Did you enjoy the long weekend a little too much? Outside holidays—think Labor Day, Memorial Day, and the Fourth of July—are typically filled with amazing BBQ, backyard beer, and summery cocktails. And while all of that is well and good, you may be wishing that you pre-, during-, and post-gamed it a bit better.
Well, even though you botched your recovery this time, we’ve got a few tips that will help you engage in day-drinking like a champ come your next outdoor, mid-day shindig.
1. Drink like a fish… water, that is
Now, you say you know this is important, but once you start drinking, this simple fact often gets too easily forgotten. My trick—and anyone who has ever day-drank and regretted it—is to chug a glass of water in-between drinks. Still think you’ll forget? Set an alarm that goes off every 30 minutes. Sure, your friends may think you’re crazy, but they’ll be wishing they had your brilliant insight the day after.
2. Eat, for your health!
Before you ingest your first drink, eat a healthy meal. We posted about the healthy benefits of this breakfast a while ago. As the day goes on, make sure to continue to eat, but instead of eating, like, three hamburgers, consider eating a veggie burger at 1 p.m., some vegan potato salad at 3 p.m., a fruit salad at 5 p.m., and some healthy snacks as the evening marches on.
3. Pick your drink
If you know how a certain type of alcohol effects you, stick to it and sip slowly. Also: consider bringing some craft, low alcohol beer. Lots of breweries now sell session beers meant for all-day-drinking. If you prefer liquor, Style Caster suggests sticking to vodka, gin, and tequila that’s not cheap—no one wants a hangover from cheap booze. All of these liquors are clear, which could help you skip your possible hangover, too.
4. Nap
Your friends will still love you if you have to take a power-nap, mid-day. If you start to feel a little groggy during the day, go inside, drink a glass of water, and nap. If you wake-up feeling refreshed and ready to go, head back to the party. Feel bad? Go home and sleep it off. There’s no shame in listening to your body.
5. Prep for the morning after
Even if you hydrate like a champ, you’ll probably experience some type of hangover the next day. To help mitigate that, make sure your kitchen is filled with lemons, coconut water, and bananas. When you arrive home—via foot, Uber, or DD—have some lemon water, a banana, and a pain killer. After you pre-sleep hydrate, get a lot of shuteye. When you wake-up, have some coconut water, and oatmeal with sliced banana. After your morning hydration sesh, you should start to feel better.
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Image of friends day-drinking via Shutterstock