Moderate amounts of alcohol have been linked with health benefits including, heart health, mental health and even longevity. Alcohol can increase HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol), and improve your sensitivity to insulin. Alcohol also can help with occasional stress, socializing and even make you appear more attractive! What could possibly go wrong?

If weight loss, particularly fat loss is your goal, then you may want to reevaluate your relationship with alcohol. Alcohol can negatively impact your ability to lose weight. Alcohol a toxin, provides no nutrients but does contain 7 calories per gram. When you consume alcohol, your body will prioritize metabolizing it over any nutrient consumed with it.

Alcohol can increase fat storage. Your body is unable to store alcohol, but it can and will store the carbohydrates consumed with it. Hence, carbohydrates found in beer, wine, sugar-based mixers as well as the foods frequently consumed along with alcohol are more easily stored as fat, particularly in the midsection. Beer belly explained!

Alcohol can increase your appetite, otherwise known as the munchies. Research has demonstrated that neurons in the hypothalamus are triggered increasing hunger. Alcohol is also well known for lowering your inhibitions meaning you are more likely to splurge on the fried calamari appetizer, nachos with cheese or fries with your burger.

Alcohol can also affect your hormones, such as lowering testosterone, increasing estrogen and cortisol levels. These undesirable shifts in hormones impact your ability to build muscle and lose fat.

Alcohol also negatively affects your sleep, the only time you actually build muscle and burn fat! Alcohol lowers melatonin production, acts a diuretic (you may need to urinate), and suppresses your ability to have deep restorative sleep by interrupting the sleep cycles.

Conclusion: alcohol can slow weight loss BUT it doesn’t have to.

There are many factors that influence how alcohol can affect you personally. These include your overall diet and lifestyle, how much you are drinking, the frequency and the amount and what you are drinking. In addition, there are other factors influencing how alcohol affects you, such as, genetics, age, or an underlying health condition.

How can you enjoy the occasional adult beverage without derailing your weight loss goals?

1. Skip the juice, simple syrup or soda mixers. Instead, mix with soda water, lemon or sip it straight.
2. Eat with protein. Ie: shrimp cocktail or edamame appetizer.
3. Drink extra water, before, during and after!

Final take away: alcohol can be enjoyed if done responsibly as part of an overall healthy diet and lifestyle. However, if your weight loss efforts have stalled, you may consider the impact alcohol consumption may have as it provides empty calories, can increase fat storage and lead to overeating.

If you want to know how a personalized plan could be the missing link in achieving your goals, please call now 941-685-8074 to schedule a free 15 minute discovery call.