St. Pete Personal Trainer Talks Alcohol and Weight Loss | Is Alcohol Bad for Weight Loss?

As St Pete’s go to personal trainer for men and women over 50, Alcohol is often times a significant part of our clients lives.  A question I get asked daily is “So, what’s the real deal with  alcohol and weight loss?

Is this something that I  can make room for in my diet or is it something that I  need to give up entirely?”

Today I want to share with you the real truth about alcohol and your weight loss program.

Alcohol And Weight Loss –  Calories

The very first thing that you need to take note of is how many calories are found in alcohol. Alcohol itself contains seven calories per gram, whereas both proteins and carbs contain just four. Fat comes in at the highest calorie value per gram at nine, which places alcohol right in the middle.

What’s often over looked is what the alcohol is mixed with. If you’re drinking your alcohol with high calorie or fat mixers such as cream, sodas, or sugary mixers you could easily end up with a drink that packs in well over 300 calories per serving.

If you take in three or four of these over the course of the night, it’s really going to add up.

Now, you can use the handy dandy little graphic above (just click the pic to download) to make the best choices and minimize the damage, however it goes far beyond “calories” when it comes to alcohol’s effect on your weight loss efforts.

Alcohol And Weight Loss – Fat Metabolism

It’s not all about “calories” though. The second important thing that you need to note is the impact that alcohol consumption will have on your fat metabolism. The minute that you put alcohol into your body, all fat burning is going to come to a halt.

Your body views alcohol as a toxin and as such, as soon as it comes in, it’s going to do everything it can to rid itself of this alcohol. No further fat will be burned off until it’s out of your system.

Only then will you start burning up body fat again. So if you consume quite a bit of alcohol one night, you can expect to see your rate of fat loss drop off for a more significant period of time.

FACT: Just a mere 1-2 drinks of alcohol can shut your metabolism down for several days!

ALCOHOL AND Weight Loss –  YOUR  RECOVERY 

One Often Over Looked Aspect On Alcohol And Your Fitness Or Weight Loss Program  Is The Impact It Will Have On Your Recovery Rates.

In Addition To Putting The Breaks On All Fat Burning Taking Place In The Body, The Second Thing That Alcohol Is Going To Put The Breaks On Is Protein Synthesis.This Means That No Further Lean Muscle Tissue Will Be Built Up As Long As That Alcohol Is In The Body.

Imagine What This Is Going To Do To Your Workout Goals.

So As You Can See, If You Want To Be Truly Successful With Your Fat Loss And Workout Program, It’s Best If You Can Severely Limit Alcohol. One Drink Every Now And Then Won’t Hurt All That Much In The Grand Scheme Of Things, But If You’re Taking In Any More Than This, It Will Definitely Hinder The Progress That You See.

QUICK TIPS:

*Treat alcohol the same way you treat other things in your diet – as something you can enjoy from time to time without going overboard…

*Be aware of what and how much you’re drinking: Find the calorie content of your favorite drinks. That alone may motivate you to find substitutions for higher calorie drinks. For example, a shot
of coffee liqueur could have up to 150 calories, while a small glass of wine has only 70 calories.

*Drink water between drinks: Having a full glass of water between alcoholic drinks can both help you avoid drinking too much and keep you hydrated. That may help avoid a hangover the next day.

*Know your weak spots: If you know you tend to drink too much and overeat at parties, prepare yourself. Eat a healthy meal or snack before you go to ensure you’re not drinking on an empty stomach, which speeds up intoxication.

*Think about your goals: Turning down that refill may be hard in the moment, but you’ll be glad you did when you wake up the next day, refreshed and ready for your workout.

*Avoid high-calorie drinks: The worst offenders include eggnog (340 calories), Long Island Iced Tea (up to 800 calories) and margaritas (up to 700 calories). In general, drinks that include mixers like sweet and sour mix, juice or club soda will have more calories.

I hope this ideas give you a few ideas to stay on track and reach your goals!

Sound off !  Did You Think It Was All About Calories? Did You Know This? Does It Change Your View On Alcohol And How It Will Fit Into Your Diet?

Drop A Comment Below And Let Me Know. If you found this helpful and want more tips like this,  Come Join Us in Our FREE, Private Facebook Community  St Pete & Tierra Verde’s Fit Over 50 where you will be surrounded by some of our most successful clients and we get real, bust through myths and talk about what REALLY works when it comes to losing weight, reshaping your body and having a body you LOVE ! This is Community for St Pete and Tierra Verde residents who want to get tips, recipes and strategies for living a healthy lifestyle and learning how to eat more, train less and achieve a body they love Committed To Your Success and Awesomeness,

Dianne Villano – Your Personal Fitness & Transformation Expert
Fitness St Pete I Tierra Verde Fitness
727-742-0816