One of the most frequent questions we get is about alcohol: “can I drink while trying to lose weight?” “Will drinking cause me to gain weight?” “Why do I get so hungover and is there anything I can do to help?”
We want to start off by saying there is nothing wrong with having an occasional drink but if it’s your frequent “cheat” that maybe standing in the way of your weight loss or health goals.
Link to video: https://vimeo.com/227309900/7dc45091c0
So here are some things our dietitians think you should know about alcohol:
Empty Calories
Alcohol provides calories just like any other food. Alcohol provides 7 cals/g while carbs and protein give 4 cals/g and fat has 9 cals/g. The difference is that alcohol only provides calories while the other macronutrients provide both calories and nutrients to nourish our body. So when we drink alcohol we are only getting the calories and none of the awesome vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fiber, etc. that you would normally get from food.
Sugar
Not all drinks are made equally. Some drinks contain more added sugar than others and therefore more calories. For example, a pina colada has double the amount of sugar than a gin and tonic does and as we talked about last week high sugar intake -> high insulin levels -> weight gain -> increased cravings (click HERE to check out our video on sugar). Red wine, champagne, and spirits mixed with water or club soda have less sugar and can be a better alternative to drinks with higher sugar content such as beer, spirits mixed with sodas or fancy cocktail drinks like a Bahama Mama. Choose your drinks wisely!
Inflammation/Hangovers
Alcohol has a concentrated amount of inflammatory properties which is why it causes hangovers. Since alcohol contains irritants, our body will try to metabolize and get rid of the alcohol as it’s first priority. In the metabolic process, our body will use up our mineral stores in order to break down the alcohol. In addition, alcohol is a diuretic and will signal the body to get rid of fluids, which can lead to dehydration. As a result, depleted nutrient stores and dehydration is what causes those nasty hangovers the next day. That is why drinking pedialyte or gatorade tastes like heaven the morning after a night out because you’re rehydrating and replenishing those electrolyte stores.
Bottom Line
We are not telling you to cut out alcohol forever but consider what your goals are and how drinking will affect them. If your goal is weight loss, then maybe only have an occasional drink here and there and choosing less sugary options. If your goal is weight maintenance, then the general recommendation is to moderate it to 1 drink/day for women and 2 drinks/day for men. With that being said, that recommendation is per day so if you didn’t drink all week it doesn’t mean you can have 7 shots on Friday!
Let us know if you have any questions in the comments below.
Cheers!
Sally
P.S. Are you signed for my BE Awesome Wellness Workshop? If not, no problem –> You can still Join the Party! Next Video comes out on August 20. For more information HERE.
