do have events that you feel that you uh need to attend for whatever reason, um, the other thing you can do is to make sure you add some buffering into your week. Wherever possible, move any events that will lead you to back-to-back socializing. Don't go out on Tuesday night, Wednesday night, Thursday night, and Friday night. It's just too much. Your brain, your body, your psyche, your soul is just going to be overwhelmed. So make sure you give yourself some breaks in between, some buffer days in between events. And finally, plan your uh your escape routes, plan your outs uh for each event that you have said yes to. Decide um how long you're gonna stay, when you want to get home, whether or not you're gonna book an Uber in advance, whether that's gonna be catching the last train or the last bus. Um, and if needs be, have some uh exit lines ready, such as you know, I've got an early start tomorrow, or I've got to get home. The babysitter needs me by 11 pm, whatever it is, whatever you're comfortable with, so that it doesn't feel scripted or forced. Uh, make sure that you've got that in your back pocket so that when it comes time for you to make your goodbyes, you can do so quickly and confidently. Now, in today's mindful advent calendar, uh, I've got something a little bit different for you. I'm not recommending some drinks today. Instead, you might be at that stage where you are about to do Secret Santa later on this week and you have forgotten to get a present in. But I have got some great sober curious, mindful drinking, uh, low no light alcohol gift suggestions for you. So make sure you open up today's day and you can see some suggestions from my friends at Sober and Curious at We Recover Loudly and at the Jomo Club. Okay, that's it for today. I'll see you tomorrow for day eight. And until then, cheers to a Christmas less intoxicated.
