According to a study, the average American drinks twice as much alcohol over the holidays. But this is not surprising, especially when we're so used to the notion that alcohol plays a big role in festivities and celebrations. The thing is, drinking during the holidays is considered relatively normal in the United States that is has become a huge public health and law enforcement concern.

So if you're one to overindulge and binge on drinks amid these festivities, perhaps it's time to take a step back and do some much-needed reflection. Since it's also that time of the year when everyone's making a list of resolutions (and hoping against all the odds to stick to those lists), consider resolving to cut down on your drinking this year. Here's how:

How to Track and Control Your Alcohol Intake

One no-fuzz way to keep track of your alcohol consumption is to use an application that you can access on your mobile devices. Alcohol tracker apps like My Limit shows your drinking history over a day, week, month, or even a year.

Click the "Add a Drink" button, choose from their directory of over a hundred thousand drink choices, and the app will automatically tally your blood alcohol content (BAC) over time. Ideally, the figures on Drink History will make you want to slow down a bit on your drinking.

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Apart from tracking your BAC, My Limit tells if you're safe to drive and provides a guesstimate of the hours until you're fully sober. The alcohol tracking app asks for your gender and bodyweight upon setup, so they can give you an estimate of your own alcohol limit.

Of course, the app can't provide a 100% accurate BAC calculation. But it's still useful if you want to keep track of how many bottles of beer, ounces of champagne, or shots of cocktail you've let in your system for a specific period. This way, when your doctor asks about your average alcohol intake, you won't have to lie and say "two bottles" when it's really more than that.

What to Do Before, During and After Drinking

Holiday binge drinking is fine as long as you follow these tips before, during, and after the drinking session. Before going to that party, be sure to eat something and drink something non-alcoholic to let the food settle in your system. 

If you know there will be a downpour of champagnes, wines, beers, and cocktails, just book rideshare to and from the venue. It's also a good practice to find a designated driver to take you home. Just don't drive.

Even if the alcohol tracker app says you're sober enough, be smart enough to leave the driving to people who are completely clearheaded. If all else fails, stay at your friend's home or don't go to that party at all. You can choose to wise up now or pay the cost later.

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