by D. Kearney Sparano

Created on: December 26, 2009

In theory it is quite simple to not get drunk, don’t drink. However, if you are reading this article I will make the assumption that that is not the advice you want. So let me begin by stating, I do like my booze but I don’t like being drunk. As a matter of fact I deplore being drunk and dealing with people that are drunk. For whatever reason I see it as a weakness of character (when it happens on a regular basis) and a loss of control (when it happens infrequently). The art of drinking without getting drunk is the art of self-restraint and drinking responsibly. When done correctly it will allow you to enjoy yourself, be social, but still be in control of your faculties. So let us begin.

 Know your body

 The first thing you have to know is how your body responds to alcohol. A woman who weighs 125 lbs and doesn’t drink regularly won’t have the same tolerance as a 250 lbs man who has a beer a day. Body weight, gender and ethnicity are all component in how your body processes alcohol. My recommendation is to Google “body mass index and alcohol” or “drinking and body weight.” Find out how much a person your size can drink in an hour before you would be considered drunk.

 Calculation

 The general rule of thumb is that it takes one hour for your body to process a serving of alcohol. So that is 1 hour for a glass of wine, bottle of beer or shot of booze. When you couple that with how much alcohol your body weight allows you to drink you can now calculate how to responsibly pace yourself. Since I weigh over 200 lbs I have to drink 3 beers in an hour to be considered legally drunk. So if I stick to a formula of 2 beers in the 1st hour and 1 beer an hour after I will be able to enjoy my beer without becoming a drunken mess. If I were to be driving, the formula adjusts accordingly to the amount of time I plan on staying.

 If I am popping in for an appearance, then it is 1 drink and 1 drink only. If I know it will be a long party then the formula above applies with one to 2 hours of not drinking before driving. So, if I am at a dinner party 4 hours, I can have 2 beers in the first hour and another beer in the second hour and a last beer in the third hour. By the end of the party I am perfectly fine.

 Tricks of the trade

 Now, aside from math, there are a couple of things you can do to slow the absorption of alcohol.

 Eat before drinking – Food slows down and limits the amount

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