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 9: The Long Lunch Survival Guide
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 Nine of the Mindful Drinking Advent Series, we dive into the beautifully chaotic world of December long lunches — the ones that start innocently at 1pm and somehow end at midnight.
This episode helps you enjoy the fun without losing the whole day (and tomorrow) by using simple tools like the ‘hard out’.
A practical, honest guide to surviving the midday tipple trap on your terms.
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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 nine with me, Denise Hamilton Mace, here on the Mindful Drinking and Moderation in Midlife podcast. Today we are talking about the long lunch survival guide because the festivities start early on December days. It is late lunches, early dinners, cheeky midday tipples, and you might not see your desk again for the rest of the day. There is something beautifully dangerous about a December work lunch. It always starts off innocently enough, well, sometimes innocently. You go out for a working lunch with a friend and you think, well, why not get a bottle of wine? It's Christmas. Or perhaps your boss is trying to be clever and thinks they can save a few pennies if they take you out for lunch rather than for dinner. I can tell you that after decades of throwing Christmas parties in various venues around London, you usually end up spending a lot more than you think you would at lunchtime, bosses, so don't be fooled. But suddenly it is five o'clock, it is dark outside, you're in some random pub or bar that you don't remember getting to. There's another shot in your hand, and you are writing off not only the rest of the day, but quite possibly all of tomorrow as well. Christmas lunches are one of those times when it is okay to have a hard out. You can be that person that says, Alright, I need to head off before another bottle appears, before another round of shots appears, because it is a relentless day. I can't tell you the amount of times that I started, or I witnessed people starting at one o'clock just to have a nice relaxed lunch with the goal of being home by six o'clock, maybe seven, uh, and then at midnight they are still rolling out of the door trying to figure out which way is up. So, like I said, you can have a hard hour at Christmas for lunch times. It's one of those times when it works in your favour. I don't want you to count the minutes and miss out on actually enjoying your time in the place and with the company that you're in, but do know when it's going to be time for you to leave. What's your usual cutoff point? When do you think you're going to be starting to head towards the moment when you could tip over and leave before you get to that point? Uh, eat properly. I have said it before and I will say it again, but food is your friend. The more you eat, the slower it takes for alcohol to be absorbed into your system. Don't just pick at starters, but have a full meal. If you're not sure if you're going to like what's on offer at the restaurant or wherever you're going, make sure you eat beforehand. Plus, the more you eat, the less space you have for drinking. It's very uncomfortable to drink lots of liquid on a full stomach. And finally, this is a slightly alternative motivation technique, but leave some really important work undone back at the office and give yourself a reason to uh stay sharp and to exit quickly. Now, obviously, I don't mean anything that's going to put your job in jeopardy. If it's really important you need to get it done, get it done. But if you know that you might need a little bit of extra inspiration, motivation to push you out the door, make sure you leave something important undone so that you've got a reason to not only to leave but to stay clear-headed, go and get that done, and then you can get home early, and then you can make your own choices about how the rest of the night is going to go. Today, behind today's um Advent email, you will see my personal selection of soft drinks. It's lunchtime. It's okay to not always have an alcohol-free alternative to a full-strength drink. Sometimes we just want a nice soft drink. So I've got a selection for you of some of my favorite soft drinks and mixers that you can use. Uh, you'll find be able to find most of these in uh most pubs that put some effort into their drinks list, and of course, at online retailers like Wise Bartender and Dry Drinker and the Alcohol Drinks Company. So, check those out, and I will see you tomorrow for day 10. And until then, cheers to a Christmas less intoxicated.
