Podcast
Mindful Drinking and Moderation in Midlife: How to Drink Less, On Your Terms
Hosted by Denise Hamilton-Mace | Mindful Drinking Mentor Writer, Speaker & Coach · EN
**A Spotify 'Rising Star' show** Practical moderation for the way you want to live.
Why can't I drink like I used to? How do I drink less without quitting completely? Should I go for low, no or light alcohol drinks? 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, 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?
- What really works: willpower vs. strategy?
- 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?
This podcast is for you if:
- 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.
36episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
159. INSIDE THE MINDFUL DRINKING RESET: Can You Really Change Your Drinking in 4 Weeks?
Feb 1800:25:14Tap to summarizeHey, 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 Reset2:54 Moderation Misconceptions6:47 What The Reset Is & Is Not9:09 Daily Support11:30 Week One: Awareness Is Everything15:49 Week Two: Boundaries And Confidence16:49 Week Three: Stress, Energy, And Sleep19:11 Week Four: Building Your New Normal20:27 Real Feedback From Learners23:37 How To Join And Get Your Discount ===You can email me at denise@lownodrinkermagazine.com===🧐 Take the quiz and find out what's REALLY driving your midlife drinking habitshttps://www.lownodrinker.com/===🗣️ Join the growing community on Substackhttps://lownodrinker.substack.com/===🌱 Reset the way alcohol shows up in your life with the 4 Week Midlife Mindful Drinking Resethttps://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.
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158. Drinks 101: What Are Adaptogens?
Feb 1600:04:15Tap to summarizeHey, 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 LagerOn 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 denise@lownodrinkermagazine.com===🧐 Take the quiz and find out what's REALLY driving your midlife drinking habitshttps://www.lownodrinker.com/===🗣️ Join the growing community on Substackhttps://lownodrinker.substack.com/===🌱 Reset the way alcohol shows up in your life with the 4 Week Midlife Mindful Drinking Resethttps://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.
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157. 8 Things I’d Tell You About Mindful Drinking If I Wasn't Afraid to Hurt Your Feelings
Feb 1100:23:36Tap to summarizeHey, 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 Today2:06 Stop Romanticising Your Drinking Past3:33 Don’t Wait For Rock Bottom4:41 It's Not the Booze, it's Your Social Identity7:06 Your Friend Group Will Need to Change10:30 Moderation Might Not Be Your Path13:28 Impatiently Patient15:59 Sober Instagram Isn't For You19:22 Some Alcohol-Free Drinks Suck21:12 No More Excuses, Start Today ===You can email me at denise@lownodrinkermagazine.com===🧐 Take the quiz and find out what's REALLY driving your midlife drinking habitshttps://www.lownodrinker.com/===🗣️ Join the growing community on Substackhttps://lownodrinker.substack.com/===🌱 Reset the way alcohol shows up in your life with the 4 Week Midlife Mindful Drinking Resethttps://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.
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156. Drinks 101: Functional Drinks
Feb 900:04:47Tap to summarizeHey, 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 WolfOn Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/45-5-new-functional-spirits-from-smiling-wolf/id1701338793?i=1000676998877On Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/episode/17IVpcbwpPUYuQtDMU6WuC?si=70bb4a1587414f61 On Overcast - https://overcast.fm/+BDZGsjXgI4 ===You can email me at denise@lownodrinkermagazine.com===🧐 Take the quiz and find out what's REALLY driving your midlife drinking habitshttps://www.lownodrinker.com/===🗣️ Join the growing community on Substackhttps://lownodrinker.substack.com/===🌱 Reset the way alcohol shows up in your life with the 4 Week Midlife Mindful Drinking Resethttps://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.
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155. Identity Crisis: Does Drinking Less Mean Becoming Less You?
Feb 400:17:56Tap to summarizeHey, 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 Self3:15 Alcohol & Your Persona7:50 Change, Growth, And Evolving Identity11:00 Reframing From Loss To Learning14:00 4-Week Mindful Drinking Reset And Substack ===You can email me at denise@lownodrinkermagazine.com===🧐 Take the quiz and find out what's REALLY driving your midlife drinking habitshttps://www.lownodrinker.com/===🗣️ Join the growing community on Substackhttps://lownodrinker.substack.com/===🌱 Reset the way alcohol shows up in your life with the 4 Week Midlife Mindful Drinking Resethttps://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.
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154. Introducing Drinks 101: Making Low/No Make Sense
Feb 200:03:52Tap to summarizeHey, 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-freeAnd, 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 denise@lownodrinkermagazine.com===🧐 Take the quiz and find out what's REALLY driving your midlife drinking habitshttps://www.lownodrinker.com/===🗣️ Join the growing community on Substackhttps://lownodrinker.substack.com/===🌱 Reset the way alcohol shows up in your life with the 4 Week Midlife Mindful Drinking Resethttps://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.
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