I like the approach as described as it seems very practical.

The hardest thing for me to do - yet also the easiest in terms of dropping my numbers - was to stop bringing my wine glass with me into my 'office' or computer room in the evening. I used to sip glass after glass while working on club and web stuff. The simple expedient of leaving my glass on a kitchen counter means I have to get up and go to another room to take a sip. The short trip reminds me that I'm trying to "make it last" so that indeed I just take a sip instead of chugging it and refilling. The net result is I've been building a new habit where drinking WHILE computing is no longer the normal thing. Caveat: for the first months, I did indeed drink as I normally did - sitting at the computer and drinking my bottle of wine. I think that also was part of the de-conditioning.

Likewise, small habits add up - I don't take the Nal until an hour before dinner. I don't pour my first glass until dinner is plated. I don't pour the second glass until after dinner is over. Etc.

PV -- I think what you are doing is exactly what Dr. Willenbring was describing to me. From my (sparse) notes from our last meeting as he was discussing the mental contrasting and implementation intention (MCII) technique he was talking about making behaviors automatic, so your habits and rituals become a conditioned reinforcing response. Here's a link to what looks like a pretty esoteric study on using MCII to reduce alcohol consumption (I thought your description of what you do was a lot more accessible :>)
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/jour ... 1&SRETRY=0

There's been a lot of publicity about a study done earlier this year about using MCII to increase patterns of physical exercise:
http://blog.standupandeat.org/post/2009 ... 2809d.aspx

I'm still struggling a little about how to apply this to my drinking behavior, but I thought your ideas like removing the stimulus (your wine glass) etc from where you are is terrific. Regardless, I think for me behavioral reinforcement of whatever the NAL is doing on a physiological level will only help.

Hi PV,

Well, well - I have been adopting this approach for many years. To be honest, the reason I started doing it was to ensure that glasses were never knocked over in our lounge - getting rid of stains on a pale blue carpet is not easy. However, in recent years, I have also been aware that it forces me to pace my drinking; a win-win situation! Of course, things can get a bit tricky when visitors pop in. That's when white wine is a Godsend!

All the best.

V.