Day 28/30!
Happy Wednesday!
Today, I wanted to talk about one last big topic that I feel is very relevant when it comes to weight loss/fat loss and a “healthier” lifestyle. I saved the best for last… and that is; ALCOHOL!
I’m sure we all know alcohol is not great for us… many drink it anyway and I am not here to tell you to give it up for good, but it is important to look at how alcohol affects our body and how it can interfere/play a role in fat loss/weight loss.
Alcohol provides empty calories. It has 7 calories per gram, which is almost as much as fat (which has 9 calories per gram), but alcohol has little to no nutritional value in terms of vitamins, minerals, or protein.
For example:
A 5 oz glass of wine can have around 120–130 calories.
A 12 oz beer can have around 150 calories.
A 1.5 oz shot of vodka (without mixers) can have around 100 calories.
These calories add up quickly, especially if you're drinking regularly or in larger quantities.
ALCOHOL AFFECTS YOUR METABOLISM:
When you consume alcohol, your body prioritizes metabolizing alcohol over other nutrients because alcohol is viewed as a toxin by the body, and it needs to be processed quickly.
As a result, when you drink, your body slows down the fat-burning process to focus on breaking down alcohol. In essence, your body stops burning fat as efficiently during the period it’s metabolizing alcohol, leading to fat storage rather than fat burning.
ALCOHOL DISRUPTS PROTEIN SYNTHESIS:
Protein synthesis is the process by which the body repairs and builds muscle after exercise.
Studies have shown that alcohol, especially in larger quantities, can decrease protein synthesis by up to 20-30% for several hours after consumption. This means that even if you’ve had a great workout, consuming alcohol afterward could reduce the effectiveness of your muscle-building efforts by impairing recovery.
There are SO many important factors that alcohol affects in our body so be sure to check back tomorrow for a few more points on this topic!
Now that hurts. Lol