GUIDELINES
Moderation Management
MODERATION MANAGEMENT ™ GUIDELINES & LIMITS
What Does Moderate Drinking Mean?
Moderate drinking isn’t about following someone else’s rules—it’s about finding a level of alcohol use that supports your health, relationships, and the life you want to live. For most people, that means staying within clear, intentional limits rather than drinking impulsively or excessively.
A standard drink is the foundation for tracking moderation. One standard drink equals:
- 12 ounces of regular beer (5% alcohol)
- 5 ounces of table wine (12% alcohol)
- 1.5 ounces of 80-proof spirits (40% alcohol)
Understanding what counts as a standard drink helps you make informed choices, set realistic goals, and build drinking habits that remain intentional instead of automatic.
Moderate Drinking Guidelines and Limits:
For Men:
No more than 14 drinks per week, and not more than 4 per occasion.
For Women:
No more than 9 drinks per week, and not more than 3 per occasion.
For Both Men & Women:
Do not drink on more than 3-4 days per week.
When Do These Limits Work?
Research has shown that these moderate drinking guidelines and limits are generally workable for persons who have learned to moderate after experiencing drinking problems.
US government’s National Institute for Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
These limits are mostly the same as those set forth by the US government’s National Institute for Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. However, NIAAA gives a similar but slightly lower weekly limit for women of 7 drinks per week (with the same 3 per occasion), so women might consider adopting that lower weekly limit.
BAC Limits
Even if we don’t drink and drive, and we know you won’t, an elevated BAC can have other damaging and painful results.
When Is Your BAC Level is Too High?
What level of BAC makes us think we’re John Travolta on the dance floor? Is it the same level that has us sending “I love you, I really love you!” texts to our old high school flame at 4 a.m.?
(Our partner, Checkup and Choices, has a great BAC Levels and their Detailed Effects table).
BAC plays a very important role in maintaining moderate drinking levels, too. How much do we have to drink in what period of time to go from in control to “Just one more.” to “I deserve a break from all this planning and counting and timing”—to regret?
Download the PDF BAC limits for men and women below