Know your standard drinks
One of the most common ways people underestimate their drinking is by ignoring the size of their drinks.
For example, a 20oz glass of IPA with 7% ABV has three times the alcohol of a 12oz bottle of 4% pilsner. And that’s without getting into the complexities of mixed drinks and restaurant pours.
Government guidance on alcohol consumption (“two drinks or less in a day for men and one drink or less in a day for women, on days when alcohol is consumed”) is based on a “standard drink” containing 14 grams of alcohol.
Standard drink calculators
To make sure you’re being honest with yourself when you track your drinks, familiarize yourself with a simple standard drink calculator.
Once you learn how many standard drinks are in your go-to beverages you’ll have a much better understanding of what you’re actually consuming relative to your goals.