Mindful Drinking & Moderation in Midlife: How to Drink Less, On Your Terms
How do I drink less without quitting completely? What's the difference between alcohol-free, low alcohol, and no alcohol drinks? Why can't I handle alcohol like I used to? How do I cut back when everyone around me is still drinking? Why do alcohol-free drinks cost so much?
If you're in your 30s, 40s, 50s or beyond and asking these questions, this is your podcast.
Welcome to the essential show for midlife adults who want to drink less, on their own terms—without the pressure to quit completely, follow rigid rules, or label themselves as sober.
I'm Denise Hamilton-Mace, your mindful drinking mentor, magazine editor, writer and public speaker on all things low, no and light. Each week, I help stressed parents and busy midlife adults navigate their relationship with alcohol through practical approaches grounded in real-world experience and behaviour change strategy, not willpower or wellness culture
What you'll get:
Mindful Moderation Solo Episodes – Deep-dives answering the questions that matter to sophisticated drinkers who want to moderate smartly:
- How do I cut back when my partner still drinks at home?
- Why do premium alcohol-free drinks cost the same as full-strength versions?
- How do I navigate social situations when I'm the only one moderating?
- What really works: willpower vs. strategy?
Drinks 101 Mini-Series – Short educational episodes demystifying the confusing world of low and no alcohol drinks:
- What does ABV actually mean?
- What's the real difference between non-alcoholic, alcohol-free, low alcohol, and light beer?
- How are alcohol-free drinks made?
- Which drinks are safe for pregnancy, driving, or recovery?
Meet the Makers – Intimate conversations with the founders, brewers, distillers, and visionaries creating the premium drinks and experiences that support your moderation goals.
This podcast is for you if:
- You want drinks that taste like the ones you already love
- You're looking for practical advice that fits your demanding life, not another wellness overhaul
- You recognise that coasting with mid-strength drinks, zebra-striping, or bookending your evening with something non-alcoholic are all valid strategies
- You want better mornings without giving up celebrating life's special moments
This isn't about going completely dry or reinventing yourself. It's about keeping energy for what matters most: family, health, career, and living life on your own terms.
Join the moderation revolution happening in midlife – because while Gen Z gets the headlines, you're the one actually doing it.
Mindful Drinking & Moderation in Midlife: How to Drink Less, On Your Terms
Mindful Drinking Advent 18: Wake Up Winning (But Don’t Be That Guy)
GET READY FOR YOUR BEST (ADULT) CHRISTMAS YET & GET YOUR FREE MINDFUL DRINKING ADVENT CALENDAR AT http://mindfuldrinkingadvent.com/
On Day Eighteen of the Mindful Drinking Advent Series, we talk about morning wins — those glorious, clear-headed starts after a night where you stuck to your intentions.
This episode is a reminder to enjoy that feeling without turning it into a sermon.
Not everyone is ready for the same choices at the same time, and no one ever changed because they were shamed.
Lead by example, lend a hand, grab the coffees, and let your calm confidence do the talking.
===
You can email me at denise@lownodrinkermagazine.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
===
🧮 Drinking Impact Calculator: Find your personal tipping point
https://mindfuldrinkinginmidlife.com/products/drinking-impact-calculator
===
🧐 Take the quiz and find out what's REALLY driving your midlife drinking habits
https://www.lownodrinker.com/
===
*Some links are affiliate links. If you make a purchase, Low No Drinker may earn a commission. Thank you.
Welcome to the Mindful Drinking Audio Advent day 18 here on the Mindful Drinking and Moderation in Midlife podcast with me, Denise Hamilton Mace. Today we are talking about your morning wins. If you have been drinking mindfully this month, if you have been moderating, if you've been reducing your alcohol intake, you have likely had several mornings where you've woken up and thought to yourself, hmm, do you know what? I feel pretty okay. I went out last night, we had a nice time, everyone had a few drinks, I stuck to my guns, came home, got a good night's sleep, and now I'm ready to rock and roll. You get up, you head into work, you walk into the office or the factory or wherever it is that you work, you open the door, and there is quiet in the office. People are there, some of them, but they're not saying much. They got their heads in their hands, they are sitting quietly, sipping large cups of coffee. There are people running to the loo, and everyone is dying. And you, you feel like cock of the walk, and as well you should. You made a fantastic choice for yourself last night, and it is paying dividends this morning, especially when you compare it to the sorry state of other people around you. But do yourself a favor, do them a favor. Don't be that guy, okay? Don't be that guy who comes in feeling all fresh-faced and then starts rubbing it in everyone else's face about how wonderful you're feeling whilst they are dying on their feet. We've all been there, okay? We've all had rotten hangovers, we've barely managed to scrape our bodies out of our pits and into our into the office. And the last thing that you need is some perky princess or prince bouncing around, telling everybody the wonders of a life less intoxicated. This is a journey that people have to come to when they're ready. Everybody needs to find their own way to the place that you are at now, just like you had to. I know that when I was in what I call my professional drinking days, if somebody had been uh preaching from the rafters and telling me how wrong my choices were and to look at them and aren't they wonderful and aren't they perfect, that they would have just made me want to, well, A, punch them in the face, but B, go and probably have another shot. So don't be that guy. Instead, just help them out. Okay, grab coffees when they need a coffee, grab, you know, bacon butties or whatever it is you're having when they need it. And remember that the best way to share with people how good it feels to live a life less intoxicated is just to lead it quietly, confidently, proudly, um, and not to make anybody else feel bad about their choices. A really big part of this podcast for me is no judgment for people on whatever choice they make around alcohol. And that includes people not judging us for drinking less and us not judging other people for the times that they choose to drink more. Now, to help you out in case you are on the other side of this and you are feeling a little bit worse for wear, the drinks in today's advent are all selections that can help you maximize uh your morning advantage if you're feeling great, or to give you an extra sort of brain boost if you're feeling a little bit worse for wear. So don't forget to go and check that out. I'll see you tomorrow for day 19. And until then, cheers to a Christmas less intoxicated.
