When it comes to achieving fitness goals, many people express their desire to do so without giving up drinking. Trust me, as a wine and scotch lover myself, this is an issue I addressed early on in my fitness life.
The good news is that you can still enjoy alcohol while working towards weight loss. In this article, we will explore how to make smart choices when it comes to alcohol consumption and its impact on your weight loss journey.
Alcohol itself is not the enemy of weight loss. However, it's important to be aware of its benefits and drawbacks in order to make informed decisions.
Benefits of Alcohol?
Moderate alcohol consumption can be enjoyable: summer drinks with friends, a glass of wine with family, or the occasional solo drink.
I think it's fair to say the only benefits are social ones. In my opinion, alcohol has zero physiological advantages which makes this section very short.
Now let's talk about the drawbacks.
Drawbacks of Alcohol for Weight Loss
I'm not here to rain on your parade if you want to find positives about drinking. It has none. Below are the main drawbacks of consuming alcohol.
Empty Calories: Alcohol contains empty calories, providing no nutritional value and increasing your overall energy intake.
For instance, a regular can of beer has around 150 calories, while a glass of wine has slightly less. Since socializing often involves having multiple drinks, this can quickly escalate to consuming 300-800calories, depending on your level of indulgence.
Impaired Fat Metabolism: When you drink alcohol, your body prioritizes metabolizing it before burning fat. Consequently, consuming alcohol can slow your weight loss progress by temporarily halting fat burning. If you frequently consume alcohol over consecutive days, such as during weekends filled with social events, your body may not be able to efficiently burn fat for several days.
Calorie-Heavy Environments: One often overlooked aspect is that alcohol is typically consumed in an environment filled with calorie-dense food options. Whether it's a birthday dinner with a delicious three-layered chocolate cake or a night out with fries, burgers, or pizza, the surroundings can contribute to weight gain. Additionally, most drinking occasions involve sitting rather than physical activity, resulting in a minimal calorie burn.
Beers and saucisson, yes, still on the GR20
These three factors right present huge obstacles to any successful weight loss attempt. The combination of empty calories, altered fat burning and calorie heavy environment is exactly what we try to avoid when losing weight.
There are a few strategies we can implement to continue reaching our fitness goals while consuming alcohol.
Strategies for Balancing Alcohol and Weight Loss
While it's essential to align your diet with your goals, completely abstaining may not be necessary or feasible. Here are some strategies to enjoy alcohol while prioritizing weight loss:
Conscious Goal Alignment: If your primary focus is weight loss, cutting out alcohol entirely may be beneficial due to its calorie content and the calorie-dense environments it is often associated with. However, if you're social and enjoy occasional drinks, consider reducing the frequency of outings or consumption. If you typically go out for drinks every Fridays with friends, limit yourself to one drink. Consider trying non alcoholic drinks. There are many options out there, especially for social gatherings at one's home.
Pre-Drinking Meal: Before going out, have a healthy meal. This will fill you up, reducing the urge to indulge in high-calorie snacks or treats while drinking. By satisfying your hunger beforehand, you'll have better control over your choices.
Damage Control: Remember that weight loss is determined by your weekly caloric intake. If you have a night out where you consume more calories from alcohol and food, compensate for it by adjusting your intake the following day or within the next few days. And that does NOT mean starve yourself the next day. Absolutely not. Just consciously reduce your food intake. You'll quickly realize that all those empty calories and restaurant type foods don't make you feel satiated very well and you may get hungry the following day. Especially if you've over consumed booze. In the long term, that itself will nudge you towards making better decisions in your social outings.
Taking control of your social outings and alcohol consumption can sometimes feel like you are the odd one in the group.
I'm here to tell you that is not the case. In fact, it might make you the person who leads by example. That in itself can be daunting. If you find the group you hang out with condemning your behaviour, it might be time to rethink your social support.
I've drank non alcoholic beers at parties and I've seen my friends do it at my parties. There was never an instance in which I or they, were made fun of.
Do what is best for you and if you get judged for it, find other people.
Conclusion
While it may be tempting to completely avoid alcohol for weight loss purposes, occasional outings and special occasions can still be enjoyed responsibly.
By understanding the effects of alcohol on weight loss, aligning your goals, and implementing strategies for balance, you can have the best of both worlds.
Remember to make informed choices and prioritize your overall fitness routine.
Have fun out there,
Clem
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